The Dark Knight
James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer
" Both masters delivered. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
It was already obvious after the reincarnation of Batman through Nolan's movie Batman Begins, that the second Batman movie The Dark Knight would be as successful or even more. Now it stands as one of the most critically acclaimed movies ever, top grossing movies ever and holding perhaps one of the world's most legendary performances Hollywood has seen yet. It is fair to say that a whole lot of the success of the movie is due to Heath Ledger's performance, who gives indeed a most disturbing, frightening yet downright brilliant performance of the Joker, the nemesis of Batman in this movie. Considering the musical tone was set, The Dark Knight would not dare to change the whole downright ambient mood of Zimmer and Newton Howard's writing. What it did have to add was a musical voice for Harvey Dent and a sizzling creepy tone for the Joker.
Both masters delivered, Zimmer for the Joker, Newton Howard for Harvey Dent. In "Why so Serious?" Zimmer lays down his method to underscore the Joker's own world. And it is not a pretty one. Consider it a step towards his Black Hawk Down rock music, with raging cello and string solos, all moving forward on the same returning rhythm. This constant rhythm represents the Joker's way (his never ending quest for destruction and mind games), while the ideas that twirl around the score are infrequent and constantly changing tone. This represents his unknowing behaviour of how he will achieve his goals. Zimmer's music itself is clever in the way it represents the character, using the two-note famous fanfare in a different manner (more scary), linking the story of the Joker to the quest for peace of Batman. Zimmer's music isn't pretty but darn right effective in setting the tone down for the Joker, something that will help you in liking and appreciating the opening track for sure.
Since the tone has been set, in "I'm not a Hero" the familiar sound returns, bringing forth the two-note fanfare alongside the clangs and a brief heroic ending of the Batman theme.
So while Zimmer laid down the tone for the Joker, Newton Howard could do it for the white knight of the city Harvey Dent. His method is a brilliant one. Soft strings, piano, percussion rising to the brassy Harvey Dent theme (unleashing some Americana pride), it all leads to the stunning moment where the emotional theme of the first movie returns in a way we haven't heard before. That is until the brass ignites his fallen status. Without a doubt Newton Howard had the impossible task by infusing a new colour for the ambient tone of the movie, and yet he has succeeded by creating this fantastic track.
The two-note motif alongside Batman's rising theme (embroiled in the Joker's sound) in "Agressive Expansion" and rising cello's in "Always a Catch" shows that we are back to the familiar sound. The moody underscore with parts of Dent's theme in "A Little Push and "I am the Batman" isn't enticing enough. Luckily Dent's noble theme in "Blood on my Hands" is far more interesting, alongside a chance for a love theme.
When they push forward towards an action rhythm, The Dark Knight is quite entertaining enough. "Like a Dog Chasing Cars" has the pleasure in giving the two-note motif its variations, by infusing the hand of the joker through cello's while the heroic Batman theme tries to counterbalance the weight by its heroic presence. This is one of the better tracks depicting the Batman's action sound. "And I thought my Jokes were Bad" has the rise of the four-note motif, being basically the begin and end note of the two-note motif, with just two notes put in between them. This makes The Dark Knight quite inventive enough if you want to put your time and energy in it.
By far the most emotional one is "Agent of Chaos". The constant driving rhythm of the cello once more shows the hand of the Joker in this, and while the time is ticking away the urgency grows to its conclusion. Watch out for the tiny details that will spring into your mind. The eerie cello states the Joker has won this round, and the emotional cello and piano shows they have lost this. It is in these tiny details that The Dark Knight does have some inventiveness.
"Introduce a Little Anarchy" unleashes everything again in musical notes, the two-note fanfare, the cello stings of the Joker, the heroic sounding Batman theme, the variation of the two-note motif, but it all ends somewhat abruptly. "Watch the World Burn" gives us the darker version of Harvey's theme, continuing in "A Dark Knight", which is a somewhat disappointing final track. The Batman heroics are nice (watch out for the Da Vinci Code cello tones), and in the long lasting final minutes the four-note motif makes more appearances.
Altogether, The Dark Knight is what I expected and yet it is more. While the overall tone of Batman Begins is revisited, the score has got enough musical material around it to warrant it as not a rehash of the first, and with enough inventiveness around it to warrant a copy of it. The creepiness of the Joker's theme, the true divvying power of Dent's theme, the toying of small musical moments around each track is indeed enough to sink deeply into the minds of Zimmer and Newton Howard for sure. While there is indeed one superior track so to speak off, I find that The Dark Knight is quite captivating in its entire listening experience. Now that we have been accustomed to the tone of Batman, it is merely waiting what the two gentlemen will cook up for the Riddler, Catwoman and the Penguin, and which fantastic pearl Nolan can create next.
