Tom Guernsey
-
Posts
2,821 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
5
Posts posted by Tom Guernsey
-
-
Has anyone who did the kickstarter and has a copy read it yet? I read it voraciously over the last week and really enjoyed it. Don’t really know quite how much to write as I don’t want to spoil any of the interesting nuggets included (although not much I didn’t know already) for those who haven’t got a copy yet! Still overall a fascinating read and makes you want to listen to all of his scores again.
-
I’ve been making my way through these recently so might have to shell out for the upgrade. Then again they sound pretty great as it is! Definitely worth the investment for anyone who doesn’t own them as they are a terrific summary of Waxman’s music and a perfect companion to the Gerhardt album.
-
1 hour ago, Richard Penna said:
I'm vaguely tempted to pick this up so I own it in some form, as the OST has some nice material.
The Int'l store has no indication that it's not shipping yet, but is also charging a totally unreasonable price - 25% markup over the US store and waaay too much for only 2nd class post.
I wrote and complained when HTTYD3 came out as I agree it’s outrageous (even worse they treat Guernsey as “international” so the postage was even more astonishingly expensive). Maybe worth doing the same. Their old store had a half arsed delivery partner but it was at least fairly priced.
-
12 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:
Varese. And since I don't know anything by Varese, I have no idea if her comment makes sense.
My bad for confusing my 20th century composers, although since Varese started a very popular record label with his friend Dave Sarabande, through which many Jerry Goldsmith scores have been released, I should clearly have known it wasn’t Stravinsky*.
I’m not massively familiar with Varese’s (fairly modest) output but I don’t recall it sounding anything like POTA. Then again one of his most famous works based largely based on the Rite of Spring. So in a way, I was almost right…
*may contain lies.
1 hour ago, A24 said:Yeah, I don't hear anything resembling Stravinsky in Goldsmith's POTA either.
The Omen on the other hand…
-
3 hours ago, Edmilson said:
I haven't seen it. Does she mention Goldsmith? And it's under a negative light, right?
Yeah it’s something about Planet of the Apes being ripped off from Stravinsky which shows an astonishing lack of knowledge of Planet of the Apes and Stravinsky…
- Edmilson and Naïve Old Fart
-
1
-
1
-
41 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:
I don't think it's an implied general unacceptability, and Alsop's objection may be stronger than it "needs" to be. But as long as it is virtually the *only* film centred on a world-famous, female, lesbian conductor, it's arguably at this point that *every* film with such a character is portraying it as a villain - and I think that's what her phrasing implies ("To have an opportunity to portray a woman in that role and to make her an abuser", emphasis mine). So I do think she has a point, even if it isn't one that has to be shared by everyone. Rejecting it as entirely reprehensible seems about as extreme to me as generally rejecting the film because of her view on it.
I can understand why she was so upset though. In world that’s so male dominated, even more so than for composers I would say, the only fictional representation of your profession and gender being about such a monster must be pretty galling. For what it’s worth, I enjoyed it for the most part even if Tar clearly knows fuck all about Jerry Goldsmith 😜
-
44 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:
I've never heard a note. I'm not a fan of Tyler outside of his Yellowstone universe work.
Fair. I’m not especially a fan either but some of his stuff is pretty enjoyable even if it lacks any kind of nuance.
-
I seem to remember AVPR being one of a number of Tyler scores that starts off great and gets more and more tedious as the album goes on. Also, Tyler positively suffocates most of his scores with compression so all of his (moderately interesting) orchestration is often totally buried. Only when I heard clips of concerts did I realise how good some of his stuff actually is. I think John Powell used to have this issue but has clearly realised the value of dynamic range…
-
2 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:
Yes, the score always gave me strong Herrmann vibes. It's a fine score and works very well in the film, from what I recall. But I have the old album and I don't think I need more than that.
It’s kinda Psycho with a full orchestra. If it is What Lies Beneath I’ll get it because it’s Alan Silvestri but I have to admit that the excellent 6 minute end credits suite covers all the best material in a fine concert arrangement.
-
2 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:
I can dig that. It's not for everyone.
Most people think that SUPERGIRL, and LEGEND are masterpieces, but I'll take LINK and RUNAWAY over those two, any day.
Horses for courses, dear boy. Horses for courses
That’s the name I’m gonna give my French restaurant…
But yes Patton is a terrific score although as a listening experience, I favour the original album re-recording. To me it’s performed and sounds better than the original film tracks and has a bit more edge than the RSNO version although I find much to enjoy in that recording. His lack of an Oscar is astonishing if not actually surprising. The plebs love a hit song and a doomed love story…
I’m currently devouring the JG book and his Oscar losses are carefully noted. Some are against fine competition where you can’t really fault the winner but several are clearly travesties. Patton, Chinatown and Papillon from that period of his career are film music milestones for highly respected movies. His judicious approach to spotting, artistry and depth is something some contemporary film makers and composers could do with taking on board. When the music appears in those films it’s meaningful but when it’s slathered over every scene like slurry on a field it just becomes wallpaper. I don’t mean to shit on Ludwig Goransson too much but his music in Oppenheimer barely says anything about anything. It just plays incessantly in almost every scene in a droning, vaguely doom laden way. Now he has more Oscars than Jerry, Elmer, Ennio, Alex North… etc.
