Composer Threads The Thomas Newman Thread

[Quppa 475]

35 minutes ago, Under-Terrestrial said:

Quick preview of the IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE score (other reels on the film account have more previews):

 

https://www.instagram.com/intheblinkofaneyefilm/reel/DUANwu4CUpA/

 

Some mentions of the score in reviews:

 

Variety:

Quote

Each time the movie cuts back to its prehistoric section is a welcome relief. The scenery is resplendent. Thomas Newman’s otherwise mechanical score takes on fluid, untamed qualities. 

 

Laughing Place:

Quote

Thomas Newman’s score instantly evokes Stanton’s Pixar collaborations, especially WALL-E, but with additions — choral voices, more organic textures — that distinguish this as its own tonal universe. The music does much of the film’s connective work, gliding between stone-age landscapes, university labs, and sterile starship corridors without breaking the spell.

 

...

 

While the ambition outpaces the emotional impact in certain moments, the performances — especially McKinnon’s — combined with Stanton’s assured direction and Newman’s stirring score create a film that lingers.

 

[tomsmoviemadness 4,692]

Wasn't aware of this one at all.

 

Comes out pretty soon, really excited for it now.

[Naïve Old Fart 12,749]

This does look intriguing, and the Newman involvement makes it a must, but... 94 minutes?

[Tallguy 7,036]

1 hour ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

This does look intriguing, and the Newman involvement makes it a must, but... 94 minutes?

 

When an episode of Stranger Things (also occasionally directed by Andrew Stanton) can run to 150 minutes a succinct 94 minutes sounds cozy.

[Naïve Old Fart 12,749]

Actually, I've not seen a single frame of STRANGER THINGS, but I take your point.

Imo, a film needs at least two hours (minus credits) to set up characters and story, and to let the story play out.

I get a little sad when I look at my watch an hour into a film, and I realise that it's got thirty minutes left to run.

I know that not every film can be GONE WITH THE WIND, but some films just feel rushed.

[Quppa 475]

Given the lacklustre reviews out of Sundance, Disney's decision to dump it on HULU might have been the correct one. Still, quite a few call out Newman's score as a highlight, and this note from RogerEbert.com was somewhat encouraging, given I'm really only interested in the music:

Quote

And while Newman’s score is beautiful, it’s asked to do too much, too often, to fill in gaps that feel like they were never shot, if they even existed on the page.

 

[Tallguy 7,036]

16 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

I know that not every film can be GONE WITH THE WIND, but some films just feel rushed.

 

We're going to watch Master and Commander this weekend. After 25 years of Lord of the Rings styled Super Epics I was shocked to discover that it's only 2 hours and 20 minutes long! That's only as long as The Force Awakens! By today's standards that's breezy. And it's been a long time since I've watched it, but nobody would call Master and Commander rushed.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,692]

This looks like a nice canvas for Newman to work with.

 

 

 

[Trope 1,382]

This looks like pure garbage! Please, somebody offer Tom a film that is actually good.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,692]

In The Blink Of An Eye album details.

Couple long tracks in there. Curious what this'll be like.

 

1. Double Helix (5:03)
2. Sickness (2:05)
3. Handprint (3:01)
4. A Burial (1:34)
5. Zero to Very Little (1:04)
6. Left Palm (2:42)
7. Fate of Humanity (2:46)
8. Oxygen (6:24)
9. Time Passes (3:01)
10. Mothers Die (3:54)
11. Longevity Enhanced Pilot (2:31)
12. Bad News (1:30)
13. Blood Work (2:39)
14. Artificial Womb (1:43)
15. Since When (2:48)
16. Good Fortune (6:21)
17. An Ancient Wedding (2:36)
18. Golden Acorn (7:25)
19. Joy x Remembrance (2:56)
20. Atmospheric (5:16)

 

https://filmmusicreporter.com/2026/02/25/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-soundtrack-album-details/

 

[Quppa 475]

67 minute album - pretty beefy given the movie is only 94 minutes long.

 

I'm only partway through, but so far it's Thomas Newman doing Thomas Newman. Reminds me the most of Passengers on first impression. (Edit: Good Fortune is a lovely, uplifting piece towards the end of the album!)

 

I'm very curious to hear how he's going to tackle Star Wars: Starfighter - I don't think these pretty soundscapes would work in that film. Maybe Shawn Levy is temping with Skyfall action music.

 

Streaming/purchase links:

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-original-soundtrack/1877936059

 

https://www.qobuz.com/nz-en/album/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-thomas-newman/efs3vqbgw61mv

 

https://tidal.com/album/500583748

 

 

[Under-Terrestrial 102]

25 minutes ago, Quppa said:

67 minute album - pretty beefy given the movie is only 94 minutes long.

 

I'm only partway through, but so far it's Thomas Newman doing Thomas Newman. Reminds me the most of Passengers on first impression.

 

I'm very curious to hear how he's going to tackle Star Wars: Starfighter - I don't think these pretty soundscapes would work in that film. Maybe Shawn Levy is temping with Skyfall action music.

