Michael Giacchino's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) - 2022 Expanded Edition now available

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Yeah, but when was that frequency?!

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Yeah, but he still caught me being a dick...so he's one up!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Bollocks!

[publicist 4,643]

1 hour ago, igger6 said:

As a dyed-in-the-wool populist who wouldn't know genuine compositional quality if it smacked me in the fermata, I am unabashedly thrilled at this news. 

 

That's how Zimmer & posse became Hollywood's most influential 'composer.'..which apart from some notable exceptions by the old fox himself didn't serve either movies or music all that well. 

 

I'm with Alex Mike on this: the larger implications are a certain disrespect to talent (from studio committees) and a disappointing lack of ambition. That the dyed-in-the-wool fanboy is content with figh-fivin' old Death Star motif quotes is expected (they got busted into quality compositions in 1977 by fate only) but the last thing we should want is the dyed-in-the-wool fanboy being the fucking composer of the movie.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Pub and Cosman are here!

 

[Incanus 5,715]

[Bilbo 3,709]

Disapointing. 

[Alex 2,835]

What terrible news to wake up to. Was really looking forward to what Desplat would come up with. Let's just hope Giacchino is inspired enough to write something incredible. 

[Quintus 5,399]

 

 

[Giftheck 917]

This is some... intriguing news to wake up to. I have mixed thoughts on this.

 

Firstly, lets go on the negative here. I, like so many of you, was highly interested to see what Desplat would have done with this. I admittedly don't often listen to Desplat - I only have his Harry Potter and Godzilla CDs - but I really liked what he did with those. In the case of Harry Potter, his music, while definitely not as grand as John Williams' contributions, certainly felt like they belonged to those films. Godzilla was interesting because of the franchise's origins in Japan and he took some inspiration from Eastern music by incorporating taiko drums and certain Easatern instruments into his score, and I think he did wuite well even if the score wasn't anything truly special. I was eager to see how he could add to the musical context of the Star Wars films. The best we can hope for now is to hear his demos. I'm not 100% sold on the "recording schedule" excuse myself, but we'll probably not know the truth for a few years, when a member of the crew decides to speak out as to what happened with it.

 

On the other hand, I realy like Giacchino's work, and I feel that while some of you clearly hate him and everything he musically stands for, that he could do some really great stuff here. There is a little concern though that he's done three major scores this year - and two already for Disney, no less - and that he could become musically burnt-out. And I agree that he's definitely seen as a 'safe pair of hands' - not just because he does a lot of Hollywood action, but because he's been working with Disney for a while now. I just hope he doesn't confuse Trek and Wars here and we wind up with something that is too close to his Star Trek work. So as far as Giacchino coming on board, I'm taking a more cautious optimism than I would for, say, his work on Star Trek. I get the feeling he'll at least try to honour the musical legacy of what came before, and I do hope he does it better than he did with Jurassic World (I liked Jurassic World's score, BTW, but feel it could have definitely been beter - though in all honesty, with regrds to Rogue One, it all depends on how much Disney decides to interfere with his score).

 

TL;DR. Cautiously optimistic.

[Quintus 5,399]

At last Williams' Attack of the Clones will sound like a masterpiece. 

[publicist 4,643]

At last Star Wars has musically arrived in the present!

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

At last we will have our revenge!

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Wow. Amazing but unexpected news.

 

Maybe the reason is that After spotting the film, the producers wanted more Williams references. Maybe desplat has a limit for those. GIacchino seems comfortable working with othe people's themes. This bodes well for the obscure motifs like death star and 1977's imperial motif which may be referenced where they should be.

 

I never expected a Desplat Harry potter situation to be good for this film, taking into account the era and time it happens. Though i expected more references and posibly a good score. With Giacchino i have more hopes for using the old themes.

 

I just hope he does not go the Star Trek way, or the jurassic World way...in where only a passing through the old themes is used...one because it is a rebboted imeline and the other because it happens in a different park with another cast of characters... In rogue one of course the new characters have to have new themes. But the main factions, situations and the likes have to have the music Williams composed them for.

 

I dont like the tight schedule. Maybe if the problem is producers really want a lot williams references the score could be more easily written, i suppose. But i hope Giacchino is considered for other films if his score ends being a little Supeman-sequelesque...

[crocodile 8,018]

It's Pan all over again. Ah, well.

 

Karol

[Incanus 5,715]

5 minutes ago, crocodile said:

It's Pan all over again. Ah, well.

 

Karol

One could say it is Pan-demic even?

 

Btw with SW and the House of Mouse involved was there any chance of this score being anything but very traditional.

 

And I think they should have asked papa Ennio to Morricone the bejeezus out of this movie!

