The Dark Knight 2-CD Special Edition official thread (what a mouthful)

[Ollie 1,059]

An acceptable price would be less than the Indy collection.

3 and a half legendary almost complete scores verses one very enjoyable and apparently complete score.

When you look at it realistically like I explained in an earlier post, it's a decent price. Don't compare it to Indy, because quality of music is irrelevant, and Indy was hella-cheap for what it was. Have you considered that the Blue Box is about 3 times the price of the Indy set, yet it only has 3 more discs of music? Now look who's being overpriced, JOHNNY WILLIAMS!!!

You have more music with the Blue box and a cartoon series as well as a disc worth of alternates and source cues. Plus more in depth liner notes. A better quality product.

The Home Alone 2 Deluxe Edition was $29.98 when first released.

[Corellian2019 384]

You have more music with the Blue box and a cartoon series as well as a disc worth of alternates and source cues. Plus more in depth liner notes.

I think a 40-page hardcover book should more than compensate for liner notes. Who knows, it may even contain track-by-track analysis.

[Ollie 1,059]

Actually the Blue Box came with a hardcover book that had detailed liner notes.

This one for TDK looks like a picture book.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Actually the Blue Box came with a hardcover book that had detailed liner notes.

This one for TDK looks like a picture book.

Yeah it actually does. I hope there's more in it.

[FattyMcButterpants 1]

Like in TPM Ultimate Edition ... yuck!

[Ollie 1,059]

There's your $30.00 in pictures....

[FattyMcButterpants 1]

When will companies learn that when I want to have a look at the movie, I WATCH it and don't go back to the photo collection that came with my CD?

[Trent B 337]

It's too bad Intrada, FSM, Varese and LaLa Land couldn't handle all releases score related.

[Corellian2019 384]

When will companies learn that when I want to have a look at the movie, I WATCH it and don't go back to the photo collection that came with my CD?

Amen to that. I don't think WB will fill up 40 pages with just photos, though.

[Ollie 1,059]

Look at the IJ box set.

I imagine there will be some notes but doubt they will be extensive.

[FattyMcButterpants 1]

When will companies learn that when I want to have a look at the movie, I WATCH it and don't go back to the photo collection that came with my CD?

Amen to that. I don't think WB will fill up 40 pages with just photos, though.

Yes they can.

...

Yes, they can.

Although it's probably marginally better than having Hans Zimmer writing liner notes where he describes how utterly complicated it was to write the score.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I'm guessing notes from Chris Nolan, Zimmer, and Howard. No track by track analysis, seriously, that's only done for older scores. And what would they be in this case? I added a little synth here, changed the pitch of the siren here...

[Corellian2019 384]

I'm guessing notes from Chris Nolan, Zimmer, and Howard. No track by track analysis, seriously, that's only done for older scores. And what would they be in this case? I added a little synth here, changed the pitch of the siren here...

I was guessing that, similar to the LOTR Complete Recordings booklets, the producers would denote where the music corresponded in the film, especially the new cues.

[FattyMcButterpants 1]

I'm guessing notes from Chris Nolan, Zimmer, and Howard. No track by track analysis, seriously, that's only done for older scores. And what would they be in this case? I added a little synth here, changed the pitch of the siren here...

Why do only older score get liner notes? That's not a valid point.

Well, it's a valid point in as far as scores were more interesting and complex 20 years ago.

I don't know if it was your intention, but you just poignantly made an excellent point about why the score is terribly superficial and unintelligent.

It would be a poor testament of a score's quality if you couldn't write a few interesting notes about it.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Oh, and it would include this picture of the two composers at the end of the book.

[Vaderbait1 1]

How? It is 2 discs! It wouldn't be a complete score if it didn't have the OST.

I just wish that maybe they meshed the cues together on both releases.

I never understood why they do this. Gettysburg had the same situation.

Also, Disc 2 seems to be Disc 1 all over again, just with different titles. I seriously doubt there is 50 minutes of good unreleased music. I've seen the film MANY times, and as a music score buff, never noticed anything significant missing from the release.

