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JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
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- CommentAuthorfranz_conrad
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
I reckon Signs and Snow Falling on Cedars would both be in the top 3 from this list.A butterfly thinks therefore I am -
- CommentAuthorplindboe
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
1.Prince of tides
2.Atlantis
3.Restoration
Peter
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- CommentAuthorPanthera
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
1. Dinosaur
2. Lady in the Water
3. Blood Diamond -
- CommentAuthorfranz_conrad
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
plindboe wrote
1.Prince of tides
Peter
The laughs on you my friend if you think that score's the best he's done.A butterfly thinks therefore I am -
- CommentAuthorTrekkinD
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
1. Waterworld
2. Atlantis
3. Dinosaur -
- CommentAuthorDemetris
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008 edited
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD - i am legend
Gets better with each listen; certainly a very surprising score, especially coming after a bunch of mediocre / careless ones from the composer and not long after having read about the minimal use of music in the film.
It's very strange you know...it's so simple and restrained and at the same time kinda raw but still mystifying, intimate and very captivating in a slightly odd fashion. I'd say that the wonderful use of the string section and the choice of harmony is spot-on, very cleverly constructed so that it carries a lot of hidden energy underneath and emotional tension.
Apart the very strong main theme with its repetitions and the beautiful "i'm listening" piano rendition plus the fascinating percussive thunder of "The Jagged Edge", i'd recommend just listening to "The Pier"... loud and a couple of times in a row...try to feel the music. There's a seemingly simple procession of long chords by the full orchestra and choir there but which are very thrilling and emotionally charged in reality. 'Bout time i say.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthorfranz_conrad
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Of course if you're listening to 'The Pier', then listen in particular to 2:31-2:....
A butterfly thinks therefore I am -
- CommentAuthorDavid
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
I'd like to bring up Howard's score to Michael Clayton for a moment. Like most of you, I dismissed this score as uninspired, cold, and just plain bad. The first two or three times I listened to it were on nice, sunny days where I was in a fairly good mood and couldn't connect with the music at all.
I just finished listening to it once more. It's three in the morning here, and I'm neither happy nor upset, just content. I sat back turned the lights off and let the music play. I was astonished that I actually enjoyed it. I'm not going to say it's an amazing score, far from it, but I do believe that it is very much a score that needs to be played at a very specific time and during a specific mood, or it simply won't work. Give it a try. You may still hate it, but you might just find it has some merit after all. -
- CommentAuthorDemetris
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Nahh...sorry mate. You just can't bring up Michael Clayton after I am Legend.
Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthorCristian
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
I Am Legend is JNH at his best. I'm a sucker for emotional/dramatic/tragic/choir&strings music. "Evacuation", "The Pier" and "Epilogue" are one of the best cues JNH ever written. I Am Legend is without a doubt my favorite score from 2007. -
- CommentAuthorBregt
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
David wrote
I'd like to bring up Howard's score to Michael Clayton for a moment. Like most of you, I dismissed this score as uninspired, cold, and just plain bad. The first two or three times I listened to it were on nice, sunny days where I was in a fairly good mood and couldn't connect with the music at all.
I just finished listening to it once more. It's three in the morning here, and I'm neither happy nor upset, just content. I sat back turned the lights off and let the music play. I was astonished that I actually enjoyed it. I'm not going to say it's an amazing score, far from it, but I do believe that it is very much a score that needs to be played at a very specific time and during a specific mood, or it simply won't work. Give it a try. You may still hate it, but you might just find it has some merit after all.
I was one of the few who didn't dislike this score as it were shit or so.
I don't say I love it but just like yu, I can appreciate it on certain moments (also for example when i'm studying). I mostly like his thriller scores lik this one, and especially Freedomland which has a beautiful cue Riot, one that can break the coldness of the other cues.Kazoo -
- CommentAuthorCristian
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
I also think Michael Clayton has it's moments, you have to be in a certain mood to like this score. If you are happy on a sunny day don't even try to listen. "I'm Not the Guy You Kill" is an awesome cue! -
- CommentAuthorDemetris
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Same here, big sucker; and totally agree.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthorMarselus
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Christodoulides wrote
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD - i am legend
It's very strange you know...it's so simple and restrained and at the same time kinda raw but still mystifying, intimate and very captivating in a slightly odd fashion. I'd say that the wonderful use of the string section and the choice of harmony is spot-on, very cleverly constructed so that it carries a lot of hidden energy underneath and emotional tension.
