[Closed] Now Playing XXXIV

NP - Aliens - James Horner

This is my third time through this album. I have a 9 track Varese album - I'm assume that's not the expanded one.

I have to admit that it's a lot harder for me to enjoy Horner's 80s scores than his 90s scores. I got into film music in 1995 with Braveheart. It was Horner's more melody sweeping style that I originally fell in love with. Then I heard all this great praise for Horner's superiod 80s music, and I just don't connect some of the albums that others seem to love like I connect with some of his later stuff.

For me, Horner's 80s highlights are Glory (which is still my favorite of his), The Journey of Natty Gann, Star Trek II, Field of Dreams (mostly just for "The Place Where Dreams Come True"- one of my favorite tracks by Horner), and Cocoon (for the theme).

I still haven't really gotten Willow (it's got good moments, but for me it's just okay most of the time), Aliens (too scary, unsettling, etc. for my tastes), or the much ballyhooed Krull. What can I say? Maybe after years of listening to these scores I will realize that I was an idiot when I said this, but for now, give me most of Horner's later scores before them any day.



...I'll get my coat...

The expanded Varese Deluxe Edition version of Aliens is probably not for you then.

The Expanded has some interesting cues (Combat drop) but it's a hard listening experience.

About What Erik's said, I find the atmospheric tracks really boring. They doesn't have the creative orchestrations of , for example, Ellioth Goldenthal's scores. The only insteresting textures is the little motif from Goldsmith previous score. I don't think Horner is good with dark or dissonant scores...

^ What Timmer said!

-Erik-

About Aliens, it helps that the movie is my most-viewed one of all time, I love it to death, in no small part thanks to the score... That score was the first experience I had with music in a film, where the overall feel of the images was amplified tenfold. From that low rumble and loud crash during the opening titles all the way to the haunting end credits, I wouldn't want anything changed. The final hour holds some of the best Horner composing to date and made me a devoted Horner-fan for a very long time. But with all this being said, Aliens isn't in my top 5 of the man, though I guess it's in the top 10. The reason? The atmosphere music which works perfect in the film doesn't hold my interest when listening on album. But I love it for everything else score-wise.

Thankfully, the expanded added so much more coolness that I loved in the film: the militaristic motif when we first see the Sulaco, the Ripley nightmare cue, the encounter with the two facehuggers. And of course the unused Combat Drop, which was rightly dropped from the film for being too bombastic.

NP - Final Fantasy - Elliot Goldenthal

Until this year I had never heard a single score by Goldenthal In recent months I bought three of them. This is my favorite of the three. Every track on this album feels so epic, and the LSO sounds so huge! This isn't typically the kind of film music I enjoy most, but if I'm in the right mood, this score is a welcome diversion from my normal listening habits.

Enemy at the Gates - James Horner

Another underrated gem. A little heavy on the 4-note motif, but I love the choral music (Horner does not write enough of that music). The opening 15-minute track and Betrayal are especially stunning.

Oh, you do go on sometimes!!

I know that this Varese version is your favourite! You've mentioned it several times now recently.

Did I?
That Varese issue? The one conducted by Varujan Kojian?
That's a great one incidentally!
I recommend it highly!

Still available second hand for a reasonable price. It's on the Varese label, actually, no. VCD 47304 , and it's conducted by Varujan Kojian, who's conducting the The Utah Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, under auspices of Varujan Kojian, who incidentally conducts my favourite rerecording of The Sea Hawk. On the Varese label.

Amen, brother.
That would have been the definitive version.

NP: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Christophe Beck

Not bad, but very unoriginal and uninspiring

well, at least those adventure cues were a lot more rousing in Journey, plus the main theme reminds me of something, I just can't place it

NP : LIVE AND LET DIE - George Martin

I like em too, score and film. I still remember when the score was just released a young couple in a record shop would buy this CD and saying the music rocked, and I remember them not being into film music at all, so The Rock definitely did its part to convert non-believers into semi-believers, at the very least. It's accessible, fun and has a hell of a choral theme...