[Quintus 5,399]

I haven't really been following the progress of this movie or given much thought to Desplat's score, so non of this really affects me tbh. I mean, *shrugs MEH shrugs* is all I can really say about this change. More rote music from Giacchino to add your collections. 

[Thor 7,519]

For me, this is like exchanging tomato sauce with mustard on your breakfast cereal -- I don't like it either way (neither a fan of Desplat nor Giacchino).

But it's surely some big news; I'll be writing a news article about it soon.

For those of us who BOTH like STAR WARS AND a more alternative/less safe approach to things, this is very sad news indeed. It seems like Edwards' original vision is being totally undermined, and taken over by Gilroy (who's an OK screenwriter, but a mediocre director).

[Quintus 5,399]

Probably. Pretty much agreed about the two composers too, but what I have heard of Desplat I prefer his sound by far, he certainly has chops in his own area. Let's just say The Imitation Game is in my car. I can't imagine Gia's Star Wars ever being in there. 

[crocodile 8,018]

I want a Danny Elfman Star Wars score!

 

Karol

[Thor 7,519]

33 minutes ago, Quintus said:

Probably. Pretty much agreed about the two composers too, but what I have heard of Desplat I prefer his sound by far, he certainly has chops in his own area. Let's just say The Imitation Game is in my car. I can't imagine Gia's Star Wars ever being in there. 

 

Refreshing to see us agree on something!

 

9 minutes ago, crocodile said:

I want a Danny Elfman Star Wars score!

 

Karol

 

Could have been cool, but I fear it would sound like a lot of the other, rather generic "big" films he's scored recently. These days, he works best with indie fare and more textural, downscale stuff.

 

I would have loved to hear one of these instead:  Elliot Goldenthal,  Max Richter, Abel Korzeniowski, Federico Jusid, Benjamin Wallfisch, Christopher Young, David Arnold, George Fenton. A bit "out of the box", but still within a symphonic idiom. Rather that than just straight pastiche composers a la McNeely, Debney etc.

[Bilbo 3,709]

The amount of Star Wars fans who mention McNeely for Star Wars makes me want to bash my head off a very sharp rock. 

[Thor 7,519]

Just now, Bilbo Skywalker said:

The amount of Star Wars fans who mention McNeely for Star Wars makes me want to bash my head off a very sharp rock. 

 

He, he...I know what you mean. I'm a fan of McNeely and I love his SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE, for example, but it's a terribly predictable choice and there's not much there in terms of original voice. Desplat at the very least had a unique voice (even if that voice didn't appeal to me, personally).

[Arpy 4,145]

James Newton Howard?

 

[crocodile 8,018]

Joe Kraemer! 

 

Karol

[Thor 7,519]

Both more interesting choices than Giacchino. But we're all too late to the game anyway. What's the point of speculating anymore? We're just hurting ourselves.

[crocodile 8,018]

Thor, I would love to have all the composers you listed to do Star Wars. But I fear the Disney regime will never allow any of them to spread wings anyway.

 

Karol

[crumbs 14,318]

Wasn't Williams angry about Shadows of the Empire? I can't see him recommending McNeely for any gigs like a Star Wars feature.

 

It begs the question, if they want a score that more heavily reflects Williams' style, maybe they should've just asked him to supervise the score.

 

My main disappointment with this news is that I can't stand the dry, tinny orchestrations and recording techniques that plague Giacchino scores. They never sound symphonic, more like a large-scale TV movie. Every section of the orchestra sounds loud with little dynamic range or restraint to the performances.

 

Desplat, conversely, has a wonderfully cinematic sound and, paired with Pope's orchestrations, would have sounded much similar to Williams' scores in the series than Giacchino's will (even if it ends up being a Greatest Hits of Williams thematic references - though Jurassic World showed he doesn't really understand how to apply them).

[Bilbo 3,709]

Why was Williams angry about it?

[crocodile 8,018]

Think nobody asked for his opinion/permission. Or whether he wants to do it. Or something of that ilk.

 

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Christopher Gordon (really the only one with an ability to conjure the depth of Williams' more academic approach while still being able to sound 'Hollywood' enough). Not gonna happen in 5 million years nor faraway galaxy, though.

[Nick1Ø66 4,722]

I haven't had the chance to read every comment in this thread, but the linked article says that the switch was purely do to scheduling, but a lot of us seem to be skeptical of that.  Is this just speculation, or is there real reason to think there were other motives behind the switch?

 

It's funny, I think one of my first comments on this board was something along the lines of predicting that Gia would compose the first non-Williams score for the new films (admittedly a safe prediction).

[mrbellamy 6,291]

34 minutes ago, Nick66 said:

I haven't had the chance to read every comment in this thread, but the linked article says that the switch was purely do to scheduling, but a lot of us seem to be skeptical of that.  Is this just speculation, or is there real reason to think there were other motives behind the switch?

