Super 8 by Michael Giacchino

[TownerFan 4,983]

I concur, David. This is an excellent score, maybe not the masterpiece someone was expecting, but it's definitely a glass of fresh water in these dark times of mediocre Hollywood film scoring. Giacchino is growing as a composer and his sensibility toward the material is in the right place, imho. Can't wait to see the movie (it will be out in Sept. over here).

[David Coscina 3]

I think this score demands headphone listening. I didn't appreciate it as much whilst driving around for work yesterday. There's a lot of subtlety there. Curiously enough, I also brought along Hp 7.2 and had a hard time getting into it after listening to Super 8. I love Desplat but it seems a little frantic at times....oh well, back to Super 8!

[crocodile 8,012]

I didn't see that coming. You were supposed to be defending it!

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

The setpieces are good,the underscore is not satisfyingly developed. Too often, themes and motifs are repeated without noticeable changes. But that's a problem of album producer Giacchino.

This thing could have been real tight at 40 minutes.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

What are you, Thor? Skip the boring tracks.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

The puns galore in the track titles is almost overwhelming. Giacchino's music editor has done his best.

I just hope that when Giacchino makes a Schindler's list kind of score they drop the track-puns completely.

I'm starting to get annoyed by them, since most of the times, the name of the cue does not give a hint of what kind of the score it is scoring.

I've never seen an episode of Lost, and i dont know what all tracks are supposed to score since all (mostly) of them are jokes and word-games.

[Datameister 2,042]

The Incredibles isn't very punny. It's got a few in there, but even those are still pretty informative. As funny as the wordplay can be, I'm starting to tire of it, too.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

I just hope that when Giacchino makes a Schindler's list kind of score they drop the track-puns completely.

What? You don't want something like "Auschwits goes to shit" for the scene when the children hide in the outhouses? I could take that track seriously.

[Demondm810 399]

Haha

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

I pre-ordered the OST from amazon.com. It's $13.01 now, but if the price changes at any point between now and the end of the release date, you get the lowest price.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052EV846

its 12,99 now.

Ordered along with monte carlo and cars 2

[Ollie 1,059]

I just listen to the music.

[Richard Penna 3,688]

The Incredibles isn't very punny. It's got a few in there, but even those are still pretty informative. As funny as the wordplay can be, I'm starting to tire of it, too.

I was tired of it by the Star Trek DE. It was fun for the OST, but when you've got 30 odd tracks, having a pun for 90% of them is just unhelpful.

[Jim Ware 526]

This amuses me.

[indy4 155]

This amuses me.

I miss the FSM Podcasts.

[King Mark 3,631]

The setpieces are good,the underscore is not satisfyingly developed. Too often, themes and motifs are repeated without noticeable changes. But that's a problem of album producer Giacchino.

This thing could have been real tight at 40 minutes.

I'd rather have the complete score and shorten it myself

[Incanus 5,714]

The setpieces are good,the underscore is not satisfyingly developed. Too often, themes and motifs are repeated without noticeable changes. But that's a problem of album producer Giacchino.

This thing could have been real tight at 40 minutes.

I'd rather have the complete score and shorten it myself

Yes I actually agree KM. More is more in these cases for me. It is difficult to expand a 40 minute album to 75 minutes if you want more music than other way around.

And to hell with the album presentations!

[publicist 4,643]

The setpieces are good,the underscore is not satisfyingly developed. Too often, themes and motifs are repeated without noticeable changes. But that's a problem of album producer Giacchino.

This thing could have been real tight at 40 minutes.

I'd rather have the complete score and shorten it myself

Yes I actually agree KM. More is more in these cases for me. It is difficult to expand a 40 minute album to 75 minutes if you want more music than other way around.

And to hell with the album presentations!

It's not like you taking minority positions here, we all know that these days the fan is dutifully fed with music till it bleeds out of his/her ears. I still think this is an unfortunate development for the music.

But i'll stop before the enraged million-men marches start.

[Incanus 5,714]

No no no stay and play!

Not to derail the thread I just want to say that I like my symphonies, operas, ballets and film scores in complete form. Why not? If you do not want to hear a particular aria or section from a ballet you skip it or programme the disc or playlist in a different way to suit your pleasure. You do not ask the producers to leave it out of the presentation because you think it drags. Film music should not be treated like some walled off offshoot of symphonic tradition (it is actually music from all genres used for specific dramatic purpose in a film after all) that should be treated differently than any other genre. Artists do have their wishes on what to put on the album, sometimes succesful from the point view of the fans and listeners, sometimes not. With film music it is like watching a ballet or an opera and buying a recording and noticing it has sections, sometimes large sections, left off because the composer did not like the way the particular section sounded or did not think it would flow with the rest of the music or was boring or because there was not enough money to produce a complete version as it was not economically viable. This is much more apt parallel than comparisons to normal band albums or pop music in my opinion. I am sure there is music left off those albums too but in their case ignorance is bliss. In film the terrific missing music slaps you in the face, a reminder not of incompleteness (for some that as well) but of the choices made in the album production and the eternal "what if" of having this particular cue chosen over some music you think less worthy of inclusion.

