General comments about WOTW OST....

[Greg1138 3]

Listening to it now - in album order - thought I would just post some random jottings.....

Packaging - Decca do another great job....

Track 1 - For me Mr Freeman's ramblings don't detract at all from the music....I get the immediate impression that Decca have done a fine job here.....as for the music itself, it is quite a while since a track has haunted me so.....apart from the blatantly obvous inversion of Voldemort's theme from Philosopher's Stone which annoyed me a little....listen to it at 0:44....

Well into Track 2 now, and enjoying every second......I believe this CD is going to end up in my "Most Listened to" shelf very soon......also like ther throwbacks to the Disaster/Sci-Fi movie scores of Yesteryear (check out 5:09 onwards for the most obvious example.....).

Sigh - back to the decorating!! The 2 house viewers we had this morning hated the place, but that's OK - they were both burks anyway....

[King Mark 3,631]

II gave up and started listening too.

I'm at track 4 and so far it's very good.This is way better than Minority Report and much closer to CE3K.I like the overall feeling of doom.

K.M.

[JMan 0]

This is way better than Minority Report and much closer to CE3K.I like the overall feeling of doom.  

I definatley agree! This is between extreme 20th century and classic Williams! Very different from Minority Report.

[Damo 0]

The Intersection Scene and The Confrontation with Ogilvy are my favorites out of all the tracks on the WOTW OST.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

"The Intersection Scene" is an incredible track. It's really the only track that features "alien" music and sound effects at any extensive or prominant level with the rising vocals and strange (synthy?) whooshes. Can't get enough of that. It also sounds like it borrows its feel and atmosphere from Jaws, but what the hell, borrow from the best.

[John Crichton 4]

Well, on my first listen I enjoyed it mostly, especially the first several tracks. I'm, as always, looking forward to hearing how it's used in the film. And the comments that the film is sparsely scores means that there must not be much unreleased music to obsess over. I just wish we could get narration-free versions of those two tracks.

John- who hit fast forward on the second narration track to stay spoiler-free

John2- who will be seeing the movie in approx. 1 hr, 45 minutes.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I just wish we could get narration-free versions of those two tracks.

Be thankful that the you in an alternate reality has a version of the soundtrack without narration.

[Lurker 5]

It also sounds like it borrows its feel and atmosphere from Jaws, but what the hell, borrow from the best.

You mean the parts that sound like Stravinsky?

Neil

[John Crichton 4]

I just wish we could get narration-free versions of those two tracks.

Be thankful that the you in an alternate reality has a version of the soundtrack without narration.

Dammit, why does alternate reality me always have all the fun?

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

Yes, there's definitely some Sacre influence in one or two cues. Not detracting at all though. The action writing is amazing, particularly the timpani writing (I'm amazed that not a single review I've read so far mentions the fact that there's actually two sets of timpani here, creating a stereophonic effect). The way little motifs evolve in the timpani, get picked up by the brass and return to the timpani is mind-boggling. And those timpani outbursts in track #4 remind me of Goldsmith.

Marian - who will probably go see the movie tomorrow.

War of the Worlds

[Lurker 5]

I'm amazed that not a single review I've read so far mentions the fact that there's actually two sets of timpani here, creating a stereophonic effect

I caught that the first moment I heard it, while playing it in my car on the drive home from seeing it at 4 in the morning.

Neil

[King Mark 3,631]

Some tracks I like a lot:

Prologue

The Ferry Scene

The Intersection Scene

Reaching the Country

Ray and Rachel

Confrontation with Ogilvy

Refugee Status

Return to Boston

Reunion

Epilogue

These are the best tracks IMO

Some less good ones:

Attack on the Car

Escape from the City

Somewhat in more generic General Grevious mode,only better because of the stereo drums Marian mentions.

Somewhat boring:Probing the Basement and Escape from the Basket

Still,a good concert cue to get a grasp on would have been nice.

K.M.

[John Crichton 4]

Still,a good concert cue to get a grasp on would have been nice.

I don't know if there's enough thematic material to make one with, though I could be wrong there as I'm still in the "discovery" phase. There doesn't seem to be a real centerpiece cue for one either.

[King Mark 3,631]

There should have been a "War of the World" track.This is the only Williams c.d. without somekind of concert trackI can't imagine what he'll play at concerts from this.

Maybe Williams was to rushed.

We don't have the End Credits.Maybe there's something there.

K.M.

