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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King


Pieter Boelen

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Howard Shore)  

50 members have voted

  1. 1. How do you rate this score?

    • 5 stars
      21
    • 4,5 stars
      10
    • 4 stars
      6
    • 3,5 stars
      3
    • 3 stars
      1
    • 2,5 stars
      1
    • 2 stars
      3
    • 1,5 stars
      0
    • 1 stars
      3
    • I'm not familiar with this score
      2


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Every few days I will post a thread on a random score from my collection that we can discuss and rate. I made a playlist on my computer with one track of each score I've got, so by using the random play option, I'll be able to post a truly random score each time. Hopefully this will allow us to discuss some scores that would otherwise never be discussed. Also we can record the rating so that we can create a full list of the ratings given to scores by JWFan.com.

This is a continuation of a series of polls I started before I left. One of the last scores I posted was ToD, but now that we actually have an expanded version, I post it again, just to get things going again and see if anybody's opinion on the score has changed. Stand by for new entries in the score rating polls shortly.

Today's score is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by Howard Shore. Are you familiar with it? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? How do do you think it works in the film? What are your favourite tracks?

lord-rings-return-king.JPG250px-The_Return_of_the_King_-_The_Complete_Recordings.jpg

So far JWFan has rated:

See Soundtrack Ratings by JWFan.com.

This web page contains the ratings from all my previous polls as well as those of Blumenkohl's.

Final ratings are converted to a 1-10 rating for both rating systems so that they can be compared.

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4.5

- A film of this length is going to have a few dead spots in the score, and hence there are a few cues I've listened to only a few times because nothing very interesting happens in them.

- Shore wrote up to 6 mins of music a day towards the end of scoring film 3, and there are a few places where I think it shows, i.e. Dernhelm in Battle. There's something a bit simplistic about this cue, particularly the 2nd half, when you compare it to similar cues. Early parts of Osgiliath Invaded also get a tad repetitive for me.

The 'dancing' strings he uses a lot also tire me out a little bit. It's a bit like Williams' use of the glockenspiel - it works when it works, but he really does overuse it some of the time

But the sheer thematic complexity, and inventiveness in others areas of the score easily warrant what would otherwise be a 5 star score for me.

---

1 star?

Is that Joey?

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4.5. Some absolutely stunning passages, but it's not 100% consistently great. Close enough, though. 'For Frodo' is stunning, and 'The Return of the King' through to 'The Grey Havens' and 'Elanor' is some of the most emotionally satisfying scoring I've ever heard.

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2 stars.

Maybe because the lengt of the film and there are very long war-scenes it is difficult to score. The action music

start to sound very boring quite soon.

FOTR is best of the three.

:huh: Agreed

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2 stars.

Maybe because the lengt of the film and there are very long war-scenes it is difficult to score. The action music

start to sound very boring quite soon.

FOTR is best of the three.

Agreed, except I gave it 3 stars and I find all three score on the boring side. HOWEVER, it's obvious that Jackson wanted a score that rather underplayed the action so in terms of what the director wanted, it functions well. I personally would have perfered a more in your face John Williams-esque score.

Still, it is an achievement!

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4 stars. Music as good as it gets without being an instant classic. Some really stunning material there, though a bit too much filler too. Which is probably because of the endless tinkering with the film. But, still, Shore should be applauded for his patience with this thing. And the whole finale (The Mouth of Sauron - end) is a real knock-out.

Karol - loving the simultanous use of three ring themes in Mount Doom (an other such things).

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The more something is loved by many people, the more other people will hate it. These scores got a ridiculous blizzard of publicity in 2001-2007. There wasn't a single year where there wasn't some sort of album released with this music. After three years of OST there was a Silva Screen re-recording. After that, three years of CR. Now they're about to release this book, with even more music. They say these score remain relevant because people still talk about them. But you can see yourself that this buzz is articial to an extent, for there is no time for this music to stand for itself. So you almost imagine some people getting really tired with these, given the fact there are much more deserving things being completely screwed (i.e. Indy).

I think we have to wait 10 years to really tell what these scores are really worth.

Karol

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The more something is loved by many people, the more other people will hate it. These scores got a ridiculous blizzard of publicity in 2001-2007. There wasn't a single year where there wasn't some sort of album released with this music. After three years of OST there was a Silva Screen re-recording. After that, three years of CR. Now they're about to release this book, with even more music. They say these score remain relevant because people still talk about them. But you can see yourself that this buzz is articial to an extent, for there is no time for this music to stand for itself. So you almost imagine some people getting really tired with these, given the fact there are much more deserving things being completely screwed (i.e. Indy).

I think we have to wait 10 years to really tell what these scores are really worth.

Karol

Yes, I think that's an important factor. The trilogy as a whole makes my overall favourite score, but that doesn't mean it's critic-proof. The scores have undoubtedly received the treatment they did because of the success and popularity of the films. In terms of music quality, even though there are variations within the scores, I think that most of the set piece at least would be considered an absolute highlight in any other score.

