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

[crocodile 8,020]

It'll do!

Karol

[Incanus 5,716]

Barely!

[Lewya 360]

Kano - Naoki Sato

[Uni 306]

And speaking of Jerry Goldsmith. . . .

The 'Burbs—This is one of the few scores I own that has me openly smiling while I listen to it. Jerry applies just as much of his instrumental and orchestrational creativity to this score as he does to his more serious works, and yet it's all for a movie that's completely satirical. He invests in the inside joke as heavily as the filmmakers do, and the results are a joy to listen to. The twist he puts on his own Patton score is hilarious, and is probably the most justified and clever bits of self-plagiarism you'll find from a film composer. Great stuff.

[Jay 37,374]

Definitely a fun one. I've been meaning to rewatch that film again recently.

Something about young Tom Hanks is very charming, and it seems like every film he made then was a good one. Though he probably made a bunch of bad ones I simply have never seen.

[DreamTheater 131]

It was glaringly missing stuff like Carbon Dioxide and Four More Amps. Unforgivable album treatment, especially for the man's finest work!

Don't forget about Docking.

Definitely a fun one. I've been meaning to rewatch that film again recently.

Something about young Tom Hanks is very charming, and it seems like every film he made then was a good one. Though he probably made a bunch of bad ones I simply have never seen.

The Burbs is one of the best comedies ever. I saw the film again just a few weeks ago, and it remains as fresh as in 1989. Has any composer written a more effective comedy score than Jerry did?

[Jay 37,374]

I love Elmer's score to Airplane!

[Romão 2,274]

I hope The Burbs gets re-released soon. I've never actually heard it, but if it's at least half as fun as Looney Tunes: Back in Action, I'm sure I'm in for a treat

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

There's an iso score on the Blu-ray.

[Incanus 5,716]

Polyanna by Christopher Gunning: A gorgeous chamber sized score full of English charm from start to finish. Gunning anchors everything on a such a beautiful pastoral main theme exuding childhood exuberance. It is undoubtedly sentimental and deliriously happy (it is a children's movie after all) but there is such great spirit to it, it is difficult to not be affected. The score itself is a short one, only about 26 minutes but Gunning puts his theme through numerous permutations during its running time, where woodwinds (flute in particular) and piano often carry the tune and despite short track times the composer makes each second count and crafts these lovely little miniatures that simply roll along effortlessly and his orchestrational skills shine as he makes most of his small ensemble. Apparently the whole movie making experience was an exceedingly happy one and you can hear how Gunning poured it all into this little, quite simple yet disarmingly charming score.

As a sidenote Gunning arranged a nice suite of the music for the album The Film and Television Music of Christopher Gunning which contains the essential variations on the primary theme. An album worth checking out along with this original soundtrack released by the Caldera Records.

[Uni 306]

It was glaringly missing stuff like Carbon Dioxide and Four More Amps. Unforgivable album treatment, especially for the man's finest work!

Don't forget about Docking.

I never do. By far my favorite of the previously unreleased cues.

Something about young Tom Hanks is very charming, and it seems like every film he made then was a good one. Though he probably made a bunch of bad ones I simply have never seen.

He had a couple of stinkers back then. The Money Pit fell hard, and Volunteers was an unmitigated disaster (in spite of his being paired again with John Candy, his buddy in the terrific Splash.)

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Really like this one.

I just gave it a fleeting listen on Spotify. It's as scraggy as i remembered it. Herrmann my ass...

You're right. It's better than!

[DreamTheater 131]

I hope The Burbs gets re-released soon. I've never actually heard it, but if it's at least half as fun as Looney Tunes: Back in Action, I'm sure I'm in for a treat

It's 10 times the fun of Looney Tunes, without Jerry breaking a sweat. I missed out on it too when the Deluxe Edition released, but was able to snag a copy a couple of years after, for about twice the original price. Worth every cent.

[Brónach 1,302]

So essentially, if they're going to make more superhero movies, I would like to have strong superheroic themes out of them, you know, the ones that have ring like that to them. Like this. Or like this. Kick-Ass theme is halfway there. I wonder what Beltrami is doing in Fantastic Four.

Forever disappointed, I suppose.

[publicist 4,643]

You're right. It's better than!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

What an infectious laugh!

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

You're right. It's better than!

I suppose I must confess my general neutrality towards Benny. I like some obvious ones (Vertigo, North By Northwest, Obsession, The Day The Earth Stood Still) but find that there's a sameness to his music that limits how far my interest in his output can spread. Similar to how I feel about John Barry. I know I'm breaking Sharky's heart....

[publicist 4,643]

Whatever the case may be, even for someone with a lot of goodwill toward the symphonic amateurs behind PERFUME it seems preposterous to suggest that such an inconsequential work rivals Herrmann, his often monotonous approach (that works better for the movies than as complete scores) notwithstanding.