[SturgisPodmore 0]

My first thoughts:

The Ferry Scene . . . Escape From the City . . . The Attack on the Car . . .

Ostinato, anyone?

Now for my review. . . .

My favorite tracks are:

-Prologue

-The Ferry Scene

-Reaching the Country

-The Intersection Scene

-Ray and Rachel

-The Separation of the Family

-Return to Boston

-The Reunion

-Epilogue

"Prologue" is my favorite track overall. Wonderful and etherial. The narration doesn't bother me, I can still hear the music fine. I think the chilling drums at the end of the track are possibly the best part of the score; I don't at all mean this in a bad way. It clues you in right then and there that this is going to be an awsome film. It foreshadows all the death and destruction to come. Absolutely wonderful.

"The Ferry Scene" has some good moments, not bad overall, but the ostinatos are rather repetitive in some parts. Nothing really great, but the beginning and the second half of the track are pretty nice.

"Reaching the Country" has beautiful synthesized voices. Very enjoyable; goes well in quieter parts of the film.

"The Intersection Scene." Love it all the way through. The beginning is ominous, then the ostinatos come again, but this time they don't annoy me at all. I love the pounding timpani mixed in there. The synthesized voices are absolutely wonderful, chilling and fun. Very alien.

"Ray and Rachel" is a very nice track, no theme distinguishable to me, and it meanders sometimes, but it's very beautiful. This track, reminiscent of "Anikan's Betrayal," sums of the family's emotional struggle perfectly. It fits the film like a glove.

"The Separation of the Family" is a beautiful track with lovely piano parts that perfectly encompasses the parting of ways between Ray and Robbie.

"Return to Boston" is, in my opinion, the second best track on the album. I love the opening, and the military feel soon after is delightful. There is a low bass melody that accompanies the scene very well. A very good track.

"The Reunion." The horn is great at the beginning. The piano after is simply beautiful and perfectly captures the feeling of sadness mixed with hope in that scene. The wonderful, etherial, almost cheery music like that of "Prologue" is back as Morgan Freeman closes the film. The last note is one of contentment, a very good ending that is unlike the rest of the score, but leaves us with a feeling of happiness.

"Epilogue." I'm not sure what part of the film this is from; maybe the End Credits? I like the trumpets a lot here, I think they were used when Ray sees the crashed plane at Marianne's house as well. A rather melencholy track, but enjoyable nonetheless.

"Refugee Status" is a good track, also like "Anikan's Betrayal" in some parts, not really interesting to me, but okay.

The very repetitive ostinatos in "Escape From the City" and "The Attack on the Car" do nothing at all for me, though they go very well with their scenes in the film. These are two tracks I will probably not listen to much.

"Confrontation With Ogilvy," "Probing the Basement," and "Escape from the Basket" I haven't listened to enough to make any judgements about right now. In my second veiwing of the movie (in as many days), I noticed the music at the end of "Probing the Basement" with the creepy string gliss. I also noticed the staccato blasts when Ray is struggling over the shotgun with Ogilvy; I liked those a lot, too, though whether that's "Confrontation" or "Probing," I don't know. I will have to listen to these three tracks a few more times.

Upon my first listen I really quite disliked the score, but I think that was because I was expecting some mind-blowing action tracks, when several of them are rather uninteresting. Re-listening to a few of the tracks, I liked the them better, but my true appreciation for Williams' score came with seeing the film. It helps a lot having a visual to go with the music. Overall, I think this will still be an enjoyable score years from now.

My rating: 8/10

~Sturgis

[Damo 0]

Some tracks I like a lot:

Prologue

The Ferry Scene

The Intersection Scene

Reaching the Country  

Ray and Rachel

Confrontation with Ogilvy

Refugee Status

Return to Boston

Reunion

Epilogue

These are the best tracks IMO

K.M.

I agree....i like those tracks as well...

[Adam 1]

The combination of the film’s realism and the fact that its basically a movie that tries to scare you for a couple hours, made for an interesting score. On one hand there’s a lot of atonality but it ends up being pretty accesssible in some ways - particularly the action cues - because he went for something so primal and aggressive. Feels like action music reduced to the rawest elements of terror and fear. And he avoided some of the cinematic cliches like comfortable themes which helps reinforce Spielberg’s more realistic style of direction. And even the emotional side of the score is more restrained in keeping with the tone of the movie. Yet another great example of his ability and willingness to subordinate his music to the demands of the film.

