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Michael Giacchino's THE BATMAN (2022)


Jay

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He's talking about the main theme released a while back, not the new Riddler track that isn't out yet in any timezone

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Just listened to the Riddler track.  The quiet intro and outro was OK, but the middle chaotic part was kinda neat

 

Felt unnatural and haphazard the way the intro led into the loud part, but maybe that's the whole point

 

 

btw, here's the official youtube version with moving picture

 

 

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After Jay used the word "chaotic" I was expecting something much wilder.  I basically agree with others that his music has gotten more simplistic over time.  I mean, his musical textures have never been as layered and complex as Williams' obviously, but it's definitely gotten even less so I think.  It's why his music has always been so well-suited for childrens' films.

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Giacchino himself has done better the repeating villain theme, from creepy to bombastic, in Jupiter Ascending. And that cue is 9 minutes long!

 

Having said that, I did enjoy the theme. It will work well in the film.

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9 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

It's why his music has always been so well-suited for childrens' films.

 

In fact he wrote infinitely more complex music when he wrote for supposedly simple films. See how this scene is scored - 

 

 

It is as textured, exuberant and complex as anything Williams wrote. This too - 

 

 

Where is this Gia?

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12 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

Directors and producers nowadays don't ask for complex music. Take my word for it!

Yeah, that really is it. They prefer the minimalism sound and think it's more mature, and big, complex, intricate, melodic music is silly and childish, or at worse, generic. If any of you have watched any RedLetterMedia, Jay and Rich's musical tastes basically represents that of the average wannabe arthouse director. John Carpenter, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and synth-wave are the best of film music, while people like John Williams are memorable but average. It's fine to hold this opinion, the problem is it's held by any major director who takes themselves too seriously. 

 

I have listened to The Riddler track and basically agree that it is "The Stone", just less interesting overall, but compared to that Batman theme it's a breath of fresh air. It's just unfortunate that that's the best we can hope for in terms of melody from movies like this. 

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JW: Fallen Kingdom is not a simplistic score. Neither is Dr. Strange.

The themes from those movies are used in a lot of different variations and the orchestration in both is strong.

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29 minutes ago, Falstaft said:

I miss Goldenthal:

 

 

 

I fear we will never hear something like this in a big mainstream movie ever again. The suits might say the music is too prominent, too distracting and calls too much attention to itself.

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19 minutes ago, Drawgoon said:

I am very surprised that some folks managed to sit through this piece in full. I gave up after the loud middle part ended.

 

Sure hope his other upcoming gigs are fun and over-the-top like Doctor Strange was.

 

Well of course Batman movies haven't been allowed to be fun in 25 years.

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Not a big fan of it either, more waiting for his Lightyear and Thor scores which should be closer to the Giacchino I like, the one who writes fun but sophisticated scores like Ratatouille, Up, Tomorrowland, Jupiter Ascending and Coco

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18 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said:

 

In fact he wrote infinitely more complex music when he wrote for supposedly simple films. See how this scene is scored - 

 

 

It is as textured, exuberant and complex as anything Williams wrote. This too - 

 

 

Where is this Gia?

Yes! His score to Ratatouille is so rich, fitting, and well crafted. His recent scores all sound like regressions. I don't know what happened, if it's just what filmmakers are expecting these days, but his music has gotten more one-note, less interesting, and far less memorable. 

 

And to clarify, I don't necessarily think his Batman theme is bad. The heroic theme is just so indistinctly heroic and the rhythmic theme is more distinct but so damn plain and repetitive. It's simplicity is almost painful. I can't help compare it, not to any JW piece, but to Elfman's Spiderman theme which speaks specifically to so many aspects of the character feels specifically wedded to Spiderman in it's textures and orchestration instead of being a generic hero theme.

 

Maybe Ratatouille was peak Gia and he's just regressed since then.

 

 

 

 

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Generally, I think directors want scores that are more background and less thematic.

Animated films tend to favor more traditional, thematic scores.

In one sense, this is a welcome trend; studios aren't trying to generate ' hits' with audience friendly soundtracks.

But, it is what it is.

The thematic scores most of us prefer are out of fashion.

But, if you look hard, you can still find them

42 minutes ago, artguy360 said:

Yes! His score to Ratatouille is so rich, fitting, and well crafted. His recent scores all sound like regressions. I don't know what happened, if it's just what filmmakers are expecting these days, but his music has gotten more one-note, less interesting, and far less memorable. 

 

And to clarify, I don't necessarily think his Batman theme is bad. The heroic theme is just so indistinctly heroic and the rhythmic theme is more distinct but so damn plain and repetitive. It's simplicity is almost painful. I can't help compare it, not to any JW piece, but to Elfman's Spiderman theme which speaks specifically to so many aspects of the character feels specifically wedded to Spiderman in it's textures and orchestration instead of being a generic hero theme.

 

Maybe Ratatouille was peak Gia and he's just regressed since then.

 

 

 

 

It's very good, no doubt.

But, INSIDE OUT and WAR FOR THE POTA are superb also.

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His minimalist approach to his Dawn and War Apes movies is brilliant. Perhaps the Batman will work great in the film itself moreso than the solo listening experience. 

 

Still I do like his Batman motif.