 

Streaming/purchase links:

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-original-soundtrack/1877936059

 

https://www.qobuz.com/nz-en/album/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-thomas-newman/efs3vqbgw61mv

 

https://tidal.com/album/500583748

 

 

 

The track GOOD FORTUNE delights me, I wasn't expecting something so buoyant / woodwind-leniant  , While I appreciate the more ambient material in the 1st half well enough, the listenability of this album seems backloaded for me.

 

This film's reviews are dismal so far, but Andrew Stanton and Thomas Newman are two of my personal GOATS, and this kind of material is total catnip for me. I'm choosing hope!

[Quppa 475]

Totally agreed - parts of the last 5 tracks have such a tonal shift they're almost like a different album. An Ancient Wedding could have come from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

[Under-Terrestrial 102]

This makes me so happy 

 

[cwg24 15]

3 hours ago, Under-Terrestrial said:

This makes me so happy 

 

The album is really growing on me, some great pieces of music in there from Newman. This one is particular is making me very happy:

 

 

[Slitherjump 128]

Less Than Zero, Flesh And Bone and Man With One Red Shoe(3 copies left) are in clearance for $5 each

 

https://lalalandrecords.com/less-than-zero-limited-edition/

 

https://lalalandrecords.com/flesh-and-bone-limited-edition/

 

https://lalalandrecords.com/man-with-one-red-shoe-the-limited-edition/

[Trope 1,382]

None are essential Newman albums, but each have worthwhile bits and pieces. Definitely worth getting at this price if you’re a Newman fan, especially Less Than Zero.

[Quppa 475]

I watched In the Blink of an Eye and unfortunately the critics were right - it's a misfire from Stanton (although the direction was fine IMO - the problems were in the writing). I actually thought the first 50 minutes or so were a solid setup, but it falls apart after that and the film feels like it's in a huge rush to finish 

 

Newman's score definitely elevates some shoddy material here.

 

Minor annoyance: Rashida Jones' character - an academic - misuses the word 'misnomer' not once but twice in the movie!

[Under-Terrestrial 102]

1 hour ago, Quppa said:

I watched In the Blink of an Eye and unfortunately the critics were right - it's a misfire from Stanton (although the direction was fine IMO - the problems were in the writing). I actually thought the first 50 minutes or so were a solid setup, but it falls apart after that and the film feels like it's in a huge rush to finish 

 

Newman's score definitely elevates some shoddy material here.

 

Minor annoyance: Rashida Jones' character - an academic - misuses the word 'misnomer' not once but twice in the movie!

 

Agreed. This script made the annual blacklist of unproduced scripts a while back. The Cloud-Atlas nature of it is catnip to me and when Stanton was announced to direct 3 1/2 years ago, I began waiting impatiently for all that time.

 

The basics of the story - showing how the struggle to persevere to perpetuate our existence recurs through time - are aok to me, but it's waaay too fast. Even though the theme of time's ruthlessness would seem to justify a jump-cut rhythm (especially on the back end) it absolutely needed more time to marinate in character relationships (the romance between Jones and Diggs has a really clumsy foundation). And I too was on-board for the 1st half, but then it fell apart as the pace quickened.

 

It's a shame, Andrew Stanton is probably the #1 reason why I'm a professional animator today, and if you watch him in interviews, his expertise/enthusiasm for the craft of screenwriting and storytelling has always been and remains infectious. But I think his nose for a good script was off on this one (again, solid concept, just needed major TLC and more time). And Stanton's direction honestly didn't impress me. There are some arresting images, but the compositions / color grading we're consistently unengaging to me.

 

Thomas Newman is innocent (despite thinking that the film is way over-spotted).

[tomsmoviemadness 4,692]

Isn't Stanton just one of those directors that works best in animation?

 

I watched Finding Nemo yesterday and was reminded of how absolutely perfect that film is. At least to me.

 

Wall•E is also incredible and Finding Dory has it's charms. Curious to see what he does with Toy Story 5 as a director after being a writer/producer on all the previous ones.

[Under-Terrestrial 102]

8 hours ago, tomsmoviemadness said:

Isn't Stanton just one of those directors that works best in animation?

 

I watched Finding Nemo yesterday and was reminded of how absolutely perfect that film is. At least to me.

 

Wall•E is also incredible and Finding Dory has it's charms. Curious to see what he does with Toy Story 5 as a director after being a writer/producer on all the previous ones.

 

If you isolate just his feature work, that's a reasonable conclusion to draw. If live-action is "mostly-planning-while-leaving-room-for-the-on-set-X-factor", then animation is ALL planning, and in the 2000s Stanton was just as obsessive as any of his Pixar peers about not passing "Go" until they were absolutely certain the story was cooking.

 

I know that the live-action shoot on WALL-E was invigorating for him, because he wasn't used to having results immediately. That aspect of WALL-E (combined with the clout his two Pixar movies gave him) probably lit his fuse for JOHN CARTER. He probably bit off more than he could chew on that movie, which honestly has its moments for me.

 

But since Finding Dory he has had a LOT of seasoning in live-action as a guest director for lots of series. He recently said that he's reached a point where he'd rather "make 4 things in 1 year than 1 thing in 4 years". I think he has two speeds: the Pixar world where he can take his time polishing the story, and the live-action world, where things are far more cut-and-dry but he just enjoys being in that environment.