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Hans Zimmer's Best Themes?


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This one too:

Although the line between what's Hans Zimmer real original compositions and which one's from his associates is so blurred, it's hard to say that it's totally 100% HZ.

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There are so many, I wouldn't know where to start.

The themes from THE ROCK, DA VINCI CODE, CRIMSON TIDE, LION KING, THELMA & LOUISE, GLADIATOR, THIN RED LINE, RAIN MAN, BLACK RAIN, DAYS OF THUNDER and SHERLOCK HOLMES are some that come immediately to mind.

But my favourite score -- which also includes my favourite theme of his -- is unquestionably BEYOND RANGOON. Pure bliss. Esp. tracks like "Waters of Irrawaddy" and "I Dreamt I Woke Up".

Zimmer has always been a favourite of mine, but in recent years he's skyrocketed to 4th place after Williams, Elfman and Goldenthal.

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Sherlock Holmes is a really fun score that I really liked, but its not amongst his best. I've always liked Zimmer, unfortunately the quality of his work in recent years has REALLY dropped. His last good scores were Sherlock Holmes and Angels and Demons (Kung Fu Panda 2 was mainly Powell).

Anyways, most people tend to forget the man's fantastic stuff in the 90s. And Thor is spot on, Beyond Rangoon is easily my favourite Zimmer score (also has my favourite Zimmer themes). The lyrical beauty of this score is just brilliant...

Zimmer may have his flaws, but he's created some fantastic themes in his career! These can be heard in Backdraft, The Power of One, A League of Their Own, The House of Spirits, The Lion King, The Prince of Egypt, The Thin Red Line, Gladiator, Pearl Harbor, Hannibal, The Last Samurai, The Da Vinci Code, POTC III, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_GyTz9lRPQ

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Really, KK, this is getting annoying! Stop posting, for a change!

I fixed it, does that not please you?!

Stupid mac...grumble, grumble, grumble...

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Nyah's theme (the version here comes from Wings of a Film concert album)

Thunderbird (the version here comes from Wings of a Film concert album) - absolutely brilliant!

Spanglish - a very nice, underrated score of his

Frost/Nixon - perhaps not very thematic, but I can't help not to enjoy that score

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I've always been partial to his themes in Backdraft, especially the Brothers one serving as a counterpoint to the main theme in the last track.

And Zimmer discusses it here:

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Better, much better!

Really, KK, this is getting annoying! Stop posting, for a change!

I fixed it, does that not please you?!

Stupid mac...grumble, grumble, grumble...

Hey! "Grumble, grumble, grumble" is Old Ink's intellectual property! You can't use it whenever you feel like it! Take that back!

And derp derp derp to you too! ;)

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This is going to be a list along the lines of Great Italian war victories.....

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Most of his earlier scores like The Lion King, Prince Of Egypt, Backdraft etc. are brimming with wonderful themes, already posted above. I agree that the quality of his work (and album presentations in particular) has somewhat diminished in the recent years, but he still does come up with memorable stuff in his scores (for me, at least ;) ). Some more -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzpCQhSvt44

An underrated villainous theme -

One of my favourite tracks from last year -

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Well, it's nearly made two pages in its first day.

mostly with quips and snide remarks.
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There are two things you can always rely on -- Jerry Goldsmith worshipping at FSM and Hans Zimmer hatred at JWFAN. :(

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The love theme from PoTC 3 is really good. CheValiers de Sangreal, the theme from the Simpsons Movie (and not just the Elfman one), main theme from Lion King, Inception main theme/chords, love theme from M-I:2, mission accomplished theme from M-I:2, theme from the Holiday, and God's theme from Prince of Egypt.

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This thread is getting a little too 'youtube-embedded' for my taste, but some good suggestions nonetheless.

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The best are the melodies in THE LION KING. Nothing else comes close to being as moving and memorable.

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Are you really offering this crap, this isn't even decent power anthem, sad outcome from the otherwise talented composer. This is bullshit.

Fair enough, but subjective. ;)

The best are the melodies in THE LION KING. Nothing else comes close to being as moving and memorable.

Seconded!

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The best are the melodies in THE LION KING. Nothing else comes close to being as moving and memorable.

One of my favourite Zimmer scores for sure, and it has some great themes. But Zimmer's most beautiful melodies easily come from Beyond Rangoon.

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I'm partial to a number of the melodies from the first two Zimmer scores I heard: The Lion King and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. (I know I missed quite a few flicks in between...) I think the former is more deserving of my respect, but I'll always have a soft spot for the themes that he and Badelt wrote for the first Pirates, too. The score may be heavy-handed and derivative, but because it was my first exposure to that style (and because I loved the film it accompanied), my first impression was quite different than it otherwise would have been.

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The best are the melodies in THE LION KING. Nothing else comes close to being as moving and memorable.

One of my favourite Zimmer scores for sure, and it has some great themes. But Zimmer's most beautiful melodies easily come from Beyond Rangoon.