 

There's been some bad juju around Rogue One lately, namely additional filming this summer (Routine pick-ups or massive reshoots? You decide!) and gossipy but somewhat valid rumors that Tony Gilroy -- who has received a last minute screenplay credit with no apparent involvement before this spring -- has been essentially hired to babysit Gareth Edwards i.e. co-directing, co-editing through an alleged Disney-mandated transition into a lighter tone from originally darker intentions. The composer is often collateral damage during this type of process.

 

My question is if they're trying to lighten the tone....why would they bring in the guy best known for Bourne and Michael Clayton? 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Rogue One is going to be fucking mutilated.

[Thor 7,519]

3 minutes ago, Shatner's Rug said:

Rogue One is going to be fucking mutilated.

 

 

Sadly, yes. And I doubt we're ever going to see Edwards' "original vision".

[Arpy 4,145]

Will it be as mutilated as Suicide Squad though?

The Rogue One squad is the real Suicide Squad.

[Nick1Ø66 4,722]

Yeah, I know about the Rogue One reshoot/Gilroy fiasco.  I'm just wondering if an unfortunate result of those delays was losing Desplat due to scheduling, or if there was more to it...i.e. the shift in tone meant a change in composers.

 

I don't know, I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this. I'm in the minority that I wasn't exactly blown away by the trailers in the first place (by contrast I got chills from the TFA trailers), and maybe I wouldn't buy into Edward's vision. But they picked him and he should be allowed to make his film, and Disney f*cking around with it and letting Gilroy take it over just doesn't bode well.

 

Plus, I've been wanting to work "doesn't bode well" into a comment for a while.

[crumbs 14,318]

They really should've pursued a safer movie for their first standalone picture, if they were so scared of straying from the Episode films tonally in their first outing.

 

I get that there's a lot riding on it, because if the first of these films fails it will leave a serious stench on the ones that follow. Maybe the family-friendly Han Solo heist picture was the better option... not the dark, gritty war film where everyone probably dies at the end. 

[Nick1Ø66 4,722]

Yeah but this should be "safe".  Death Star. Secret plans. Return of Vader. Tie in to the prequels and the OT. A female lead that looks just like Rey. The elements are all there.

So that could have been a heist film, or spy film, or even straight up science fantasy. But they apparently decided to take all this and make it a "gritty war film." That's definitely not playing it safe and represents a risk, so maybe something with that kind of tone wasn't the best choice for the first spin off. Now it seems they're second guessing that, but IMO, you broke it, you bought it. Let Edwards do his thing and don't deliver compromised product.

 

That said, who knows, this could be all much ado and it could be great.  

[Arpy 4,145]

I never "felt" Rogue One for some reason. The hype factor has been huge in some places, but it just feels like a film with 'Star Wars-y' things in it.

[Bespin 8,484]

I never felt Desplat was at his place in a Star Wars movie, even a bad one.

 

Of course he's been fired.

 

Nothing to say about the choice of Giacchino, apart that it seems to be a more natural choice. It could be his glory hour, hope for him he'll take the train.

 

He's younger and flexible, Disney will do what they want with him. Prepare for a lot of references to JW themes... I already want to burp.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

So is Alvar Turd, but I won't dwell on it. 

[Ricard 2,245]

12 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

Alexandre Desplat has been replaced on Rogue One by Michael Giacchino

 

The most well connected composer in Hollywood strikes back!

[Quintus 5,399]

2 hours ago, Bilbo Skywalker said:

The amount of Star Wars fans who mention McNeely for Star Wars makes me want to bash my head off a very sharp rock. 

 

If we're going down that road I'd rather have Gordy Haab. 

[crumbs 14,318]

I wish I had Giacchino's agent!

 

It's almost unfair how prolific he is; any other composer would be satisfied with doing a single Star Trek or Star Wars score in their career -- he's doing both in the same year.

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Much like JJ he seems to always be at the right place at the right time. The success of their careers baffles me!

[mrbellamy 6,291]

16 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

"Alex Mike" is a very dumb name.

 

Alex Mike

 

Alexander Michael

 

Alexandre Michel

[Arpy 4,145]

Why can't you be successful and resplendent, stefan?

[Will 2,215]

7 hours ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

We're Orderin' T.I.E. Tonight
Kybercrime
Jyn Rummy 

See Ya Later Alli-Vader
Null and Droid
Stormship Troopers 
Did Jedha See That? 
When You Wish Upon A Death Star
Thank Your Lucky Star Wars
That Girl with the Blaster

This is a lot harder than I thought...
 

 

When You Wish Upon a Death Star