Potterdom Film/Score Series Thread

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Cool. And Hedwig's theme didn't sound all MV and ridiculous this time. Too bad it didn't have the cast/crew info at the end with "Music by John Williams".

[Datameister 2,044]

Wow...do we really have another year to go? I'd forgotten just how long it takes.

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Something I'm curious about... How much time did JW have to compose the score for the first three films? I remeber reading somewhere that for POA he had three months to compose the music for the film. Anyone has more information about that?

[indy4 155]

John Williams should be proud that his Hedwig's theme has lasted through so many composers and films and years.

[Richard Penna 3,696]

http://www.thedigita...iews120409.html

By the way, for those of you wondering if Warner plans to continue this series of Ultimate Editions with all the rest of the films, the answer is yes. Inserts in the packaging claim that the Ultimate Editions for Years 3-7 will be "available soon", and the packaging even lists the tentative titles of the future installments of the Creating the World of Harry Potter documentary series (Part 3: Magical Creatures, Part 4: The Music of Harry Potter, Part 5: The Evolution of Harry Potter, Part 6: Special Effects, Part 7: Growing Up Potter and Part 8: The Harry Potter Phenomenon) that will be included on them.

Meh, it's just a way to make more money from people buying the same thing - nothing more than that. Like the LotR 'limited editions' which just included the theatrical and EE's in one DVD.

We have to accept one fact guys: no one cares that we want expanded scores.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Has this been here before? A teaser for Deathly Hallows, apparently filmed from a TV screen... but allegedly it's on the HBP dvd, can anyone verify?

http://vimeo.com/7985839

Better quality version.

[King Mark 3,631]

We have to accept one fact guys: no one cares that we want expanded scores.

I think the HP fans want them as much as the SW fans want the prequel scores. I talked to 2 random SW geeks at the SW In Concert and they wanted expanded AotC and RotS

[Diego 21]

Were the Potter scores (1-3, the important ones) recorded in London? The second one was, but I'm not sure about the others. That always help the chances of expanded scores. I have a feeling we'll get the first one eventually, I think it was the last iconic Williams score, and by that I mean that most people recognize Hedwig's theme as the "Harry Potter theme", so it should probably sell better than the others.

If they do get expanded one day I hope they sell them individually, I don't mind Doyle's score but I don't want to buy the others, parts 5 and 6.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Were the Potter scores (1-3, the important ones) recorded in London? The second one was, but I'm not sure about the others. That always help the chances of expanded scores. I have a feeling we'll get the first one eventually, I think it was the last iconic Williams score, and by that I mean that most people recognize Hedwig's theme as the "Harry Potter theme", so it should probably sell better than the others.

If they do get expanded one day I hope they sell them individually, I don't mind Doyle's score but I don't want to buy the others, parts 5 and 6.

With all due respect, I'm counting on an FSM "brown box".

[John Crichton 4]

Were the Potter scores (1-3, the important ones) recorded in London?

Yes all three were (CoS was actually with the LSO, the other two were session players), so there's no worries about US reuse fees.

I agree with SS being one of the last iconic Williams' scores, and Hedwig's theme is definately his last classic theme that's had any kind of mainstream impact. Us film score nuts drool over PoA (though I consider SS superior), but SS is the one that most people will remember.

[Datameister 2,044]

Us film score nuts drool over PoA (though I consider SS superior), but SS is the one that most people will remember.

Bingo.

[Matt C 455]

Were the Potter scores (1-3, the important ones) recorded in London? The second one was, but I'm not sure about the others.

All six HP scores were recorded in London -- four were with select London ensembles, while the first and third movies used session players. Part of the PS/SS score was recorded at Air Lyndhurst Studios, as well as Doyle's GOF score. Most of the PS/SS score along with the rest were recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Were the Potter scores (1-3, the important ones) recorded in London?

Yes all three were (CoS was actually with the LSO, the other two were session players), so there's no worries about US reuse fees.

