James Horner 1953-2015

[Wojo 2,453]

 

 

 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

23 hours ago, Stefancos said:

Did it die?

 

Yes. Found him dead on the sidewalk that night. Poor fella.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm sorry

[Bilbo 3,709]

is the 2001 DE the most complete version of Aliens available (legally)? 

 

Also, aside from Titanic, Braveheart, Avatar, and Aliens what are the real big essential heavy hitters?

 

I'm in the mood for expanded my shamefully small Horner collection. 

 

[crocodile 7,978]

Aliens.

 

Karol

[Bilbo 3,709]

1 minute ago, crocodile said:

Aliens.

 

Karol

 

Cool, that's the one I'd been looking at!

[crocodile 7,978]

Can't go wrong with The Rocketeer, The Pagemaster, Willow, Krull, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (and ST III too). His Zorro scores are a lot of fun. So much to explore.

 

Karol

 

 

[Bilbo 3,709]

13 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Can't go wrong with The Rocketeer, The Pagemaster, Willow, Krull, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (and ST III too). His Zorro scores are a lot of fun. So much to explore.

 

Karol

 

 

 

Cocoon sounds interesting. Popped up on Apple Music. Is the score good or is it just the main theme?

[crocodile 7,978]

The whole thing is good.

 

Karol

[Jay 37,271]

46 minutes ago, Bilbo Skywalker said:

is the 2001 DE the most complete version of Aliens available (legally)? 

 

It's completely complete, there is no illegal source of more music.  Anything you hear in the film that isn't on it is not by Horner.

[Bilbo 3,709]

31 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

It's completely complete, there is no illegal source of more music.  Anything you hear in the film that isn't on it is not by Horner.

 

Cool! I've ordered it now!

[Laserschwert 473]

1 hour ago, crocodile said:

His Zorro scores are a lot of fun. So much to explore.

Do the OSTs do the scores justice? Or would they benefit from an expansion?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I hear a synth choir calling me to the ocean.  I think they're sad no one's mentioned them yet.

[Bilbo 3,709]

3 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

I hear a synth choir calling me to the ocean.  I think they're sad no one's mentioned them yet.

 

Titanic?

4 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

 

Add An American Tail 2 and The Land Before Time.

 

The Land Before Time needs a new release! 

[karelm 2,903]

Wolf Totem and Once Upon a Forest are gorgeous scores to add to the list.  Don't forget Beautiful Mind.  What a wonderful legacy this composer leaves behind. 

[publicist 4,643]

10 hours ago, Bilbo Skywalker said:

Also, aside from Titanic, Braveheart, Avatar, and Aliens what are the real big essential heavy hitters?

 

'Willow' - his biggest musical achievement.

[crocodile 7,978]

Of the more modern scores (post-Titanic) I'd recommend The Perfect Storm. You'll love the main theme when this disc starts...and you'll probably end up hating it by the time it's all over.

 

 

Karol

[Bilbo 3,709]

18 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Of the more modern scores (post-Titanic) I'd recommend The Perfect Storm. You'll love the main theme when this disc starts...and you'll probably end up hating it by the time it's all over.

 

 

Karol

 

Heard one tack in the Apple Music playlist and I enjoyed it!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes!

[crocodile 7,978]

@Marian Schedenig wouldn't forgive me if I didn't recommend Sneakers as well.

 

 

And since we're talking about Sneakers... you can't forget about Apollo 13 (which does expand upon some of the material):

 

 

 

Karol

[Marian Schedenig 8,160]

On 28/07/2017 at 5:06 PM, crocodile said:

@Marian Schedenig wouldn't forgive me if I didn't recommend Sneakers as well.

 

Of course I wouldn't... but I'd kinda lost track of this thread, so I wouldn't even have noticed if you hadn't tagged me.

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

National Transport Safety report about the plane crash.

