KK 3,313 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Powell defines mediocrity in film music? You sure we're talking about the same composer here?He's not wrong.What CLASSIC scores has Powell done?What does that mean?
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 What has he done that can stand alongside the best of JW, Goldsmith, Herrmann, Rozsa, etc?
nightscape94 968 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 How to Train Your Dragon is probably as close as he's likely to get. Not a bad effort, though.
KK 3,313 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 What has he done that can stand alongside the best of JW, Goldsmith, Herrmann, Rozsa, etc?I don't think Desplat, Giacchino, Elfman, Young, Marianelli, Arnold, Silvestri, etc have yet to write anything that stands along the maestros' best. I had no idea these were all mediocre composers... Koray Savas and A. A. Ron 2
Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,262 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 They are if you're an old fart!
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 What has he done that can stand alongside the best of JW, Goldsmith, Herrmann, Rozsa, etc? I don't think Desplat, Giacchino, Elfman, Young, Marianelli, Arnold, Silvestri, etc have yet to write anything that stands along the maestros' best. I had no idea these were all mediocre composers...You think Powell has written music as popular and influentual as Silvestri or Elfman?
King Mark 3,975 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Relating to a previous thread, i don't have much John Powell cues saved in best of compilations
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 So music now has to be as popular and influential as Silvestri's, Elfman's or Williams' in order to be good?Not at all. But Silvestri and Elfman are already a step down from Williams, Goldsmith and Herrmann, and Powell is a step down from that, isnt he basically third rate?
publicist 4,650 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 So music now has to be as popular and influential as Silvestri's, Elfman's or Williams' in order to be good?Not at all. But Silvestri and Elfman are already a step down from Williams, Goldsmith and Herrmann, and Powell is a step down from that, isnt he basically third rate?With a few exceptions, i don't think Silvestri is better. Elfman sometimes.
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 But it's the few exceptions that ultimately count.
publicist 4,650 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Maybe, maybe not. Powell has written more interesting music in the 2000's. He just wasn't there in 1985.
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Elfman and Silvestri are normally reliable composers who produce solid work that supports the film well and makes for a good listen on CD. But both have occasionally had scores that rise above that. And it's those few scores that cemented their reputation and enhanced their careers.Powell is also a reliable composer who has produced consistently effective and entertaining music, but didnt really have that smash hit that he will be remembered for. A Batman or BTTF.
publicist 4,650 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Stefan, i don't rate scores by their general popularity. BATMAN i don't find that great and just say for the record that there are select Powell cues (from BOURNE, MR. & MRS. SMITH, ICE AGE 3, KUNG FU PANDA, HANCOCK, HTTYD) i rate more highly.I wish Silvestri would write an animation score as inspired as MARS NEEDS MOMS...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Well, I have to agree that batman is possibly the most overrated orchestral score ever. But I realize I'm an minority.
publicist 4,650 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 I much prefer BATMAN RETURNS but the Goldenthal takes the cake.
Sharkissimo 1,978 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 What has he done that can stand alongside the best of JW, Goldsmith, Herrmann, Rozsa, etc?I don't think Desplat, Giacchino, Elfman, Young, Marianelli, Silvestri, etc have yet to write anything that stands along the maestros' best. I had no idea these were all mediocre composers...Well said.
Richard P 5,303 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Well, I have to agree that batman is possibly the most overrated orchestral score ever. But I realize I'm an minority.I saw the film a year or two ago and felt no need to own the soundtrack afterwards. I'm with you.My problem with Powell is an odd one - he has such a strong style which is tied to either animation or textural/percussion material, that it seems difficult for him to break out and do something more mainstream.Even X-Men 3 feels oddly restrained. Maybe it's that he doesn't do concert suites or 'theme' tracks on his CDs (and that some recent ones have a billion tracks) and it makes it feel less like music.
Rachael Foley 10,162 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 How to Train Your Dragon is probably as close as he's likely to get. Not a bad effort, though.Even though its Co-wrote with HGW, Chicken Run is closer IMHO.
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Do you wanna buy my signed copy, Koray?
Muad'Dib 2,059 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Horton is good, but his cue is by far the best. I want a whole score like this!
Sharkissimo 1,978 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Strong Mario Nascimbene influence, with a bit of Welcome to the Pleasuredome.
KK 3,313 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 What has he done that can stand alongside the best of JW, Goldsmith, Herrmann, Rozsa, etc? I don't think Desplat, Giacchino, Elfman, Young, Marianelli, Arnold, Silvestri, etc have yet to write anything that stands along the maestros' best. I had no idea these were all mediocre composers...You think Powell has written music as popular and influentual as Silvestri or Elfman?To be honest, I find Powell a more interesting composer than Silvestri.And this is where we seem to differ Steef, I don't find popularity as a measure of quality. It's a tough world out there if every composer is expected to write something like Star Wars to be considered a good composer. Does the fact that most people in the public have never heard a note of The Red Violin make Corigliano a mediocre composer?Also, popularity has a lot to do with the kind of films the composers are scoring. Considering Powell has mostly been scoring mediocre films and animated stuff, I don't think he ever had a big chance to resonate with the mainstream audience. And yet his stuff for Bourne was quite popular and influential in its own way. But that's irrelevant to me. Good music is good music, and you don't have to be the next John Williams to make it to my list. Koray Savas 1
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Oh shut up Koray! You love everything!
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 The voices in your head?I have them too.But I ignore them and just keep killing!
crocodile 9,724 Posted June 17, 2014 Posted June 17, 2014 Part 2 of the FSM interview is now up (for subscribers, obviously). In it, Tim Burden talk about John's film scoring hiatus, infamous The Spitfire Audio interview, online fanbase (just a bit) and, most extensively, about his concert works (past, present and future). Good listen.Karol
Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,262 Posted June 17, 2014 Posted June 17, 2014 I like composers who talk about themselves. It's nice to know something about them as actual humans. Too bad JW is too "shy" to ever give interviews like this....
Rachael Foley 10,162 Posted June 17, 2014 Posted June 17, 2014 Nice to have you back TGP, some guy named Who? had to fill the void.
Rachael Foley 10,162 Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZtvV1RuqFo&feature=youtu.be
Jay 46,244 Posted July 29, 2014 Posted July 29, 2014 Zimmer confirmed for Kung Fu Panda 3, no word yet on if Powell will return as wellhttp://filmmusicreporter.com/2014/07/25/hans-zimmer-to-return-for-kung-fu-panda-3/
Muad'Dib 2,059 Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 Well according to Hans-Zimmer.com Powell is returning too but apparently Hans can't confirm it yet, so we'll have to wait and see.However, according to that very same page most of the second score seems to be written in heavy collaboration with both composers' assistants. I have the theory that this was due to rewrites of the score at the last minute as I seem to recall some early clips of the movie with different music. One of the cues that's pure Powell though is Po Finds the Truth which I always thought was pure Zimmer.
Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,262 Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Anyone know any reason why he would be in NYC this week? Could have sworn I just saw him.
Muad'Dib 2,059 Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Well I was in NY but in May, maybe it was a delayed reaction?
crocodile 9,724 Posted October 28, 2014 Posted October 28, 2014 A cool interview - gotta love the guy (courtesy of Kaya Savas' Film Music Media): You can hear some X-Men:The Last Stand chorus (and origin of lyrics): Karol SafeUnderHill and Muad'Dib 2
Muad'Dib 2,059 Posted October 29, 2014 Posted October 29, 2014 That was bloody fanastic! Thank you so much for sharing!!
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