Sandor

Yes, I meant profesionally.

Will Williams write a score in Close Encounters mode or in the vain of the more heroic Independence Day (David Arnold)? Or a totally different approach? What do you think or what do you hope?

Just wondering if the death of Jerry Goldsmith and Elmer Bernstein influenced Williams in any way. What do you think?

I'm sorry, but the term Jerrygasm (and anything derived from that - Johnnygasm, Hornergasm) just totally makes me cringe. It's so banal. Can we please call it something else?

Cool pic. But if you really want to see ALL the pics released so far go to the following site: http://www.killermovies.com/forums/f38/ View the thread: Actual Ep. 3 screenshots + other finished shots It's a lot of pages, but it's worth it. Have fun!

Yeah, and Spielberg's latest films don't feel rushed, neither did Schindler's List or Amistad, films Spielberg made straight after the first two Jurassic Park films.

No, I'm sorry. I've concluded that it will be highly unlikely that Williams will score Memoirs Of A Geisha and Vengeance since both films will have the SAME RELEASE DATE (December 23). Things have been tight before: Seven Years In Tibet (October 1997) and Amistad (December 1997), Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (November 2002) and Catch Me If You Can (December 2002). Those must have been tight schedules, but the release dates of those films were at least one month apart. The only way Williams can realistically score both films will be if either the release date of one of the films is postponed or if both films require very little music.

Zimmer on Vengeance....? Hmmm deja-vu anyone? I've learned from my "mistakes" in the past by paranoidically-concluding that because of conflicting schedules Williams will not be able to score a film. Nobody can tell what will happen with Memoirs or Vengeance. To be honest; I don't think these two films will require as much music as Revenge of the Sith and War of the Worlds. Music can easily be recorded and be inserted editorially on Memoirs and Vengeance (as I'm sure was done on Schindler for a large part). It doesn't have to be synched as much as on a sci-fi-action film (please don't mention the messy finales of the prequels). We'll see. But I REALLY hope Williams will write 4 excellent scores this year to excellent films. I could be his best year EVER, finally eclipsing 1977...

Well, again I agree with Chris 100%. Ofcourse I have said many times before that I don't invest time typing posts about things I don't like (oops, now I hope no one will dig up some old statements I've made in the past..). The crtitique directed at Lucas and the prequels has become quite lame. Everything has been said already and ofcourse I also wish Lucas had made some different decisions on Episodes I and II, but alas, there's nothing you can change about it anyway (although with Lucas you never know). I've accepted the prequels for what they are. There are moments in the first two installments that are everything I wanted to see in 'new Star Wars films' since I first heard Lucas was preparing them. I like them. I love Star Wars as a whole and the prequels don't hurt the franchise as much as some people want it to. But if you still spread the 'Jar Jar sucks' opinion or the fact that Lucas 'raped your childhood' - come on! You've had 6 years to overcome your dissapointment. Some people will go on bitching about it al their lives. Yes, I was deeply dissapointed by the Deep Space Nine finale, yes I hated Alien3 (and Alien Ressurection), I was dissapointed by John Williams' The Patriot score... Things I really looked forward too, but.... I've moved beyond that; trying to see them in a different light. I hardly mention them if ever! To sum it up: Trekkies = you don't need to 'get a life'... 'Prequel bashers' = get one, it's getting a little childish, ok?

This is from www.starwarz.com/tbone Don't know if it has been posted before. A report on the End Credits recording.

Wow, I thought thread would outdo the Potterdom thread, but it turns out it's about as popular as, well, the work in question, Thomas And The King. Sigh...

Too bad I have never heard Seven For Luck.... Can anyone help me out? Will trade original pressed non-Williams soundtracks. Goldsmith, Horner, Elfman...you name it. Anyone?

