James Newton Howard's Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

[Alex Shore 83]

More than "Polar Express" I think JNH was inspired by this:

 

 

[DemonStar 57]

This score is just so wonderful. Easily one of my top 5 this year, and gets better with each listen. I really love the theme from “A Man and his Beasts”. Hoping it gets expanded and much more development in the upcoming films. The action cues are fantastic, especially “The Obscurus/Rooftop Chase”. Love those dark Maleficent-esque choral moments. “Newt Releases the Thunderbird” is tear-jerkingly beautiful. And the jazz-based cues provide contrast and are fun too. I won’t be able to watch the film until it gets released on Blu-ray, which I can’t wait for. I really hope JNH scores the entire franchise. It’ll be a real treat.

[bollemanneke 3,334]

Oh no, I want more Tina! And I'm afraid that JNH will have to dump his magical aspects if the films become darker. What does everyone have with dark films these days?

[Richard Penna 3,664]

14 hours ago, Will said:

The music was absolutely marvelous. Certainly, it makes way more of an impression in the film than, say, The BFG. 

 

In terms of memorability, this score is knocking the crap out of The BFG for me, which is just more 'safe' JW fantasy scoring, which failed to make any impression on me. 

 

Not accounting for tastes, or lack of any music theory knowledge, this is hands down the better score.

[Bilbo 3,709]

Yeah, I didn't have much desire to listen to the BFG after it came out. 

 

Im enjoying this much more. 

[bollemanneke 3,334]

Same here, the BFG made no impression on me whatsoever.

[Richard Penna 3,664]

I listen to In The Cells and wonder what the hell happened during The Hunger Games. I pick that cue because on paper it feels like it should be the dullest cue in the score, but it's absolutely not.

[Bilbo 3,709]

Just now, Richard Penna said:

I listen to In The Cells and wonder what the hell happened during The Hunger Games.

Uninspiring material and an inability to spot because he kept getting sick during the shaky cam sequences  ?

[Will 2,215]

I mean, I need to listen to this more, but it may well challenge The BFG as my favorite score of the year. 

 

I think perhaps the bigger-than-usual hype on the forums has stoked my interest more than it would otherwise, but there is something about this score that feels much more important, much more "epic" than everything else this year. 

 

Probably a lot of that is simply due to the massive excitement surrounding the film. 

[bollemanneke 3,334]

Well the hype isn't hurting any of that, I'm sure, but it's just a great and effective score regardless of that.

[Will 2,215]

Thanks to @Bilbo Skywalker, I now have a chronological Spotify playlist. 

[Bilbo 3,709]

Just now, Will said:

Thanks to @Bilbo Skywalker, I now have a chronological Spotify playlist. 

Yeah I created one too!

[Alex 2,833]

What I loved was how the music flowed through the film. It didn't seem to have been cut/edited to the picture

[DarthDementous 1,059]

man this was a lovely return to form. I haven't seen a movie in so long that's dipped back everything and just let the music tell the story. I definitely hear the similarities between Ice Dance and the 'Letting Go' theme but I think I actually prefer the latter, it just seems to soar more with a more powerful feeling of tragedy. I'm going to write off scores more often if I'm going to be pleasantly surprised like this !

[Will 2,215]

41 minutes ago, alextrombone94 said:

What I loved was how the music flowed through the film. It didn't seem to have been cut/edited to the picture

 

I haven't listened to the OST yet to be able to know if that's the case.

 

But if it is, it might be due to how early JNH was brought on. Yates says in some interview (not sure which one) that he wanted to be able to edit using new JNH music. JNH worked on this score for six months, I believe, and it sounds like it was a much more collaborative process with the director than might be typical. So it sounds like the music was kind of written in tandem with the editing of the picture, to some degree. 

 

[Will 2,215]

23 hours ago, Will said:

 

The end credits music is as follows, I believe:

 

End Titles 

End Titles, Pt. 2

The soaring part of Newt Releases the Thunderbird

The jazzy end of A Man and His Beasts

Some emotional quieter music (maybe Newt Says Goodbye to Tina)

 

End credits might actually end with part of "Jacob's Farewell" (not the jazz part, though). As opposed to "Newt Says Goodbye to Tina."

[Arpy 4,145]

There's a bit of editing going on in 'Inside the Case' some parts are extended and mixed lower to allow the sounds and dialogue to come through, it was kind of distracting.

[Will 2,215]

Huh. Well, you'd figure there's a ton of editing -- I mean, those action scenes! 

Just finished my second full listen through the OST (this time in chronological order!) and boy is this a great score. 