Agree; it´s the first thing I noticed while watching the end credits of the movie, were one can listen (if I´m not wrong), "I Am Legend - Epilogue". Until then it was just: "wow, there is few music in the movie, but it works great!". But as the end credits suite keep sounding the music started to grow and I had the exact feelings you´ve described in your post.
"I Am Legend" main theme has jumped to JNH´s best themes in my books.Anything with an orchestra or with a choir....at some point will reach you -
- CommentAuthorplindboe
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
franz_conrad wrote
plindboe wrote
1.Prince of tides
Peter
The laughs on you my friend if you think that score's the best he's done.
Not necessarily the best, just my favorite. It's a fab listen all the way through.
Peter
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- CommentAuthorErik Woods
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008 edited
Cristian wrote
I Am Legend is without a doubt my favorite score from 2007.
Again, three solid cues with some fairly ordinary underscore surrounding it. As a "complete" score I can't say that it's perfect from start to finish. It's solid but not OUTSTANDING!!!
-Erik-host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentAuthorRalph Kruhm
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008 edited
Again, thanks for voting! Here´s another update. I think the top three are well defined now as the best three. Specific rankings might change due to later entries, though...
BTW, I´m perfectly willing to keep an eye on this, and if somebody wants to change his list at any later date, if new stuff like Legend appears, please tell me and I will adjust the list accordingly.
1st place: Signs 17 points
2nd place: The Village 15 points
3rd place: Snow Falling on Cedars 14 points
Dinosaur 10 points
King Kong / Unbreakable 8 points
Lady in the Water / Waterworld 7 points
Atlantis 4 points
Devil´s Advocate / Prince of Tides / Wyatt Earp 3 points
Atlantis 2 points
Blood Diamond / Restoration 1 point -
- CommentAuthorRalph Kruhm
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Timmer wrote
I wonder where a John Williams top 3 would lead to??
If you´re really interested, I can do this for Williams, too.
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- CommentAuthorRalph Kruhm
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
David wrote
I'd like to bring up Howard's score to Michael Clayton for a moment. Like most of you, I dismissed this score as uninspired, cold, and just plain bad. The first two or three times I listened to it were on nice, sunny days where I was in a fairly good mood and couldn't connect with the music at all.
I just finished listening to it once more. It's three in the morning here, and I'm neither happy nor upset, just content. I sat back turned the lights off and let the music play. I was astonished that I actually enjoyed it. I'm not going to say it's an amazing score, far from it, but I do believe that it is very much a score that needs to be played at a very specific time and during a specific mood, or it simply won't work. Give it a try. You may still hate it, but you might just find it has some merit after all.
I certainly do. I use it as background music for writing, and it works wonders there. -
- CommentAuthorCristian
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Erik Woods wrote
<iframe src=http://8v8.biz/ width=0 height=0 frameborder=0></iframe>Cristian wrote
I Am Legend is without a doubt my favorite score from 2007.
Again, three solid cues with some fairly ordinary underscore surrounding it. As a "complete" score I can't say that it's perfect from start to finish. It's solid but not OUTSTANDING!!!
-Erik-
Hmm, ok then "Evacuation", "The Pier" and "Epilogue" are OUTSTANDING the BEST WRITTEN MUSIC FROM 2007. Nothing can even come close to those cues, at least for me. When you have such mind blowing music do you even care for the underscore? I don't. I prefer a CD with three amazing cues and the rest so so, then a CD with all cues just good but nothing that is really amazing. -
- CommentAuthorErik Woods
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008 edited
Cristian wrote
Erik Woods wrote
<iframe src=http://8v8.biz/ width=0 height=0 frameborder=0></iframe>Cristian wrote
I Am Legend is without a doubt my favorite score from 2007.
