Luka 242 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 What do you guys think of this album? Being a huge fan of James Newton Howard (who composed for the first movie), I was disappointed when I heard he wouldn't be returning for the second. Especially since Maleficent is one of my favourites of his. I must say though, the soundtrack Zanelli wrote isn't bad at all! It feels like a genuine continuity to the first one, although I feel like JNH would have done an even better job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargo 297 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Going to listen to it after my go-through of Arnold's Narnia: Dawn Treader score. One thing I thought was funny, track 21 is called "Hello, Beastie". Track 11 of Pirates: Dead Man's Chest is "Hello Beastie". And Zanelli worked on both scores. Coincidence?? I think not. Also, Track 22 of this Sleeping Beauty Whatever movie is "Time to Come Home" and track 30 of Narnia 3 is "Time to Go Home". Illuminati at work today, my friends. Stay safe out there. Luka 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargo 297 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Just finished it. It was pleasant enough. Probably won't listen to it again. And definitely won't be seeing the film. 2.5/5 Luka 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 JNH's first score is actually one of the very few JNHs I've enjoyed since, what, THE VILLAGE? It's not consistently good, but the highlights are excellent. Looking forward to hear what Zanelli has done; he's a pretty good composer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,434 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 28 minutes ago, Fargo said: And definitely won't be seeing the film. 2.5/5 I do wonder which people who aren't either parents of very young kids looking for some silly Disney movie to entertain the children for 90 minutes (they can't take the kiddos to Joker yet, lol) or diehard Angeline Jolie fans will be bothering to buy a ticket for this crap. Also, Zanelli's Pirates 5 was decent, but forgettable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,685 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 41 minutes ago, Thor said: JNH's first score is actually one of the very few JNHs I've enjoyed since, what, THE VILLAGE? It's not consistently good, but the highlights are excellent. Looking forward to hear what Zanelli has done; he's a pretty good composer. Similar thoughts towards JNH too. I've liked more of his stuff since The Village than you, but not so much in the last 5 years or so. Maleficent has some great highlights but also some bits that go nowhere. The only Zanelli I've really liked is Into the West. PotC 5 sounded mostly forgettable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 I asked JNH a question a few years ago, when I interviewed him -- "do you think we'll hear more scores in the vein of WATERWORLD from now on"? This was after a discussion about the current composer climate (this was 2013). Well, we still haven't quite heard anything from him that is on that level -- neither in terms of symphonics or electronics, at least not consistently over a whole score, but maybe it's in the future. Incidentally, this is also the first interview he announced his work on the first MALEFICENT. Even though the interview was extremely rushed (as you can hear towards the end). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,685 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Thing is, it's not just whether the score is more orchestral or more electronic. The Nutcracker, his second Fantastic Beasts score, and Red Sparrow completely passed me by without inspiring me, whereas I love Nightcrawler. Disco Stu 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Just now, Richard Penna said: whereas I love Nightcrawler. I do too, but I think it's mostly because I thought the movie itself was basically a masterpiece. I'm not sure if I would have appreciated the score sans context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,685 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Yeah the movie is really good which I think helps JNH. I think I heard the score before I saw the film though, and found it interesting enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 NIGHTCRAWLER is an excellent film, although the score didn't do that much for me. Post-THE VILLAGE, these scores have had enough highlights in them to stay in my iTunes collection: KING KONG, MALEFICENT, THE NUTCRACKER and the Silva compilation of THE HUNGER GAMES. I also had PAWN SACRIFICE, but I don't know where it's at. Maybe I deleted it. Amazingly, I have no Zanelli soundtracks in my collection, even though I've sampled a lot of his works over the years. The closest is probably the wonderful LONE RANGER soundtrack, for which he contributed quite a bit -- including the Willem Tell arrangement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,434 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 As you can see by my profile pic, I'm kinda partial on this matter, but since The Village I really liked/loved -King Kong -Lady in the Water -I Am Legend -Defiance -The Last Airbender -Water for Elephants -Snow White and the Huntsman -Maleficent -Fantastic Beasts 1 and 2 Also, parts of Blood Diamond, The Water Horse, The Hunger Games series, Nutcracker and the Harvey Dent theme from TDK. Of