Anyway the Super 8 score in my opinion does not over stay its welcome despite many shorter restatements of the main themes as Giacchino presents then with different orchestrations and nuances throughout. And as David Coscina said this is a quite subtle score though not the worse for it, quite contrary. You can appreciate the more dramatic and frenetic tracks much more because of this contrast and build-up. Giacchino also has the ability to hint at a theme very clearly with the few central chords while not presenting the melodic line all the time, a skill which he used in LOST to great effect. He also plays with the melodic ideas of the score, presenting snippets as building blocks for action or suspence sequences and turning them backwards and doing all kinds of permutations. If anything it is a joy to hear this kind of smart and thematic scoring in the bleak, pound-you-on-the-head climate of block buster scores.

Giacchino is also very proficient in the art of allusion. He captures the spirit of the 1980's innoncence and optimism but also alludes in his music to the classic Hollywood tradition in different ways. The monster/alien motif for example is a short but effective, exclamatory if need be, imitating classic monster music ala King Kong and countless others that came after that. The music is very direct in the moments it needs to be, pouding with military menace or rising dramatically or emotionally in such a earnest manner that it is for me impossible not to be affected. I am first to say that despite the talk of drought in the film music genre at the moment there are great and talented people doing interesting things and their work does stick out like desert flowers from the parched landscape. I make no claims that Super 8 is a modern classic but it is good to have, as an orchestral music lover, people like Giacchino carrying the torch.

[David Coscina 3]

I remember when I first bought John Williams' Sleepers in 1997(?). I hated it. Thought it was lacking a good theme and didn't like his use of 4ths to build the theme. Then one day I just got it. And ever since I really love it. Other scores immediately pleasing to the ear sometimes wain in their affect on me while ones I have a harder tine getting into last much longer. It was that way for me and the music of Bartok and Stravinsky. Though don't want to imply Giacchino is quite at their level, I will say that I'm warming to Super8 more and more with every listen. Again, I haven't seen the film so this is quite a feat for the music to be able to generate emotion without a narrative or visual reference. It is the standard always put every film composer against since Williams is always so good at this. Looks like Giacchino is also getting there with Super 8 and parts of Let Me In.

[Incanus 5,714]

I have had a similar experience with Sleepers and Saving Private Ryan. Initially I did not like them as much as I would have liked to but then several years later they somehow opened up to me and have become my favourites. It took many listens and perhaps maturation of my musical tastes to finally understand them. Some other examples are Road to Perdition by Thomas Newman and Kingdom of Heaven by Harry Gregson-Williams. But some scores and a lot of orchestral music and concert pieces can be like that, you begin to appreciate them after becoming familiar with them and perhaps because your musical tastes evolve.

[Alan 689]

I have to say I'm a little bit confused, mostly at the comments over at FSM.

As film score fans do we not spend a good chunk of our time wishing score releases were more complete and having to wait for expanded re-issues with no guarantee they'll actually come or be truly complete? I find it odd that some now seem to be complaining that we're getting releases that seem more or less complete, moaning that they'll have to remove cues themselves or that the whole thing runs too long and could have been cut down. Feels a little like there's no pleasing some people. I wonder what comments would have been like if Super 8 had been released in a 45 minute configuration instead?

I'm 100% in agreement with KM here. Give me the complete score. If there's anything I'm not keen on, I'll simply hit the delete key on my playlist and problem solved. At least I've been given the option. Not like there's a key you can press to put an unreleased cue you really want in to the playlist.

[King Mark 3,631]

Not like there's a key you can press to put an unreleased cue you really want in to the playlist.

that's the point

[Neimoidian 14]

I, on the contrary, like soundtrack albums to be an entertainment of its own, not just mere collections of cues from the movie. I prefer when they have strong structure with proper introduction and conclusion and no (or few) insignificant cues in between. The structure doesn't necesarilly need to mirror movie plot. The reason for this is that I often listen to soundtracks from films I have not even seen.

Most of soundtracks these days suffer from their completeness. 50, 60 or 70 minutes with such a score is a drag, leaving me mostly, and perhaps somtimes undeservedly, disappointed with composer's outcome. It feels like watching a movie with dozens of unnecessary scenes, because director wasn't bold enough to cut some of them out (basically, a Terrence Mallick movie kind of experience). When I buy an album and have to skip cues, I feel tricked.

