James Horner Interview

[indy4 152]

http://www.dp30.com/media/2010/sound/jameshornersound.mp3

James Horner talks about the current state of film music, some of his own scores, and why he prefers film music to classical music. He also gives some decent praise to John Williams' Star Wars scores.

[publicist 4,484]

http://www.dp30.com/media/2010/sound/jameshornersound.mp3

James Horner talks about the current state of film music, some of his own scores, and why he prefers film music to classical music. He also gives some decent praise to John Williams' Star Wars scores.

It's certainly interesting to listen to him...especially with the scarf.

I really have mellowed regarding Horner over the years. Yeah, i know that he isn't god's gift to music (and he knows it too, it seems) but you certainly can tell from his analysis of the director/composer relationship that he could bring a lot more to the table than he often does, but has long become rather disillusioned by the whole process.

[Quintus 5,391]

Sure, but has he become as disillutioned as his fans?

[publicist 4,484]

Sure, but has he become as disillutioned as his fans?

Are they? (we're not talking about rabid FSM torchbearers; they are no fans)

[MissPadmé 17]

hm I hate American Interviewers.

I just don't like their attitude

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

I like the Austrian way better!

[Quintus 5,391]

So did I.

[TownerFan 4,548]

Interesting interview. I find the interviewer, being clearly not a film score nerd, asked the right questions and Horner replied with interesting answers.

Nice to see him acknowledging Giacchino's Up and showing some love for Williams' Star Wars.

[Richard Penna 2,082]

I did notice him mention "I'm not god, who i am to say something I've written is better than someone else"

Has he forgotten his thorough blasting of Yared? He's a comletely different person in this interview.

[MissPadmé 17]

I did notice him mention "I'm not god, who i am to say something I've written is better than someone else"

Has he forgotten his thorough blasting of Yared? He's a comletely different person in this interview.

Yes I remembered how he accused Yared's score of being "oldfashioned" and in this interview he mournes about the fact that nobody wants these thematic-driven scores anymore, because they are typecast as being oldfashioned..

well, well...

[Quintus 5,391]

Power anthems and ethnic wailing are all the rage, don't ya know.

Proves though how much of an influence the money men have when it comes to music in their movies, not that anyone here should really be surprised by this.

The Jerry and John sound is all but dead and so last century.

[John Crichton 4]

It'll come back. It always does.

[Quintus 5,391]

Yes, of that we can all be pretty much certain.

[crocodile 6,294]

I did notice him mention "I'm not god, who i am to say something I've written is better than someone else"

Has he forgotten his thorough blasting of Yared? He's a comletely different person in this interview.

Yes I remembered how he accused Yared's score of being "oldfashioned" and in this interview he mournes about the fact that nobody wants these thematic-driven scores anymore, because they are typecast as being oldfashioned..

well, well...

Yes, he did mention Yared's music being old fashioned, but it was more because of how it functioned against the picture than the actual quality of the writing. Don't get me wrong: I like this music very much but it could ruin the film by being so bold and big. It was not what this film needed (and not what it deserved). It is a valid opinion, I think.

Karol

[Richard Penna 2,082]

He used the phrase "how atrocious the music was". His entire tone said that he could write a more fitting score in 10 days than Yared did in a year. That's arrogance in my book.

But I agree that the film didn't deserve Yared's music. Horner's fit rather well quality-wise IMO (several things about Horner's score annoy the hell out of me).

[crocodile 6,294]

Again, I think this phrase referred to the music as used in the film. And you have to admit it might be true. I'm not defending Horner's score, but it is more controlled and professional work, in a way. Not in a compositional sense, but in a way it works in the film. It is the opposite with Yared: it's a great "music", but not necessarily great "film music".

Karol

[MissPadmé 17]

He used the phrase "how atrocious the music was". His entire tone said that he could write a more fitting score in 10 days than Yared did in a year. That's arrogance in my book.

(sarcasm mode on)

how is that arrogance? He obviously "knows" what he is capable of,

"interesting that Horner could come up with something sooooooooooooo obviously much better in a few weeks than that guy in one year.. " (sarcasm mode off)

seriously, why is that guy still in the biz.?

[David Coscina 3]

He used the phrase "how atrocious the music was". His entire tone said that he could write a more fitting score in 10 days than Yared did in a year. That's arrogance in my book.

how is that arrogance? He obviously knows what he is capable of, interesting that Horner could come up with something so much better in a few weeks than that guy in one year.. seriously, why is that guy still in the biz.?

It's one thing to not like a composer's output but to assert that he should not be in the business is plain stupidity. Yared writes circles around Horner AND it's original. Listen to Camille Claudel or Cold Mountain or even City of Angels. He might not be as prolific but he's got his compositional chops and then some. And if you weren't a woman, I would be much harsher with my sentiments towards your vacuous post.

[Ollie 859]

Aww don't be so PC Dave.

Let her have it.

Yared's score was too good for the film.

[Charlie Brigden 5]

Yared's score was too good for the film.

I agree. Yared's music wasn't wrong for the film, the film was wrong for Yared's music and should have been reshot to accomodate it (it wouldn't have hurt looking at the final product).