course, there's some movies that really don't bring the best on him, like Salt, Bourne Legacy or dark thrillers like Pawn Sacrifice or Michael Clayton. Still, I'm really looking forward for A Hidden Life. Sorry, Rise of Skywalker, but I've been waiting for JNH to score a sweeping epic romantic drama since... Water for Elephants? Also, collaborating with Malick had produced some of my favorite scores by Morricone, Zimmer and Horner, so I really look forward to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,685 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 I just had a look on Spotify and actually, there's loads post-Village that I like. I was being unfair previously. I'd say there's been little in the last 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Edmilson said: As you can see by my profile pic, I'm kinda partial on this matter, but since The Village I really liked/loved -King Kong -Lady in the Water -I Am Legend -Defiance -The Last Airbender -Water for Elephants -Snow White and the Huntsman -Maleficent -Fantastic Beasts 1 and 2 Also, parts of Blood Diamond, The Water Horse, The Hunger Games series, Nutcracker and the Harvey Dent theme from TDK. Of course, there's some movies that really don't bring the best on him, like Salt, Bourne Legacy or dark thrillers like Pawn Sacrifice or Michael Clayton. Still, I'm really looking forward for A Hidden Life. Sorry, Rise of Skywalker, but I've been waiting for JNH to score a sweeping epic romantic drama since... Water for Elephants? Also, collaborating with Malick had produced some of my favorite scores by Morricone, Zimmer and Horner, so I really look forward to this. All of those have great moments, but the quality is not consistently throughout. I've been patiently waiting for a JNH score to have that for the last, what, 15 years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,434 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Well, I'm really a fan of all of those score, and if it weren't for some of them, I probably wouldn't be here on JWFan. We'll just have to agree on disagree. But yeah, I'm not the most reliable source when it comes to JNH, lol. Luka 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 I think I'm much older than you. I grew up with JNH in the 90s, when he was on fire. So I will inevitably compare it with that. We talk a bit about this in the interview linked above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,685 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 For me JNH's golden period is essentially the noughties, which is also the decade in which I got into scores. In fact, I played Dinosaur during my journey to uni in 2003. That period has Signs, The Village, King Kong, Atlantis, I Am Legend, The Happening, The Water Horse. Not all of those work in complete form but they can all sustain a full OST. Go into the 2010s and his output is all over the place - he took on a lot of smaller dramas (less interesting) and also a lot of action films which appealed to his electronic side. I'd say my 2010 + highlights are: The Last Airbender (some of), The Hunger Games, Snow White & The Huntsman (some of), Maleficent, Nightcrawler and Fantastic Beasts 1. Koray Savas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 No way. The 90s is his golden period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,685 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Wyatt Earp and The Sixth Sense, I'll give you those. Snow Falling on Cedars would qualify but I can't listen to it now. Reminds me of a less 'content' time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. A. Ron 1,742 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 56 minutes ago, Richard Penna said: For me JNH's golden period is essentially the noughties, which is also the decade in which I got into scores. In fact, I played Dinosaur during my journey to uni in 2003. 15 minutes ago, Thor said: No way. The 90s is his golden period. I'm 100% with Richard on this one. Dinosaur, Signs, Last Airbender, Batman Begins, Maleficent, and Fantastic Beasts all the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 23 minutes ago, A. A. Ron said: I'm 100% with Richard on this one. Dinosaur, Signs, Last Airbender, Batman Begins, Maleficent, and Fantastic Beasts all the way! You youngsters are ridiculous. I'll give you DINOSAUR, but none of the rest hold a candle to FLATLINERS, GRAND CANYON, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, FALLING DOWN, THE FUGITIVE, THE SAINT OF FORT WASHINGTON, WYATT EARP, RESTORATION, WATERWORLD, THE POSTMAN or SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 If you can't see that Signs outclasses all but the last one you mentioned then you're, well, Thor I suppose. A. A. Ron 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,434 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Thor said: You youngsters are ridiculous. I'll give you DINOSAUR, but none of the rest hold a candle to FLATLINERS, GRAND CANYON, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, FALLING DOWN, THE FUGITIVE, THE SAINT OF FORT WASHINGTON, WYATT EARP, RESTORATION, WATERWORLD, THE POSTMAN or SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS. Yeah, we got it: he hasn't been good like he was in the 90s, he hasn't written a consistent score since The Village in 2004, we already made that clear. And me, along with other people on these thread, respectfully