Tracklisting
1. Why so Serious? (9.14)
2. I'm not a Hero (6.34)
3. Harvey Two-Face (6.16) Excellent track
4. Aggressive Expansion (4.35)
5. Always a Catch (1.39)
6. Blood on my Hands (2.16)
7. A Little Push (2.42)
8. Like a Dog Chasing Cars (5.02) Excellent track
9. I Am the Batman (1.59)
10. And I Thought my Jokes were Bad (2.28)
11. Agent of Chaos (6.55)
12. Introduce a Little Anarchy (3.42)
13. Watch the World Burn (3.47)
14. A Dark Knight (16.15)
Total Length: 73.24
Both masters delivered, Zimmer for the Joker, Newton Howard for Harvey Dent. In "Why so Serious?" Zimmer lays down his method to underscore the Joker's own world. And it is not a pretty one. Consider it a step towards his Black Hawk Down rock music, with raging cello and string solos, all moving forward on the same returning rhythm. This constant rhythm represents the Joker's way (his never ending quest for destruction and mind games), while the ideas that twirl around the score are infrequent and constantly changing tone. This represents his unknowing behaviour of how he will achieve his goals. Zimmer's music itself is clever in the way it represents the character, using the two-note famous fanfare in a different manner (more scary), linking the story of the Joker to the quest for peace of Batman. Zimmer's music isn't pretty but darn right effective in setting the tone down for the Joker, something that will help you in liking and appreciating the opening track for sure.
Since the tone has been set, in "I'm not a Hero" the familiar sound returns, bringing forth the two-note fanfare alongside the clangs and a brief heroic ending of the Batman theme.
So while Zimmer laid down the tone for the Joker, Newton Howard could do it for the white knight of the city Harvey Dent. His method is a brilliant one. Soft strings, piano, percussion rising to the brassy Harvey Dent theme (unleashing some Americana pride), it all leads to the stunning moment where the emotional theme of the first movie returns in a way we haven't heard before. That is until the brass ignites his fallen status. Without a doubt Newton Howard had the impossible task by infusing a new colour for the ambient tone of the movie, and yet he has succeeded by creating this fantastic track.
The two-note motif alongside Batman's rising theme (embroiled in the Joker's sound) in "Agressive Expansion" and rising cello's in "Always a Catch" shows that we are back to the familiar sound. The moody underscore with parts of Dent's theme in "A Little Push and "I am the Batman" isn't enticing enough. Luckily Dent's noble theme in "Blood on my Hands" is far more interesting, alongside a chance for a love theme.
When they push forward towards an action rhythm, The Dark Knight is quite entertaining enough. "Like a Dog Chasing Cars" has the pleasure in giving the two-note motif its variations, by infusing the hand of the joker through cello's while the heroic Batman theme tries to counterbalance the weight by its heroic presence. This is one of the better tracks depicting the Batman's action sound. "And I thought my Jokes were Bad" has the rise of the four-note motif, being basically the begin and end note of the two-note motif, with just two notes put in between them. This makes The Dark Knight quite inventive enough if you want to put your time and energy in it.
By far the most emotional one is "Agent of Chaos". The constant driving rhythm of the cello once more shows the hand of the Joker in this, and while the time is ticking away the urgency grows to its conclusion. Watch out for the tiny details that will spring into your mind. The eerie cello states the Joker has won this round, and the emotional cello and piano shows they have lost this. It is in these tiny details that The Dark Knight does have some inventiveness.
"Introduce a Little Anarchy" unleashes everything again in musical notes, the two-note fanfare, the cello stings of the Joker, the heroic sounding Batman theme, the variation of the two-note motif, but it all ends somewhat abruptly. "Watch the World Burn" gives us the darker version of Harvey's theme, continuing in "A Dark Knight", which is a somewhat disappointing final track. The Batman heroics are nice (watch out for the Da Vinci Code cello tones), and in the long lasting final minutes the four-note motif makes more appearances.
Altogether, The Dark Knight is what I expected and yet it is more. While the overall tone of Batman Begins is revisited, the score has got enough musical material around it to warrant it as not a rehash of the first, and with enough inventiveness around it to warrant a copy of it. The creepiness of the Joker's theme, the true divvying power of Dent's theme, the toying of small musical moments around each track is indeed enough to sink deeply into the minds of Zimmer and Newton Howard for sure. While there is indeed one superior track so to speak off, I find that The Dark Knight is quite captivating in its entire listening experience. Now that we have been accustomed to the tone of Batman, it is merely waiting what the two gentlemen will cook up for the Riddler, Catwoman and the Penguin, and which fantastic pearl Nolan can create next.
Tracklisting
1. Why so Serious? (9.14)
2. I'm not a Hero (6.34)
3. Harvey Two-Face (6.16) Excellent track
4. Aggressive Expansion (4.35)
5. Always a Catch (1.39)
6. Blood on my Hands (2.16)
7. A Little Push (2.42)
8. Like a Dog Chasing Cars (5.02) Excellent track
9. I Am the Batman (1.59)
10. And I Thought my Jokes were Bad (2.28)
11. Agent of Chaos (6.55)
12. Introduce a Little Anarchy (3.42)
13. Watch the World Burn (3.47)
14. A Dark Knight (16.15)
Total Length: 73.24