Overall, I'm enjoying the album a lot and its nice to have something that's different and more challenging in some ways.

There's a couple unreleased cues, maybe more but that's what I remember. As usual, it would be nice to have that but the album seems pretty representative and, if anything, there's more music in the album not in the film but seeing it a second time would help.

- Adam

[pixie_twinkle 48]

It also sounds like it borrows its feel and atmosphere from Jaws, but what the hell, borrow from the best.

You mean the parts that sound like Stravinsky?

Neil

Yes I thought that Stravinsky rip off was way too cheap for Williams. Normally I find his steals to be a little more subtle than that, but track 4 is straight out of Dance of the Adolescents. The syncopated repetition of "that" chord, plus the harsh, staccato brass motives that punctuate the ostinato. This is the second biggest rip-off of Rite of Spring that I've heard in a movie score, the biggest being the music that accompanies the Cuban revolution scene from Godfather pt 2.

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

This is the only Williams c.d. without somekind of concert trackI can't imagine what he'll play at concerts from this.

Both The Ferry Scene and The Intersection Scene must be awesome when peformed live. I just love how the timpani start out unison in track #4, then get separated when bringing up one motif which gets picked up by the brass and then goes back to the timpani.

Maybe Williams was to rushed.

Hardly. As far as I'm conerned, this is clearly more "masterful" than ROTS (which, after repeated listenings, I find really good). Any concievable "main theme" would probably detract from the movie.

Marian -

War of the Worlds

[King Mark 3,631]

There's a couple unreleased cues, maybe more but that's what I remember. As usual, it would be nice to have that but the album seems pretty representative and, if anything, there's more music in the album not in the film but seeing it a second time would help.

- Adam

I don't think there's much unreleased music.Probably more music on the c.d. than in the film.

Still not sure about those End Credits.

I had stayed away from the last minute of the Reunion track to avoid spoilers.Now the narration there is getting me really angry,I really like that little motif.Probably the coolest little moment of the score

K.M.

[King Mark 3,631]

 

Hardly. As far as I'm conerned, this is clearly more "masterful" than ROTS

No way.RotS(factoring in the Unreleased Music),is a masterpiece.

K.M

[Damo 0]

 

Hardly. As far as I'm conerned, this is clearly more "masterful" than ROTS

No way.RotS(factoring in the Unreleased Music),is a masterpiece.

K.M

WOTW is not as bad, although i do agree with you king mark. ROTS is better than WOTW.

[King Mark 3,631]

aaargh.I've heard those repeating woodwind figures starting at 2:38 in the narration part of The Reunion somewhere else,but where?

It's driving me nuts.

K.M.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

It also sounds like it borrows its feel and atmosphere from Jaws, but what the hell, borrow from the best.

You mean the parts that sound like Stravinsky?

Neil

Yes I thought that Stravinsky rip off was way too cheap for Williams. Normally I find his steals to be a little more subtle than that, but track 4 is straight out of Dance of the Adolescents. The syncopated repetition of "that" chord, plus the harsh, staccato brass motives that punctuate the ostinato. This is the second biggest rip-off of Rite of Spring that I've heard in a movie score, the biggest being the music that accompanies the Cuban revolution scene from Godfather pt 2.

I wouldn't know. Never heard any music by Stravinsky. Ignorance is bliss.

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

I can enjoy both tonal and atonal scores and I don't think it weakness when there is no ode-to-joy-like theme in a score. It only depends how well they're written.

I have though read many reviews in which fans and reviewers fall into despair for there being no clear stand-out theme in the score, as if film scores ought to always bring out a hummable theme regardless of the nature of the film for which the composer writes the music. I don't understand that. I believe that music can be enjoyed without blatantly tempting the listener with themes that bulk out as a pimple. It smells of slothfulness if people are in need of a nice theme in order to even consider listening to the score, let alone enjoying it.

When we were children, we sure needed somebody to lull us with a melodic tune in order to fall asleep. And I wouldn't perhaps pick anything from this score to lull a baby.

Time will tell whether John Williams is still enjoying writing strong, memorable themes. But first and foremost, there must come a movie to need something thematic. WotW, the movie, wasn't that case.

Roman.-)

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

What Roman said.

