An Insider's View of Hans Zimmer

[Koray Savas 2,251]

And I said you're wrong, giving the Williams scores as examples. Those aren't interchangeable anymore than Black Hawk Down is with Sherlock Holmes, if you want to strictly do action with action.

But then let's let the semantics role in. That's not the same genre blah, blah, only the Nolan ones are spotted horribly, and that's not Nolan's fault at all!

[Thor 7,581]

We are the only Zimmer FANS in here, Koray. We gotta stick together against this horde of disbelievers!

SPAAAARTAAAA!

[gkgyver 1,646]

Sorry, same genre or not, if you truly think Star Wars, Superman and Indiana Jones are interchangable, you're truly a moron.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Oh forget it you don't even know how to read.

[gkgyver 1,646]

Keep trying, you're not quite at toddler niveau yet.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Please point out where I said those scores are interchangeable.

[Delorean90 42]

I'll be specific: I find the use of the Krypton lament or whatever in "Flight" from MOS to be bad spotting, straight up. It seems to be at a total disconnect with the scene on just about every level.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Korai said they're "indistinguishable". Whether that matters is up to the responding arguer.

[Quintus 5,399]

I'll be specific: I find the use of the Krypton lament or whatever in "Flight" from MOS to be bad spotting, straight up. It seems to be at a total disconnect with the scene on just about every level.

Huh? It suits the scene perfectly.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Koray is bleeding Lee. The wolves are surrounding him.

No escape...

Better not get involved.

[crocodile 8,033]

I don't mind Zimmer. In fact, some of his works (both old and new) are enjoyable. He has some nice ideas and some of the out-of-a-box.

But two abilities he's definitely lacking are... storytelling-driven development of his (sometimes) interesting ideas and spotting. His last Batman score is one of the worst offenders, as much as I like that film.

Karol

[tannhauser 101]

From my point of view, Inception and Batman aren't "interchangable" at all. The Batman scores fit those films perfectly, and Inceptions sounds and themes, the Johnny Marr guitar solos, the sentimental Mal music for example, wouldn't fit the Batman films at all. Having said that, viewed objectively as two musical works, they do have superficial similarities in the overall sound palette, much like Superman, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Neither sets of scores and films are interchangable. But they are both written by the same musical voice. I've mentioned Batman and Inception, but I think this applies to all of Zimmer's (and Williams') work. Zimmer for me always comes up with a unique identity for each film he does, sometimes it's closer in sound to another score, sometimes it's radically different.

I love Zimmer's work and think he's very talented at what he does. And for all the hue and cry about his collaborators doing all the work for him, his scores always stand out above the solo efforts of RCP composers such as Balfe, Zanelli, Jablonsky, Djawadi etc. (I omit people like Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams. I think they're truly great composers in their own right, on the same level, and often higher than Hans).

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

From my point of view, Inception and Batman aren't "interchangable" at all. The Batman scores fit those films perfectly, and Inceptions sounds and themes, the Johnny Marr guitar solos, the sentimental Mal music for example, wouldn't fit the Batman films at all. Having said that, viewed objectively as two musical works, they do have superficial similarities in the overall sound palette, much like Superman, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Neither sets of scores and films are interchangable. But they are both written by the same musical voice. I've mentioned Batman and Inception, but I think this applies to all of Zimmer's (and Williams') work. Zimmer for me always comes up with a unique identity for each film he does, sometimes it's closer in sound to another score, sometimes it's radically different.

I love Zimmer's work and think he's very talented at what he does. And for all the hue and cry about his collaborators doing all the work for him, his scores always stand out above the solo efforts of RCP composers such as Balfe, Zanelli, Jablonsky, Djawadi etc. (I omit people like Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams. I think they're truly great composers in their own right, on the same level, and often higher than Hans).

Agreed entirely.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I would not mind the "Zimmer sound"so much if it was just done by Zimmer. But it's basically everywhere now. And often done with far less competence.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

I'll be specific: I find the use of the Krypton lament or whatever in "Flight" from MOS to be bad spotting, straight up. It seems to be at a total disconnect with the scene on just about every level.

Couldn't disagree more. It's contains just about every emotion that the scene called for: awe inspiring, moving, spiritual, transcendent, and exhilarating (thanks to the 12/8 grooves on the drums). Like a lovechild of Morricone and Barry after taking a shitload of MDMA.

BTW, that's not the "Krypton lament." That's Kal-El's theme. All 24 bars of it.

[crocodile 8,033]

Would you be willing to write something longer about the score, Prometheus? I'd be interested in reading that.

Karol

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

I'll see about it.

[publicist 4,643]

Like a lovechild of Morricone and Barry after taking a shitload of MDMA.

More like u after taking a shitload of MDMA.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Like a lovechild of Morricone and Barry after taking a shitload of MDMA.

More like u after taking a shitload of MDMA.

[publicist 4,643]

That's speed.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Most E pills contain both MDMA and speed. At least the ones I've taken.

[publicist 4,643]

You should refrain to the abuse of pure substances = less unwelcome and freakish hallucinations while listening to Hans Zimmer scores.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Those hallucinations are more insightful than most of what gets written here about HZ.

[publicist 4,643]

What comes next?

[tannhauser 101]

I would not mind the "Zimmer sound"so much if it was just done by Zimmer. But it's basically everywhere now. And often done with far less competence.

I'm sure he too gets tired of the endless copying of his sounds in trailers and films. How many trailers had the dark knight thing, the inception thing, the sherlock holmes thing and so on ad nauseum. Soon every action trailer will have drum circles and pedal steel guitars!

