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

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

Is it me or is the action material in ROTS incredibly similar to THE PATRIOT?

Totally. Listen to the beginning of Facing the British Lines.

[Gnome in Plaid 219]

Superman Returns (John Ottman)

Makes me forget about the travesty that was Man of Steel, at least both Ottman and Singer understood that Superman needs to have the march, the best superhero theme ever composed.

I'll see you one Superman March and raise you a "Rising Hero" theme from Batman Begins.

Into The Storm By Brian Tyler

This one didn't leave as much of an impression on me as TMNT, though i was busier while listening to it. The first track is again a highlight, and overall the score seems to feature some nice action music as well as a lot of nice reflective music (Which TMNT has very little of). Also some trademark Tyler pounding drums and a few bits that reminded me of Twister mixed with Now You See Me.

Definitely will be giving both these Tyler scores more spins!

Really? I found Into the Storm far superior to TMNT, and probably the best score of Tyler's career.

Lucy by Eric Serra

Meh...there isn't much to get excited about here.

You expected something to get excited about from Eric Serra?

Is it me or is the action material in ROTS incredibly similar to THE PATRIOT?

It is mostly you but you could argue that the modern JW action writing of the noughties was emerging in The Patriot and had found a slightly more motivic yet kinetic formula by 2005. The ostinato heavy approach really reached its peak during that time in Williams' post 2000 action writing. In The Patriot it is still a combination of both straighforward bold thematic statements and those driving pulsing forward hurtling ideas that would characterize so much of JWs later action output.

I was just listening to the Patriot the other day and it really contains a lot of elements that became quite prevalent in the 2000's Williams. Americana string elegies and Vaughan Williamsy-Aaron Copland-esque mix of pastoral writing and the ostinati driven kinetically charged action music. What Williams might have won in refinement he somewhat lost in the sheer raw energy. But there is also the old fashioned heroic burnished brass fanfare writing mixed with highly melodic themes going on in the Patriot, especially for the final battle sequence like which Williams hasn't quite written since.

While listening to the End Credits it struck me how great it would have been if Mark O'Connor had been featured throughout the score since his fiddle work really gives the suite such wonderful special flavour that might have benefited the sound world of the music immensely.

I think every time I listen to The Patriot, I find something else to like about it. "Tavington's Trap" is becoming one of my favorite Williams action pieces, up there with "I Am the Senate," "Revenge of the Sith," and "Belly of the Steel Beast."

Innerspace (Jerry Goldsmith)

I had tears in my eyes while listening to this, Jerry in his ultra-fun & super duper creative mode.

I had tears in my eyes because this is what's missing from much of today's film scoring.

The genius of Jerry is what's missing. The talent and desire to improve a film 200 %.

I consider myself a pretty big Goldsmith fan, but I've never even heard of this one. I'll have to track it down.

Into the Storm (Tyler) - Wow. By my reckoning, this is easily the best score of Brian Tyler's otherwise largely lackluster career, and actually, one of my favorites of the year so far. For the most part, Tyler's music, in my opinion has fallen into one or both of two categories: derivative and dreadful. Some individual scores, particularly Frailty and The Expendables 2, have had great moments, but even in those he largely often slips into imitations of better composers or action music that sounds like something from a stock trailer music library. Finally, though, he seems to have come into his own. In a promotional interview, Tyler mentions Corigliano as an influence for this score, and, entirely unexpectedly, I can hear the connection at times. This is an deftly orchestrated, imaginative score with some great thematic material. The main highlight track is "The Fire Tornado." Here's to hoping Tyler can keep it up.

The Monkey King (Young) - The only Christopher Young release with an album so far this year, this gives Mansell's Noah a run for its money... as the most disappointing score this year. How did the man who wrote such brilliant choral work as Drag Me to Hell and Tales from the Hood write something as bland as this? Instead of solid musicianship, there's forgettable power chords that, even if they aren't, sound like low-end samples. There's just very little to recommend here.

[crocodile 8,033]

King Kong by John Barry

Karol

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

Doesn't get much better than that!

In fact, I'm listening to it right now. God. Barry, man. What a legend. He was the terror, the mystery of our lives and the magic.This is his best score, by far. Nothing compares, not even Bond. You know it's true. How nice.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Chris Young likes his more experimental opportunities these days like Sinister, which he's stated that this is where he's reinvented himself.

[Jilal 569]

Gottfried Huppertz's METROPOLIS.

