The Dark Knight Rises

[Koray Savas 2,251]

No love for Al Pacino and Robin Williams?

[Matt C 453]

God, Nolan's reusing most of his Inception cast for supporting roles (Hardy, Cotillard, Levitt). Whatever happened to fresh faces? (Aside from Hathaway, Temple and the guy cast as Young Ra's Al-Ghul.)

I expect Ellen Page as Batgirl and Leonardo DiCaprio as Nightwing any day now. [/sarcasm]

[Koray Savas 2,251]

If you haven't noticed, Nolan's last four films pretty much had the same cast. No surprises here. They're damn fine actors. Cotillard is probably my favorite actress working today, and she's so unbelievably gorgeous too.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

That much is certain.

[Red 75]

If you haven't noticed, Nolan's last four films pretty much had the same cast. No surprises here. They're damn fine actors. Cotillard is probably my favorite actress working today, and she's so unbelievably gorgeous too.

Not really. The Batman films obviously had most of the same cast, but the others only share a few actors (Michael Caine). This new one is the only one that is mostly made up of actors he's previously worked with, but it's a sequel.

[Matt C 453]

Yeah. The casting itself doesn't bother me, since all of them are very good to superb. (Especially the Inception actors like Cotillard and Levitt.)

It's just reusing actors that irritates me. I hope Nolan doesn't turn into Tim Burton and cast the same actor(s) in his next films. (Caine must be grateful for the work, he's been in every Nolan film save for Memento, Following and Insomnia.)

[crocodile 8,006]

Many directors do that, if not all of them.

Karol

[Wojo 2,453]

Spielberg didn't, aside from casting Dreyfuss in both Jaws and Close Encounters.

Harrison Ford was an exception because those were in-universe sequels.

[Neimoidian 14]

Scorsese does. First de Niro, now di Caprio.

[mrbellamy 6,286]

Spielberg didn't, aside from casting Dreyfuss in both Jaws and Close Encounters.

Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise, as well. Also Daniel Craig, with Munich and now Tin Tin. Robin Williams was in Hook and had a small role in A.I. And then obviously any returning actors for the Indiana Jones or Jurassic Park movies. But yeah, he has said in at least one interview that he has a long list of great actors that he would love to work with, so he makes it a point not to hire the same ones over and over. Which he's still staying true to, overall. When he does re-use an actor, it's usually only one per film, rather than entire cast lists of old names. And we're still seeing lots of great names pop up in his cast lists that haven't been in his films before (David Thewlis and Emily Watson for War Horse, Andy Serkis, Jamie Bell, Simon Pegg for Tin Tin, Daniel Day-Lewis and Sally Field for Lincoln)

[Wojo 2,453]

That's true, I wasn't thinking recent Spielberg because I tend to avoid recent Spielberg.

[MSM 126]

That's true, I wasn't thinking recent Spielberg because I tend to avoid recent Spielberg.

Munich was a good movie.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

So was KOCS!

[Ollie 1,059]

Spielberg didn't, aside from casting Dreyfuss in both Jaws and Close Encounters.

Harrison Ford was an exception because those were in-universe sequels.

Don't forget Dreyfuss + Always and Ford was going to be in E.T., his scene was cut and uncredited.

[Wojo 2,453]

I have only seen two Spielberg-directed movies in the theater: The Lost World and KOTCS. All others were on TV or video.

As for the other recent flicks, WOTW was a cheap DVD that I bought and am considering reselling; The Terminal was bought on VHS but remains unwatched; I never saw Munich, A.I., or Minority Report; and Catch Me If You Can was a rental.

[Matt C 453]

Scorsese does. First de Niro, now di Caprio.

DiCaprio isn't in Hugo Cabret, though.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

And De Niro wasn't in The Age Of Innocence; and Russell Crowe won't be in Prometheus. Point is, even a director's favorite actor doesn't fit in every single movie.

[Matt C 453]

Yeah. Take Ridley Scott's Robin Hood -- Crowe was just resurrecting his Maximus character under the Robin Hood name. Terribly lazy. But I liked the score and Cate Blanchett's Marion.

[Jay 37,352]

Filming has begun

http://www.slashfilm.com/superhero-bits-the-dark-knight-rises-the-avengers-xmen-class-green-lantern-2-ant-man/

[Jay 37,352]

Official Warner Brothers press release makes no mention of JNH returning, only Zimmer

http://www.flicksandbits.com/2011/05/19/the-dark-knight-rises-start-of-production-press-release/11754/

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I actually forgot JNH worked on them....

[crocodile 8,006]

Not that it makes any difference.

Karol

[Matt C 453]

Pooh. JNH's contributions were the brightest spots in Nolan's Batman scores.

I pray JNH is asked back, it wouldn't be the same if Zimmer was back and he wasn't.

[fommes 153]

I actually forgot JNH worked on them....

[Red 75]

Not that it makes any difference.

