Kasey Kockroach

Don’t make me come back to this forum just to quote the entirety of KH1.
 
I WON’T HESITATE, B*TCH

He, he. That one's pretty tasteful, I think. Any nudity firmly covered behind fonts.

So, how'd you end up here, Pinocchio?

@Kasey Kockroach would.

Inoffensive, ephemeral film that didn't take any creative risks whatsoever. Typical Tyler score that favours loudness over all else.
 
Kinda what I expected when I heard this film was released. 
 

JP has quite a distinctive use of percussion, and it's become very much part of his style. I think it would be a mistake to group him with other composers who really do just add a basic drum loop to make up for their lack of orchestration ability. Rather, Powell's percussion is quite intelligently written and constantly adapts to the orchestra, and almost always feels like it adds some value (to me at least). E.g. It's clear to me that the four-to-the-floor in the excerpt Jay posted "plays off" the crazy staccato trumpets and violins - one would't work without the other.
 
Anyway, JP obviously has a thing for percussion (Horton Hears A Who, Robots etc.) and I remember in an interview he once did that he mentioned how he used to listen to a lot of vinyls of world/tribal music as a student. (I think the question was actually in relation to his use of percussion).
 
But I can understand why some people would be put off by it. For one, when I ever write for orchestra I know I would never do this sort of percussion because it would likely come off as cheesy.
 
By the way, the first time I ever actually listened to How To Train Your Dragon was when I heard the first few seconds of Test Drive, and I remember thinking "Eurgh, electric guitar and those awkward drums...? I'll pass" I didn't come back to the soundtrack until about a year later, and now it's one of my favourite scores (though not because of the percussion, mind you )

Steamworld Dig 2 is soooo good

I recently listened to the KFP1 bootleg after someone pointed out the recent HZ.com cuelist update got specific enough to where you can tell who did what cue by the version number (Powell adds a random letter to designate his stuff, while Zimmer sticks to number decimals). The weak link was sort of predictably the stuff by the latter, as the high energy and detail of the JP stuff easily dissipates with how much more piecemeal the HZ cues can be. I don't want to say this felt like it was merely a gig to one party, because Hans evidently likes the franchise enough to do the sequels and play Oogway Ascends in concerts, but the whole end result is uneven from how evidently different the methodology of each composer is. It certainly would've succeeded more if it was one or the other that did it instead of both doing it somewhat separately.
 
I don't even want to get into KFP2, as I've heard rumors that suggest the score was sort of dead on arrival with behind the scenes conflicts that occurred. Haven't bothered with KFP3 yet, both because I kind of usually prefer expanded presentations for MV/RCP works, but also because I wasn't too interested in a heavily Balfe version of already mixed bag material. I suppose an announcement for who's doing 4 could certainly get me more interested in giving the sequels a further go.

Dynamic orchestral score by John Beal arrives on CD! Universal releases no-nonsense horror film in 1981, brings attention to career of director Tobe Hooper, who follows year later with hit scare-fest, Poltergeist. Young cast features Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, Largo Woodruff, Miles Chapin as group of four teens attending local carnival, with veteran Kevin Conway as memorable Barker. Larry Block scripts, John Beal scores.
 
Vivid orchestral score is anchored by waltz theme emphasizing intervals of the tritone, not just in melody but in harmonic structure as well. Interesting shape has theme begin in solo flute in upper register, increase in weight and density, then close in powerful statement for full orchestra. Harmonic vernacular continues throughout, and in one instance stands out in pure tritone major chords for French horn during closing bars of “All Alone No. 1”, a highlight. When scares arrive, Beal unleashes in kind with intense fortissimo episodes of musical fury. Interestingly, while intensity is keynote, Beal relies on propulsive energy and exciting jabs of color rather than overt dissonance to underscore the thrills. Results are striking!
 
First half of score leads to the horror, second half provides the thrills. Standout action cues include “The Unmasking”, “Hatchet Job”, “Liz and the Knife”, “Losing Battle”. Spotlight unquestionably goes to lengthy “Monster Mashed” sequence: As gears and chains grind away underneath the Funhouse, so does the score with a relentless obstinate for basses and cellos underneath sharp jabs from the orchestra above. Spoiler alert: As lone survivor Amy struggles with monster, Beal adds chopping figures to his ostinato, creating powerhouse buildup of musical terror. Fortissimo intensity plays all the way up until monster is mashed between the gears. Sensational cue! When all the horror subsides, picture winds up without cheap gimmicks, and Beal returns to his solo piccolo to usher Amy away from danger… albeit all alone. As fadeout turns to ending credits, Beal returns with his powerful waltz theme to close. Very strong finish to dramatic score! Following are numerous extras featuring carnival music, calliope tunes, assorted cues scored by Beal and used as “source music” as teens stroll throughout carnival. Even the bulk of these pieces play with an unsettling veneer.
 
