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      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2017 edited
    IT: SAMPLES OF A SCORE - Benjamin Wallfisch

    Let me start out with saying that Benjamin certainly does several things right - the almost Desplat-like grounding of his score in a classic fashion, his reliance on the orchestra, the utilization of vocal effects to creepy effect, his Penderecki/Herrmann strings - it's all there. But there's also mood-killing drumsamples and modern effects. And he repeats his cool ideas. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. There's something seriously wrong with this album, and it could have easily been fixed - heck, I keep deleting tracks off my playlist as I go along on first listen. It gives you the idea Benjamin has run out of creativity after its first half hour - stick around, because he has a few new tricks up his sleeve later on, but he manages to keep my interest just barely. And that's not necissarily his fault, but of his album compiler. Also, the stop/start nature of most of its tracks prevents you from getting sucked in. It's pretty weird to have a score release that's an hour and a half, yet never takes its room to breathe, as all tracks try to do its thing as quickly as possible (or not, as some of them don't really go anywhere nor contribute anything but I'm sure serve a purpose I the film and oh, beware someone catches a glimpse of it in the film and won't able to find it on album!) and get out again, a few times even stopping abrub
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      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2017
    So you've made your own playlist? I considered doing the same (keeping much of the fine 'coming-of-age' music, and perhaps a couple of the better horror cues for variety), but I already have long queue of albums where I need to do the same (the OLSENBANDEN 3CD set, the two BEVERLY HILLS COP albums etc.), so I just deleted my promo. But I'll reacquire it if there is a good playlist to be programmed.
    I am extremely serious.
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      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2017 edited
    Not really - I started out doing so as I went along, deleting cues I thought didn't contribute anything new, until I realized i came across tracks that repeated tricks but also expanded a bit on them, which meant I shouldn't delete THAT track, but the one that came before because that one was made redundant in hindsight, and what track was that exactly?, and why didn't the album producer do this?, and then I realized only a handful of the horror tracks genuinely caught my attention and only they should be in the playlist along with the more classically inclined dramatic and thematic parts, but not all of them and - long story short, I just terminated my listening after fast forwarding to the final few tracks, and even thought Kiss was redundant, and ended my listening frustrated. Mainly because there IS a pretty good horror score in there, but I don't want to work so much for it.
    • CommentAuthorDavid OC
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2017
    American Gangster - Marc Streitenfeld

    I had no idea - this is actually good! Wonderful main theme and Streitenfeld does plenty of interesting things in shaping and re-shaping it.
  1. American Gangster is his best score probably. Body of Lies isn't that bad either, really.

    Hans Zimmer - Crimson Tide

    That's one I haven't heard for ages. The album compilation isn't perfect for a couple of reasons, one track is too long (1SQ fares really well in that regard, actually), I'd pick different material for Alabama too (there's a nice melodic moment that could replace the "boat-sinks-but-not" cue in that track), I do miss the main title (I probably told the story more than once, but I've been looking for the main title cue for AGES just to find it... in a promo of Jablonsky's Transformers), but it actually holds itself together well. It's not just the score's intelligence and what it does with the film. It's also how organic the score feels because of all the French horn/solo trumpet (how I miss that one!) writing.

    And the atmosphere is still quite unique.
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website
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      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeSep 13th 2017
    I adore the "album compilation" of that, myself.
    I am extremely serious.
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      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017 edited
    Ok, I think I've got IT down to a 16 track, 41 minutes playlist. This shouldn't be much longer than that, really. May need to shuffle the tracks some more for balance.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    christopher wrote
    It is generally accepted that opinions about music are subjective and that all are entitled to their own. However, in this case, Aidabaida, I'm afraid that the Captain's signature is an incontrovertible FACT, and that your opinion is incorrect. You are still entitled to your wrong opinion, of course.

    biggrin


    well the whole world would agree on bach's brilliance so he's on his own i guess wink
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    DreamTheater wrote
    Captain Future wrote
    NP: The 13th Warrior (1999) - Jerry Goldsmith

    A capable man, that Goldsmith fellow. I need to explore his work further.




    biggrin


    Before B. Tyler came along, this capable man scored the same type of films but actually wrote interesting and good to great scores to accompany them.








