Goldsmithfan

The Changeling. Really good movie. And it's what the makers of The Ring (or more accurately, Ringu) copied off of and sucked at doing. This is the intelligent version. Highly reccomended.

Last night, I noticed a strange coencidence on the Fox Movie Channel. The lineup for the afternoon went something like this: Shock Treatment, The Sand Pebbles, Our Man Flint, The Other, Shock Treatment Now, is it just me or are ALL of these films that Goldsmith scored? Coencidence or something more . . . ? . . . ! The truth . . . is . . . out . . . there . . . somewhere, Bones . . .

One correction: Goldsmith - Omen III: The Final Conflict

Hey everybody. I'm sure you've all seen a movie and thought you knew what was going to happen next (in a good way) only to have your prediction smashed to pieces by a more cliché or just plain dumb ending. Well, I just remembered a couple I had and figured I'd post 'em here to see what you all think. Signs: Okay, during the scene toward the end after they've boarded up the house and you just hear the dog stop barking and the music picks up (in a nice 'creepy' kind of way) I thought of the perfect ending to the movie. What I really expected to happen was for the screen to go black all of a sudden (either from a fade to black or from the power to the house being cut) and for the movie to be over. I think that would have been a great (and fairly unique for a mainstream movie) ending to a great film. Instead it ended with a more 'average' ending in which the good guys win in a semi-impossible situation. Oh well . . . Collateral Damage: This one kind of follows in the same way. When Arnold's in the tunnel and he's punctured the gas lines I thought it would go like this: After he says it's over, and Selina fires her gun, I thought that it would be logical (and really, really good for the movie's story) if the explosion took out not only the bad guys but Arnold's character as well. I mean honestly; he's witnessed the deaths of his wife and kid and he's a bloodthirsty person because of that. After they're dead, he's got nothing to really live for. Maybe I'm being too much of a know-it-all, but I just thought that would be a good ending (and certainly better than the 'surprise' ending we got instead). What do you think? Have you had any similar occurrences of thinking of a 'better' ending to a film?

Okay, my favorites are all movies, because the musical plays I've seen have driven me up the wall. I've only seen three musicals that I've actually liked. My least favorite is Joe's Apartment. Nice and funny, but it's somewhat lacking music wise! A lot actually! My second favorite is The Blues Brothers. Good movie, good music. And last, but certainly not least. Number one in fact: Pink Floyd's The Wall. Great movie. Great music. Not as good as scores but still good music. Not to mention the fact that Pink goes nuts in it and I just love movies in which the main character goes cuckoo.

"All glory is fleeting." - Patton I love that scene! "What about a guy that could shoot stinging foam into your eyes!" - Mystery Men Such a stupid thing to say. It almost sounds like me. "Guns, guns, guns! C'mon Sal! The tigers are playin' (beats table) to-night! I never miss a game." - RoboCop Such craziness in the middle of an action movie. I LOVE IT! "We can't bury Shelly. She's a friend of ours." - Evil Dead Holy crap! This line is so unintentionally funny that I can't believe they thought it would work seriously. Great stuff! Basically, I love movies and know so many quotes it would make you puke (highly influenced by a quote from The Jerk by the way) so I'll cut it off here.

The love theme from The Omen. For some reason I feel like an idiot putting that but I love it. Just contemporary enough to be liked by most people. Especially the piano statement found in "The New Ambassador" that synchs up with when Robert and Cathy are in their new house. Great stuff.

Thanks for the info. I'll get the SE edition used. I should be able to get all of 'em for around $24 total rather than spend about twice that much for the new release. But of course that means I'll be trading the cool fold-out posters and screensavers for detailed and informative liner notes. Shucks! Thanks again.

Okay, I've recently gotten more interested in the Star Wars scores than I can remember. I've got the Anthology edition of the original trilogy and I'm thinking about getting one of the 2 CD versions. Tell me if I'm wrong, but I looked up both 2 CD versions of the scores and the tracklists appear identical to me. If there's any music on the new 2 CD version, please tell me. Otherwise, I'll get the SE 2 CD versions used at the nearby CD store. Thanks.

Definitely LoDuca's Army of Darkness if you consider him a minor composer. The whole trilogy is great, but with each film, he got better and came out with this wonderful finale to the series. If you haven't heard it, you have to! Not really, but you know what I mean. I'm not sure if David Shire is minor (probably not) but I like his score to Return to Oz quite a bit.

