Transformers - Steve Jablonsky

[Ollie 1,059]

I'm probably gonna wait for the DVD on this one. It's easier to watch a movie with constant camera switches and 3 second scenes on a smaller screen than trying to view it at the theatre.

But but but...its Transformers! Big hulking robots whacking the lights out of each other in ILM's best ever work (or so it is claimed by Lucas was it?)

It's a Michael Bay directed film.

[Delorean90 42]

This guy's clearly playing a power anthem.

Ray Barnsbury

Classic.

[bondo 33]

It's a Michael Bay directed film.

Which means the special effects will be great. As far as CGI goes, Bay's track record is pretty darn good.

[Vaderbait1 1]

It's a Michael Bay directed film.

Which means the special effects will be great. As far as CGI goes, Bay's track record is pretty darn good.

And as far as music and film goes, it'll be pretty darn terrible.

Seriously, there is some good stuff to come from Hans Zimmer and the like, even if they are guilty pleasures and may be destroying the art, but it IS all the same. For instance, I really enjoyed Pirates 2, but it sounds just like anything else that would go in a MV scored film. You hear one or two scores and you've heard them all.

[bondo 33]

Yawn. Just as you claim that all Zimmer scores are redundant, so too are the complaints from the Zimmer haters.

[MAG-SI 10]

I would hardly call that a melody

Hehe, tup - tup - tup - tup - tup - tup - tup - tup - tup - tup - tup - tup ... and CTRL+C and CTRL+V and oscar goes to.....

[Vaderbait1 1]

I don't even know what makes the noises that are so common on reality TV shows and Zimmer scores, but that big pounding noise is so uncreative and irritating the millionth time. Listen to National Treasure, the Pirates of the Caribbean scores, etc, and you'll know what I mean about redundancy.

[bondo 33]

...like none of us have ever listened to them before?

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Are you frustrated with anything?

[bondo 33]

Here's my philosophy - I listen to soundtracks for FUN and enjoyment. I'm not a reviewer, and the only 'formal' music training I've had was piano for 10 years and percussion for 3. I don't claim to be an expert. I like to think of myself as a "glass half full" kind of guy. So when I hear about a new score coming out, I don't immediately think "That's gonna suck." If I had that kind of attitude, what fun would soundtrack-listening be?

The first two composers I took interest in were John Williams and Hans Zimmer. Does that make me biased towards their music? Sure! I like to listen to a score (on CD and in the film) and focus on the positive aspects... otherwise I'd just be a film score critic! I kid, I kid. So before you label me ignorant or stupid, just know that I try to remain positive about upcoming releases.

This is not to say that nothing disappoints me. For that, I could just pull out any yearly list of Oscar contenders or Graeme Revell's entire body of work. But once I become acquainted with a composer's style or sound, I tend to enjoy them more and more. Steve Jablonsky has developed a sound from Pearl Harbor to Steamboy to Bad Boys 2 and The Island. Yes, it sounds a bit like some of Zimmer's works, but it's still there. And dammit, I'm looking forward to Transformers! So of course I take offense when people claim "That music sucks," because you're basically telling me I'm a frickin idiot who doesn't know any better.

But that's just my 2 cents. No harm, no foul.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm a frickin idiot who doesn't know any better.

[bondo 33]

Thanks for taking that totally out of context

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Thanks

Don't mention it.

[ChuckM 1]

Having just seen the movie, I was pretty pleased with the score. It wasn't quite another Steamboy like I was hoping, but still pretty good. Mostly typical MV/RC stuff, but a fun action score nonetheless. There were certain parts that stood out a lot more than others. I will definately get the score when it comes out, but it really ticks me off that the current soundtrack doesn't have ANY of the score at all. Normally they at least put one or two tracks from the score in. Has anyone heard more about the score release than "it's in the works"?

Good news is, someone ripped the score from the videogame (also scored by Jablonsky) and put it online, so at least I have that preview for now.

[Panthera 0]

Complete score or just a minute or two?

[GoodMusician 56]

When I watched the film, I gotta say he did some pretty intelligent things.