I think Jackson and Shore should be commended for coming out musically unscathed from what was clearly a monstrous editing task. Had this been a Lucas production, we'd be seeing tracked music used for the extended scenes, and tons of edits within the action scenes, but Shore stuck with it, and still produced some pretty amazing music under huge pressure, given how close they came with delivering the film.

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FOTR is best of the three.

Yes.

1 star?

Is that Joey?

I wouldn't think Joey would stoop that low

Besides, Joe's favourite film of the trilogy is RotK, so I should imagine he would praise the score.

Methinks Manual is to blame for one of the low votes! :)

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no, I did not give it a one star, I gave it 2 or 3 I don't remember for sure. I don't think its anything special, its more of a rehash of the first two scores which I don't think are anything special. I do think the film is quite special, and with a great score it would be slightly better.

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For me at least, the score is everything I wished for. It affected me with it's subtlety and it soared when the action was high. During all the highs and lows, I was emotionally moved by the score.

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I had no link to the scores, no link to the films. ROTK was just a nice surprise, an emotional film. I found the score especially on the dvd to be droning on and on during the selection sequences. Still it must have worked on some level for me because I did tear up at the end.

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5 stars, easily!

Yay! i was counting on you to post 5 Stefan ;)

Its a 5/5 from me, the Return Of The King Complete Recordings is one of the best investments ive ever made :P

My favourite part is the brassy section in the last 2 minutes of 'The Siege Of Gondor', sheer brilliance.

My next favourite part is in 'The Grace of Undómiel' 4.12 - 5.39, Fantastic!

So many good parts, I love the whole score.

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I am not the biggest fan of the music for the LotR films, but there's a lot of parts that I consider great.

The music works very well indeed in the films for me, but outside of the films, there's long stretches that leave me cold.

These are mainly stretches of underscoring, because when the music does take centre stage, it is quite breathtaking.

Surprisingly enough, the finale of RotK is actually one of the parts where I was very much underwhelmed.

I am still debating how to rate this score. On the one hand, I want to give it 5 stars,

because it is extremely good in parts and on the whole it's an incredible achievement.

However, then there's such a great amount of music that just doesn't do anything for me at all...

I think I'll go with a 4,5, which sounds about fair.

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I found the score especially on the dvd to be droning on and on during the selection sequences.

Ha ha! Tell me, how is that possibly be a stain on the marvel of this score? It isn't, so don't be daft.

I find satisfaction in you last comment though. I am pleased it made man tears for you. Job well done.

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I'll give it a five even though Fellowship is my favorite overall. I don't know, I have difficulty separating each quality-wise, I prefer to look at the three as one really, really long work.

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I am still debating how to rate this score. On the one hand, I want to give it 5 stars,

because it is extremely good in parts and on the whole it's an incredible achievement.

I think I'll go with a 4,5, which sounds about fair.

The word "incredible" normally implies greatness. 5/5 is normally awarded in such instances. If it fits the film, then that's all that really matters.

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I found the score especially on the dvd to be droning on and on during the selection sequences.

Ha ha! Tell me, how is that possibly be a stain on the marvel of this score? It isn't, so don't be daft.

I find satisfaction in you last comment though. I am pleased it made man tears for you. Job well done.

It is GE, especially when I was trying to find the easter eggs on the set, and the tune kept recycling. I finally muted it.

Joe, wondering what a true masterpiece in Indy 4's eyes are, I suspect anything he listens too more than once.

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4.5. Since all the CRs were released I've had a hard time deciding if this or FotR is my favorite.

Agreed with the eyebrow guy.

rog.jpg

I am the Master, and you will obey me.

As long as you're not dancing around to Scissor Sisters.

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It is GE, especially when I was trying to find the easter eggs on the set, and the tune kept recycling. I finally muted it.

Ha ha ha!

If that were true, I don't think there'd be a discussion board dedicated to the matter.

Probably, but for all the wrong reasons.

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If that were true, I don't think there'd be a discussion board dedicated to the matter.

Probably, but for all the wrong reasons.

If enigmatic was what you were going for, than mission accomplished. I haven't a clue what that means.

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Hard to decide between 4.5 and 5.0. Thematically, the LOTR scores are among the biggest and most complex things written for movies. They fit their films like a glove. On CD they do tend to drag a bit in their complete forms, because much of the "filler" material makes sense only in context (the big problem of the Symphony, where these bits are taken out of their musical context as well).

Still, I'd say FOTR and TTT are worth 4.5, and ROTK being the best of the bunch (with the best writing in stuff like Beacons and Shelob), I gave it the 5.0.

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4.5 stars.

A tremendous effort by Shore but there are a few parts that drag. Given the amount of music that's no suprise. But still a very good score to wrap up the 3 films.

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Methinks Manual is to blame for one of the low votes! :P

You dont pay much attention to my posts do you? :P

Aside from that i always praise the ROTK score,

I'M NOT A KIFFRING INSTRUCTION BOOK. WHO TAUGHT YOU TO SPELL MY NAME, STEF? ;)

:lol:

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Still deciding...

I think I am with Joey on this one...the movie deserved more.

Though I don't have the CR.

The Complete Recordings would definatley change your opinion on the score. There is no comparison for me between the Original Soundtrack and the Complete Recordings

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