I haven't done the math, but I'm betting Disc 2 contains all the music from Disc 1 plus unreleased. I can't recall how long the OST was so I could be wrong. But those track titles really make it seem like they're not just unreleased.

[Wycket 36]

How? It is 2 discs! It wouldn't be a complete score if it didn't have the OST.

I just wish that maybe they meshed the cues together on both releases.

I never understood why they do this. Gettysburg had the same situation.

Also, Disc 2 seems to be Disc 1 all over again, just with different titles. I seriously doubt there is 50 minutes of good unreleased music. I've seen the film MANY times, and as a music score buff, never noticed anything significant missing from the release.

I haven't done the math, but I'm betting Disc 2 contains all the music from Disc 1 plus unreleased. I can't recall how long the OST was so I could be wrong. But those track titles really make it seem like they're not just unreleased.

There is definitely a good deal of unreleased music for the film. While the Joker's theme is present in a suite form, the actual prologue is featured in its entirety on disc 2, which is more than welcomed by me. Also welcomed is A Watchful Guardian, which goes over Gordon's speech and leads into the end credits. I'm also looking forward to the Scarecrow sequence's music, as well as Halfway To Hong Kong, Decent Men In An Indecent Time,You're Gonna Love Me, and the Ferries. Finally we'll have the music from Begins from the end of the Train Sequence (although this time when Batsy throws Joker off the roof). Those are some good pieces of music, and I don't have the soundtrack yet so I am tempted.

Though it is a lot of money. Let's see how my Christmas shopping goes first.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

It's too bad Intrada, FSM, Varese and LaLa Land couldn't handle all releases score related.

I'd only agree to that if it included bigger production numbers.

[CJWilkie 0]

Alright, let's do this. Here is the list of scenes from The Dark Knight, and the corresponding music that is in each scene too. I made this so that I could re-cut the score as I did with Batman Begins to put each track in order. Sure it's nice owning the original CD, but I am also a nerd for music in chronological order...

1. Bank Heist

2. Gotham at Night/Scarecrow Encounter I’m Not a Hero: 0:00-1:40

3. Gordon and Batman in the bank -

4. Stitching Wounds

5. Courtroom Gun/”If you’re not getting shot at”

6. Gordon meets Dent/Lau and Boardroom/Bruce wants a new suit Blood on My Hands

7. Dinner Reservations

8. “How ‘bout a magic trick?”

9. Gotham’s Three Heroes on the roof -

10. Going to Hong Kong: Talking to Fox/Yacht I’m Not a Hero 1:40-2:50

11. “Why so serious?”

12. Fox meets Lau, leaves sonar phone: “Like a submarine”

13. Jumping off rooftops/Skyhook I’m Not a Hero: 2:50-6:35

14. Interrogating Lau -

15. Taking in the mob Harvey Two-Face: 1:43-2:32

16. Dent speaks with the mayor/dead body/Joker’s video

17. Penthouse party/Bruce talks with Rachel

18. Two Deaths/Harvey proposes Aggressive Expansion: 2:00-4:36

19. Joker at the party/Rachel freefalling

20. Dent wants Lau/Alfred talks about Burma I am The Batman

21. Bruce finds Harvey and Dent in room/takes bullet -

22. Bullet firing/Reece wants a deal/Fox’s bullet analysis I’m Not a Hero 1:40-2:50

23. Following fingerprint trail/Funeral Procession/Bad news for Mrs Gordon

24. Nightclub Maroni/Dent flips his coin A Little Push

25. Bruce sees Rachel one last time/prepares to turn himself in

26. “I am the Batman”/Rachel gives letter to Alfred

27. Dent gets in truck/Joker pursuit

28. Tumbler destroyed/Batpod ejected/Gordon returns Always a Catch: 0:00-0:31; Harvey Two-Face: 1:22-1:49

29. Dent gets in car with Wuertz/Commissioner Gordon

30. Good news for Mrs Gordon/sick cellmate/comforting Jim Jr

31. Batman speaks with the Joker

32. Race to save Harvey/Rachel, Joker wants phone call Why So Serious?: 0:00-1:05/14; Agent of Chaos: 0:00-4:43

33. Joker escaped/Rachel’s letter/Bruce mourns Agent of Chaos: 4:43-6:55

34. Reece to appear on TV/Jim meets Two-Face/Maroni at the hospital

35. The Chechan and Joker’s money/Reece on TV/Joker’s message

36. “Will you be wanting the batpod sir?”/saving Reece/hospital evacuation And I Thought My Jokes Were Bad

