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2006 so far


Morlock

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I was just wondering what scores (if any) people here liked so far. Slim pickens, obviously, but I'm interested.

Myself, I was impressed, though not blown away, with Powell's effort in X3. A couple of great themes, a very good main titles (the film version), one powerhouse cue ('Dark Phoenix's Tragedy'), all in all, a strong album.

I also thought Powell's score to Ice Age 2 was a nice, fun, score, with a very fun orchestral pallette that doesn't fall from David Newman's original.

I think Dario Marienelli did a very good job on V for Vendetta. Not great on CD, but very, very good in the film. Notable exception is 'Evey Reborn', which has a rather breathtaking second half (musically simple though it may be).

I have yet to see the movie, but Howard's Lady in The Water made an impression on me. While for now I don' think it's quite in the league of Signs, The Village or Unbreakable, it is certainly a good listen, with a strong finale (climaxing in the typical, but never the less fantastic JNH theme). I'm sure I'll like the score more after seeing the film.

Randy Newman's Cars is a fun, undemanding Newman score. Tons of similarites to other Newman scores, but I like his score, so I don't mind. And his new song, sung by James Taylor, is lovely.

A finally, and I know I'm in the minority here, so far this year, the composer who's work I liked the most, is Hans Zimmer. Both of his scores surprised and impressed me. To say Pirates of The Carribean 2 is better than the first score is possibly the faintest praise anyone can give a score, as the first one is one of the most reviled in the film score community. However, with the sequel, Zimmer drops a lot of the original material, takes some of the good material and adapts it, picks and chooses from the original ideas that would work in this film, and genrally, I think makes excellent choices. I think he made the best of a bad situation- after all, the first score did generally work in the original film, and there is a lot of resonance in his use of the first film's themes in the second one. He adapts Jack Sparrow's pompous theme from the original to wonderful drunken fiddle theme that actually sounds kind of piratey. As for the new music, Davey Jones' theme works very well, as does 'The Kraken' (even though it has all the staples of your typical MV action music).

And, probably the score I liked most so far: The Da Vinci Code. Aside from working well in the film, it is a fantastic album from start to finish (with an especially strong finish). Not as good as Hannibal, where it has a lot of it's roots, but still, a very strong score. Special mention must be made of Richard Harvey, who wrote the beautiful 'Kyrie for the Magdalene'.

A weak year, certainly, but we still have scores to come from Shore, Horner, Zimmer, Gregson-Williams, Powell, JNH, Doyle, Elfman, Newman, and others, and, seeing the list of projects, I think there is still a wholel ot of potential for this year. Some very interesting projects.

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Lady in the Water was (and still is) excellent, and I quite liked The Da Vinci Code, but all the other scores I heard were very wallpaper-y. I thought M:I-3 would be great, but I didn't like it at all. :cry:

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My favourites so far are the two Silvestri's of the year: The Wild and The Sea Legend Of Mythica (at least the part of it that wasn't covered with dialogue). Powell's X-3 was very good.

Apart from that, disappointment dominated the year for me but that's great because that makes it possible for me to keep up with all those new releases of older scores.

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X3, aside from some minor bits (like an overuse of choir) is very good. I remember rather liking bits of DVC, and one cue is a standout (I have yet to get the CD though). Anyway. simply going by the thread title "2006 so far" and not limiting it to film scores, my clear favourite as of yet is Goldenthal's Grendel.

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So far, the winner for me is Hans Zimmer. "The DaVinci Code" is very, very good, not as great as "Hannibal", but still very good. "PotC2" aren't good quality music, but I can't help enjoying it (I listened to it during my own sailing and IT WORKED unbeliveably!)

I also like Powell's efforts. Both "Ice Age 2" and "X3" are good.

Armstrong's "WTC" hasn't impressed me so far, but I still give this score a chance.

Ottman's "Superman" is my second this year's favourite. While it doesn't par Williams's original score, it is worthy sequel score.

I haven't heard "lady in the water" yet, but I am looking forward to it

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Or, in my case, also upon 7th and 8th listen. I'm sorry, it just dosn't come any where near being as good as Elfman's.

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Lady in the Water easily ranks top for me.

Other scores I liked, but which fell a little short of totally blowing me away: X3, World Trade Center, Ice Age 2, United 93

Scores I was disappointed with: Superman Returns, PotC2

The Da Vinci Code requires the right mood to appreciate it, but it's a good score.

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Really,i haven't heard anything this year I'd even borrow for free at the library.

What exactly have you heard this year other than Williams new football "theme"?

Justin

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With a gun pointed on my head i'd say 'Lady in the Water' and 'Da Vinci Code' (although this one suffers a bit from repeating the 'Chevaliers de Sangreal' theme too often without much variation, at least in the movie)

'X3' i found run-of-the-mill and a bit obnoxious in it's loudness...although i did like the Williamsesque fanfare which pops up twice when the hermaphroditic guy takes off....

'POTC 2' might have some fun touches (the organ music for Davy Jones, for example), but most of it is simply yawn-inducing Media Ventures, sorry, Remote Control stuff...with the fight on the wheel being an atrocious highlight.