Of course, if we are dealing with classics or long, but considerably good scores (as it's in Williams case most of the time), an expansion or immediate complete release is understandable. Otherwise, 40-minute-long CDs would be enough, in my mind.

[Richard Penna 3,688]

I have to say I'm a little bit confused, mostly at the comments over at FSM.

As film score fans do we not spend a good chunk of our time wishing score releases were more complete and having to wait for expanded re-issues with no guarantee they'll actually come or be truly complete? I find it odd that some now seem to be complaining that we're getting releases that seem more or less complete, moaning that they'll have to remove cues themselves or that the whole thing runs too long and could have been cut down. Feels a little like there's no pleasing some people. I wonder what comments would have been like if Super 8 had been released in a 45 minute configuration instead?

I'm sort of glad Varese doesn't read forums. Imagine them deciding to avoid the problems with Trek, and forking out the money to release Super 8 complete, only to have the very same people complain "but I've got to cut out the boring parts now!".

Meh...

[Koray Savas 2,251]

While I understand and accept the viewpoints of Thor and others like him, I don't get why it's so hard to create your own listening experience. I enjoy creating my own playlists, figuring out which songs mesh and flow together well. I guess others don't, so oh well!

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I'm all for 40-45 minute albums if they are done extremely well (a very few Goldsmith ones come to mind).

But 90% of the time they are badly put together. In which case, give me everything and let me screw it up myself.

[Ollie 1,059]

I'd rather have more than less.

No matter how wonderful and album is, there are always cues that are left off. The original album to Jaws is wonderful and should be a part of every film score lover's collection but it's missing music that needs to be presented.

I don't care about the films when I get a soundtrack, what I care about is the composer's music. I want to hear their final product, all the music they composed, I want to hear what they originally intended when they scored the film. I know it's not fair to ask everyone to hit the skip button, some people don't want to burdened with all that but then again, it's not fair to ask people to take less either.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

I am curious what a 40 minute playlist of Super 8 might look like, as I can never choose between tracks like suggested. Anyone care to share?

[scallenger 483]

So anyone able to yet verify if this is a complete score or just most of it? I read that people claim a couple tracks are actually alternates.

I listened to the itunes version and thought it was simply wonderful. And I LOVE that it actually included the music from THE CASE film, lol! When I saw it I wasn't sure if it was original music or if it had come from snippets of old films spliced into their film (which was obviously what they intended it to be like). Very fun.

[King Mark 3,631]

yeah, the pseudo golden age love them at the end is actually pretty good

I've been listening to the last 3 tracks of the album quite a lot

[crocodile 8,012]

I like the last four quite a bit.

Karol

[Richard Penna 3,688]

I'm all for 40-45 minute albums if they are done extremely well (a very few Goldsmith ones come to mind).

But 90% of the time they are badly put together. In which case, give me everything and let me screw it up myself.

I'm preferring the short albums for many scores, usually when the composer has done a good job assembling it. I can see where Thor is coming from there.

But where I think we differ is that most of us want more music for many films, and those films vary from person to person.

I've realised Powell's tactic for getting full CDs out for expensive, choir-filled scores - chop up the tracks so the choir is isolated into short chunks (seems a really stupid union loophole, but it's clearly there).

[Bellosh 3,418]

The Military motif @ the end of 'Aftermath Class' is just wonderful.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I know this score has already received all the praise from every JWFanner, but listening to it again today, I'm struck by how much new little details I'm finding on repeat listens.

That said, as with all things mixed by Dan Wallin, the recording is still not as crisp and rich as it could be. But the music rises above that.

*edit, the last one minute of "Super 8 Suite" is the essence of what science fiction is all about. Brilliant.

[David Coscina 3]

There are some very good moments in this score to be sure.

[scallenger 483]

The Military motif @ the end of 'Aftermath Class' is just wonderful.

I really wish that theme had been used more in the score. I LOVE it.

[Incanus 5,714]

The Military motif @ the end of 'Aftermath Class' is just wonderful.

I really wish that theme had been used more in the score. I LOVE it.

It is literally all over the soundtrack although that must be one of the most pronounced renditions of it. Plus you can always listen to the Secret Weapons Over Normandy soundtrack for more.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

Anybody have any clear highlights they'd like to list? For a project I'm working on.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I think the score tells how much Giacchino writes directly from his heart. The main theme is very simple, based on few chords and with minimal development... but it sounds heartfelt and sincere, exactly like the "Life and Death" theme from Lost. The love theme is more actively composed, even though I would have loved to see it developed and varied a bit more. Sometimes it seems to me that Giacchino doesn't feel sure enough about his ideas and tries to stick with them in their own most basic form just to avoid going into messy writing (this also depends on the movie for which they're written for, of course).

