ALEXANDRE DESPLAT

We're in for an S&M partyy?

Much appreciated, Ralph. I'm glad that we were able to have a mature conversation without ripping each others heads off. Let's hope this new trend continues.



First of all, let me apologize for bringing Williams and Doyle into the Desplat thread. But since Desplat is scoring a Harry Potter film I think what we are talking about is relevant.

Williams' over scored Philosopher's Stone. It's not a very good film score. It might be an okay listen on CD (those themes are bloody brilliant) but as a functioning film score it's terrible. Williams relied too much on "Hedwig's Theme" early on in the picture and I can never forgive him for the "Ludlow's Demise" quotes in "Quidditch Match," which is a dull, uninspired action cue.

There are highlights, though. Like I said the new themes are incredible and "The Chess Game" cue is especially well done but overall it's Williams wallpapering the film with endless music when a bit more restraint would have benefited both the film and score.

Now, if you want to talk about Chamber of Secrets... now that is quite an accomplishment. Some more thoughts about Chamber HERE!

As for Azkaban... it's a masterpiece. The best score of the series. Tough to beat!

Getting to Doyle... I think he picked up where Williams left off. As we progress though the series the stories get darker and more mature... less Disney like as you say. Doyle realized, like Williams, that themes are important so in addition to quoting Williams' "Hedwig's Theme" he also comes up with some new, stunning themes of his own that at times rivals Williams own new themes from Azkaban. "Harry in Winter" is a heart breaker. So is "Hogwart's Hymn." Doyle's action music is exciting... there's a bit too much of the brass in the high register (those screeching trumpets in "Golden Egg" and in subsequent Doyle epic scores can be grating) but they fit the action on screen perfectly, IMHO.

Two cues that rarely gets mentioned are the eerie and dark "The Dark Mark" and"The Black Lane." Two exciting cues that show cases Doyle excellent sense of drama, excitment and creativity. The heroic fanfare heard at the end of "The Black Lake" gives me goosebumps. The build up is exquisite.

I really like the "Voldermort" cue but I think Doyle made a BIG mistake by not quoting Williams' superb three-note "Voldermort" motif from Philosopher's Stone. Oh what Williams would have done with this scene...

From an emotional stand point Doyle comes out on top of Philosopher's Stone with "Death of Cedric." Now that we look back at the film we are pleased as punch that the flamboyant vampire from the Twilight series eats it... but all joking aside... "Death of Cedric" is an incredibly moving scene in the film and Doyle writes a powerful string elegy that only a handful of composers are able to do. Superb stuff!

So, as with Philosopher's Stone, Goblet has a plethora of themes but has more dramatic weight to it. Now, do I fault Williams for scoring a turd of the film and Doyle getting one of the best in the series... no. The biggest issue I have with Williams' first score is that he over scored the movie. But then again, Columbus' film was a drag and maybe Williams was trying to help propel it forward. IMHO, it didn't work and actual hurt the film even more.

Ugh... even for me, that's too much of an analysis. Sucks the fun out of listen to this stuff. Why can't we just say "That score sucks" and move on. Or at least let me continue to use the emoticon.



Desplat is a very restrained film composer. I can't fault him for that because at times I wish other composers would follow suit but I just find that he is a composer that doesn't really want to take the spotlight. He doesn't want to push the boundaries. He is very comfortable being the type of film composer where as you watch the film you don't notice the score yet subconsciously you do. Again, that's not really a fault but I'm trying to imagine how he would have scored something like "Buckbeak's Flights" from Azkaban. Would he have gone full tilt like Williams and delivered one of the series greatest cues or be taken back and scored it in a more retained and less in your face fashion. Personally, I like it when a score can soar and take centre stage... but in small doses or at least spread out across the film.

Look, I don't think any of that above makes any sense so I will just restate that I find the majority of Desplat's output to be technically beautful but cold on an emotional level.

-Erik-

Very interesting post, indeed, and thanks for your detailed answer.


If I can help with it, I´ll try.


You´re right, of course. It gets repetitive quite early, which is a shame, because it IS a beautiful theme.

I never got too deep into The Lost World, so I didn´t know that. I think it´s a great track, but I can understand if you feel bad about it.


I must say I adore the more quiet moments, e.g. the very contained nature of the Erised scene´s score, but the chess track is excellent, indeed.

I never thought about the "overscored" aspect, but you´re probably right. Anyway, the first Potter movie was a big event for everyone, and I can understand why Williams did what he did. It makes a fine score on CD, at least. ^^ But I agree that it´s certainly not the best in the series.


Not right now, because I´m a bit short on time this evening, but I will have a look later. I love the new themes, even if Fawkes adds to the Disney feeling, but the Chamber theme is as excellent as a dark Williams theme can get. I think.


Indeed. Let´s continue.


Oh, if only he would have. I have been through the score maybe half a dozen times, and I can not make out what gets people excited about it.


There is exactly one thing I like, and that´s "Harry in Winter". But even this one gets very repetitive during first listen already, and it is a new theme for a thing we already had two brilliant themes for, Harry´s family (I already liked the Erised variant, as I mentioned above, but of course, "A Window to the Past" is just hauntingly perfect). When "Harry in Winter" appears during the duel against Voldemort, it is a wonderful moment for the score, probably the best, but I would have given an arm or two (or not) if "Window to the Past" had been used there. Doyle´s score represents what´s worst about the series scores, their inabilty to keep a continuity in the themes, beside the casual, almost forced use of "Hedwig´s Theme". Every composer wrote new themes, which is understandable from the composer´s point of view, but what an epic could we have got if Williams had stayed during the whole series. Maybe Doyle is just a victim of being the first to break the line, but I have my problems with his style anyway, so I may overreact to his score, but I find Hooper´s scores indefinitely better, especially Half Blood Prince.


