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Glad to see it happen. And very gracious of Morricone to acknowledge Williams by name in his acceptance speech.

When Morricone was announced as the winner, I felt dissapointed. I knew he would win, but I still retained some hope. Yet, after watching Morricone walking to the stage and giving a gentlemanly acceptance speech, and mentioning Williams, I felt relieved. It's not like Ludovic Bource winning over Williams just for the film's popularity back in 2011. Morricone is an obviously deserving composer.

War Horse is simply one of the best, and most emotional scores of his entire career. Tintin is a delightful romp. Lincoln is wonderfully introspective with several A+ themes. The Book Thief is an engaging score that takes a hold of you from the start and doesn't let go until the end, and The Force Awakens is a delightful new direction in his action adventure scoring with wonderful themes and great variations of all of them (and I'm still chomping at the bit to hear the hour of unused alternates and stuff). I just cannot wait for The BFG, I think its going to be a real special one. I hope Johnny scores both Ready Player One and Episode 8!

Not a fan? I reckon it's a technically well-made film with a solid cast (Stan always rocks). But like I said earlier, I just can't take "activist" pieces like this. I understand the urge of a director, or any artist, to utilize one's craft to push some "real world" agenda; I totally get where it comes from, but I just don't care for that sort of thing these days. And yet I can enjoy any John Adams opera... I suppose he manages to not be preachy at all, and to paint such "current events" in broad, almost mythical terms, through which things can take on a more elemental relevance - I believe this is absolutely vital with such material. Spotlight, by contrast, like almost any contemporary film with a political or social thrust, is a sterile treatment of something that people will gasp at and shake their heads over, and then forget about - not because what it's about is lightweight or silly, but because of the flatness and vacuousness with which the subject is treated. What does the film really say, what does it accomplish? This stuff happened, these reporters did these things, yay journalism, priests like little kiddies... and then the filmmakers get up to accept their award and make some halfassed call to action. It's just all a little bland, all right? I didn't feel like this was the work of people truly trying to say something and to bring about some sweeping change for the betterment of humanity. It felt like the work of people who seize on whatever the big "cause" of the day is and push it for the benefit of their own image, then move on to something else when it falls out of fashion. This is the problem I have with this whole genre of "issue" films. It's obviously not that I like movies to be utterly devoid of any meaning or import, but those have to be derived from, or related to, something more timeless and fundamental to work for me, in the way that Adams transforms his chosen material. I just can not be engaged by so much stuff that seems to be de rigueur lately: straight crime films (although this varies a bit for me), or rape films, or sexuality issues films, or ethnic tension films, or, as here, religious dirty laundry films. These things just do not matter to me, because the filmmakers never seem interested in truly making them matter to me. It is almost invariably just an agenda taken up with little real spirit, in order to appear progressive and appropriately Hollywoodian in social concerns, and the most egregious thing is that this film probably won largely on such terms. And that's the real crime of the Academy and Hollywood as a whole. No, it's not that there aren't enough black people. It's this constant peddling of material that supposedly is about Important Things, but is rarely anything more than a husk, the shriveled excretion of someone's ego desperate to prove itself tolerant and aware. This isn't fucking Poitier anymore, it's dilettante activism. Anyway, we delivered the bomb.

Do you ever browse the internet to keep tabs on your fans? I can barely switch on a computer, let alone Google! [laughs] Many younger composers and students often ask me... No look, I'll drop the act. This antediluvian image I've helped cultivate for myself is something of a lie, I guess [laughs]. The truth is that I have an unhealthy addiction to social media. Around about 7 years ago I registered on a forum dedicated to me - the 'John Williams Fan Network' or 'JWFan' for short. Sounds incredibly egocentric, I know, but I did it only after pressure from my wife. Since then I've become what's known as a 'top poster'; but no-one knows who I really am. Probably for the better! That'll keep them guessing. I hope so.

If you can't hear the clarity, compositional craft and mastery of orchestral colour displayed in L'Inferno Bianco or Raggi di Sole Sulla Montagna, then they have fallen on deaf ears. And "averagely standard" (a tautology) compared to what? The score sounds like no other composer writing today, and that is one of its strengths. Get yo head out of yo ass.

Morricone's son translated almost exactly word-by-word. This is the text in Italian: "Ringrazio l'Accademia per questo prestigioso riconoscimento. Il mio pensiero va agli altri nominati, in particolare allo stimato John Williams. Non c'è una musica importante senza un grande film che la ispiri. Ringrazio Quentin Tarantino per avermi scelto, Harvey Weinstein, e tutto il team che ha reso possibile questo straordinario film. Dedico questa musica e questa vittoria all'Oscar a mia moglie Maria. Grazie." This is how I would translate it: "I thank the Academy for this prestigious acknowledgement. My thoughts are with the other nominees, particularly with the esteemed John Williams. There is no important (film) music without a great movie that inspires it. I thank Quentin Tarantino for having chosen me, Harvey Weinstein, and the whole team which made this extraordinary movie possible. I dedicate this music and this victory at the Oscars to my wife Maria. Thank you." Morricone's son translated the bit about John Williams as "My tribute goes to the other nominees, in particular to the esteemed John Williams", which means the same thing.

The movie would probably have to be a ginormous hit for that to happen. Happy to see Ennio win and it was very nice of him to mention "the esteemed John Williams" in his speech

Williams wrote the better score by far but Morricone was far more overdue an Oscar.

I didn't expect Chris Rock to be the best host ever, but I thought he'd take the controversy in hand, diffuse it a bit, and turn everyone's attention back to the movies. He started off that way. He hasn't kept up his stride. And now it's starting to get just plain awkward. I'm not just talking about the whole diversity thing. When the presenters start upstaging the host, thing's aren't going well.

