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

[Matt C 452]

Spirited Away - Joe Hisaishi

This brings back fond memories of the film -- Hisaishi really complements Miyazaki's beautiful visuals and unconventional storytelling by scoring this like a live-action film. He really evolves Chihiro's theme, first introduced through "One Summer's Day", throughout the course of the score. The piano solos really give the score its heart, and he utilizes the orchestra wonderfully. "Reprise" just makes the whole album that much more rewarding.

[publicist 4,643]

INSIDE OUT, just a short sampling; perfectly pleasant but hardly consequential. There is - apart from a small tarantella in 'Chasing Down Sadness' - mostly light and breezy stuff that reminds me of Mychael Danna or Danny Elfman in lighter mode (there is a good dose of circus Elfman). Given the ambitious nature of the story one wonders why Giacchino never raises above this rather superficial level of bouncy pleasantness - all the 'touching' stuff is of a depressingly mundane one-note twinkly piano/harp pluck variety that could be layed on almost any standard kid's movie without ever threatening to illuminate a deeper thought than 'look who's emotional now!'.

It lacks substance and Giacchino, who seems very engaged by the fast-paced giddy stuff that is all good and well still seems clueless how to dig musically deeper into the psychological undercurrents of the characters he scores - a brainless spectacle like JURASSIC WORLD just seems more suited to his talents.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Maybe he peaked emotionally and psychologically with Lost. It's not a bad high point, really, if a bit early.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Jurassic Park

The Lost World

The Star Wars Trilogy, conducted by Vagina Kojan or whatever his name is.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Jurassic World

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Spirited Away - Joe Hisaishi

This brings back fond memories of the film -- Hisaishi really complements Miyazaki's beautiful visuals and unconventional storytelling by scoring this like a live-action film. He really evolves Chihiro's theme, first introduced through "One Summer's Day", throughout the course of the score. The piano solos really give the score its heart, and he utilizes the orchestra wonderfully. "Reprise" just makes the whole album that much more rewarding.

INSIDE OUT, just a short sampling; perfectly pleasant but hardly consequential. There is - apart from a small tarantella in 'Chasing Down Sadness' - mostly light and breezy stuff that reminds me of Mychael Danna or Danny Elfman in lighter mode (there is a good dose of circus Elfman). Given the ambitious nature of the story one wonders why Giacchino never raises above this rather superficial level of bouncy pleasantness - all the 'touching' stuff is of a depressingly mundane one-note twinkly piano/harp pluck variety that could be layed on almost any standard kid's movie without ever threatening to illuminate a deeper thought than 'look who's emotional now!'.

It lacks substance and Giacchino, who seems very engaged by the fast-paced giddy stuff that is all good and well still seems clueless how to dig musically deeper into the psychological undercurrents of the characters he scores - a brainless spectacle like JURASSIC WORLD just seems more suited to his talents.

[Jay 37,346]

Pub, the score makes a lot more sense once you've seen the film

[Demondm810 399]

Been making my way through all of my favorite Williams in light of AI being released. Took a break from that to listen to Schindler's List for the first time in quite some time. It's amazing how much emotion comes through in this score. I have a hard time listening to the Auschwitz-Birkenau track. For me it's impossible to listen without seeing the film images in my head. Such an unbelievably powerful scene. It has to be one of the most effective pairings of film and score ever.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Matt C 452]

I'm listening to the samples for Mark McKenzie's Dragonheart 3. When will Varese Sarabande release the CD? It's been several months, and I've forgotten how good McKenzie's music is.

I might be tempted to buy the movie...

[KK 3,307]

Pub, the score makes a lot more sense once you've seen the film

Yup. I don't think it's Gia's best this year as music alone, but it works wonders in the film.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

In honor of it's 40th anniversary.

I really do hope that Intrada will release this one soon, since this release suffered badly from a very limited dynamic range, which really strangles the score from much of it's impact and sonic clarity.

[Incanus 5,714]

Yes that seminal score needs to be released with best possible sonic improvements possible! And throw in complete Jaws 2 as well to complete the series!

Jaws by John Williams: Spielberg was expecting something "weird and melodic" when Williams presented to him the main theme for Jaws but got the iconic 2-note thumping theme but it could really be said the entire score provided plenty of both weird and melodic, gripping and hummable. The composer seemed to have "gotten" the subject matter perfectly and those 2 notes were never the full extent of the score's invention, merely a very solid foundation from which to build this sea faring shark hunt opera without singing.

