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Horner's Williams rip-off in Rocketeer


Incanus

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I listened to the Horner's great Rocketeer score awhile back (I had noticed the thing also while watching the film) and there is the most blantant rip off from Star Wars in the music. The main bad guy motif is note for note the Death Star motif. I am not going to bad mouth Horner anymore here as we know his tendensies for self plagiarism but this is so blantant and irritating that I could not help to whine about it here on the MB.

For shame Mr. Horner! for shame!

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Oh come on, man. The Rocketeer is one of Horner's best. I'm normally the last guy to defend him, but The Rocketeer is one of the few that does not deserve such criticism. Go pick-on "Enemy at the Gates". 8O

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I was listening to the Main Title from Aliens and part of the stringwork reminded me very much of A.I.

James Horner has a time machine!  :)

Obviously every composer throught the centuries has had a time machine. What else could explain these blantant rip- offs. These similar note patterns and identical rhythms and all similarities between pieces of music ;)

This originality thing has been discussed quite thoroughly.

My mantra is listen less music outside your favourite composer i.e. find less "rip offs" (knowledge is pain).

ROTFLMAO

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I personally think that Rocketeer is one of Horner's best scores. The only bad thing is the Death Star rip off.

It has boundless sense of fun and adventure. The theme is one of the most flowing compositions I have heard. Horner's good side. Many of the tracks are indeed variations (great variations) on that theme so basically this means that Morlock has to like big part of the score. :)

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I personally think that Rocketeer is one of Horner's best scores. The only bad thing is the Death Star rip off.

It has boundless sense of fun and adventure. The theme is one of the most flowing compositions I have heard. Horner's good side. Many of the tracks are indeed variations (great variations) on that theme so basically this means that Morlock has to like big part of the score.  :thumbup:

Don't forget Horner used JW's orchestrator for this score, and Horner's sketches are not as extensive as Williams', so the orchestrator has an important role in Horner's music. I'm talking about John Neufeld of course.

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  • 2 weeks later...

What's so funny is that, more than The Rocketeer being a rip of Williams, it is more so a rip of Horner's own previous material!! Just a very brief example: listen to the finish of the end titles for Star Trek II, and then do the same for The Rocketeer. It is exactly the same!!

Not to start bashing on Horner (because I liked the Rocketeer), but if you really want a belly-laugh regarding his "borrowing" just listen to his score for "Battle Beyond The Stars." Be sure to have a copy of Goldsmith's "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" handy!

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I find it easier to excuse rip-offs than music that doesn't fit a scene. If a composer plagiarizes someone else, but it worked perfectly with the movie, then let the courts worry about the "originality." The Death Star theme worked for Neville Sinclair. So what? Maybe that's what Joe Johnston wanted? He did design the Death Star.

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