-
On 16/4/2024 at 8:09 PM, Jurassic Shark said:
JW'S E.T. INFLUENCE EXPOSED!
Do you hear it?
I do. All you need is some Howard Hanson and the last movement of Mahler’s 9th Symphony and JW didn’t need to write anything else 😜.
-
On 15/4/2024 at 2:23 PM, karelm said:
I love this very fine album.
As is this one…
-
-
A few more and I’ll stop. Promise.
Doctor Who: Part 1/6 - Invasion of Death. First in an interminable 6 part serial starring Jon Pertwee as the popular Time Lord. This week, five minutes of plot are crammed into an entire episode as Jo and the Doctor traipse around London, slowly revealing clues about the pending invasion and leading them to the head alien being poorly revealed in a badly executed zoom shot during the closing cliffhanger.
Doctor Who: Part 4/6 - Invasion of Death. Padding episode of an interminable 6 part serial starring Jon Pertwee as the popular Time Lord. This week, Jo and the Doctor get stuck in a maze solving clues that are entirely irrelevant to the plot and outcome while the Brig is driven around in his jeep and shouts at Benton.
Star Trek: Enterprise. Previously unseen pilot of be unpopular Star Trek prequel starring former Tory MP Jeffrey Archer as the deceitful captain of the federation's first deep space exploration ship. This week Captain Archer offends the Klingon Chancellor and then lies about it leading to life imprisonment on a frozen asteroid prison where a shape shifting alien ensures he doesn't escape.
Deal or No Deal: creepy uncle figure Noel Edmonds introduces a special edition of the popular dim witted gameshow as a a selection of uniquely stupid members of the public open boxes in an attempt to win the popular Kent seaside town.Quantum Leap: previously unbroadcast pilot for the popular time hopping drama series sees the avant garde Irish novelist leap through time and help avert happy endings. This week, Beckett ensures the wife of a wealthy oil baron drowns in the pool after being caught embezzling money from her husband's business.
Deep Space Nine. "The Weakest Link". As part of Star Trek's crossover season, Anne Robinson travels to the Gamma Quadrant to awkwardly hurl poorly scripted insults at unsuspecting members of the Founders as one by one they are voted off as the weakest link.
Star Trek: The Next Generation. In an all new crossover episode, "Silicon Avatar Part 2", the crew of the Enterprise must race to stop the crystalline entity and Data's evil brother Lore from destroying the peaceful Na'vi.
-
1 hour ago, Richard Penna said:
This year's crop is out. I'm finding bits to like in San Marino (sort of), Norway and Austria. Don't like ours at all, but we're generally rubbish at this.
If only they could have got Morrissey to do it (before he turned into a massive bellend).
I can’t say I like Eurovision much (unusual amongst my people, the gays…) but the U.K. never does well as it doesn’t embrace the cheese or over the topness enough.
-
Charlie Brooker, now of Black Mirror fame, used to write a fake tv listings magazine called TV Go Home (it’s online and very funny). According to my Facebook, 11 years ago, I went through a spate of doing my own. Sorry/not sorry for repeating them here. I don’t think these have dated too badly aside from the ones which are clearly references to much older shows. I’d definitely watch the Murder, She Wrote one. Why hasn’t anyone made that yet?!
High Concept: Brand new high concept sci-fi show in which an improbable event occurs, the reason or outcome of which never gets aired due to being cancelled midway through the first season as the audience quickly realise the writers haven't a fucking clue where the plot is going and stop watching.
Dexter, She Wrote: Prequel showing the early life of Jessica Fletcher during which serial killer Dexter Morgan shows a young Jessica Fletcher how to get away being a mass murderer and frame seemingly innocent people while visiting nieces or nephews.
Jeremy Kyle: Intervention! In a twist on the classic formula, Jeremy Kyle is put in front of an audience of mocking peasants as members of Kyle's own family are brought on to confront each of Kyle's own personal failings as the audience jeers at him like a monkey in a zoo. Followed by Jeremy Kyle's Little Brother. Dara O'Briain asks Jeremy Kyle's little brother how Jeremy must be feeling about the vicious mocking he has just received while watching Jeremy Kyle weep uncontrollably in gloriously lo-def CCTV footage.
The Culture Show: Lauren Laverne compares the growth rates of Bacillus anthracis and cyanobacterium Synechococcus while discussing a new production of the Cherry Orchard starring a small tub of Activia.
Torchwood Late Night: Spin off from the unpopular sci-fi show. Episode 3/13 "The Shagging". Human dick machine Captain Jack Harkness must copulate with every human in the greater Cardiff area in order to prevent an alien invasion of some sort while the rest of the team go looking for a less conspicuous van to drive around in.
