56 replies to this topic

[Stefancos]

Really?

[crocodile]

I know that Burly Brawl was actually co-composed by the two, so I don't know. It went back and forth all the time. Or so said Davis in one of the interviews.

Karol

[Marian Schedenig]

It's a close candidate. But compositionally you can hear that it's been done by 2 different composers with 2 different styles, trying to meet in the middle.

But that being the concept, I think it worked out perfectly. At least in Mona Lisa Overdrive, which I find much superior to Burly Brawl (which does have its outstanding moments though).

As for the Arnold techno, I know you disagree, but I still feel the music sounds like it was "complete" with just the orchestra, and that the techno overlay is just a bit too much for its own good.

[Mark Olivarez]

Or Arnold could have toned it down a bit.

[BurgaFlippinMan]

i like it te way it is...techno is cool sometimes..

[Docteur Qui]

Well my opinion on the ALIAS music has been said to death, but I'll reinforce that it is the only TV series I've seen which has had consistently excellent writing throughout its entire run, in terms of quality, thematic continuity and interest. The limitations Giacchino works with certainly seem to work in his favour - the small size of the orchestra and limited time to write (i.e. a few days) for whole episodes bring out the best in him. Maybe that's why I didn't really connect with his score to MI:3.

I'm watching LOST from the start, and I'm optimistic it will leave me more satisfied that even ALIAS, as the highlights of that series were the emotional parts and the fantasy elements, rather than the action.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer started so well, what with Chris Beck creating some wonderful themes (Buffy/Angel theme, Jenny/Giles theme, among others). But then he left after the third series and the rest was lost in bland, uninteresting underscore - save for Beck's outstanding return to the season 4 episode "Hush" and season 5 finale "The Gift", respectively. I so wish he had returned for the last few episodes of the series; I can imagine he'd have created an awesome theme to rival "The Gift" in emotional impact. Robert Duncan's score worked well, but it could have been so much better with some continuity.

Star Trek: Voyager angered me with missed musical opportunities (among the rest of the shows flaws, which I do admit I still love). The action music - particularly with the Borg - was so boring I was shocked that "Endgame" was not only was nominated for, but won an Emmy for composition. Would it have hurt to study some of Jerry and Joel Goldsmith's rhythmic and instrumental ideas for the Borg (outside the synthesizer which almost worked in one episode, though the theme was nowhere near as effective as Jerry's)? Or to actually USE the Voyager theme in the show? I'm just repeating myself now, as I had this exact gripe in another thread. Moving on...

I really enjoy Murray Gold's work for Doctor Who. He's got some nice themes happening; the Doctor's, while admittedly and ethnic wail, is at least clever as it alludes to the classic theme without actually quoting it. It would be nice to hear the theme present itself in full one day, like if the TARDIS bursts into a room full of Daleks, Cybermen and the Master (don't laugh, at the present rate the contrived meeting of the three is inevitable any series now). That'd be cool. The "Army of Ghosts/Doomsday" action music is fun, and the simple bass/piano/vocal/guitar piece he wrote for Rose's intro and exit actually works despite sounding like a strange hybrid of contemporary rock and Zimmer ethnic wails. (I could make a predictable joke observing Zimmer's current meshing of the two, but I'll refrain)


What else... Well, there's really nothing interesting on the telly at the moment as it is; all of my favourite shows have long since finished. The current splurge is quirky, romantic comedy series leaving little room for useful scoring (as pop songs work well enough). I'll keep an eye on Heroes though.

I know I'll be drawn and quartered for this, but I'd like to see another Trek series. Not overly-modernised like "Enterprise", and not as generic as "Voyager", but a solid, seven-season (or at LEAST five) series with arc, arc, arc! That means continuity in (and interesting) writing, characters, music, production in general... It doesn't have to be original. If it's executed properly (which, of course, would never happen) it could be great. I'd prefer a new series over a new movie (especially one with old characters). But who knows, maybe the film will do well and a series could go into production...

As long as Giacchino does the music.

[Elmo Lewis]

Well my opinion on the ALIAS music has been said to death, but I'll reinforce that it is the only TV series I've seen which has had consistently excellent writing throughout its entire run, in terms of quality, thematic continuity and interest. The limitations Giacchino works with certainly seem to work in his favour - the small size of the orchestra and limited time to write (i.e. a few days) for whole episodes bring out the best in him. Maybe that's why I didn't really connect with his score to MI:3.

You really need to listen to tracks 5-8 more carefully. It's Giacchino through and through, he's just using a different, small-scale sound.

I actually love how Giacchino creates a sound for every project he's involved in - the heavy dissonant strings for Lost, the techno for Alias, the low piano notes MI:3... And yet, the music that these instruments are playing is always written in the same, great language.

Speaking of bad TV music, I forgot to mention how catastrophic Mark Snow's score for Smallville is. There was this episode in season five (last year's) when Clark ran into a super-powered female vigilante and Snow kept using.... Elfman's Batman theme for her acrobatics on Metropolis rooftops! And I mean (synth) choir and all.

[Kendal_Ozzel]

I have a friend who has been hooked on Smallville for years, and when he finally sat me down to watch the pilot, I could hardly get into it, mainly because of the awful synth score.

[Docteur Qui]

I don't know why I'm surprised that a relatively polished show with reasonably high production values like Smallville has synth scoring. I guess I've been spoiled with other shows.

[king mark]

So I was watching CSI last night(just because it's in HD and I just got HD cable) ....and when there was the montage of the crime scene evidence gathering....Santaollala guitar "Iguazuzu" like music with Babel athmospheric synths burst into the scene.

I want to hang myself now.

[Mr. Breathmask]

I quite like Iguazu, although I felt it was used to often in Deadwood. It was also in the 24 pilot, and worked quite well.

[Neimoidian]

What about Snow's work in "The X-Files" (I am not familiar with his other projects)? He used synth extensively, but with remarkable effect. I am very fond of his underscore, it was quite original and worked great even outside the series.

[Mark Olivarez]

(just because it's in HD and I just got HD cable)

It's nice isn't it?

I rarely watch regular cable anymore.





Unfortunately scoring with a synth is probably much cheaper than using an orchestra. Gotta cut costs somewhere.

[Trumpeteer]

Who the hell came up with the idea of synth music in a period film?

Vangelis and Moroder. I don't blame them, though, because I like the scores for their movies very much.

It's kind of like blaming "Gladiator" for "Troy," "Alexander," "300" and TV's "Rome." You should blame studios for thinking they could capitalize on a genre.

[Justin]

I've quite enjoyed the music in Heroes.

Justin

[Mr. Breathmask]

I've gotten used to it, but found it annoying at first. I like the sound they came up with for Sylar, but the constant vocals annoyed me, especially in the beginning.

[Elmo Lewis]

And there's a piano hero theme that seems like it's directly ripped off the Hero theme from Unbreakable. I've heard it being used in some scenes with Nikki, but I don't think it's a theme for her. The use it for Mohinder's opening and closing narration too, sometimes.