It seems that scores haven't escaped the lack of common sense that every other aspect of filmmaking has been infected with in the recent years. The most prominent characteristic of this in film music is that stupid use of techno effects that has reared its ugly head. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then I've got two words for you: Danny Elfman. What's the deal Danny?!? You've got these annoying effects in everything from Hulk to Big Fish. What are you thinking! Not only that, what are the other composers thinking as well? Danny?s not the only one. I guess they don't remember the good old days when synths and electronics in scores actually added something instead of just being there to try to contribute something to poor orchestrations. They need to listen to some scores with good (i.e.: melodic or textural) electronic effects (Total Recall, Jurassic Park, Flesh & Blood) and realize that an electronic element should be used like any other part of the orchestra, not a looping semi drum sounding effect that drives people up the wall. For example, Terminator 3's score had effects that were good and others that were purely techno. Check out Hooked on Multiphonics for an example of the techno crap I'm talking about. But younger composers like Beltrami aren?t the only ones coming doing this. Composers who've done classic scores are doing this too. I was really excited when I read about Van Helsing having guitars in it. I'd heard Predator and knew that Silvestri knows what he's doing when it comes to guitars. Well . . . He used to. In case you haven't heard it, Silvestri composed a guitar theme for Transylvania in the score. Good by itself from what I can hear, but the completely ridiculous thing about it is the fact that he added this terribly annoying techno effect that's mixed in so badly that it washes any hint of cohesion from the track. It doesn't even fit. Much like any use of these effects. In short, a keyboard or synthesizer is another instrument. Just because you can program it to loop doesn't mean you should. STOP DOING IT! Now that I've spoken (or more accurately: 'written') my peace, I think I'll wait for either 1. a ton of replies telling me I'm a jerk/a guy who's got common sense or 2. this post to fall into oblivion due to people already thinking I'm a jerk. If anybody read all of this, thanks. Oh, and I didn't just notice this, but I did just decide to actually see what other people think of it.

Battle on the Ice is the only cue I've heard any large amount of by Prokofiev. In fact, that was the first piece by him that I heard. It was in a trailer on the DVD of Conan the Barbarian and I thought, Whoa! What is that?!? Ah, memories . . . Anyway, I've been lucky enough to have gotten a copy of Sneakers and it is very good. Definitely up there. I've not heard too much Horner though. I like Aliens a lot, but I know that there was a lot of borrowing going on there. I didn't realize it until I saw part of 2001 on TV and heard what Horner used as Ripley and Newt's theme in the background. Not to mention his 'borrowing' of the time motif from Goldsmith's score. They have Brainstorm at the Barnes & Noble closest to me. Is it worth getting?

I used to like the danger motif. A few million uses ago. Anyway, I've been looking into Prokofiev (I was under the possibly mistaken impression that it's spelled 'Prokiev') lately lately and I'm curious as to what material of his Horner has ripped off. Are there any particular pieces or is it just the basic style?

I agree. The minimalism is genius. It's a very good score, regardless of what anyone says. I love the almost complete turn around in the musical styling too. The first section is more minimalist (which has obviously been addressed!) and the second section is more action/horror/suspense/heroic material oriented. I love the short theme of resolution at the end. However, I consider Nemesis Goldsmith's final masterpiece. That is a score like no other. It's so dissonant for a Star Trek score. Much of the first half sounds more like material for a horror or thriller film. Oh, and those epic battle cues in it are Goldsmith at his best. I don't know what corner of his mind they came from but I wish we'd been able to hear more of this. It also had some 'classic' style Goldsmith action in it too (the second half of 'The Mirror'). I love it.

lol Sorry, I had to put that. I feel really vulnerable as a 'Goldsmithfan' on jwfan though. Should I? Should I REALLY? Just curious. I don't want to instigate any riots. I mean, every time I go to type something, I think This could be the last time I type something. Somebody will get miffed and I'll be on the milk cartons here in . . . California. Yeah, that'll trick 'em!

You know, no matter how advanced CD's get, there will always be something special about putting on a record. Golly gee, Wally! How dumb do I sound now?

Why else would "they" cancel their tour? Either stage fright or . . . they're robots. Okay, that sounded funnier in my head. You'd all be rolling with laughter if you heard how it was in there. Just think of Hugo Weaving.

I wouldn't know about The Public Eye, but Alien Nation is really good if you can overlook the terrible sound quality. It's not quite as good as Runaway but fairly close. I'd really like them to release Freud or Black Patch (if the master tapes are in good condition at all). Hopefully we'll see an expanded Gremlins. Or maybe an expanded Runaway (and maybe it'll start raining snails tomorrow). We can only dream until the 30th.