LOL @ Tracy Morgan!!

Just for the record here's a more detailed analysis of what I was talking about (everything has been transposed to D minor for easier comparison): This is the flute line from the middle, quiet section of the Imperial March (LISTEN here, note I used the string line later on but the melody is exactly the same, only transposed down an octave). Now compare the labelled fragments A, B and C with Kylo Ren's main motif as it appears in Jakku Village (LISTEN): and the "falling" motif as it appears in The Abduction (LISTEN): Fragment C seems to appear in the main horn melody (this is what I was talking about in my earlier post), and the trumpets above it also hint at fragment A. Whereas the falling motif looks like it's built out of fragment B entirely. I guess it's interesting that Williams appears to base Kylo Ren's music on the middle, quieter section of the Imperial March, but turning it into loud brass statements. Almost as if Kylo Ren has only grasped a small part of Vader's legacy and turned it into something bigger than it actually is, but never getting close to the main power (i.e. Vader's theme, which only plays when Ren looks at Vader's mask.) Does that even make any sense? Anyway, Rey's theme seems, in turn, to be literally reflecting Kylo Ren's theme (LISTEN): ...by playing the last three notes, then playing the first three notes in reverse (but G# is brought down to G). *gasp* I wonder what this could mean? (LISTEN) Another "link" which at least appears in the concert suite of Rey's theme is the repeating trumpets, which sound almost like the repeating trumpets playing over Kylo Ren's theme in Jakku Village. It might just be a purely musical choice though.

I would enjoy The Book Thief a lot more if Angela's Ashes didn't exist. I just hear too many similarities between the two. I am due for a relisten though, so my opinion may change. War Horse, Tintin, Lincoln and The Force Awakens are all 5 star scores for me.

leeallen01 thinks he's getting away with something, and then

I bet Nolan wasn't surprised! Yet again he has his finger on the pulse of Hollywood. Can't wait to see Rylance in Dunkirk.

A Fish Called Wanda laughs throughout mainly in the shape of Kevin Kline's Otto (imagine he won an Oscar for that role) but full credit Mr Palin and maybe the less said about Fierce Creatures the better.

What merit is that? If one doesn't like his writing one just doesn't.

Well it was a talk by very disappointed drunken fanboy. Sorry for that.

I love John Wilson for the sole reason that his orchestra performed some of Scott Bradley's "Tom and Jerry" music at the BBC Proms: Nice to know he's a fan of JW too!

He would have won Oscars if they were performed by the LSO, who are more versatile!

You can keep it.

It is the only one - wash you ears - that actually features a long unified cue with a larger musical vision than just to catch a fleeting moment onscreen (the long welcome to the park one) and plays nicely with its Goldsmith/Williams reminiscences, i. e. the jumbly horn call for the dino hunt best featured in the latter part of the suite. It's a neat 40-minute album and much better than the slapdash and pointless 80's cliché collection of TOMORROWLAND (that movie sucked) and the asthmatic INSIDE OUT (some wonderful inventive moments that failed to come together).

Wow, Morricone was really moved! He's a sweet softie Also, Williams got a little tribute himself! http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20985752_20990577,00.html?xid=rss-fullcontent

Anything for you, old friend!

I've heard the scores to both Hateful 8 and SW TFA. Williams had the better score. This was a sympathy vote. Morricone was right to acknowledge Willliams - the least he could have done

Regardless of the fairness in these awards, they do bring tremendous attention and spotlight to the winners, making their work much more visible to the general public. For that reason, I'm happy Morricone won, regardless of me thinking TFA was the superior score and how Morricone had this in the bag from the day he was announced as the composer of Tarantino's next

I honestly don't honestly hate any movie or filmmaker. If a movie does nothing for me, I just don't care. Doesn't madden me and I don't post in triplicate about how much I loathed it... but that's just me! Tell us all about this truth then. Who here is full of shit? I love when a new member wants to put someone in their place....

So another Academy Awards ceremony passes at JWFan, and all I can think about is how full of shit everyone here is! Looking forward to all the "I don't care" posts next year. Goodnight friends!

He went so long the music stopped. Way to plow through, buddy!

I can't believe the score itself didn't make it in.

"My tribute goes to the other nominees and in particular the esteemed John Williams" Classy.

He really should have been offered to perform. Lang's song was beautiful!

Nice to end on Nimoy I guess Wes Craven was the snub unless I missed it

I dunno. The whole Girl Scout cookies thing was this year's version of Harris's embarrassing Oscar "predictions" bit last year.

And the release date has shifted from October 2017 to August 4, 2017 http://www.avclub.com/article/predator-and-alien-covenant-get-new-release-dates-232968

Hint: If you're a white dude telling a minority that everything is fine and they shoudln't be complaining you should probably just not.

JOHNNY!!!

Yay!!

Ooh a Star Wars tribute! Nvm a whole JW tribute!! Well that was briefer than I expected!

LOL love how no one found the bear funny...

Works for me. Not so much for the audience, though. The Hollywood left has absolutely no idea how to take being called racist.

Its doesn't need the disco track!

put the beer bottle down now!

"If anything happens to me or my family. . .an accident, an accusation, anything. . .then, first, your son will disappear. His body will never be found. Then your wife. Her body will never be found either. Now, this is guaranteed. Then whatever is the most dangerous thing that you do in your life. . .it might be flying in a small plane. . .it might be walking to the bank. . .you’ll be killed. Understand what I’m saying? I want you to acknowledge that you understand so that we’re clear and there won’t be any mistakes" ~ John

Williams should win. And the photo of him collecting his 6th Oscar should win for Best Picture. Morricone can have the Best Foreign Language Oscar.

Vintage Williams!