A masterpiece in the history of film music, if you ask me, crafted by an undoubtedly skillful composer. Huppertz's music is highly melodic, thematic and structured - a concert hall approach appears to be most fitting for this type of film, which, of course, requires a strong musical narrative.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Good choice, that. A bit too hyper-romantic for me to revisit often, but a masterpiece as you said.

Into the Storm (Tyler) - Wow. By my reckoning, this is easily the best score of Brian Tyler's otherwise largely lackluster career, and actually, one of my favorites of the year so far. For the most part, Tyler's music, in my opinion has fallen into one or both of two categories: derivative and dreadful. Some individual scores, particularly Frailty and The Expendables 2, have had great moments, but even in those he largely often slips into imitations of better composers or action music that sounds like something from a stock trailer music library. Finally, though, he seems to have come into his own. In a promotional interview, Tyler mentions Corigliano as an influence for this score, and, entirely unexpectedly, I can hear the connection at times. This is an deftly orchestrated, imaginative score with some great thematic material. The main highlight track is "The Fire Tornado." Here's to hoping Tyler can keep it up.

Really? If this is true, it's something I've been waiting for from him for a while. Children Of Dune is great but thematically pretty weak. Have to hear this one.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Joe said it was average but effective. Which sums up Tyler very well.

[Quintus 5,399]

After playing through gaming masterpiece The Last of Us again a little over a year later via the breathtaking new PS4 remaster, I'm experiencing a whole new appreciation for the spartan harmonies of Gustavo Santaolalla. It's a truly affecting work, his guitar and haunting acoustic ambience providing the heart and soul of the narrative and its characters, it's been a emotive and often moving listen. Perfect underscore for the grim romanticism of the story and probably one of the genres best, I might have to buy the album.

Santaolalla seems to be a fine composer who searches out the human element of a story and boils it down to its most elementally potent parts. He manages to evoke a sort of raw lyricism which plenty of the bigger sounds out there completely fail to even comprehend.

It's nice to have a new composer to watch.

[Faleel 5,384]

KM remark in 3...2...1...

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Completely agree. There are two volumes of music for the game. Plenty of goods.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

After playing through gaming masterpiece The Last of Us again a little over a year later via the breathtaking new PS4 remaster, I'm experiencing a whole new appreciation for the spartan harmonies of Gustavo Santaolalla. It's a truly affecting work, his guitar and haunting acoustic ambience providing the heart and soul of the narrative and its characters, it's been a emotive and often moving and listen. Perfect underscore for the grim romanticism of the story and probably one of the genres best, I might have to buy the album.

Santaolalla seems to be a fine composer who searches out the human element of a story and boils it down to its most elementally potent parts. He manages to evoke a sort of raw lyricism which plenty of the bigger sounds out there completely fail to even comprehend.

It's nice to have a new composer to watch.

Blech!

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

2001: A Space Odyssey, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cleopatra, Viva Zapata!, The Agony And The Ecstasy, Spartacus - Alex North

Into The Storm - Brian Tyler

Handful of interesting moments amid the usual generic fare. Of course I doubt the film demanded much more than that anyway. Is my constant hope for Brian Tyler a lost cause? The guy clearly knows how to use the orchestra, and in a crafty way. And he has the electronic thing down. Is he just never really given license to put all of it to good use? Can't hear that purported Corigliano influence either....

[Red 75]

Saving Private Ryan

I'd say this is Williams at his most minimalist, in my experience at least. It's almost a collection of horn and string solos/underscore for most of it. Only "Hymn to the Fallen" goes big aurally and occurs more than once and that piece feels more like a bookend than apart of the score proper.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah its not very good

[Red 75]

Yeah its not very good

I actually quite like it. Though it isn't the most re-listenable score.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

It's not really a film that needs a lot of score.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah its not very good

I actually quite like it. Though it isn't the most re-listenable score.

I prefer JW scores like Jaws, Star Wars, ET, the Potter ones

[publicist 4,643]

Well...what can a grown man say about a score to a movie which features 'Cowabunga' as favourite catchphrase? Tylers score is, in its modest aspirations, a more listenable alternative to his own IRON MAN and THOR scores. That of course still means adjectives like 'relentless' and 'nauseating' feature heavily into the mix but there are some lively trumpet triplets and if you like this kind of hyper blockbuster scoring, it's actually a choice score.

