Top 5: Composer Series

[Koray Savas 2,251]

One of my Top 10 Favorite Composers of all time, I don't know why Giacchino wasn't my first Top 5.

Here are the nominees:

Films

2007.

Ratatouille. (Dir. Brad Bird)

2006.

Lifted. (Dir. Gary Rydstrom)

Mission: Impossible III. (Dir. J.J. Abrams)

2005.

Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World. (Dir. Albert Brooks)

The Family Stone. (Dir. Thomas Bezucha)

The Karateguard. (Dir. Joseph Barbera and Spike Brandt)

One Man Band. (Dir. Mark Andrews and Andrew Jimenez)

Sky High. (Dir. Mike Mitchell)

2004.

The Incredibles. (Dir. Brad Bird)

2003.

Sin. (Dir. Michael Stevens)

String of the Kite. (Dir. Michael Fallavollita)

2001.

The Trouble with Lou. (Dir. Gregor Joackim)

1999.

Los Gringos. (Dir. Rob Letterman)

My Brother the Pig. (Dir. Erik Fleming)

1998.

No Salida. (Dir. Bill Birrell)

1997.

Legal Deceit. (Dir. Monika Harris)

1995.

Buffalo Soldiers.

Television

2006.

Six Degrees.

What About Brian.

2005.

The Muppets´Wizard of Oz´. (Dir. Kirk R. Thatcher)

The Catch. (only the pilot)

Pros and Cons. (only the pilot)

2004.

Lost.

2003.

Phenomenon II.

2001.

Alias.

Semper Fi. (Dir. Michael W. Watkins)

2002.

Redeption of the Ghost. (Dir. Richard Friedman)

1999.

The Others.

1998.

Teen Angel.

Interactive

2007.

Turning Point: Fall of Liberty. (Codemasters)

Medal of Honor: Airborne. (Electronic Arts)

2006.

Black. (Electronic Arts)

2005.

The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer. (THQ)

2004.

The Incredibles. (THQ)

Call of Duty: Finest Hour. (Activision)

Call of Duty: United Offensive. (Activision)

Alias. (Acclaim)

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. (LucasArts)

2003.

Secret Weapons Over Normandy. (LucasArts)

Call of Duty. (Activision)

2002.

Medal of Honor: Frontline. (Electronic Arts)

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. (Electronic Arts)

2000.

Muppet Monster Adventure. (The Jim Henson Company)

Medal of Honor: Underground. (DreamWorks Interactive)

1999.

Medal of Honor. (DreamWorks Interactive)

Warpath: Jurassic Park. (DreamWorks Interactive)

T´Ai Fu. (DreamWorks Interactive)

1998.

Small Soldiers. (DreamWorks Interactives)

Squad Commander. (DreamWorks Interactive)

The Lost World: Chaos Island. (DreamWorks Interactive)

The Lost World: Jurassic Park. (DreamWorks Interactive)

[SomeNewGuy 0]

1. Lost, Season One

2. The Incredibles

3. Lost, Season Two

4. Mission: Impossible 3

5. Ratatouille

Haven't heard any of his video game scores. I know, I ought to.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

His game scores are what made him who he is.

My Top 5:

1. Medal Of Honor

2. Black

3. Lost

4. The Incredibles

5. Ratatouille

Another Top 5:

1. Medal Of Honor: Airborne

2. Small Soldiers

3. Alias

4. Medal Of Honor: Underground

5. Medal Of Honor: Frontline

Honorable mentions to everything else.

[indy4 155]

Only Giacchino scores I have:

1. The Incredibles

2. M:i:III

[John Crichton 4]

I'd rank Lost, all the MoHs and SWoN tops, all are better than any of the film scores he's done so far.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

I cant wait for his inevitable Star Trek score (for the new movie of course, with JJ Abrahms at the helm)

[John Crichton 4]

Me neither, it's easily my most anticipated score after Indy 4.

[Datameister 2,037]

You forgot to list two of his 2005 contributions--a fun piece for Disneyland's Space Mountain, and a somewhat similar one for the Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I never knew that! Is there any way of obtaining these pieces?

[Erik Woods 555]

I never knew that! Is there any way of obtaining these pieces?

I think a shorter version of the Disneyland ride music is available on a Disneyland compilation CD. The Space Mountain stuff is wicked awesome! Full orchestra, electronics with techno underpad!

As for Giacchino Top 5

1. Medal of Honor

2. Secret Weapons Over Normandy

3. Semper Fi

4. Medal of Honor: Frontline

5. Lost

Honorable mentions go to Redemption of the Ghost, Mission: Impossible III, Ratatouille and The Incredibles.

-Erik-

[Datameister 2,037]

I think a shorter version of the Disneyland ride music is available on a Disneyland compilation CD. The Space Mountain stuff is wicked awesome! Full orchestra, electronics with techno underpad!