I agree with SS being one of the last iconic Williams' scores, and Hedwig's theme is definately his last classic theme that's had any kind of mainstream impact. Us film score nuts drool over PoA (though I consider SS superior), but SS is the one that most people will remember.

as well they should, but all three JW/HP efforts are better than 90% of what passes as a film score.

[Datameister 2,044]

all three JW/HP efforts are better than 90% of what passes as a film score.

SS and POA, absolutely. I can't bring myself to agree at all about COS, though...in the film, it mostly comes across as a rehash of SS, which really makes the movie feel even more been-there-done-that.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

all three JW/HP efforts are better than 90% of what passes as a film score.

SS and POA, absolutely. I can't bring myself to agree at all about COS, though...in the film, it mostly comes across as a rehash of SS, which really makes the movie feel even more been-there-done-that.

Chamber of Secrets, and Fawkes the Phoenix, plus Spiders is better than 90% of the stuff out there, and certainly better than this summers efforts.. Even a rehased COS is better than what was heard in Transformers 2, Terminator 4, Star Trek, The Hangover, all the top 5 or 6 blockbusters of 2009, with possible the exception of Giacchino's UP which deserves respect. Yes I'm giving Michael a compliment, no heart attacks please, tis not the season.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The teaser for Deathly Hallows leaked, or is that old news?

[Datameister 2,044]

Even a rehased COS is better than what was heard in...Star Trek...

You're sounding as fanboyish as KM!

I guess it depends on what you mean. If you're saying that in and of itself, the material that was rehashed sounds better than Star Trek, I agree. That's because HP:SS is a great score, and as much as I enjoy Star Trek, it just can't weather that sort of competition. But I have much more respect for Giacchino's Star Trek than COS because if you just look at the new material that was actually written for each score, I think Giacchino did something much fresher and more interesting. Williams' motif for the spiders is incredibly obvious, and his theme for Fawkes starts great before degenerating into a pleasant but directionless melodic line. "The Chamber of Secrets" doesn't do much for me, either.

Give me a sec to finish putting on my kevlar suit...uhh, got it!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Oh I don't agree, I think the Star Trek score is mediocre defined, it will be highlighted in the 2010 dictionary. You're buying into the myth that the Chamber of Secrets is just rehashed Sorcerers Stone, and it is a myth. Even an average JW score is better than the best MG scores, and Star Trek isn't one of his best from what I've been told.

Its certainly much weaker than UP.

[Datameister 2,044]

You're buying into the myth that the Chamber of Secrets is just rehashed Sorcerers Stone, and it is a myth.

I never "bought into" anything...that was just my gut reaction the very first time I saw the film, before I really knew anyone else who even knew who John Williams was. It was only after I started getting involved in online communities that I realized there were other people who felt the same way I did at the time, and still do to this day. It certainly has some original elements in it, but unfortunately, the rehashed elements have a stronger presence in the film, if not on the album. Especially if you're very familiar with the whole score to SS, not just its OST. And as I said, I'm not impressed with the original elements.

Even an average JW score is better than the best MG scores...

I usually don't make a habit out of comparing them at all, since they're so stylistically different, and my reasons for enjoying them are quite different. (As you can imagine, if I could only choose one of the two, I'd pick Williams.) But I'm quite comfortable saying that I think Star Trek's score serves the film a million times better than COS's score serves that film. When I left the theater after seeing COS, I was shaking my head in dejected disappointment, in part because of the music. When I left the theater after seeing Star Trek, I was literally humming the main theme for the entire 20-minute walk back to my place. And yes, part of that is because Giacchino used the theme too often in the film. But when I heard it for the very first time as the horn solo over the logos, I was immediately hooked. The difference between these two scores is night and day for me.

Star Trek isn't one of his best from what I've been told. Its certainly much weaker than UP.

People will tell you all sorts of things. I'll take Star Trek over Up, too, though the margin is WAY smaller there. Up is a fantastic score, particularly in its quiet statements of the main theme. Those are pure brilliance. But some of the material (particularly the action music) doesn't do as much for me.

[John Crichton 4]

The Chamber of Secrets is one of the absolute best Potter themes, it was horribly underused in the movie.

