Romão

This clip is doing something that tends to grate on me on these nostalgic-reliant projects: showing reverence for some aspect which was never revered in the original film. The reverence was outside the movies, it existed only among the fans of the movie. Case in point, the ghost trap. Seems like a small thing, but normally it informs what the general aproach will be like

This mechanical clanging is also clearly associated with the Harkonnen (or Rabban specifically, maybe):
 
 
And the Harkonnen siren/screech, as Paleo put it (it's heard more clearly in the Giedi Prime scenes):
 
 
 

Thought I’d share this little thematic glossary I put together. I was initially among those who thought this was a “monothematic score”- probably because the main theme is used the most throughout the film. The names are my own invention so you might call them something else or attribute them to a different idea. But there’s a good handful here. Funny how Zimmer stated how he never thought of this score in the way of “themes”. Perhaps he meant in the leitmotific way. This is definitely not LOTR. But he’s got some great tunes in here that seem loosely connected to certain feelings/ideas that reoccur on screen. As simple as they may be. This score is great. It bares repeated listens and is not as punchy as PoTC or even the Dark Knight. But I really enjoy it:
 
Dune “A Theme” Main Theme(?) Slower 8 note phrase (4 notes played lower on the scale with the following 4 up higher). Used for a lot of BIG moments.  EPIIIIC 🤪 When played faster it functions as a “B theme” of sorts. This ostinato version  plays under the slower version or plays by itself.
(Leaving Caladan-(1:19-1:39)”A theme”
(Ripples in the Sand- (1:10-1:35)(4:20-5:05) “A theme”
(Visions of Chani-(3:25-3:54) “A theme”
(Herold of Change -(0:00-0:26) “B theme”
(Leaving Caladan- (0:28-1:15) “B theme”
 
 Fate/ “The One” theme- more mystical/slightly sinister theme (similar to Commodus theme in Gladiator) Sometimes played as a “war cry” in regards to Paul’s destiny as a warrior/messiah. 
(Gom Jabbar-1:13-1:37)
(The One-0:00-1:40)
(Pauls Dream- 0:00-1:55)
 
Vast Mystery/Wonder Chords Some of my favorite moments in the score. Tends to communicate a sense of vast space and possibility. The most “space-y” sounding chords in this sci-fi score.
(Herald of Change-1:22-2:10)
(Visions of Chani- 2:28-3:10)
(Sandstorm-1:10-2:00)
(Stillsuits- 2:10-4:15)
 
Tragic Noble Theme-The most “classic Zimmer” anthem tune. Similar to his Bach-inspired theme from Dark Phoenix.Seems to be associated with the burdens of duty/responsibility/leadership.
(Herald of change- 3:08-3:45)
(Visions of Chani-0:00-0:37)
(Blood for Blood- 1:17-1:43)
(Holy War- 0:00-0:57)
 
Impending Doom motif-Bad things are gonna happen.Sounds similar to some of the evil monk music in DaVinci Code.Tends to start low and build in intensity.
(Bene Gesseret- 2:16-2:33)
(Burning Palms- 2:06-3:45)
(Holy War- 0:57-2:12)
(Premonition- 2:00-3:23)
 
Sorrow/Loss motif- Simple sad little tune. Usually performed by a female voice.
(Stranded-0:00-End)
(Blood for Blood- 1:55-End)
(The Fall- 0:30-1:00)
(My Road Leads…- 0:00-1:00)
 
Duncan Idaho motif-
Heard much more in the film itself. A Brief but noble DarkKnight/Man of Steel mashup sounding motif. But it can be heard on the ost in few spots.
(Armada-0:27-1:35) a tragic version with the “sorrow theme” on top
(Burning Palms-0:29-1:10) 
 
There’s a handful of textures and instrumentation used as part of his soundscape for different locations/peoples. Not hard and fast attributions. But in general …
 
Bagpipes- House Atreides. Tune appears briefly in “Armada” and then as source music.
 
Log Drum(?) riff-  Arakis stuff
 
 Whisper/chants - Bene Gesseret stuff
 
Deep Manipulated throat singing- used for a lot of scenes involving Sardukar or the Baron. 
 
Harkonon “screech”- strange manipulated shafar horn(?) pops up when Raban the beast is wrecking havoc.
 
Harkonon “clang”- rhythmic banging pattern often accompanied by the “screech” horn

I get all that you're saying and I agree to an extent (and of course, the equivalent Toto tracks feels much more transcendent), but I can't help but enjoy it. In spite of everything I think intelectually about the track, in spite of all the cheap tricks that it uses, it just struck a nerve.
 
