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


Ollie

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Kingdom of Heaven - Harry Gregson-Williams

I listened to my own edit of the sessions and I truly believe this is his best score. He excels when he works with Ridley Scott, and I think he did a fanatstic job here, perfectly recreating the time period with his exotic instrumentation, while still retaining a bit of the modern scoring techniques that fit more with his style. He creates such a vast array of themes and motifs, and I love how he develops them through the score in many different variations. Some of my favorites are definitely Balian's theme, Ibelin's theme and King Baldwin's theme. Such a great score, and I think it would benefit from an expanded release, as the soundtrack album is missing some key pieces here and there.

 

Stardust - Ilan Eshkeri

Fun score! It can become a bit too referential at times, and the appearance of Kilar's Dracula in Lamia's Inn is quite distracting, but in general the composer creates an effective and exapnsive fantasy sound that makes for an entertaining listening, even if i sometimes reminds you of other scores.

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48 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

The Secret Garden - Dario Marianelli

 

When listening to this I do not understand those who go crazy for lyrical Thomas Newman but don't care for Marianelli.

 

 

I’ve loved Marianelli’s work since Pride and Prejudice, but  I fully realized how versatile a composer he was when I heard his score to Bumblebee. I was astonished by how different it sounded from everything I had heard from him up until that point. I have yet to listen to his score to TSG, but now I’m going to. 
 

I’ve been listening to Burwell’s Twilight and Howard’s The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1 & 2.  
Twilight is good, but THG is great. 

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2 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

The Secret Garden - Dario Marianelli

 

When listening to this I do not understand those who go crazy for lyrical Thomas Newman but don't care for Marianelli.

 

 

Another Secret Garden film? I didn't know..

Thanks for pointing this out.

ouch! 5.6 at imdb, while the 1993 film that I know is 7.3.

The score sounds good though.

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1 hour ago, filmmusic said:

Another Secret Garden film? I didn't know..

Thanks for pointing this out.

ouch! 5.6 at imdb, while the 1993 film that I know is 7.3.

The score sounds good though.

 

I sampled the Marianelli version awhile back, and it didn't do anything for me, I'm afraid. Doesn't even come close to the gorgeous 1993 score by Preisner -- one of his best scores to boot. For me, Marianelli "lost it" a bit several years ago, when he departed from the post-minimalist romanticism that he was so good at, and became far more mainstream/streamlined.

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2 hours ago, filmmusic said:

Another Secret Garden film? I didn't know..

Thanks for pointing this out.

ouch! 5.6 at imdb, while the 1993 film that I know is 7.3.

The score sounds good though.

We watched the later version a few months ago and it was fine enough, although I'd rather Julie Walters being jolly than dour (although I love Julie Walters in anything). I have to admit that I don't readily remember the score but will have to check it out. The Preisner score for the 90s version is indeed superb however.

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Goldsmith turned this awesome page in 97-98 when he went from pseudo-thriller/action material to doing a series of epic scores that built on the threat that Zimmer proposed for the sector (JG would have been very aware of the impacts of Crimson Tide) so he produced scores like Mulan and 13th Warrior that take that germanic, deep melodic approach to a lot of his work (which was always there - JG now just amplified it). The main theme for The Edge is probably the first clear evocation of that new approach - it is wonderful music and just amazing work (with a bit of Trevor Jones thrown in; but also reciprocated in Jones dealing with the Basic Instinct temp in Cliffhanger):

 

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8 minutes ago, thestat said:

but also reciprocated in Jones dealing with the Basic Instinct temp in Cliffhanger):

 

What parts of which Cliffhanger tracks are temp-tracked with Basic Instinct material?

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Jay, there's a number of tracks, including a substantial part of the end credits, 4:00 onwards is pretty verbatim. But the temp tracking is not a problem - It's Carolco, so its Vajna and the boys funding awesome big music for big films.....they paid for Basic Instinct so they own the stuff.

 

 

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Goodbye_Mr_Chips_FSMCD9No6.jpg

 

Does anyone here like this?

I'm just listening...

Well, Bricusse in my opinion is no Richard Rodgers or whoever wrote the songs in the classic Disney animation films.

I can't get into it. Perhaps if I saw the film?

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28 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

Goodbye_Mr_Chips_FSMCD9No6.jpg

 

Does anyone here like this?

I'm just listening...

Well, Bricusse in my opinion is no Richard Rodgers or whoever wrote the songs in the classic Disney animation films.

I can't get into it. Perhaps if I saw the film?

 

Yes, you have to see the movie.

 

Just by listening to the songs, I don't think you can truly understand the tragic death of Petula Clark's character in the movie.

 

I'm sorry to inform you, if you didn't already know, that this scene is a real shock in the movie. It serves as the focal point of all the nostalgia that permeates throughout the entire film.

