Are all JW fans in agreement that Hans Zimmer DOES write a good melody?

[Quintus 5,399]

Looking at Pieter's latest Muppet poll, I could be forgiven for thinking that there may be some truth in it.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Not all, but some.

[Maxxie 1]

I think he has written many good melodies.

[Greg1138 3]

Not a Zimmer fan by any stretch of the imagination, but there's little or no denying that he's a good tunesmith...

[Quintus 5,399]

I think he has written many good melodies.

Why am I not surprised that you would say that!

[Trent B 337]

In one simple word, no.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

No, not at all,

hell even JW has written some melodies that make you go EH!

[Quintus 5,399]

Oh well, it was worth asking anyway.

Lee - who thinks that the Crimson Tide theme is as good a tune as much of JW's output, to name but one (melody).

[Henry B 50]

Occasionally.

[aj_vader 534]

Hans Zimmer is not a bad composer, theres some stuff of his i Dont like but...

He has written some good melodies for Pirates Of The Caribbean movies.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Sure he can. That's rarely the problem with his music.

One of his best (that I can think of offhand) is his main Lion King theme.

[Quintus 5,399]

He has written some good melodies for Pirates Of The Caribbean movies.

Actually I believe his main theme for PotC to be amongst the weakest and downright laziest of his output.

That doesn't mean it fails the movie though, because it clearly doesn't.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

It was probably better in one of its many, many previous incarnations.

[Maxxie 1]

The Pirates of the Caribbean scores are some of my favourites! (Especially the 2nd one).

[Quintus 5,399]

Yes Ray, it was a lot better in Gladiator, at least.

[Maxxie 1]

Why am I not surprised that you would say that!

Don't know what you're talking about.

[Wojo 2,453]

Saying that Hans Zimmer has never written a single good melody at all is as ludicrous as suggesting that every single one of John Williams' melodies is an absolute perfect gem.

[Quintus 5,399]

You don't know Bobby Joe very well, do you?

[fommes 153]

Yes, he has written a good melody.

[Quintus 5,399]

So which one then?

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I do like the melodies for GLADIATOR, THE ROCK, and CRIMSON TIDE, even if the actual orchestration is a bit too much a lot of the time. Although BLACK RAIN was on Film4 last night, and that has some pretty good, if very derivative, 80s action riding-your-motorcycle-against-the-sunset music.

[fommes 153]

So which one then?

Do you mean he wrote more than one?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Although BLACK RAIN was on Film4 last night, and that has some pretty good, if very derivative, 80s action riding-your-motorcycle-against-the-sunset music.

You mean his main theme for Batman? Yes. My brother was going to do a featurette about that theme and its lineage through Zimmer's career. It's probably been in about 4 or 5 of his scores, including Begins and The Dark Knight.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

You don't know Bobby Joe very well, do you?

You don't know me well at all, seriously whats with your obsession with me, after a long night of serious gaming and your "daddie" is doing it to you, do you picture my face?

[Quintus 5,399]

80s action riding-your-motorcycle-against-the-sunset music.

That just happens to be my God damn favourite kind of music RIGHT THERE.

You don't know Bobby Joe very well, do you?

You don't know me well at all, seriously whats with your obsession with me, after a long night of serious gaming and your "daddie" is doing it to you, do you picture my face?

Lmao wtf?! Joey, I was originally referring to your initial response in this very thread on PAGE ONE. If i read you wrong, then I apologise. If not, then seriously dude, chill the f*ck out.

[bondo 33]

He's written numerous, terrific melodies:

Backdraft

Black Hawk Down ("Leave No Man Behind")

Broken Arrow

Crimson Tide

Gladiator

Kung Fu Panda

Muppet Treasure Island

The Last Samurai

The Peacemaker

The Ring

The Rock

[JoeinAR 1,949]

seriously quint do you know how to post without cussing

[Koray Savas 2,251]

He's written numerous, terrific melodies:

Backdraft

Black Hawk Down ("Leave No Man Behind")

Broken Arrow

Crimson Tide

Gladiator

Kung Fu Panda

Muppet Treasure Island

The Last Samurai

The Peacemaker

The Ring

The Rock

Very good, Bondo.

[Quintus 5,399]

When it comes to you and you cardboard cut-out ways, it is difficult, yes.

[Ollie 1,059]

Ehh, I heard some of his melodies played by live orchestra and it doesn't really improve them. They're too simple for my tastes.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

When it comes to you and you cardboard cut-out ways, it is difficult, yes.

ah so it is your linguistic crutch, and you are the end of that common statement.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I don't think he is at his best creating melodies.

[Williamsfan301 11]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[ChuckM 1]

Zimmer can write very good melodies. It's just a matter of whether or not he feels like it for a particular score.

