Mr. Who

Had my second viewing of the film last night. Enjoyed it even more. A lot of little details really began to stick out to me this time.
 
The “Herald of Change” cue is truly fantastic. It’s so well crafted in setting the stage for what’s to come. I love the big statement of the “wonder chords” as the ships land. And then a sneaky short statement of the “impending doom” music as the procession heads down the ramp. The brief whispers/chants as we settle on the shot of the Benne Gesseret staring at Jessica. (Always pulling the strings!) And then statement of the tragic noble theme as Leto seals the contract (and his fate!) with the house Atreides ring. Not sure if this cue was written first and the film was cut to it, or if Hans and co actually scores to picture. But it’s great. Too many little details that distinguish it from a wallpaper approach to scoring. And for that I am grateful.
 
PS- I think I’m the only one keeping this thread alive lol.

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

The novellas from which this show will be based on are great. The storytelling takes place on a much smaller scale than GOT and HOTD and we get to see different sides of Westeros and its people. This show can turn out really well if they get the casting right for Duncan and ‘Egg’ and if they keep it on the smaller scale of the source material and don’t try to make it into a HOTD/GOT type show.
 
I’m very curious how they will adapt the second novella as that story is directly related to the outcome of the Blackfyre Rebellions which I hope will be adapted in a later season of HOTD after the Dance of Dragons period is finished.

Another GoT spin-off is coming out in late 2025.
 
https://tvline.com/news/game-of-thrones-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-season-1-release-date-hbo-max-1235172818/
 
The prequel was formally announced in April 2023. The series will be written and executive-produced by Martin and Ira Parker. Ryan Condal, who currently serves as House of the Dragon‘s showrunner, and Vince Gerardis also will be EPs.
 
“A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros,” the previously released official logline reads. “A young, naive but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall” (aka Dunk) “and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.

Are you going to see the whole thing or only the selected highlights?

A headline specifically designed for those who disliked the ending of Game of Thrones:
 
3 Body Problem: Benioff & Weiss Sci-Fi Epic Promises Huge Payoffs: ‘It’s One Of My Favourite Endings Of Any Giant Saga’
 
Also, here's some pics:
 

 

In my thematic analysis I called it the A section of the Dune Main Theme, while the B section is the guitar/cello melody heard in Leaving Caladan after the A section plays in the beginning and together with the B section.
 
They are often played together but maybe they’re separate themes, I’m not sure.

In my thematic analysis I called it the A section of the Dune Main Theme, while the B section is the guitar/cello melody heard in Leaving Caladan after the A section plays in the beginning and together with the B section.
 
They are often played together but maybe they’re separate themes, I’m not sure.

They also turned down loads of free money for being listed as executive producers on all GOT spinoffs like HOTD. But like I said, that’s absolutely a valid opinion to have. However, it doesn’t change my mind about it being a masterful show. 

Mad Men is a masterpiece on par with Sopranos, Breaking Bad and GOT!

Mad Men ... all seven seasons. 
 

On one side we have a music legend. On the other, we have Taylor Swift.

Stephen Colbert interviews Nolan.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Curb Your Enthusiasm 12x01 Atlanta

That was pretty good.  I find that the season premieres of this show are never among the best episodes, they are always more about setting up the general tone/feel/circumstances of the season, kind of establishing a new baseline.  I had completely forgotten about the whole Young Larry / Maria Sofia stuff so it was kind of jarring to start with direct references to all that that I had to struggle to recall.  I had thought the whole point was that she was a terrible actor, so it was kind of weird that now she's a big star?  Is this some kind of commentary on modern television or something?  I also have no recollection of why Tracey Ullman's character is living with Larry and he can't kick her out?
 
But regardless, the episode was funny!  It was nice to see Auntie Rae again, and Larry was funny wearing her glasses.  The altercation with the maid was funny, because Larry truly did nothing wrong and got shit for it anyway, lol.  Larry not being a cordial guest at a party, then kind of understanding why, but talking his way into getting paid anyway, then blowing it with a call back to the butt dialing thing was all pretty funny.  The ending was super abrupdt; I didn't think we were already at the end of the episode when he was giving Auntie Rae water, but the mug shot finale was pretty damn funny, lol

That too. I'm interested in anything Djawadi comes up with for the Thrones universe.

