Independence Day by David Arnold

[Quintus 5,391]

Not only is it the best summer blockbuster score since '93s Jurassic Park, it's also the best Williams score Williams never scored.

It's packed with memorable themes and explosive orchestration - classic Williams style. Ironically, the music to this film reminds me of why I love Williams' "older" stuff so much - its exciting without the film.

But its not perfect. Indeed, some of it is overbearing and downright over the top - the truly bombastic "alien invasion" theme is quality, but that brass and percussion just hurts my ears. Having said that, it works very well within the actual movie. Job done by D. Arnold then. Other than that, sometimes it feels like Arnold throws instruments in there just because he can, indeed it sometimes sounds like he is "spotting" moments were he can throw in a crescendo just for the hell of it.

That is were Williams is distinguishably different. Constraint is the word, albeit in small doses, more so of late.

The thing is, ID4 works very well as a hell of a fun score throughout, regardless of its criticisms. Put it one way, I'm never bored when listening to the ost.

So what do you think?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Sigh.

This is not a Williams type score at all. Williams never composed anything resembling this.

ID4 is a utterly brilliant score, because it is so incredibly big. Its also the perfect score for that film (subtlety would have totally ruined it, something you can see when Williams did The Patriot for the same director)

Unlike these huge blockbuster scores we get today, this one is thematically rich and varied. Truly one of the best of the 90's.

[King Mark 2,924]

It's big but I never got hooked by any of the themes.

K.M.

[Quintus 5,391]

Sigh.

Condescending? Piss off kid.

You disagree, fine. But I find this to be extremely Williams in style. '80s blockbuster style to be exact.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

To me it always sounded like a mix of James Horner, Danny Elfman and John Barry.

No real Williams in there, at all.

[crocodile 6,294]

It's probably one of the few scores that doesn't harm the picture with its sheer bombast.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Independance Day is a great Popcorn film.

[Quintus 5,391]

It's probably one of the few scores that doesn't harm the picture with its sheer bombast.

Karol

Very true.

[robthehand 3]

I can't hear any "Williams" in there, more like Horner (edit: as Steef said ). I think the music is quite good - far too good for that shitty film.

[Quintus 5,391]

I can't hear any "Williams" in there, more like Horner (edit: as Steef said ). I think the music is quite good - far too good for that shitty film.

But thats the thing, it far from a shitty film. Unless you're snobbish about what actually makes a good film. Its a big daft piece of entertainment, as designed.

I'm from the UK and yet I love Bill Pullman's pure stars'n'stripes speech. Why? Because its so bloody cheesy it actually works. This film doesn't try to be serious, it just wants to entertain.

Its a quality summer flick.

[Romão 1,931]

I still think it is a piece of crap. Great first half hour. Then it just goes completely down hill. There´s nothinh snobish about not liking Independece Day. Now Raiders, or ET, or Jaws, that´s another story.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

[

I'm from the UK and yet I love Bill Pullman's pure stars'n'stripes speech. Why? Because its so bloody cheesy it actually works. This film doesn't try to be serious, it just wants to entertain.

Usually these kind of patriotic speeches are like nails on a blackboard, but between Bill Pullman's acting and Arnold's rousing cue, it really gets the blood pumping.

[robthehand 3]

But thats the thing, it far from a shitty film. Unless you're snobbish about what actually makes a good film. Its a big daft piece of entertainment, as designed.

I'm from the UK and yet I love Bill Pullman's pure stars'n'stripes speech. Why? Because its so bloody cheesy it actually works. This film doesn't try to be serious, it just wants to entertain.

Its a quality summer flick.

There are plenty of dumb popcorn films I do like, and a load of so-cheesy-it-works films and scenes too. But Independence Day just never did anything for me at all, not even as daft entertainment. It's a flawed film, I don't think anyone denies that, but I just didn't find it the slightest bit entertaining either.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

It's not a flawed film at all.

Unless you are talking about the extended version, avoid it. I made the mistake of buying it on DVD and didn't like a single one of the added scenes.

[Quintus 5,391]

But thats the thing, it far from a shitty film. Unless you're snobbish about what actually makes a good film. Its a big daft piece of entertainment, as designed.

I'm from the UK and yet I love Bill Pullman's pure stars'n'stripes speech. Why? Because its so bloody cheesy it actually works. This film doesn't try to be serious, it just wants to entertain.

Its a quality summer flick.

There are plenty of dumb popcorn films I do like, and a load of so-cheesy-it-works films and scenes too. But Independence Day just never did anything for me at all, not even as daft entertainment. It's a flawed film, I don't think anyone denies that, but I just didn't find it the slightest bit entertaining either.

Fair enough

It's not a flawed film at all.

On the contrary, the film is terribly flawed, but in the best possible way.