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17 hours ago, leeallen01 said:

His minimalist approach to his Dawn and War Apes movies is brilliant. Perhaps the Batman will work great in the film itself moreso than the solo listening experience. 

 

Still I do like his Batman motif.

 

Now that you mentioned it, I remember how I enjoyed the third film's score, but never quite liked the suite-like End Credits piece. That EC cue sounded almost as repetitive as these Batman tunes are, and it didn't even include one of my favorite motifs from the score: that bittersweet piano motif in "Exodus Wounds" and it is epic reprise in "More Red Than Alive". That one is one of MG's most touching dramatic pieces. Maybe Batman will follow the same. It is helmed by the same director after all.

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I'd take this over Zimmer's 9 hour Joker theme any day of the week. I'd like to see how Giacchino uses this in the score and all the variations there will be. I wasn't taken with his theme for The Vulture in Spider-Man Homecoming upon first hearing it, but grew to appreciate it through the variations of it mixed amongst the score.

 

These pieces sound like Giacchino's usual theme suites he writes before the score when finding the character, so I feel no need to judge the rest of it without having heard it in context where it'll inevitably be developed further...

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2 hours ago, bruce marshall said:

The last film was really disappointing.

I believe the piece you reference might be a reprise from DPOTA?

 

I don't think that piece appeared in DPOTA, but I may be wrong.

 

The piano motif I mentioned, and its reprise can be heard in this YouTube clip: Exodus Wounds / More Red Than Alive

 

This link is bookmarked at the "reprise" portion to save you from having to sit through the whole thing to get there.

The piano motif starts at the beginning of the video.

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Eh, I'm not particularly fond of either way of doing things. Joker's theme was fun to hear in concert, but only mildly effective in film. As for The Batman's score I'm sure it will be like Spider-Man: Homecoming. Not tonally, but quality wise. Effective in film, but nothing that I'll regularly listen to or care about. 

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You're saying that based off of two theme tracks?

6 hours ago, superultramegaa said:

Eh, I'm not particularly fond of either way of doing things. Joker's theme was fun to hear in concert, but only mildly effective in film. As for The Batman's score I'm sure it will be like Spider-Man: Homecoming. Not tonally, but quality wise. Effective in film, but nothing that I'll regularly listen to or care about. 

 

8 hours ago, Mephariel said:

 

Zimmer's "9 hour Joker theme" is superbly effective in the film. The moment it comes on during the motorcade scene, the audience knows shit is about to come down. I think Giacchino's music will hit the audience the same way. It may not impress the film music traditionalists, but it will be awesome in the film, which is the main purpose of film music.

 

 

I'm not saying it wasn't effective in the film, I'm saying I'd skip it if I were listening to the album. 

7 hours ago, bruce marshall said:

Arpys comment didn't deserve a response.

But, you answered him well😁

You're almost in the event horizon of my ignore zone.

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8 hours ago, Mephariel said:

 but it will be awesome in the film, which is the main purpose of film music.

this!!!

i always say the same. 

A soundtrack does not have to function as a standalone but as part of the film. Therefore it is also called film music.

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On 04/02/2022 at 11:23 AM, TheUlyssesian said:

 

I fear we will never hear something like this in a big mainstream movie ever again. The suits might say the music is too prominent, too distracting and calls too much attention to itself.

That is depressing but probably true

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8 hours ago, badbu said:

this!!!

i always say the same. 

A soundtrack does not have to function as a standalone but as part of the film. Therefore it is also called film music.

 

 

True, but this forum would not exist if that is all what film scores aspired to.

Food has to be nourishing. But it's preferable if on top of that it also tastes good.

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10 hours ago, Arpy said:

You're saying that based off of two theme tracks?

They're fairly long and extensive, and meant to represent the score as a whole, same way the trailers to a movie are supposed to represent what the film will be like as a whole. If the trailers make the movie look bad, then anyone is in the right for not seeing the movie on that basis. We have the main villain and the main hero's themes, acting as previews for the music as a whole, and they're both fine at best. Therefore, I'm not too interested in the score, and believe it will be fine at best. Felt the same way about Homecoming's score when the preview suites were released, and my opinion did not change upon hearing it in the film. 

 

9 hours ago, badbu said:

this!!!

i always say the same. 

A soundtrack does not have to function as a standalone but as part of the film. Therefore it is also called film music.

This is the same justification used for lackluster or lazy filmmaking. "As long as it entertained someone, then it did its job!" You might as well say The Room is a great film objectively because it's entertaining at this point. Why try? Someone will like it. 

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Trailers are meant to represent films, but most of the time they don't - scenes and shots that were cut - editing to change the narrative and tone etc.

 

The theme tracks aren't really that extensive though. I remember when Ode to Harrison was released ahead of Star Trek Into Darkness as a teaser and it wasn't really representative of the score as a whole, in fact, there are variations of that theme I enjoy more than the suite!

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It showed up in some live concert.

 

I remember KK or Jim Ware talking about it.

 

Then Gia premiered some tracks on a web/radio show..

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I think Giacchino should stick to original movies instead of super old franchises.

 

I also don't understand why filmmakers who hate music include music. Inertia? Do you make choices through inertia? Does a suit have a gun to your head?

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