Not sure if I posted this but I wrote 7 little pieces (a suite) for 2022 World Cup in Doha, this time not for the opening ceremonies but for a pyrotechnics and fireworks show that played every night for a month over the Arbian Gulf. I wanted to share at least one of the little pieces I recorded with the Qatar Philharmonic. Hope you like it.
 
04 4. War (NBA) Mix PF v4.wav
 

Hollow Knight is one of my favorite games, and has one of my favorite videogame scores ever! I've been waiting for Silksong for so long, but I don't know if it will come out this year or what. It's been almost 5 years since they announced it!
 
Oh yes! Forgot about House of the Dragon. I'm looking forward to all of Djawadi's projects this year, but I have a special interest in this. Season 1 was such a great score!

My most anticipated scores would be:
House of the Dragon S2 3 Body Problem S1 Fallout S1 Dune Part 2 Eden Kung Fu Panda 4 The Fall Guy Gladiator 2 Inside Out 2

My most anticipated scores would be:
House of the Dragon S2 3 Body Problem S1 Fallout S1 Dune Part 2 Eden Kung Fu Panda 4 The Fall Guy Gladiator 2 Inside Out 2

Well Dune 2 looks pretty good.

Definitely in the minority here, but I liked the Yates films quite a bit. In fact I like the look of all these films across the board, and IMO they really nailed, for the most part, the aesthetic and casting in all eight entries.
 
I think there's definitely an argument to be made that Giliam or especially Del Toro would both make an interesting Potter film. But had Gilliam done the first one, I'm frankly not sure it would have been anywhere near as commercially successful. Columbus, in doing a fairly straight forward, almost "generic" adaptation, really set a foundation that others could build on. There's value in that. Gilliam would have made a quirky, weird movie  that I'm not sure the series needed at that point. There's no way Gilliam would make a film so faithful to the book, and that's what you needed for the first entry, to establish credibility with Rowling's legions of fans. In any event, WB was certainly aiming for something with much broader appeal than what Gilliam would have delivered.
 
On the other hand, Del Toro sensibilities would have made him an excellent choice for Chamber of Secrets, and had he done so I believe it would be regarded alongside Prisoner of Azkaban as an artistic standout in the series. Not only as part of the series, but like Cuarón's film, an excellent movie in and of itself. 
 
 
 

The score is very energetic and rich in texture and orchestration - there's heroic uplifting brass for Costner's feats, dark action for the Smokers, synths, woodwinds and eastern percussion for the smaller gentle moments, and hellish brass and choir for explosions, but there's not that much in the way of structured themes with specific associations. There's a hero theme, a gentle theme for the kid and Dryland which doubles as a love theme sometimes, some rising choral chords loosely associated with discovery, and many action elements.
 
 

1M1 Main Title - The cue as written starts as the Universal logo starts being creatively used, leaving space for the logo music itself, although the final film only uses a low rumble that continues under the written introduction. This cue alternates Waterworld with softer writing, also finding the beauty in the view and the Mariner's simple solitary way of life.
 
 

1M2A It's Not Worth It
1M2B-Rev+Alt Escaping Smokers - For this opening action showpiece, Howard introduces his Mariner theme's first phrases, at first in a grand majestic way when he unfurls the sails of his trusty trimaran, then in almost swashbucklingly fun action settings. He holds back on the latter, gentler phrases, combining the opening with an action ostinato instead to keep us pumped. As he gets away with his dirt and plant by leaving the thief to the Smokers, the tempo lays back and we get more textural material for the beautiful montage, and a fateful dark note as he nears the Atoll.
1M4 Arriving At Atoll - Discovery scores the Atoll's reveal.
 
 

2M1 Hydroholic - A dark cue for the Nord's investigation on behalf of the Smokers' leader.
 
