Jump to content

What Is The Last Score You Listened To? (older scores)


Ollie

Recommended Posts

Knights of the Round Table - The production values, Rosza's score and stunning CinemaScope photography have held up well, but the dialogue and pacing do leave something to be desired. It's still enjoyable in terms of old-fashioned entertainment, but it's not as well-paced and acted as some of Errol Flynn's best films like Adventures of Robin Hood and Adventures of Don Juan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The opening of your post makes it sound like it's been bashed. I don't think anyone here is familiar with it aside from Marian and maybe one or two other posters. I like it, haven't seen the film though.

It's a wonderful. Parts of it come close to mundane RCP territory, others are clearly inspired by Shore's Shire music or directly copied from Kilar's Dracula. But the rest, and there's still quite a bit of it, is certainly inspired and entertaining. Grand, bombastic bits, cool 5/4 action material and a lovely love theme. I don't often play the complete album, but roughly one third of it ends up in my playlist quite often.

The film is fantastic. For me, it's the rare kind of movie which I saw completely unaware of what to expect and liked so much I could have watched it all over again right away. It hits all the cliches (like the score does), but deliberately, fittingly, and often with a little twist. And Claire Danes is unbelievable in it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wild Rovers & Take A Hard Ride by Jerry Goldsmith.

Not familiar with either, what are they like?

I listened to The Land Before Time by Horner and a big wave of childhood memories came back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wild Rovers & Take A Hard Ride by Jerry Goldsmith.

Not familiar with either, what are they like?

Awesome and very spry Western scores, the likes only Jerry Goldsmith could conjure. It deviates from Aaron Copland / Elmer Bernstein sound and somehow mixes them with Ennio Morricone's style of Spaghetti westerns.

Highlights from "Wild Rovers":

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Batman: the Mask of Phantasm by Shirley Walker: A terrific superhero score very much in line with Danny Elfman's music. Makes you wish that Walker would have had a chance to score a live action Batman film although her contributions to the Batman franchise in the form of the Animated Series and this animated film are considerable and impactful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Hunger Games - James Newton Howard

I think it's a given that JNH actually does better when he's on a tight schedule. Waterworld, King Kong and now this film. The score as is is pretty short and further truncated in the film, but when it's used -- it's amazingly powerful. Especially in cues like "Rue's Farewell" and "Tenuous Winners Returning", where Katniss' overarching theme is used beautifully throughout.

It will be interesting to hear Howard's approach to the sequel, Catching Fire, and whether Francis Lawrence will favor Ross' more restrained spotting or a more normal approach.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Explorers - Jerry Goldsmith

I've been meaning to listen to this.

I listened to Gladiator by Zimmerman while driving to work. I thought I was going to hate it but its really an enjoyable listen, though I have to say I really dislike the fortissimo synth French horns.....but there are some nice themes in this score that I've been humming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Explorers - Jerry Goldsmith

I've been meaning to listen to this.

I thought it would be heavily laden with synths (like Legend which I thoroughly disliked) but here the synths are nicely balanced with the orchestra and it's does not bombard you with too much noisy strange synth sounds. It's perfectly listenable and one of JG's more beautiful light sounding music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stargate by David Arnold

Thanks to you I just finished my first complete listen of this score after about 10 years of dust-collecting. What really strikes me now is how "restrained" it all feels (compared to his other works). The first 10 tracks (on the Milan album) are among the best things Arnold has ever written. Flows great from track to track. After that... the attention just kind of fizzles. And even the action tracks at the end can't rectify this situation.

:music:Warriors of Virtue by Don Davis

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stargate by David Arnold

Thanks to you I just finished my first complete listen of this score after about 10 years of dust-collecting. What really strikes me now is how "restrained" it all feels (compared to his other works). The first 10 tracks (on the Milan album) are among the best things Arnold has ever written. Flows great from track to track. After that... the attention just kind of fizzles. And even the action tracks at the end can't rectify this situation.