This part horror part pirate movie brought out some of Williams' most fearsome and ferociously catchy material. Combining classical influences like the Baroque snootiness of the Montage and the strict fugal form of the shark hunt preparation material with Korngoldian soaring seafaring stylings and the biting 20th century orchestrational techniques (Stravinskian should we say) and wrapping it all in the most hummable themes imaginable, the composer achieves an extremely varied yet always focused score. The two note Shark theme (and its accompanying extended rising figures) is never far away but always leaves enough breathing room for the other material so as not to become too repetetive.

The Main Title and First Victim and the following pieces establish the Shark theme as a force to be reconned with, the Out to Sea unveiling the optimistic sea shanty for the Orca and its somewhat incompatible crew which would later be developed into a heroic high seas faring shark hunting theme that drives the middle portion of the movie. The fugue the for the hunting preparations and the underwater shark cage comes also to represent efforts to trap and kill the great white, the methodical almost grim determination well suited to the repetetive musical form, the theme flitting in and out frequently during the shark hunt sequences. Williams also develops several individual musical moments that largely eschew the main themes like the above mentioned Montage, the most haunting musical painting of the nightly depths of the sea in Ben Gardner's Boat where beauty and danger both are fused into a mesmerising concoction, while the subdued Father and Son is the very image of resigned melancholy featuring sparkles of light in the form of an extended harp solo. Quint's Tale employs the often unmentioned rising accompaniment figures of the Shark theme in fragments between the layers steely and eerie high strings, further brilliantly enhancing the ghostly horror of the old fisherman's atmospheric but blood curdling story.

The Shark theme reaches its frenzied finale in the Shark Approaches with its furioulsy agitated strings and brilliantly wild up-and-down harp glissandi, the single minded and violent drive of the Shark Attack and Blown to Bits where the composer combines all major themes into a battle for supremacy against the relentless 2-note theme. All ends in a gentle, exhausted yet reassuring sea-sighing End Title featuring the Orca theme as our pair of heroes begin their long swim to the shore, wrapping up the score in a highly satisfying manner.

Yes it is a classic, which is confirmed each time I take a listen to this great score. It is known so well by all for its Shark motif but should be praised in its entirety for the tremendously entertaining and fierce symphonic piece it is.

[crocodile 8,000]

Jaws, Jaws 2, Jaws 3-D and Jaws: The Revenge. In that order.

Karol

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

AI

Listening to the score in its full, chronological form has elevated this to being one of my favorite John Williams scores. There's a wonderful narrative here that simply wasn't present on the original album.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Good!

[Faleel 5,345]

20,000 leagues - Paul J Smith

Good stuff.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Also good!

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

It lacks substance and Giacchino, who seems very engaged by the fast-paced giddy stuff that is all good and well still seems clueless how to dig musically deeper into the psychological undercurrents of the characters he scores - a brainless spectacle like JURASSIC WORLD just seems more suited to his talents.

Maybe it's a consequence of Giacchino's focus on story and narrative beats to the exclusion of all else (character, subtext, compositional form, dramatic counterpoint,etc.)? It seems a very mechanical approach.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

It lacks substance and Giacchino, who seems very engaged by the fast-paced giddy stuff that is all good and well still seems clueless how to dig musically deeper into the psychological undercurrents of the characters he scores - a brainless spectacle like JURASSIC WORLD just seems more suited to his talents.

Maybe it's a consequence of Giacchino's focus on story and narrative beats to the exclusion of all else (character, subtext, compositional form, dramatic counterpoint,etc.)? It seems a very mechanical approach.

That's true. I still find Inside Out more enjoyable than any of his other recent scores but it could have been better. It would have been interesting to see what John Williams would have brought to the table (he was rumored to be the composer on IMDB for a short time).

[Gnome in Plaid 219]

THE WAR OF THE VENDEE - KEVIN KASKA

Fans of the maestro (that means everyone here) should immediatly check out the score to this little known film for it's essentially Kaska doing his best interpretation of Williams' work on The Patriot.

I bought this on a whim because some people over at FSM were raving about it, stating it's a very Williams-like score in sound, even down to the track titles (Secret Mass in the Woods and Leaving for War).

They weren't wrong and luckily it's available to buy: Kaska's score is available only on the website of the film's production company.

Listening to it right now, it turns out to be a bit of a gem and comes totally recommended for anyone into rich orchestral scores (that means everyone here).

