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Williams vs. LotR


Quintus

Williams vs. LotR  

44 members have voted

  1. 1. Which do you prefer?

    • The last ten years of John Williams film scores
      28
    • Howard Shore's The Lord of the Rings scores
      16


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There is no filler music in FOTR. TTT has some, ROTK has lots. IMHO.

The films are the same. FOTR moves along awesomely, TTT has some parts that drag, ROTK is a mess at times.

Agreed wholeheartedly.

Blahblahblah... My name is Cardello, I play on my piano, I think LOTR score is mumbo jumbo... Blahblahblah...

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I think after FOTR became such a huge hit Jackson's ego altered the way he worked on the other two films, writing and filming new scenes as well as leaving in more material that should have been cut and it shows somewhat in TTT but really showed in ROTK. The more filler music in the scores was not Shore's fault at all, its more like the later films had more filler scenes, which necessitated more filler music. Plus ROTK's post-production was such a mess that Shore had to score things as they randomly came in so it feels more like a collection of set pieces, rather than the consistent score that FOTR and to an extent TTT is. Every track in FOTR leads into the next, the whole CR experience is very linear story, like the film. As the characters go their separate ways in the other films the score does to, and gradually becomes more jumbled. Again not Shore's fault.

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Must just be me the that thinks RotK is a masterpiece score then, with dozens of standout moments.

Not just you. ;) Huge fan of the score here.

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Haha I wouldn't go that far, but I will say the stretch of Arwen/Elrond/Galadriel music in TTT is not really enjoyed much by me.

Really?It is probably my favourite sequence next to Helms Deep. I find the range of emotions it carries, with the subtext of themes, while at the same time working as music just as well as a film score ... it is brilliant.That ROTK has a lot of filler music is something I will never, ever accept. There may be a handful of cues maybe that could be removed, but even they add to the film.Wall to wall music was never more effective than in LOTR.IMO.

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I pray to the Gods that the third hobbit film doesn't become a mess. It could affect the unity of the scores.

Honestly I expect a very similar pattern to the original trilogy, sadly. I mean they set out to adapt a very short and straightforward book, and when it was decided to make it 2 films they seemed to have a good plan of what extra stuff to film and where it would go.... probably would have been a fairly tight 2-film saga with a fairly tight score.

Now that it's 3 and most of the 3rd film's stuff hasn't been filmed yet, its all out the window. I think the first film will remain mostly the same as it would have been were it only 2 films, and will mostly tell a linear story (the hobbits going from Hobbiton to approaching the Lonely Mountain). I expect the film to be very reminiscent of FOTR in both visuals and score.

Starting with film 2 it'll all go out the window. who knows what Jackson and crew have cooked up for the other films now, and how much of a rush things will be since there are now more pre-production and production work to be added to the mix as well as longer post-production.

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Haha I wouldn't go that far, but I will say the stretch of Arwen/Elrond/Galadriel music in TTT is not really enjoyed much by me.

Really?It is probably my favourite sequence next to Helms Deep. I find the range of emotions it carries, with the subtext of themes, while at the same time working as music just as well as a film score ... it is brilliant.

I didn't like that part much at first, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. The Evenstar theme statement in The Story Foretold is one of my favourite moments of that score now.

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Maybe someday it will click with me.

It probably doesn't help that I *HATE* that Arwen, Elrond, and Galadriel were wedged into the TTT film

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The inclusion of Elrond and Arwen into TTT helps their characters to keep some momentum going into their big purpose in ROTK, which is to forge Anduril and bring it to Aragorn. PJ thought that the general public would be too stupid to remember the significance of his sword from FOTR into ROTK. It would have been reinforced in TTT by Aragorn not handing over his sword to Theoden's men -- instead, he handed over a normal sword -- but then people may not have remembered Elrond and Arwen without that stupid flash-forward dream sequence in TTT.

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Haha I wouldn't go that far, but I will say the stretch of Arwen/Elrond/Galadriel music in TTT is not really enjoyed much by me.

Really?It is probably my favourite sequence next to Helms Deep. I find the range of emotions it carries, with the subtext of themes, while at the same time working as music just as well as a film score ... it is brilliant.That ROTK has a lot of filler music is something I will never, ever accept. There may be a handful of cues maybe that could be removed, but even they add to the film.Wall to wall music was never more effective than in LOTR.IMO.

the Faramir music is my least favorite part.

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Must just be me the that thinks RotK is a masterpiece score then, with dozens of standout moments.

Well I think RotK is the best score of the trilogy. I think its highlights are absolutely fantastic and its filler music is better than The Two Towers. Not to mention the boggling thematic complexity of Shore's work comes to full light with the final scores with all sorts of thematic manipulation that makes it almost hard to follow (but it isn't). One of my favourite moments in the whole trilogy is hearing all 3 Ring themes play together at the film's climax. And to top it all off, the Gondor theme is one of my favourites in the trilogy.

What, like Sons of The Steward? Idiot!

Yes, I really liked Faramir's material.

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I like the Arwen part in TTT a lot. I dislike it in ROTK, where it's a bit too much and done in a more mundane manner.

The Arwen part from towards the beginning of ROTK was always intended to be in TTT but got pushed out of TTT along with other stuff to keep TTT under 3 hours

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Haha I wouldn't go that far, but I will say the stretch of Arwen/Elrond/Galadriel music in TTT is not really enjoyed much by me.

Really?It is probably my favourite sequence next to Helms Deep. I find the range of emotions it carries, with the subtext of themes, while at the same time working as music just as well as a film score ... it is brilliant.

