The Official David Arnold thread

[MSM 126]

According to IMDB David Arnold is going to write the score for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). Nicholas Dodd is again his orchestrator. Could this be the ultimate opportunity for Arnold to return to his full blown orchestral style that we loved from Stargate, Godzilla and Independence Day?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Ewwwww... David Arnold

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

It'll be a good reason for me to actually watch a Narnia movie.

[ChuckM 1]

I'm looking forward to it.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

An exciting prospect. Arnold definitely has greatness in his veins.

[Neimoidian 14]

That's granted.... at least I hope so.

Chris - looking forward to another Arnold's epic.

[igger6 894]

This could go either way. I'm not terribly well-versed in Arnold's work--although I've heard suites from Stargate and ID4--and I'm just starting to get attached to the unique musical voice Harry Gregson-Williams has been giving the Narnia films. The reappearance of certain themes in Prince Caspian made me appreciate them more, and I would have liked to see him return for Dawn Treader.

Here's hoping Arnold doesn't pull a Patrick Doyle and forget the series' musical heritage. (At the very least, I would expect HGW's "heroic" theme to return--arguably the least interesting of his themes, but surely the most recognizable.)

[Pieter Boelen 740]

I'm very much looking forward to this. I wouldn't mind that much if David Arnold would abandon HGW's themes. I like Harry Gregson-Williams, but I'd rather have a good David Arnold score than a consistent continuation for this one. As opposed to Harry Potter 4, where I'd rather have a consistent continuation. Of course in the case of Harry Potter the originals were extremely good and Patrick Doyle's work wasn't exactly up to par. In the case of Chronicles of Narnia, the originals are adequate, but not extremely good and I am hoping for something from David Arnold to match Independence Day, Stargate and Godzilla. If he manages that, I fully expect it to be better than HGW's music and I wouldn't mind if he'd abandon the original themes in that case.

[Vaderbait1 1]

Last time I heard there was doubt if another Narnia movie will be made.

Add in that the movie is 2 years in the future, Arnold isn't an MV composer, the doubtfulness of the movie even being made, the fact that it was posted on IMDB, and you get a whole lot of baseless rumor.

[Red 75]

This could be very good. His ID4 grandiose style lends itself well to Narnia I think.

[Wycket 36]

Last time I heard there was doubt if another Narnia movie will be made.

Add in that the movie is 2 years in the future, Arnold isn't an MV composer, the doubtfulness of the movie even being made, the fact that it was posted on IMDB, and you get a whole lot of baseless rumor.

His own site says he will be the composer. But you are right about whether the movie is even made, as it was released at a horrible time and the movie will not make its money back (or even come close) considering its only made $126 mil. and cost an estimate $200 mil.

[Quintus 5,399]

I love his ID4 score, but hopefully he can hold back on the bombast a little for his next epic. His themes are normally very good, but he is nearly always guilty of using music too much.

[tjguitar 0]

This is old news. Arnold's been on board for the 3rd film for quite some time.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Add in that the movie is 2 years in the future, Arnold isn't an MV composer, the doubtfulness of the movie even being made, the fact that it was posted on IMDB, and you get a whole lot of baseless rumor.

Arnold himself already mentioned he was scoring the third Narnia under Michael Apted's direction last year in Úbeda.

[Ollie 1,059]

I would imagine the third film will get made, since the studio feels they made a mistake by releasing the sequel during the summer and not during Christmas.

[fommes 153]

I too hope that he'll start with a clean palette. He doesn't need to base anything on H. G. really. Looking forward to it for sure!

[Hitch 57]

Can't wait to hear his Godzilla theme for Aslan

[Red 75]

I would imagine the third film will get made, since the studio feels they made a mistake by releasing the sequel during the summer and not during Christmas.

Plus, there's no telling how well it will do on DVD.

[John Crichton 4]

An exciting prospect. Arnold definitely has greatness in his veins.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Prince Caspian isn't even out here yet. I think I might just go see it when it hits the cinema.

[Richard Penna 3,694]

Probably going to give this one a miss. I didn't really like the first one that much (not sure my brother even saw it), and I've learned from experience that just seeing a few cool battle shots doesn't mean we're getting LotR 4.

[Vaderbait1 1]

Probably going to give this one a miss. I didn't really like the first one that much (not sure my brother even saw it), and I've learned from experience that just seeing a few cool battle shots doesn't mean we're getting LotR 4.

You are destined to fail when you set out to create a copy of a successful movie. I wish they wouldn't do it so much. If you've got a story to tell, fine, but to do something just to ride the wave created by a successful movie is crap. Movies always do better when they are trying to be their own movie.