Karol

There was a real synthesis of JNH and Zimmer's work in Batman Begins, but Zimmer seemed to tip the scales in Dark Knight. It's disappointing that Howard is returning; his input has been some of my favorite in this series. Not to say that the score is doomed now that he isn't involved, as with the previous two films I'm confident Zimmer will do a serviceable job.

[Brónach 1,302]

I will always wonder what JNH would have donde all alone. I really like his dramatic mode. It would have been spot on.

[Datameister 2,042]

These scores always struck me as Zimmer products with a little tiny bit of JNH influence, but after studying some of the scores, I must admit that JNH's voice is there. It's just that they recorded everything to sound like a Zimmer score, and the stuff JNH did isn't his best work, anyhow. But there was definitely a strong delineation between their realms...I mean, each individual cue was just written by one man, not both of them. JNH tended to tackle the quieter and more sentimental cues while Zimmer was in charge of the action and suspense material. If you took JNH's cues, cut out Zimmer's cues, had JNH write his own versions of those cues, and recorded everything without that Zimmerian sound, it actually could be a decent couple of scores.

But yeah, these scores feel overwhelmingly like Zimmer's work. I suspect that JNH's absence won't make a huge difference, though it ought to accentuate the strengths he did bring to the table.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I'm sure he'll be back.

[MrJosh 892]

Data, after studying some of the scores, has your opinion of the music become mor positive? Sometimes I find that I start to like certain music more so after studying it deeper.

I personally think the scores are quite effective in the films. I just watched the Dark Knigt last week, and was struck with how effective the music was. But outside of the films, it doesn't hold my attention very well, even less so when I listen to someones "complete" edit. I feel like there isn't enough substance when listening outside of the film. Maybe I would "get it" more if I look at the scores?

[Datameister 2,042]

Hmmm...well, it's helped me notice the differences between Zimmer's contributions and JNH's, and perhaps to appreciate the latter more, but I'd say my impression of the scores is overall about the same. There's a part of me that wants to just absolutely love their sheer visceral power, and then there's the part of me that can't ignore how lazy, derivative, tasteless, and overly serious they can be. I suppose the element I appreciate most is Harvey Dent's theme, which has a nice solemnity to it. It suffers from being recorded with that Zimmer sound, though. Oh, and there are a scattering of nice moments in - gasp! - a major key. Also provided by JNH, of course. Those provide some much-needed contrast from all the brooding.

[MrJosh 892]

Haha yes, the tiny rays of sunshine (major key) almost stick out like a sore thumb amidst all the darkness. And I am trying to imagine the score recorded without any zimmer trademark synth....it would have a better feeling imho...

[Datameister 2,042]

They really do. I remember one fairly close to the beginning of TDK, probably during some establishing shot of the city or something, and it's just so nice to hear something other than this brooding, dramatic, melodramatic Zimmer-ness!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Well Harvey Dent was a white knight who was supposed to save Gotham from darkness. So the score is perfect.

[Datameister 2,042]

There wasn't enough contrast overall. Obviously, it's Batman, it needs to be dark...but darkness seems a lot darker when it's contrasted with something brighter. There are far too few of those moments for my taste.

[Delorean90 42]

Yes. The films themselves struck a decent balance of elements of humor and adventure against the darkness, but the scores pretty much refuse to acknowledge such things, and the music and the films are the poorer for it.

[Wojo 2,453]

I wish someone would redub Batman Begins and The Dark Knight with Kevin Conroy.

[crocodile 8,006]

First look at Bane (Tom Hardy):

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=77792

Karol

[Romão 2,274]

The viral campaign has begun. I hope it's as good as the one for TDK. Those were such great times

[Red 75]

The viral campaign has begun. I hope it's as good as the one for TDK. Those were such great times

Indeed.

I like how Bane looks, though the mask design was pretty unexpected.

[Datameister 2,042]

Hiding text in the spectrogram of an audio file = genius. Maybe that's already been done before, but I hadn't heard of it.

[Jay 37,352]

Three new cast members added

http://www.slashfilm.com/the-dark-knight-rises-cast-revealed-matthew-modine-tom-conti-joey-king/

[Wojo 2,453]

Hi....Joker...

[Jay 37,352]

More new cast members!

http://www.slashfilm.com/the-dark-knight-rises-adds-brett-cullen-chris-ellis/

[crocodile 8,006]

They just wrapped up shooting at Wollaton Hall in Notthingam (the new Wayne Manor) which is something like 13 miles from where I live. I thought of going there to see it for myself, but then I want them to focus on their film instead of me and my brilliance.

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Richard Penna 3,686]

Drive past with Shirley Walker's Phantasm main theme blaring at full volume.

[Ollie 1,059]

Drive past with any of the Batman themes playing, even Nelson Riddle's.

[gkgyver 1,645]

I can just picture that scene ...

[JoeinAR 1,949]

what you bet Joseph Gordon Levitt will end up playing the Joker.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I remember GoldsmithFanatic3000+ plus telling me Levitt would be the perfect Joker back when Ledger was first announced to star.