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

[Faleel 5,365]

1 minute ago, crocodile said:

 Black Sunday. It's an interesting work for Williams, it shares so much DNA with other, more famous, entries into his ouevre like Close Encounters, Star Wars and Jaws. And while there are many elements that echo or anticipate those works, this one is still really unlike almost anything else in his career. Fantastic muscular exercise in mounting tension. written in composer's Golden Age style. What more could you possibly want?

 

Karol

You can even hear hints of his prequel work (Chase Through Coruscant)

[Thor 7,531]

16 minutes ago, crocodile said:

 Black Sunday. It's an interesting work for Williams, it shares so much DNA with other, more famous, entries into his ouevre like Close Encounters, Star Wars and Jaws. And while there are many elements that echo or anticipate those works, this one is still really unlike almost anything else in his career. Fantastic muscular exercise in mounting tension. written in composer's Golden Age style. What more could you possibly want?

 

Karol

 

It's an underrated score, for sure.

[crocodile 8,020]

This one and The Eiger Sanction are really quite interesting anomalies in his career. I love them both. I suppose you could put Munich in the same category but the score for that approaches everything from a drama point of view. I do agree with Doug Adams who said once that the score was "too ahead of" characters' journey, instead opting for this bird view "wisdom" that robs the film of some of its immediacy and, yeah, ambiguity. It's lovely music on its own but I would argue that War of the Worlds, oddly, was a more honest depiction of this down-to-earth "documentary" style of writing.

 

Karol

[Bespin 8,484]

📜⏳🕰️📚🔍🔮
#RachelPortman - The Lake House (score only)
#HansZimmer - Interstellar
#CintMansell - The Fountain
#MychaelDanna - The Time Traveler's Wife

[JNHFan2000 2,969]

Casino Royale - David Arnold

 

Love this score. 

Miami International is one of Arnold's best cues and the whole score is a lesson in orchestral tension and how to properly mix an orchestra and synths+more modern stuff in an action score.

Great stuff. And the final rendition of the James Bond theme is for me still the best recording of the theme.

[Edmilson 7,475]

16 minutes ago, JNHFan2000 said:

Miami International is one of Arnold's best cues

Indeed. Almost 13 minutes of Arnold kicking butt 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

"White Knight" gives it a run for its money.

[Edmilson 7,475]

Kingdom of Heaven - Harry Gregson-Williams

 

It's quite interesting that, in comparison with his other contemporaries, HGW's music is much less... showy. It's not as grand and melodramatic as Zimmer's Gladiator, Horner's Braveheart or Shore's LOTR. 

 

Instead, his music here is more focused on creating texture and atmosphere. It's very authentic music of the Middle Ages, blending both European Christian music with Middle Eastern Arab style and instruments.

 

And despite being adequate to the movie, it's a little less "fun" to listen to than other epics. And it doesn't help that the orchestral writing isn't that different from HGW's action thriller scores.

 

Still, there is plenty to like here. His ability of combining Medieval music from both sides of the Crusades is impressive, there's a surprising amount of themes who are decently developed and the emotional moments are some of the best of his career.

 

Anyway, it's not something I'll be returning to as often as, say, Fellowship of the Ring, but it's still quite impressive on its own way.

[Edmilson 7,475]

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Hardrobe

 

Another HGW! This one is more traditional Hollywood melodrama than the Medieval authenticity of Kingdom of Heaven, but also less interesting too.

 

It does have some impressive main themes and the score soars to life whenever they appear. I think there is an Aslan theme, a Tumnus theme, a Narnia theme and a motif for the children, but I literally haven't seen this movie since I was a kid so I'm not exactly sure, lol. 

 

Unfortunately, despite the great themes, there's also a great deal of boring underscore, especially in the first half, before the kids arrive at the Aslan camp. This is where HGW fails to reach the heights of Howard Shore in LOTR: in Shore's case the music is interesting from start to finish, with Williams it's mostly uninspired whenever the main themes don't appear.

 

Still, it's a good score with some genuinely impressive moments. If the music for the first half of the movie were better I'd rank it higher.

[Bespin 8,484]

🎶 🌍 🎵 ✈️ 🌴
#DustinOHalloran - Lion

#JohnWilliams - The Terminal

#ThomasNewman - The Exotic Marigold Hotel

#CarterBurwell - Carol

[Brónach 1,302]

Alien. Superlative, perfect, I love the vibe, etc

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

Romantic, chilling, frightening, and...well... alien 

[crocodile 8,020]

 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker album on vinyl. As frustrating as this presentation might be, it does make some sense on this format the way it is divided into four parts.

 

Karol

 

 

[Bespin 8,484]

We are not talking about a program made specifically for 4 sides of an LP, but just a simple division of the CD program based on time constraint...

 

It's the dumbest way to make an LP program.. but, eh, we are in 2023.