 

The moment that's really affecting me deeply this time is this:

 

 

The two high notes at 6:33 sound like a shout of joy to the heavens. Beautiful. I feel like I've heard a very similar bit before, though... Well, doesn't matter. It's incredible. 

 

Shoot, maybe I do need to go see this again. I don't know. I tend to be stingy and really consider whether something is worth it. But I really did love this film and score. The only film I've ever seen twice in theaters is TFA. I wanted to see the BFG twice in theaters but I didn't get the chance, unfortunately. But that doesn't have as many big moments anyway so it's not as important to see it in theaters. 

 

One very fascinating thing I'm noticing about this score is how the themes more often seem to represent ideas and feelings than actual characters. It could be that they are actually just badly applied character themes, or that there are a bunch of important unreleased cues that would paint a clearer picture of JNH's intentions. 

 

But here's my impression at the moment. 

 

The theme heard over the main title after Hedwig's Theme seems not to represent Grindelwald as some have said but rather a general sense of danger and evil. The main theme, too, seems not to represent one specific character but rather the concept of magic and the story in general. The theme heard as the Thunderbird soars near the end seems to represent goodbyes, or bittersweetness, or something of the sort. The theme heard near the end of the Main Titles cue may be Newt's theme, but it almost seems to just represent the general concept of wonder and awe. The swashbuckling theme heard in the end credits has been called a theme for Newt, but it may well just represent a general sense of action and adventure. Who knows. 

 

I think the only thing we have from the composer himself on this is the following:

 

https://www.pottermore.com/news/pottermore-officially-debuts-main-theme-from-fantastic-beasts-soundtrack

 

Quote

James spent seven months writing the Fantastic Beasts soundtrack. For this particular track, as well as Newt Scamander’s theme, he sat down at his piano and just played until it came.

 

‘You hear the main theme song of the movie play when the main crew arrive at the MACUSA the first time and various other times,’ he tells me. ‘You hear this haunting kind of theme. If you had to say what is the theme for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for now and in the future, it would be that theme. I wrote it on my piano because I believe that if that kind of thing is going to be good, it should be done that simply.’

 

So we know Newt has a theme, and it's presumably not the "main theme," but which is it then? I'm guessing the melody heard near the end of "Main Titles."

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

Ticket prices are so expensive, you can barely see anything twice. I am in the greater NYC area and everything is 16 bucks plus taxes plus booking fee if you book online.

 

[Will 2,215]

3 minutes ago, TheUlyssesian said:

Ticket prices are so expensive, you can barely see anything twice. I am in the greater NYC area and everything is 16 bucks plus taxes plus booking fee if you book online.

 

 

Slightly less here, but still $13, plus of course tax, etc. 

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

https://moviemusicuk.us/2016/11/19/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-james-newton-howard/

 

He seems to be calling the franchise theme Tina and Queenie's theme?

 

 

[Cantus Venti 13]

Score seems pretty average, but alas, a lot of these popular movie scores are. I always wonder how far fundamental harmonies like these can get you without weaving together subtle ornamentations and dynamics of a more diverse and refined palate, or simply more fascinating melodic progressions. And barring musicality, something more-to-the-point in understatedness. Actually, I don't think banking on harmony and vigor alone can get you anywhere musically, unless you're the first church of hollywood.

[Arpy 4,145]

[Cantus Venti 13]

Okay, is it really necessary to make that a meme just because I voiced my opinion? It's better that Abe sends that letter to the music industry in general, with all its sweet beats.

 

I understand a lot of people are going to like these pop styles even rehashed into orchestra; you get a simple arpeggiated theme, some orchestral sound fx, and put it to a niche production and sure, it will garner more attention than any incidental classic score. Also, looks like the score's getting pretty mixed reviews as well from other people on review sites, not something we see nearly as much from someone of John Williams' caliber, who while isn't original either, definitely feels to me like he's got more going on in his brain. My favor leans toward the style of movie, as a member earlier said, "glad they're making these instead of more Marvel and DC sequels." I personally loved the first several Harry Potter films.

[Arpy 4,145]

They're still making more Marvel and DC films. It's not like there's five producers in Hollywood or that 99% of films are Superhero films.

Lot's of criticism exists for JW's recent scores, but does it matter?

[Cantus Venti 13]

 

I'm gonna start calling this score "Fantastic Beats."

[Arpy 4,145]

There's a few electronic/synth elements to the score, but it's nowhere near the level where it's more of a "pop" score than an orchestral/symphonic one.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Despite my rather negative reaction to the film itself, I will say that JNH's score has grown on me a bit after seeing the movie.  "Newt Releases the Thunderbird" is beautiful stuff especially knowing the context from the film now.