37. Joker talks to Two-Face/Hospital blows up

38. Engel reads Joker’s threat/the city evacuates/Two-Face kills Wuertz

39. Batman shows Fox the sonar imaging, asks for help

40. Two-Face and Maroni/Ferries depart harbour

41. Ferries stranded/social experiment/Two-Face and Ramirez

42. Gordon’s tactics/”Not that simple”/ferry voting/Batman enters building Like a Dog Chasing Cars mash-up

43. Sonar clowns and hostages/SWAT enters building

44. Batman stops the SWAT from killing/reaches top of the building Introduce a Little Anarchy

45. Ferries don’t blow up/Batman stops the Joker/leaves him hanging

46. Two-Face, Gordon and Batman Watch the World Burn: 0:00-3:48

47. Two-Face dead/Hero Gotham needs A Dark Knight 0:40-2:27; Aggressive Expansion: 0:17-0:44

48. End Credits

That is the music used as far as I can see. There may be other small bits which I've missed, but that's the general gist of it.

Scenes that have music not included on the current CD:

1. Bank Heist (it's a Why So Serious? mash-up)

2. Scarecrow Encounter

4. Stitching Wounds - has a light "love theme" or "Harvey" motif, I forget.

7. Dinner reservations - the music is based on Harvey Two-Face, but it doesn't seem to appear on the CD

8. How 'bout a magic trick - a light WSS? bit

11. Why So Serious? - likewise

12. Fox meets Lau - I recall a little bit of music. I think it was from A Dark Knight, but am not sure.

16. Dent speaks with the mayor - may have a HT-F theme, don't remember

17. Party/Rachel - has a Harvey theme and Batman Begins music when speaking to Rachel

19. Joker at the Party/Rachel free-falling - starts with a WSS? thing and random drum beats, and turns into an African style piece

22. Bullet firing etc - the music from I'm Not a Hero repeats and overlays itself in this section, so isn't exactly the same as the CD

23. Bad News for Mrs Gordon - tragic theme associated with the Waynes' Death

25. Bruce sees Rachel - more Begins style music

26. "I am the Batman" etc - Harvey music which is similar but not the same to Harvey Two-Face. When Rachel sees Harvey one last time it has a very "big" tragedy cue.

27. Joker pursuit - starts with some WSS? and when the Batpod appears has some heavy drum beats

28. Gordon returns - has a WSS? bit between the two cues mentioned in the list above

30. Good news/Jim Jr - uplifting theme followed by the father theme from Batman Begins...this leads into the interrogation

31. Interrogation - starts with the drum beats that open the film, and has a little bit of WSS? to it. This then goes into the opening WSS drone sound.

33. Joker escaped - there should be a period of about 90 seconds in the middle of Agent of Chaos which is sombre and very atmospheric as opposed to musical

34/35 - if there's music here, I don't remember it

37. Joker speaks with Two-Face - there's a moment which has the same WSS? music from the interrogation (before the fighting starts)

38-41 - A Dark Knight bits plus new music.

42-43 - takes bits of Like a Dog Chasing Cars, skips bits, and adds a bit from Antrozous from Batman Begins. The complete piece (just about) appears near the start of the End Credits though.

45. Batman stops the Joker - music from A Dark Knight plus the familiar Batman Begins ending.

46. There should be a bit at the end of Watch the World Burn which is the same as the start of the End Credits

48. End Credits

Or: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 48

The following tracks are fairly obsolete on the current CD in terms of containing film music:

Why So Serious?