 

Do the songs even provide a clue that the story revolves around the events of WWII?

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8 hours ago, filmmusic said:

Does anyone here like this?

I'm just listening...

Well, Bricusse in my opinion is no Richard Rodgers or whoever wrote the songs in the classic Disney animation films.

I can't get into it. Perhaps if I saw the film?

 

The film is OK. Never seen the original 1939 film, though, so I can't compare.

 

The songs are OK too -- varies from fairly meddling to great (my favourite song being the ethereal and dreamy "Apollo" which sadly only lasts for a minute and a half). Peter O'Toole can't sing worth a damn and talks his way through the songs, but that has a certain charm too. Like the Noel Harrison recording of Legrand's "The Windmills of Your Mind". And Williams' arrangements are appropriately lush.

 

As I think everyone here knows, I've had this on a LP-to-CD-R transfer for more than two decades now. So I never picked up the FSM release when it was fresh and affordable. One of my biggest regrets -- not because I think it can live up to 3 CDs, but because it contains score tracks, and I would have needed it in my collection in original physical format for completist purposes (I obviously own it in digital file format). Now it's WAAAAY beyond my price range on secondary markets. Bummer.

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NzMtNjcyMS5qcGVn.jpeg

 

I don't play this very often anymore; I tend to go for the four LEGENDS compilations instead. Or the individual soundtracks, all of which I own. But it's really a great recording -- I dig the huge, lush space of the sound.

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9 minutes ago, Thor said:

NzMtNjcyMS5qcGVn.jpeg

 

I don't play this very often anymore; I tend to go for the four LEGENDS compilations instead. Or the individual soundtracks, all of which I own. But it's really a great recording -- I dig the huge, lush space of the sound.

 

Do you have other titles from the same series?

 

You should do a webcast on Waxman, btw. :)

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2 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Do you have other titles from the same series?

 

Yes. I have METROPOLIS, THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN/THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER and FILM NOIR. Also previously had the HIGH NOON/Tiomkin one, but I think I traded it off many years ago.

 

2 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

You should do a webcast on Waxman, btw. :)

 

He, he. Here's the link to my Waxman podcast episode from 2020, but it won't do anyone any good, because it's in Norwegian.

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30 minutes ago, Thor said:

He, he. Here's the link to my Waxman podcast episode from 2020, but it won't do anyone any good, because it's in Norwegian.

Technically, you could put it to YouTube with some pictures of Waxman and add subtitles. Or maybe the autogenerated titles from YouTube are good enough.

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SabrinaLLLCD.jpg

 

It didn't change my perception of the score, which I thought was very good (with a great main theme) but not great overall.

I had hoped a secondary theme (from Thinking of Home/Work Montage) would be more developed musically (and not just change of orchestration and tonalities) in this expansion, but I guess the film didn't call for something like this.

By the way, 2nd time I'm listening to it now, and I changed the order of Learning the ropes, putting the film version in the main programme, and the overlay in the bonus tracks.

(I have this eccentricity that I want the film versions to be on the main programme always).:P

I omitted the first track too, because I think 2 times the exact same track, is redundant. 

Also, I LOVE the 2nd disc. I love such arrangements of old songs, and the jazzy piano renditions/variations of the Moonlight theme.

It was a great decision to include all these here.

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bumblebee-.jpg

 

I'm currently listening and I'm in half. I wonder if I should stop it or not.

While I love some dramatic Marianelli (e.g. Atonement, Jane Eyre, Anna Karenina), I don't care for this so far at all.

I guess it's hard for any composer of action music to impress me today, other than John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith.

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2 hours ago, filmmusic said:

bumblebee-.jpg

 

I'm currently listening and I'm in half. I wonder if I should stop it or not.

While I love some dramatic Marianelli (e.g. Atonement, Jane Eyre, Anna Karenina), I don't care for this so far at all.

I guess it's hard for any composer of action music to impress me today, other than John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith.

I wrote this somewhere else already. Marianelli can write great action music. Like this:

But the movie must allow this.

 

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Can anyone recommend any action score (not fantasy/sci.fi) of the last years, that doesn't resemble the remote control productions music?

I tried to listen to Bourne Legacy, but alas it was not what I was after.

Something like the old good Goldsmith?

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What about this?

 

 

 

21 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

I wrote this somewhere else already. Marianelli can write great action music. Like this:

But the movie must allow this.

 

 

That's the RCP documentary, right?

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1 hour ago, filmmusic said:

Can anyone recommend any action score (not fantasy/sci.fi) of the last years, that doesn't resemble the remote control productions music?

I tried to listen to Bourne Legacy, but alas it was not what I was after.

Something like the old good Goldsmith?