[Adam 1]

I kind of agree with what Roman said though I tend to think that there's something more universal about tonality and melody that connects more widely not just with children. But one thing that is good about WotW is that it could easily be tempting for a comoser to think, summer blockbuster, Spielberg, War of the Worlds - I've got to write something big that everyone will remember. But, JW, to his credit doesn't seem to approach his assignments with these kinds of preconceived ideas, preferring to react completely to what the film suggests. So he did something that is impressive and different but probably less accessible unless one has cultivated a particular taste in that direction, although much of the action music is certainly very visceral.

- Adam

[Jacck 23]

It was really fun to watch the film and see what Williams was actually scoring when he wrote the music. I loved the way he scored those impressive camera moves with a held string note in Escape from the City - and after hearing Probing the Basement used in the film , I've grown to like it a lot more (although I wish we had the full version)... I really loved those eery string glissandos at the end of this track as the eye leaves the basement... I also adored the music when Rachel was singing to herself blindfolded in the basement, while Ray went and murdered that hobo dude (He had a name? LOL) ... Yeah, I really loved this score!

And the film was actually better than I expected I think

[TheRuleOfThirds 0]

Okay, at first, after seeing the movie, I didn't really like this score. I thought it was pretty disappointing, since it didn't really have the complexity or the grandness of the "film of the decade." Now that I'm hearing the music without the rest of the movie, it seems like Johnny developed the score on a smaller scale. Unfortunately, you don't hear it much in the movie.

I agree with the folks that say it's reminiscent of pre-Raiders Spielberg/Williams.

[TheRuleOfThirds 0]

"Attack on the Car"="Chasing UFOs"

[stewdog1 50]

I like what I hear so far. The opening track reminds me a lot of Vangelis style. At least the beginning of it.

For some reason this soundtrack has reminded me a lot of Jerry Goldsmith. Especially the action tracks. I wonder if this was a deliberate thing on JW's part. Does anyone else hear what I hear?

[TheRuleOfThirds 0]

Well, right now I certainly hear it. Oh wait, I'm "Move On" from Timeline

[stewdog1 50]

I'm probably nuts anyway.

[John Crichton 4]

I'm probably nuts anyway.

Well, that's what living in Smnol will do to you.

[stewdog1 50]

I'm probably nuts anyway.

Well, that's what living in Smnol will do to you.

I'm a product of my environment.

[Justin 2]

War of The Worlds - Original Soundtrack

One of my most anticipated scores of the year I was looking forward to this score maybe even a little more than Revenge of The Sith. So you can imagine my disapointment by Williams suprisingly uninspired score. Don't get me wrong, the score is not bad in anyway. The problem is much of it just seems like Williams filler music. There are several highlights such as The Intersection Scene (One of the scariest JW cues in recent memory.), The Return to Boston, and Epilogue. but much of it just seems fairly typical.

The biggest problem with the score is the lack of any thematic material. For a film with such a huge and emotional scope you'd think that some thematic material would be needed. Even if this was intended by Mr. Williams I'd have to say it was a bad call on the maestro's part. When listening to most of the cues I couldn't same that the track is from WOTW, it could easily be from The Patriot, Harry Potter, or Revenge of the Sith.

Like I said the score isn't bad and there are many cues that are quite good a few that are superb. I simply don't think it stands out from Williams other recent output. The complexity of the cues is impressive but it doesn't impress me enough to catch in my memory. It takes more than raw complexity to achieve a good score.

*RATING IS SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE CHANGE*

3/5

Justin

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

For a film with such a huge and emotional scope you'd think that some thematic material would be needed.

But one of the most surprising things about this film is it's lack of a HUGE scope?

I mean really, Justin....

[Lurker 5]

When listening to most of the cues I couldn't same that the track is from WOTW, it could easily be from The Patriot, Harry Potter, or Revenge of the Sith.

Yes, yes, yes! Or Minority Report or even The Lost World. Compare that to scores like Star Wars, Superman - The Movie, Jaws, Raiders, or E.T. Each score there is distinct and there is no mistaking Star Wars for Raiders of the Lost Ark or anything else. While I admire much of the music in War of the Worlds, it's awfully generic.

Neil

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

The biggest problem with the score is the lack of any thematic material.

One of its greatest strengths, as far as I'm concerned. I don't think the movie would have been nearly as good with some big main theme.

Yes, yes, yes!  Or Minority Report or even The Lost World.  Compare that to scores like Star Wars, Superman - The Movie, Jaws, Raiders, or E.T.  Each score there is distinct and there is no mistaking Star Wars for Raiders of the Lost Ark or anything else.  While I admire much of the music in War of the Worlds, it's awfully generic.