I believe Kaska's done some orchestrating for Williams, although I could be wrong. Either way, this score is awesome, and the sort of quality you really never hear anymore in film.

The Patriot

This actually might be my favorite John Williams score. It's not the most well written or original of his scores but it gets more listens than virtually every other score in my collection.

Yep. There aren't really the highlights you find on a lot of other Williams albums, but it's one of his most consistently excellent scores all the way through.

Hans Zimmer Batman fans, which cues from the trilogy would you recommend for a 13 track compilation cd I feel like making for the car?

I'd give my votes to (assuming you're using the commercial albums and not the sessions)

Batman Begins: 1,4,6,10,11,12

The Dark Knight: 1,3,4,7,11,13

The Dark Knight Rises: 7

Actually, most of those tracks are on my road trip shuffle playlist.

[publicist 4,643]

Pub, the score makes a lot more sense once you've seen the film

I'm positive about this, Giacchino wouldn't be at the room at the top when his scores wouldn't work for the movie.

Maybe it's a consequence of Giacchino's focus on story and narrative beats to the exclusion of all else (character, subtext, compositional form, dramatic counterpoint,etc.)? It seems a very mechanical approach.

There have been long debates on this with even TGP, an experienced musician presumably, voicing the opinion that film scores shouldn't be rated on their own (musically) as they are adjuncts to a picture.

I'm not vehemently disagreeing with this - i just don't care that much about these ground rhetorics - but in the end, i don't listen to soundtracks because they are attached to a visible movie with a big marketing push or because i love to rewind fluff like MI:4 for its brilliantly applied score. And Giacchino this year really is a poster boy for this discussion: i see here and elsewhere giddy anticipation for scores like INSIDE OUT, TOMORROWLAND, JW and what else - more and more people dutifully listen and review all new Giacchino's stuff, getting wide-eyed at the notion that THIS NEXT SCORE will be his big breakout (huh?), cheer at even the vaguest hint of a memorable tune - i by no means think he puts out bad or unprofessional music, but a certain sense of 'much ado about nothing' lingers. After all, there are dozens of great videogame or non-Hollywood scores composed every year that are hardly talked about that would deserve these honors much more.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Indeed. We need a video game music subforum.

[Romão 2,274]

20,000 leagues - Paul J Smith

Good stuff.

The passage starting at 6:13 of Deserted Sub/Burial/Captured is one of most evocative pieces of being underwater that I have ever heard. I just love that passage

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

That's one of my earliest musical memories!

[Faleel 5,345]

In that cue I really like the eeire strings somewhere in the middle and the deep stings statement of the "monster" theme near the beginning, I also like that motif during the underwater exploration sequence

Mulan - Jerry Goldsmith
Good stuff, love Mulan's personal theme.

[crocodile 8,000]

I never quite got why Mulan is so highly regarded, to be honest. A couple of good tracks, sure, but nothing I'm willing to revisit too often. Better Goldsmiths out, there. Dozens of them, even.

Karol

[Faleel 5,345]

I never quite got why Mulan is so highly regarded, to be honest. A couple of good tracks, sure, but nothing I'm willing to revisit too often. Better Golsmiths out, there. Dozens of them, even.

Karol

"I have no cause to complain, since I have similar opinions of those works, or of the kinds of writing that some evidently prefer.”

[crocodile 8,000]

No, but seriously. What makes Mulan so special out of all those things Goldsmith wrote in around the same time? Ghost and the Darkness I can understand, The Edge, certainly. First Knight is very good, City Hall is excellent. But Mulan just doesn't seem to belong up there. Seems a bit too cursory for me, both in terms of underscore and themes. I'm curious why you might disagree.

Karol

[Faleel 5,345]

I just find a lot of Goldsmith's later scores to be a bit like Silvestri's modern scores that are fully orchestral, and have some themes, but come across as a bit dull and unfun to me IMHO, where Mulan does not feel like that for me, though it also helps that it sounds a bit like Star Trek V's little brother (which is a score that I love).

[publicist 4,643]

MULAN falters in the gooey 'romantic' passages - which Goldsmith never really was good at. All the somber and heroic material (and the lighter comedic stuff, if less so) certainly belongs to the high points of his late phase.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Let's hear from folks who love Coolman's The Shawshank Redemption as much as I do. Of particular interest for discussion should be the almost misplaced (in a perfect way) lyrical string moments in Compass and Guns. What do you think about that? You great wordsmith-posters, don't disappoint!