[indy4 155]

Love Theme from AWE

Up is Down

Chevaliers de Sangreal

Lion King Theme

Batman's Theme

The Simpsons Theme (not the Elfman one)

Love THeme from the Simpsons

The Holiday Main Theme

and many more

[Datameister 2,044]

He's written some melodies that I enjoy quite a bit. I have artistic reservations about his frequent reuse of his own material, and his use of synths can become aggravating when it's not kept in check, and some of what he's written is just flat-out annoying to me. But when it comes right down to it, I'm grateful for a number of his scores because, no matter how much I can rationally hold them in contempt, they're fun. And music - at least music without words - can't aspire to do anything more than create some sort of desirable feeling in the listener.

I unapologetically enjoy the first Pirates (and the sequels to a much lesser extent), Drop Zone, The Lion King...and there are others that I've heard in whole or in part but don't actually own. His work on the Batman movies strikes me as laughably simple...frustrating, honestly, because I feel like I could write the same sort of music if I weren't so embarrassed to take that obvious a route. But on some level, I do enjoy it, I guess. Thin Red Line was one I did NOT like. Crimson Tide is one I like, but it just feels so redundant that I can't decide if I'm going to buy it or not.

EDIT:

One of his best (that I can think of offhand) is his main Lion King theme.

Which one are you referring to? I count something like a dozen themes in that score, with there being several equal contenders for "main theme."

[Richard Penna 3,696]

Yes, I think he can write a good, memorable melody.

They may be more simplistic than some, but heck, he's better than me

[Wojo 2,453]

I think the "This Land" theme is quite lovely, because at its conclusion, it transcends statements from both "The Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." I'm not sure how much musical collaboration Zimmer and Elton John shared as they came up with the music, but Zimmer's credited with the score, and Elton with the songs.

[Jay 37,378]

I thought some other guy wrote the first Pirates score, and Zimmer only did the 2nd and 3rd?

[Beowulf 4]

Some of you may not think that HZ can write a good melody, but he sure knows that video killed the radio star.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Zimmer can write good melodies, obvious...but good melodies.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Yes, I think he can write a good, memorable melody.

They may be more simplistic than some, but heck, he's better than me

but there is the rub, there is a difference between can write a good melody and does write a good melody.

[ChuckM 1]

I thought some other guy wrote the first Pirates score, and Zimmer only did the 2nd and 3rd?

Klaus Badelt took the credit for the first one, but the majority of the score was actually Zimmer.

[Datameister 2,044]

^ Correct. Word on the street is that Badelt did a fair amount of composing and adapting, but most of the themes were largely Zimmer's work. And it's all very much in Zimmer's style, in any case.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

One of his best (that I can think of offhand) is his main Lion King theme.

Which one are you referring to? I count something like a dozen themes in that score, with there being several equal contenders for "main theme."

I think the "This Land" theme is quite lovely, because at its conclusion, it transcends statements from both "The Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." I'm not sure how much musical collaboration Zimmer and Elton John shared as they came up with the music, but Zimmer's credited with the score, and Elton with the songs.

Yes, I believe the one I meant is "This Land." It plays grandly as Simba reclaims Pride Rock at the end.

[Datameister 2,044]

I figured that was the one you meant. I guess that would indeed be the best candidate for a main theme. And yes, it's really a wonderful melody. The Lion King as a whole really is interesting, because while certain passages are absurdly Zimmer-ish, there's a lot of material in there that doesn't really elicit memories of earlier or later scores.

[Wojo 2,453]

Quint's question does not ask if Zimmer writes a good melody EVERY time he sits down at his keyboard and computer to throw together a new score. He only asks if once or twice, he has successfully written a good melody, suggesting that he is indeed capable of such an accomplishment. Even a group of monkeys sitting down at a kid's piano can hammer together a good tune or two.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Even a group of monkeys sitting down at a kid's piano can hammer together a good tune or two.

You shouldn't bring Coldplay into this

[Datameister 2,044]

Even a group of monkeys sitting down at a kid's piano can hammer together a good tune or two.

I know you're being facetious, but that is, of course, entirely false. Probabilistically speaking, it would happen, yes, after many thousands of years, assuming that their motions were truly random. (Which they wouldn't be.) Practically speaking, one needs at least a little skill to be able to repeatedly write effective melodies. I'm only hammering this point because some members here seem to be under the impression that Zimmer and his cronies lack any skill whatsoever, which is patently false, regardless of their shortcomings.

[MissPadmé 17]

how can anyone who knows the melody of Davy Jones or Up is Down deny that Zimmer can write good melodies?

Not only good but great!