Favorites time: James Newton Howard

[Morlock 11]

Very simple- I've been listening to a lot of old scores lately, and I was wondering what are your favorites, sorted by composers. So first up is James Newton Howard.

#1- Dave. One of the best comedy scores ever. It has so many great upbeat cues, romatic cues, montages, and it is one of the few scores that I could find something I like in every single track.

#2- The Fugitive. Simply a great score. (too bad it was up against Schindler's list) Has great chase music, and some really great tense moments.

#3- Signs. I bought this right after leaving the theater. The score was amazing in the movie, but I found I couldn't listen to it straigt through without the movie. I usualy only listen to the first and last two tracks.

#4- My best friends wedding. Simply a wondeful overture.

[King Mark 3,631]

i recorded 'Waterworld' on a Minidisk somewhere,which reminds me I forgot about it,so I'll check it out.

K.M.

[Guest]

Dinosaur if my favorite JNH score. And I agree with KM, Waterworld was great as well.

MattC

[Trumpeteer 302]

The Fugitive is a great score, both in and out of the film. Wonderful orchestrations, and wonderful jazzy riffs on the sax.

Then there's Signs, which has one of the best opening cues this year. Well, actually, it is the best. After hearing the opening titles, I knew I wanted to buy the score.

All of the others are clumped together in thrid place. They have good moments, but don't amaze me as a whole.

[Eplicon 53]

He's good at melodic scores and much of that propulsive stuff for scores like aforementioned The Fugitive. "Helicopter Chase" and "Subway Fight" are great listens while driving fast in the car.

I really like his dramatic scores like Wyatt Earp and Grand Canyon, the latter of which I think is one of his best. Waterworld is OK, but given that he only three weeks to write that, it's sounds like he had to rely on previous scores for ideas.

[Romão 2,274]

Atlantis the Lost Empire is one of my all-time favorite scores. Dinosaur, Unbreakable, Waterworld and more recently Treasure Planet are all great scores.

Romao, whose 3rd favorite composer is James Newton Howard.

[Guest]

You all should check THE POSTMAN score on film (not just on CD, which is toooooo short). Probably his masterpiece.

[tpigeon 3]

Atlantis the Lost Empire is one of my all-time favorite scores. Dinosaur, Unbreakable, Waterworld and more recently Treasure Planet are all great scores.

Romao, whose 3rd favorite composer is James Newton Howard.

agreed. Vertical Limit has a couple really good orchestral bursts, and the Sixth Sense has a very good finale.

Ted, whose second favorite living composer is James Newton Howard

[tharpdevenport 4]

I first noticed JNH when i heard The Fugitive. Then that was it and i forgot about him.

Then i traded for Dinosaur 2CD complete and thought that this score was good and i could easily sit throught the whole thing.

So i started trading for stuff like Atlantis complete and what ever James Newton Howard score i thought the name of looked interesting.

Then last year i heard about M. Night Shyamalan making "Signs" and got very excited cause i loved Unbreakable and was thinking JNH would stick with Mr. Night cause that would be his 3rd score for the guy. And this year when Signs came out- BOOM! JNH is now one of my favorite composers and Signs is one of the best scores (and movies) i have ever heard. Shortly before that, a couple of months, i saw Water World, which was not a bad movie despite it's box office studio killer sales. The score was quitee good and i still haven't piucked it up yet. Shame on me.

And i just saw some of 8 Million Ways To Die and found out he scoreed it. Good score, to bad there is no release.

Treasure Island had a good moment or 2, but not very impressive as a whole. I have heard nothing of the new score, i forget the name of the movie.

Can't wait to hear what he does next year. Thrilled about it.

[CYPHER 1]

I find that James Newton Howard nearly always puts in a competent effort at the very least. He writes good scores that suit the movies well and certainly contribute significantly to them. Signs is great, but I also really love the way Unbreakable and Snow Falling on Cedars work in the context of these films. I own the latter on CD and while it is a good score, I've grown a bit tired of it lately - which doesn't diminish its appropriateness and effectiveness in the film.

