• Categories

Vanilla 1.1.4 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

 
  1. Steven wrote
    The Rise of Skywalker John Williams

    It took three torturous shifts, but I finished this 50 minute academy promo album.

    It’s dull, empty, hollow and soulless. Thanks Disney.

    I haven't listened to it yet because I have no doubt that FYC is micro-edited to within an inch of the music's life. I don't plan on skipping half the scenes of the movie when I watch it either. smile
    •  
      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2019
    It doesn't really sound very edited at all to be honest. Have been listening to it almost non-stop. Can't wait for the proper album.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeDec 14th 2019
    I did the same when The Force Awakens came out. I was excited because it was a new John Williams score to a new Star Wars film. I think it could have been anything and I would have liked it. Now that the novelty has worn off, especially after the shitshow that was The Last Jedi, I can't get excited for generic John Williams action music.
  2. Dark Encounter (David Stone Hamilton)

    Was very surprised by this one, kicks emotional ass in the film (which I enjoyed more than a lot of people it seems). A fine example of a score that makes a movie better.
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
    • CommentAuthorDavid OC
    • CommentTimeDec 17th 2019
    Bombshell - Theodore Shapiro

    The cues with the female voices - and there are many - quickly feel like nails-down-a-chalkboard. Big fan of Shapiro but this is probably the most annoying element of any score I've heard in recent times.
  3. THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - John Williams

    A proper Star Wars score. The official album presentation is a much more cohesive experience than the FYC page was. The new theme in the cue "The Rise of Skywalker" is great. The return of so many themes is wonderful.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeDec 19th 2019 edited
    Like the films, I will be surprised if anyone remembers these scores in the coming years. The new themes have hardly affected pop culture. Apart from us film score nerds, who can recognise Rey's theme, the primary new theme from this new trilogy?

    This is the problem with trying to catch the same lightning in a different bottle, especially when it's headed by a risk-averse Disney committee.

    Surprisingly, The Mandalorian does a much better job. Though it is a bit thin on the story side...

    I'm really not trying to detract from people's enjoyment of anything Disney Star Wars related. I understand a lot of people do enjoy the new films and scores. That's great, and I wish I could too. But the shear lack of anything unique or original, the reliance on old ideas, the lifeless characters and actors who portray them, the corperate bullshit that goes with anything Star Wars these days... it's all just a mess. They're so bad they've given me new appreciation for the prequels. I still think the prequels suck, but at least they didn't come with Disney baggage.
  4. A lot of what you say Steven I agree with. My overriding feeling after listening to this most recent score is that I am glad it is all finished. I am most pleased that John Williams was able to complete all the films.

    But the score as a whole, and the new themes on the album are shadows of former glories. For me, a top spot for this as the score of 2019 is a nod to Williams rather than to the quality of the score (so far as heard on the album though I would be surprised if that would change after seeing the movie).
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  5. I just saw the film. I thought it was great. I liked it much better than the previous one. The CD arrives tomorrow. There were some impressive musical moments, but nothing that really stood out. But then, I am not very good in remembering music when watching a film for the first time.

    Volker
    Bach's music is vibrant and inspired.
  6. The new films have big problems, no doubt. The characters and story line are all problematic. I've been thinking a lot about all the problems with this new trilogy lately, but to go into all of those right now would take too much time.

    I've recently rewatched all the prequel films, though, and I have to say that this new trilogy is far more enjoyable for me than those are. The over-reliance on CGI characters and sets in the prequels has not aged well. The dialogue in the prequels is mostly just terrible. The directing and acting is also frequently awful. Even from actors that are normally really good. They are far more original than the new trilogy, but their whole packaging just makes them so much less fun for me than the new films, derivative as they are.

    Musically, I think the new trilogy is some of John Williams' best writing this decade. There are a wealth of enjoyable new themes for The Force Awakens, even if that's not true for the other two.

    FalkirkBairn wrote
    For me, a top spot for this as the score of 2019 is a nod to Williams rather than to the quality of the score (so far as heard on the album though I would be surprised if that would change after seeing the movie).


    If it ends up in my top spot for this year (which it may), I think it will be mainly because of nostalgia. Those Star Wars themes always bring me back to my childhood. And hearing Williams in Star Wars mode always feels a little bit like coming home. I'm biased enough toward his sound and those themes that I may well end up enjoying Rise of Skywalker more than anything else I've heard in 2019.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeDec 20th 2019
    My vote goes to How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. That's how you finish a trilogy.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeDec 21st 2019
    christopher wrote
    I may well end up enjoying Rise of Skywalker more than anything else I've heard in 2019.


