JOHN WILLIAMS

Yes - but apart from sporadic arrivals from Varese's UK distributor none of them has ever shown willing. I get some stuff from La-La, BSX and some of Beth Krakower's things (the ones she is allowed to send to the UK) but that's about it apart from Varese. Even Ray Costa's gang cut me out and just stopped replying to emails, which was when I knew I was fighting a losing battle since they are a film music promotion specialist and hence know that the only places they will actually get any CDs reviewed are at websites (I bet all the soundtrack labels send out loads of promos to music magazines and newspapers, but never actually get anything reviewed). So for the last couple of years I just haven't bothered seeking out anything. I'm not that bothered any more, I still seem to be able to write plenty of reviews of new albums. I do think people like FSM and Intrada shoot themselves in the foot by not sending promos to people like me, who would actually review their albums, unlike any of the people they actually do send them to with very occasional exceptions.

I can kind of see where you're coming from. KOTCS doesn't reach the same level of quality as the previous Indy scores, but it's almost ridiculous to think they would be. The original three are some of the best adventure scores ever. Expecting it to compare some 20 years later is just asking to be disappointed.

I've listened to it about four or five times now, and I love every second of it (well, maybe not the mariachi stuff ). The Crystal theme is perfectly eerie and is showcased with several variations in many of the tracks, and reaches some amazing peaks in tracks like "Call of the Crystal". "Irian's Theme" is gorgeous and sounds a bit like a twisted love theme (love the sax in this by the way).

The action material is not up there with his best stuff, but it's far from generic. There's no way you could listen to something like "The Jungle Chase" and use the word generic. The interplay of Mutt's, Irina's and Indy's Themes make this track a real highlight for me. I especially like the way he twists and plays with Indy's Theme. This track is more in the style like something from Hook rather than previous Indy movies.

There are quite a few quieter tracks that probably won't sound like much on a first listen, but most of them are filled with interesting thematic variations.

He also has a lot of fun with Indy's Theme for the last time we hear it "Finale" that gave me giddy goosebumps the first time I heard it.

Like I said, I wasn't expecting Williams to return to his past style for this score, and he didn't (for the most part). It's not a score that will knock you off your ass in brilliance, but it is very good. I'd say it's easily better than both ROTS and AOTC; perhaps not TPM and Azkaban though. It's a score that is easily better than 90% of the stuff we're served up today however.

Can't wait to have the actual CD this Tuesday!

I don't think it's ridiculous at all. Williams has proven that he can return to that old school form in some of his more recent efforts and it's a bit didsappointing to hear such great Indy inspired music in Chamber of Secret yet not hear it in the new Indy movie.



You said it... sound like Hook. Shouldn't it sound like Indy? And sure, Williams farts around with Irina's Theme and Mutt's theme but it's whats underneath that is plain and generic. Like I said earlier, it would have been great to base the track around the Olympic Fanfare rhythm and go from there. Instead we get the same tired swirling strings and low trumpet growls that we have been hearing from Williams since The Patriot. And honestly, that kind of writing isn't all that impressive.



Agreed! But when when I get something from John Williams I just expect a bit more from him. Iit's the lifts from previous scores and the lighthearted nature of the action material that really turns me off. I never expected that from a Williams score.

-Erik-

The lifts don't really bother me that much since the ones I heard were few and far between. As to the lighthearted nature, I would assume that's dictated by the film and isn't something that we can necessarily blame Williams for (wearing my defender hat here, haha). I actually really like Mutt's Theme and The Snake Pit, but I can understand why someone else wouldn't.

Williams' days are over. I thought that if the score failed to be a strong effort -- with such easy theme to fall back upon and a grand scale flick to create good stuff -- that he's emptied his bag of tricks. There will never be a "Jaws" from this man again.

R.I.P Bag Of Tricks.

My Williams top ten would include two scores from the last three or four years, so his days are very much not over as far as I'm concerned. It seems highly unlikely that he will ever again score anything not directed by Steven Spielberg, but even so there is more than a distinct chance that there will be some great music to come. Who couldn't be excited by the prospect of Lincoln?

I know... just hoping Lincoln will follow. Tintin - not sure about that one!

What about the Star Wars prequels? Or the Jurassic Park Mr. DNA video?



-Erik-

How could I forget Mr. DNA?

Tintin?!? Meaning... Rin Tintin???

Spielberg must be losing his damn mind...

INDEED! Great Childhood Memories

Hah!