I didn't like that part much at first, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. The Evenstar theme statement in The Story Foretold is one of my favourite moments of that score now.

Where is the Evenstar theme in The Story Foretold? I don't think there is.

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Haha I wouldn't go that far, but I will say the stretch of Arwen/Elrond/Galadriel music in TTT is not really enjoyed much by me.

Really?It is probably my favourite sequence next to Helms Deep. I find the range of emotions it carries, with the subtext of themes, while at the same time working as music just as well as a film score ... it is brilliant.

I didn't like that part much at first, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. The Evenstar theme statement in The Story Foretold is one of my favourite moments of that score now.

Where is the Evenstar theme in The Story Foretold? I don't think there is.

Right after the Rivendell theme statement... Sounds like the Evenstar theme to me. But I'm probably wrong, if you're asking me this question. You like showcasing your knowledge of that score, don't you?! Stop showing off, dude!

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And even when the latter two's music is filler, it rarely sounds like "sound design".

IMHO of course.

williams filler music does not sound like sound desing either. i should have used the word 'underscore' maybe.

I think i prefer ROTK over the three, just like i like ROTJ, ROTS and LC/KOTCS better.

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Haha I wouldn't go that far, but I will say the stretch of Arwen/Elrond/Galadriel music in TTT is not really enjoyed much by me.

Really?It is probably my favourite sequence next to Helms Deep. I find the range of emotions it carries, with the subtext of themes, while at the same time working as music just as well as a film score ... it is brilliant.

I didn't like that part much at first, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. The Evenstar theme statement in The Story Foretold is one of my favourite moments of that score now.

Where is the Evenstar theme in The Story Foretold? I don't think there is.

Right after the Rivendell theme statement... Sounds like the Evenstar theme to me. But I'm probably wrong, if you're asking me this question. You like showcasing your knowledge of that score, don't you?! Stop showing off, dude!

You're not entirely wrong BloodBoal. The phrase begins with the Rivendell figures but ends by stylistically hinting at the Evenstar theme but never having it fully realized. It makes sense considering Arwen forsakes her love for Aragorn at the time.

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I think i prefer ROTK over the three,

(Y)

just like i like ROTJ, ROTS and LC/KOTCS better.

:nono:

i'm i think i of the prequels i prefer TPM, but ROTS has the highlight of the trilogy.

Nothing wrong of liking ROTJ. And definately neither with LC. KOTCS debatable, but has the highlight chase of the tetralogy ;)

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I like the Arwen part in TTT a lot. I dislike it in ROTK, where it's a bit too much and done in a more mundane manner.

The Arwen part from towards the beginning of ROTK was always intended to be in TTT but got pushed out of TTT along with other stuff to keep TTT under 3 hours

Which was good, but I always thought some of it should have been abandoned altogether. The beginning of ROTK is too slow and comfy. Compare with TTT, which manages to get you straight into the adventure.

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I think i prefer ROTK over the three,

(Y)

just like i like ROTJ, ROTS and LC/KOTCS better.

:nono:

i'm i think i of the prequels i prefer TPM, but ROTS has the highlight of the trilogy.

Nothing wrong of liking ROTJ. And definately neither with LC. KOTCS debatable, but has the highlight chase of the tetralogy ;)

I have no problem with liking RotJ. But putting KotCS over ToD or RotLA is a bit of a stretch. ;)

You're not entirely wrong BloodBoal.

So... Does that mean I'm averagely right?

Bingo.

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Which was good, but I always thought some of it should have been abandoned altogether. The beginning of ROTK is too slow and comfy. Compare with TTT, which manages to get you straight into the adventure.

That's one thing I like with ROTK beginning: that it's slow and comfy. It conveys a bittersweet atmosphere that I really like and it takes its time to prepare us to the battles to come. That's a perfect way to start this film. ROTK beginning wouldn't have worked if it had gotten us straight into adventure, in my not so humble opinion.

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I like the Arwen part in TTT a lot. I dislike it in ROTK, where it's a bit too much and done in a more mundane manner.

The Arwen part from towards the beginning of ROTK was always intended to be in TTT but got pushed out of TTT along with other stuff to keep TTT under 3 hours

Which was good, but I always thought some of it should have been abandoned altogether. The beginning of ROTK is too slow and comfy. Compare with TTT, which manages to get you straight into the adventure.

:nod:

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Yeah, TTT was the middle entry, it made sense to just "get straight into the adventure"

ROTK being the last entry, it needed to be slower.

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with a lengthy flasback...

Still, one of my prefered scenes of the trilogy, musically too :P

I always thought that was a curious choice to open TTT.

In any case I was thinking more of the reintroduction to the different storylines. The trio following the orcs, Frodo and Sam lost and finding Gollum, and the Balrog fight etc. ROTK is more as if there was a pause in the action and then it continued.

I don't know. Maybe TTT just clicks more with me.

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I remember that the third and fourths books were my favourite sections of LOTR.

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I prefer Fellowship of the Ring, both musically and on celluloid.

I love it's "everyone's happy" Shire opening, and then it changes to adventure and evil, the ring.

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There's stuff to like in that period, but personally, LotR definitely means more to me.

Although RotK certainly has a lot of filler, in the sense that I don't think music was needed for some scenes, and the amount Shore was composing per day by the end of the process shows a bit.

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The descending third when Frodo says "wait, there are markings" is spine chilling, I rarely get that with Williams non-star wars 2000's scores.

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Sentimentally I think I'd pick Lord of the Rings. Realistically, there is no comparison. John Williams.

What about just JW's scores in the last 10 years?

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