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Alexandre Desplat's Star Wars: Rogue One score


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Being that this is the first Star Wars score that will not be composed by Williams, What do people think about the decision of having Desplat do it? I never really got into him until recently, mostly  "imitation game," "danish Girl," and "unbroken." The man definitely has talent but... Star Wars talent? Maybe he'll pull some great themes out of his ass but what I'v observed is that he excels in more "thoughtful" movies, ya know, the ones where the theatre is filled with a whole lot of white people sitting with their legs crossed and fingers folded on their lap. 

Not that that is all he does, but the music from "godzilla" or "zero dark thirty" never really stood out to me as much as the ones mentioned above. 

I might be completely off, but I still feel like someone along the lines of Giacchino would be a better pick? I just don't get the sense that Desplat can make a more than serviceable star wars score based on my experience with his music.

Then again, i totally didn't see "The Secret Life of Pets" score coming from him, and that one's great! 

Thoughts?

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I agree with pub that I'm not expecting much out of the action music but I'm hoping that he'll at least follow suit with Williams and that Star Wars will take him in a broader and more extroverted mode overall. His blockbuster scores for me have been kinda broody for the most part with the occasional burst of something exciting, but when called for he can growl and pound and sing it out with the best of them.

 

Something like this would be right at home in Star Wars, emotionally and texturally. I could see him finding opportunities for this kind of elegiac writing in Rogue One, I'd love that.

 

 

Monsieur showing he can bring out a nice meaty melodic statement in an action setting.

 

 

 

"The Rathtars!" reminded me of some of Desplat's more Williamsy Potter action music.

 

 

 

Monuments Men has various colors that I might expect from a Desplat SW.

 

 

My biggest point of interest with the score will be if Desplat can get anything unexpected out of the Imperial March.

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I think my worst-case scenario would probably be that the score will end up being about 75% this:

 

 

And that his primary thematic contribution to the saga will be something like this:

 

 

That's about as low as I can imagine this score will go in Desplat's hands.

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24 minutes ago, TheWhiteRider said:

Pretty decent worst case scenario!

 

Sure, that's what I mean. Desplat's a pro, he'll deliver something relatively solid at worst and that would be about my idea of the most predictable thing I could imagine him doing in some kind of intense action thriller "with a heart" which is what Rogue One looks like. But one hopes for more...

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I am very positive about Desplat doing his own thing with this and I am certain we'll get a classy score and I am interested to hear what route the director and the composer will take with the music, honouring Williams while striking out on their own or more dissatisfyingly just emulating the Maestro.

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Alexandre Desplat is more than capable of writing a score that will fit into the same universe as Williams' efforts.

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He has a huge output, only a fraction of which I've heard, but several of his scores - Monuments Men, Godzilla, Grand Budapest Hotel, Secret Life of Pets, Rise of the Guardians, The Ghost Writer - are great!  A large amount of his other scores I've tried have done absolutely noting for me, though *shrug*  The Harry Potters in particular come to mind

 

Anyway, Monments Men and Rise of the Guardians show he can emulate the Williams style if he chooses to, and he's clearly also got his own distinct voice as evidenced in many other scores and that could certainly come into play here; We don't know the type of score Edwards or the execs at Disney are going for, really.

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12 hours ago, TownerFan said:

It's tough territory for any composer, of course. But I guess it's also enthralling to be given the opportunity to play with Williams' Star Wars musical world.

 

I'm pretty sure Desplat will be given the freedom to do his own score, but given he has pious admiration for the man himself, he will also pay dutiful homage all throughout. There will be of course mandatory references to certain themes (first and foremost, the Imperial March) and the orchestral palette will likely be the same as used by JW. I just hope he won't be forced to spoonfeed references to original SW music too much, but I also hope he won't go too much into minimalist/ostinato-driven territory à la Godzilla.

Yeah, but then, the ostinato/minimalist take on Godzilla was also an homage to the original 1954 score, not solely a modern style of choice. It makes perfect sense in this score.

 

If there is anyone in Hollywood to compose a solid score for this film, and retain their own voice, it's Desplat. He's virtually incapable of delivering anything below that.

 

Karol - who would love to hear Danny Elfman's SW score too

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19 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Karol - who would love to hear Danny Elfman's SW score too

 

I've always wanted to hear the Imperial March with a circus "oompah" rhythm ;)

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@JacksonElmorebasically summed up my opinion. I'm sure Desplat will do a great job but Giacchino would have probably been a better choice. Especially given that there will presumably be a LOT of action music. In that area Giacchino at his best is second only to Williams.

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3 hours ago, Will said:

@JacksonElmorebasically summed up my opinion. I'm sure Desplat will do a great job but Giacchino would have probably been a better choice. Especially given that there will presumably be a LOT of action music. In that area Giacchino at his best is second only to Williams.

 

It will the least interesting aspect of either composer's work. RIP exciting action music was probably around the late 90's.

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7 hours ago, publicist said:

 

It will the least interesting aspect of either composer's work. RIP exciting action music was probably around the late 90's.

 

What?! Giacchino's Into Darkness opening is incredible Williams-quality stuff.

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Umm.... nope. I have yet to hear Giacchino doing anything on the level of Williams. And I like his music. Probably the closest bits are some suspenseful Jurassic World passages here and there. And that's still faaaaar behind.

 

Karol

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There's a massive gulf of ability between the two men and frankly I'm tired of the comparisons at this stage. Giacchino has never been anything like being close to Williams and he NEVER will be. One must only listen with one's ears to know this. 

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I personally like Desplat very much, loved his HP scores, for me it managed to capture the spirit of the Harry Potter universe but with his distinctive style and I think this is the way to go with Rogue One. I just hope that the quoted SW themes will not be directly lifted but referenced properly in his own way. Other than that, I’m fine with him, and I’m looking forward to it, the movie sounds like a Star Warsified heist movie rather than a “gritty war movie”, but at this point I don’t think we know the overall mood of the movie just yet, and how the reshoots will change that, and the music. The movie itself is a big question mark, it certainly is a challenge for any composer, but I have faith in him.

A Danny Elfman SW score? Sign me up :D

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If Desplat's benchmark is child's play like 'ST Into Darkness' he can switch several gears back and just string one simple ostinato after another and be done wth it.

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It takes more than a couple listens to get used to. It's a rewarding and most distinctive fantasy score. Probably because he wasn't really trying to imitate any style while working on this film.

 

Karol

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7 hours ago, Stefancos said:

Wasnt Will the 14 year old? He probably doesnt have the emotional maturity to distinguish between Gia and Williams yet. But we must encourage him.

 

I am indeed fourteen years old. And I wasn't making a blanket statement that I like Giacchino as much as Williams. Only in certain exceptional cases. 

 

I think the emotional maturity comment was a bit of a cheap shot - unless you were just joking around, in which case, never mind. :)

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16 hours ago, TheWhiteRider said:

 

It's over-orchestrated swing/samba!

 

A style I happen to enjoy in this instance.

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