 

Includes some medical information about the pilot (James Horner)

 

The pilot was ejected from the airplane during the accident sequence. The Ventura County Coroner's Office did not conduct an autopsy on the pilot because of the condition of the body. The pilot had reported high cholesterol and the use of the prescription drugs rosuvastatin and fenofibrate to treat it to the FAA.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicology testing of the pilot's muscle tissue. The testing detected 0.046 gm/dl of ethanol, 2.033 ug/g of butalbital (the therapeutic range is between 1 and 10 ug/ml), and 0.033 ug/g of codeine.

Ethanol may be detected due to ingestion, or it may also be produced by postmortem microbial activity in the body. Ethanol significantly impairs pilots' performance even at low levels. FAA regulations prohibit any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having 0.040 gm/dl or more ethanol in the blood.

Butalbital and codeine are frequently combined with acetaminophen, aspirin, and/or caffeine in prescription medications to treat pain or headaches. The combination of the two drugs carries the following warning: "Butalbital, Acetaminophen, Caffeine, and Codeine Phosphate Capsules may impair mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks such as driving a car or operating machinery. Such tasks should be avoided while taking this combination product. Alcohol and other CNS [central nervous system] depressants may produce an additive CNS depression when taken with this combination product and should be avoided."

[karelm 2,903]

12 hours ago, Stefancos said:

National Transport Safety report about the plane crash.

 

Includes some medical information about the pilot (James Horner)

 

The pilot was ejected from the airplane during the accident sequence. The Ventura County Coroner's Office did not conduct an autopsy on the pilot because of the condition of the body. The pilot had reported high cholesterol and the use of the prescription drugs rosuvastatin and fenofibrate to treat it to the FAA.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicology testing of the pilot's muscle tissue. The testing detected 0.046 gm/dl of ethanol, 2.033 ug/g of butalbital (the therapeutic range is between 1 and 10 ug/ml), and 0.033 ug/g of codeine.

Ethanol may be detected due to ingestion, or it may also be produced by postmortem microbial activity in the body. Ethanol significantly impairs pilots' performance even at low levels. FAA regulations prohibit any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having 0.040 gm/dl or more ethanol in the blood.

Butalbital and codeine are frequently combined with acetaminophen, aspirin, and/or caffeine in prescription medications to treat pain or headaches. The combination of the two drugs carries the following warning: "Butalbital, Acetaminophen, Caffeine, and Codeine Phosphate Capsules may impair mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks such as driving a car or operating machinery. Such tasks should be avoided while taking this combination product. Alcohol and other CNS [central nervous system] depressants may produce an additive CNS depression when taken with this combination product and should be avoided."

 

Not much news here.  Basically he had high blood pressure and took what was most likely aspirin and/or coffee the day of the accident.  The high Ethanol might have been caused post mortem as the update says so is inconclusive.  Very normal stuff for someone in his age, line of work, and personality.  Wait for the full report.  It will go in to much more detail. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

No man! He was drunk and on drugs!

[NL197 368]

3 hours ago, karelm said:

 

 Wait for the full report.  It will go in to much more detail. 

 

First-ever posting here.

The full report is already available as part of the official docket: 

https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms/search/hitlist.cfm?docketID=60079&CurrentPage=1&EndRow=15&StartRow=1&order=1&sort=0&TXTSEARCHT=

 

Everything is available in PDF, and they conclude that James Horner was likely impaired by his pain medication (a variation of Tylenol #3) and not the ethanol which as you said, the report found to be likely a by-product of post-mortem activity. It was high cholesterol medication, not blood pressure, though they found that had no impact on his abilities.

 

They did the best with what they had to work with, because as the notes say, not only was he thrown from the plane but his body was "highly fragmented". I think it's safe to say we all know what that actually means. Hopefully it was so quick he felt nothing. 

 

The crash was between 9:24 and 9:29am. He must have been up very early to drive all that way, have his plane fueled and ready to get some air time in before resuming whatever he was going to do for the rest of the day. Some colleagues of mine who met and had drinks in his presence noted that he never actually drank anything other than juice with ice. I highly doubt anyone knowing they're going to keep practicing in a plane like that, having just completed his certification three days prior, was going to be drinking anything alcoholic. 

