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Hans Zimmer Appreciation Thread


Koray Savas

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I believe Morlock is correct.

Zimmer stated awhile back that he composed the themes and Badelt (and his 15 other co-composers) worked off of those.

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I don't know, the more I look at the whole Pirates situation, the more i see similarities with it and the original Bond, Barry/Norman scenario.

The little we know (and i guess we know Badelt was lying/covering for Hans, primarily in that FSM interview after Black Pearl was released) indicates that Zimmer wrote more of the thematic elements, but really didn't progress any further before handing the reigns over to his team. Badelt's contribution, however, is important in a sense- he arranged the version of "He's a Pirate" that connects the more mainstream audience to the series, musically. In a similar fashion to what Barry did for Norman, though on a smaller scale.

Many people tend to confuse what a composer and arranger does, because it can be easy to do so, especially in odd circumstances such as these. However, Klaus did take what little Hans gave him, and arranged it in a more "coherent" manner, leaving out some of the overly audacious parts that Zimmer would later add to the films, but still keeping in direct trot with the general MV sound.

Once again, this is based around what we have of the collection cd and interview(s), but one can make a strong case I think that this was the more logical sequence of events to the (somewhat) controversial outcome.

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  • 1 month later...

I like parts of Da Vinci code, but not the bits where it gets overly loud or the strings are just hammering away rather atonally.

The quieter, more operatic bits are where I think we see an unusual side of Zimmer; I particularly like Rose of Arimathea and the cue that builds up base strings before 'releasing' an uplifting string melody and then quietens down again into the next track (I made a suite containing it so I don't remember what cue it is).

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm listening to Kung Fu Panda right now.

Superb stuff, a much better score than The Dark Knight. Not that score isn't enjoyable, I really enjoy the ethnic instrumentation and the wholly orchestral nature of it all. Zimmer's at his best when he stays away from his synths and electronics, particularly with John frickin' Powell working alongside him. "Sacred Pool of Tears" and "Oogway Ascends" are more than enough to plunk down money for a copy of the soundtrack, electronic download or physical CD.

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Hardly. I didn't like that score and was very disappointed. There are just few tracks that are interesting to me and the rest is simply boring. Judging by style, it was Zimmer's heavy-hand approach that I find particularly unbearable in it.

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I just meant as far as usual quality of output. But, like I said, I haven't heard the score.

You really should if you adore Chinese-flavored orchestral scores... I'd say Powell's contributions are a nice progression of his work from Happy Feet and Ice Age: The Meltdown. I also think that one of his regular orchestrators -- Jane Antonia Cornish -- also has a hand in crafting a fresher sound for Powell in KFP.

In fact, you should check out Cornish's score for Island of Lost Souls -- if that's not a masterpiece of composition and orchestration, then I don't know what is.

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I just meant as far as usual quality of output. But, like I said, I haven't heard the score.

You really should if you adore Chinese-flavored orchestral scores... I'd say Powell's contributions are a nice progression of his work from Happy Feet and Ice Age: The Meltdown. I also think that one of his regular orchestrators -- Jane Antonia Cornish -- also has a hand in crafting a fresher sound for Powell in KFP.

In fact, you should check out Cornish's score for Island of Lost Souls -- if that's not a masterpiece of composition and orchestration, then I don't know what is.

Wait, the composer for Island of Lost Souls is a regular orchestrator for John Powell? ;) I haven't heard the score, but it seems to be well regarded by, well, most everyone. Interesting...

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  • 4 weeks later...

Click! This is a great interview with HZ.

THR: What filmmakers from another era would you have liked to work with?

Zimmer: (Andrei) Tarkovsky would be my No. 1. Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder. Sergio Leone. But on the other hand, I would never want to work with Leone because it would have taken away the pleasure of discovering what Ennio Morricone did. I think it's good to have heroes, and he's still one of my musical heroes. I think his work ethic is second to none; his craft is second to none; and the emotion that comes from his music is second to none. He can make things work with a good tune and very few forces in the orchestra. He is not a minimalist, and nor am I, (though) I like to go there sometimes. "Dark Knight" is minimalist: What can I do within one note as opposed to one note within the context of many? But "Kung Fu Panda" is not. "Gladiator" definitely is not. It is excessive romanticism meets rock 'n' roll.

Here is the thing that I figured out very quickly: If you don't form lots of different styles, you will get typecast in this town really quickly. You have to fight to let people know that you can do comedies and action stuff because it interests you. Look at what a versatile composer John Williams is. Look at (1977's) "Star Wars" and (1988's) "The Accidental Tourist." I mean, the only thing they have in common is that they are masterful scores and are appropriate. "Close Encounters (of the Third Kind)" (1977), I think, is one of the great symphonic tone poems of the 20th century.

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Hm, Zimmer comes off as well versed in film music and respectful of the greats as usual. Why can't he translate this stuff into his own compositions more often?

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Click! Another great article, that goes into the depths of Zimmer.

It's no accident that Scott is comfortable comparing Zimmer to Goldsmith, one of the greats, and it's a comparison that Zimmer is humbled by. For despite all of his accomplishments, Zimmer is convinced there's still plenty of work to be done if he is to be mentioned in the same breath as his heroes.

"I just look at the quality of the work these people have done, and I never considered myself one of those composers. Maybe that's why I talk less about music and more about the filmmaker. I never have and still don't consider myself musically in the same league of John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith or Ennio Morricone. But I think good composers, and the ones that have maintained their careers, are the ones that have found an appropriate voice for the movie at the time."

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Click! Another great article, that goes into the depths of Zimmer.
It's no accident that Scott is comfortable comparing Zimmer to Goldsmith, one of the greats, and it's a comparison that Zimmer is humbled by. For despite all of his accomplishments, Zimmer is convinced there's still plenty of work to be done if he is to be mentioned in the same breath as his heroes.

"I just look at the quality of the work these people have done, and I never considered myself one of those composers. Maybe that's why I talk less about music and more about the filmmaker. I never have and still don't consider myself musically in the same league of John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith or Ennio Morricone. But I think good composers, and the ones that have maintained their careers, are the ones that have found an appropriate voice for the movie at the time."

:) for Mr Scott.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I just came across this comment over at HZ's page on Last.fm

'Now We are Free' was played at my dad's funeral today. It was so epic!!!!!!

I don't know what's more worrying, the fact that Zimmer was played at a funeral or that the person thought it was epic.

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I just came across this comment over at HZ's page on Last.fm
'Now We are Free' was played at my dad's funeral today. It was so epic!!!!!!

I don't know what's more worrying, the fact that Zimmer was played at a funeral or that the person thought it was epic.

ROTFLMAO

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I just came across this comment over at HZ's page on Last.fm
'Now We are Free' was played at my dad's funeral today. It was so epic!!!!!!

I don't know what's more worrying, the fact that Zimmer was played at a funeral or that the person thought it was epic.

ROTFLMAO

I'd rise from the dead and slap whoever played that gibberish at my funeral.

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