The OFFICIAL The Dark Knight thread

[FattyMcButterpants 1]

I assume you are talking about the music ...?

[indy4 155]

Yes.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

To each his own, what others prefer isn't taken into account when producing a product like this. With that being said, no way would I ever choose this over the Indy set. I'm happy with the TDK OST, which I haven't listened to since like July, probably August. I don't need an expanded score, but with that being said, I will be getting this.

[Ollie 1,059]

Something tells me that this may be more than just a 2 disc score. That price is too high unless that's the import version.

[indy4 155]

I'm sure it'll include a ton of fancy packaging, photo booklets, or something like that. Or the price is wrong.

[Wycket 36]

I'm sure it'll include a ton of fancy packaging, photo booklets, or something like that. Or the price is wrong.

I'm sure that's not the final price. There are no other details up (heck, it says the author is Dark Knight) so I wouldn't put much weight on the price. For now, I just hope its more music for us (i.e. those who want it) to enjoy. If you don't like the music fine, but there is no need to push the conversation negatively just to say as much. We'll have a 100 pages in the Indy thread before the darn thing is even released, most of which is filled with speculation and negativity which isn't needed (at least all the time).

[Ollie 1,059]

My curiosity got the best of me so I've been looking for info on this album, but no luck.

Tower Records has it listed for $47.99.

[Richard Penna 3,687]

http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Original-Moti...ks_all_2#disc_2

So we have to wait 20 years for still not complete Indy scores, and then DK gets the ultimate treatment months after release? This planet's musical tastes suck.

Why why why why why why? .... recurring.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Original-Moti...ks_all_2#disc_2

So we have to wait 20 years for still not complete Indy scores, and then DK gets the ultimate treatment months after release? This planet's musical tastes suck.

Why why why why why why? .... recurring.

Not that I don't agree with you, but it did happen to become the second highest grossing movie domestic ever. I know there's inflation and junk, but I doubt the Indy movies did. Or did they? I wasn't alive to know.

Eww. The first disc is just the soundtrack. I doubt I'll be buying this.

[Romão 2,274]

Complete scores are great news for all of us, even if we are not fans of a particular score. I hope it becomes a trend.

[Richard Penna 3,687]

Yes, I hope it does.

And now that I've calmed down, I am happy for those who enjoyed this score obviously

It just disappoints me that scores of this artistic quality (i.e. low IMO) get better releases than some much better ones out there, but you just have to read reviews on Amazon to realise that most people who aren't score fans think this music is amazing.

I fact, the following review I just found kind of says it all really. The guy just doesn't understand the point of a soundtrack release:

My only disappointment is that there are no lines from the characters within the soundtrack itself

(review)

[Taikomochi 1,136]

My only disappointment is that there are no lines from the characters within the soundtrack itself

I would kill myself if I paid $60 and there were lines from the movie.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Jesus Christ.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Dialogue in scores is the worst idea ever in relation to music. Hans Zimmer hates the Gladiator and Hannibal releases because of that.

I'm pretty excited for this release. The first disc is just the OST, but depending on the track times for the second there could be a significant expansion. I'm mad though they decided to take up space with crappy remixes.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

I'm mad though they decided to take up space with crappy remixes.

I hate that. That's why I couldn't stand the Dead Man's Chest soundtrack.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Well DMC only had 1 short remix. But this has 4!

[Ollie 1,059]

http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Original-Moti...ks_all_2#disc_2

So we have to wait 20 years for still not complete Indy scores, and then DK gets the ultimate treatment months after release? This planet's musical tastes suck.

Why why why why why why? .... recurring.

Yeah but look at the price you're going to have to pay for this junk. Just imagine the costs for KOTCS if two discs were made available with the box set.

Does anyone know the size of the actual orchestra that was used? That could be another factor since there are quite a bit of electronics in the score.

[Red 75]

What's with the remixes on the second disc?

[Trent B 337]

I'd be willing to get this but $52 is still an awful lot of money to pay for a 2-CD set. I wonder if the price will drop.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

this crap is no even worth the average 25$ of a regular 2cd release...

[Ollie 1,059]

Cheaper price:

http://store.warnerbrosrecordsstore.com/pr...E5445E74F9B5BF9

[Red 75]

It's still overpriced, especially since the first disc is just the OST.

[Trent B 337]

So then it would seem to conclude Amazon will end up lowering the price as well...still $40 is a lot for a 2-CD set. Most of our limited edition 2-CD sets don't cost that much.