Harvey Two-Face

Always a Catch (I don't have a clue where everything from 30 seconds onwards appears)

Like a Dog Chasing Cars (is destroyed in the film)

The new tracks we're getting are:

Bank Robbery (Prologue)

Buyer Beware

Halfway to Hong Kong

Decent Men in an Indecent Time

You’re Gonna Love Me

Chance

You Complete Me

The Ferries

We Are Tonight’s Entertainment

A Watchful Guardian

The first two of these have obvious placement. Bank Robbery is the first scene, and then Buyer Beware is purely the scarecrow encounter, or also includes the bit of I'm Not a Hero that comes beforehand. So that's 1 and 2 covered.

I am however stuck as for how the other tracks fit in...

A Watchful Guardian could be the showdown between Two-Face, Gordon and Batman with the added "whoomph" at the end, but I doubt that would do it justice. More likely is that it is the final scene comprised of A Dark Knight and Aggressive Expansion, which leads into the End Credits, and so we get no End Credits. Or it's the End Credits. Or it's both. Or it's all three! In any case, hopefully scene 48 would be covered by this.

"We Are Tonight's Entertainment" and "You're Gonna Love Me"...I would have thought that these go together...but it's hard to tell given the order of the tracks. Could We Are Tonight's Entertainment actually cover the fight after Introduce a Little Anarchy, so including the Batman Begins ending? Or is it going to be the run up to the party including Aggressive Expansion?

You're Gonna Love Me *must* be the party scene in some shape or form. And that would cover scene 19. As for WATE, that would either cover 45, or 17/18.

If it covers the earlier part, then maybe The Ferries is a humungous cue which takes in not only Like a Dog Chasing Cars, but also Introduce a Little Anarchy, plus all the A Dark Knight music around it. That would cover 38 through to 45...but I think it's more likely that it covers 38-43, and then if A Watchful Guardian includes the End Credits, we could get the building fight music from that!

You Complete Me...I can only see this as being part of the interrogation scene in some shape or form. Either it's the brief bit of Why So Serious? that comes before Agent of Chaos...or it's the WSS? + Agent of Chaos + the little missing bit in the middle. I think this covers 31, but hopefully also 30.

Halfway to Hong Kong totally confuses me with its title, considering that all of the Hong Kong music is on the CD, so maybe it's a collection of it all together, or adding something I've missed.

Chance could be either the WSS? style hospital bit...but I think it's more likely it's the bits with Rachel saying goodbye and "I am the Batman" and all that. Think of Dent giving Rachel his coin, and maybe that's where the title comes from? That would cover 25 and 26.

Again going with the order of the tracks, Decent Men... would be, if anything, the party music before Joker arrives, or the dinner scene, or a collection of music based on Wayne, Dent and Gordon...that would cover 17, or maybe 7.

So by all of this reasoning, scenes without music would include:

4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 16, 22, 23, 27, 28, (34, 35,) 37, 46

Unnecessary music scenes would be the brief Joker bits, and the little extras like at the end of Watch the World Burn, so I guess we can discount a few, leaving us with:

4, 7, 12, 23

So, in conclusion (finally) I think that when they call this a "complete" score...we are in fact going to retain music that is mashed up a little...probably including A Dark Knight, Like a Dog Chasing Cars, Why So Serious, I'm Not a Hero...etc...and so we are not going to get a chronological score, or at the very least, we won't be getting a "complete" chronological score.

That was a ramble and a half.

[Ollie 1,059]

Yes, most impressive....

[Richard Penna 3,676]

Umm.. *gulps*... yeah.

[Red 75]

I don't think a break down of this score can get any more in-depth than that.

[Trent B 337]

Wow if that isn't fanboyism, I dunno what is.

[MissPadmé 17]

mmhhmm fanboyism, yes..

and what is this whole homepage.??? Ah I see,

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Fangirl!

[MissPadmé 17]

Oh sorry you must mistake me.. I am a lover and admirer of fine art

..yet I like filmmusic. which really is the poorman's, classical music for dummies...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

[Red 75]

Let me tell you, (most) fangirls do not look like that.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

Let me tell you, (most) fangirls do not look like that.

