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The Official James Horner Thread


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5 minutes ago, Thor said:

That's Sandra Tomek - the woman behind the Hollywood in Vienna events.

 

No, that's not Tomek, but somebody else who was in charge of press management that day I believe. I don't think I've seen her at any other Hollywood in Vienna stuff.

 

(Tomek was there that day, and I have a couple of photos of you talking to her before the Horner interview, but she's not on any of the pics I posted above)

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Yeah, sorry, you're right. I've seen her a couple of times since (is her name Doris-something?). I believe she also organized the Elfman "red carpet" interview for me a few years later. I think she's part of the "inner circle".

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I think both Titanic and Braveheart are essentials, both are fairly significant expansions.  Titanic in particular really changes the experience, and for the positive.

 

Legends of the Fall adds material that I believe really improves the pacing of the score and highlights themes that weren't heard as much in the original album.

Aliens is a great edition as well, if you never picked it up, as well as *Batteries Not Included.  But those first two I mentioned really shouldn't be missed.

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On 5/7/2021 at 6:48 PM, Jurassic Shark said:

You've seen various cheap bracelets made of thin rope, right? This is just a tattooed version of it. I don't know what this particular design means. Jean B probably knows.

 

Yes I remember her daughter telling us about this tattoo at the Zoom meeting with her on Patreon. The recording is visible on the page. I will check it.

@Marian Schedenig

Thanks for the pictures! :) I will contact you when the time comes to get the Raw files of 2 or 3 pictures.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

https://www.facebook.com/OmniMusicPublishing:

On June 2nd at 12PM Pacific, please join Timothy Rodier and Dan Redfeld in a discussion with writer/director Phil Alden Robinson. This Zoom event is sponsored by ASMAC. Topics will include the relationship between composer and director, spotting the film, and the recording process. We will look at the scores to several cues against picture including Omni Music Publishing's upcoming release, "Sneakers." Don't miss this unique opportunity to listen to a great filmmaker talk about working with Oscar-winning composer James Horner. Also on the panel will be Sara Horner, Jim Henrikson, and Joe E. Rand

https://asmac.org/index.php/calendar/parties/060221-composerdirector

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  • 1 month later...

According to this review, the new Blu-ray of 48 HRS. includes an isolated score, but it isn't mentioned in the list of specs on any website. Could it be a hidden feature, or was it added too late to be included in the press release from a while ago? Does this mean that the sequel might also have an isolated score?

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Doubt the sequel would, but I hope I'm wrong. There was never anything beyond the OST. 

The first one ended up on iTunes for about a minute (the Intrada release, just rebranded)

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If it is true and not just some anomaly on a reviewer's copy, I hope that at least it contains the film version of the second half of "Subway Station" in good quality. There is some tracked music in the film as well, so I'm curious if that will be included.

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Yeah the Intrada version had such a wildly (improvised) sax line that was really out there. The boot version was the film version. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm interested...

 

What is your favourite 'Hornerism'?

 

Of all his numerous traits and stylistic doings - plagiaristic or not* - what repeating musical motifs or textures do you love the most?

 

One of my favourites is the 'rolling' final chord that always resolves a sentimental chord progression, usually with piano in there somewhere. Examples:

 

JUMANJI (immediately in this case):

 

 

More obvious in this one, from THE PERFECT STORM, again immediately:

 

 

*this will not become a debate about his 'stealings' from the classical repertoire... keep it civil

 

 

I have more, I just want to open it out to the forum...

 

By the way, is this worthy of a thread, if it hasn't been done already? Favourite 'isms'.

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Yes! Not a fan of that "rolling" final chord due to some overuse, but I'm glad that someone else noticed it. I think that my favorite application of that technique would be the "Virtual Reality" cues from House Of Cards. That's probably where I first heard it, too!

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  • 4 months later...

Hi folks, I need some thoughts on this topic.  Some of you might know that I'm a professional musician but my sister is not and is asking about James Horner scores.  She mentions Braveheart as wonderful example of his talent, but I'd like to give her a play list of how fantastic a composer he was and am seeking playlist guidance for someone not as familiar of how to explore his scores.  I was thinking of suggesting these scores in order but what are your thoughts?  So ignoring some of his super popular music but focusing more on the "sticky" music he composed that for me at least is just so fantastic, I can't get it out of my head once I hear it.  Is that a wrong approach?  Your thoughts?  So my playlist would be something like this:

 

Star Trek 2 (1982)

Krull (1983)  <- so so film but great score

Star Trek 3 (1984)

Cocoon (1985)

Willow (1988)

The Land Before Time (1988)

Glory (1989) <- FANTASTIC MUST WATCH FILM

The Rocketeer (1991) <- FANTASTIC MUST WATCH FILM

Page master (1994)

Legends of the Fall (1994)

Braveheart (1995)

Titanic (1997) <- musically the score is average but it’s James Cameron’s best film and a great song but average score.  I’ll rank this with Troy, it serves its purpose well but that’s all. 

A Beautiful Mind (2001) <- FANTASTIC MUST WATCH FILM

Wolf Totem (2015) <- Wonderful score, the year he died

 

 

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sticky themes?

 

No one recommended Mask of Zorro?

Shame. That film and Horner’s

score are a perfect bit o’ fun:) (The sequel not so much.)

 

Heck recommend Willow (film and score) too.