The more I watch Star Trek on DV..er, Blu, the more respect I have for the score. It works wonderfully in the movie and on its own right. I can't speak to Up yet since I finally just got it and haven't really listened to it yet, but it's going to have to be really good to get up there with Trek and Roar.

When I left the theater after seeing COS, I was shaking my head in dejected disappointment, in part because of the music.

You're lucky you even heard the music the way it's mixed.

[indy4 155]

I'll take Up over Star Trek any day, film and score. The former is, IMO, the best score of 2009.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Dave wanted Star Trek, so I got it on blu, but its one of those movies that I love and hate.

The actors are great, the story is shit.

The Enterprise looks great, the bridge looks great, the rest of the ship looks like shit.

The score gains life in the end credits.

[Datameister 2,044]

Dave wanted Star Trek, so I got it on blu, but its one of those movies that I love and hate.

Really? I hadn't noticed.

[Gurkensalat 340]

I just watched the Half Blood Prince and noticed that during the Quidditch match the Quidditch motiv from HP3 was used. So Hopper cited Williams more than only the main theme.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I'm one of the few and proud who believe that William Ross managed to make JW's music sound just a bit more magical in the Chamber of Secrets.

[Maxxie 1]

I'm one of the few and proud who believe that William Ross managed to make JW's music sound just a bit more magical in the Chamber of Secrets.

I'm also one of the few who like the Chamber Of Secrets score, but I do agree it has some 'issues'.....

- The 'Chamber Of Secrets' theme is very under-used. I can't believe they used the 'Philosopher's Stone' theme instead. Very daft decision.

- There are a lot of re-uses (or re-hashes depending on your opinion) of the other themes from Philosopher's Stone, but then a lot of sequels are like this (Back To The Future: Part II, Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest etc.)

I also think I'm the only person in the world that likes the ending piece, "Reunion Of Friends". Sure it's not quite as classy as "Leaving Hogwarts", but it's still fantastic, and it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end when I hear it! It knocks the socks off the musical endings of Prisoner Of Azkaban (still good), Goblet Of Fire, Order Of The Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince!

[Ollie 1,059]

What actually made it to the album is fine because most of it is all new material.

[Datameister 2,044]

But again, I'm judging it as heard in the film. It feels like there's another passage borrowed or referenced from SS every ten seconds. I understand much of that was rightly omitted from the album, but even the album has some of those moments (e.g. the Forbidden Forest material, "Cornish Pixies", most of the ending). I know COS is hardly the first film to do this, unfortunately, but it's an especially bad offender, in part because the film itself feels just as...sequelly.

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

Yes I'm giving Michael a compliment, no heart attacks please, tis not the season.

Now i have seen everything and i can die peacefully.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The actors are great, the story is shit.

The story is The Wrath Of Khan (plus a dash of Voyager's Year Of Hell)

The Enterprise looks great, the bridge looks great, the rest of the ship looks like shit.

Not shit, if it looked like shit I would have remembered how it looked like.

The score gains life in the end credits.

Without a shadow of a doubt the worst End Credits piece of any Trek film. I'd even rather have Jerry regurgitate his TMP theme yet again.

[ChrisAfonso 186]

But again, I'm judging it as heard in the film. It feels like there's another passage borrowed or referenced from SS every ten seconds. I understand much of that was rightly omitted from the album, but even the album has some of those moments (e.g. the Forbidden Forest material, "Cornish Pixies", most of the ending). I know COS is hardly the first film to do this, unfortunately, but it's an especially bad offender, in part because the film itself feels just as...sequelly.

The last thing I'd do is bitch about the Forest music being included in CoS, if it wasn't we wouldn't have it on CD at all.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The stuff that was adapted from the first score sounds wonderful in Chamber of Secrets. It's the best of the three Williams Harry Potter soundtrack albums. BY FAR. It's a case of many of the score's highlights being featured (including adapted music that was not included on the first album!) and weaker parts of the score actually being excluded (i.e. that Quidditch mess). It's like the polar opposite of most modern JW albums and the music just sounds a bit better under the baton of Mr. Ross. I rank it as one of the top JW albums in recent history, although it isn't much of a victory over the other horrible ones we've had to endure.