But we all wish they did.

[Corellian2019 384]

34. Reece to appear on TV/Jim meets Two-Face/Maroni at the hospital

35. The Chechan and Joker’s money/Reece on TV/Joker’s message

- if there's music here, I don't remember it

There is music in scenes 34-35, I just can't remember what it is

[Taikomochi 1,136]

34. Reece to appear on TV/Jim meets Two-Face/Maroni at the hospital

35. The Chechan and Joker’s money/Reece on TV/Joker’s message

- if there's music here, I don't remember it

There is music in scenes 34-35, I just can't remember what it is

35, I remember, has from about 3:30 to 4:30 from Why So Serious and cuts off after it finishes building up, instead of continuing like the suite.

[CJWilkie 0]

I don't think a break down of this score can get any more in-depth than that.

That wasn't even analysing the score per se, it was merely pointing out what goes where...

Wow if that isn't fanboyism, I dunno what is.

A little bit of Zimmer on a page of John Williams never hurt anyone ;-)

Mind you, I love Williams' scores for not being a mish-mash like Zimmer's. I don't have to do what I just did for John Williams, but I've re-cut Pirates 1, Batman Begins and bits of TDK because of their stupid layout.

[Corellian2019 384]

34. Reece to appear on TV/Jim meets Two-Face/Maroni at the hospital

35. The Chechan and Joker’s money/Reece on TV/Joker’s message

- if there's music here, I don't remember it

There is music in scenes 34-35, I just can't remember what it is

35, I remember, has from about 3:30 to 4:30 from Why So Serious and cuts off after it finishes building up, instead of continuing like the suite.

Oh, OK. 0:00-0:52 from this video sounds different though. Is it unreleased?

[Taikomochi 1,136]

34. Reece to appear on TV/Jim meets Two-Face/Maroni at the hospital

35. The Chechan and Joker’s money/Reece on TV/Joker’s message

- if there's music here, I don't remember it

There is music in scenes 34-35, I just can't remember what it is

35, I remember, has from about 3:30 to 4:30 from Why So Serious and cuts off after it finishes building up, instead of continuing like the suite.

Oh, OK. 0:00-0:52 from this video sounds different though. Is it unreleased?

I can hear that in the background throughout the beginning, but it's never released by itself. So, yes, I think. It could be that very quiet part without the fade in.

[Corellian2019 384]

Complete score releases are always good news, no matter our thoughts on the score in question. It may bode well for future releases. I hope this becomes an increasing trend.

If TDK 2-CD edition sells well, could an expanded/complete score release of "Heat" be far off?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Wow if that isn't fanboyism, I dunno what is.

[ManofDestiny 71]

Alright, let's do this. Here is the list of scenes from The Dark Knight, and the corresponding music that is in each scene too. I made this so that I could re-cut the score as I did with Batman Begins to put each track in order. Sure it's nice owning the original CD, but I am also a nerd for music in chronological order...

Excellent job. By the way, did you count how many music in the film are still unreleased in the OST? Because we will have 50mins of new music. In this case, maybe we could (in other words, you could) calculate whether the End Title will be include in the 2CD set or not. Would you mind doing that?

[CJWilkie 0]

Alright, let's do this. Here is the list of scenes from The Dark Knight, and the corresponding music that is in each scene too. I made this so that I could re-cut the score as I did with Batman Begins to put each track in order. Sure it's nice owning the original CD, but I am also a nerd for music in chronological order...

Excellent job. By the way, did you count how many music in the film are still unreleased in the OST? Because we will have 50mins of new music. In this case, maybe we could (in other words, you could) calculate whether the End Title will be include in the 2CD set or not. Would you mind doing that?

Well the current TDK CD is 1:13:32. Add "50 minutes of new music" and we get 2:03:32. According to IMDB the film is 2 hours 32 long including end credits.