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I would also recommand Casper, Balto and Aliens which are need to hear scores IMO, plus *batteries not included (even though it's a bit similar with some Cocoon materials). But you already have a great playlist I think

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14 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Noone mentions Brainstorm? I went through his scores on Spotify and this was one of the few where I listened more interested.

Definitely should be a top choice. 

 

Karol

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7 hours ago, karelm said:

She mentions Braveheart as wonderful example of his talent, but I'd like to give her a play list of how fantastic a composer he was and am seeking playlist guidance for someone not as familiar of how to explore his scores.  I was thinking of suggesting these scores in order but what are your thoughts? 

 

First, I would need to know a bit more about her taste other than that she likes BRAVEHEART. What type of music does she usually gravitate towards? Is it melody and themes, first and foremost, or is she open to more textural affairs? Does she like orchestral music in general? Is ethnic flavours a thing? Does she veer towards the calm or the upbeat and actioney? 

 

Stuff like that. Anyone can recommend stuff they like themselves, but that doesn't mean that whoever they're recommending for will share your preferences.

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26 minutes ago, Thor said:

Anyone can recommend stuff they like themselves, but that doesn't mean that whoever they're recommending for will share your preferences.

Hm. For me recommendations are not pnecessarily about meeting preferences. When you get someone on the hook for something, that you like you use the opportunity to propose as well things, of which you think, this is someone the person should like as well. (Like you do all the time @Thor in the "Last Score you listened to" thread ;) ) I remember many times feeling almost insulted by people saying "This sounds like something you like". Like people heard, that you like Beethoven and then give you a Classic Rock compilation of the London Symphony orchestra for christmas with these words.

With recommendations it is always best to follow your own compass. But I agree, it is usually not enough just to say "Listen to this."

An introduction to it and what you find precious or interesting about it should be added as well. And yes, it is helpful to know, what the person likes.

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4 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

"This sounds like something you like". Like people heard, that you like Beethoven and then give you a Classic Rock compilation of the London Symphony orchestra for christmas with these words.

 

:lol:

 

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16 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Hm. For me recommendations are not pnecessarily about meeting preferences. When you get someone on the hook for something, that you like you use the opportunity to propose as well things, of which you think, this is someone the person should like as well. (Like you do all the time @Thor in the "Last Score you listened to" thread ;) ) I remember many times feeling almost insulted by people saying "This sounds like something you like". Like people heard, that you like Beethoven and then give you a Classic Rock compilation of the London Symphony orchestra for christmas with these words.

With recommendations it is always best to follow your own compass. But I agree, it is usually not enough just to say "Listen to this."

An introduction to it and what you find precious or interesting about it should be added as well. And yes, it is helpful to know, what the person likes.

 

Sure, that works too.

 

But I always prefer to chart the preferences of whoever I'm recommending to (if I'm being asked for specific recommendations). For example, I have a friend who doesn't like the broad and melodic, who's very much into the avantgarde and dissonant. So you can imagine he has a certain view of Williams that isn't particularly positive. But a few years ago, I played IMAGES for him and it was right up his alley. That was a win for me, because a) I managed to convince someone of Williams' excellence and versatiliy and b) managed to tailormake a recommendation to someone's taste.

 

I mean, I love Horner's THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Same with THE NAME OF THE ROSE, for example.

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37 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

 

Sure, that works too.

 

But I always prefer to chart the preferences of whoever I'm recommending to (if I'm being asked for specific recommendations). For example, I have a friend who doesn't like the broad and melodic, who's very much into the avantgarde and dissonant. So you can imagine he has a certain view of Williams that isn't particularly positive. But a few years ago, I played IMAGES for him and it was right up his alley. That was a win for me, because a) I managed to convince someone of Williams' excellence and versatiliy and b) managed to tailormake a recommendation to someone's taste.

 

I mean, I love Horner's THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Same with THE NAME OF THE ROSE, for example.

I understand that. As usual it is probably somewhere in the middle.

You can also have two persons loving the same soundtrack, but the one likes it just because of the music and the other one just because he or she likes the movie. It is not always so easy, If you don't know people's approach to music in general.

My kids always need music to be connected to something, a movie, a story, an event. Otherwise they cannot connect to it. They don't value just quality of music. That is why they like particularly a lot of rubbish. But that's how it is. 

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On 07/12/2021 at 2:41 AM, Jurassic Shark said:

 

It's "art".

Something of which ye know naught

 

 

Btw HORNER is particularly well represented on CD.

I know some of you c and c crackpots won't rest till every score is " complete" but im a pretty happy Horner music fan!

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20 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

THE NAME OF THE ROSE. Horner's true masterpiece :heart:

 

It's a brilliant score. But I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to someone who only gravitates towards the broad, symphonic, thematic scores of Horner.

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3 hours ago, Thor said:

 

It's a brilliant score. But I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to someone who only gravitates towards the broad, symphonic, thematic scores of Horner.

Indeed. It's, definitely, not for the tourists. It is, however, utterly brilliant... like the film.

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  • 1 month later...

I was reading the Wikipedia page for Fellowship of the Ring, and it mentions that James Horner turned down an offer to score this movie, as well as the first Harry Potter.

 

The source for these claims is the obituary below, which just says that Horner refused to score the two movies but doesn't provide further explanation:

 

https://www.avclub.com/r-i-p-james-horner-1798281000

 

So that means Howard Shore and John Williams weren't the first choices for their respective movies? Who else was considered before they got the Jobs?

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