Complete score presented courtesy of Universal, mastered from the 24-track session tapes recorded by Rick Riccio, mixed by Matt La Point. Score recorded at Evergreen Studios in November 1980. Orchestrations by John Beal, Miles Goodman, Richard Ellis, Don James. Graphic CD package designed by Kay Marshall, informative booklet notes by John Takis. John Beal composes, conducts. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!
 
01. Funhouse – Theme (Main Title) (5:50)
02. God Is Watching (1:12)
03. Embryo (1:58)
04. No Escape (1:31)
05. Crystal Ball (0:16)
06. Scary Stuff (0:21)
07. All Alone No. 1 (1:31)
08. Too Serious (1:11)
09. Zena Dies (1:47)
10. Bad Idea (3:07)
11. The Unmasking (1:21)
12. No Place To Be (1:50)
13. Hang-Up (0:33)
14. Hatchet Job (1:19)
15. Liz And The Knife (3:13)
16. The Last Of Liz (0:55)
17. Losing Battle (4:54)
18. Manic Montage (2:29)
19. Monster Mashed (5:00)
20. All Alone No. 2 (0:54)
21. Funhouse – Theme (End Title) (1:32)
Total Score Time: 43:28
 
THE EXTRAS
22. Funhouse – Theme (Alternate Main Title) (2:41)
23. Carousel March (2:50)
24. Carousel Waltz (2:54)
25. Merry-Go-Rag (1:47)
26. Zena’s Zingaresa (2:27)
27. Eatery Source (3:24)
28. Stripper Source (2:26)
29. Tee-And-A-Tease (4:46)
30 Organ Loop #9 (2:34)
31. Dementia Rag (1:02)
32. Cockeyed Calliope (John Berkman) (5:19)
33. Funhouse – Theme (End Title – Alternate Take) (1:31)
Total Extras Time: 33:58
Total CD Time: 77:35
 
 
https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12769/.f

Intrada's next title is John Beal's Funhouse
 
Our other Halloween release -- John Beal's The Funhouse. One of my favorite horror scores...and it includes a passacaglia!
 

 
http://www.intrada.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9008

Kasey --> it's a joke!

Karol
 

The album cover looks like Hopkins and Baldwin are taking a massive dump in the woods 

Well, technically, I never officially guessed Child's Play 2, so...

Personally, I would like Child’s Pl-
 
“OH, SHUT UP!”

Ghost Story by Philippe Sarde. Brilliant stuff, yet another great score overshadowing its film. Perfect for this time of the year. Quartet's recent release comes highly recommended. Delicious and charming.
 
 
Karol

I’m not really into anything he did beyond Jaws.
For the record, Jaws is in my top ten favorite movies, so Spielberg could have just done that, then immediately retired and he’d still rightfully be considered one of the all-time greats.

Warlock, which for some inexplainable reason pops up as recommendation on Spotify regularly, is no shining beacon in the Goldsmith filmography, to put it mildly. What it is, though, weird synth noises notwithstanding, is a rather unique horror score. Written during the expansive 80's, the last thing on its mind is a loud roar unleashing huge orchestral forces. Instead it's quaint and harsh sounding, with a ominous tik-tok sound echoing a big clock that Goldsmith seems so fond of he basically uses it as a heartbeat throughout.
 
The thematic material, a five-note call close to 'Legend's darkness motif, is not very memorable and the church hymn that pops up at the beginning and the end is ruined by accordion-like synth - i would have liked to peek into Goldsmith's head at the time, the movie itself is entertaining in a cheesy kind of way, but it could sure have used a shot in the arm musically but exactly where the filmmakers practically invite him to the ball to dominate the proceedings, Goldsmith holds back. 
 
When you listen to the moments recalling classic Goldsmith, which are the cues 'The Weather Vane' and the big finale (Salt Walter Attack and Salt Flats), they fitfully remind you of Goldsmith's eminent status, but he employs the magic so involuntary it seems he hates his own guts. It was a weird phase for him, but still, you couldn't say he stayed idle. But it's no recommendation, really.
 
 

It remains what it always was: a 'sentimental favourite'. The repetitions of the main theme really grate on this 65 minute version. My favourite stuff in this score since 1993: the fanfare in 'Take Us Out' or its longer version, 'Tryouts'. These are really standouts no other composer could have nailed as well.

This is one of those scores where the theme appears on pretty much every single track (like John Scott’s King Kong Lives), so extending that to an hour is probably gonna drive ya’ll batty. 

I've listened to it twice since last night and it has not driven me batty.  Hoosiers is top 10 Jerry for me though, so this is my shit.