Bruce Campbell. I think he would have been hilarious in the TIE fighter attack scene in ANH. When Luke says, "I got him," Bruce (as Han Solo) could have said, "Whaddaya want? A medal?" Then when Leia says, "There's still two more of them out there," Han could have said, "Maybe we can take 'em. Yeah, and maybe I'm a Chinese jet pilot." Oh, and instead of Carrie Fisher as Leia they could have had Cassandra Peterson (Elvira). But not in the Elvira costume. Dressed in the Leia costume and keeping her natural red hair color. There ya go! You know, just to add some more comedy and leg to the movies' story. You know who would have made a great Darth Vader? Kurtwood Smith. When Luke flies out the window in ESB, Darth could have screamed, "Can you fly Bobby!" I know, his name's Luke, but it's just got a nice ring to it. Sounds much better than 'Can you fly Luke' or 'Can you fly Markie'.

No offense to anyone who likes Vin and The Rock but I really don't consider these guys actors. They're each trying so hard to be 'bad' that it's just pathetic. Arnold and Sly are tough but they were (and still are) still talented actors. Just look at how much Schwarzenegger conveyed without even speaking in many of his scenes in Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator. Stallone did much of the same thing in First Blood. Are Vin and The Rock that good? No. I just think that Hollywood needs to stop trying to make the next Schwarzenegger/Stallone clone and find someone who's a good actor. Not all action stars have to be insanely muscular to be tough. Just look at what Michael Biehn did with Hicks in Aliens.

First of all, I didn't even know that Rambo IV was coming out . . . That is, unless this is just speculation. I really couldn't care though. I thought that other than the music the last two Rambo flicks were pretty much worthless aside from the occasional unintentionally funny scene. The screaming during the game of chicken in Rambo III for example. Anyway, as far as the people on that list, I had a hard time. Normally, I'd say Silvestri (on that list anyway) but I was really disappointed at the lack of thematic development in his Van Helsing score. It was more of what we heard in The Mummy Returns but with more bombast than beauty. I was the vote for Brad Fiedel (obviously!). I really like Fiedel. I've only heard his scores for Cameron films, but they show a lot of potential. I'd love to hear about him him scoring something really soon. Where are ya Brad! I know his work for the Terminator franchise wasn't always melodic but it always got the point across in the film and that's what really counts. And besides, there is some really good stuff in the Terminator scores. There's action of course ('I'll Be Back' 'Trust Me' 'Tunnel Chase') and there's the cues which are more ambient but give off a really good sense of musical structure ('Desert Suite' 'Hasta La Vista Baby' The first half of 'Garage Chase') and lastly, tracks in which the melody is so insanely simple but genius that it's an impossible moment to forget ('T-1000 Terminated' 'Reese In Alley'). Fiedel did quite a good job in True Lies too. My only gripe about that score is how percussively crowded it gets at the final two cues. Other than that, solid work. My first choice would be Poledouris though. He's a great one. Not only that, but he has the ability to incorporate beauty into his action cues (RoboCop and Conan por ejemplo) as Goldsmith did so often in the Rambo scores. His music is as unique as Goldsmith's, if not as experimental. But I guess I've got to stick to the list. Fiedel all the way!

There is no Patton cameo in The 'Burbs. I have a really crappy sounding 33 track copy of The 'Burbs and Goldsmith composed a Patton-esque theme for the film. It wasn't from Patton. The melody is similar in style, but different content wise.

Have you seen First Contact? He scored bits of the film along with the entire climactic sequence at the end and did an amazing job.

Yes! Finally! Someone with common sense. I love the Ron Jones scores from TNG. He completely blows McCarthy and Chattaway out of the water. After about the second season, McCarthy just turned to writing gray, uninteresting music. Chattaway lost his touch faster than that. I'd love to punch Berman for letting Jones go. As far as Joel, I agree with that too. He did some amazing stuff for First Contact. Especially with his cues toward the end of the film. He is very underrated. However, his score for Kull the Conqueror wasn't very good from what I've heard in samples. And that's all I really care to hear. But for Star Trek, he'd do great. I'd also like to hear what Goldenthal or Poledouris might do with it too. Especially Poledouris. His themes are always really memorable.

Yeah, it's almost impossible to tell what's happening on a film until it's officially announced or in production. I've only heard about Cameron writing and Scott considering directing. I hope Cameron directs though. I love his directing and he won't use Media Ventures.