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What's the better score?


Ollie

Which is the better war score?  

28 members have voted

  1. 1. Pick the best/favorite

    • Medal Of Honor
    • Saving Private Ryan


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Oh yeah, I went there.

And I'm dead serious, no joking.

Saving Private Ryan supports the film wonderfully but take away Hymn For The Fallen, not much there.

MOH has a theme that would fit SPR, yet can turn into a rousing version. Great action cues and themes fill this score.

And outside of slight similarity with the LC German's themes,there is NO copying or pastiche of Williams.

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Oooh, interesting question. Ummm...I think the body of the score to Saving Private Ryan is rather nice, but boring as a whole listening experience...yet "Hymn to the Fallen" is beyond fantastic. I'm unusual in that "Medal of Honor" does not appeal to me as much as some other Giacchino scores, but I think its main theme is very solid, and it's got good moments throughout. Hmmm...I'll have to think on this. In all likelihood, I'll have to vote for Saving Private Ryan just for "Hymn to the Fallen" alone. Giacchino's done some great stuff, but...this is "Hymn to the Fallen" we're talking about.

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To proove I'm not unreasonable,I voted for MoH. SPR is really one of the more tedious Williams scores to listen to.

Can the Giacchiono who scored that and SWON come out to compose music for real films?

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To proove I'm not unreasonable,I voted for MoH. SPR is really one of the more tedious Williams scores to listen to.

Can the Giacchiono who scored that and SWON come out to compose music for real films?

I was listening to that one the other day and couldn't help thinking how well a lot of it would have fit in Star Trek. I guess his style has changed from that kind of pastiche feel to more of his own sound, but hot-damn, that brass main theme is lightyears better than his Star Trek one.

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Definitely MoH.

Like others, I find Ryan a bit dull outside the otherwise wonderful Hymn, or I at least have to be in the right mood to really appreciate the score. Giacchino's is great no matter when or where.

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To proove I'm not unreasonable,I voted for MoH. SPR is really one of the more tedious Williams scores to listen to.

How can you say that!?!

Williams is a legend that has been around for 50 years and the reason this board was founded. Williams is on the level of the best composers ever IMO and Gia is just Gia.

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one is a mediocre jw score the other is a fucking video game score in other words who gives a shit about it.

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the other is a fucking video game score in other words who gives a shit about it.

You could say the same thing about film scores in general.

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And outside of slight similarity with the LC German's themes,there is NO copying or pastiche of Williams.

I'm pretty sure one of the tracks (its an early one on the CD) sounds like it was based off Into the Trap

SPR is an terrific film score, but not a very good standalone listening experience. I say the same thing about Fiedel's Terminator scores. MOH, is a fun listen, although the somewhat single pace can make sitting through the entire score in one go a bit difficult. I don't really know how to vote here.

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MOH has a theme that would fit SPR, yet can turn into a rousing version. Great action cues and themes fill this score.

And outside of slight similarity with the LC German's themes,there is NO copying or pastiche of Williams.

Disagree. The heavier action cues (eg "Taking Out the Rail Gun" and "The Radar Train") are very similar in tone to "Belly of the Steel Beast" while "Rjuken Sabotage" is very clearly modeled after "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra"

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MOH has never sounded extraordinarily Williams-esque to me. It certainly covers the same sort of musical territory as Williams might have if he'd scored the game instead, but nothing in it sounds particularly like a Williams homage or pastiche to me.

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I think it's a bit unfair to compare the two works because one is written by a composer at the peak of his talent, while the other is the first major score of a then up-and-coming composer.

Saving Private Ryan may not be the most thrilling listening experience on CD, but it's a great score, it has a delicate balance, the writing is mature and full of lyricism. Williams develops his material with such intelligence and care while supporting the film with great dignity and elegance.

Medal of Honor is an enjoyable romp, maybe a bit too clearly modeled on Williams' 80s scores (Indiana Jones in particular). But it has the guts to be bold, so I like it.

the other is a fucking video game score in other words who gives a shit about it.

You then would be surprised to realize that a lot of videogame scores are much better than many so-called "epic" Hollywood scores for hugely budgeted blockbusters of today...

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This poll is absurd! Saving Private Ryan is one of Williams's finest scores! It is a testimony to his profundity as a musical dramatist, and anyone disinclined to see (hear) beyond "Hymn to the Fallen", is simply and tragically missing out. (I have yet to hear anything by Giacchino that leaves a lasting impression on me. Oh, how the standards have been lowered...)

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Tough choice. On one hand SPR is one of the least interesting scores from JW. On the other hand first MOH is one of the least interesting scores MG (yes, I started to like them starting from the third one). The latter is more enjoyable, the first one has one piece that beats anything in the other one.

SPR. Simply because of first track. A classic.

Karol

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I think it's a bit unfair to compare the two works because one is written by a composer at the peak of his talent, while the other is the first major score of a then up-and-coming composer.

Saving Private Ryan may not be the most thrilling listening experience on CD, but it's a great score, it has a delicate balance, the writing is mature and full of lyricism. Williams develops his material with such intelligence and care while supporting the film with great dignity and elegance.

Medal of Honor is an enjoyable romp, maybe a bit too clearly modeled on Williams' 80s scores (Indiana Jones in particular). But it has the guts to be bold, so I like it.

I do remember at the time both were released, there was some strong comparisons in terms of SPR being too subdued. Many felt that MOH was the stronger of the two.

To me it was a refreshing suprise that someone had the skills and ability to take video game music and turn it into something that rivaled and exceeded quite a bit of film music.

I was also one of SPR's strong supporters when most people decried it as dull and uninspired.

And I do admit to running with the poll in response to Joe's various ST ones, but I was serious about the subject matter.

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I...have to vote MOH.

It's the score SPR would have had if it had been an action oriented (instead of drama oriented) film.

I must say MOHAA main theme and MOHAirborne end credits would fit into Williams SPR almost seamlessly.

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"Saving Private Ryan". There is a lot of good music in SPR (the piece where Hanks is trying to stop himself from breaking down, after Wade gets killed, is particularly both effective, and affective) and I appreciate the way that there is no underscore in the battle scenes. Spielberg wisley lets the sights, sounds, and emotions of the scenes do their work without music, which is there to support the people of the film, and not the action. A brave choice, indeed. "Hymn To The Fallen" is a strong candidate for "the best single thing that J.W. has ever composed!" award.

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It's close, but SPR has the edge as for me there's far more to it than Hymn to the Fallen.

Omaha Beach, The Last Battle, Approaching the Enemy, Wade's Death are all far too underrated!

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