    Yup. I’ve already listened to it more than any other new film score this year (and there have been some very good ones) and I’ve only had it a few days. Williams is in a league of his own. I’m almost exactly as old as Star Wars (a few weeks off) and its music has brought me great pleasure for most of that time. Whether it’s nostalgia or not doesn’t really matter to me - this new one is bringing me great pleasure now. God bless him. Five stars all day long.
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeDec 21st 2019
    It's certainly better than TLJ, but I'm not bowled over this time either. I doubt it gets a place in my top 10 of the year. But an honourable mention/runner-up should be feasible.
    I am extremely serious.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeDec 21st 2019
    christopher wrote

    If it ends up in my top spot for this year (which it may), I think it will be mainly because of nostalgia. Those Star Wars themes always bring me back to my childhood. And hearing Williams in Star Wars mode always feels a little bit like coming home. I'm biased enough toward his sound and those themes that I may well end up enjoying Rise of Skywalker more than anything else I've heard in 2019.


    Props for being honest. This was the main reason I used to enjoy The Force Awakens so much. For me, all that nostalgia and bias has evaporated thanks to Star Wars fatigue. Now all I hear is relatively generic John Williams action scoring with heavy reliance on old themes (cheapening the Force theme in the process thanks to its over use).

    I guess I'm biased in that I'm disappointed how a Star Wars score can sound so bland with less-than-stellar themes. Perhaps one day I'll enjoy them a bit more.
  7. NP: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - John Williams

    I have listened to the album with undivided attention three times now. I love it. I believe it's on par with "The Force Awakens" and better then "The Last Jedi". (Which has little new material and overuses the Force Theme, but is still a fine score.) Those nine scores are a fabulous body of work. So pleased, Williams could finish the series.

    smile Volker
    Bach's music is vibrant and inspired.
  8. As I did with the previous trilogies, I compiled a playlist from the final one. For anyone interested, this is my Star Wars Episodes Playlist:

    The Sequels:

    20th Century Fox Fanfare
    Main Title / Landing on Naboo
    Duel of the Fates
    Anakin's Theme
    Arrival at Tatooine / Flag Parade
    The Droid Invasion / Darth Maul
    Across the Stars (Love Theme)
    Yoda and the Younglings
    The Tusken Camp / The Homestead
    Love Pledge / The Arena
    Anakin's Dream
    Battle of the Heroes
    Anakin's Betrayal
    Anakin's Dark Deeds
    The Birth of the Twins / Padmé's Destiny
    Confrontation with Dooku / Finale

    The Original Films:

    20th Century Fox Fanfare
    Main Title / Blockade Runner
    The Dune Sea of Tatooine / Jawa Sandcrawler
    The Hologram / Binary Sunset
    Cantina Band
    Ben Kenoby's Death / Tie Fighter Attack
    Princess Leis's Theme
    The Imperial March
    Yoda's Theme
    The Asteroid Field
    Lando's Palace
    Yoda and the Force
    Han Solo Returns / Jabba the Hutt
    Luke and Leia
    The Forrest Battle
    The Emperor / The Dark Side Beckons / The Emperor's (apparent) Death
    Leia's News / Light of the Force
    Ewok Celebration (original)
    Victory Celebration / End Title

    The Sequels:

    Main Titles and the Attack on the Jakku Village
    Rey's Theme
    The Falcon
    Finn's Confession
    March of the Resistance
    Snoke
    Scherzo for X-Wing
    Ahch-To Island
    The Rebellion is Reborn
    The Sacred Jedi Texts
    The Last Jedi
    The Rise of Skywalker
    Anthem of Evil
    Approaching the Throne
    The Force is With You
    Farewell
    Reunion
    A New Home
    The Jedi Steps and Finale
    Bach's music is vibrant and inspired.
  9. NP: Watchmen (Reznor/Ross)

    The final trio of tracks on volume 3 are impressive. Closer to the idea of film music as pop music + sound design, but I’m reluctant to look down on it. As ever I wonder if I’d give the music time of day if the series wasn’t watchable, but when music stirs emotion, sometimes it doesn’t matter where it came from.