 

It was definitely his mistake to be taking the pain medication but I suspect it was because he needed it to withstand the forces which are known to cause headaches. Since his were tension / stress headaches, it would make sense he would rely on medication to allow him to keep flying. He was certainly determined, and ultimately that was his undoing. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The drugs are absorbed fairly rapidly and would have taken full effect within 30 minutes. He was in the air for around an hour and a half. Maybe he took them while flying? He maintained contact right until the end, circled and crashed into a riverbed, failing to properly eject. No organs survived. I figure he was losing consciousness and attempting to land, or at least find a place to eject and crash it. The area he circled around just before crashing was populated, so it's possible he whipped around the houses and headed for the canyon to prevent killing anyone else. The high rate of speed at which he crashed makes it seem highly unlikely he was fully aware.

[karelm 2,903]

On ‎7‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 8:31 PM, NL197 said:

 

First-ever posting here.

The full report is already available as part of the official docket: 

https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms/search/hitlist.cfm?docketID=60079&CurrentPage=1&EndRow=15&StartRow=1&order=1&sort=0&TXTSEARCHT=

 

Everything is available in PDF, and they conclude that James Horner was likely impaired by his pain medication (a variation of Tylenol #3) and not the ethanol which as you said, the report found to be likely a by-product of post-mortem activity. It was high cholesterol medication, not blood pressure, though they found that had no impact on his abilities.

 

They did the best with what they had to work with, because as the notes say, not only was he thrown from the plane but his body was "highly fragmented". I think it's safe to say we all know what that actually means. Hopefully it was so quick he felt nothing. 

 

The crash was between 9:24 and 9:29am. He must have been up very early to drive all that way, have his plane fueled and ready to get some air time in before resuming whatever he was going to do for the rest of the day. Some colleagues of mine who met and had drinks in his presence noted that he never actually drank anything other than juice with ice. I highly doubt anyone knowing they're going to keep practicing in a plane like that, having just completed his certification three days prior, was going to be drinking anything alcoholic. 

 

It was definitely his mistake to be taking the pain medication but I suspect it was because he needed it to withstand the forces which are known to cause headaches. Since his were tension / stress headaches, it would make sense he would rely on medication to allow him to keep flying. He was certainly determined, and ultimately that was his undoing. 

 

Thanks for posting.  I read all the documents.  It seems the most likely scenario was Horner was unconscious resulting in the crash.  This was not a controlled descent.  The flight pattern from the radar data shows the final descent was sudden and abrupt rather than controlled and the airplane being in full operating condition.  The 641 foot debris field and 5 x 11 foot impact crater are substantial clues.  Two props are more distorted than the other two indicating all four separated at impact but not all four contacted the ground during the crash so most likely was in full power during impact.  The manufacturer indicated there were no problems with the plane stating "there were no discrepancies noted that would preclude normal operation before aircraft impact.  All damage was consistent with high impact forces" at an angle of 32 to 44 degrees. I believe the trace of ethanol in the tissue is insignificant to the cause of the crash and just stated as a fact of the toxicology report.  The 2011 Reno P-51 crash was very similar to this one (high performance civilian conversion of a military single engine piston impacting the ground at high rate of speed and similar debris pattern) and that body tissue showed ethonal but that investigation concluded the source was aviation fuel from the crash. 

 

I think the biggest clue to why this happened was that the effects of the meds + codine have an additive impairment.  One or the other would have been fine.  It is also possible he had a heart attack since there weren't enough organs left to perform an examination but he had a history of high blood pressure.  Since he was practicing acrobatic maneuvers, he was experiencing multiple g forces which means your heart has to work several times harder to get blood to your brain.  He might have had a heart attack at that point or blacked out by heart not pumping enough blood to brain.  It is clear that it was painless and quick.  The odds are he was unconscious before the accident.  Still sad and shocking after all this time but nothing surprising in this report.  RIP. 