CYPHER

[jasonblueeyes 0]

During The Early Nineties I was very into James Newton Howard. First Big Movie I recall seeing his name was Pretty Woman. It had a nice Piano Theme I loved.

I Really liked his Urban sound of Grand Canyon. A great Score for our times.

Falling down had a great score especially during the end of the movie.

The Fugitive Rocked!!!

Wyatt Earp Had A good Main Theme. Not a lot More though.

I've lost interest over thr years but still he is very good.

[Jamesyboy 3]

Here are some of my favorite cues by the amazing JNH (in no particular order):

-Wyatt Earp - Main Title & O.K. Corral

-Waterworld- Slide for Life & The Skyboat (rivals even Williams)

-Dinosaur - The Egg Travels & Meeting the Herd (on complete set)

-Snow Falling on Cedar - Tarawa (one of the best orchestral tracks ever)]

-Signs - Main Titles & Hand of Fate (part 1)

-Atlantis - The Submarine & Leviathan

-Flatliners - Redemption (another amazing orchestral cue)

-Devil's Advocate - don't know where to start on this one...very EVIL score with some wicked orchestral stuff

plus many, many more..Treasure Planet, Fugitive, The Postman, his take on looney tunes music on Space Jam...I could go on and on.

Jamesyboy - hey, Howard can't be too bad, his name is James

[Chris 0]

Outbreak - top score!

[David Coscina 3]

I've been listening to Unbreakable non-stop lately. I like Signs quite a bit but something about the structure of Unbreakable keeps me coming back. It is such a well composed score. Everything ties into one another. I think he got screwed for a nomination that year. I also think the film is waaaay underrated. The sad thing about how the film was received is that it reflects how our society has become so damned literal minded. The film was filled with sybolism and metaphors. But, I guess the surface idea of a guy who is a superhero attracted the wrong crowd. The gratifying thing about the film (and score) is that most folks who have seen it on video love it. Possibly it plays better on a smaller screen as the human element of the narrative comes through better. Regardless, it is one of my favorites of the 2000's (sounds weird to write that phrase).

[Morn 8]

He's fairly good. I liked Dinosaur and Snow Falls on Cedars. I think he's a little overrated though.

[CYPHER 1]

Fiery Angel, I completely agree with you: Unbreakable was an amazing film, M. Night Shyamalan's best to date and definitely one of the top 3 movies of 2000.

CYPHER

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Favorites:

-Waterworld: THE SCORE NOT THE FILM!!!!

-Atlantis: One of his best!

-Dinosaur: Maybe the best score he has done!

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

1. Snow Falling on Cedars

2. The Sixth Sense

[Romão 2,274]

Atlantis is so wonderful, the best score he has ever done, IMHO.

[Justin 2]

You should get Treasure Planet. It's great!

Justin -Listening to "Jim Saves the Crew"

[Morlock 11]

Just saw the Signs DVD, which had a pretty good 8 minute music section. I was surprised how Howard said that his music sounds better with SFX! It was interesting how all the music in the movie evolved from the simple three note motif from the main titles.

Seeing the movie again, especialy the finale, really shows how amazing the music really is. The end is one of the best scored sequences I've seen.

Also, I like the man more now. The first and ony other place I saw him was on the Unbreakable DVD, in which he seemed very spacy and distant. He really seems like a nice guy here, especialy the 5% more love thing.

[fommes 153]

(bump)

So what do you now consider the essential James Newton Howard? (His top three to five scores.)

I have heard a reasonable amount of work from this composer, but have only a couple of scores - generally, I think his music works quite well to well in the film, but lacks a bit out of context.

My favorites:

1. The Fugitive

2. Dinosaur

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything apart from Dinosaur, but I'm looking to get Peter Pan, and isn't Atlantis also his?

Also, the Shyamalan scores are great and very effective, but I'm reluctant to buy them, as I don't expect to enjoy them as much outside of the films myself.

- Marc

[fommes 153]

I have Atlantis too, but that score makes my ears bleed, as Morlock so eloquently put it once.

[HPFAN_2 0]

Peter Pan

Signs

Collateral

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I have Atlantis too, but that score makes my ears bleed, as Morlock so eloquently put it once.