 

[ThePenitentMan1 744]

The Secret Of NIMH by Jerry Goldsmith

 

 

...I'll be honest, I can't listen to this score as frequently as I do other scores.  I refuse to make a work playlist for it; if I did I'd break down in tears in the middle of the shift!  The Flying Dreams theme seems scientifically engineered to make you cry every time you hear it...  Especially in the middle of Story Of NIMH when Mrs. Brisby reads Nicodemus' logbook.

 

I hope everyone who wanted a copy of the Intrada managed to get their hands on it...  and those who didn't at least manage to get the OST somewhere.

[Bespin 8,484]

 

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

27 minutes ago, Bespin said:

 

Always like this album as it's an interesting time capsule as much as anything, seeing which scores are more or less regarded as classics (Die Hard, Roger Rabbit, Beetlejuice etc.) and which ones nobody really remembers (Crossing Delancy,Madame Sousatzka etc.) any more!

[Brónach 1,302]

Far and Away again

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Revenge of the Sith

War Horse

Irati

Alien again

Robin Hood (the Marc Streitenfeld one)

[Thor 7,531]

 

A beautiful, little, Thomas Newman-esque score for this 2014 children's film by Magnus Beite -- who was one of the most in-demand film composers in Norway a few years ago, but who now seems to have vanished off the scene a little bit. Alas, it's still unreleased.

[LSH 969]

59 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

A beautiful, little, Thomas Newman-esque score for this 2014 children's film by Magnus Beite -- who was one of the most in-demand film composers in Norway a few years ago, but who now seems to have vanished off the scene a little bit. Alas, it's still unreleased.

 

Sounds nice. Where can I hear it?

[Thor 7,531]

You can’t, I’m afraid. It remains unreleased.

[Bespin 8,484]

So you think we don't have access to music because it's unreleased?

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

Hee, hee, Bes.

There's a difference between "unreleased", and "unavailable" 

[Bespin 8,484]

"Sci-Fi Symphonies: A Collection of Epic Scores for Futuristic Adventures"

• Total Recall
• Demolition Man
• The Fifth Element
• The Matrix
• Minority Report
• War of the Worlds
• Inception
• Blade Runner 2049

[crocodile 8,020]

Listening to the Mondo release of Superman: The Movie on this lazy rainy afternoon and reading the liner notes insert.

 

 

Karol

[Jay 37,379]

Always interesting when a concert arrangement arrives so late in an OST program

[crocodile 8,020]

It is, yes, but interesting how different formats can sometimes alter your perception of what might seem strange sequencing choices. Spreading of concert arrangements like that might actually work that way on vinyl because each sides is like a movement in a concert work. The only classic LP programme I will never understand is The Empire Strikes Back. The Magic Tree and Lando's Palace placed as the climax? 

 

Karol

[Jay 37,379]

The whole Empire 2-LP ordering of music makes no sense, kind of surprising after Star Wars' was so well done

[Bespin 8,484]

38 minutes ago, crocodile said:

It is, yes, but interesting how different formats can sometimes alter your perception of what might seem strange sequencing choices. Spreading of concert arrangements like that might actually work that way on vinyl because each sides is like a movement in a concert work. The only classic LP programme I will never understand is The Empire Strikes Back. The Magic Tree and Lando's Palace placed as the climax? 

 

Karol

 

The Empire Strikes Back program is a compromise between making a good listening experience and putting the best tracks at the right place on each side, to assure a good frequencies response.

 

When a LP side is full, the tracks which can reproduce the less well the frequencies is the last track of each side. Then don't see the last track of a side as the climax, but the least sonically demanding track of the side.

 

Of course, you can also put a track with a huge dynamic range as the last track of a LP side, but only if the side contains not much music and you have enough space on the inner grooves to make it sound good.

 

Of course I'm beginning of being tired to explain that the frequencies are not reproduced the same in the outer and inner grooves of a LP.

 

Young beatnicks who finds really hot to listen to a LP in 2023, will never understand that. And well, old X gens like me who grew up putting our fingers on LPs (to move them forward, to move them backwards, to pause them, to prevent them from jumping, etc.) understand the limitations of it perfectly and don't want to get back to this totally imperfect and outdated technology.

 

Just the idea to have to calibrate the speed of EACH vinyl I play makes me sick (yes not two LPs were engraved at the EXACT same speed, that's ANALOGIC, you remember? It is an engine connected to a belt that makes a vinyl turn and the speed also changes with the wear of the belt...).

[crocodile 8,020]

11 minutes ago, Jay said:

The whole Empire 2-LP ordering of music makes no sense, kind of surprising after Star Wars' was so well done

It's funny that Williams produced only one really great programme per each trilogy. The original, Attack of the Clones and The Force Awakens. The other ones are either underwhelming or completely baffling.

 

7 minutes ago, Bespin said:

 

When a LP side is full, the tracks which can reproduce the less well the frequencies is the last track of each side. Then don't see the last track of a side as the climax, but the least sonically demanding track of the side.

 

Of course, you can also put a track with a huge dynamic range as the last track of a LP side, but only if the side contains not much music and you have enough space on the inner groove to make it sound good.

That's interesting. Thanks for this. 