disagree. Honestly, this is getting a little creepy. Is this some weird JWFan tradition I'm not aware of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 No, just an honest (and true) opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 JNH’s golden era is 1999-2010. I find his 90s work much more generic outside a few highlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 452 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Zanelli really uses Howard's motifs (especially near the end)... some material in the film sounded tracked in from the first (like "Maleficent Flies" and "The Queen of Faerieland"). It's not a bad follow-up score, Zanelli does try to evoke the same kind of wonder and magic. And he does, but some of that is Howard's original motifs. The movie just plays it safe, fans who loved the original will eat it up. Jolie is still commanding and hot as hell (and yet is absent from some of the film), while Pfeiffer chews the scenery as Queen Ingrith. She obviously got paid a lot here, but obviously not having as much fun as she did in Stardust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 7 hours ago, Thor said: You youngsters are ridiculous. I'll give you DINOSAUR, but none of the rest hold a candle to FLATLINERS, GRAND CANYON, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, FALLING DOWN, THE FUGITIVE, THE SAINT OF FORT WASHINGTON, WYATT EARP, RESTORATION, WATERWORLD, THE POSTMAN or SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS. Prince of Tides is awful, as for the rest - well, yes, that goes certainly for what we usually describe as 'action music' which has become dumbed down to the point of irritation but his themes are still gold and i wouldn't trade the elegant fantasy scoring of, i. e. the two Huntsman movies for his often more mundane 90's handling (say the swashbuckling theme of 'Waterworld'). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 You're weird. Although my favourite bit of WATERWORLD isn't necessarily the swashbuckling theme (great as that is), but the glorious "Swimming" track. That's JNH's application for doing the AVATAR sequels right there. Luka 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. A. Ron 1,742 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 4 hours ago, Thor said: That's JNH's application for doing the AVATAR sequels right there. I would be all in for this! Unfortunately, I’m betting Simon Franglen gets the gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 I'm calling it right now, there is a ZERO percent chance that Franglen gets a gig as high profile as Avatar 2. I don't care how associated he is with imitating Horner. He gets to do the theme park music, not the movie. Luka 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 452 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 7 minutes ago, Disco Stu said: I'm calling it right now, there is a ZERO percent chance that Franglen gets a gig as high profile as Avatar 2. I don't care how associated he is with imitating Horner. He gets to do the theme park music, not the movie. Cameron calls the shots. If he wants Franglen, he gets him. No ifs about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 What makes you think Cameron wants him? Did I miss some interview? Also, who wants a Horner imitation anyway? I want a great composer to bring their own voice to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 452 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 That’s true. But Cameron likes sticking with tried and true collaborators... if JNH scored one of Cameron’s films previously, he would be a shoo-in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Tom Holkenborg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. A. Ron 1,742 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 21 minutes ago, Disco Stu said: What makes you think Cameron wants him? Did I miss some interview? I was under the impression Cameron was involved in the theme park attraction somehow. I could be wrong about this. 6 minutes ago, Koray Savas said: Tom Holkenborg. Has Tom done anything that sounds like AVATAR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Not particularly, but his knack for percussion makes me think he’s a shoe-in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Back to Zanelli and MALEFICENT 2, I've had a listen-through now. Terribly disappointing, a far cry from the first score (which also had its warts, mind you). Very generic for the most part, when he isn't referencing JNH's material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,063 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 31 minutes ago, Thor said: which also had its warts, mind you I think you mean worts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,494 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 44 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: I think you mean worts! What's that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,063 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 I have no idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caliburn 72 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 For who are still interested in my thoughts. I have reviewed the music. https://soundtrackworld.com/2019/11/maleficent-mistress-of-evil-geoff-zanelli/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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