Whicker's World. Episode 3/6 The W(h)icker Man. This week, globe trotting documentary maker Alan Whicker visits a Scottish Island with surprising results.
- Naïve Old Fart and LSH
-
1
-
1
-
I’ll watch it because it’s Star Trek and if it’s good then I’ll be happy.
The thing is, origin stories for certain aspects of Star Trek mythology would almost certainly be better as flashback episodes of shows set in TNG and beyond era. Even if the reason for the flashback was a bit cheesy… some “contemporary” issue where the origin provides a parallel that informs the “present” being the most obvious approach. Or time travel. Or a long lived alien they encounter. Or whatever someone with more imagination than me can think of.
That way you get little glimpses of the history of the Star Trek universe without it being the sole reason for the show or film’s existence. I mean First Contact effectively did that with the first warp flight and meeting the Vulcans. It didn’t need to be an entire show or film set in that era (ie with a brand new cast).
-
-
1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:
Having not listened to it in so long: What's wrong with it, specifically?
I don’t have it to listen to but I recall it being kinda stodgy. Not enough spikiness for Stravinsky. Better for stuff like Strauss where all that Berlin Phil lustre is put to better use!
-
18 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:
I don't doubt it. But once you CAN do it it surround, properly, you should.
Agreed but I have to admit that even just playing stereo recordings though a surround sound setup gives a bit of depth to the sound field even if it’s not a true 3D space.
-
2 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:
Can anyone recommend me a decent THE RITE OF SPRING?
I've been having a wee look on Amazon, and I think I'm going to go for the Rattle/Berliner Philhamonika from 2013.
Any suggestions, folks?
Alas I’m away so can’t check for all 15ish recordings i have but one of the first I got was Dutoit with the Detroit Symphony and it’s still a favourite performance (and an equally excellent Firebird). For a slightly more recent but also superb account Esa-Pekka Salonen and the LA Philharmonic is well worth a listen. I recently checked out Boulez and that’s definitely worth a listen.
I don’t know if I have the Rattle recording. I feel I need to stop adding to this particular collection… however I concur that the Karajan one is not some of his best work.
-
23 minutes ago, Sweeping Strings said:
Maybe the studios now think the multitudes of tinfoil-hatted crazies online equate to a large and lucrative target market?
Coming soon ... Flat Earth, Australia's Not Real and Chemtrails!Australia is definitely real. I followed a chemtrail down a perfectly flat road to get there.
-
55 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:
Independent of the amount of unpublished music there are two kinds of Williams expansions: The ones that reveal previously unpublished compositions like Star Wars, Indiana Jones or even Spacecamp, which just added 8, but particularly incredible minutes, and the other ones like Presumed Innocent or probably Stepmom, which wouldn't add any new themes but rather more of the same by slight variations or different arrangement or edits of the already published music. The second type of expansions is not very interesting musically but essential for completists.
Guess that goes for a lot of expansions. There's obviously the improvements to sound quality where, even if the new material isn't much, you get to hear things anew with a far greater level of clarity and detail. Even if you don't get much music, it can still be quite an experience. However, with Stepmom, I can't imagine any new music would be of any great import nor is there any great scope for material sound upgrades.
- GerateWohl and Richard Penna
-
2
-
2 hours ago, Richard Penna said:
I always try to keep my comments in the positive spirit of the discussion (hence bringing up the superb Rosewood as a replacement score example that Williams nailed) but I'm not going to restrict my words just to avoid offending a few people who are convinced that no one can ever write better than JW. The forum ceases to be a place of discussion and debate if every conversation gets derailed because someone is devasted at a suggestion tarnishing Williams' abilities.
I try to take the same approach of positive discussion so appreciate that! However, agree that you can't always just say stuff people agree with. Guess it's nice to find a score where someone else feels that JW wouldn't be the final word in choice of composer!
2 hours ago, Richard Penna said:This score is largely not my thing except for a few cues and The Days Between with the beautiful guitar melody. My overall prior point was that, apart from there being nothing I hear in this score that makes it overly special within Williams' ouvre, I honestly hope that the labels' attention and resources are being spent on scores that need expanding and properly presenting more than I think this score does.
Agreed, it's lovely, but doesn't stand out much against his other more introspective scores. I'd take Stanley & Iris over Stepmom any day, for instance. I would also agree that there are more interesting JW scores to expand. I guess Stepmom will see the light of day eventually as it'll still sell, but I don't imagine it'll be a revelatory experience!
The Jerry Goldsmith Companion - Celebrating a Musical Legend by Jeff Bond
in General Discussion
Posted
I’ll wait until it’s out in hard copy. In fairness there’s little we don’t know already but I’m not in a rush! I wish it had a bit more about the new recordings he did in the 90s but that’s the only thing I feel it could have done in greater detail.