:music:Warriors of Virtue by Don Davis

Karol

Yes it was a first listen of this score in a good while for me as well and I have to agree with you on the general sentiments but still the score is miles ahead of his Bond and small family drama material and makes me wonder what ever happened to that David Arnold who penned Stargate and ID4. Perhaps he changed and films certainly have but I would love to have him score something with such obvious gusto and attention to orchestral details (Nick Dodd was of course a huge help). I love Arnold's theme for Ra, there is such immediate gut reaction to his ominous lower gothic writing and those evil slicing high string effects and the choral renditions take it to whole other level of juicy melodrama.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stargate by David Arnold

Thanks to you I just finished my first complete listen of this score after about 10 years of dust-collecting. What really strikes me now is how "restrained" it all feels (compared to his other works). The first 10 tracks (on the Milan album) are among the best things Arnold has ever written. Flows great from track to track. After that... the attention just kind of fizzles. And even the action tracks at the end can't rectify this situation.

:music:Warriors of Virtue by Don Davis

Karol

Yes it was a first listen of this score in a good while for me as well and I have to agree with you on the general sentiments but still the score is miles ahead of his Bond and small family drama material and makes me wonder what ever happened to that David Arnold who penned Stargate and ID4. Perhaps he changed and films certainly have but I would love to have him score something with such obvious gusto and attention to orchestral details (Nick Dodd was of course a huge help). I love Arnold's theme for Ra, there is such immediate gut reaction to his ominous lower gothic writing and those evil slicing high string effects and the choral renditions take it to whole other level of juicy melodrama.

Yes, exactly. Take his Narnia score, for example. It has everything, all the themes and colours. It's all nicely developed and all. But it just doesn't generate any emotion from it.

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Little Women by Thomas Coolman:

One of the early triumphs of the composer, this score is a delightful exploration of highly lyrical ideas in a pure orchestral setting, a deviation for the composer so versed in working highly unlikely sounds into his music but certainly a welcome one. Coolman is a masterful writer of themes and this score is full of gorgeous melodicism and sprightly spirit. I can only marvel the skill with which he spins highly attractive material from his pen as nearly every track contains either an interesting variation on the established themes or a new standalone melodic moment. The other side of this coin is the typical Coolman fault if it can be called a fault in film music's case, that the tracks are most incredibly short and while the composer is adept in saying much in a short time, I wish he could have developed some ideas further in long cues like he does with the stately opening Main Title (The Orchard House) and the End Title (Under the Umbrella). All in all a very strong and harmonically and melodically delightful early score from Mr. Coolman.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Explorers - Jerry Goldsmith

One of my top-10 JG scores! A brilliant achievement!

It's not that difficult to pop in a cd and press play. But then again this is the same guy that doesn't know what a browser is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Little Women by Thomas Coolman:

One of the early triumphs of the composer, this score is a delightful exploration of highly lyrical ideas in a pure orchestral setting, a deviation for the composer so versed in working highly unlikely sounds into his music but certainly a welcome one. Coolman is a masterful writer of themes and this score is full of gorgeous melodicism and sprightly spirit. I can only marvel the skill with which he spins highly attractive material from his pen as nearly every track contains either an interesting variation on the established themes or a new standalone melodic moment. The other side of this coin is the typical Coolman fault if it can be called a fault in film music's case, that the tracks are most incredibly short and while the composer is adept in saying much in a short time, I wish he could have developed some ideas further in long cues like he does with the stately opening Main Title (The Orchard House) and the End Title (Under the Umbrella). All in all a very strong and harmonically and melodically delightful early score from Mr. Coolman.

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

I don't enjoy reading 50 Shades of Grey,

As much as I enjoy reading you! :thumbup:

love love love this score. one of my first newman favorites! it's a definite highlight of his career and while I understand some peoples irritation with the short tracks I must say that, in this case, it never really bothered me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still think The Breaking of the Fellowship is the single best cue of that decade

You know what? I don't think that technically it is best thing, but on purely emotional ground pretty hard to beat indeed.

