John Paesano's KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2024)

[Jay 45,820]

Wow!  I'm listening to this score now and after "Human Hunt" I decided it deserves its own thread!

 

 

 

1. Discovery (6:31)
2. The Climb (3:01)
3. Maybe Echo (2:10)
4. Eagle Clan (3:52)
5. We Have Good Rain (2:04)
6. Broken (2:47)
7. Marauders in the Mist (3:45)
8. For Caesar (4:27)
9. Noa’s Purpose (4:12)
10. The Valley Beyond (1:44)
11. I Am Raka (5:21)
12. Memories of Home (3:50)
13. Caesar’s Compassion (2:07)
14. She Is Different (3:03)
15. They Are Like You (3:34)
16. Human Hunt (4:44)
17. New Weapon (5:15)
18. A Kingdom for Apes (3:41)
19. What a Wonderful Day (3:29)
20. Apes Will Learn, I Will Learn (3:49)
21. Together Strong (3:10)
22. Very Clever Apes (7:57)
23. Simian Summit (3:31)
24. A Past Discovered (5:44)
25. Cannot Trust a Human (5:21)
26. Ape Aquatics (3:57)
27. It Was Ours (4:40)
28. We Will Rebuild (4:03)
29. A New Age (2:08)

 

 

 

So who else has thoughts they want to share?

"Human Hunt" is certainly one of the best cues of the year!

 

"What A Wonderful Day".... love the The Lost World vibes!

[Gabriel Bezerra 770]

I think Paesano managed to bridge a musical gap from Giacchino to Goldsmith while still doing his own thing, even better than the movie itself did.

[Jay 45,820]

Listening to this made me realize I don't know GIacchino's Apes scores as well as I should!

 

I LOVED the two Apes movies he scored, but never got into either score outside of a few tracks.  Time to revisit!

[Richard P 5,246]

I'm getting more of a War of the Worlds vibe from What a Wonderful Day.

[Jay 45,820]

Oooh yea, good call.  I hear both!

[Edmilson 12,224]

Listening to it right now. The first 15 tracks were sweeping, nice and pleasant but nothing special.

 

Then came Human Hunt, New Weapons and the score became more aggressive, darker and more violent. It got considerably better even if somehow, much like Gia, it's a modern composer aping (lol) Goldsmith. And sometimes I can point where a Giacchino cue from Dawn and War was used as temp track.

 

It's better now (I'm literally at the War of the Worlds-like What a Wonderful Day), but maybe I'm just in the mood for some dissonance? 

[Jfallon 151]

Have had this on replay since seeing the film. Awesomeness. Anyone know if the very first cue of the film, which is not on the soundtrack, that covers the “prologue” is a temp cue by Giacchino or new score using his theme? Sure seemed a direct lift which befitted the scene perfectly.

[crocodile 9,634]

I haven't heard anything from the score yet but will watch the film tomorrow.

 

Karol

[CinderTech 1,773]

The film does credit Goldsmith and Giacchino for theme usage, which would definitely explain any similarities/lifts this score has to the works by the latter for the franchise.

[Edmilson 12,224]

Wow, Together Strong is really good!

 

But still, the album has some uninteresting tracks here and there. 

[Jay 45,820]

Yes the biggest problem with the album is the slow first half.   You could probably drop 30 minutes from there and have a killer 90 minute presentation for a better first impression.  But I'm sure eventually (once I see the movie) I'll be really glad to have it all!

 

 

[Luke Skywalker 2,364]

Wow i didnt knew this ost was almost 2 hours long!

 

[Davis 3,957]

.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,770]

No, not in my opinion. Because the music before Human Hunt is a bit slower and less bombastic, the impact Human Hunt has is that much more powerful.

 

I would say there is around 15 to 20 minutes in the start of the album that could be taken out, while still having that same impact. But I feel that's up to you if you want to do that or not.

[Knight of Ren 1,525]

14 hours ago, Jfallon said:

Anyone know if the very first cue of the film, which is not on the soundtrack, that covers the “prologue” is a temp cue by Giacchino or new score using his theme? Sure seemed a direct lift which befitted the scene perfectly.

To me it sounded like a straight lift from the ending track of Dawn, but perhaps it's a re-recording.

 

Either way, I feel the score is better appreciated after watching the movie, since like most people here are saying, it's a bit too long and with some uninteresting tracks that work better within the film. But yeah, Paesano delivers a strong score, with a couple of really memorable new themes, that I hope he can develop in upcoming sequels!