I generally like Heil and Klimek but in this pseudo-classical idiom they sound like Kilar on a really bad day (sometimes like Danny Elfman humping Basil Poledouris). I'm sure it's meant well but they would have done better with a more modern electronic score or should have just left the chores to someone like Desplat who actually has the range of variation to see a longer symphonic work through.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Well, I like it more than any Herrmann jaunt that comes to mind, preposterous or not. And I'd be surprised if Desplat would have concocted something with the same level of freshness. But if you hear Elfman humping Poledouris, then what's there to say?

[publicist 4,643]

You can like what you want but it strikes me as a bit peculiar to hail a work so deficient in the symphonic terms it itself chooses to adapt (form, development) as if it would be a dead ringer for a long lost symphony or something.

All three collaborators (i hesitate to include Tykwer) had a better sense of what they actually are capable of with CLOUD ATLAS.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

I suppose I must confess my general neutrality towards Benny. I like some obvious ones (Vertigo, North By Northwest, Obsession, The Day The Earth Stood Still) but find that there's a sameness to his music that limits how far my interest in his output can spread. Similar to how I feel about John Barry. I know I'm breaking Sharky's heart....

I'd suspected this for a while.

I like PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER, probably a good deal more than Pubs and Croc. I wasn't as won over by CLOUD ATLAS as you were so it took more convincing. What I hear and read (going by the leaked score) is a surprising level of craft and wit that I wouldn't normally expect for a film from this period--I'm reminded of David Warbeck's SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE and QUILLS. It's certainly more interesting than what a David Arnold, Harald Kloser or Craig Armstrong would have done, but to pit it against Benny or Barry is frankly absurd. PERFURME for all its strengths is too scatterbrained, too full of lazy, aimless passages consisting of sustained string harmonics and bowed tam tams, to be considered a great work.

[publicist 4,643]

I wouldn't even say i DISLIKE it so much, i just think its eyes are bigger than its stomach. Of course it sounds stylish but apart from that, it's not really distinctive in form or content, especially if you ask yourself where some of those 3 to 6 minute cues go, musically.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Hearing and seeing this cue, there's greater suppleness of harmony, architecture, and color than I'd expect from 99% of composers writing today, and probably 95% of those no longer writing - especially considering the familiar dramatic ostinato subject. Far, far from amateur in any way. It's genuinely surprising to me to find that you guys hear meanderings or aimlessness in this score.

And also just to be clear - I initially wasn't comparing this score's quality to Herrmann's, just using him and Shore as examples of other composers who restrict their harmonic palette as Karol felt this score did. But, as Pub took it as a comparison of quality... yeah, I do prefer it to both Benny and Barry. And also to Desplat when he's in a similar artsy mode.

[crocodile 8,020]

Never said I dislike Perfume. It is PERFECTLY likeable and does wonders for its film. In fact, it makes the film.

Karol

[KK 3,307]

Perfume has some wonderful things going on texturally and I largely prefer to Cloud Atlas. I wish more film music like this was written. But it has its limitations, and just can't rival Herrmann. I wouldn't even put it alongside Shore and Kilar really, both whom accomplish more in their similarly reserved harmonic palettes.

I like what the score aims to do, and it impresses with its craft. But while it tries to channel that eastern European minimalist/spiritualist sound, I think it's held back by some questionable compositional choices and falls short.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Hearing and seeing this cue, there's greater suppleness of harmony, architecture, and color than I'd expect from 99% of composers writing today, and probably 95% of those no longer writing - especially considering the familiar dramatic ostinato subject. Far, far from amateur in any way. It's genuinely surprising to me to find that you guys hear meanderings or aimlessness in this score.

That's a fantastic cue no doubt; just had a read-through of the PDF. But you picked probably the best cue. One or a few outstanding set-pieces does not make a great work to rival the giants of yesteryear. In my post I was talking about snoozeworthy cues like The 13th Essence, No Smell, The Bonfire, Dark Alley, The Last Drop, and dozen others like them. These unfortunately are the backbone of the score, and this is one bloody long score.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Eh, it rivals and surpasses the giants in my enjoyment! Oh well. Another example of shit taste from TGP! Hardly newsworthy....

[Uni 306]

All I know is that I could've gone my entire life without this inserted in my head:

(like Danny Elfman humping Basil Poledouris)

[publicist 4,643]

Eh, it rivals and surpasses the giants in my enjoyment! Oh well. Another example of shit taste from TGP! Hardly newsworthy....

After APOLLO 13!

But i guess you can lobby more forces behind that....

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

All I know is that I could've gone my entire life without this inserted in my head:

(like Danny Elfman humping Basil Poledouris)

Homophobe!