[Wojo 2,453]

You are destined to fail when you set out to create a copy of a successful movie.

Fail? Or go straight to video?

How many Land Before Times are they up to now, eight?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Actually there are like 12, at least.

[Hitch 57]

Those royalty checks will come in handy for Jimmy.

[Ollie 1,059]

Can't wait to hear his Godzilla theme for Aslan

You mean Hermmann's Cape Fear theme don't you?

It would be nice to see Arnold return to what made him a fun composer to listen to, a nice over the top bombastic score minus a bunch of electronics.

[Vaderbait1 1]

Does anyone know why Arnold stopped taking big scores? Were they just not being offered to him?

It's like his career has gone in reverse. He had some absolutely huge, memorable scores in a row, making it seem like that was his "thing." And then he starts taking Fast and Furious, Shaft, etc., things that don't really challenge a composer to do anything. I know he still does Bond, but that's one score every couple years, really.

[Morlock 11]

He does seem to have a fair share of regular collaborators- Michael Apted, John Singleton, Roger Michell, and the Bond films. Unfortunately, the first three aren't exactly the most prominant filmmakers.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Filmmakers realized Hans and RCP compose better action music. And since when is David Arnold memorable? I was watching Independence Day yesterday and it's the most generic music I've ever heard. A score without a theme is not a score.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

A score without a theme is not a score.

You're applying that to Independence Day?

[Ollie 1,059]

David Arnold has written more memorable and quality music in his short time than Zimmer and co could ever hope for.

I'm sorry but comparing him to the RC stable is laughable. If ID4 is generic music then Zimmer's music is as worthless as the toilet paper I use to wipe my.........

[Koray Savas 2,251]

David Arnold has written more memorable and quality music in his short time than Zimmer and co could ever hope for.

I guarantee you more people remember Pirates, Gladiator, and The Rock than Independence Day or Godzilla.

[Morlock 11]

Why must you people always bring things down to better or worse than Zimmer? I've got room for both Zimmer and Arnold in my discography. Very different styles.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

My initial post is legitimate and true. Why doesn't Arnold do more bigger action movies? Well, because RCP currently contains the most in-demand composers.

[Wesker 0]

David Arnold has written more memorable and quality music in his short time than Zimmer and co could ever hope for.

I guarantee you more people remember Pirates, Gladiator, and The Rock than Independence Day or Godzilla.

The Rock and Gladiator sound too similar. And I don't think most people know those tunes. In fact, I can guarntee you that more people walked out of the theaters of ID4 with those Arnold tunes in their minds than with either Gladiator or The Rock. You are correct, however, in stating that more people would recognize POTC over ID4.

[Morlock 11]

My initial post is legitimate and true.

As a signifier of your opinion, yes. And you have a tendency of mixing legitimate fact with your opinion, pretending as if they're one and the same. The fact that "more people remember Pirates, Gladiator, and The Rock than Independence Day or Godzilla" does not support the opinion of "I was watching Independence Day yesterday and it's the most generic music I've ever heard."

Why doesn't Arnold do more bigger action movies? Well, because RCP currently contains the most in-demand composers.

This is true. But those in demand composers often compose scores that are unmemorable and unremarkable. Strike that- they generally compose scores that are unmemorable and unremarkable.

Oh, and ID4 is a very popular and well known score. It was a huge seller.

[MSM 126]

David Arnold has written more memorable and quality music in his short time than Zimmer and co could ever hope for.

I guarantee you more people remember Pirates, Gladiator, and The Rock than Independence Day or Godzilla.

How many people remember a score is not a good indicator of how good a score is.

[Romão 2,274]

A score without a theme is not a score.

No offence, but that's one of the silliest things I've ever read on this board.

[John Crichton 4]

What tosh. ID4 is loaded with great themes.

[Vaderbait1 1]

What tosh. ID4 is loaded with great themes.

No kidding. I think the poster was joking. Nothing Zimmer has done is memorable. Some stuff is kind of catchy, but I can hum the ID4 theme right now and I haven't listened to it in over a year. I listened to the Pirates scores about a month ago and I can't hum anything really. Just one action piece and it's only because it's extraordinarily simple, not amazing.

My initial post is legitimate and true. Why doesn't Arnold do more bigger action movies? Well, because RCP currently contains the most in-demand composers.

Oh, I'd like to respond to this, too. RCP is the most in-demand not because of quality, but because their work is quick, dirty, and cheap, which fits perfectly for the modern style of making movies, when it's not finished until the very last second.