[Quintus 5,399]

Saving Private Ryan

I'd say this is Williams at his most minimalist, in my experience at least. It's almost a collection of horn and string solos/underscore for most of it. Only "Hymn to the Fallen" goes big aurally and occurs more than once and that piece feels more like a bookend than apart of the score proper.

Love the score but I wouldn't call it minimalist.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Tylers scores would actually improve in listenability if they were presented in the old Varese 30 minute format. Less overwelming.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Even that would be too much. Why not just two cues, the fast and loud kind, and the soft and slow kind? That'll cover most of them.

[Incanus 5,723]

Saving Private Ryan

I'd say this is Williams at his most minimalist, in my experience at least. It's almost a collection of horn and string solos/underscore for most of it. Only "Hymn to the Fallen" goes big aurally and occurs more than once and that piece feels more like a bookend than apart of the score proper.

Love the score but I wouldn't call it minimalist.

Minimalism as a musical style is not what Red might have meants specifically, but rather the subtle and restrained approach. Most restrained and reserved would perhaps be a better way to decscribe it. A beautiful score in its subtle, thoughtful tone.

[publicist 4,643]

It's one of those i never consciously listened through because after the fifth piece my mind desperately starts to wander into more animated things.

[crocodile 8,033]

Too bad, the sixth track would just kill you.

Karol

[Quintus 5,399]

Saving Private Ryan

I'd say this is Williams at his most minimalist, in my experience at least. It's almost a collection of horn and string solos/underscore for most of it. Only "Hymn to the Fallen" goes big aurally and occurs more than once and that piece feels more like a bookend than apart of the score proper.

Love the score but I wouldn't call it minimalist.

Minimalism as a musical style is not what Red might have meants specifically, but rather the subtle and restrained approach. Most restrained and reserved would perhaps be a better way to decscribe it. A beautiful score in its subtle, thoughtful tone.

I meant it both ways. By John's standards it is a somewhat "restrained" work, but really it's still a deeply romantic and reverent salute to the soldiers and the composer clearly chose to focus on their nobility when writing the score. It's there front and centre.

I'd be more inclined to refer to Saving Private Ryan as subdued Williams. Which is still rather sweeping and dramatic by the standards of other composers.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's one of those i never consciously listened through because after the fifth piece my mind desperately starts to wander into more animated things.

Exactly! The minds just wonders. It's too monotonous a score for my liking.

[publicist 4,643]

Too bad, the sixth track would just kill you.

Karol

You can never have too much solemn Coplandia.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

After playing through gaming masterpiece The Last of Us again a little over a year later via the breathtaking new PS4 remaster, I'm experiencing a whole new appreciation for the spartan harmonies of Gustavo Santaolalla. It's a truly affecting work, his guitar and haunting acoustic ambience providing the heart and soul of the narrative and its characters, it's been a emotive and often moving and listen. Perfect underscore for the grim romanticism of the story and probably one of the genres best, I might have to buy the album.

Santaolalla seems to be a fine composer who searches out the human element of a story and boils it down to its most elementally potent parts. He manages to evoke a sort of raw lyricism which plenty of the bigger sounds out there completely fail to even comprehend.

It's nice to have a new composer to watch.

There are some suspense cues I liked so much, I bought the CD. But is the remastered version of the game even worth it? I thought it was just fine on PS3 and the performances came through wonderfully. What added value am I getting besides slightly more realistic graphics?

[crocodile 8,033]

Hey, it's like Hans Zimmer of the 90's but with more orchestra.

Karol

[Quintus 5,399]

@Drax

I'm not normally one for remasters/rereleases but I made the exception in this instance and double dipped and it was 100% worth it. I'm making my way through it again almost every evening this week and it's been an absolute joy. The improvements in the silky remastered version are night and day compared to the admirable PS3 version. I was never completely happy with the presentation on the original platform, it was visually rough around the edges in places and the inconsistent frame rate was something I am generally very sensitive to, so to have the remaster refresh at double the rate and with full 1080p clarity, the art really gets to shine as intended and in that regard the experience is just stunning. Couple that with double the controller response in ms and the game feels much tighter and pleasurable to handle. To me it's a no brainer to playthrough what is a landmark title again and one which has also had a superb upgrade, but if you're not that into it or gaming in general then you could just as easily skip it if you've already made your way through the journey on PS3.

Oh and most of my incentive to buy again was to get into its deep online component, which I ignored last year.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Yeah I'm a rather casual gamer with a few favourites like TLOU, Half-Life, Batman: Arkham Whatever and the odd car racing game. Controller response had always seemed pretty instant to me. Actually it's never been something I ever really throught about before. Frame rate looks good to me on the PS3 too.