'Superman Returns' is so slight, i can't even comment since i don't remember a note of it...and only a handkerchief full of chloroform could bring me into the any cinema playing this movie.

Since i'm not aware of much else released this year, this has to suffice....

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Really,i haven't heard anything this year I'd even borrow for free at the library.

What exactly have you heard this year other than Williams new football "theme"?

Justin

I try to notice the score when I see movies,and I see many movies.

K.M.

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Actually there has been alot of good film music released in 2006, it was just written before 1990.

My feeling exactly!

:) Witches of Eastwick (with gratitude to Merkel)

What, for example?

Morlock- who knows there's been a crap-load of old scores released, but hasn't heard a single one of them

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Goodbye Mr Chips, whatever Marc thinks, is a great work and a superb release.

Checkmate/Rhythm in Motion is an essential to anyone who calls him self a Williams fan.

Not With My Wife you Don't, is a delightful jazzy score, à lá Henry Mancini.

Then you have that litle gem that's Ghost Train from Amazing Stories.

Witches of eastwick was another welcomed re-issue.

Anotehr much waited re-issue was the Sinfonietta recording.

For the more serious fan, you also have several Williams albuns as a preformer that also finally saw their way into the digial realm: My Fair Lady by Shelly Manne and J.T. Williams Jazz Begginings.

And lets not forget teh premiere recording of Winter Games fanfare, on a maervelous all Williams cd by the great Denver Brass.

Of all this releases the one that less impresses me -- simply because is the score i care the less for -- was last weeks Diamond Head. Still, I would sell my mother for it... :devil:

:wave: Torke: Javelin

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Goodbye Mr Chips, whatever Marc thinks, is a great work and a superb release.

Hey, what did I do?

- Marc, who hasn't heard Goodbye Mr Chips and is admittedly somewhat reluctant to spend the 35 dollars on it...

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Goodbye Mr Chips, whatever Marc thinks, is a great work and a superb release.

Hey, what did I do?

- Marc, who hasn't heard Goodbye Mr Chips and is admittedly somewhat reluctant to spend the 35 dollars on it...

Sorry Marc, i was refering to the other Marc, you know, the one who looks like Darth Vader :wave:

But too both Marcs, you should really give it a try... and if you need a little help, let me know :devil:

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All one has to do is go to Intrada, FSM, Varese or Screen Archives to see all the CDs released in 2006.

I know which CDs were released, but I have no idea which ones are really worth getting.

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All one has to do is go to Intrada, FSM, Varese or Screen Archives to see all the CDs released in 2006.

I know which CDs were released, but I have no idea which ones are really worth getting.

If they have the words "John Williams" printed on, they sure are worth getting -- at least for me.

Like if that was any surprise... LOL

:wave: Morricone: Sostiene Pereira

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First I want to say hello to everyone! I'm new on this board, even though i Have read it for three years now. I find it very entrtaining.

But back to the topic...

Very few scores do really impress me nowadays. They all seem so... forgetable and unremarkable. Enjoyability is now major asset of a score, but then again pop music can also be enjoyable. That said, I ENJOYED a few scores this year or, more specifically, some parts of them.

DA VINCI was quite good in its latter parts (as simplistic as it is).

M:I3 had a vew enjoyable action cues (the Evacuation cue was nice).

V FOR VENDETTA. Marianelli seems to have his own voice. If only he could write his own theme. One motif is directly lifted from CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. This somehow limits its enjoyability. Though the score is solid in the movie itself.

SUPERMAN RETURNS has some enthusiams (which surpasses its quality) and it actually works very well in the movie. Moreso than X3, which is heavily overwritten (and overrated) IMO. But I sort of like Phoenix theme.

Karol

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KM, that was the Marc I was refering to... I believe he's Marc, with a C, and only with a K on the nickname.

Marc/Mark is just making things more confusing! Darnit!

Anyhoo...

Come to think of it, the only score I've heard outside of the film this year is Superman Returns, which I kind of like on album, but I thought wasn't a very good score in the film.

I've gotten plenty of excellent older (as in pre-2006) scores since January, though. I haven't even listened to everything yet, and a lot of it only once or twice!

- Marc

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The only score to stand out this year was X3s. It wasn't perfect, and was a bit overblown, but it was definitely the best this year and still an awesome addition to any soundtrack collection. Who doesn't love Phoenix's theme? Or Dark Phoenix's Tragedy, or the End Credits?

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I only have Zimmers Da Vinci Code and Pirates both scores I listened to non-stop for about a week. Then after that week they began to suck. DVC is to repetitive for my taste and Pirates I like the first handful of pieces and thats about it. I'm looking into getting V For Vendetta and WTC but as Marc's signature says, "Oh my poor wallet!".

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I'm excitedly expecting my V for Vendetta DVD in the mail; I missed the movie at the theatre and couldn't stand all the praise for it any longer.

If you know what a British accent really sounds like, you may be disappointed. :)

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