But Mornlock suffers from hemophilia...

[diskobolus 3]

Peter Pan is amazing - just listen to "Fairy Dance"

Sixth Sense chills me to the bone, but the OST does the score no justice, the rest of the Shymalan scores work great in the film but are less memorable as a pure listen

I prefer Atlantis to Treasure Planet, still don't have Dinosaur

[Lurker 5]

Peter Pan is amazing - just listen to "Fairy Dance"

You should hear "Fairie Dance" from Goldsmith's Legend.

Neil

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

JNH is definitely one of my favorites. My favorite score of his is probably Peter Pan; Kevin's right, "Fairy Dance" is really wonderful. The Village is complex and moving, similar to Signs but moreso (gotta love the two "Hand of Fate" cues though). The Man in the Moon is generally overlooked, but is really pleasant and almost Americana. Hidalgo has some nice Western music and a great finale, and Treasure Planet is really growing on me. Those are the only scores I have, though I have pieces from others on a compilation. Waterworld, Dinosaur, and The Prince of Tides especially seem fantastic from the suites I've heard.

Ray Barnsbury

[Josh500 1,615]

I was thinking one of the best works by JNH in recent years is the Theme from ER. I really love that. It's so dramatic, fitting, and kinda intelligent.

[mahler3 478]

I love the It's God & End Title cues from Alive but The Prince of Tides is probably my favourite, one of the quintessential romantic scores of the past 20 years!

If it wasn't for JNH dating Barbara Striesand at the time then we would have had John Barry's Moviola theme, ha! Poor John, he's fallen out with so many Hollywood folks - he needs to make a comeback anytime soon!

-Tim.

[Olivier 5]

The Village & Signs

Beautiful, elegant, intelligent music.

Dinosaur

Wonderful second track. I love Howard's perucssion / rhythms; there are a few cool examples in this score ("The Courtship" & "Across the Desert", for instance).

Atlantis-- The Lost Empire" also has a great main theme and exciting action at the end (though unfortunately not on the official relese); "The Crystal Chamber" is great too.

Peter Pan

Very very nice. Too bad there isn't more music from Peter & Hook's confrontations. I would also have liked a little rearranging of the flying tracks for the album, so that they would not end so abruptly.

Unbreakable

Cool "visions" theme.

Dreamcatcher

Much of the final action is missing, but I love the atmosphere-- "soft", eerie, mysterious.

Wyatt Earp

Very good western score.

I don't have Snow Falling on Cedars, which is said to be very good.

Howard is definitely one of my favorite "new" composers.

[Danielle 0]

My favourites.... Dinosaur, Waterworld and Signs. I'm listening to Atlantis right now; great main theme.

You should hear "Fairie Dance" from Goldsmith's Legend.

One of my favourite Goldsmith cues.

[Saxbabe 28]

James Newton Howard is one of my two favorite living composers. His writing is very intelligent, and classy, and complex.

I had been impressed with several of his scores over the years, but it wasn't until The Village, a score that just captivated me, that I began collecting his other scores. So I've been seeking out the JNH scores I haven't heard, and my appreciation of his work has increased tenfold.

He's incredibly versatile, and incredibly consistent. It's hard to pick a few favorites, because so many of his scores are great in different ways, different ones for different moods so to speak.

I first knew of who he was with Dinosaur, and it is still a huge favorite for its exuberance and energy. Signs is my other top one, it's exqusitely crafted, and adds so much to the film.

I also love The Fugitive, he writes superb action music, Waterworld is great too for its huge sound. Recently got Wyatt Earp, it's nice, a sweeping, noble Western score, and The Postman, it really is one of his best, also very grand.

Peter Pan is absolutely amazing, I can listen to it again and again, and Treasure Planet is a score often overlooked, I really feel they are both stronger than Atlantis.

Have heard a few cues from Grand Canyon and Alive, plan to get them next, his "Grand Canyon Fanfare" is dang impressive, and Alive has a gorgeous theme, along with shimmering waves of sound.

And, a personal special one, is Snow Falling On Cedars, I loved the book, the film was beautiful, and his score weaved this incredible orchestral texture that fit it so well.