I like it, but it reminds me too much of Henry V to really stand on its own feet.


I really do not like his action scoring most of the time; there are only a couple of exceptions, but this is not one of them.


The moody atmosphere is fitting, but exciting is not the word I would use.


Indeed.


I am not sure whether I don´t like the score because of itself or because I didn´t like the book or the movie too much, either. It might be that I´m prejudiced here. It´s not that I don´t like Doyle at all. He has his moments of greatness. But I really have problems digging Goblet of Fire as a whole, and so the emotional impact of scenes like Cedric´s death is lessened to a point where I don´t really care.


Well, I really appreciated your effort to write an analysis. You may now continue to vomit if you prefer that. If I need more insight into something, I´ll just yell at you again.


Very interesting. I think he has one or two very soaring moments in The Golden Compass, but you need to be really familiar with the score to get it. It´s the theme for the witches, which is heard only once or twice during the movie, and very restrained, but takes full "soaring mode" during the final battle when the witches arrive to save the day. I get goosebumps from listening to that every time. If you listen to that track really loud, I think you will find some of what you´re looking for, but I can understand that, so late in the movie and score, you´re way beyond caring then. And it´s not as straight into the face as "Buckbeak" is, that´s for sure, but I find it to be equally uplifting.

But now that I know what exactly you´re looking for, let me tell you that I hope for more stuff like that, too. Because this is certainly one of the greatest aspects of a great score, soaring themes that carry you across whatever abyss you have to cross on a given day.


I thought it made a lot of sense. And I think I get where you get the "cold" feeling from, at least parts of it. Desplat isn´t really one for a nice, happy tune. I think a lot of his scores are actually quite depressing, which might be an aspect that leads to distancing yourself from it.

Anyway, thanks for your comment. Looking much forward to the complete score and the continuing analysis. Maybe I won´t yell at all.

A small behind the scenes video, of Deathly Hallows's score:


http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2010/10/ … ows-music/

I think he can take centre stage (Birth, The Queen, The Painted Veil, Upside of Anger, Hostage, parts of Coco and Cheri -- all very showy scores), but there is a bit of a bias in most of the films he does where you've got to be more discrete than usual, or the director won't like it. I just think it's such a step up from the sort of discrete Thomas Newman ambience most of those films were getting - or Santaolalla's beautiful but limited palette - that even Desplat's most discrete arthouse scores are very expressive & composed in comparison.

Do these academics also suggest what scores we should listen to?

Touche, but on point. We are here, after all, to have a good time.

Even MORE score samples of Deathly Hallows:

http://deathlyhallowssoundtrack.com/

And despite the track listing for the bonus disc, it doesn't feature samples for those. But almost every track for the OST release features a different sample (as opposed to repeating it verbatim from Amazon UK).

I give it a reluctant 3 out of 5. High marks for colourful orchestrations and a few genuinely emotional and exciting moments. "Farewell To Dobby" is really good! But there are no real themes to speak of and the score is scatter brained. There's no real dramatic arc to the music. It's just... there... with nothing really to say.

-Erik-

No themes? That's NOT good to hear, for a film like this. Maybe they're hard to trace? Or indeed absent?

I listened to 13 tracks of the score. I've noted six themes so far. Two played in Oblivate, At The Burrow, The Will, Death Eaters, Dobby and Fireplaces Escape.

The third (a new Voldemort theme) in Snape To Malfoy Manor, Sky Battle, Death Eaters and The Locket. A fourth theme (for the Order of the Phoenix) in Polyjuice Potion and At The Burrow. The fifth (Harry and Ginny's new love theme) in Harry and Ginny.

And a sixth theme for Dobby in Dobby.

And in Sky Battle there's a reference of Williams's Voldemort theme in 2:15 mark.

Stay classy, dude. Especially since I've only given out seven 5-star ratings since 2005. But don't let anything as trivial as facts keep you from mouthing off...

Jon - To be totally fair to Desplat I'm going to leave my final judgment when I see the movie. I'm pretty sure it will be a serviceable score... and since I haven't read the book I have no idea what to expect... so Desplat's minimal, less thematic, more atmospheric, more textured approach might be the RIGHT approach. But as a stand alone listen without anything to match the music up to I'm not that impressed. It doesn't hold my attention for the entire 74 minute playing time. Maybe a shorter running time would have yielded better results.

-Erik-

Ok, now for it's premiere statement in 2010, we've waited a while but here it is:

DE(SPL)ATH IS TOO GOOD, FAR TOO GOOD, FOR THIS NORWEGIAN.

It's weird because I got three Desplat scores (Julie & Julia, Hostage, The Ghost Writer) and this one was better than expected. Williams's themes aside, this score is faithful to the story of the book. And yes, Desplat could have used more Williams's themes but the ones written by Desplat are wonderful (the 4 notes motif and Lovegood's theme it's catchy).

I think that this is a love or hate score. Several people are going to hate it because it's barely sounds like a Harry Potter score, and barely resembles Williams's music. And it's going to be loved because it's the most mature Harry Potter I've heard. And thoses new instruments gives the saga a new sound that fits in the darkness that threat the magic Harry Potter world.


For me, it's my favorite Harry Potter score, besides Prisoner of Azkaban. And my favorite Desplat score. I can't wait anymore for the film.