Actually, thats not true. Its just flawed, end of story. But still bloody good entertainment. A bit like ROTS. Albeit slightly superior as a piece of cinema in its own right.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

The film was made as a huge salty bucket of Popcorn. On that level I maintain that is is pretty much flawless.

ROTS is like a huge bucket of popcorn, without either salt or sugar, that has been left out for a day or 2.

[Quintus 5,391]

The film was made as a huge salty bucket of Popcorn. On that level I maintain that is is pretty much flawless.

ROTS is like a huge bucket of popcorn, without either salt or sugar, that has been left out for a day or 2.

Agreed.

Though Will Smith annoyed me with his "green shit" style comments. A bit. Therefore its not flawless to me.

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

ID4 is a utterly brilliant score, because it is so incredibly big. Its also the perfect score for that film (subtlety would have totally ruined it, something you can see when Williams did The Patriot for the same director)

Unlike these huge blockbuster scores we get today, this one is thematically rich and varied. Truly one of the best of the 90's.

Stefan Cosman speaks Truth!

It's not a flawed film at all.

Unless you are talking about the extended version, avoid it. I made the mistake of buying it on DVD and didn't like a single one of the added scenes.

You should have bought the old Special Edition release. It allows you to choose between the two versions.

[Trent B 317]

I love score for Independence Day. It ranks up there with my top 5 favorite scores. The Original Soundtrack isn't too bad but having the 2-CD "World Records" 006 version helps tremendously since all the best cues were left off of the OST. I will agree that the ID4 score was a brilliant piece, I'd say it is a master piece. The big orchestrations, the small themes and most importantly the big bass drums. Every time those big drums hit during the score it always makes my ear phones vibrate it's pretty damn cool.

Anyways as far as the film goes, I will admit it is one wilm I really enjoy watching. I saw it 11 times in theaters, yes 11 times. It's far from a shitty film. For both versions of the film the original theatrical release and extended. There are some scenes from the extended version of the release that clearly should have been in the original theatrical version but there are some scenes that I'm glad were left out...especially a scene towards the end which broke up the mood of the final battle.

[Henry B 49]

David Arnold did a great job given the film's material, but... eh. It's just a lot of action music and stuff. ID4 doesn't represent anything significant to me.

[John Crichton 4]

This is one of my favorites. Great themes, bombast, some good sappy stuff, and I don't think there's a single boring cue. What's not to love. It's also way, way too good for the film it was written for.

There is a ton of thematic richness in this score, both large and small. It's a real shame that to my knowledge no one has gone into this score and really catalogued all that's going on thematically in there.

Which is why I'm currently working on one.

[Trent B 317]

John,

You're talking about the full score (World Records version), right? If so I'd love to read your rundown of the themes and that for this.

[Ollie 859]

Actually it does sound like Williams: Alien Theme=Poseiden Adventure.

But it's still a fun score and fun film.

[bondo 33]

The only unreleased music (not included on the bootleg or OST) I believe is the film version of the final battle. Hopefully Varese or Prometheus will pick this up for a complete release sometime in the near future.

[Trent B 317]

Actually there are two cues missing from the score. One is the real "Incoming Reports" cue. On the older bootleg it has the cue "Incoming Reports" but it's mislabeled and should actually be "Cropduster". That cue and plus the film version of the final battle is missing yes.

Edit: I too hope some day that Varése is able to pick up the license for it and release a complete score and include both the original version of the final battle plus the film version.

[bondo 33]

Gotcha, thanks for the correction! Both versions of the final battle are good, and it's interesting that Arnold was able to score it two different ways, and both work. Listening to the original version on the bootleg, you can tell where he hit certain marks, and where other parts in the final version are left out (for example, in the bootleg, Randy Quaid's missile malfunction is absent)

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

ROTS is like a huge bucket of popcorn, without either salt or sugar, that has been left out for a day or 2.

But I do believe that almost everyone except for the most hardcore of prequel haters would find the bottom of the bucket somewhat good no?

[Richard Penna 2,082]

The only unreleased music (not included on the bootleg or OST) I believe is the film version of the final battle. Hopefully Varese or Prometheus will pick this up for a complete release sometime in the near future.

I think, given, the amount of time it's been reissued on DVD, it's way overdue for an isolated score.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Isolated scores are pretty much dead.

I'd much rather buy a legit complete CD.

[Quintus 5,391]

Just a question for anyone who might know: David Arnold started out as somewhat of a composer/arranger for pop music and the like, so just how responsible is he for the frankly spectacular orchestrations of ID4? Does he really know his stuff when it comes to writing for orchestra?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Nicholas Dodd arranges and conducts all his scores and Arnold has stated that Dodd's imput in invaluable.

This isn't like Goldsmith or Williams were the orchestrators just do copyist work, Arnold is not a clasically trained composer.