I think his choral writing is particularly distinctive throughout his work, and the "Tarawa" cue in that displays it in its glory.

Honestly I have a deep admiration for James Newton Howard as a composer and all around musician. His approach to scoring is fascinating. I believe he's really coming into his own over the last five years.

Would LOVE to see him on assignments that Horner and Zimmer keep getting (they work too much with so many others out there writing great scores). I fear he may be getting pigeonholed as a thriller/action man, but he writes beautiful themes and is so sensitive to the dramatic and romantic as well.

Greta

Peter Pan - Set Them Free

[Morlock 11]

I have Atlantis too, but that score makes my ears bleed, as Morlock so eloquently put it once.

That does not sound like something I would say...

But Mornlock suffers from hemophilia...

LOL

Collateral

Really? there's so little score in it, and it's all pretty generic stuff. And it's resemblance to Das Boot is a bit off-putting.

Anyway, I've grown up a lot in the past two years, but the favorites more or less remain. Dave is still one of the best comedy scores. Signs is still friggin' amazing (though I like everything in between the first track and last too now, too), with The Hand of Fate being some of the greatest film music ever composed. I love The Fugitive, Both the action parts, and his main theme, which just nails it- the character, the situation, everything. My Best Friend's Wedding is also one of the best comedy scores ever. Add to the list, of course- The Village, just plain beautiful. The badness of the film prevented the score to be as great an achievment as Signs' score, but when it's cooking, it's cooking. Some of the most striking, beautiful film music ever. Peter Pan is fantastic. Not Hook, but no reason to compare. The main theme is glorious, the pirate theme is good, but it's great in the swashbuckling mode. The Fairy dance is beautiful, if a bit too sugary for my tastes.

[fommes 153]

That does not sound like something I would say...

You really do have to contradict everything, don't you. You said that about the non-violin parts in The Village.

[fommes 153]

For your insight, Morlock.

[Morlock 11]

You really do have to contradict everything, don't you.  

I don't think so, no. I disagree with that statement.

And it looked like you were applying my comment to Atlantis, and that is not something I'd say about that score.

[fommes 153]

I don't think so, no. I disagree with that statement.

LOL

I was referring to the expression I used - I didn't mean you said that about that particular score. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

You should hear "Fairie Dance" from Goldsmith's Legend.

Sorry to be off topic, but I heard that Legend was loosely based on the "Legend of Zelda" Nintendo game. Is this true?

[HPFAN_2 0]

 

Collateral

Really? there's so little score in it, and it's all pretty generic stuff.

To you.

[Lurker 5]

You should hear "Fairie Dance" from Goldsmith's Legend.

Sorry to be off topic, but I heard that Legend was loosely based on the "Legend of Zelda" Nintendo game. Is this true?

No. They both have "Legend" in the title, and that's about it. Plus Legend came out before Zelda. They are two separate entities.

And Williams never, ever, ever recorded music from The Legend of Zelda.

Neil

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Ah, it must have been the other way around (Zelda based on Legend). Or at least that was the rumour I heard; i doubt it's true.

Your second comment reminds me of my first ever post in this forum, when I answered the question. I've since answered that question about fifty times on various forums...

[Morlock 11]

 

Collateral

Really? there's so little score in it, and it's all pretty generic stuff.

To you.

No, no, to everyone. I don't like it because it's generic, you do like it despite it being generic. He spent almost no time doing what you hear, and it's only pretty basic material that Mann needed for dramatic effect.

[HPFAN_2 0]

Oh ok. I still like it though.

[QMM 4]

I've loved his Signs work with the outstanding piece being The Hand of Fate Part 1, his Village work is also amazing and everbody should hear his Grand Canyon Fanfare

[Morlock 11]

I've loved his Signs work with the outstanding piece being The Hand of Fate Part 1, his Village work is also amazing and everbody should hear his Grand Canyon Fanfare

The Hand of Fate Pt. 1 is amazing, but IMO Pt. 2 is also amazing. A wonderful way to close the movie, especialy when the end credits come. It makes the transition beautiful, gives the movie a small scale ending, yet and operatic sense of completion.