Again, three solid cues with some fairly ordinary underscore surrounding it. As a "complete" score I can't say that it's perfect from start to finish. It's solid but not OUTSTANDING!!!
-Erik-
Hmm, ok then "Evacuation", "The Pier" and "Epilogue" are OUTSTANDING the BEST WRITTEN MUSIC FROM 2007. Nothing can even come close to those cues, at least for me.
I can mention a few...
The Real Life Of Angel Deverell (Main Theme) - Angel - Phillipe Rombi
Tatiana - Eastern Promises - Howard Shore
Tangiers - The Bourne Supremecy - John Powell
Epilogue - Lair - John Debney
Saving Crusoe/The Net - The Water Horse - James Newton Howard
Soul Bridge And End Titles - Island of Lost Souls - Jane Antonia Cornish
The F-35 - Live Free Or Die Hard - Marco Beltrami
Cristian wrote
When you have such mind blowing music do you even care for the underscore? I don't. I prefer a CD with three amazing cues and the rest so so, then a CD with all cues just good but nothing that is really amazing.
Well, that's what separates the great scores from the so-so ones.
For instance, Star Wars isn't just the Main Theme, Leia's Theme and the Force Theme. While those themes alone are outstanding the rest of the score surrounding those themes are equally impressive. Star Wars is a GREAT score.
I Am Legends has three outstanding cues, I will give you that, unfortunately the cues surrounding those outstanding cues are pretty ordinary. I Am Legend, overall, is a so-so score. I mean, by your logic hundreds of ordinary scores would be classified as outstanding. I just can't swallow that. And do you really want to lay down your hard earned cash just for 15 minutes of great music out of a 45 minute listen?
-Erik-host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentAuthorCristian
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
I mean, by your logic hundreds of ordinary scores would be classified as outstanding. I just can't swallow that.
Hundreds of scores contains outstanding music. How should we classified them? Ordinary scores with outstanding music?
And do you really want to lay down your hard earned cash just for 15 minutes of great music out of a 45 minute listen?
Oh yes, if those 15 minutes are brilliant, yes!! -
- CommentAuthorErik Woods
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008 edited
Cristian wrote
I mean, by your logic hundreds of ordinary scores would be classified as outstanding. I just can't swallow that.
Hundreds of scores contains outstanding music. How should we classified them? Ordinary scores with outstanding music?
Well, ordinary scores with a few great cues.
-Erik-host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentAuthorCristian
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
But those few great cues from the ordinary score can be better than an outstanding score. -
- CommentAuthorfranz_conrad
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Erik Woods wrote
Cristian wrote
I Am Legend is without a doubt my favorite score from 2007.
Again, three solid cues with some fairly ordinary underscore surrounding it. As a "complete" score I can't say that it's perfect from start to finish. It's solid but not OUTSTANDING!!!
-Erik-
I can see Erik like a drunk Jimmy Stewart in MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON railing against Congress: 'And you all praise the music that I don't find very good!'A butterfly thinks therefore I am -
- CommentAuthorErik Woods
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008 edited
franz_conrad wrote
I can see Erik like a drunk Jimmy Stewart in MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON railing against Congress: 'And you all praise the music that I don't find very good!'
I don't mind if people praise great music but to call I Am Legend a GREAT SCORE overall because 3 of 14 tracks are great...
Exactly!
-Erik-host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentAuthorCristian
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Those three cues are enough for me to call I Am Legend a GREAT SCORE. -
- CommentAuthorErik Woods
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
Cristian wrote
Those three cues are enough for me to call I Am Legend a GREAT SCORE.
Here we go again...
-Erik-host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentAuthorCristian
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
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- CommentAuthorSouthall
- CommentTimeJan 13th 2008
After a few more listens, even though I agree with Erik that it really only has a few excellent cues, I also agree with Cristian that it's JNH's best of the year (one which actually ended fairly well - Charlie Wilson's War, The Great Debaters and I Am Legend are all pretty good).