[Richard Penna 3,687]

They're just trying to cash in on the (IMO) not entirely deserved success of the film.

Is anyone here actually going to buy it?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

It has special packaging, that means the price goes up. I wish they released this earlier, I would have rather had this singed by Hans and James instead of the already special packaged OST.

EDIT: richuk, I will be getting it.

[Trent B 337]

Is anyone here actually going to buy it?

I'll be getting it since I don't own the original OST release, but it's gonna have to wait until after the new year.

[Ollie 1,059]

It comes with a hard bound book I believe.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Ouch.

I'd buy it if it was cheaper. I'd prefer if it made it onto iTunes though.

[Richard Penna 3,687]

I really must not be finding whatever is liked about this score outside of JNH's work.

[Desplat13 1]

There is nothing to find

[Wycket 36]

There is nothing to find

That is your opinion. Is this score in the top of my list for favorite scores? No, its hardly even my favorite Batman score. But just how people clamor over every release of Goldsmith or Williams (regardless of quality) there are many like me who enjoyed this film and want all the music possible. I never got around to buying the actual CD, but with this release I'm definitely going to buy it (eventually).

People just have different tastes in music, and things appeal to some people that don't appeal to others. There are plenty of Zimmer's work I don't like (most of it probably just due to the repetitiveness) but this is where my loyalty to Batman shines through.

[Delorean90 42]

Really? I found that my loyalty to Batman made the score that much more disappointing.

[Romão 2,274]

I've said this before and I'll say it again, it might not be particularly great music, but it's great film music.

[Delorean90 42]

And I've said before (in different words), great film music is great music. When it isn't great music, at best all a score can hope to be is an exceptionally functional score, perhaps with some highlights and decent ideas, as in the case of these scores.

[Red 75]

And I've said before (in different words), great film music is great music. When it isn't great music, at best all a score can hope to be is an exceptionally functional score, perhaps with some highlights and decent ideas, as in the case of these scores.

I'm inclined to agree with this, even though I will admit I almost sort of like the score.

Very serviceable, that's the best way I could describe it.

[Desplat13 1]

There is nothing to find

That is your opinion. Is this score in the top of my list for favorite scores? No, its hardly even my favorite Batman score. But just how people clamor over every release of Goldsmith or Williams (regardless of quality) there are many like me who enjoyed this film and want all the music possible. I never got around to buying the actual CD, but with this release I'm definitely going to buy it (eventually).

People just have different tastes in music, and things appeal to some people that don't appeal to others. There are plenty of Zimmer's work I don't like (most of it probably just due to the repetitiveness) but this is where my loyalty to Batman shines through.

I know it's all opinion. I am perfectly fine with other people liking it.

But, to Merkel, film music is music. If it is bad music, it is bad film music. The only case in which this would not be true would probably be some avante garde movie in which the music, for some reason, is required to be un-creative. Otherwise, interesting music (regardless of the style) will ALWAYS work better in a movie than boring music. But, of course, I have said all this before as well.

I am fine with people liking the music. But to say that music that you admit is not great is actually great for a movie seems, kinda, silly to me. Sure, it supports the action, just so long as the audience never actually starts to listen to it. Then, it's all over...

I will always rank a score higher when it rises above it's duties of only helping the onscreen action, and starts to really make a movie great.

Edit: I just said about the same thing is Delorean90 before I saw his post. Cool.

[Romão 2,274]

I meant to say it works very very well as a soundtrack, in the most technical definition of the term. It's great sound design, it enhances the film greatly. At times, the composers really found the perfect voice for the movie. I can only respect them for that, although I don't consider the work to be great music. That's why I made the distinction

[Red 75]

I suppose there are two definitions of a soundtrack; one that's on an album and one that's featured in a movie.

[Desplat13 1]

I meant to say it works very very well as a soundtrack, in the most technical definition of the term. It's great sound design, it enhances the film greatly. At times, the composers really found the perfect voice for the movie. I can only respect them for that, although I don't consider the work to be great music. That's why I made the distinction

Oh, I see. I guess I can agree with that. If all that is required is sound design.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Which is not exactly a lofty goal for composers.

[Romão 2,274]

Williams himself said that he considered Psycho to be a great score, although not particularly good music.

And TDK is a very good score. It did its job very well, quite beyond just being serviceble. Several sequences were made better because of it. As I said, it probablly qualifies more as sound design that anything else, but how do you categorize sound design that is not produced by what is on the screen?