Not so long ago I popped in my Thomas And The King CD and listened to the whole thing since I first got it. For those who don't know Thomas And The King; it's John Williams' only musical. It went on stage somewhere in 1976 (although the album was recorded in 1981). It was a total failure in every regard and nobody (except truly devoted John Williams fans) remembers it. I know it sounds gayish (NO offense intended!), but I LOVE certain musicals. Les Miserables and Miss Saigon are my absolute favorites (both written by Claude-Michel Schönberg). I LOVE them. So naturally I have an interest in the musical that came from the hands of my favorite composer: John Williams. The first time I heard it (and this was years ago) I was offended by the simplicity of it, the almost amateur-like song writing, the lack of any form of profundity... I was disgusted by some of the most awful and irritating songs written in the history of musical writing (Power, Sincerity and We Shall Do It! come to mind). I made a vow NEVER to listen to it again for it made me depressed in a way; it made me doubt the brilliance of John Williams. How could Schönberg or Webber create these grand, epic, beautiful stage-shows and Williams didn't even reach 1% of the quality of works like Evita or Les Miserables? Anyway; years have passed since then and I realize more than ever that Williams is NOT a songwriter; he is the most brilliant composer for symponic, melodic music, but his songs simply, well, suck. It is no wonder than that Thomas And The King (98% songs) is a disaster. With that acceptance in mind I listened to it again and... ...I was amazed that it didn't suck as bad as I thought! Actually I start to LIKE (not love) certain songs on the album. The Question is perhaps the best song on the disc. It is not so overly cliché trying to sound like a musical-song. It is quite profound and the "...breaking all the rules"-line is great. The reprise of the same song is more subdued and is very classy. I like 'Tis Love and the closing song So Many Other Worlds (love the arrangment of that song!). Other songs like What Choice Have I? Replay The Game or Improbable As Spring have some potential too. I am quite relieved that Thomas And The King is not the incredibly sucky thing I originally thought it to be. It's nice actually. What do you guys think?

Que?

Again; name one score that is REALLY overrated? There is such a weird tendency among John Williams fanatics especially to label a score that you don't LIKE as being OVERRATED. There isn't such a thing as an overrated score! There are scores that you may dislike, but please stop trying to make your distaste for a certain score more dramatic or intellectual by refering to it as being OVERRATED. I already start hating that word; overrated. You know I don't really see the greatness of the Star Trek The Motion Picture score. But I know many film music lovers do. Who am I to say the score is overrated based on me disliking the score? How ARROGANT would that be? Oh, and some may not like Schindler's List, but in NO way is it overrated! In fact; millions raved the Party Animals back in 1993 (in Holland), but only a small minority appreciated the brilliance of Schindler. Bad example I know, but my point it that Schindler's List (and FILM MUSIC in general!) is vastly underrated. (yeah, I already posted this, but since you guys still go crazy with the word overrated (except Chris) I can just as well repost it....sigh.... a new low for me....)

Again; name one score that is REALLY overrated? There is such a weird tendency among John Williams fanatics especially to label a score that you don't LIKE as being OVERRATED. There isn't such a thing as an overrated score! There are scores that you may dislike, but please stop trying to make your distaste for a certain score more dramatic or intellectual by refering to it as being OVERRATED. I already start hating that word; overrated. You know I don't really see the greatness of the Star Trek The Motion Picture score. But I know many film music lovers do. Who am I to say the score is overrated based on me disliking the score? How ARROGANT would that be? Oh, and some may not like Schindler's List, but in NO way is it overrated! In fact; millions raved the Party Animals back in 1993 (in Holland), but only a small minority appreciated the brilliance of Schindler. Bad example I know, but my point it that Schindler's List (and FILM MUSIC in general!) is vastly underrated.

Well, I TOTALLY agree with Chris on this. By the way; is there such a thing as an overrated score? I was trying to think of an example, but couldn't find any. If any score is overrated on this board based on the posts I would have to say The Lost World. But it's surely is not overrated by general film music listeners who hardly ever praise (or critisize) that score.

I remember this was a piece by Dvorak. I didn't find it THAT similar. Why didn't anyone mention Korngold's Kings Row theme? Or didn't I read all the posts that good? Kings Row is the template for many pieces Williams wrote during the late '70's and early '80's, the Star Wars main theme and the Superman march being the most obvious. But even if it's especially close to Star Wars I find Williams' theme a superior musical statement.