[publicist 4,643]

Not for the faint of heart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=244&v=nH_EAmGC6kU

[Brónach 1,302]

Ugh

[crocodile 8,020]

Well. at least the film is supposed to be really good.

Karol

[Quintus 5,399]

Mad Max: Fury Road by Tom Holkenborg

If you hated the percussion in Man Of Steel, then don't listen to this, because that's essentially all it is.

That's disappointing I suppose. The excessive drums in MoS are pointless outside of the movie (and possibly in it).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Tom Holkenborg is the future of film music!

[Brónach 1,302]

Well. at least the film is supposed to be really good.

Karol

The tone of that is probably more or less on the spot, but tools to get there are totally boring and repetitive.

[Not Mr. Big 4,641]

Lion in the Winter

I think I like this "Barry" guy...

[Incanus 5,716]

Lion in the Winter

I think I like this "Barry" guy...

Great score for a great film.

[Not Mr. Big 4,641]

Still need to see the film. It's too bad it's not on blu-ray or Netflix.

[Incanus 5,716]

Creation - Christopher Young

The first of his scores that is starting to do something for me. Wonder if some others will follow.

The album is one of Young's best. I wish more projects like this would come his way.

Still need to see the film. It's too bad it's not on blu-ray or Netflix.

Although many might disagree the new version with Patrick Stewart and Glenn Close is as good adaptation of the play as the old O'Toole and Hepburn one. The music by Richard Hartley is much weaker though. Focuses much more on the source music and is held far too often in the background. Often sounds like a very much watered down version of Barry's without its striking qualities.

[crocodile 8,020]

Creation - Christopher Young

The first of his scores that is starting to do something for me. Wonder if some others will follow.

The album is one of Young's best. I wish more projects like this would come his way.

The only thing you can hold against this score is that it was probably temped with The Village. Other than that, a lovely work. There is something about it that stands out. A deceiving simplicity that elevates it above "just" simple period drama piece..

Karol

[Romão 2,274]

Lion in the Winter

I think I like this "Barry" guy...

Great score for a great film.

Sometimes I wish the LOTR scores had a little bit more of this mood. Of music that actually sounds old and that could be composed within halls of stone. It's my favorite Barry score

[Incanus 5,716]

Creation - Christopher Young

The first of his scores that is starting to do something for me. Wonder if some others will follow.

The album is one of Young's best. I wish more projects like this would come his way.

The only thing you can hold against this score is that it was probably temped with The Village. Other than that, a lovely work. There is something about it that stands out. A deceiving simplicity that elevates it above "just" simple period drama piece..

Karol

Still the "temp" influence is nothing the like e.g. the recent Far From the Madding Crowd situation. Young really heads to another direction with his violin material which is hardly the focus of the score anyway.

[crocodile 8,020]

You're right, of course. These are mostly superficial comparisons. That's why Creation is a very good score, and not simply an ok one.

Amistad. Not so keen on the Americana stuff in this but these sort of cues are wonderful:

I sort of wish Williams used the B-section of this theme within his actual score. Not sure if he does in the film but it's not on album...

Karol

[Incanus 5,716]

Yeah the African material by far the most interesting in the score. The noble Americana for John Quincy Adams is nice but nothing particularly emotional or energizing as it is mostly required to provide some small accents to the long dialogue scenes. I think Williams succeeded better in Saving Private Ryan with this kind of respectful gentle brassy Americana where the whole score slowly builds upon the concept and climaxes in the Hymn to the Fallen. In Amistad Cinque's material is really the highlight of the score.

[crocodile 8,020]

I can stomach that material in Saving Private Ryan because it's so dry and desolate. I like that Williams restrained himself from being too pushy. I always thought that, in a way, this score is a close cousin to War of the Worlds in that respect. Both are quite unique in Spielbergs' scorography.

Karol

[Incanus 5,716]

War of the Worlds is to me very brazenly dramatic but really well flows throughout the film and supports the action and only at few instances truly calls attention to itself. It is not exactly sparse or desolate but I get what you mean. Both scores try to stay behind the action while still giving it a supportive nudge here and there.

[crocodile 8,020]

Treesong

Karol

[Jay 37,374]

John Williams - Born on the Fourth of July

Hey, this is good stuff!

[Incanus 5,716]

John Williams - Born on the Fourth of July

Hey, this is good stuff!

Prelude and Fugue by John Williams: Opening reminds me of JWs sci-fi scoring from mid-60s but the piece suddenly develops into a jazzy exploration for the wind orchestra that seems like a nod to Johnny T.'s years as a jazz pianist and hints of his groovy crime jazz period. While not exactly remarkably novel in its content or development it is none the less a very entertaining piece from the Maestro.

A Nostalgic Jazz Odyssey by John Williams