[Stark 979]

I believe it’s a re-recording from Dawn, as the Gia theme is referenced (but less noticeably) in several other tracks as well.

[saulocf 91]

Not Dawn tho.. sounded like “Paradise Found” from War of the Planet of the Apes. Not a straight lift, but very close it thought.

[Knight of Ren 1,525]

Here's a quick breakdown of the main themes of the movie. They're not reprised as much as I would like, but fortunately, the three themes for the heroes are presented in a sort of suite-like arrangement in at least one track. They are the following:

 

Discovery

 

It's a fairly simple theme, built around a repeating 4-note motif, that represents the human side of the story, particularly Mae and her relationship with Noa. It's presented in a suite arrangement in the track above, and only shines again like that in the final track, We Will Rebuild, but it appears a couple of times more:

 

-Discovery - 0:08 (fragments), 1:39, 2:19, 4:14, 5:24 (fragments)

-I Am Raka - 4:07

-She Is Different - 0:10 (barely heard, almost reduced to just the base chords)

-They Are Like You - 0:09 (similar to track above)

-New Weapon - 0:23

-Very Clever Apes - 1:04

-We Will Rebuild - 0:00 (fragments), 2:26

 

Eagle Clan

 

This is my favorite idea in the whole score, and it represents Noa's home, his tribe and his people. During the second half of the movie is almost completely absent until the final action cue, Ape Aquatics, where it really shines! The track linked above, Memories of Home, is a suite presentation of the theme according to the composer himself.

 

-The Climb - 2:38

-Eagle Clan - 0:23, 1:21 (B Section)

-Noa's Purpose - 1:18

-Memories of Home - 0:28, 1:26, 2:04 (B Section), 2:33 (plays A and B section together), 3:07

-Ape Aquatics - 1:26

 

Noa

 

This noble theme is heard even less than the previous two ideas, but makes a huge impact on the film in a scene that I won't spoil, covered by the track linked above, that acts as a sort of suite presentation of the idea.

 

-Eagle Clan - 3:09

-Noa's Purpose - 2:58 (plays A and B section together)

-Together Strong - 0:16, 0:52, 1:21 (B Section), 2:06 (plays A and B section together), 2:49

-It Was Ours - 0:41, 1:31

 

Proximus Caesar

 

And then we have the material for the antagonist ape, which honestly was a bit underutilized, making his material quite hard to grasp because of the little time it has to shine. It's a descending three-note motif, sometimes surrounded by tribal percussion. There might be a secondary motif for him and his tribe, but I haven't placed it yet.

 

-A Kingdom for Apes - 2:02

-What A Wonderful Day - 1:55, 2:58

-Apes Will Learn, I Will Learn - 0:18, 1:59

-Cannot Trust a Human - 0:38, 2:09

 

So these are the main themes present in the score, and I hope that this little guide helps you better appreciate it. Any theme or iteration I've missed?

[crocodile 9,634]

Yeah, the opening is a direct quote from Giacchino. Paesano quotes the messianic descending 4-note Caesar theme from the previous two movies. It is a very nice touch for a very moving scene. I believe he might be also using another theme from the score in that segment. Aside, from that, there's a bit of a Giacchino-like echoes (pun intended) throughout the score as well.

 

The film is good. Not quite brilliant but what can you expect from what is essentially a 10th film that says exactly the same exact thing? They've done the satire in the old films, and the camp. They did a modern origin, and then touched upon some political and religious themes. So, what new can be done this time? Well, nothing. But it is a nice thing to watch, I probably enjoy spending some time in this world rather than following the story.

 

The score is mostly quite good, but I can't help to feel it lacks character of its own. Giacchino's was less polished but it's brute simplicity actually did wonders for the previous two movies. It also doesn't help the new score is not as prominent in the sound mix. Having said that, I get what Paesano's is going for. The opening half is gentler and refers to the world in which Noa was brought up om. As he encounters the brutality of Proximo's kingdom, the score brings in the sound of Goldsmith's original. I am hoping the new motifs will become more apparent as I listen to the album.

 

EDIT: Thanks @Knight of Ren!

 

Karol

[tomsmoviemadness 4,770]

Paesano also mentioned on Twitter that Memories Of Home was the original theme suite he wrote for the film.