Can't defend my taste any better than that

I know this track has a really obvious progression. The drum backing is usually one of the things I hate the most in Zimmer's music. The electric guitar should feel out of place. It's obvious and trashy. But then, against my better judgement, I quite like this track:
 
 

I know this track has a really obvious progression. The drum backing is usually one of the things I hate the most in Zimmer's music. The electric guitar should feel out of place. It's obvious and trashy. But then, against my better judgement, I quite like this track:
 
 

Part 2 announced
 
 
 

Since Lawrence of Arabia in the theater a few years ago was the greatest moviegoing experience of my life

Part 2 announced
 
 
 

Since Lawrence of Arabia in the theater a few years ago was the greatest moviegoing experience of my life

Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula
 
My annual rewatch.  Is Keanu hopelessly miscast?  Obviously yes and the other performances are all over the place.  But every other aspect of the filmmaking is so jaw-dropping that I still say it’s one of Coppola’s finest movies.  There are images here that stay with you forever.  I almost wish I could watch a “silent mix” where dialogue is dialed out but music and SFX remain. I think it would only enhance the movie’s dreamlike surreal tone and of course deepen its connection to its early 20th century influences.

Well, not to go off topic, but I will be watching this tomorrow in IMAX

My own 2 cents:
 
https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2021/10/19/john-williams-in-berlin/

I agree with Zimmer

These were once again outstanding concerts. I attended the Thursday and Saturday performances, both times close to the stage - on Thursday I had a seat in row 3, 2nd place from the left, with a good side view of Williams; on Saturday again row 3, but almost in the middle, only slightly to the left (which was in fact the 2nd row because the middle blocks start in row 2). That was the closest I've ever been to Williams.
 
For some reason, I was under the impression that the hall was known for problematic acoustics, so I got a bit worried when I realised I was sitting to the left of even the rear violins on the first day. Needlessly, because the hall turned out to be stunning, and I could hear everything perfectly (plus extra harp, which was nice).
 
My personal highlights were the Olympic Fanfare (always wanted to hear that live), Far and Away (much more fun than I'd expected, because I realised when the expansion came out that after all these years I don't enjoy the full score/album as much as I used to - but it's a fine suite), possibly the best live Raider's March I've heard (I usually find it a bit too much on the heavy side in concert - not this time), Throne Room (because it's Throne Room and because it wasn't in the previous Williams concerts I'd attended), and the three pieces that I thought suited the orchestra and the hall best: Nimbus 2000, Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra, and The Adventures of Han.
 
Comparing it to Vienna, I'd say both concerts were sufficiently different that I don't feel the need to pick a "better" one. Pieces that relied on precision (like the three standouts I mentioned above) were spot on here, while the more lush and lyrical pieces stood out in Vienna. There simply is no match for the Viennese horns (the Berliners were excellent, but they just don't have the same instruments), but the Berliner trumpets were fantastic. The halls complemented those different strengths as well - the Musikverein with its warm, luxurious sound, and the Philharmonie with its incredibly powerful yet transparent acoustics. In Vienna, I could hear every tiny detail, which is a rare thing when you know the pieces more or less by heart (and also, as I mentioned at the time, something that I've very rarely experienced at the Musikverein). In Berlin, the balance wasn't always perfect to that effect (it may have been better with a little more distance to the orchestra than my seats, where I got the most direct sound of the strings), but the spaciousness was stunning (not just left and right, but also a three dimensionality between the strings up front and the various winds in the back). I've also never heard instrumental doublings so clearly, especially when the horns and celli were doubled. The Viennese Imperial March remains unmatched (both for its tempo and for the incredible horn section), while the Berliner Raider's March easily beats Vienna. Jurassic Park, despite a few inaccuracies, was a marvel in Vienna (and again the horn parts stood out in particular), whereas the Berliner version was excellently phrased in the B section of the main theme, but perhaps even faster than the usual (too) uptempo version. On the other hand, the Berliner precision in the Motorcycle and Han scherzos was marvellous.
 
I'm especially happy I picked those two days because I got an excellent Leia's Theme on the first day and the insane closing ovation on the last day. Williams was in very good shape on the first day (notably fitter even than in Vienna, I would say). From comparing notes after the last concert, it seems that he was much more energetic on Saturday than on Friday, but the difference to Thursday was still apparent. I couldn't help getting a bit worried and distracted whenever he turned to the left to propel the violins and looked like he'd run out of breath any moment. I think he deliberately shortened his last few speeches, and didn't even turn around for the applause between Yoda and the Imperial March to make sure he'd get through the concert before running out of energy. But on the other hand, the actual energy he invests in these concerts is incredible, and at times he seems to work even harder than the orchestra. And it seems obvious to me that he does it because he is aware of what he can get out of these pieces with the orchestra if he doesn't compromise and gives them everything he can.
 