 

2M3 Mutation
 
 

3M1 Caged
3M2 Tattoo - The score's heart, Enola's theme on real and sampled flute as she draws her memories of Dryland and Gregor examines her tattoo, a map there.
3M3 Gregor At Cage
 
 

3M4 Recycled
3M5 Smokers Sighted - As the villains arrive to take the Atoll, the action ostinato alternates with various preparatory fanfares, and grand choral sections for wide shots and the Deacon's introduction.
4M1F Battle Begins - A grand action cue supporting the bombastic visual bonanza onscreen.
4M2 Battle Continues - The action scales back as we focus more on Gregor's balloon, the Mariner trying to escape his recycling, and Helen trying to protect Elena.
4M3 Gregor Enters Balloon - The action ostinato comedically supports Gregor's attempts to stop the machine, but as he fails and floats away, the score takes a second to play a majestic choral waltz.
4M4R Helen Frees Mariner - With Helen's help, after some action ostinato, the Mariner and his trimaran are finally back in action, and his theme returns, this time in full form with the gentler phrases as he saves the Enforcer and is helping Helen and Enola escape. Spirits are generally higher, the waltz from the previous cue returns for the gates starting to open, even though the action continues in full force as the walls are blown open and the battle moves inside.
4M5 Opening The Gates - The action continues with hopeful bursts but generally tense, until the Mariner outsmarts the gun-ho Smokers and the cue resolves on a beautiful quiet note (longer than the footage in the final movie).
 
 

5M1 She's Here Somewhere - The cue is unused but the title and its content make its rough placement pretty obvious, as it reprises material from 2M1 Hydroholic.
 
 

5M2 Three On Deck (part 1)
 
 

5M2 Three On Deck (part 2) - This short cue is unused and its nature makes deciding its placement very difficult. So here's a wild guess.
 
 

5M3 Helen's Offer
 
 

5M4 Spear Gun - This cue supports the Mariner's darker aspect in the scene with the return of Waterworld.
 
 

6M0 Sewing
 
 

6M1 Enola Overboard
6M1B Can We Outrun Them?
6M2F The Plane - Apart from the impressive way this cue reacts to the action, beats and changing dynamics, the standout feature is the unique grand setting of the opening of the Mariner's theme.
6M3 Don't Touch / New Haircuts
 
 

7M1 Fight With Drifter - After a dark buildup, Waterworld returns for the Mariner going fishing.
 
 

8M1 Swimming
8M2 Slave Colony Part 1
8M3 Slave Colony Part 2 - Basically a reprise of parts of 1M2B-Rev+Alt Escaping Smokers, with the Mariner theme's joyous appearance delayed until the very end when the escape seems successful.
 
 

9M1 Bubble - A tense buildup leads to Discovery for the reveal of an underwater postapocalyptic wasteland, crushing hopes of a Dryland's existence.
9M2 Meeting Deacon
10M1 Kiss Of Life - Enola's theme returns bittersweetly for the titular kiss juxtaposed with her being taken away.
 
 

10M2 We're Gonna Die - Enola's theme continues to double as a love theme. The opening of the cue (scoring Enola and the Deacon, or more likely perhaps some deleted shots) is dialed out in the movie.
10M3 National Geographics - Discovery scores the Mariner's doubts in his own beliefs as he puts pieces together as proof that Enola's been to Dryland.
 
 

10M4 Gregor Returns - Enola's theme is finally taken up by the orchestra, starting to morph it into a hopeful Dryland theme.
 
 

11M1 Arriving At Deez / Drowning - A lowkey Discovery scores the Deez's reveal in the fog.
11M2 Deacon's Speech - A truly epic buildup for the juxtaposition of the Mariner making his way through the Deez's underbelly, Enola's hype speech for him, and the Deacon's sermon.
12M1 Rowing
12M2 Why Aren't You Rowing? - A lone trumpet plays the Mariner's theme as he walks on the empty deck, then warm strings pick it up.
12M3 Burning
12M4 Balloon Rescue - This seemingly final burst of action features yet another unique assembly of Mariner elements for the slide and takedown of the plane, a quick Enola as he rescues her, and even the waltz for Gregor's balloon returns for the rescue.
13M1 Bungee Rescue - But the Deacon is not done yet, and so we get one more Mariner assembly for the final rescue, and an Enola as she's taken onboard.
13M2 The Map / Flight
13M3 Dry Land - A triumphant Dryland rendition for this glorious burst of green after exactly two hours of blues and browns, and a small flute Enola for her parents' remains.
 
 

13M4 Mariner's Goodbye - The beautiful first half is replaced in the film with material from Swimming, which in this context may help support the Mariner's uneasiness better. Enola's theme plays again for the final goodbyes.
13M5 Main Credits - The Mariner's theme receives a gorgeous string and choir rendition as he returns to the water to continue his journeys as a changed man.

(Specifically the coda, timestamped)
In the roughly 20 years I've known this specific recording, I've never heard anything that comes close to it.