Most of Williams' big 70s blockbuster scores sound more or less interchangable, one could say. I'd call them more generic than his latest output in any case. In the 70s, it was extremely well written music with a typical John Williams sound, but very much "only" the typical style in the film scoring tradition. Nowadays, Williams has his very own, very distinct style.

Marian - who, to get to the point (which many will not like), considers WOTW to probably be a better score than Superman.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I can certainly see where Justin is coming from, and when I first listened to the CD I would have said the exact same thing. But I really recommend giving it several thoughtful listens. It's not terribly easy (for me) to enjoy, but now that I've gotten past my initial expectations (always dangerous when anticipating new scores), I've come to really appreciate and enjoy a good deal of the music. And yes, this is coming from Ray "I-like-themes-and-melodies-and-touching-sentimental-film-music" Barnsbury.

Ray Barnsbury

[Adam 1]

Justin is bothered that it doesn’t have themes AND for sounding like other scores and, yet, its absense of themes is the first time he’s ever done that in the history of his writing film scores that I’m aware of. So that makes it unique right there.

His decision to not use themes seems to stem from both the subject matter and more crucially Spielberg’s use of a realistic palette. Speilberg uses lots of hand-held cameras and wants the movie to feel closer to a documentary at least as compared to your normal cinema experience. So in light of that, JW’s decision makes a lot of sense in terms of not detracting from the realism and, again, its nice to have one out of his 80-some (?) scores have a different approach like that. And even aside from that it feels quite unique, especially compared to Harry Potter or The Patriot, but perceptions differ.

- Adam

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I really can't hear anything uninteresting about this music. Consider it another winner from the maestro. *****

[Jeshopk 8]

It’s been in my car CD player since I bought it. The music is very evocative of the scenes for which they were written. Lacking a theme, the music was free to comment on each different shade of dread, terror, melancholy, despair, ominous, or what have you. Free-form tone poem, like parts of Close Encounters, was a great way to tackle this assignment. Though Close Encounters has more motifs, its themeless scenes are just as powerful and riveting. This is a movie of such moments, and those moments are very rare in Hollywood. It is a non-operatic synergy between sound and vision, with a composer who uses the orchestra’s many variations and colours to paint each shot with its own distinct emotion. I recall vividly the scene when Ray finds the grenades in the jeep, a strange nasal chorus painted the event. It could be interpreted different ways, but to me it kept me thinking about the odd terror and urgency of the situation, and the fear of the unknown in going head to head with the beast. So themes or no, this film is painted with care, and has the potential to be memorable if the viewer feels inclined to repeat listenings and viewings.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

well there is that moment in track three where it sounds just like the Empires strikes back, at least for a second or two.

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

......  Compare that to scores like Star Wars, Superman - The Movie, Jaws, Raiders, or E.T.  Each score there is distinct and there is no mistaking Star Wars for Raiders of the Lost Ark or anything else.  While I admire much of the music in War of the Worlds, it's awfully generic.

Neil

I swear I couldn't tell Star Wars main titles and Superman march one from the other when I heard them for the first time. It was as difficult as it ever gets with marches, but now I don't see how I could not see that they are two completely different things but were those the beginnings. I had had the same difficulty of distinguishing middle parts of movements of Mahler and Mozart symphonies as well. I think I learnt to understand music better with time. Daring to tell so, but I believe I have improved upon my sensing the music. I remember how I couldn't stand the music I heard in the Always and these days it' among my more favorites by Williams. Call it maturing… :-)

Roman.-)

[Luke Skywalker 1,794]

Hearing it for te 1st time now

I fear the end credits are not there right?

I had to leave early from cinema

[Richard Penna 3,683]

I saw WotW yesterday and stayed for a bit of the credits. I think it launched straight into either Escape from the City or Attack on the Car (perhaps that track is a mislabelled end credits track), then a small horn bit segued into Ray & Rachel. Didn't stay any further than that but I think it was getting towards the end by then.

[Luke Skywalker 1,794]

I hpoed that. Thank god

Luke, who would have prefered a original piece (put on CD) but...

[SturgisPodmore 0]

Free-form tone poem.

Try saying that five times fast.

~Sturgis

[Luke Skywalker 1,794]

Is there in the soundtrack ( i think in the movie it was the ferry attack) the part when there is a female chorus, and then a baritone male solo makes some small appeareances. The male sound like the opera in ROTS.

I liked it, but i havent heard it, im with 2nd hearing now, lets hope.