From this alone I cannot tell whether or not the new cd will include the end credits. The entire film is not saturated with music (the batpod chase is almost entirely musicless, for example), so don't worry about the 29 minutes unaccounted for (actually it would be more than that considering some CD cues aren't even in the film).

Maybe the 7ish minutes of End Credits will be ripped from a DVD just like Batman Begins, and that would be no bad thing if it means other music goes on this set.

I haven't had the film on my computer for many months now, so couldn't tell you how much of the film contains music, and how much doesn't...just looking at the CD isn't enough to work things out.

[RuBen_Kenobi 19]

Hansy's first complete score release, it's a must buy!

I dunno... It seems a big disappointment to me that Disc 1 is just the Soundtrack. I'd feel better if they'd integrated the two discs. I listened the hell out of the OST and don't want to buy it again! Disc 2 better be incredible.

Very true

Crap, it costs more than the Indy boxset!

That really hurts...

Anyway, I love this score, so I´m going to buy it...

[Wycket 36]

Posted this is another thread but figured it be more useful here.

On CD WOW! they have TDK 2 disc set listed for $25.99.

I've never used them, but that is the cheapest I've seen it. I googled them though and saw some bad things about there service, so unless anyone else here has experience with them, I'd say be careful if you are going to use them.

[ManofDestiny 71]

My Amazon order shipped.

[CJWilkie 0]

The Dark Knight score is back in contention for an Oscar.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_pi...-the-acade.html

[Corellian2019 384]

The Dark Knight score is back in contention for an Oscar.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_pi...-the-acade.html

Oh, wowwwww....

Thanks btw, CJWilkie.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Wow, that means it will at least get a nomination. Why else would they reverse the decision? There's an overwhelming fan base for TDK, and the Academy just wants appeal to everyone who loves it and will nominate it in as many categories as they can. I wouldn't be surprised if it won best score. I wouldn't mind, at least it would give Howard his first Oscar.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

There were far better works of James Newton-Howard that could have fetched an Oscar. I lost what little respect I had towards the Academy Awards. I want to see the panel (or whatever it is that nominates the choices and winners) to write a single-spaced, 10 font Times New Roman, one-page essay explaining their decisions.

[Romão 2,274]

Whether the score is worthy of being nominated or not, I still feel it is a stupid rule and I don't mind seeing being bent from time to time.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The Academy is made up of actors and filmmakers. Tom Hanks is a member, for example.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Its quality is besides the point, as is the reasonablitily ( assuming that is a word) of the rule. What infuriates me is that they overturned their decision. As far as I know, the Academy Awards did not give "Batman Begins" the same courtesy. Cynical as it may sound, I fear that Koray Savas is right.

EDIT: Thank you for telling me, Koray. So they do not use neutral parties to determine the victors?

[indy4 155]

There were far better works of James Newton-Howard that could have fetched an Oscar.

By using that logic, KotCS doesn't deserve the Oscar because Raiders, ToD, and LC deserve it more.

Whether the score is worthy of being nominated or not, I still feel it is a stupid rule and I don't mind seeing being bent from time to time.

It is a stupid rule, and it should be abolished. However, I wish the Academy would just stay consistent with their rules for more than a year! They seem to make exceptions, whether they're official or just plain obvious, to this rule (among others) every friggin' year!

As for the TDK score quality...it doesn't deserve the win, not by a longshot, but I could see it being nominated. I haven't heard too many other scores, so I couldn't really say if it was one of the best of the year or not, but I wouldn't mind seeing it nominated. As long as it doesn't beat KotCS.

I know that there were some forceful reactions when Memoirs lost...can you imagine what would happen if JW lost to Hans?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yeah, this is the kind of stuff that makes me hate the Academy. If they bend their own rules, why not just permanently change them so there will be no bending??

TDK will get nominated for score, I am now sure of it. Whether it will win is another story, I still need to see the other noms. At this point, these could all be possible noms:

The Dark Knight

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Defiance

WALL*E

Revolutionary Road

Che

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull

Hmm, I can't think of anything else. That's 8 scores, 5 of which are by only 3 different composers