Jump to content

Post #200: Scores in 2004


hitman20

Recommended Posts

2003 brought a few good scores, but my expectations are higher this year with JW having some work out this year.

Already, I have my a few scores on my must have list for 2004:

POA

Terminal

Passion of the Christ

The Village

and Van Helsing to name a few.

My questions to you are:

How do you think scores will be this year?

What elements do you are you most after in scores of this year?

What scores do you want/not want?

And finally,

What composer's work you'd would like to hear this year?

I'll answer all my own questions by saying:

1. I have high hopes with JW and Silvestri putting out work this year.

2. Postmodernism, Minimalism, More choral intensive works vis a vis Neodammerung.

3. See above. I wonder how Elfman's Spiderman 2 will turn out though. I really would like to hear something exciting, and expect big things out of this score. Go Elfman!

4. JW, Silvestri, James Newton Howard, Elfman. I wish Don Davis was attached to some project. I'm really anticipating his next work and expect great things from him, especially after his great Matrix Scores.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 15
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

All of my info is hearsay from work, but, as far as Horner goes it's:

Cinderella Man-this is all I've heard he's doing for 2004, although I could be wrong

And in 2005, he's scoring the Da Vinci Code-Directed by Ron Howard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest (and this is not a dig at anyone) I am not looking forward to much more than Williams' and Goldsmith's new scores.

Most new film scores have a depressing and sad sameness to them. They all sound (to me, anyway) like they were all sampled from the same computer program and run through the same set of permutations. Zimmer sounds like Badelt, who sounds like Debney who sounds like Horner that begat recent Silvestri... etc. I spent the majority of the money I paid for CDs last year gathering older scores. Like the FSM releases and a couple of the Varese club CDs as well. I just find that all the stuff coming down the pike right now is... in a word boring. Remember this is my opinion, not an insult. I had really high hopes when it was announced that John Debney was going to do the score for "The Passion of the Christ". I thought to my self 'Finally, I am going to get to hear more from someone I like'. Debney has been pigeon-holed into some awful films lately, I mean "Bruce Almighty and Gigli", even Emeril Lagasse couldn't save those Turkeys. What I have heard on the Sony classical website hasn't filled me with any hope, though, I intend to wait until I've seen the entire film to decide. Ironic isn't it, that the story that is meant to inspire hope in the world, doesn't inspire it in it's music.

Lately, Alan Silvestri is sounding more and more like one of the Zimmerclones from MV. That saddens me because I think he is one of the most talented composers working in Hollow-wood right now... Damn that Jerry 'Schlock'heimer!!!!

I do think that Goldsmith will produce something wonderful for "Lapin Agile". It's probably one of the best written plays I've seen in 10 years and I hope that the film will do it justice.

Williams never dissapoints, so I guess that is all I am looking forward to this year...

Best score from last year (IMO) Ottman's X2, I won't by it though, because my favorite track (DIES IRAE) is not included in the release and I don't know how to get hold of the 2 cd promo that he produced...

BK: ;) Miklos Rozsa; Knights of the Round Table :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Best score from last year (IMO) Ottman's X2, I won't by it though, because my favorite track (DIES IRAE) is not included in the release and I don't know how to get hold of the 2 cd promo that he produced...

I have the unreleased version 2 of the X-2 score. It features Dies Irae and the Opening Titles among a few others. I even got John Ottman to sign my copy. He's a cool composer. If you want it, I'll see what I can do.

Lately, Alan Silvestri is sounding more and more like one of the Zimmerclones from MV. That saddens me because I think he is one of the most talented composers working in Hollow-wood right now... Damn that Jerry 'Schlock'heimer!!!!

You really think so? I think he's really maturing as a composer, and creating an identifiable action/adventure sound, which is requested among directors. You have to think about it like this, certain directors allow certain things, and this will sometimes curb the composer's creative freedom. That to me, is the reason why Silvestri left "Pirates" and hopped on board (or snatched on board) to do Tomb Raider 2, which made a huge difference (musically). Bruckheimer tends to curb the composers creative freedom (to me), and that's why when Zimmer does a score with him involved, it never quite sounds as good as if Bruckheimer wasn't around. I think that's one of the main reasons a composer develops a "sound" (see Media Ventures) or particular (see Elfman) "style." That's the formula, as producers and directors move toward generic filmmaking, as opposed to taking a risk and moving away from the common conformity. Such thinking results in the "Giglis" and "Dumb and Dumberers" of the world.

*As a side-note, when I mentioned Media Venture sound, I mean the common use of Synth in their compostions. Sometimes, this sound messes together well, creating a catchy tune. And other times, I feel like they used Acid to create a repetitive drum loop.

When I mentioned Elfman's style, I was commenting on how easy it is to tell whether or not he composed for a particular film. His style to me, is very much involved in the strings portion of the orchestra (and the choir on a few films), and to me that's where his strengths lie. I have much respect and admiration for Elfman, but I have yet to see him get a credit for orchestrating or conducting. Can he do it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think he's really maturing as a composer, and creating an identifiable action/adventure sound, which is requested among directors.

I don't actually think that he is responsible for his recent output not holding up to his previous works. In fact I said that he is one of the most talented composers working right now. Compare Tomb 2 to his work on Back to the Future or Predator. Those are scores that have a very distinct "Silvestri" sound. It is unfortunate that the lameoids that make movies now all want to make carbon copies of "Crap"heimer's films. As a result, we get composers who all sound the same. Predator sounds like nothing else before it.