There is Supercell, a score for a low budget movie that was lauded a few months ago for being old-fashioned and similar to the 80s/90s scores we all know and love - it even has a love theme! I didn't care much for it but it got a lot of fans in the film music community.

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22 hours ago, filmmusic said:

Can anyone recommend any action score (not fantasy/sci.fi) of the last years, that doesn't resemble the remote control productions music?

I tried to listen to Bourne Legacy, but alas it was not what I was after.

Something like the old good Goldsmith?

 

TORPEDO, as JS mentions, would definitely have been a recommendation from me too. Put de Mayer on the map for me, and he continued to impress with the largely synth-driven score for the Tour de France film THE RACER (2020) -- one of my top 10 favourite scores that year.

 

A couple of other newish action scores within your parameters (or at least what I THINK are your parameters) would be BUCKLEY'S CHANCE (Gordon), TOKYO GHOUL (Davis), LIVE IS LIFE (Riveiro) or ZODI ET TEHU (Mika), but to be honest, it's really a type of score that I tune out of these days (most of the time). I sample them when I hear about them, and then move on to other things closer to my taste.

 

I think videogames have a lot of the action scores you're looking for.

 

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7 minutes ago, Thor said:

LIVE IS LIFE (Riveiro) or ZODI ET TEHU (Mika)

Imdb says the first is comedy, drama and the second an adventure.

Buckley's chance, that says family.

I was thinking more along the lines of films like Bourne, Die hard and such stuff. Action in a contemporary setting.

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21 hours ago, Edmilson said:

There is Supercell, a score for a low budget movie that was lauded a few months ago for being old-fashioned and similar to the 80s/90s scores we all know and love - it even has a love theme! I didn't care much for it but it got a lot of fans in the film music community.

Just listening. Quite good.

It's really weird that low budget films that get very low ratings at imdb or unknown movies have good scores, and big hollywood movies have.....:lol:

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3 hours ago, Andy said:

IMG_7879.jpeg

 

Tina Turner’s passing reminded me that it’s been too long since I played the complete score.  My God, this one has it all. Themes galore. Heroic, hopeful, tragic, romantic, somber, adventurous.  A sax driven rock based earworm.  Sumptuous percussion of all kinds.   Orchestration and a recording that just scintillates on every level.  This is a firecracker of a great score!!!
 

It’s strange this score doesn’t get talked about more, but I think it’s one of the best of the 80s.   I’m not super familiar with Jarre’s output.  I’ve never listened to Lawrence of Arabia.  But for me, this is my favorite work of his.   For some reason, it feels like this is to Maurice Jarre what Dances With Wolves is to John Barry. 

At least it's the only Mad Max movie with a proper score.

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7 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

At least it's the only Mad Max movie with a proper score.

 

I actually like some of Brian May's sound.  He also did the score to Frog Dreaming, which I believe you mentioned you enjoyed the film.  He also scored Henry Thomas again in the 80s flick that every kid my age loved, Cloak and Dagger.  Both are very listenable.  His Mad Max scores are okay, but there's no doubt Jarre brought something new to the table.  Arguably, he made it more Hollywood, but I think it's grand.

 

 

 

.

On 29/5/2023 at 1:16 AM, AC1 said:

 

Spoiler

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It's one of those widely beloved movies and soundtracks that I don't really enjoy. 

 

 

Spoiler

81zxxRMGfUL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

 

 

Ah, much better!

 

I...sort of actually agree with this.  I'd reach for Hearbeeps before Potter.  I guess it depends on if you want an overabundance of celeste and choir or an overabundance of 80s synth.

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1 hour ago, Andy said:

I actually like some of Brian May's sound.  He also did the score to Frog Dreaming, which I believe you mentioned you enjoyed the film.  He also scored Henry Thomas again in the 80s flick that every kid my age loved, Cloak and Dagger.  Both are very listenable.  His Mad Max scores are okay, but there's no doubt Jarre brought something new to the table.  Arguably, he made it more Hollywood, but I think it's grand.

 

Actually, I don't want to say anything against the three other Mad Max scores. But they are not something, that I like to listen to outside of the movie. It's just my personal taste.

 

1 hour ago, Andy said:

I...sort of actually agree with this.  I'd reach for Hearbeeps before Potter.  I guess it depends on if you want an overabundance of celeste and choir or an overabundance of 80s synth.

 

There I have to say, as I often dislike how pop musicians who start writing motion picture scores treat the orchestra, the same way I often dislike if classically trained composers like Williams are working with synthesizers. This is rather something for native electronic musicians like Hans Zimmer or Trent Reznor. Williams can manage many different musical styles. From classic, jazz, 60s pop to various folk and indigenious styles and even some avantgarde stuff. But electronic pop is really not his domain. My view.

 

 

 

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