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Ludwig Göransson's TENET (2020)


Thor

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So I just came back from this. IMAX screening with too loud volume, so earplugs required.

 

I'm about to start my review, but I'm not quite sure where to start. It's completely mad. Unlike Nolan's previous movies, where the complexity related to time and philosophy often grows organically out of the story as it progresses, this is very 'show-offy' from the get-go. The complexity is very self-aware, and totally confusing. So at some point, I just decided to lean back and be "along for the ride". Certainly requires another (or 10) viewings.

 

The score.....well, I'm glad to hear that - for the first time - Göransson didn't come off as second-rate Bill Conti. But instead, he comes off as second- or third-rate Zimmer. As expected, I guess. Zithering synth modulations and heavy percussive riffs; it's like someone listened to Zimmer and tried to approximate him, but lacked all of Zimmer's visionary and idiosyncratic qualities. And it's completely buried in the sound mix. But there was one good cue that I quite liked - used for a particular sailing sequence in the film. More open and almost melodic. We'll see how this works on album.

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19 minutes ago, Thor said:

I'm about to start my review, but I'm not quite sure where to start. It's completely mad. Unlike Nolan's previous movies, where the complexity related to time and philosophy often grows organically out of the story as it progresses, this is very 'show-offy' from the get-go. The complexity is very self-aware, and totally confusing. So at some point, I just decided to lean back and be "along for the ride". Certainly requires another (or 10) viewings.

I hear that from a lot of people. Seems like Nolan finally did what he has been accused of for years.

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Saw it yesterday. It has such a complicated plot that it's difficult to follow it at times. I liked it very much, although it didn't affect me emotionally as much as Inception and Interstellar.

 

My review (in Polish). Spoiler free.

https://kultura.onet.pl/film/recenzje/tenet-recenzja-filmu-christophera-nolana-miesza-nam-w-glowach/ldm0gvb

 

Score is very loud, intense, rhythmic and clinically close to the film. It reminds me of Dunkirk at times. A lot of electronics. Besides, industrial and dubstep elements...

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11 hours ago, Pawel P. said:

 It reminds me of Dunkirk at times. A lot of electronics. Besides, industrial and dubstep elements...


so it follows the sound design trend. At least I know what to expect now, I’ll just focus on the movie then 

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The score didn't really register with me while watching the movie, except as LOUD and not really something I'd want to listen on its own. But maybe I'll give it a chance. 

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There's a cool riff that overstays its welcome and some occasionally pleasant underscore, but for the most part, this follows the Dunkirk school of loud oppressive scoring.

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Just heard the score. 

 

It won't be a favorite here at JWFan, since it's very droney, experimental and harsh. Some tracks are actually pretty good, but almost 90 minutes of the same stuff makes it very tiresome to listen. Black Panther and Mandalorian fans will be like "what the heck is happening here" while listening to this score.

 

Imagine 90 minutes of Zimmer's Mombasa, but even more aggressive, and you'll have an idea of the score.

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11 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

Just heard the score. 

 

It won't be a favorite here at JWFan, since it's very droney, experimental and harsh. Some tracks are actually pretty good, but almost 90 minutes of the same stuff makes it very tiresome to listen. Black Panther and Mandalorian fans will be like "what the heck is happening here" while listening to this score.

 

Could you make a list of the highlights?

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Posterity is my favorite, but with It being 14 mins long I can see that being a problem. 

There's quite a few tracks that I kinda enjoy but then go on to have a second less interesting section (or start out boring).

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The score is surprisingly limp in the dynamics department. And the whole thing is pretty much the first track stretched over an hour.

 

Also for all the flack Zimmer got for his "one-note" Joker theme, it appears Göransson has outdone his predecessor with some strange scratchy breathing noise as the main villain's theme.

 

Of course the film is so loud, you would never have picked any of that up in context.

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I wouldnt say every track is like the first one

But some tracks like Posterity do make others completely irrelevant/redundant. This is one album that could have benefited from the standard 70 mins (or even 50 mins) length.

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I remember the only cue I kinda liked while watching the movie was for the sailing sequences. Kinda broad and Vangelis-like. I haven't listened to the album yet (dreading it!), so not sure it's on there.

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13 hours ago, KK said:

And the whole thing is pretty much the first track stretched over an hour.

 

 

Precisely that. The first track is pretty much all you need to understand the score.

 

I guess a better way to describe this score is Mombasa from Zimmer's Inception mixed with Dark Phoenix, but without HZ's sense of drama. 

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What do you think about it? I liked it as a separate experience and in film too since it is a big part of movie sound design.

Movie is also superb, watched it twice.

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I wanted to sink my teeth into this score after hearing it hyped around the internet and aside from one or two moments that sound like they're developing into something, the aftertaste is like Zimmer's raw leftovers. I can't stand the lame hip-hop/RnB beat backtracking, seemingly pulled from Black Panther's Killmonger theme. 

Priya has some interesting development.

 

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" second rate BILL Conti" ?

" Zimmers raw leftovers"?

??????????😗

On 5/22/2019 at 6:01 PM, Disco Stu said:

 

Yes.  That is the kind of project I'm interested in from Zimmer!

 

 

 

Nolan seems like he'd be too nontraditional in his approach to the director-composer collaboration for Williams' taste.

I wish SS would be more adventurous.

Ever since the trilogy of A.I., WOTW. MR, his scores have been pretty bland( except for WH, which required a ' traditional ' score).

JW also abandoned his experimental leanings after those films for his comfort zone.

Too bad.😔

 

 

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On 9/6/2020 at 4:27 AM, gkgyver said:

Tried to listen to some tracks. 

Scores like these are the aggravating cause why people, when you say you listen to film music, reply with "What do you mean, you listen to the background music?" 

 

There's plenty of movie scores where I can see why people would call it just 'background music'. And I can listen to a lot.

But usually I can at least identify some themes/leitmotifs in there.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/21/2020 at 2:05 PM, antovolk said:

Just pre-ordered it. Many thanks.

 

Couldn't fine anywhere else on US.....

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I can't say this score is my cuppa tea overall, but I like the cue "Foils" a lot

 

This is really cool!  It has a building dramatic structure, great sounds, becomes more melodic as it goes.  Two thumbs up from me.

 

 

And talking with @The Illustrious Jerry about the score, we realized the "Foils" is kinda like a fast arrangement of the first half of "Windmills" another one of the better cues from the score.  I guess that melody is the main motif of the score.  It also makes notable appearances in "The Algorithm" and "The Protagonist"

 

 

Overall though, this is not the kind of score I'm interested in hearing more of from Goransson.

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  • 1 month later...
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There are bits and pieces of it that I like. Maybe it's just me, but it feels bit more imaginative in production than an average RC music it was undoubtedly inspired by. 

 

Karol

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I normally never listen to these kind of scores (Zimmer etc.), but this one has someone caught me. Maybe my appreciation for it partly derives from my love for the hiphop and electronic genre. The soundscapes that are created certainly are way above the average blockbuster effort. The thematic development is thorough too. When there are orchestral elements, the writing is very solid. Maybe it is the hybrid nature of this score that makes it so powerful... and of course the fact that it is harder than nails.

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On 7/28/2021 at 8:48 AM, Brundlefly said:

Anyone else has been enjoying the fuck out of this score? I've constantly hit the repeat button for weeks now to be honest.

Yes! I've been obsessed by that score for months after it came out.

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