 

Karol

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

45 minutes ago, Bespin said:

Just the idea to have to calibrate the speed of EACH vinyl I play makes me sick (yes not two LPs were engraved at the EXACT same speed, that's ANALOGIC, you remember? It is an engine connected to a belt that makes a vinyl turn and the speed also changes with the wear of the belt...).

 

Just get a direct drive record deck 

[Bespin 8,484]

3 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

 

Just get a direct drive record deck 

 

Then you don't want me to talk about this and their effects

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

Touché, Bes.

[filmmusic 1,843]

Richard Robbins is not very much talked about here. Why? Maybe most people haven't seen the exceptional films he has scored?

Anyway, I like this less than Maurice and The Remains of the day, but still a masterful score...

[crocodile 8,020]

3 hours ago, Bespin said:

 

Then you don't want me to talk about this and their effects

 

Wait, you prefer straight? 😉

 

Karol

[Bespin 8,484]

I prefer curved upward!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

Don't we all, darling? 

[Bespin 8,484]

How old are you again? 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

I'm as old as I feel...and, right now, that's about 23.

[LSH 969]

 

Another horror/thriller score from Young with a typically great theme led by piano; one that is very reminiscent in feel of the excellent Jennifer 8, in fact. It's bookended by great performances of said theme - particularly both the penultimate and final cue - but it's a bit dull and pedestrian in between.

[filmmusic 1,843]

 

Complete score (without bonus tracks)

I listened to it because I wanted to decide if I'll buy the Neumation sheet music score.

I'm afraid I didn't like it.

I'm not a Bernard Herrmann fan generally and his technique of repeated motivic cells.

I appreciate the orchestral techniques here but other than that...

[Marian Schedenig 8,212]

3 hours ago, LSH said:

Another horror/thriller score from Young with a typically great theme led by piano; one that is very reminiscent in feel of the excellent Jennifer 8, in fact. It's bookended by great performances of said theme - particularly both the penultimate and final cue - but it's a bit dull and pedestrian in between.

 

It's not a score that I often put in my playlist as a whole, but Twice Told Tales is a fun cue.

[Edmilson 7,475]

I remember when I was in college ten years ago and we were doing an animated short, mine had some horror vibes so I used Herrmann's The Day the Earth Stood Still as the music  and it fit well.

 

Never got a copyright strike though, mainly because I don't remember posting it on Youtube.

[Bespin 8,484]

🔥🎶🌌

#michaelgiacchino - Rogue One

#johnwilliams- Star Wars: A New Hope

#tylerbates - Guardians of the Galaxy 

#alansilvestri - The Avengers

[crocodile 8,020]

 V for Vendetta. I miss this kind of Dario Marianelli. It's a thoughtful and intelligent score and a really strong album.

 

Karol

[filmmusic 1,843]

 

Too many songs. Of course, it's the theme of the movie. 

Didn't make much impression on me like other Coulais scores.

[crocodile 8,020]

  Captain America: Civil War. I like this Henry Jackman fella. Just like the film bridges stylistic worlds of thriller intrigue of The Winter Soldier with the large scope of The Avengers, so does the score. At the time, I was, like many people disappointed that they abandoned many established themes in favour of "lesser" material. And while, yes, it would have been nice to hear Silvestri's themes in there, it sort of fitting they do not appear as it isn't exactly the most heroic episode in the franchise and it doesn't feel like this particularly calls for something quite as triumphant. Instead, we are given a collection of smaller themes and motifs that skilfully wave the emotion and intrigue and gradually unravel some of the more tragic plot points along the way. And while the majority of Jackman's music is appropriately sombre, and primarily driven by the two weighty Civil War and Zemo themes, it also contains some of the most orchestrally robust supherhero action music in Marvel catalogue as well as several minor motifs for other characters (most notably Spider-Man). The lengthy 14-minute airport segment in particular is very entertaining. It's quite skilfully constructed music with a truly dramatic core and one of the most underrated Marvel scores out there.

 

I particularly love the mournful development of Zemo's theme into the adagio (which also happens to be a clever riff on some of the harsher material heard in the previous score). It's some of the better music heard in any of these films (playing very much against the type):

 

 

I would also like to point out the 69-minute album is very well sequenced and the listener can easily trace some of the development taking place within the score.

 

Karol

[Edmilson 7,475]

Yeah, it's a decent score, probably Jackman's best for a live-action movie (for best overall I'd still pick Wreck-It Ralph).

[crocodile 8,020]

I actually very much enjoy his Jumanji, The Predator (which, unlike any other sequel, it actually does something interesting with Silvestri material) and Kong (great theme for the titular hero). Overlooked, all three.

 

Karol

[HunterTech 994]

I always find CW a frustrating listen, since it lacks much of what I found so appealing about TWS. I can appreciate Jackman wanting to improve as a composer after reviews for the latter apparently got to him, but sort of like anyone else from RCP who try to be more traditional, I think they end up losing their unique voice as a result. I wouldn't be opposed to revisiting it more, since I do think there are good moments in it, but as is I'm not too sold on it.