 

 

 

[Jay 45,820]

57 minutes ago, Knight of Ren said:

Here's a quick breakdown of the main themes of the movie. They're not reprised as much as I would like, but fortunately, the three themes for the heroes are presented in a sort of suite-like arrangement in at least one track. They are the following:

 

Discovery

 

It's a fairly simple theme, built around a repeating 4-note motif, that represents the human side of the story, particularly Mae and her relationship with Noa. It's presented in a suite arrangement in the track above, and only shines again like that in the final track, We Will Rebuild, but it appears a couple of times more:

 

-Discovery - 0:08 (fragments), 1:39, 2:19, 4:14, 5:24 (fragments)

-I Am Raka - 4:07

-She Is Different - 0:10 (barely heard, almost reduced to just the base chords)

-They Are Like You - 0:09 (similar to track above)

-New Weapon - 0:23

-Very Clever Apes - 1:04

-We Will Rebuild - 0:00 (fragments), 2:26

 

Eagle Clan

 

This is my favorite idea in the whole score, and it represents Noa's home, his tribe and his people. During the second half of the movie is almost completely absent until the final action cue, Ape Aquatics, where it really shines! The track linked above, Memories of Home, is a suite presentation of the theme according to the composer himself.

 

-The Climb - 2:38

-Eagle Clan - 0:23, 1:21 (B Section)

-Noa's Purpose - 1:18

-Memories of Home - 0:28, 1:26, 2:04 (B Section), 2:33 (plays A and B section together), 3:07

-Ape Aquatics - 1:26

 

Noa

 

This noble theme is heard even less than the previous two ideas, but makes a huge impact on the film in a scene that I won't spoil, covered by the track linked above, that acts as a sort of suite presentation of the idea.

 

-Eagle Clan - 3:09

-Noa's Purpose - 2:58

-Together Strong - 0:16, 0:52, 1:21 (B Section), 2:06 (plays A and B section together), 2:49

-It Was Ours - 0:41, 1:31

 

Proximus Caesar

 

And then we have the material for the antagonist ape, which honestly was a bit underutilized, making his material quite hard to grasp because of the little time it has to shine. It's a descending three-note motif, sometimes surrounded by tribal percussion. There might be a secondary motif for him and his tribe, but I haven't placed it yet.

 

-A Kingdom for Apes - 2:02

-What A Wonderful Day - 1:55, 2:58

-Apes Will Learn, I Will Learn - 0:18

-Cannot Trust a Human - 0:38

 

So these are the main themes present in the score, and I hope that this little guide helps you better appreciate it. Any theme or iteration I've missed?

 

Amazing. I love JWFan!!

[tomsmoviemadness 4,770]

Same here Jay. It's brings a lot of joy and I'm feeling greatful with a thread and posts like these.

 

They are only small things, but they can really make a bad day or time a bit brighter. May sound cheesy, but I really mean that.

[Knight of Ren 1,525]

Yeah, I love doing these kind of things, and it's great to have a place to share them so other people can enjoy them, and if it brings them joy, I'm happy to contribute to that a bit. After all, we're here for the same thing, our passion for film scores!

[Jay 45,820]

I look forward to listening to the album again following your post!

[Edmilson 12,224]

8 hours ago, Knight of Ren said:

-Together Strong - 0:16, 0:52, 1:21 (B Section), 2:06 (plays A and B section together), 2:49

 

That's BY FAR my favorite track on the album. Loved when the B section of the theme plays at 1:21, especially with those JNH-like strings from 1:40 to 2:00.

[Knight of Ren 1,525]

I also just noticed that Noa's theme at 3:09 of Eagle Clan also contains the B Section as counterpoint, just like it does in the Together Strong track! Love revisiting the score and finding out more of these kind of details.

 

And indeed, Noa's theme is awesome. Such a shame it appears so little, but hopefully will be more important in the sequels. And it does remind me a bit of JNH's fantasy writing!

[crocodile 9,634]

I remember when the first Maze Runner come out the press release for the soundtrack mentioned that Paesano did some work under both Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams earlier in his career. I wonder what these jobs would be.

 

Oh, he also did that Dragons: Riders of Berk show, in which he used John Powell's music.

 

Karol

[29944 32]

12 hours ago, crocodile said:

I wonder what these jobs would be.