 

EDIT: It's growing on me quite a bit actually.  Doing a full listen-through now and really enjoying it.  Clearly this is a score where knowing the context for the cues was a key to my enjoyment (even if I'm not a particular fan of that context )

[Richard Penna 3,664]

I've listened to the entire album 3 times now. It feels the right length to me actually.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Just now, Richard Penna said:

It feels the right length to me actually.

 

Thats what all the girls tell me!

[Richard Penna 3,664]

[Disco Stu 15,495]

This is definitely JNH's best big Hollywood blockbuster score since King Kong.  Maybe he's especially inspired by interwar New York City as a setting?  Heck, both movies involve a giant beast sliding across a frozen pond in Central Park at night!  What are the odds?  

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Richard Penna 3,664]

Looking through IMDB, the last 10 years or so have been a period of some really good emotional/melodic music, but utterly uninspired action music. Maleficent broke that trend slightly, a score I just revisited last week. Is he finally escaping that phase?

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

This score has been a tremendous let down. 

 

One of the things that made me fall in love with JNH back in the day was his ability to create some incredibly delicate, magical musical moments. Moments so sublime yet at the same time so fragile that you felt like if you breathed wrong it would all end.

 

Moments like "Montage" in Hidalgo, "Tarawa" in Snow Falling on Cedars, "The Egg Travels" in Dinosaur, "What Are You Asking Me?" in The Village, "End Titles" in Lady in the Water.

 

So here we have an entire film about magic, and we are given a score with 80% fantasy filler and some rather awkward and overly loud action music. Cringe.

 

No delicacy, just pummel my ears with fantasy! The one delicate moment of near-musical-magic we DO get is so disappointingly 90s predictable (Goodbye Tina or whatever) that I can't even. That's right, I can't even. Danny Elfman drove a scissor through a lady in the water to get us that track, NOW with more plasticky sounding strings!

 

I like the jazzy bits. And elements of the score have great promise. The theme at 0:54 in Macusa Headquaters is classic JNH, but let's blow our load in the third track! No sensuous teasing, no foreplay, ram ahead!  Jesus Christ JNH, tone it the fuck down. 

[Jay 37,249]

Too bad the sequels go back to Europe! 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

My personal lesson I learned from disliking this score at first and now loving it is something I've always known about myself but sometimes forget: I'm just somebody who generally finds it difficult to properly appreciate a score without seeing the movie. I need those images and character beats as a context to really "get it."

 

In future I need to be more vigilant about resisting the temptation to listen to OSTs of movies I know I want to see before actually seeing them. I resisted with TFA and I think I had a better first listening experience for it.

[Will 2,215]

22 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said:

https://moviemusicuk.us/2016/11/19/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-james-newton-howard/

 

He seems to be calling the franchise theme Tina and Queenie's theme?

 

 

 

Yea... no. 

 

JNH has confirmed that this theme is the main theme, and there's no way the main theme would be written for two supporting characters.

 

Kind of like if the E.T. main theme was a theme for Elliot's little sister. 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

And my God I can't get that theme out of my head this evening. Especially that celeste performance from "Pie or Strudel."

[leeallen01 2,133]

You can really hear him having fun in the score. The comically wacky jazz sections of Kowalski's Rag are glorious. My mother even dances around when I've had it playing for the past few days. She never hums film music, but I've caught her humming and whistling certain moments several times. It's like the score activates the care free switch in your brain and makes you want to dance.

 

And he runs his main theme through so many enjoyable colours, that it sticks in your head and is just a lot of fun to listen to. 

 

I've very excited for more films in the series, when he will likely give each score its own overarching flavour depending on which country. I'm already imagining the Paris versions of his main theme.

[Will 2,215]

7 hours ago, leeallen01 said:

You can really hear him having fun in the score. The comically wacky jazz sections of Kowalski's Rag are glorious. My mother even dances around when I've had it playing for the past few days. She never hums film music, but I've caught her humming and whistling certain moments several times. It's like the score activates the care free switch in your brain and makes you want to dance.

 

Haha yeah not quite to that extent but my mom and younger sister both always say they like the jazz bits too whenever I play them. 

[Jay 37,249]

On 11/20/2016 at 4:34 PM, Will said:

Thanks to @Bilbo Skywalker, I now have a chronological Spotify playlist. 

 

Can you link me too it?  I just tried searching Spotify and didn't see one.

[Bilbo 3,709]

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

Can you link me too it?  I just tried searching Spotify and didn't see one.

 

 

 

Does this work?

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Has anyone (at any site, not just here) done a fairly detailed breakdown/analysis of the score yet?  I know there's been discussions about themes here, but I mean something more structured/definitive.