Hmmm, well I've never heard Beyond Rangoon, but now I must hear it!!!!!! There's just something about The Lion King....it's like its a different Hans Zimmer. And I'm by no means a Zimmer hater...

I'm partial to a number of the melodies from the first two Zimmer scores I heard: The Lion King and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. (I know I missed quite a few flicks in between...) I think the former is more deserving of my respect, but I'll always have a soft spot for the themes that he and Badelt wrote for the first Pirates, too. The score may be heavy-handed and derivative, but because it was my first exposure to that style (and because I loved the film it accompanied), my first impression was quite different than it otherwise would have been.

Pirates, despite it's shortcomings does have a very large dose of FUN in it. I listened to it about a month ago and had forgotten what a fun listen it was.

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Does anyone else feel that Zimmer blatantly ripped off the opening of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for the Kraken in POTC: Dead Man's Chest? Same notes, slightly different rhythm. I don't see how he could honestly say that he wrote that without knowing...

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A lot of good mentions, gonna hear everything posted here to see if Zimmer's reputation can be salvaged in my eyes.

For those who mentioned Inception, really?? That's really rubbish. But atleast no one mentioned The Dark Knight. I find it absolutely incredulous when Dark Knight fans and Nolan fanboys claim that The Dark Knight should have won the Oscar for Best Score. Even nominating it would be a scandal.

His recent work is really poor beyond words. How ironic that he is now at the peak of his popularity, some of the fanboy dust from Nolan gets applied to his collaborators as well and Zimmer is an obvious benefactor. Most people (not soundtrack listners) now even think that Zimmer's Batman work is far better than Elfman's.

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Most of his themes and scores are just "average" sounding, nothing truly outstanding. The only score I really enjoyed from him was The Last Samurai. He's talented, but his creativity just isn't on the same level as Williams, Goldsmith, or even John Powell.

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For those who mentioned Inception, really?? That's really rubbish.

How is that rubbish? The conclusion of the film, as heard in "Paradox" and "Time," was one of the most moving experiences I've ever had in a film. It's a terrific theme that perfectly encapsulates what the characters (and the audience) is feeling at the conclusion of the film. "Time" is absolutely beautiful, and it immediately comes to mind whenever I think of 'going home.'

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For those who mentioned Inception, really?? That's really rubbish.

How is that rubbish? The conclusion of the film, as heard in "Paradox" and "Time," was one of the most moving experiences I've ever had in a film. It's a terrific theme that perfectly encapsulates what the characters (and the audience) is feeling at the conclusion of the film. "Time" is absolutely beautiful, and it immediately comes to mind whenever I think of 'going home.'

It's a beautiful theme and score, and I was fortunate to hear Zimmer perform it live in Ghent last year!

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For those who mentioned Inception, really?? That's really rubbish.

How is that rubbish? The conclusion of the film, as heard in "Paradox" and "Time," was one of the most moving experiences I've ever had in a film. It's a terrific theme that perfectly encapsulates what the characters (and the audience) is feeling at the conclusion of the film. "Time" is absolutely beautiful, and it immediately comes to mind whenever I think of 'going home.'

It's a beautiful theme and score, and I was fortunate to hear Zimmer perform it live in Ghent last year!

I wouldn't call it beautiful. Time is just an inferior rehash of Journey to the Line and Chevaliers de Sangreal. At least Chevaliers pushes the whole adagio sound of Journey to the Line in a new fresh direction and showed evolution in that sound. Meanwhile, Time just takes a huge step back and it sounds so cheap and formulaic. Its pathetic.

Inception may have had some merit in film, but its not a very interesting score (terribly dull really) and would never come close to Zimmer's best.

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For those who mentioned Inception, really?? That's really rubbish.

How is that rubbish? The conclusion of the film, as heard in "Paradox" and "Time," was one of the most moving experiences I've ever had in a film. It's a terrific theme that perfectly encapsulates what the characters (and the audience) is feeling at the conclusion of the film. "Time" is absolutely beautiful, and it immediately comes to mind whenever I think of 'going home.'

It's a beautiful theme and score, and I was fortunate to hear Zimmer perform it live in Ghent last year!

I wouldn't call it beautiful. Time is just an inferior rehash of Journey to the Line and Chevaliers de Sangreal. At least Chevaliers pushes the whole adagio sound of Journey to the Line in a new fresh direction and showed evolution in that sound. Meanwhile, Time just takes a huge step back and it sounds so cheap and formulaic. Its pathetic.

Inception may have had some merit in film, but its not a very interesting score (terribly dull really) and would never come close to Zimmer's best.

OK, maybe 'spinechillingly awesome' is a better description than 'beautiful' as far as the heavy ostinato-things are concerned. But I definitely think the Vangelis-inspired "Time" qualifies. Love that track, and don't think it's a 'step back' at all. Quite the contrary.

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Funny you mention that. I've been thinking about the use of music in the recent Nolan films and while I think I understand where they're coming from, maybe Nolan should just hire Vangelis.

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