    I'll get my coat... I know when to GTFO. tongue


    No, no, you do have some very valid points here. All those films now are scored with totally unmemorable, copy-paste autopilotish blahhh scores.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    BobdH wrote
    IT: SAMPLES OF A SCORE - Benjamin Wallfisch

    Let me start out with saying that Benjamin certainly does several things right - the almost Desplat-like grounding of his score in a classic fashion, his reliance on the orchestra, the utilization of vocal effects to creepy effect, his Penderecki/Herrmann strings - it's all there. But there's also mood-killing drumsamples and modern effects. And he repeats his cool ideas. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. There's something seriously wrong with this album, and it could have easily been fixed - heck, I keep deleting tracks off my playlist as I go along on first listen. It gives you the idea Benjamin has run out of creativity after its first half hour - stick around, because he has a few new tricks up his sleeve later on, but he manages to keep my interest just barely. And that's not necissarily his fault, but of his album compiler. Also, the stop/start nature of most of its tracks prevents you from getting sucked in. It's pretty weird to have a score release that's an hour and a half, yet never takes its room to breathe, as all tracks try to do its thing as quickly as possible (or not, as some of them don't really go anywhere nor contribute anything but I'm sure serve a purpose I the film and oh, beware someone catches a glimpse of it in the film and won't able to find it on album!) and get out again, a few times even stopping abrub


    I am pretty sure it was a standard studio exec / producer thing of: "dude, just write some creepy scary strings and such, ya know to scare their pants off, and then throw some SWWWOOOSHHH BOOOMMM daymn electronic and BASSSS to rock the house for the teenagers to like dudeee!!!"
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017 edited
    Demetris wrote
    BobdH wrote
    IT: SAMPLES OF A SCORE - Benjamin Wallfisch

    Let me start out with saying that Benjamin certainly does several things right - the almost Desplat-like grounding of his score in a classic fashion, his reliance on the orchestra, the utilization of vocal effects to creepy effect, his Penderecki/Herrmann strings - it's all there. But there's also mood-killing drumsamples and modern effects. And he repeats his cool ideas. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. And repeats them. There's something seriously wrong with this album, and it could have easily been fixed - heck, I keep deleting tracks off my playlist as I go along on first listen. It gives you the idea Benjamin has run out of creativity after its first half hour - stick around, because he has a few new tricks up his sleeve later on, but he manages to keep my interest just barely. And that's not necissarily his fault, but of his album compiler. Also, the stop/start nature of most of its tracks prevents you from getting sucked in. It's pretty weird to have a score release that's an hour and a half, yet never takes its room to breathe, as all tracks try to do its thing as quickly as possible (or not, as some of them don't really go anywhere nor contribute anything but I'm sure serve a purpose I the film and oh, beware someone catches a glimpse of it in the film and won't able to find it on album!) and get out again, a few times even stopping abrub


    I am pretty sure it was a standard studio exec / producer thing of: "dude, just write some creepy scary strings and such, ya know to scare their pants off, and then throw some SWWWOOOSHHH BOOOMMM daymn electronic and BASSSS to rock the house for the teenagers to like dudeee!!!"


    I seriously doubt that. I think we should hold a composer a lot more responsible for the scores they write, and not write everything off to producers or directors (unless it's obvious, in such cases as Dunkirk). Most of all because in this case, the elements are all there. He employs a full orchestra, creates themes, and does some pretty complex writing in the horror segments including some wild vocal experiments - he clearly got room to experiment. The elements to a great horror score are there, he just needed to shuffle his ingredients better, or prepare a way better album.

    And the drumsamples - well, he did make the conscious decision to work for Zimmer, go in that direction, and have access to all those samples. He's a grown up man, he could've made the case against them, to have his score fit in the timezone of the film, but he probably chose them for the 'otherworldly' effect for IT. And they're not as present so as to cater to a certain audience or pleasure a studio exec, it's not in your face electronics. I'm just bothered by the fact they are there. But I don't know. Interviews with the man should in the future should clear things.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017 edited
    difference is that i always think of the movie it was written for, in that context you know, who it addresses, etc. i mean IT is a big dumb 'oohh so scaryyyy'' film with clowns , for teens, obviously. Done pretty well so i should say. But it's that, so everything revolves around this context in every film, including the music.

    n.p. aaron zigman - wakefield

    I like Zigman 'cause he's one of the few who still write completely orchestral, small-scale, charming strings and piano themes, overall nostalgic, wholly organic, slightly hypnotic, eager to watch the film. the main theme is beautiful. There's dark undertones to everything, not surprising if you see the movie's premise.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    Demetris wrote
    difference is that i always think of the movie it was written for, in that context you know, who it addresses, etc. i mean IT is a big dumb 'oohh so scaryyyy'' film with clowns , for teens, obviously.