    Merry Christmas friends. I don’t get time to revisit often, but it’s nice to watch like a ghost on the wall and see Alan, Steven, James, Captain future, Thor (ahem), Erik and many more (is Bregt still here?) continuing the conversations.
    And for what it’s worth, I loved The Last Jedi, and won’t watch the new film. The music tells me Williams is both finishing this series and Harry Potter, as Rise of Skywalker has more of a dash of Hogwarts nostalgia about it. Beautiful work in parts though.
    smile
    A butterfly thinks therefore I am
    •  
      CommentAuthorAtham
    • CommentTimeDec 24th 2019
    Great to hear from you Franz!
    Been a while for sure!
  10. What are you listening to these days Atham?
    A butterfly thinks therefore I am
    •  
      CommentAuthorAtham
    • CommentTimeDec 25th 2019
    Well, it's all over the shop really. But I'm still loving good ol' Goldsmith, Horner, Williams etc. Plus a few gems from the last couple of years. Loving John Powell, some Elfman, Silvestri. I do enjoy the occasional modern style scores also. Spoilt for choice now days.
    •  
      CommentAuthorBregt
    • CommentTimeDec 26th 2019
    I'm still here, but not so much. smile

    Good to hear from you. However, daring to start with positive feedback about Reznor/Ross, is a brave return. biggrin
    Kazoo
  11. Bregt wrote
    I'm still here, but not so much. smile

    Good to hear from you. However, daring to start with positive feedback about Reznor/Ross, is a brave return. biggrin


    biggrin

    I'm surprised how long it's taking. wink

    NP: A Hidden Life (James Newton Howard)

    Nice to hear him tapping into the lovely Village mode again. Hopefully some of it makes the film.
    A butterfly thinks therefore I am
  12. Based on the reviews actually most of, if not all, of the album is in the film. Most "scored" Malick film since Thin Red Line.
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website
    •  
      CommentAuthorLSH
    • CommentTimeDec 29th 2019
    NP: JUMANJI - JAMES HORNER

    Bit of a weird one this. In such a fruitful year - the two big ones being Apollo 13 and Braveheart, and others like Casper and Balto - this one seems like a complete rush job (which it might very well have been, I don’t know). It feels like a mish-mash of ‘Hornerisms’ with no major hook. A film like this should have had a show-stopping big adventurous theme. Even Jackman’s sequel scores are more engaging, and I’m not his biggest of fans.
    •  
      CommentAuthorLSH
    • CommentTimeDec 29th 2019 edited
    PawelStroinski wrote
    Based on the reviews actually most of, if not all, of the album is in the film. Most "scored" Malick film since Thin Red Line.


    I would imagine so. Howard seems to be an extremely humble, patient and diplomatic individual, from what I’ve seen and heard. He certainly lacks the massive ego of Zimmer and Horner. Maybe that helped.
    • CommentAuthorJoep
    • CommentTimeDec 29th 2019
    I am not actually playing anything. Instead, I made a list of cues I want to try humming from start to finish, while thinking about all the musical details. It requires a focused mind.
  13. LSH wrote
    PawelStroinski wrote
    Based on the reviews actually most of, if not all, of the album is in the film. Most "scored" Malick film since Thin Red Line.


    I would imagine so. Howard seems to be an extremely humble, patient and diplomatic individual, from what I’ve seen and heard. He certainly lacks the massive ego of Zimmer and Horner. Maybe that helped.


    Hans has a massive ego in collaboration?! Not what I heard.
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeDec 30th 2019
    PawelStroinski wrote
    Hans has a massive ego in collaboration?! Not what I heard.


    Me neither. He seems very adaptable and humble in collaborative circumstances. I think Morricone would be a better example in this case (you know, he likes to "fire" directors and so on, LOL!), although in the case of DAYS OF HEAVEN, the end result was pretty damn good anyway.
    I am extremely serious.
  14. He pretty much is. The only collaborative problems I've heard of are Pearl Harbor (which he had to write against his instincts), Matchstick Men (I don't know the details, but reportedly the DVD making-of is rather honest in that regard, but it wasn't the reason why Hans quit Kingdom of Heaven) and Dunkirk (which ended up being written as envisioned by Nolan rather than by Hans himself and it led to him having to go on tour and leave the final bits of scoring under Balfe's supervision; again asked about it, Hans told me that he HAS TO do Dune, which he waited for "his whole life").
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website
  15. Though on Thin Red Line the most famous piece of that score came out of actually going against Malick's wishes and writing a cue Hans' way after an hours-long argument.

    When I asked him once if he'd work with Malick again: "No, if we are to remain friends". In a Criterion interview he mentions Malick admitted to him they were "fighting, but fighting like brothers" on the project.
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website