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hannibal by Hans Zimmer & Co.: One of my few Zimmer favourites. Apart from the rather eclectic collection of subsidiary material from RCP co- and additional music composers the actual score by Zimmer is a classically tinged and alluringly gothic affair, enhanced by elegant choral voice provided by the Libera boys choir. Perhaps it is the lack of overt electronic enhancements and the darkly charming atmosphere that makes this score so appealing and later the closest Zimmer has come to this soundscape by combining similar elements is Da Vinci Code but taking a more muscular and ostinato driven approach there. I could have done without Anthony Hopkins' narration on some of the tracks but luckily it isn't too distracting or dominating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bah I say! Bah! Double Bah! And Johan Sebastian Bach! I am not placating anyone here BloodBoal!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Come on! Everybody knows that you always try to avoid conflict and want to please everyone! Stop doing that! Go wild! Say "Shit! Fuck! Bullshit! Chupacanabra!" for once in your life!

I battle with you on regular basis Boaly! If it is a war you want bring it on you gormless guttersnipe! Civility is so overrated! ROOOOAAAAGGGHHHHHH!!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hannibal by Hans Zimmer & Co.: One of my few Zimmer favourites. Apart from the rather eclectic collection of subsidiary material from RCP co- and additional music composers the actual score by Zimmer is a classically tinged and alluringly gothic affair, enhanced by elegant choral voice provided by the Libera boys choir. Perhaps it is the lack of overt electronic enhancements and the darkly charming atmosphere that makes this score so appealing and later the closest Zimmer has come to this soundscape by combining similar elements is Da Vinci Code but taking a more muscular and ostinato driven approach there. I could have done without Anthony Hopkins' narration on some of the tracks but luckily it isn't too distracting or dominating.

Lol, sounds cringeworthy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hannibal by Hans Zimmer & Co.: One of my few Zimmer favourites. Apart from the rather eclectic collection of subsidiary material from RCP co- and additional music composers the actual score by Zimmer is a classically tinged and alluringly gothic affair, enhanced by elegant choral voice provided by the Libera boys choir. Perhaps it is the lack of overt electronic enhancements and the darkly charming atmosphere that makes this score so appealing and later the closest Zimmer has come to this soundscape by combining similar elements is Da Vinci Code but taking a more muscular and ostinato driven approach there. I could have done without Anthony Hopkins' narration on some of the tracks but luckily it isn't too distracting or dominating.

Lol, sounds cringeworthy.

Nah. Better than with Angela's Ashes where the narration is a bit more distracting in my opinion. Zimmer thought it was a great idea to insert some of the dialogue (or monologue) from the film into the tracks so there is Anthony Hopkins reading e.g. Divina Commedia in Italian in there as Hannibal holds a presentation on the subject in the film. If I remember correctly Hans said Tony Hopkins would make even reading the phonebook interesting.

Journey by Austin Wintory: I can't get enough of this score. It just clicked with me really well, the thematic and melodic and the atmospheric and ethereal. I hope this man gets more high profile film work in the future.

The Witches of Eastwick by John Williams: One of the most wickedly fun comedy scores I have ever heard. The Dance of the Witches is extremely infectuous main theme and got me hooked the first time I heard it. The whole score is a delightful mix of artfully constructed light comedy and highly witty and dramatic scoring that is well balanced thematically. Williams uses surprising amount of synths in this score but rather than making them stand out he uses them in a subtle ways to enhance the sound of the orchestra and producing some unnerving and unusual sounds that offer variety to the sonic palette. The score offers rather dexterous and transparent orchestrations and Maestro's gift for melody is in abundant use here and you can tell that he was having fun with all the scratchy violin music, the unnerving music for the devilry and rollicking lighthearted and thunderous set pieces. The album is well compiled and contains a lion's share of the score, including all the highlights from the film. The unused The Ballroom scene is a definite romantic highlight, sadly replaced by Nessun Dorma in the film, which is a shame as this is up there with the most ravishing of Williams love themes in the sheer swooning quality but luckily Williams included it on the album. Highly recommended.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Come on! Everybody knows that you always try to avoid conflict and want to please everyone! Stop doing that! Go wild! Say "Shit! Fuck! Bullshit! Chupacanabra!" for once in your life!

I battle with you on regular basis Boaly! If it is a war you want bring it on you gormless guttersnipe! Civility is so overrated! ROOOOAAAAGGGHHHHHH!!!!

Badger beard!

Spineless son of an earthworm! Oh wait! Earthworms hardly have a spine at all. Let's try it again: You spineless, rickety, milky, poxy son of a Marseille dockyard doxy!

:music: Daryl Arrives from The Witches of Eastwick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.