This amuses me.

Damn! How I could have not detected it before?!?

[Incanus 5,714]

Giacchino does use the Love theme as a basis for his action motifs like in The Evacuation of Lillian. I do think he cleverly interpolates all his themes in this score, especially the Alien motif and the Love theme. Although they might not be long lined melodic interpolations they are clever use of the thematic building blocks in smaller sections to give the whole score underlying structural cohesion, not to mention emotional pull.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Giacchino does use the Love theme as a basis for his action motifs like in The Evacuation of Lillian. I do think he cleverly interpolates all his themes in this score, especially the Alien motif and the Love theme. Although they might not be long lined melodic interpolations they are clever use of the thematic building blocks in smaller sections to give the whole score underlying structural cohesion, not to mention emotional pull.

Yes, I agree. I only wish he would have pushed modulation and variation a bit more. But the score is built on very solid grounds, so kudos to him.

[crocodile 8,012]

The Military motif @ the end of 'Aftermath Class' is just wonderful.

I really wish that theme had been used more in the score. I LOVE it.

It is literally all over the soundtrack although that must be one of the most pronounced renditions of it. Plus you can always listen to the Secret Weapons Over Normandy soundtrack for more.

Exactly. Here's more (1:28).

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Yeah, it's rock-solid, but still isn't worth more than 40 minutes. Too much inconsequential filler, too much repetition. The same can be said about my posts, but i'm not releasing them for 9,99$ to the world.

[Incanus 5,714]

Yeah, it's rock-solid, but still isn't worth more than 40 minutes. Too much inconsequential filler, too much repetition. The same can be said about my posts, but i'm not releasing them for 9,99$ to the world.

Could you perhaps post a track list of a 40 minute album you would compile from those 75 that would be your dream assembly of this music?

[scallenger 483]

Haha yay self-plagiarism! Well I'm glad to hear that military theme used more. Is it all over that score too? *will now check it out*

[crocodile 8,012]

Yep. It's a German theme.

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Could you perhaps post a track list of a 40 minute album you would compile from those 75 that would be your dream assembly of this music?

For you, Incanus, i gladly would wrestle a grown polar bear, so here you go:

01. Super 8 [01:44]

05. Aftermath Class [05:54]

07. We’ll Fix It In Post-Haste [00:44]

16. Mom’s Necklace (Unused) [01:33]

18. Thoughts Of Mom [01:41]

21. Neighborhood Watch - Fail [04:45]

22. The Evacuation Of Lillian [03:40]

24. Lambs On The Lam [02:40]

29. The Seige Of Lillian [02:57]

30. Creature Comforts [10:10]

31. Letting Go [05:18]

32. Super 8 Suite [05:54]

One could add the bonus track [03:28] or add the one lone track and cut 3 minutes from the overlong CREATURE COMFORTS or change the order.

[Incanus 5,714]

Awww, gee thanks publicist!

And at 45 minutes (including the The Case bonus track) it looks like a good listening experience, can't really fault you there, containing the longest and most developed tracks in the score. I think I'll have to give this playlist a listen.

[crocodile 8,012]

That's actually a good job. Hope he's not interested in being a producer though. I like Super 8 as it is.

Karol

[Bellosh 3,418]

Could you perhaps post a track list of a 40 minute album you would compile from those 75 that would be your dream assembly of this music?

For you, Incanus, i gladly would wrestle a grown polar bear, so here you go:

01. Super 8 [01:44]

05. Aftermath Class [05:54]

07. We’ll Fix It In Post-Haste [00:44]

16. Mom’s Necklace (Unused) [01:33]

18. Thoughts Of Mom [01:41]

21. Neighborhood Watch - Fail [04:45]

22. The Evacuation Of Lillian [03:40]

24. Lambs On The Lam [02:40]

29. The Seige Of Lillian [02:57]

30. Creature Comforts [10:10]

31. Letting Go [05:18]

32. Super 8 Suite [05:54]

One could add the bonus track [03:28] or add the one lone track and cut 3 minutes from the overlong CREATURE COMFORTS or change the order.

I would add 'Alice Projects on Joe' -- kind of an important cue. But still that would be a great 40 minute album, no doubt, but I'm soooo glad they didn't go that route. To not have tracks like 2 & 3 (Family Matters, Model Painting) would be such a shame. Some of the best statements of the Love theme. Not trying to get anything going, just a big fan of all the shorter tracks.

Speaking of which, anybody else hear the first 3 notes of the Illumination Theme from The Last Crusade (OBVIOUSLY UNINTENTIONAL) @ :11 in "Production Woes" ?? First time I heard the track I noticed it, shows up later as well. Just something I noticed.

Really loving this whole score.