[russds 8]

Hans told me I had failed in a fundamental task: determining who was my boss. He was right, and I haven't made that mistake again.

This is good, life advice, I enjoyed the article, but especially this little nugget of truth.

[SF1_freeze 131]

Zimmer seems to be one of the few composers who only get worse the older they get. MoS and the Last Batman score or the atrocious PoC part4 are perfect examples of this.

Levine's comments border on worshipping Zimmer as almost every one of his points is easily proven invalid in an objective discussion. I can only recommend to read Justin Boggans post on the FSM board http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?forumID=1&pageID=5&threadID=97421&archive=0. I agree with everything he said.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

MoS atrocious? What a steaming pile of bullshit.

[gkgyver 1,646]

I'll be specific: I find the use of the Krypton lament or whatever in "Flight" from MOS to be bad spotting, straight up. It seems to be at a total disconnect with the scene on just about every level.

Speaking of Man of Steel, here is IMO the worst example. When Superman killed Zod and he is in pain kneeling beside his body, Zimmer comes in with his hokey guitar figure. I think this is also disconnected with the film on every level. It goes against every instinct, and not in the good way.

[indy4 155]

Dude...spoilers!

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

I'll be specific: I find the use of the Krypton lament or whatever in "Flight" from MOS to be bad spotting, straight up. It seems to be at a total disconnect with the scene on just about every level.

Speaking of Man of Steel, here is IMO the worst example.

When Superman killed Zod and he is in pain kneeling beside his body, Zimmer comes in with his hokey guitar figure. I think this is also disconnected with the film on every level. It goes against every instinct, and not in the good way.

It works because it's the same figure (built on fourths) that was used for the beginning of Kal-El's birth sequence. Krypton's last remaining hope has just killed the sole survivor of his species, and consequently questions his entire purpose. Superman's cry is an existential one and is arguably the most moving moment in the film (next to Pa Kent's death).

[Jay 37,452]

LOL. Somehow I doubt Zimmer thinks that deeply

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Not in English, but in German. I don't doubt that Zimmer's read his Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.

[publicist 4,643]

I cite A FISH CALLED WANDA:

Otto W: Apes don't read philosophy.

Wanda: Yes they do, Otto. They just don't understand it.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah, that was thoughtless!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

boy that's a few minutes of my life I won't ever get back.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

From my point of view, Inception and Batman aren't "interchangable" at all. The Batman scores fit those films perfectly, and Inceptions sounds and themes, the Johnny Marr guitar solos, the sentimental Mal music for example, wouldn't fit the Batman films at all. Having said that, viewed objectively as two musical works, they do have superficial similarities in the overall sound palette, much like Superman, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Neither sets of scores and films are interchangable. But they are both written by the same musical voice. I've mentioned Batman and Inception, but I think this applies to all of Zimmer's (and Williams') work. Zimmer for me always comes up with a unique identity for each film he does, sometimes it's closer in sound to another score, sometimes it's radically different.

I love Zimmer's work and think he's very talented at what he does. And for all the hue and cry about his collaborators doing all the work for him, his scores always stand out above the solo efforts of RCP composers such as Balfe, Zanelli, Jablonsky, Djawadi etc. (I omit people like Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams. I think they're truly great composers in their own right, on the same level, and often higher than Hans).

Agreed entirely.

Yes, pretty much everything I said before.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Yeah, that was thoughtless!

The microwave?

boy that's a few minutes of my life I won't ever get back.

Boo Fucking Hoo!

[Quintus 5,399]

With Zimmer, the ultimate proof of the pudding will be easily determined anyway in about 20-30 years. What sounds like cool and ultra modern synth now will probably end up sounding like Jerry's cute but tacky Logan's Run by then. Hans will no doubt date his movies more than any other element involved in their making. For that reason I can't envision his music to be considered "classic" examples of the craft in the way Williams et al are and will be.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Yeah, that was thoughtless!

The microwave?

boy that's a few minutes of my life I won't ever get back.

Boo Fucking Hoo!

best a loser zimite has to offer.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That article does have an insiders view.

A view of someone on his knee's looking up at Zimmer's grinning face while he opens his zip and takes out his....

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Ja sehr gut. schneller schneller!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Verdammt noch mal, keine Zähne!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

"I only have nine"

[gkgyver 1,646]

I'll be specific: I find the use of the Krypton lament or whatever in "Flight" from MOS to be bad spotting, straight up. It seems to be at a total disconnect with the scene on just about every level.

Speaking of Man of Steel, here is IMO the worst example.

When Superman killed Zod and he is in pain kneeling beside his body, Zimmer comes in with his hokey guitar figure. I think this is also disconnected with the film on every level. It goes against every instinct, and not in the good way.

It works because it's the same figure (built on fourths) that was used for the beginning of Kal-El's birth sequence. Krypton's last remaining hope has just killed the sole survivor of his species, and consequently questions his entire purpose. Superman's cry is an existential one and is arguably the most moving moment in the film (next to Pa Kent's death).

I think you're probably serious about that.

However, it reads like some of the mental masturbation Zimmer is letting fly into the faces of people who accidentally read it.

And a big fat LOL at you for thinking Zimmer really intended anything like that. Which by the way wasn't the point anyway. Just because it appears to have some intangible, ahem, "thematic" connection doesn't mean it works. Had Zimmer scored both scenes with the "I'm loving it" McDonalds jingle, there would be a connection, but it would have also been, you know, fucking ridiculous.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

LOL at you thinking you know what Zimmer was thinking.