He used some synth sounds that were reminiscent of the 80's... kinda like the ones used in the transformers film...

But there were a few moments where the music I heard in my head was not what I heard on the screen... namely the scene where the cop car chases him under the underpass or whatever that was...where all the cars were...

That's another thing...ANyone else notice the theme to Terminator in it? or rather, the percussive line?

do-do, do, do-do... it was in a lot of the action sequences ...especially in the city sequence.

Otherwise I didn't really have many quarrles with it. I havn't heard it separate from the film, but I did listen for it and I didn't think it was that bad at all.

[ChuckM 1]

Complete score or just a minute or two?

Of the videogame you mean? Full score. Only problem is that the tracks are meant to loop in the game, so most don't come to a full end. But there are a couple really good tracks in it.

PM me if anyone would like it.

[GoodMusician 56]

wait? he scored the film and the video game? Like...separately? lol

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

I third KM

Bring back Vince DiCola!!!

I fourth that and second the Vince DiCola comment!

[Ollie 1,059]

The score was typical MV junk.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Not surprising, I haven't heard anything good from Steve Jablonsky. Steamboy is overrated string chopping and percussion beating.

[Romão 2,274]

The score had "Batman Begins used in the temp track" written all over it.

[Henry B 50]

Apparently, this is Decepticon's Theme. I don't know who that is. I missed the Transformers phase by five or ten years, and I don't have an ounce of the nostalgia this film tries to prey upon. Probably won't be seeing it.

Oh, and aside from sounding very professional in its blending of sounds, the music clip sucks.

[Lurker 5]

"I didn't ask Jablonsky! I asked you!"

Neil

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

Apparently, this is Decepticon's Theme. I don't know who that is. I missed the Transformers phase by five or ten years, and I don't have an ounce of the nostalgia this film tries to prey upon. Probably won't be seeing it.

Actually, I don't think it plays on nostalgia at all. Hasbro recycles the main story of the Transformers every 3, 5 or 10 years for a new batch of kids with new toys, cartoons, and comic books (none of which I have liked other than Generation 1: AKA 1984-87). It's always been aimed at kids and young teens. The movie aims, for the very first time, as fun action movie for every age group while telling everybody the basic story. It gives a few nods and winks at G1 that only G1 fans will even notice, but other than that, it is a live-action revision for everybody. I didn't expect it to be that good, but it surprised me (again, other than the loud and unmemorable score). Also, Decepticon is the name of the brand of evil Transformers. The good ones are Autobots.

For Transformers, it's Vince DiCola or no one for me!!! (obscure reference...google the name)

and Pearl Harbor...well...try watching it with tracks from Richard Rodger's Victory at Sea scores. It makes it much more tolerable.

Too bad Vince didn't get a crack at it, the poor guy. I'm probably one of his biggest fans and he just never gets anything new to show his stuff. Again, he and Frank Welker's rejections were probably the film's two biggest weaknesses.

[da6 0]

then its not going to be long isn't

[John Crichton 4]

Wow, who would have thought that a score for a movie about a bunch of giant robots beating the crap out of each other could be so bland? It had to have been on purpose.

[Damo 0]

...and just look at the complexity of the score:

:cool:

That is hilarious. Can't wait to hear that lovely melody.

From that zoomed in camera angle I can just barely read the actual score. It look like it is in 4/4 and the bass part whatever the Instrument it is playing a "B" note (if it is in a C Key) and it is a quaver note on the pulse beat...until it comes to third page (second staff down) two quaver notes playing a "B". Wow! This is sooo cool!

[Ollie 1,059]

Wow, who would have thought that a score for a movie about a bunch of giant robots beating the crap out of each other could be so bland? It had to have been on purpose.

While not a big suprise since it's a Micheal Bay film I'm somewhat shocked since most Spielberg produced films have pretty good scores to them.

I was suprised to see during the end credits that Jablonsky only had two additional composers help him on the film.

[Damo 0]

Is there any sample clips for this?

[ChuckM 1]

Is there any sample clips for this?