He wrote additional music for The Sum of All Fears according to the Library of Congress website. Jon Broxton's review of When The Game Stands Tall says he orchestrated Amistad and The Lost World, though I don't know where he got that information.

[Edmilson 12,224]

Anyone who has seen the movie, which tracks on the album are concert arrangements or suites? Are they used in the end credits?

 

Discovery is a nice track that could be both the prologue or a suite IMHO.

[Luke Skywalker 2,364]

8 hours ago, 29944 said:

He wrote additional music for The Sum of All Fears according to the Library of Congress website. Jon Broxton's review of When The Game Stands Tall says he orchestrated Amistad and The Lost World, though I don't know where he got that information.

If that info is not on the LLL sets...should it be taken with a grain of salt?

[Knight of Ren 1,525]

8 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Anyone who has seen the movie, which tracks on the album are concert arrangements or suites? Are they used in the end credits?

 

Discovery is a nice track that could be both the prologue or a suite IMHO.

Discovery is a suite as is Memories of Home. The movie opens with music from Giacchino's scores, so Discovery is placed there instead. And I think that's it. Together Strong at first sounded like a suite of Noa's theme, but after watching the movie, I think it belongs to an important scene late in the film, so it's not a suite. Hope this helps!

[Davis 3,957]

This score is getting a lot of praise. Could this mean that an Oscar nom for Paesano is to be expected?

[Stark 979]

I doubt it, this score isn’t artsy enough, it’s “just” a very good action adventure score.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,770]

Just saw the film, thought it was tremendous!

Fantastic character work, story, action scenes and worldbuilding.

Performances of everyone were stellar. Not a weak link among them.

The VFX on the apes was also astounding. Flawless in my opinion.

Opening scene took me by surprise and actually made me a bit emotional. Very well done to Wes Ball, I'm hoping he gets to continue, because he absolutely nailed it.

 

Paesano's music is also really great. It elevated quite a lot of scenes, but what took me by surprise was that there were also were quite a lot of moments without music. Which I really loved, because the impact when it did come, was even bigger.

Can't wait to explore the album again (I feel like pretty much all the music is on there).

[Luke Skywalker 2,364]

Williams vibes:

"We have good Rain" 1:19-1:31 / "Broken" 1:37-1:51: Opening of the lost world.

"For Caesar" 0:00-0:29 War of the Worlds (Escape from the city?).

"What a Wonderful day" 0:43-1:13 War of the Worlds (Attack on the ferry?) the rests feels familiar from Debney's LAIR (Dead man's Basin who was similar to Poledouris Conan)

[tomsmoviemadness 4,770]

A little video on the score from Hollywood Records' YT channel

 

 

[Jay 45,820]

How is it?

[tomsmoviemadness 4,770]

It's nice.

 

He talks about how Spielberg's and therefor Williams' Empire Of The Sun really resonated with him. How he bought the soundtrack, which he listened to over and over again, and that's how he fell in love with the whole proces of putting music to media.

 

When it comes to the score he talks a bit about Goldsmith's score, the instruments used, different sounds for characters and quite a bit about the Human Hunt cue and the way it was recorded.

 

And I learned from this video how to pronounce his last name. Hahah. Thought it was said differently.

[Jay 45,820]

I'm finally going to watch this movie soon, and am contemplating if it's worth re-watching the previous 3 films beforehand or not.

 

Does anybody have an opinion on if its really necessary or not?  Like there's no returning characters right?

[Taikomochi 1,405]

I would say not necessary since it’s all new characters with a sizeable time jump. Only the prologue has anyone from the earlier films. If you remember basically what Caesar’s deal was, then you’re good. 

[Stark 979]

It’s not necessary (and there’s no returning characters outside an opening flashback). They are good and rewatchable movies though!

[Jay 45,820]

Oh yes, I love those 3 movies (well, the first was OK, but Reeves's two are spectacular) and bought the blu ray box set, and definitely plan on re-watching them at some point for sure.  But I'd also like to see this film sooner rather than later so I'll probably not rewatch them quite yet.

 

Thanks everyone

[crocodile 9,634]

No need to rewatch. All you need to remember is the idea of who Caesar was and what was his philosophy. But even that is reiterated well enough here. 😀

 

Karol

[Thor 9,347]

Although I have a soft spot for the first of the new remake films (less enthused with 2 and 3, they're okay), this one is definitely the best. It can stand perfectly well alone.