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Posts
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Days Won
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Posts posted by Quintus
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Funny, I was thinking only yesterday how Superman features some of his most consistent work, in a catchy and suitable sense. Each individual melody (there are six full themes off the top of my head) is instantly memorable and just perfect for their respective subject matter. Genius.
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It doesn't sound exactly what you hear on the orginal score or soundtrack. It seems to be slower than normal from what I hear. Plus it been re orchestrated to suite the Prague orchestra.
Aside from the their tempo issues, the pitch is often waaaaaay off. The word "warble" springs to mind. The brass generally shrills like a school brass band. The percussion leaves much to be desired too.
But like I said, there is nothing wrong with the strings. Think John Barry.
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1. ET Escape/Chase/Saying Farewell
2. Prelude/Main Title - Superman
3. Journey to the island - Jurassic Park
4. The Throne Room/End titles - Star Wars
5. The Asteroid Field - Film version
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It's a pretty good score but I don't know if I consider it to be a great military score. When I think of military I think along the lines of Patton, The Great Escape, etc etc.
It's a good action score.
Perhaps, but I'm thinking along different lines. I'm talking about a musical style which sounds like soldiers in action. Music for a military campaign. The Great Escape is a romantic score.
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Back in the day when Horner was a huge growing talent of reasonable originality, he was brilliantly chosen by James Cameron to score his sequel to Ridley's Alien, with the LSO no less. Horner went on to write a tremendous sci-fi score that is absolutely gripping, exciting and very memorable.
Aside from the superbly brooding and genuinely frightening atmosphere setting cues, he composed some quite fantastic action music. Like all the good JW action cues, Horner's pounding Aliens stuff goes hand in hand with the visuals, especially to us film music fans. When I used to watch this as a child, the music heard during moments like the "Futile Escape" sequence easily played as bigger part (to me at at least) as the tense action on-screen.
Other excellent action cues can be heard in "Ripley's Rescue", "Going after Newt" (amazing and truly epic LSO fanfares here) and of course "Bishops Countdown". The last of my examples even features a last second escape (from the nuke-like explosion) orchestration that easily matches, if not eclipses the JW Death Star explosion escape, just for sheer exhilarating energy.
But the thing that sticks out the most in all this action music, is the percussion. Its the LSO's and its in a league of its own during the Aliens score. It creates form, tone and a consistent tempo throughout the film, sounding powerful, distinct and showing dominance over every other section of the orchestra. I love this score. Its a mans score, a score with real brawn!
So can you think of a better military style score? Predator is a contender, but its no real match for one of Horner's finest works.
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For a minute there I thought we had our first official suicide thread.
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The City of Prague Orchestra is one of the worst orchestras in the world. Their brass is absolute shite, especially on their Williams stuff. Their strings are quite nice though.
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People who dont know the original are going to give Ottman a credit he doesnt deserve.
To be fair, the three people of whom you speak don't really concern me. Let them think what they want
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Now I really want to hear that Les Baxter piece, but I'm having trouble finding it!
Tim
Me too. I've read that report before. But I could never find the plaintiff's piece, online at least.
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if The Holst Foundation really deserves to win this then Les Baxter should have won too when he sued John Williams about the E.T. Theme back in 1982!!
No, because in this case it is almost exactly the same, while in the other case there were many differences.
Damn I keep reading about this ET case yet I find no internet sign of it. Please tell me the ET theme is original to Williams! Or at least provide an audio link so I can see for myself
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The crash of percussion after the first statement of the fanfare was just so feeble compared to the Williams version. And numerous others
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I assume they're mainly referring to The Battle Ballet? What a load of bullshit. Sure, there exists some nods to Mars, but thats about it.
Its a single repeated note for christs sake, it keeps the tempo. This will go in Zimmers favour.
TGE - Who thinks the Gladiator score is outstanding.
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Yeah, I picked up the 25th anniversary dvd in Liverpool city center HMV today. Special features galore this time around! Going to watch the Williams recording sessions tonight, can't wait.
The isolated score is a nice touch too. About time!
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Outstanding.
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I thought he was gonna launch himself from the stage at one point. Methinks the guy loves that theme as much as us lot do 
A decent enough performance by the orchestra though.Anyway thanks for the link. That is actually the first full video I've ever seen of a Williams performance, any more in existence?
Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emt5G8PFLZs...john%20williams
Its crap, but listen out for the Cantina Band as they film their surroundings, its quite sureal. Imagine hearing the echos of that tune playing out one morning. Everywhere they went, people could hear it, but where was it coming from?.... Williams had begun his conquest for worldwide brainwashed domination!
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With windows media player you just have to add each track individually and edit out/segue in any silences in the music. Thats the easier answer.
If you want it to sound fairly pro you have to take your time getting it just right.
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I think its during the very end of the first season that Faure's 'Pavane' plays, but with a very catchy modern beat.
Does anyone know if this particular remix is available? I tried google but quickly drawn a blank.
I'd love to get hold of this if it is at all possible.
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That's why I approach seeing Total Recall again with trepidation. I love the score, idealizing what the images might be (I haven't seen the film in over a decade). But if they turn out to be as unimpressive as I imagine they could be....a bit of the magic will be gone from Jerry's masterpiece.
Take a chance and watch the movie again. Regardless of Arnie (I love him in this btw), Total Recall is a solid sci-fi flick. Actually its more than a mere good film - its an excellent piece of escapism. Goldsmith did the movie proud and Verhoeven repaid the favour gladly. Or should that be the other way around?...
The score/images are seriously cinematic in places.
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Scores come before the movie as far as I'm concerned.
But the movie MUST come first...
Chicken or egg?
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... are we all fundamentally movie score lovers? (A new fan sub-genre?)
Maybe its a weird question, but I know what angle I'm coming from so go figure...
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The way I see it, Shore is as good a composer as Williams.
Have to disagree with you there. I do believe that Shore's LOTR is a masterpiece, but its just one (or 3 depending on your angle) instance of his incredible talent - on the vast scale. He was clearly on fire when he scored those movies, but can he repeat it? Williams did repeat his grand scoring talents time and time again. Williams is just too damn prolific to be compared against the relatively new appreciation of Shore.
Not only that, but there is not a man on the planet who can write action cues as good as Williams. His complex orchestrations in these instances are always worthy of examination and the way he riddles the stuff with his themes is spellbinding.
Howard Shore has shown the odd glimpse of action cue understanding ("They have a Cave Troll" and Legolas vs Mumaki for instance), but I often find some of his action scoring rather bland. Thankfully his pulsating style suits the material very well, but it doesn't really entertain me as stand alone work.
Having said that, I do love his emotional strings stuff.
But Williams just has a back catalogue that speaks for itself. It going to take some undoing.
Regardless of all that Williams vs Shore nonsense, I still rate the LOTR scores as the greatest scores I've ever heard. They may turn out to be Shores one and only beloved, or crowning achievement, but it was a time when I believe Shore was in a league of his own.
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ha ha, but regardless of the albums crapiness, it is a good intro for new comers.
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Eye/ear of the beholder etc.
The Last March Of The Ents matches what you explain in terms of audience effect.
And I LOVE Binary Sunset.
The Essential Hollywood Compilation
in General Discussion
Posted
Ha ha, not a single LOTR cue. I guess they couldn't afford the rights. :roll:
And don't say its coz it doesn't deserve to be on there.