JAMES HORNER

Yeah such a lengthy review would've made sense for the whole TLOTR trilogy scores, but for one 78 minute disc? I'll make up my own mind, thank you very much.

Well I for one truly appreciate the depth of Mr. Clemmensen's review. Of course, that statement comes from the perspective of someone who enjoys film music not just as background listening or a reminder of a film he really likes, but rather as an art form in its own right. I don't just listen to film music; to a certain extent, I make a study of it. I'm not interested merely in experiencing a surface-level emotional reaction to a score. I want to know and understand the details: the core themes of the score and all of their various uses (both obvious and obscure), the various combinations of instruments, the development and adaptation of ideas throughout the course of the story, and of course the intent of the music: what each element is meant to convey.

Simply put, I believe that music is always more beautiful when it is orderly and meaningful; and in many cases, including film scores, you can add complexity as a key element of the equation. I generally find that peeling back the layers and learning about the intricate details of a score makes the listening experience all the more special. Assuming it's well written, that is--because sometimes after peeling back the first layer or two, you realize there's nothing left to discover! Which brings me to my second and last point:

I think most of us can agree that much of today's film music is unworthy of any significant analysis, let alone the nearly exhaustive analysis of some of Mr. Clemmensen's reviews; but in the case of Avatar, his review revealed to me a level of complexity and depth to Horner's music that went far beyond what I had noticed in my first few listens. Say what you will about Horner (and I've made plenty of less-than-complementary comments about him myself), but the man is capable of phenomenal writing; he understands not only emotion, but also structure and storytelling.

In short, I'm glad Christian put so much time and effort into this review; I believe the music deserves such attention, unlike many of the other scores I've heard this year.

Another quick note regarding the Avatar score: I am by no means a Horner apologist--in fact, I detest his incessant need to repeat himself--yet I have found myself listening to Avatar again and again over the past week or so. Who woulda thunk it?!

I think we're just about on the same page here. Where we differ is that I often prefer a review that helps me cut to the chase, offering me a level of analysis that I simply don't have the time to discover for myself. I (like most of the wonderful people here) listen to a lot of scores, and I often prefer to plumb the depths of a score in a condensed timeframe as opposed to listening to it again and again over the course of days and weeks.

Plus, sometimes there are elements that, no matter how many times I listen to a score, my perspective or focus might not allow me to pick up. So I appreciate a detailed review...but again, it also depends on which score is being reviewed. Some scores (like, to use another recent example, Zimmer's Sherlock Holmes) deserve no more than a few paragraphs as far as I'm concerned.

I'm not saying a comprehensive review is necessary for enjoyment of the music, but I have no doubt that it helps. At least it helps me.

What an exceptionally nasty and unneccesary comment. Heaven forbid someone take the time to write a long, detailed, in-depth review of a film score FOR FREE which he then posts on his website for others to read FOR FREE.

Why didn't you just dismiss his efforts with a cursory "tl;dr", and have done with it?

No, but calling it a "bloated windbag of a review" is not a valid criticism. Is War & Peace a bloated windbag of a novel? If you're commenting on errors in the content, or differences of opinion in the analysis, then that's one thing. This is something else entirely.

For some reviewers, and for Tolstoy too I imagine, the longer form works because they can hold a reader. I can't say I've ever made it all the way through one of Clemmensen's very long reviews.

No, but it is an opinion, which we are all free to make, whether correct or incorrect.

I agree he has the right to make it. I just think it was unnecessarily nasty thing to say.

I didn't mean it as nasty as it sounded ( looking at it now it does look nasty ), I have respect for Clemmonson and should have showed that for the effort he put into his review, but I do realise that my wording comes across as very harsh and for that I unreservedly apologise.

It was a review that was far too long for my taste and I prefer shorter, more concise reviews.

They are discussing us over at Filmtracks.

http://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titl … gi?read=28

Read this:

http://www.filmtracks.com/scoreboard/in … read=46376

They are almost bashing at our beloved Thomas. Oh! yeah! i can see live Avatar show, CLASH OF TWO FORUM. Interesting!

I just read the following from IMDB user comments, one of the user wrote the following comments about James Horner's score.

Really Great Cinematic Experience

BUT. MR Cameron, I have to say (hope you read it) If you want to reinvent Cinema, or make another great film please step away from James Horner. I think this man is not capable of making a thrilling score to an outstanding movie. I really do feel sorry for you because of the score of the film. It has some elements in it which are truly magical but the rest sounds like a collection of stuff we already know. So movie-----> outstanding, but score i'm sorry it is just nothing special. I really had trouble watching a supposedly new cinematic experience, but i could'nt help it i was so often reminded to different older scores. Same instruments same passages and the stupid trumpet all over it. Mr. Cameron i am not questioning you taste of music but why haven't you asked James Newton Howard as an for instance? Good luck with your next film, looking forward to a fresh score.

Erm, for when they want to, erm, blow things?