Apparently, this is Decepticon's Theme.

Good news is, someone ripped the score from the videogame (also scored by Jablonsky) and put it online, so at least I have that preview for now. PM me if anyone would like it.

[Damo 0]

Ahh I missed that... thanks!

Listening to it right now... This is just simple and very plain, bland and quite repetitive for a theme. That theme sucks!

[Neimoidian 14]

I think it is quite good motive given it is for mechanical transforming bad guys from space. The electronic elements and its repetitiveness are adequate in that certain context and thus the whole the simplicity of the composition doesn't bother me here.

[ChuckM 1]

The Decepticon's theme is ok, but there are some much better tracks on the game's score.

[ChuckM 1]

I've noticed that a few parts of the video game score seem slightly Elfman-esque. Some cues here and there are similar to ones heard in Batman and Spiderman.

[Indiana_Fett 0]

Did I here a blaster beam during some the Air Force scenes?

[TownerFan 4,983]

I've seen the film today. I have to say I've enjoyed it quite a lot, even though I hate almost to death Michael Bay's filmmaking style. But in this film it was kind of justified, since we're seeing a giant war between huge robots. I also sensed a Spielberg-ian touch in a couple of scenes (especially the sequence with the robots in Shia LaBoeuf's backyard), which was very welcome to me. However, this film is a must-see just for the amazing VFX work done by ILM. It's really breathtaking. There are no more limits in what could be achieved with CGI.

Talking about the score... well, it's MV/RC standard stuff which plays under massive explosions, gunfights and heavy machinery noises, so it did absolutely nothing for me. Big Zimmer-ish anthem, lots of tada-dum tada-dum, lots of rip-offs from various MV scores (I detected quotes from John Powell's The Bourne Supermacy, especially). However, I was very annoyed by a blatant rip-off of Thomas Newman's American Beauty in one of the early scenes. Temp-track love, I presume...

[ChuckM 1]

I'm still waiting for news on a score release, but meanwhile, here's an interview of Steve Jablonsky. http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2208

[ChuckM 1]

Found this among some comments on the Transformers article at soundtrack.net. Not sure if it's true or not, but I figure it's worth hoping for anyway.

#22.: Alright! i heard they are shooting for an august release. nothing is official though.

Posted by YOURSisNOdisgrace at July 28, 2007, 11:00 AM

[Datameister 2,043]

Saw the film yesterday. It entertained me well enough, and Bay's style seemed appropriate to the film. The score was more laughable than anything else. It felt like a parody of every MV score out there. I managed not to be too offended by it, and I just had fun watching things blow up, robots transform, and things blow up as robots transform.

[riselordvader 0]

Update on the score's status for anyone who's interested...

Click Here

[ChuckM 1]

Sweet!

[Panthera 0]

Is the music from the video game the same music that will be released on the score album?

[ChuckM 1]

No. The VG music is all original.

[Henry B 50]

Yeah - "original."

[Salacius 7]

I don't know about you all, but I am REALLY looking forward to this soundtrack. Jablonsky's score for Steamboy was incredible, and I think this is another good chance for him to compose some awesome music.

What are your thoughts? How do you think it will be?

Hmm, watched the film which I thought was awesome!

Score was ok for the film but I wouldn't buy the CD

[Richard Penna 3,689]

I saw the movie a few weeks ago - very entertaining, but the score didn't really rise to any levels for me except in a few places. And to be honest, I'd far, far, far rather have a release of Spidey 3 than this.

On Jablonsky's plus side, I found Steamboy yesterday and am listening to it now. The 'Ray's Theme' is a tad formulaic but otherwise the score is a pretty good so far

[riselordvader 0]

Even better news!

Here

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

How do you go through school with that sort of last name? I mean I'd come home crying every afternoon.

[ChuckM 1]

Awesome!

On a side note, it's funny how the petition for the Transformers score has reached over 4,500 signatures in just a few months, while the John Williams DVD petition has only a little over 2,300, and it's been around for how long now? (Not that I don't want to see that come out as well.)