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

the music just sounds a bit better under the baton of Mr. Ross.

Its not Ross, but the whole London symphony orchestra that williams didnt had in either PS or POA.

[indy4 155]

I also think I'm the only person in the world that likes the ending piece, "Reunion Of Friends". Sure it's not quite as classy as "Leaving Hogwarts", but it's still fantastic, and it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end when I hear it! It knocks the socks off the musical endings of Prisoner Of Azkaban (still good), Goblet Of Fire, Order Of The Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince!

Oh, I prefer it to "Leaving Hogwarts." I love me a nice theatrical piece of music, and the over-the-top sappiness really works in this cue.

[Datameister 2,044]

I can appreciate both, for sure, and I tend to prefer whichever one I'm currently listening to, but at the end of the day, I have to go back to "Leaving Hogwarts." "Reunion of Friends" might have been fine if it were the final cue of the eighth film, but it feels ridiculous in a scene that also feels ridiculous.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

But it wouldn't be Hogwarts without Hagrid!

[Datameister 2,044]

Oy.

[indy4 155]

The scene is certainly ridiculous, but as a standalone piece of music it works very nicely. And it was more or less the last Potter story that ends on a purely happy note, so that syrup wouldn't have been that fitting in DH.

[Datameister 2,044]

But DH does end on a happy note. I mean, all the various deaths that take place are tragic, but let us remember that the final scene takes place 19 years later - they've had plenty of time to accept everything that happened. Heck, the last words are "All was well." If that's not a purely happy note, I don't know what is!

Yeah, that's right...Disneyland isn't the only thing you should know not to correct me on. lol

[indy4 155]

Perhaps, but with the 19 years later there's a great sense of calmness and tranquility. No big adrenaline rush, I would imagine that scene ending on a decrescendo. Whereas CoS ends directly after the world is saved from Voldemort's wrath, Gryffindor gets the House Cup, and all the victims of the Basilik's stare return.

[John Crichton 4]

But it wouldn't be Hogwarts without Hagrid!

*shudder*

Man, I remember being so certain that Hagrid got that big scene because he was going to die in book 5. But that is a nice piece of music, the fanfare extension at the end is great. Written by William Ross, apparently.

[Diego 21]

Written by William Ross, apparently.

NOTHING was written by William Ross. You're going to upset KM

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

It was Ken Thorne.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Well my thread created nearly is still around.

I know there is another John williams might return for the Deathly Hallows thread, but I chose to put this here.

It's nothing new, its not in anyway stating John's return, but as long as its still out floating around there is hope.

In the Dark Horizon's look at notable films of 2010 they speculate on JW's return to the Deathly Hallows.

I will continue to hope until there is either joyous revelation or sadness.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

No link?

[Henry B 50]

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15956/the-notable-films-of-2010-part-four

Composer Nicholas Hooper, who scored the last two films, has opted outof this and there's already talk that John Williams, who composed thefirst three films, returning but the decision is not yet set.

[Richard Penna 3,696]

OhI don't agree, I think the Star Trek score is mediocre defined, it willbe highlighted in the 2010 dictionary. You're buying into the myth thatthe Chamber of Secrets is just rehashed Sorcerers Stone, and it is amyth. Even an average JW score is better than the best MG scores, andStar Trek isn't one of his best from what I've been told.

Its certainly much weaker than UP.

Consider yourself bonged over the head with a rubber mallet.

I certainly agree that the CoS album is better constructed than PS, and if you ignore the tracked (and so-similar-they-might-as-well-be-tracked) cues, I think it's a very decent score, even if the film drives me nuts with how pedestrian and unimaginative it is.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I'm expecting Hans Zimmer for DH. Imagine something similar to "Why So Serious?" playing over Voldemort's killing sprees.

[John Crichton 4]

Jarvis Cocker.

[Wojo 2,453]

Hermione loses her leg.