Makeshift Python

Fuck the hate, Short Round is a child sidekick done right. When he gets chained to mine, he doesn't wait for Indy, he takes the initiative to free himself then break Indy from the spell. And he can kick ass!

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
THE LAST CRUSADE
THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

Bond action music shouldn't match the kinetics on screen (a fool's errand), it should compliment it. As Barry demonstrated by stepping back with his slower pacing and deliberate writing, it allowed the sound effects and cutting to provide the energy and momentum, while the music offers a dialogue. Arnold/Dodd's orchestral histrionics overwhelmed the listened and overcrowded the mix, signposting every dramatic beat from a mile off.
"Music of it is good as Newman music, though not all" - I don't understand what you're saying here.

This reads like grandstanding waffle designed to sound clever but saying nothing much at all. 'Thematic dependencies?' All of Arnold's Bond scores were thematic--that's not what I've been addressing.
Fluid is not how I'd describe Casino Royale and QoS's action music. Every 8 bars or so a thematic idea or ostinato or broken up by these silly brass crescendos that accentuate something dangerous onscreen, and then the music proceeds by modulating up a minor third. It's like it's written to an instruction manual.

I'm not denning that QoS had its highlights in the more ambient stretches, and the action music was conciser than before. But even then, it's far too ADD than its needs to be. Listen to Target Terminated--some good thematic ideas following one after another, all undermined by an inability to focus and unnecessary counter-figures.

The slow introduction of the Bond theme is a novel idea, but I'm talking about Arnold's sound. His harmonic rhythm (how long he sticks with a single chord), voicing (thick/thin/open/closed), sound design (sampling/synths/experimentation), his orchestral ensemble etc. Take the use of the Bond out of the frame and you'll find there's very little difference between Arnold's sound for Craig and Brosnan. Somewhat less florid (according to the John Burlingame book, Arnold asked Dodd to write less counter-lines), more avant-garde moments and token electric guitar power chords--but these are minor differences. With Newman, it's a whole different world.

Arnold belongs where he's been spending the last few years: On TV.
If not Newman, I want Alberto Iglesias.

David Arnold had 11 years to play around with this world. In two different incarnation, no less. His scores might satisfy the nostalgic fans but I never felt like has gone anywhere but skin deep into the material. The older I get the less good his action music sounds. All the bells and whistles are there and that is enough for conservative fans to cream their pants. But it ultimately has no structure, just overwritten mess in which various section seem to be layered pointlessly, one on top of another, and they end up overwhelming each other so you can't hear any of them properly. It might sound complex at first but I'm not convinced. Seems like he's trying too much by drawing attention to the supposed "density" of his compositions (or is it Nicholas Dodd?). It's a far cry from the compositional excellence of much superior composers. I wish he started throwing less stuff in there and instead focused on some kind of dramatic goal. And that is probably a reason why I have a problem with getting through most of his albums. Too much mindlessness. Having said that, his last score showed promise and, ultimately, remains his best. There is a motivic consequence to QOS that, coupled with more careful spotting, seems to support its film with some form of undercurrent, especially in the quieter parts. I liked how more restrained synth material was corresponding to Bonds' emotional state. Seems like something that was largely missing from the film itself so I applaud Arnold for this a rare sensitivity on his part. His other works, while entertaining, are just all superficial with no real dramatic purpose or drive.
I'm not saying that Thomas Newman outdid himself with his two scores. Or that he rediscovered the series. But at least there is an attempt to bring some new character into the mix (ignoring some action tropes). It's a Bond we haven't "heard" before and, as such, a keeper. Plus, I like his, almost cursory, precision to action genre. It's not that obvious of an approach, if you think about it. And some of his adaptations of Bond material are just plain cool, as unorthodox as they might seem. Suddenly, it feels the series is not as artistically bankrupt and dire as I thought.
Karol

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
THE LAST CRUSADE
THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

Fuck the hate, Short Round is a child sidekick done right. When he gets chained to mine, he doesn't wait for Indy, he takes the initiative to free himself then break Indy from the spell. And he can kick ass!

Fuck the hate, Short Round is a child sidekick done right. When he gets chained to mine, he doesn't wait for Indy, he takes the initiative to free himself then break Indy from the spell. And he can kick ass!

Nah. But I'd certainly see DEBBIE DOES DALLAS in IMAX 3D.

I DONT WANT YOUR PRAISE! I DONT WANT YOUR FRANCHISE!

Spielberg on MINORITY REPORT:

Plus I believe they used hot rims, backlights and hot specular gleaming points along with net filters to achieve the look weird, fuzzy look.

Hans Zimmer's new theme has leaked.

MAN ON FIRE came to mind first. It's the most atrocious looking film I ever saw. Michael Bay films look like art compared to whatever the fuck Tony Scott did there.

Should get the TWIN PEAKS blu-ray set this Tuesday in the mail . I can't wait to revisit this series!

So I've... acquired... the despecialized edition of the first film so far and I'm impressed with the bits I've seen. Dunno when I'll try watching it, but it's nice to have a copy of the original film that isn't in shit condition like those DVDs.

After selling some DVDs, I used what I got to purchase the out-of-print THE THIRD MAN blu-ray by Criterion ($170!!!). This is one I've been wanting to grab for the longest time and it's truly a joy to watch it in HD, seeing post-WWII Vienna in gorgeous black and white photography (this may be my #1 favorite B&W shot flick). It's a bitch to buy an out of print Criterion title, but once I pop in that blu-ray I have no regrets.

SR not only needed the Donner touch but also the Mankiewicz touch. It's a flick that only reminded me how this 78-06 series fell once Donner and Mankiewicz left the house. It was never the same, and even when there was an attempt to recapture what the original film did with THE QUEST FOR PEACE and RETURNS, it always went about the wrong way. It's too bad.

I remember what really threw me off of Trek was five minutes in when he tried pulling the exact same shit he did on LOST. It was that moment when I realized most of his music was pretty interchangeable and didn't offer anything new. The way people seem to put him on a pedestal reminds me of Bond fans thinking David Arnold's music is in the same league as John Barry.

I remember what really threw me off of Trek was five minutes in when he tried pulling the exact same shit he did on LOST. It was that moment when I realized most of his music was pretty interchangeable and didn't offer anything new. The way people seem to put him on a pedestal reminds me of Bond fans thinking David Arnold's music is in the same league as John Barry.

I remember what really threw me off of Trek was five minutes in when he tried pulling the exact same shit he did on LOST. It was that moment when I realized most of his music was pretty interchangeable and didn't offer anything new. The way people seem to put him on a pedestal reminds me of Bond fans thinking David Arnold's music is in the same league as John Barry.

Probably my favourite Matrix cue.

'Buckle your seat belt, Dorothy, because Kansas is going bye-bye.'

This pretty much kills any chance of me checking it out. Unless someone paid me to.

When the first blu-rays were released and the new changes were reported, I bought the DVDs with the theatrical prints instead. Until an restored version of the theatricals are released soon, I'm sticking with these bad boys.

I think it's fine as long as they don't try making her Bond's sidekick, which is what the rumors have mainly been about. I'm fine with her being able to kick ass and such, because wouldn't you want the head of MI6 to be aided by a secretary that can also function as an agent? I would have loved to see Lois Maxwell do something fun on occasion besides flirt with Bond, if done right. One of the highlights of DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER is seeing Moneypenny on the field. It's such a nice twist for the Bond formula, I'm surprised EON didn't try doing that again in the films afterward.

I'll take Newman over the most of today's generic blockbuster scores anytime.
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