I still find it hard to believe that only three years after I thought I'd just missed my last chance of ever seeing him live, I have now attended five Williams concerts, with perhaps more yet to come.
 
I think he just realised that it takes too much energy. I'm glad I caught one excellent performance on Thursday - I hope it was properly recorded.

Planet Earth
 
A carefully curated 77-minute program of George Fenton's score for this 2006 BBC wildlife series is the latest subject for our Discord listening sessions.
 
Each episode focuses on a different environment (i.e., deserts, seasonal forests, grasslands), an approach that ultimately lends itself to a rich and inspiring musical epic with enough scope and scale to match the very landscapes themselves. Fenton captures the sheer awe and wonder of it all with Elgarian majesty, combining soaring flourishes and dense orchestrations to create a wellspring of musical richness. Even the score's locational interludes are some of the most tasteful I've ever heard, especially considering they come right in the thick of time where the wailing woman cliche was plastered over anything and everything remotely exotic or foreign. The expert interplay of cultural sounds add a layer of authenticity and coherence that really transforms the palette in these sections (see the stunning Namibia - The Lions and Oryx, which climaxes with some truly rousing vocals and ethnic winds). There's an overflowing amount of colour and life to every bit of this, and the energetic performance from the BBC Concert Orchestra is nothing short of fantastic.
 
It's been an absolute joy to rediscover this one, as I fondly recall being very attracted to the score when I first saw the series back in 2008 or thereabouts. Although I hadn't really realized just how much of an influence it has had on my tastes until now, I'm fairly confident this is a major touchstone in the development of my admiration for both film and classical music. In any case, it's always exciting to find that something you enjoyed when you were younger not only holds up, but exceeds your expectations the way this does for me. Besides, I really do miss the days when you could expect this level of composition and class from a nature documentary of all things (Fenton's Blue Planet and Frozen Planet entries are similarly excellent). 
 
Anyway, the gang really enjoyed what this had to offer: the hymn-like passages of the Prelude and The Snow Geese, the inspired instrumentation of River Predation and The Wolf and the Caribou, the joyous aquatic action pieces like Surfing Dolphins and A School of Five Hundred, the darker off-kilter interjections from The Geladas and Bat Hunt, and the classically-infused eruptions of Iguacu and Mother and Calf - The Great Journey (the main melody is like Elgar's 2nd symphony on steroids).
 
Many thanks to @HunterTechand @Holkofor joining!

Batman & Robin (sessions) by Elliot Goldenthal. While it does recycle a lot of the material from the previous one the overall listening experience is much smoother and more coherent. This desperately needs a release. I am hoping one day we will see a the Elliot Goldenthal Batman Collection 4-CD set with updated complete and chronological Batman Forever, this and the unreleased B&R score album programme as a bonus. This would be one of my dream releases and I bet it would be one as well for the folks from LLL.
 

 
Karol

After the awful 'MI Part XIVVI' (or whatever it was, by Lorne Balfe), i harbored little hope for the next almost-dead franchise 'saved' by RCP. But apart from it being not being particularly great or distinctive, at least Zimmer and team produced a solid album with some stylish moments (which seem to be reserved for the expensive establishing shots, the rest is more or less standard mood scoring with the JB theme entering now and then). At least the unbearable noisy action cues are kept in check (some feature even fun counter trumpets, i. e. Cuba Chase). 
 
The outstanding stuff is exclusively Barry, of course, and its only the usual tip of the hat for the fanboys, but man, you listen up when these OHMSS references come in and ask yourself why current film music is what it is. Is stuff like that not good enough for movies nowadays?

For 1933, they were groundbreaking.
Claude Rains is fantastic...although, on the whole, he rather wished he stayed in Tunbridge Wells 

That actually was kind of a pain to find. Wow, two months ago. It's been a fast summer.
 
 

Indeed. I hope it sees a release soon. 
 
The movies made me laugh a lot, too
 
"MIna...you are in the closet"

You must listen to this edition:
 

 
The difference in the Main Title alone makes it worthwhile, not to mention all the extra music

Walker and Goldenthal did pretty well in writing a great theme after Elfman's

That's when Batman's music stopped being interesting. This is just another step in that tendency

I like the orchestra in the American version of the Hunchback musical, but the singing is by far superior in the German version. And German really lends itself to this sort of music, doesn't it?