[Neimoidian 14]

What tosh. ID4 is loaded with great themes.

No kidding. I think the poster was joking. Nothing Zimmer has done is memorable. Some stuff is kind of catchy, but I can hum the ID4 theme right now and I haven't listened to it in over a year. I listened to the Pirates scores about a month ago and I can't hum anything really. Just one action piece and it's only because it's extraordinarily simple, not amazing.

There's a lot of memorable music in Zimmer's scores, but memorability doesn't necessarily mean hummability and hummability doesn't have to mean that the score is any good. I cannot hum virtually nothing from Goldsmith, but it's still great music and I am able to recognize and discern many of his score when I hear them.

My initial post is legitimate and true. Why doesn't Arnold do more bigger action movies? Well, because RCP currently contains the most in-demand composers.

Oh, I'd like to respond to this, too. RCP is the most in-demand not because of quality, but because their work is quick, dirty, and cheap, which fits perfectly for the modern style of making movies, when it's not finished until the very last second.

I agree with you in that matter. While I have a lot of admiration for Zimmer who is capable of writing highly enjoyable (and sometimes) interesting music, the works of his buddies are of very low quality (they represent the same level of scoring that was plaguing film music after the Golden Age in pre Star Wars era).

[Koray Savas 2,251]

My, my aren't we quick to judge. Did I ever say anything regarding quality? No. I said David Arnold doesn't do big action movies because RCP contains the most in-demand composers. That is fact. I hate RCP as much as you guys.

And I never said how memorable something is makes it better. But tell someone to hum the Pirates theme, they will. Tell them to hum the ID4 theme, and you'll get this ->

I'm just stating simple truths. No, Morlock, I don't think opinion and fact are one and the same. However, those are facts. Anything regarding quality is opinion.

[Morlock 11]

You mix popularity (fact) and quality (opinion) quite liberally. You implied that ID4 did not have a theme, and that the Pirates theme is more well-known. The second part of this is fact. The first part is wrong, but in effect is presenting your opinion.

My, my aren't we quick to judge. Did I ever say anything regarding quality? No.

You said it's the most generic music you've ever heard and that it didn't have a theme.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yes, but you were pairing my comment of that with the popularity statement. I wasn't implying that because Pirates is more popular, that it is better. It's my opinion how bad ID4 is.

[fommes 153]

Apparently, some opinions are more equal than others.

[Morlock 11]

Yes, but you were pairing my comment of that with the popularity statement. I wasn't implying that because Pirates is more popular, that it is better. It's my opinion how bad ID4 is.

You said the following: "Did I ever say anything regarding quality? No.", when, in fact, you did exactly that. You said it's the most generic music you've ever heard and that it didn't have a theme.

That is an opinion phrased like fact, my friend. And when asked about it earlier, you diverted comments that offered that ID4 does in fact have a theme, and went for the popularity comments. Even good points you might have are often lost by your method of posting.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

"Filmmakers realized Hans and RCP compose better action music. And since when is David Arnold memorable? I was watching Independence Day yesterday and it's the most generic music I've ever heard.."

That is my first post. The first sentence is in response to someone asking why doesn't Arnold do bigger movies. The second part shows my opinion about the ID4 score.

Then I posted this in response to Mark saying Hans composes nothing memorable: "I guarantee you more people remember Pirates, Gladiator, and The Rock than Independence Day or Godzilla."

I'm not saying a score that is more memorable is better. Not saying anything about quality here.

Then later on I posted this: "My initial post is legitimate and true. Why doesn't Arnold do more bigger action movies? Well, because RCP currently contains the most in-demand composers."

That is true, is it not? Still nothing about quality.

You are combining my initial post to the others that are completely about a different topic.

[John Crichton 4]

It's a bit of a job chopping through this jungle of tangled logic, but:

...The second part shows my opinion about the ID4 score.

....That is true, is it not? Still nothing about quality.

Sooooooooooo...your opinion is about something other than the score's quality? Interesting.

[Ollie 1,059]

I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque.....

[Koray Savas 2,251]

It's a bit of a job chopping through this jungle of tangled logic, but:

...The second part shows my opinion about the ID4 score.

....That is true, is it not? Still nothing about quality.

Sooooooooooo...your opinion is about something other than the score's quality? Interesting.

What did I say? That first post is completely separate from the others. I know I'm talking about quality there. But Morlock is taking that post about ID4, throwing it in with the others about memorable scores, and saying I'm talking about memorable scores being better than non-memorable ones.