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

MULAN falters in the gooey 'romantic' passages - which Goldsmith never really was good at. All the somber and heroic material (and the lighter comedic stuff, if less so) certainly belongs to the high points of his late phase.

The "gooey romantic" portions are my favorite part of that score. It's too bad they are so fleeting (like in most Goldsmith scores).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Goldsmith is rather good in romantic music actually

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

There are few moments in life that have made me as happy as Pee-Wee's Theme in The Park Ride from Elfman's masterpiece, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.

[Wojo 2,453]

Is there any other composer who wrote his most enjoyable score so early in his career, and spent a lifetime trying to catch up?

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Someone clearly hasn't heard I Passed for White.

[Jay 37,346]

Is there any other composer who wrote his most enjoyable score so early in his career, and spent a lifetime trying to catch up?

David Arnold?

[crocodile 8,000]

MULAN falters in the gooey 'romantic' passages - which Goldsmith never really was good at. All the somber and heroic material (and the lighter comedic stuff, if less so) certainly belongs to the high points of his late phase.

Admit I only listened to the commercial album. Maybe the expanded stuff would change my mind. I remain open-minded. But, for now, all the other works of his from that time remain superior.

Inside Out

Karol

[Incanus 5,714]

Hour of the Gun by Jerry Goldsmith

How to Train Your Dragon by John Powell

The Long Goodbye by John Williams

Obsession by Bernard Herrmann

A.I. Artificial Intelligence by John Williams

[crocodile 8,000]

Is The Long Goodbye worth getting? I know nothing about this score.

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

MULAN falters in the gooey 'romantic' passages - which Goldsmith never really was good at. All the somber and heroic material (and the lighter comedic stuff, if less so) certainly belongs to the high points of his late phase.

Admit I only listened to the commercial album. Maybe the expanded stuff would change my mind. I remain open-minded. But, for now, all the other works of his from that time remain superior.

You honestly rate MULAN by the 30-minute release? Pfff...

[crocodile 8,000]

Master Goldsmith himself prepared this excellent listening experience for me to enjoy.

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Is The Long Goodbye worth getting? I know nothing about this score.

Karol

It's a sibling of CINDERELLA LIBERTY, meaning laid-back jazz, part quirky, part melancholy. I like it lot more than beloved-but-lame stuff like SPACECAMP.

[crocodile 8,000]

SpaceCamp is beloved?

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Master Goldsmith himself prepared this excellent listening experience for me to enjoy.

Karol

Given his track record with his 90's score that's why i wonder...

SpaceCamp is beloved?

Do you sometimes lurk here?

[crocodile 8,000]

Well, in my defense, I never really liked the theme from Decision very much. Is there still hope?

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

It's your loss. I think it's stronger than some of the more arch scores of the period you listed. But disliking the main theme is a serious blocker, of course.

[crocodile 8,000]

When (and I don't even say "if", cause we know it's going to happen) this gets an expanded release, I shall give it another chance. For now, I'll stick to my inferior theme from The Edge.

Karol

[Incanus 5,714]

Is The Long Goodbye worth getting? I know nothing about this score.

Karol

It's a sibling of CINDERELLA LIBERTY, meaning laid-back jazz, part quirky, part melancholy. I like it lot more than beloved-but-lame stuff like SPACECAMP.

Yes it is one of those very different 1970s JW scores where he takes more of a source music approach, in fact almost entirely. I find it a very good piece of work in the film because of its concept and on the album for its melancholy main tune which happens to click with me. And it is also a very single minded idea from Altman and Williams to present the whole score mainly as a string of variations on The Long Goodbye song melody from jazz trio to Mexican band to Indian sitar version to solo violin and to several different vocal versions. You should sample before getting this if you are not a diehard JW collector.

P.S. I saw the film for the first time a few years ago and I was grinning like silly when I heard Williams' music through the 10 minute opening sequence, where it switched nimbly from radio jazz source to grocery store muzak to song version. I think it subtly laid the foundations of the concept perfectly and the rest of the film followed suite, down to the doorbell of Marlowe's bungalow (that's not on the album though). I think it adds just the right kind of ambience to this detective lost out of his time and his rather hazy odyssey to set things right and find justice all the while pursuing a romantic interested never meant to become an actual romance, indeed a long goodbye from the start.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

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Titanic

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