Correct on both counts.

Disneyland's Space Mountain begins with three lift hills, two of which feature fanciful lighting effects. Giacchino's amazing music for these hills is unreleased, comprising more than a minute of glorious orchestra-and-choir-and-theremin wonderment. One particular goosebump moment is when you see the first view of "space," emerging from the second lift hill inside the top of Space Mountain's truncated conical shape. You're not going fast yet--still one small hill to climb--and it's just beautiful, sonically and visually. Then the music picks up and runs into the part that's (mostly) on the Disneyland CD. I'm actually transcribing this right now. I hear flute, horns, trumpets, trombones, electric bass and/or synthesizer, synthesized drum set, a full string section, and a wonderful theremin, plus various sound effects. (Not to mention the glockenspiel and fantabulous choir stuff from the first minute!) Anyway, the main part of the ride is this rollercoaster through the dark with star projections all around you, and Giacchino wrote a fun piece that reminds many people of the Incredibles. IMO, it does a nice job of tipping its hat to sci-fi B-movie scores and Bond-esque action. It works in the ride really well, partly because of the roiling chromatic figures in the violins that accentuate every turn and drop. The whole thing is based on the same melody, an original theme that makes a lot of use of tritone leaps between the chords.

If you'd like to hear a rather unique recording of the on-ride audio, check out this page. (Hopefully, non-members can access that page!) Sound quality is a lot worse than on the CD, but at least it contains the omitted music. If anyone is really interested in learning more about obtaining the music for this ride, let me know. I'm a bit of a Disneyland freak...I know stuff.

Okay, I lied. I'm a huge Disneyland freak. I'm building a scale model of the place on my computer. No joke.

[indy4 155]

You forgot to list two of his 2005 contributions--a fun piece for Disneyland's Space Mountain, and a somewhat similar one for the Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris.

Oh, I didn't know he did Space Mountain!

[Datameister 2,037]

Yup, that was Giacchino. He did not, however, participate in the creation of the track that accompanied the ride for much of the 90s, though. That was Saint-Saens' "Aquarium," arranged for surf guitar, drums, and synth. That one's fun, too, and strangely appropriate to the ride, but I've grown to prefer Giacchino's take. The sense of awe you feel in the music while you're climbing the lift hills is unbelievable. The old version used synths in this part, trying to create an eerie feel. It just didn't fit the ride as well in that part, IMO.

[QMM 4]

2. Black

I don't think it's really fair to include this since all Giacchino did is write the theme.

[Erik Woods 555]

2. Black

I don't think it's really fair to include this since all Giacchino did is write the theme.

Co-written if you want to get technical.

-Erik-

[QMM 4]

2. Black

I don't think it's really fair to include this since all Giacchino did is write the theme.

Co-written if you want to get technical.

-Erik-

Noted

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

Giacchino rules. that's my verdict

[Neimoidian 14]

1) Medal of Honor

2) MoH: Frontline

3) Ratatatawhatever - the animated feature

4) Mission Impossible III

5) Lost I (I put it here not because I find it good enough to be in Top5, but beacuse I haven't heard any other MG's score, maybe except very boring Lost II).

[Marian Schedenig 8,180]

From what I've heard so far, I think I'd rank Alias on the top spot.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

2. Black

I don't think it's really fair to include this since all Giacchino did is write the theme.

Co-written if you want to get technical.

-Erik-

Yes, the theme was co-written by Michael Giacchino. The entire score, however, was produced by him. I was filled with joy when I first put in the game and saw his name pop up BEFORE Chris Tilton.

Yeah, so basically Michael Giacchino is to Black as Hans Zimmer is to Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl.

Also, the rest of the score is basically the theme with additional music wrapped around it.

[indy4 155]

does anybody know excactly what Zimmer wrote for Curse ofthe Black Pearl?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

He did the main themes. You can tell because they sound just like Muppet Treasure Island. Basically Hans Zimmer was supposed to score the film, but he was busy due to his overloaded schedule, so he sent Klaus on the job, but he told Gore Verbinski he would work on it as much as he could.

On the back of the CD it says Score Overproduced by Hans Zimmer. They had to invent a new word to justify how much he contributed to the score.

[Erik Woods 555]

2. Black

I don't think it's really fair to include this since all Giacchino did is write the theme.

Co-written if you want to get technical.

-Erik-

Yes, the theme was co-written by Michael Giacchino. The entire score, however, was produced by him. I was filled with joy when I first put in the game and saw his name pop up BEFORE Chris Tilton.

Yeah, so basically Michael Giacchino is to Black as Hans Zimmer is to Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl.

Also, the rest of the score is basically the theme with additional music wrapped around it.

