Pieter Boelen 633 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 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 Polar Express by Alan Silvestri. 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?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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 2,082 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 4 stars.Great main theme, stunning action and a true Christmas spirit.I find it gets a little repetitive though, especially towards the end where the main theme is just played over and over. Also, the album sucks with less than 10 minutes given to Silvestri, only about 1 1/2 mins of which is an actual score cue used in the film (first half of Seeing is Believing - the Suite from... seems to be orchestral versions of the songs and other re-recorded bits). Badly needs a proper release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh500 1,602 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Never heard the music, never seen the movie.Should I rent it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 2,082 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Good movie, although nothing that special IMO. I'd see it more for the motion capture.If you want to hear the music, find the promo which has about 30 mins of score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 633 Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Thankfully there's a promo floating around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 152 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 4.5. It is fantastic, though sadly all I own is the OST.Never heard the music, never seen the movie.Should I rent it?Yes! The film and score are both absolutely brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissPadmé 17 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 3 Stars. It has some ice ideas and some great actionmusic. but in the movie, it gets really repetitive!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,095 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 49 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Nothing but candy coated fluff for a film filled with meaningless spectacle. Pretty good for what it is, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I'll give it a 3. Unfortunately the music does nothing to help the film, which is a complete snooze fest and one of the most overated holiday films to come along.Silvestri does a nice job of mixing in some traditional Christmas music but it doesn't elevate the music beyond a good score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Nice Christmasy feel with good themes. But as others have said, it gets pretty repetitive, to the point where the perfectly lovely main theme becomes rather tiresome. So, 3.5 I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delorean90 32 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I'll give it a 3. Unfortunately the music does nothing to help the film, which is a complete snooze fest and one of the most overated holiday films to come along.Silvestri does a nice job of mixing in some traditional Christmas music but it doesn't elevate the music beyond a good score.I disagree.A. A couple of spots particularly that stood out as fine marriages of music and visual were the ending of the frozen lake scene (with the train going up and around the mountain) and Santa's departure. The latter was especially enhanced by the music, I thought.B. My family and I all liked it a good deal. I didn't think it was boring--in fact, it's becoming a traditional film for us to watch. I suppose I can see where someone may not like it, but I enjoyed it (and I never really got the whole "creepy kids" complaint). C. I didn't realize it had gotten that huge of a response. All that said, one of my biggest complaints is when the kids are singing in the back of the train; their style sounded too polished and...for lack of a better term, contemporary-poppy. I would've liked something a little more natural sounding without having a grating quality, but oh well. Score-wise, I like it a lot. It's one of my favorites of recent years, the theme is wonderful, and as I mentioned already, Santa's departure is quite the highlight. I do agree, though, with the complaint of it getting somewhat repetitive towards the end with the theme. It almost makes me wonder if in some of these cases Zemeckis requested that Silvestri insert more statements of the theme. Overall, though, it's a fine (Christmas) score by Silvestri. 4 stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Not familiar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Williamsfan301 11 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 3. Not a bad outing. Something good to play during the holidays and never take out the rest of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 633 Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 4,5 from me. Pretty darn good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,484 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 3 stars...Rehashing 'Edward Scissorhands' with the tinkly celeste music, but has much more orchestral fury in reserve. Standard Silvestri, which means it's agreeable enough without being any great shakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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