Guys (and girl), Please stop being so upset about this thing. In the past there have been some really degrading things said about rap-music on this board. So can you imagine how weird it would be if some Snoop Dogg-messageboard would be going all upset and saying things like: "Ya know on da messagboard over at da www.jwfan.net people have been saying da f*ckin bad things bout rap! Let's go over there and tell dem da truth about da rap man!!" Wouldn't that be sorta silly? Would we REALLY be interested in the truth about rap? Concerning classical music folks and their appreciation of film music I always remember a quote from Mark Walker from Gramophone. He wrote: "...the cynically-inclined (refering to classical music intellectuals) generally don't listen to film music; it's too openly emotional for them..." That always makes me view their critique and silly arguments as meaningless. They imply that we don't see certain things about film music; that John Williams is a hack, that orchestral music today never reaches the heights of the past,... But in fact, as Mark Walker put it, it is not we that are missing something, THEY are missing out on the beauty and profundity of modern day symphonic writing... Honestly I pity them for being so narrow-minded.

Stefan!!! I forgot one important thing: the sequel album (More Music ...) isn't really interesting with the excepting of one track; DUDUK OF THE NORTH Stefan, I promise you man this is one really great piece of film music! It starts with a, suprise suprise, duduk solo which is somewhat impressionistic at first, but becomes more and more melodic as the piece progresses. Then, after the first few minutes, a guitar is heard over a string synth motif and it will really blow your mind! It's THAT good and to make things better the cue ends with a Media Ventures "orchestral" rendition of that guitar motif and it's stunning. One of my favorite unknown pieces of film music!

I never really listened to Pirates that well. In a lot of ways the masculine theme from Gladiator is just another variation of the theme Zimmer presented in Crimson Tide (or even Backdraft). But the score as a whole with the powerful Wagnerian Might of Rome, the beautiful ending of The Battle (very Morricone like - listen to his Secret Of The Sahara "Kerim" cue to hear the resemblance), the brilliance of Am I Not Merciful and the central theme best heard in Honor Him make it a unique experience. This score is way better than most here want it to be.

The Gladiator score is still spectacular and one the most influential scores of the last five years. Not a very popular opinion on this board, but alas, there you have it anyway.

Me too actually. I consider The Lord Of The Rings films to be some of most amazing filmmaking ever. It's perfect to me in every regard,

Just some things I remember: "That'll do Pig. That'll do." The final scene of Babe (1995). After Babe does "his thing" and the crowd cheers and that Saint-Seans music is played.... Ah man, that's one of the most beautiful moments in film history. The Breaking Of The Fellowship. The final scenes of the first Lord Of The Rings film... I can not watch that without my eyes becoming at least moisty. The music really drives these moments home. Frodo on the side of the river, the ring in his hand, Sam almost drowning, Sam's heartwarming words, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli going after the Uruk Hai to save the other hobbits... "Let's hunt some Orc!", "Yes!" I even get fragile when I type that! It's so good.... Braveheart - the final scene: the charging of the starving Scotsmen... THAT voiceover, some of the most simple, yet powerful lines ever, makes this scene so memorable. And the music by James Horner is excellent here. Superb! Mask - The film is overly sentimental I know. It also changed the fact that Rocky Dennis was really just a normal teenager and not the superintelligent wizkid we see in the film. But the scene where Cher realises he died on just a day like any other is INCREDIBLE! I get tears in my eyes everytime I see Cher's performance. She plays this SO good and realistic. Powerful stuf. Seabiscuit - again, the final scene. That's a wonderful piece of modern filmmaking. It's so simple yet so sincere and breathtaking. I never thought I would love this film as much as I do. And scenes that deeply move me: The Piano - Ada changes her mind.... The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (Disney) - final scene (Sappy? Yes, yes... so what! I'm a wuzz for this kind of material!) Schindler's List - I could have done more The Return Of The King - final 23 scenes (!) Ah man, this goes on and on and on!