That to me, is the reason why Silvestri left "Pirates"

Truth is that Crapmeister Jerry fired Silvestri. He wanted a score that sounded more like MV.

As a side-note, when I mentioned Media Venture sound, I mean the common use of Synth in their compostions. Sometimes, this sound messes together well, creating a catchy tune. And other times, I feel like they used Acid to create a repetitive drum loop.

Truth is that this is precisely what I said. All of the music coming out of Hollywood today sounds like it came from the same library of sound samples. And, when all producers are asking composers to sound like Zimmer already, it all sounds like Zimmer wrote it. Now the truth is that I have no problem with composers using electronics to make the work go a little quicker, lower the costs a little and (occasionally) to create something new (Goldsmith comes to mind), but when they start replacing originality with looped sounds, I start losing interest. Movie music is just too mediocre, now... IMO

I have much respect and admiration for Elfman, but I have yet to see him get a credit for orchestrating or conducting. Can he do it?

Time was when I really liked a lot of what Danny Elfman was doing, but he is victim to the same failings that the rest of Hollywood is guilty of... a general lack of quality material. Beetlejuice, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Nightmare Before Christmas. These are all really well made movies. Danny Elfman provided some inventive and wonderful stuff for all of them. Spiderman (IMO) is a great letdown, so was the score. Hulk was better, but I would still like to have heard what Michael Danna would have done with it. And, Danny Elfman works closely with Steve Bartek and always gives him credit for orchestration. He has conducted only one score that I am aware of, Dead Presidents.

I have the unreleased version 2 of the X-2 score. It features Dies Irae and the Opening Titles among a few others. I even got John Ottman to sign my copy. He's a cool composer. If you want it, I'll see what I can do.

;) Are you kidding?!?!?!, that would be cool in the extreme!!!! I would put you on my Christmas Card list for life!!!!!

email me at tvfella@msn.com

BK: speechless

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't really checked into scores. I will of course be getting John's new work. I'm looking most forward to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I'm not that sure on The Terminal, though. I hope it's something as fresh as Catch Me If You Can was two years ago.

And I'm planning on getting Goldsmith's Star Trek: The Motion Picture this year, and perhaps some other stuff, but that's all old and not from 2004.

- Marc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Azkaban

The Terminal Even though i don't know what to expect.

Thomas Newman's A Series of unfortunate events

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm looking foward first and foremost to Williams new HP film and The Terminal, of course. I also hope Elfman does some fresh things with Spider-Man 2, and its not too similar to the first. Doc Ock has potential to have a really cool busy theme.

I'm not familiar with any of the projects Goldsmith is on but I look forward to the three of them since I'm a recent convert (thanks to Neil!) For most of my soundtrack collecting days since the '77, I have limited myself largely to Williams, Elfman, Horner, some Silvestri and Kamen (when I was in high school), and the James Bond scores. I had a small smattering of Goldsmith (always Poltergeist!), but boy my eyes are open to his work now, and do I feel like a late comer to the party (almost 30 years after I started collecting).

I swear I read Horner had another project besides Cinderella Man (which is supposedly not going to have a lot of score, but most songs) some thriller (not DaVinici Code, but another).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Found the Horner info I couldn't remember (from a reputable source, Music from the Movies):

http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/article.asp?ID=238

The thriller's name that I forgot is fittingly called "The Forgotten" ;) . Horner is also going to score a golf movie "Bobby Jones, Stroke Of Genius."

If this article (and their sources) are accurate though, Cinderella Man won't just be minimal Horner like I posted above, but no Horner! Guess Howard may go with all pop songs from the period.

Hope "The Forgotten" is good. I could go for another Horner thriller score!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most new film scores have a depressing and sad sameness to them. They all sound (to me, anyway) like they were all sampled from the same computer program and run through the same set of permutations. Zimmer sounds like Badelt, who sounds like Debney who sounds like Horner that begat recent Silvestri... etc. I spent the majority of the money I paid for CDs last year gathering older scores. Like the FSM releases and a couple of the Varese club CDs as well. I just find that all the stuff coming down the pike right now is... in a word boring. Remember this is my opinion, not an insult. I had really high hopes when it was announced that John Debney was going to do the score for "The Passion of the Christ". I thought to my self 'Finally, I am going to get to hear more from someone I like'. Debney has been pigeon-holed into some awful films lately, I mean "Bruce Almighty and Gigli", even Emeril Lagasse couldn't save those Turkeys. What I have heard on the Sony classical website hasn't filled me with any hope, though, I intend to wait until I've seen the entire film to decide. Ironic isn't it, that the story that is meant to inspire hope in the world, doesn't inspire it in it's music.

Fucking Aye Man! It's a sad fact that there are very few composers actually making quality material today.

Infact, even Goldsmith has lost a lot of his original style and quality and is sounding rather generic often... :)

Ohh well we still have Don Davis, Elliot Goldenthal, Howard Shore, Joe Hisaishi and Williams. And maybe to some slight degree the Newman's.... If only more composers could write like say AOTC, Spirited Away, Matrix, Final Fantasy... Infact they probably shouldn't be film composers if they don't....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.