    Not only for teens. People my age are also very much in the target audience -- who not only grew up with the book and mini-series, but also lived in the 80s (they moved the plot from the 60s to the 80s). So like STRANGER THINGS and other films and series these days, it tries to cater to people, especially males, between 30 and 40. But also get the teens, of course.
    I am extremely serious.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    Yes, true, there's the original subject matter and the whole nostalgia thing etc. The way the movie is made and marketed though, is mostly for teens. Especially if you see the kind and type of attention it gets with memes and all in places like reddit, 9gag, social media etc.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorBregt
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    David OC wrote
    Sense8 - Johnny Klimek & Tom Tykwer

    Against all reason this has become one of my most played scores of the year to date. Heavy emphasis on more electronic than organic soundscapes and action but it has great energy and benefits from many long, well developed cues that create an almost hypnotic flow.

    Well, this was a good listen indeed! Quite a surprise. Nothing very extraordinary but an enthusiast, and like you say, energetic score. The second track Interconnected is defenitely a highlight.
    Kazoo
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    ^ is the series worth it?
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    It's OK.
    I am extremely serious.
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      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017 edited
    Demetris wrote
    difference is that i always think of the movie it was written for, in that context you know, who it addresses, etc. i mean IT is a big dumb 'oohh so scaryyyy'' film with clowns , for teens, obviously. Done pretty well so i should say. But it's that, so everything revolves around this context in every film, including the music.


    Having read the book, I know this is not a big dumb story simply for teens. I haven't seen the film yet, but the (1000+ page) book deals with the KKK, the killing of a gay man, child abuse and incestuous rape, which are toned down (Cary Fukunaga's version had it a lot more explicitly), but the ideas (an overarching theme for King, regular people can be a lot more scary than the supernatural) are still in there. Sure, it's also catered at teens going for a scare, and of course Pennywise gets picked up in memes, and of course that aspect is what the marketing exploits, but there's a lot more to it. But I haven't seen the film yet so I can't really go into this yet.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    watch the film first and then we talk smile it is big and dump. entertaining kind of dump.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    alan silvestri - contact

    they don't make them like this anymore
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017 edited
    alan silvestri - van helsing

    love it, although it doesn't hold against the brilliant opening cue and main theme: transylvania something wink
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
  2. Van Helsing rocks. I know the album is basically 45 minutes of straight action music (it would have been good if they had added 15 minutes of softer material from the complete score) but this was one of the scores that really got me into film music, actually.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    actually i prefer the official release without the boring underscore smile the action music on official album is fantastic.yes, great score. My favorite would be beowulf though.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
  3. Yeah the complete has too much dead air, a lot of boring horror type stuff. But I think filling out the regular album with a bit more of the reflective stuff (the quieter statements of the beautiful theme from "Reunited") would have been a good idea, let the album breathe a bit and not be such a constant onslaught of action music.

    Beowulf is good too but doesn't have the variety of Van Helsing.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    true,but those main theme renditions are bold and kick-ass!

    n.p. alberto iglesas-julietta

    huge sucker for this man's mysterious, charming, dark and sexy music. Always gets me with his noir melancholy. Any other Iglesias fans here ? i find it very difficult to find a score he did that i don't like.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    I find it very difficult to find an Iglesias score that I LIKE. Never been a fan. I'm also not a fan of Almodovar, and although I thought JULIETA was OK, it contained most of the things that irritate me with the director.
    I am extremely serious.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    Maybe it's that. They are so closely connected, both bodies of their work. Huge fan of Almodovar here.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
  4. Iglesias has never been a particular favorite of mine either. I find his music pretty impenetrable.
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    Edmund Meinerts wrote
    Iglesias has never been a particular favorite of mine either. I find his music pretty impenetrable.


    it's cold on the surface, but if you like noir, there's so much flair and passion underneath. it's not easy i'll give you that. i remember, franz was a huge igleasias fan.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
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      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeSep 14th 2017
    NP: BATMAN (Danny Elfman)

    Going through my Elfman collection chronologically in preparation for the (hopeful) interview in Vienna in two weeks. This is no. 10. 84 more to go.....
    I am extremely serious.