TheUlyssesian

Padme Anakin love theme is a bit more grandiose and spectacular.

^This A moving camera does NOT equal shaky cam. Camera movement can be extremely elegant, measured and smooth - preserving specific framing and mis-en-scene. Shaky cam is just hyper - just stick it onto the shoulder of somebody and ask them to chase the actors or stick the camera in their face. Film-making is just so piss poor these days that the rare "normally" directed film seems like a revelation. Honestly, if this is done too much, it adds to the feeling of watching TV. You go "oh there's a next episode or a previous episode". The MCU is basically a bidbudget TV series. Films should have more rigor. They should be more self-contained. There is really the scope of focus and refinement in a film, of narrative compression that TV does not have. It is sad that film-makers chose to ignore the most attractive quality of cinema and try to make it more diffuse like TV.

I hate Self-seriousness when it is unwarranted (like most of the times) Fast cutting Canted angles just for the sake of it Modern Hollywood prudishness about sex and nudity Overlong films (films below 2 hr mark get an extra half star from me) TV Cinema (I half the time feel I am watching TV in a theater these days) Cliffhanger endings (to set up next films) Ambient droning electronic scores (how about give me some real music?) Actors who are clearly too old for their parts Everyone speaking English in other countries

His best score is E.T. His most film-elevating score. His best are his 4 academy award winning scores plus Raiders, Sorcerer's Stone, Close Encounters, Empire Strikes Back, Hook and Reivers. RU: AI & Jurrasic Park Some of his earlier simpler scores reveal his gift for melody perhaps even better than his later busier much more elaborate works.

I think people were referring to the arrangement rather than the thematic material. This trailer music too is Williams thematic material wise but is not Williams arrangement wise.

So the themes showcased are Jedi Steps, Kylo Ren, Rey and of course Force. I always thought of Jedi Steps as a trailer theme - it is just extremely dramatic sounding and very memorable. I infact predicted that they would surely use it in a trailer for VIII. Rey's Theme I also hope is now sticking with the audience because I can imagine it getting a lot of play in the film. Kyle's motif is distinctive enough and while might earn the noriety of Vader's March it can still be a good signifier of evil for audiences. I have a feeling Jedi Steps might be Luke's new theme in the Messiah mode or something. It seems to link somehow with Luke. It's a credit to Williams that THREE themes from his previous score are being used in trailers for the next one. Can't think of any other films which did that. Did even LOTR trailers use multiple themes from previous films? Will have to go and check.

Scores 1. Superman - John Williams 2. Batman - Danny Elfman 3. The Incredibles - Michael Giacchino 4. The Rocketeer - James Horner 5. Spider-man - Danny Eflman 6. The Amazing Spider-man - James Horner 7. The Shadow - Jerry Goldsmith 8. Supergirl - Jerry Goldsmith 9. The Punisher - Carlo Siliotto 10. Avengers: Age of Ultron - Danny Elfman 11. Captain America - Alan Silvestri 12. Thor - Patrick Doyle 13. Thor: The Dark World - Brian Tyler 14. Iron Man 3 - Brian Tyler 15. X-Men Apocalypse - John Ottoman I am not mentioning scores with repeated primary themes. I might add Goldenthal's work for Batman but I am not sufficiently familiar with the scores. As my criteria, I picked scores with strong themes for the superhero which I think is an important requirement for a good superhero score.

I inherently reject the notion that serious = better quality. That's just fake news (to me). I think quality is first and foremost defined by the intelligence of the film-making and its conception. The horrible seriousness bug has afflicted Hollywood long enough with their morbid joyless blockbusters wallowing in self-seriousness as if they are presenting a grand treatise on the human condition. I am not leery of the possibility of some profoundity in these kind of films just at the blanket reappropiatiation of seriousness as a cloak for artistic legitimacy. It's almost as if directors and even audiences can't really make something or endorse something if it isn't SERIOUS. What about the great film-makers of yesteryear and the audiences which loved these blockbusters. ET is a joyous film not dour and ends up saying more about humanity than any modern blockbuster ever could. I just think modern superhero movies need a little self-awareness and the courage to cut it's heroes to size and make them seem ridiculous too because human beings are ridiculous. Nolan's Batman films are just anathema to what I wrote above (which is of course just one person's opinion). His films to me are much sillier than Marvel films for that reason.

I think the opposite, the more seriously you play a superhero film, the more preposterous it is. At the end of the day, it is a god-damned adult grown man dressing up as a bat and sneaking around. There are limits to how seriously I can take that. To me the greatest superhero film is The Incredibles. It is whip smart, light on its feet, and as many one-liners and quips fly through the air as bullets. The action is great, the character work achieves depth and dimension and the whole thing is grandly entertaining. For Nolan's Batman films, TDK is good the other two are kinda rubbish. And the less said about the "scores" the better.