I should rephrase thus: TDK is a great score, although not great music

[Delorean90 42]

To a certain degree I'll go along with that. I'll have to see the film again to really judge as to what I found complementary. I remembered the score being an improvement in the theater, but this is a problem I have with the score: the first time I saw Begins, I remember thinking it could be better, but it was pretty good...and then I saw it again and again...and it just kept losing impact. The first time, it works pretty well, but you see it multiple times, and, well...take the Tumbler chase for example. The music doesn't really do too much. It doesn't do much of anything to match what's going on action-wise, and it isn't involved enough to really follow what's going on emotionally. It's not exciting enough for the action, it's not intense or involved enough for the emotions.

I'll grant that TDK could definitely be an improvement in this regard, so I'll reserve any truly pointed remarks at that score particularly, but I still stand on my opinion of the Begins score. I will say this in TDK's favor: I really like the beginning of "Like a Dog Chasing Cars," "Watch the World Burn" is probably the best cue of the score--and I just realized that that is one cue where I can definitely say that it DID, finally, actually enhance the film; it truly deepened the tension of that scene, and I give kudos to Howard (and if appropriate, Zimmer; I know that they mostly took a villain each, which is why I focus on Howard).

I'm definitely disappointed, though, that the segment of "Harvey Two-Face" from the statement of the Family/Love Theme on through the end (though particularly to about 5:27) was not used in the film. It's easily one of the best musical moments of the two scores put together. Anyone else think it might be an alternate cue for when Harvey talks to Rachel and gives her the coin before he gets into the truck? I think it sounds perfect for that moment (from my recollection of the only time I've seen it ), and talk about giving a huge boost.

-Ben, who is inspired to adjust his "purchased" playlist in iTunes after going from "Watch the World Burn" to "The Incredits."

[Henry B 50]

I will say this in TDK's favor: I really like the beginning of "Like a Dog Chasing Cars," "Watch the World Burn" is probably the best cue of the score--and I just realized that that is one cue where I can definitely say that it DID, finally, actually enhance the film; it truly deepened the tension of that scene, and I give kudos to Howard (and if appropriate, Zimmer; I know that they mostly took a villain each, which is why I focus on Howard).

Yes.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

To a certain degree I'll go along with that. I'll have to see the film again to really judge as to what I found complementary. I remembered the score being an improvement in the theater, but this is a problem I have with the score: the first time I saw Begins, I remember thinking it could be better, but it was pretty good...and then I saw it again and again...and it just kept losing impact. The first time, it works pretty well, but you see it multiple times, and, well...take the Tumbler chase for example. The music doesn't really do too much. It doesn't do much of anything to match what's going on action-wise, and it isn't involved enough to really follow what's going on emotionally. It's not exciting enough for the action, it's not intense or involved enough for the emotions.

The score for Batman Begins worked really well, in my opinion. It did match what goes on screen as you said it did not. My favorite moments are when the theme kicks in right when the Tumbler jumps off the roof, and also right when Bruce reveals his identity to Rachel and then jumps off the building.

[indy4 155]

Williams himself said that he considered Psycho to be a great score, although not particularly good music.

Yes! This is what I have been saying, finally I have someone credible to back me up!

indy4 - who doesn't like BB score except for a couple cues, but enjoys most of TDK, and thinks both fit the films perfectly

[Henry B 50]

So now The Dark Knight is equivalent to Psycho? Wow.

[indy4 155]

That's not what I said.

[Wycket 36]

So now The Dark Knight is equivalent to Psycho? Wow.

Equivalent in terms of how the score works with the film yes. Equal in terms of quality? Of course not.

The biggest thing I love about people here is that if you don't like something, you say people have the right to their opinion, then precede to say why that opinion is completely invalid. Here's a new idea... if you don't like the score in question, don't post in the thread. I know the way this board works, but it gets really annoying when there are more posts in a particular thread about why a particular score sucks rather than talking about the good things.

What good things....right? There are plenty of nice pieces of music in the film, and many moments in which a scene is benefited by the music. In particular, the end of the film would have no where near the impact as it did if it wasn't for the wonderful music that accompanied Oldman's monologue. I'm glad that that piece will finally be available, and will certainly enjoy putting it right next to my Quantum of Solace and Indiana Jones cds this winter.

[indy4 155]

I'd prefer TDK as a listening experience, but in terms of effectiveness in film...Psycho, by a mile.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

As you have stated, you are entitled to your own opinion, and I my own, as well.