DominicCobb

Hence "sophomoric." How dare someone who's just gone through an insanely harrowing and traumatic experience have a breakdown knowing that there are people who died he might have been able to save?

There is a pretty pervasive (and one might say sophomoric) attitude that Spielberg is too much a sentimentalist and that that's a bad thing. Sentimental or not, as long as it's effective, that's the sign of a good filmmaker. You can emotionally distance yourself from the film and try to "analyze" where it isn't "realistic," or whatever your metric is, but the truth of the matter is that that scene in Schindler's is an incredibly effective release, and Spielberg 100% makes it work.

Does this include any excerpts from the score?

Rare is it that a blockbuster makes it in. It's usually just more of the same stuff they usually go for (middle-brow adult dramas, biopics, etc.). Actually one could make the argument that the change has mostly benefited independent films. And it's a sliding scale between 5 and 10 noms, depending on percentage of votes. It's kinda silly, but wasn't it always?

David Arnold

Not having listened to the soundtrack enough, I can't say, but there was a good amount of it in the film from what I could tell (though there were moments, particularly the opening, where it seemed to be one of the few casualties to the mix this score faced, though I do wonder if parts like that weren't meant to be much more than subtle background noise). Yeah, "baby" might not work in this context, though the respective scenes its used in in Dawn and War do share thematic similarities. Perhaps something like "birth," "life," or "beginnings"? Yeah that's the one. Pretty ear wormy. (Although now that you ask, wasn't there another, different motif when the apes were conspiring to escape? I'm going to have to give the album another listen). This might be do to my relative unfamiliarity with that motif, and I don't have it in front of me right now, but I thought I heard it in the opening sequence ("Apes' Past is Prologue" at about 6:40) though that might be something else.

Ended up seeing the film again so I have a better sense of the score (even though I've only listened to the album once). The "Noble Apes," "Humans," and Caesar themes return (as well as the "Baby" motif and also maybe "War" motif I think?). First time I saw it I thought I heard a hint of the "Rogue Apes" theme but don't remember when or where or if I was just imagining it. There are a few new ones: a sort of lament (which is probably the most commonly occurring theme), a theme for Nova (which seems to be closely related to the "Humans" theme from Dawn), an apes on a mission theme, a theme for the Colonel and his troops, and a prison escape motif (and I think that might be it?). Probably one of my favorite scores recently.

I guess I'm just a film fan first and a music fan second. I see film scores as being one of the many components that make up a film, only it just happens to be a component you can enjoy on its own. But in my mind that doesn't completely divorce it from the film. I can enjoy an OST fine but if it doesn't fit the film I can't say that's a good score. Likewise, I might be bored by an OST but if it's just what the film asked for, that's a good score. Separate conversations a bit but I think in judging the ultimate quality of a score you can't completely ignore the fact it was written for a film, and how it succeeds on those terms, which is really its main purpose.

I don't doubt that but I don't think that means he wasn't being a dick.

Wait what? I don't visit this place often so maybe I'm missing something, but you started this whole thing with your real douchey post (about brain crutches and what not). Again I might be missing something but you've done nothing but act like a dick since then so I don't know what you think you're talking about in regards to being a "good sport."

No, I don't think it's vital, I just think it's a natural viewpoint to have. Thinking it's "limiting" is another valid viewpoint, not sure if I agree, but opinions obviously vary. There's no definite answer.

So if anything that means you have less context for the story with a film score soundtrack.

Film music is specifically written to be a part of a larger whole, unlike most other types of music. It's just plain common sense that one would want to know the context for which that music is written (like listening to the album of a musical without having gone to see it).

Fair enough, I guess not everyone's ape crazy like me and saw it last night. Just listening to the soundtrack right now, but I must say I kinda feels like I already listened to it. It's funny, when I saw Spider-Man there were moments where I was trying to listen to the music and I literally could not hear it over the sound effects. That definitely was not an issue here, basically every cue comes through clear as day, and there are actually quite a few moments where the music is basically the only thing you can hear. Which made it easy to spot stuff like returning themes from Dawn (almost all of them I think?) and a good number of new themes (at least two or three that I noticed.

Surprised more people aren't talking about this. Haven't listened to the OST yet but the score in the film is pretty great and gets a lot of space to shine. The film's great too. On first impression seems like one of the best Giacchino efforts in recent years.

I think the original name for Rise was simply "Rise of the Apes," which would then make sense with "Dawn of the Planet..." coming after. Both films are definitely worth watching, I would say. Some of the best blockbuster filmmaking in recent years.

I thought Cruise only had short hair in the odd numbered ones.

There are some fan edits out there that mash FWWM and the Missing Pieces up, the sum of the two is quite a bit closer to The Return than anything else out there.

Damn! Silvestri might be the perfect alternate though... I'd much rather a Silvestri RPO than a Thomas Newman Papers, so not too bummed.

Bridge of Spies is probably ranked 11th amongst Spielberg for me, Lincoln 10th. Which is actually saying something considering the man's incredibly impressive filmography. So yeah, I'm team Bridge (only seen it once though).

After seeing the film, honestly too bad Gia didn't go with the 60's theme, much better melody than we ended up with (which seems to be almost a Rogue One style homage to it). Haven't necessarily disliked any of the themes since Elfman, but they just really haven't come close.

Saw E.T. as a kid but never thought much of it. Now, it's one of my all time favorites.

Anyone watching the new series (which is fantastic) without having seen FWWM is making a big mistake. Thus far Philip Jeffries/Buenos Aires*, "Blue Rose," the green ring, Harry Dean Stanton/trailer park, and Laura's diary entry have all been relevant elements from the film (as well as referential shots and dialogue). There will almost certainly be more - there's always garmonbozia to remember and I think Laura's going to end up being important once more. *Have to say the Jeffries stuff is kinda hard to understand without The Missing Pieces

Valley of the Dolls vs. The Book Thief

The only person you have to apologize to is yourself.