I don't know exactly what you are getting at but Chris Tilton WROTE the entire score (additional themes and all) with the exception of Black's Main Theme which was co-composed with Michael Giacchino. It's almost the exact same set up with Mercenaries. However, with Mercenaries the entire main theme was composed by Michael while the rest of the score and other motifs and themes were composed entirely by Chris Tilton. Trust me on this... I talk to both Michael and Chris on a regular basis so I think I know what I'm talking about.

-Erik-

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I agree with what you're saying. I'm simply trying to explain that since Giacchino worked on the theme, which is used greatly throughout the entire score written by Chris Tilton, that it can be classified as a Michael Giacchino score.

Giacchino is basically Tilton's mentor, so Tilton carries Giacchino's sound. I love them both and think they are some of the few truly excellent composers left in this generation.

[Erik Woods 555]

I agree with what you're saying. I'm simply trying to explain that since Giacchino worked on the theme, which is used greatly throughout the entire score written by Chris Tilton, that it can be classified as a Michael Giacchino score.

So, are Liar Liar and Dante's Peak James Newton Howard scores? Is My Favorite Martian a Danny Elfman score?

Anyway, there is a lot more to Tilton's score than theme variation. It's Chris Tilton's score.

-Erik-

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Partially, yes. I'm on your side, why are you bashing me down?!

[Erik Woods 555]

Partially, yes. I'm on your side, why are you bashing me down?!

I'm just disagreeing with you on your assessment of the Black score.

-Erik-

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Would you like me to remove it from my Top 5 to make it more legitimate? I just really like his contribution to Black, and thought it was worthy of being on the Top 5. Small Soldiers is also very very good, that would definitely capture a place up there.

[Erik Woods 555]

Would you like me to remove it from my Top 5 to make it more legitimate? I just really like his contribution to Black, and thought it was worthy of being on the Top 5. Small Soldiers is also very very good, that would definitely capture a place up there.

It's not just me... but if Giacchino only CO-COMPOSED the theme and doesn't work on the rest then I don't consider that a Michael Giacchino score. However, If the credit was...

SCORE COMPOSED BY MICHAEL GIACCHINO and CHRIS TILTON

...then yes... I'd add it to the list. But that's not the case with Black. Chris wrote the score on his own with only help from Michael in the main theme department!

-Erik-

PS - Small Soldiers is very good as well.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Updated Top 5:

1. Medal Of Honor

2. Small Soldiers

3. Lost

4. The Incredibles

5. Ratatouille

Great scores all around for Giacchino and Tilton. Can't wait to see what the future holds for them. Hopefully Mercenaries 2 will be just a great!

I love how Chris Tilton posts links for his unreleased music on his site.

[Erik Woods 555]

Hopefully Mercenaries 2 will be just a great!

Oh... it is. A totally different sound from the first one! But you probably won't hear it until next year.

-Erik-

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Hopefully Mercenaries 2 will be just a great!

Oh... it is. A totally different sound from the first one! But you probably won't hear it until next year.

-Erik-

I was looking forward to it for so long, now I have to wait a year!

[Erik Woods 555]

Hopefully Mercenaries 2 will be just a great!

Oh... it is. A totally different sound from the first one! But you probably won't hear it until next year.

-Erik-

I was looking forward to it for so long, now I have to wait a year!

Well, next year is only 2 months away!

-Erik-

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Well, next year is only 2 months away!

-Erik-

[Wycket 36]

It is a shame that this thread got so many replies yet John Barry's got only a couple of replies. Its a shame that people consider someone like Giacchino to be "creative".

[Erik Woods 555]

It is a shame that this thread got so many replies yet John Barry's got only a couple of replies. Its a shame that people consider someone like Giacchino to be "creative".

It's a shame that you had to come to this thread and be such a jerk.

Giacchino is an extremely creative and very gifted composer and is one of the best of the new breed of composers coming out of Hollywood today. So, take your negativity and go somewhere else.

-Erik-

[John Crichton 4]

Giacchino is a breath of fresh air in a currently very stale room.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

Erik, how is 'fall of liberty' going to sound?

I'm very interested bith in game and score

[Red 75]

Lost is possibly the best scored show ever.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Giacchino is a breath of fresh air in a currently very stale room.

I'm guessing Hans Zimmer is in the room then.

[Datameister 2,037]

Lost is possibly the best scored show ever.

I can't agree with that. It's scored...interestingly, and pretty effectively...but it's a far cry from the best, IMO.

[Red 75]

I can only think of a few others that could be better than it.

[Wycket 36]

It is a shame that this thread got so many replies yet John Barry's got only a couple of replies. Its a shame that people consider someone like Giacchino to be "creative".

It's a shame that you had to come to this thread and be such a jerk.

Giacchino is an extremely creative and very gifted composer and is one of the best of the new breed of composers coming out of Hollywood today. So, take your negativity and go somewhere else.