[karelm 2,903]

I am currently listening to James Horner's score to Krull.  What a fantastic sci-fi/fantasy cross over score it is.  It is so unique and doesn't sound like anyone other than Horner and he was only 30 years old when he wrote it.  It is scored for a very large late romantic orchestra with boys choir.  My complaints of the recording is the choral performance is a bit over the top and the generally poor acoustics of the venue but this might have been state of the art for the time.  I don't really like the way horns were mic'ed.  Overall the recording is inconsistent but the quality of the music is superb and very operatic which was the style of the time.  If you like Star Trek II score, you will love this.  It is a fantastic score from that period of a great composer's early development. 

 

I remember seeing this film as a kid with my cousins in a nearly empty theater.  But now it holds a special place in my memories and that's because of the score.

[John 2,032]

To think that this June, it will be three years since he died...

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

He's here in my heart and the Horner will go on and on.

[crocodile 7,978]

4 years today...

 

I was really glad that I decided to attend this concert back in 2013. I would have preferred an entire concert dedicated to his music and some of the music editing choices being better thought out...but at least I had a chance to see the man in flesh.

 

 

Karol

[Thor 7,458]

Indeed, Karol. One of my most treasured film music memories. Marian took a lot of photos of the all-too-brief interview session, one of the last interviews he made. I'll post a few if he allows.

[NL197 368]

http://jameshorner-filmmusic.com/important-james-horner-missing-pieces-and-a-book/

 

Four years ago today James was lost. 

 

We are looking for some testimony from those in the industry, those who aren't but came to know him anyway, and will be utilizing as much as we can for our project.

[gkgyver 1,645]

The 5th "anniversary" of his passing is approaching. 

I only just read that his "body was highly fragmented". Jesus Christ, the thought makes my skin crawl. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

[crocodile 7,978]

5 years... Time just flies.

 

Will listen to some Jimmy tonight.

 

Karol

[SteveMc 2,674]

5 years.

I remember where I was when I saw the news.  Left me feeling numb and mortal.  

[Edmilson 7,376]

[Naïve Old Fart 9,490]

6 hours ago, crocodile said:

Will listen to some Jimmy tonight.

I'm not sure quite why, but SUNSET ON GENESIS sounds about right.

[bruce marshall 1,314]

Was there ever a public Memorial/ funeral in LA or somewhere else?

[Bilbo 3,709]

5 years. Fuck. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

[Quintus 5,399]

Grumpy complainer genius. Miss him.

[crocodile 7,978]

6 years.

 

https://tidal.com/playlist/55436167-815d-4e27-ac21-996a79ac746f

 

Karol

[Jay 37,271]

Damn.  I still remember exactly where I was when I found out.

[Bilbo 3,709]

Seriously, how has it been six years already? 
 

RIP.

[Tallguy 3,359]

On 7/28/2017 at 8:06 AM, crocodile said:

@Marian Schedenig wouldn't forgive me if I didn't recommend Sneakers as well.

As well you should. It's 50% Horner (Goldsmith?) rehash and 50% where the heck did THAT come from? It's amazing.

 

Field of Dreams. Got to do Field of Dreams.

 

I sometimes feel like there are a range of Horner scores that are like tuning a radio. Apollo 13 is good, but maybe you want to dial a little to the left and get Clear and Present Danger. Somewhere between Star Trek II and III is Krull. And they all coalesce into The Rocketeer. Or Willow if that's your jam.

 

9 hours ago, Jay said:

Damn.  I still remember exactly where I was when I found out.

 

I had just moved my family, I was living with my parents while we looked for a house, and my Grandmother was about to die. Then I read the computer. I broke down.

 

As I've mentioned elsewhere we watched Field of Dreams on Father's Day. I knew the moment I saw his name that this was going to be rough. I was right.

[WampaRat 1,105]

Currently watching The Rocketeer on Disney Plus. What a blast. And what a joy to listen to. R.I.P. Mr. Horner.

 

More films (and scores) like this please! Not snarky quippy action heroes. Give me some genuine heart:)

[Kühni 485]

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