Koray Savas

Listening to it right now, actually. It really is wonderful with some interesting minimalistic ideas.

Jackman? There was a video interview on FSMO that people keep referencing. He wrote a great theme and Vaughn went "That! I like that part, make it the theme," and he goes, "The fucking bassline?!"

I felt it was time to clear a few titles off my SAE wish list and discovered that GDM is reissuing a remastered Django. Needless to say, I immediately placed an order. I had the older expanded edition on my list for years, it was $38. Now $22 with better sound!

4. JAMES NEWTON HOWARD

Like most others on this list, Howard was one of the few composers that helped spark my love for film music. Despite seeing a handful of his films earlier, it wasn't until The Sixth Sense in 1999 and Unbreakable in 2000 that I really took notice. I wasn't hugely in love with these scores, but I found them quiet and reflective yet tense. They weren't scores I sought out for a fun listen. It was then in 2002 with Signs that Howard became a name I would never forget. His score permeated through the film, bringing it to life and being the major reason why everything worked so well within it. There are the chilling "Main Titles" that I still remember hearing for the first time in theaters, as well as the superbly poignant and heartbreaking finale, but neither of those still excellent scenes made me sit up and take notice more than "Recruiting Office." This moment in the film is an example of perfect film music. The officer's steady, metronomic voice coupled with Howard's equally cold and chilling beat made my spine twinge. He's actually the composer that's probably made the hairs on my neck stand more than any other.

His sense of melody and thematic unity is unparalleled. The music always seems to evoke a sense of wonder and fantasy but could be frightening and unknown at the same time. It's a rare combination of so many different elements that keeps me coming back to his music. His range is quite unique, as he brings something different to the table not necessarily in terms of genre, but in time. The 90s, 00s, and now 10s all evoke something different out of Howard and his music. There is the same nerve running through all his scores, but as he evolves and develops as a composer, his music produces vast effects on the listener. That magic and wonder is evident through nearly all of his 00s work. His use of choir and soloist instrumentation is so undeniably Howard that he can bring me to tears based purely on the lyricism of his music. If I had to pick a score that expresses everything Howard has to offer as a composer, it would without a doubt be Snow Falling On Cedars. A powerhouse of melancholic beauty. It features nearly everything that makes him one of the best composes to ever write for the medium. King Kong, I Am Legend, The Village, The Last Airbender, Lady In The Water, and Michael Clayton all also contain the rare magic that is James Newton Howard. Other unknown works like Dreamcatcher, Freedomland, and The Interpreter are some of my favorites as well. Lastly, how could this be a JNH post if I didn't mention Big Trouble? Such a unique and fun score that sadly never got any type of release. Thankfully, the end credits of the film features a 6-minute suite of all the themes and highlights. Those familiar with Duplicity would recognize the sound he implements here. It's a wonderful little bit of music.

Get Under Fire next, if you haven't heard it already.

Digitmovies is premiering the complete score of Rosza's Providence, which has a planned release date of Feb 25th, and is available for pre-order on SAE.

Just report it to PayPal and get your money back.

 
Do you think that would work, before he even mails out the CD?

I suppose it's zany too.