-Erik-

I wasn't trying to be a jerk but rather shed light on how one of the great composers doesn't even have enough of a following to get a dozen replies, while Giacchino who has been around for about a decade has gotten so many. I personally feel his work isn't all that creative, thats my opinion and I'm entitled to it. I didn't go into some big long rant about it, simply said my peace and left it at that (until now of course, but you facilitated that by calling me a jerk).

I'm not saying you can't like the guy, but that fact that this guy has such a following over so little work is ridiculous to me. If you ask me, if he was so good than he should have a lot more works under his belt. His relatively light collection of work says volumes on what the entertainment community as a whole feels about his work. I like his Incredibles and M:I 3 scores, but they're not all that inventive.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Giachina is so much more endearing then John Barry. He's one of us, a soundtrack geek, that's why we like him, he likes the same things we do. It has nothing to do with musical talent perse.

[Erik Woods 555]

It is a shame that this thread got so many replies yet John Barry's got only a couple of replies. Its a shame that people consider someone like Giacchino to be "creative".

It's a shame that you had to come to this thread and be such a jerk.

Giacchino is an extremely creative and very gifted composer and is one of the best of the new breed of composers coming out of Hollywood today. So, take your negativity and go somewhere else.

-Erik-

I wasn't trying to be a jerk but rather shed light on how one of the great composers doesn't even have enough of a following to get a dozen replies, while Giacchino who has been around for about a decade has gotten so many. I personally feel his work isn't all that creative, thats my opinion and I'm entitled to it. I didn't go into some big long rant about it, simply said my peace and left it at that (until now of course, but you facilitated that by calling me a jerk).

I'm not saying you can't like the guy, but that fact that this guy has such a following over so little work is ridiculous to me. If you ask me, if he was so good than he should have a lot more works under his belt. His relatively light collection of work says volumes on what the entertainment community as a whole feels about his work. I like his Incredibles and M:I 3 scores, but they're not all that inventive.

Well, he has done a lot more work then just those two movies you have mentioned. I've heard 46 seperate works from Giacchino ranging from concert, video game, TV and film work and there are some truly inventive and creative scores.

As for you being a jerk... well what does a one off comment like "Its a shame that people consider someone like Giacchino to be "creative"" sound like to you?

-Erik-

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Erik, different people have different opinions.

I'm not that familiar with his TV works, but one must admit that in his most high profile film scores so far, he's in one way or another following in the footsteps of someone else. First with The Incredibles, then with MI:III and now with his upcoming Star Trek score, which I suspect will be full of homages to the music from the original series.

[Erik Woods 555]

Erik, different people have different opinions.

I understand that... but it came across as disrespectful. This is a Top 5 Giacchino scores thread not a let's bash his creativity thread!

-Erik-

[Wycket 36]

Erik, different people have different opinions.

I understand that... but it came across as disrespectful. This is a Top 5 Giacchino scores thread not a let's bash his creativity thread!

-Erik-

I simply was stating what Stef just said, but perhaps I didn't use the best of words. A great deal of his stuff is simply him adapting on someone else's work.

I simply made an personal opinion of how little Barry got for his thread, and made a comment why I thought Giacchino is overrated, which he is. You might like his work, but it doesn't mean he's the next Williams or Goldsmith, if he was, he'd have a lot more work.

And since you want this to be a thread talking about his good qualities, why not give it a rest and just let it go. You've now used multiple posts to reply to a simple off-handed comment I made (which was simply a single word, not a long rant).

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

I'm not that familiar with his TV works, but one must admit that in his most high profile film scores so far, he's in one way or another following in the footsteps of someone else. First with The Incredibles, then with MI:III and now with his upcoming Star Trek score, which I suspect will be full of homages to the music from the original series.

You left out Ratatouille...

Forgotten or it did not fit in the 'following footsteps' theory? ^_^

[Erik Woods 555]

Erik, different people have different opinions.

I understand that... but it came across as disrespectful. This is a Top 5 Giacchino scores thread not a let's bash his creativity thread!

-Erik-

I simply was stating what Stef just said, but perhaps I didn't use the best of words. A great deal of his stuff is simply him adapting on someone else's work.

I simply made an personal opinion of how little Barry got for his thread, and made a comment why I thought Giacchino is overrated, which he is. You might like his work, but it doesn't mean he's the next Williams or Goldsmith, if he was, he'd have a lot more work.

And since you want this to be a thread talking about his good qualities, why not give it a rest and just let it go. You've now used multiple posts to reply to a simple off-handed comment I made (which was simply a single word, not a long rant).

Well, it's a discussion forum so I think I had every right to respond to your off-handed comment and defend Michael's music. And I don't think it's a shame that Michael's thread is getting so much attention. There is no shame in discussion film music... especially REALLY GOOD film music. If you want people to start talking about John Barry, go to his thread and post something.

-Erik-