I see. But then the numbering is weird, why number it in the first place and do a countdown. Also Cardiff is a huge miss I agree.

Literally the only single point in the underrated column is lack of an Oscar. All other points might go in the fairly rated or over-rated column. That's not to say he isn't great. He's of course outstanding and deserves to be in the top 10, just not at no. 1. Almost seems like a default pick in a way.

Even before I opened the video I know the no. 1. An overly obvious pick and I am not sure the right one. No. 1 according to me should be Toland. Citizen Kane is a skull crushing work of cinematography, a monument to what lighting and images can achieve. He also had Best Years Of Our Lives to add to that. Perhaps the single most influential cinematographer of all time.

The main theme (I don't mean the song but the actual melody of it that Arnold himself wrote) is one of the best Bond themes ever. Probably the most perfect representation of the character. It is such a good theme that it should become a fixture for the character like the Monty Norman theme.

Shout out to the underrated Beowulf. On first blush it might seem overtly testosterone soaked but is a nice multithematic score. The main theme is memorable and it's different parts are used during the action scenes and other places. There's a nice folksy love theme and also some good seduction music for the demon character.

I get what you mean. Both of Elfman's earlier forays into superhero themes - Batman and Spiderman - are graced with slippery themes. They are majestic themes and have a sense of scope and a stunning world-building drive to them, but they are a bit elusive. Not so his last superhero theme - for New Avengers. That was a balls to wall power anthem like theme and was fantastic.

One faction of wisdom would say that a film is really truly directed and made in the editing room. I do some editing on the side for very small scale things and I can tell you that while not entirely true, the role editing plays in creating a film (specially modern film) is monumental. And as Whedon has the reigns to that, he will surely have a huge impact. This film will be like a frankenstein monster. I would be watching just to see how the two diametrically opposite styles mesh and if the film works at all.

Well Zimmer did not even afford WW the courtsey of a motif, giving her a guitar riff. So a motif for some characters is progress. It's an evergreen theme and could certainly fit!

Or it can make up for sloppy film-making and acting and provide the emotion in a scene that the actor couldn't provide or create tension in a scene that the director couldn't create or give momentum and pace to the story that the script didn't have or give the impact to an important scene that all of them combined couldn't give it. Film scoring at its best can truly transform a film for the better - that if it is even given that chance.

Whoa! What did I do to you.

The LOTR scores are a stupendous achievement in the history of film-scoring, don't get me wrong, I absolutely think so - but as a major artistic work, it is not without weaknesses. Nothing is perfect. And as Clemensen points out, the lack of a primary identity for the franchise is one such weakness, not a fatal weakness, because the work is too great, but it does have a diminishing effect. Think about it if 50 years later, someone is doing a summary of the great scores of this era, there could be a "Theme from Harry Potter" track and there is no dispute of what that theme would be. But if there is to be a track called "Theme from LOTR", we even among ourselves cannot agree what it should be and what is an appropriate representation of the entire work. Titles don't decide narrative importance, the thrust of the narrative does. Forget the titles themselves, the story as a whole, the overarching narrative is the tale of a band of heroes (mismatched and awkwardly assembled and all) but a band of heroes who finally defeat the forces of evil through various means. This story takes place over the three books and films. And the theme of this band of heroes is the fellowship theme.

I dunno how much leverage Clemensen has with you but he in his review of LOTR3 (http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/lord_rings03.html) designates the Fellowship theme as the Main theme of the franchise and it does make sense because it is the theme of the main heroes as I say above. It has the widest and broadest application of all the motifs in LOTR because it can be applied to multiple characters and situations, most other motifs are narrower in their scope and application and are more specific.

The One Ring motif is NOT a theme. So the comparison isn't really fair. Even if it were longer, Hedwig's Theme is far far superior - in conception and specially in orchestration. It is also far more memorable and can be played at length and can have many variations and such. Basically it is real theme and not a motif. Unpopular opinion - but isn't LOTR basically just motifs more or less? Such a massive work of music and literally not a theme concert suite to show for it. How about pull out some of the best themes and give them concert presentation? But no - they are almost all motifs rather than themes. Also I would dispute the One Ring theme as the main theme. Infact I would call the Shire theme the main theme (if not the fellowship theme). The defacto heroes of the tale are technically Frodo and Sam and it's the Shire theme associated with them. If you want to extend the leads to the entire 9 members of the fellowship then the fellowship theme is the main franchise theme. They are both played more often and to greater effect than the one ring theme. Just my two cents.

Love him enough to destroy his score.

Come on. You guys loved it just because of Leia in a bikini.

It is extremely mediocre. I think a lot of these young upstarts forget who is boss when it comes to Star Wars. Kennedy is not pulling punches here and will bring the hammer down if she is crossed. I trust her - she really has made some very good films and is one of the most respected figures in the industry. Let's just say her experience far outstrips the experience of any of these guys.