[Bilbo 3,709]

1 minute ago, Disco Stu said:

Has anyone (at any site, not just here) done a fairly detailed breakdown/analysis of the score yet?  I know there's been discussions about themes here, but I mean something more structured/definitive.

 

I was thinking of doing one (been here long enough and not done one so it'd be about time) but I'm not sure how quickly I could get it done. 

[Jay 37,249]

7 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Has anyone (at any site, not just here) done a fairly detailed breakdown/analysis of the score yet?  I know there's been discussions about themes here, but I mean something more structured/definitive.

 

 

On 11/17/2016 at 1:27 PM, PrayodiBA said:

Now that i've seen the movie, i can clearly identify each theme

 

The movie itself, is nothing special, just ordinary, and frankly quite disappointing for something of a franchise-Beginning. No great chemistry or feeling created, albeit great acting from redmayne, waterston, and fogler. And Johnny Depp is, i think, hugely misplaced and miscast, because you just got that one big distraction and you cant take Depp seriously no more. When he appears, i say " look, that pale guy from dark shadows, or is it Edward Scissorhand, or is it Sweeney Tood, or Mad Hatter". But No denying, by getting Depp, whatever the criticsm, including myself, will bring some "bigness" and huge curiosity for the movie.

 

And unfortunately, my theatre, or just the mixing as a whole, just buried the score, below the dialogue or sfx, especially the "Entering MACUSA" scene, but still the music does stand out in a lot of occasions, (Especially the final Thunderbird scene).

 

And then for the theme, some new thing i found out

 

Grindelwald Theme

-Heard in the beginning of Main Title track ( at 00:19-00:41 (The Fantastic Beast Logo), and then to 1:40 (The Film Version is a bit longer to accompany the newspaper reel))

-Heard in The BillyWig bonus track

-Heard in The Demiguise And The Lollipop bonus track

 

The "Umbrella" Theme

-Last 2 minute of A Man and His Beast is a great jazz rendition

-Nice variations of this theme are in the film ,not included in the soundtrack

 

The Thunderbird Theme

-Heard at 00:00-00:22 of Inside The Case track

-Heard at 3:22 - 3:37 of track Relive him of his wand bla bla bla

 

Of Course, the great Newt Heroic Theme

-Heard in Tina And Newt Trial at 5:32 - 6:07  (Nicely mixed on the film)

-Heard in Gnarlack track at 2:38 till end

-Heard in The Demiguise and The Occamy at 2:41 - 2:58 (This is poorly mixed though)

-And of course the end titles, feels good to hear it with its entirety, alongside the first credit

 

Kowalski Theme

-Really beautiful suite of it in Kowalkski Rag, just great track. But somehow it reminds me of The Hanging Tree, the arrangement dont know

 

The "Forget, Let Go And Mend " theme (That's what i'd like to call, you get it when you see it)

-Heard epicly, majestically, and perfectly mixed too, in the Relieve of his wand track starting at 5:04 (it really fits the scene, great job JNH)
-Can also be heard in track Close Friend, and also beautifully used in track Newt Says Goodbye To Tina

 

Love Theme of Queenie and Jacob

-11:39-11:54 in Relieve of His wand track

-2:58 till the end in Newt Says goodbyeto Tina track

 

...and really a lot of unreleased cue here and there

 

Two suites,a man and his beasts and kowalski rag, are really greattt

And Warning To Deluxe Edition: Track Soup and leaflets. im not your ma, and newt talks to credence are pure background music ala hunger games.

---------------

BTW it's already Nov 18 here in Indonesia, so the deluxe is now available in Spotify

 

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Thank you! I knew I'd seen something here, but was starting back at like page 6 looking for it.  If there's one thing I've learned going through this thread it's that a few people around here really need to learn how to generate Youtube links for specific timestamps when they're referencing them in the post. Not naming names!

 

10 minutes ago, Bilbo Skywalker said:

 

I was thinking of doing one (been here long enough and not done one so it'd be about time) but I'm not sure how quickly I could get it done. 

 

Do it!

[Jay 37,249]

15 minutes ago, Bilbo Skywalker said:

 

 

 

Does this work?

 

Yes thank you!

[Bilbo 3,709]

5 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

Yes thank you!

No worries. Enjoy!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I'm not sure I agree with @PrayodiBA on calling the theme over the title Grindelwald's.  It would make no sense for his theme to be in "The BillyWig" or "The Demiguise and the Lollipop."  And if it was his theme I'd expect to hear it in "Relieve Him of His Wand" for reasons that will be obvious to people who've seen the movie.

 

Spoiler

Does anyone know which part in that track is playing for the reveal of Depp?

 

Is it the part at 1:50?  I only saw it once and just can't remember.