[Quintus 5,399]

Yeah I'd defo say you're unlikely to notice the difference in the way I do. Compressed and 30fps locked YouTube videos aren't a good demonstration of the upgrade, either. Save your money.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm sorry, dont we have a separate thread for discussing computer games?

[crocodile 8,033]

Any place is good to discuss great art.

Karol

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

And by game standards, The Last of Us qualifies!

[crocodile 8,033]

I heard some really good things about it, yeah. But I'm not a gamer myself.

In the meantime, it's Star Trek film score marathon part 1 for me (we'll see how far can I go). Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek: The Voyage Home.

I've not heard the first one since the new expansion came out. One of the most fluid and excellent experiences in film music history, helped by the fact there is nothing in the film that interferes with the flow of it (no plot/dialogue heavy sequences, nor intrusive sound effects). It's a perfect film to perform live music to - I'd kill to witness that. All of which translates to fantastic album presentations (all three known programmes work great, to be honest). It's just a pity Jerry didn't have time to write every single cue himself. The early versions of cues is a treasury in itself - now this is what I call worthy alternates.

The second and third are legends, too. What's interesting they are sort two sides of the same coin. In the first one the swashbuckling nature is the dominant, while Spock's ethereal material resides at fringes of the frame, in The Search for Spock things are presented in the exactly opposite proportions. For me, they are one long score, really.

Leonard Rosenman's score is plain fun, far removed from the usual earnest tone of the series. However, his lighter and witty scoring helps its film a great deal. Not to mention I really like what he does with Alexander Courage's theme. The Intrada album is somewhat frustrating to listen to, given that the score is very brief and the second part shows us (often interesting) alternates. I've yet to create a perfect playlist out of all this.

Karol

[Quintus 5,399]

I'm sorry, dont we have a separate thread for discussing computer games?

How about get fucked.

[KK 3,307]

And by game standards, The Last of Us qualifies!

I don't game much either, but The Last of Us was awesome, and its music quite good in context. Not sure I'd buy the score though.

[Marian Schedenig 8,237]

It's a perfect film to perform live music to - I'd kill to witness that.

I'll help.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

And by game standards, The Last of Us qualifies!

I don't game much either, but The Last of Us was awesome, and its music quite good in context. Not sure I'd buy the score though.

This edition I got from Sony at the game's Sydney launch which is a USB stick shaped like an audio cassette. The insert has some concept art and a note from Gustavo.

[DreamTheater 131]

Saving Private Ryan

I'd say this is Williams at his most minimalist, in my experience at least. It's almost a collection of horn and string solos/underscore for most of it. Only "Hymn to the Fallen" goes big aurally and occurs more than once and that piece feels more like a bookend than apart of the score proper.

Love the score but I wouldn't call it minimalist.

Minimalism as a musical style is not what Red might have meants specifically, but rather the subtle and restrained approach. Most restrained and reserved would perhaps be a better way to decscribe it. A beautiful score in its subtle, thoughtful tone.

Restrained is the right word. As the movie needed that approach, solemn and not attention drawing, until the superb hymn which is rightly placed over the end credits. I wouldn't want it anywhere else during the film. Too bad that's when most people leave the theatre or lose interest.

A great score it is, when I listen to it I always start from the second track.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm sorry, dont we have a separate thread for discussing computer games?

How about get fucked.

Are you offering?

[DreamTheater 131]

Priest (Christopher Young)

I still prefer his earlier more thematic work, yet this has a couple of meaty cues: The Vampire Train, Cathedral City Blue, Detuned Towne, A World Without End.

[KK 3,307]

Currently enjoying this nice variation of the Ring theme.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

I prefer Elmer Bernstein's rejected score.

[KK 3,307]

So do I. It's not like Shore's replacement was much of a score anyways. It was two short cues, repeated ad nauseum in film. I just like the theme.

[DreamTheater 131]

Memoirs of a Geisha (JW)

The first part of the album is to die for, the second is not, too much filler material albeit filler that is expertly written. Geisha just cannot keep me interested for an entire hour.

Now the film is a gem and I'm loving it deeply, but then I can enjoy anything that gorgeous chinese actress is in.

[KK 3,307]

The first part of the album is to die for, the second is not, too much filler material albeit filler that is expertly written. Geisha just cannot keep me interested for an entire hour.

Nonsense! The second half has some of the best parts!