[Ollie 859]

Unless you're George Lucas or Steven Spielberg, that won't happen.

We know the music gets thrown out and some one else ends up coming to "save" the day or compose something even worse.

[John Crichton 4]

Late in production the score is the easiest thing to replace.

[MissPadmé 17]

It's one thing to not like a composer's output but to assert that he should not be in the business is plain stupidity. Yared writes circles around Horner AND it's original. Listen to Camille Claudel or Cold Mountain or even City of Angels. He might not be as prolific but he's got his compositional chops and then some. And if you weren't a woman, I would be much harsher with my sentiments towards your vacuous post.

jez, come down.. who are you, Yared's spokesman?

and where do you read that I meant Yared by asking "why is he still in the biz" ?

the first part was meant to be sarcastic, but I guess I could have marked that with a special smiley or something and the second part, you know: I am just wondering what the appeal of Horner 's music could be - because he, as we all know - just keeps repeating himself, and talks in interviews like he has been kissed by 5000 goedesses of music at the same time.

also I didn' say he SHOULDN#T be in the biz, not directly - read a little more carefully next time

but nevertheless:

If a simple post, written by a complete stranger to you, manages to create such anger inside yourself, I am really worried.

[David Coscina 3]

No don't put this back on me. Your post states with no suggestion of sarcasm that Yared shouldn't be in the business. And, no I'm not Yared's spokesman but I am a friend of his so yeah, your comment irked me to say the least.

And I don't think my post was as inflammatory as you suggest.

[MissPadmé 17]

No don't put this back on me. Your post states with no suggestion of sarcasm that Yared shouldn't be in the business. And, no I'm not Yared's spokesman but I am a friend of his so yeah, your comment irked me to say the least.

And I don't think my post was as inflammatory as you suggest.

Well Horner has the Danger motif, and less curly hair - which is a BIIIG bonus to me.

also he is half Austrian (his father was born in austro-hungary and raised and educated in Vienna)

But they have something in common: They both wrote a score, that did get the Academy Award, but did not deserve it, in that year.

also they are less than average to me, compared to Beethoven or Hans Werner Henze.

If I ever met him, I would ask him to sign the Horner Troy OST

[gkgyver 1,638]

I did notice him mention "I'm not god, who i am to say something I've written is better than someone else"

Has he forgotten his thorough blasting of Yared? He's a comletely different person in this interview.

Yes I remembered how he accused Yared's score of being "oldfashioned" and in this interview he mournes about the fact that nobody wants these thematic-driven scores anymore, because they are typecast as being oldfashioned..

well, well...

Yes, he did mention Yared's music being old fashioned, but it was more because of how it functioned against the picture than the actual quality of the writing. Don't get me wrong: I like this music very much but it could ruin the film by being so bold and big. It was not what this film needed (and not what it deserved). It is a valid opinion, I think.

Karol

Like Horner's score is so restrained???

His effort is just as cliched as he would like to think Yared's was.

Horner said "when I heard it, I thought it was atrocious, like from a 1950s Hercules movie". "I'm sure Gabriel is a terrific guy, but he isn't right for this genre. He hasn't worked on films like this before."

That may be his "valid opinion", it's still the attitude of an a-hole.

[indy4 152]

And if you weren't a woman, I would be much harsher with my sentiments towards your vacuous post.

[gkgyver 1,638]

I'd like to see that ... where did female emancipation go?

[crocodile 6,294]

Like Horner's score is so restrained???

His effort is just as cliched as he would like to think Yared's was.

I didn't say it isn't. But in this score's case the understatement is better than overststement, I think. And that's what JH understands.

"I'm sure Gabriel is a terrific guy, but he isn't right for this genre. He hasn't worked on films like this before."

Which is true. At least the second part.

That may be his "valid opinion", it's still the attitude of an a-hole.

As far as his output goes (plagiarism aside) he's more than competent to give such opinion. But yes, it isn't nice. At least he's honest.

Karol

[karelm 2,355]

Interesting interview. He certainly seems to have lightened his cocky tone recently and also seems to lament the lack of melody in music these days. I imagine the score he was referring to where the director asked him to remove the melody and only use the chords was "The New World" directed by Terrence Mallick. The music in the film is much less melodic than the soundtrack is and I know he disapproved of the musical direction he was given on that film.

Since part of the reason identified by Horner that melodic writing isn't in vogue is because of a crop fo directors who do not want that sound/style, do you think melodic music will return? The big blockbusters still use melodies - Pirates of the Carribean, Alice in Wonderland, King kong, Harry Potter, etc., so whenever I hear a score in those films, I think melodic writing is still the way to write the big films, but it feels like it doesn't take hold as being the "sound" of film scoring it was 20-30 years ago. I'm trying to understand if its a fad, or melodies are gone. What do you guys think?

[David Coscina 3]

I did like this interview. He's become a lot more modest about himself and his abilities. What he said in the past isn't great but it was 5 years ago so it's history.

If he wins over Giacchino, I wouldn't be too upset. If Giacchino wins, it will also be well deserved. As long as one of them wins....