[Closed] Now Playing - Part XXI

I haven't but it sounds intrigueing? Can you compare it to anyone's sound James?

NP: Curse of the Black Pearl

It's Do bad that is fuc_ing Cool!

Like Ed Wood Movies!

I laugh evertime I listen this cool tunes, this harsh synth!

Huh? Remind me of what I said?



-Erik-

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR | james newton howard

Wow! This is an odd score. Sometimes completely different from what I expected. There's this 8 anf a half minute cue which is quite uplifting, with percussion, Latin jumpy choir, guitar, clavecimbel and an enthousiast orchestra.

It's good. But not very memorable or so, beyond a couple of these odd moments. There's a proud, pattriotic theme (well, this subdued pattriotism). But that Turn the Tide is a delicious track, makes you happy.

I was talking about the Batman theme in Molossus... I still think it's lazy and incredible bland especially compared to the two far superior themes that came before it.

And that two note... motif?... is irritating. I really enjoy the film (my fav Batman movie) but I rarely watch it because the score is so horrendous!

-Erik-

Then I almost can agree with that.

NP:Lust Caution

I hope the movie will do justice to this score. because it's one of my favourites from Desplat, even with his obvious self references.

NP : THE QUICK AND THE DEAD - Alan Silvestri



Missing some very good cues from the film, this short album could do with the expanded treatment.


Still very good though

NP: The Water Horse - James Newton Howard

A very good score, but does have a rocky start that channels JNH's lighter pieces in King Kong and some Carl Stalling manicness of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but it does change into something completely different altogether. A stronger effort than Lady in the Water (which itself was one of my favorite scores of 2006), in terms of ending up saving the best for its last 6 glorious tracks. Beautiful.

I'm sure whether to agree it's one of the best scores of 2007, though. It's a strong effort, though.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark | John Williams

Mmm, brass...

I commented on this one towards the end of last month, James. Then I much preferred Grace's cues over Sanko's - still do. But Sanko's cues have a much harder job to do for someone who's listening to the cues without having heard them in context.

I just love the main theme - "North" - with it's string quartet. And the piano-led motif heard in cues such as "Elliot" that's laid over the strings is, I thought, a nice counterpoint. Grace also links his more melodic music well with Sanko's with his own tension-laden cues.

If I had to pigeon-hole this score I'd probably put it next to Morricone's The Thing in terms of what the music's trying to do - though this score here is a long way from achieving the desolation of Morricone's effort. But Grace/Sanko have done a good job nonetheless. There's also a hint of Mansell's The Fountain - "Nine Miles".

As you say in your review, James, the CD ends beautifully. Good review!

eBay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Roque-Banos-13-ROSA … p1638.m122

I've bought from this seller a few times and have had no problems.

Actually that's the best cue of the album.

If I'm in action mood I listen to something like PotC 3, at least that score has some decent melodies. And is much more varied.

And just read Southall's review. Structure, there is. Though I don't agree with the awesomeness of the orchestrations, really. Tyler is far from subtle, though that is not something I would have against this score, because the film is far from subtle, based from a clip I saw, there is one thing more. The best orchestrational effects used are either Goldenthal (probably Elhai's influence) or Horner influences (snap pizzicato percussion, some glissandi, the whole Taking Sides piece, if there is something that should be left out the album it is this piece, and I would live without Coprocloakia).

I know I will be accused of using too high standards, but well, there are a lot of composers, sadly most of them dead, who were much more subtle in their orchestrations. I believe even Horner had better orchestrations in Aliens, not amazingly *subtle*, but definitely he had more effort of giving the stuff, how to put it, more balance? There was more writing around the particular orchestral sections. Goldsmith is completely different beast and sadly Alien is not referenced by Tyler even in subtle way, though I do understand there is no place for subtle atmosphere in a film, which is pure ultra-violent apocalypse. Giacchino - I made the comparison a lot to get a lot of critique that I am unfair, but who should I compare so praised composer like Tyler to? Revell? Haslinger? Faltermeyer? Sorry guys, If I see he is so praised I want to compare him with the best and Tyler sadly loses a lot in comparison to Giacchino or older masters. Giacchino is a living genius. Well, I wouldn't say so *yet*. He's my favorite composer of this generation, but he has to write a masterpiece yet. Anyway, Giacchino has those things I don't see in Tyler.

To write "the best score in the year", Tyler would have to be much more varied, with a stronger style, with better (more original, sometimes more elaborate). And sod the temp-track. Maybe write a bit more for the woodwinds, play around more with the strings (I will give compositional models here, but you will see what I look for here - Giacchino, Horner, Williams - Tyler is much simpler here). Maybe try some more choral writing, because what I heard from him (mostly Frailty's Canon though) is particularly cool. I'll see about Constantine rejected score soon.

God, I tend to write so elaborate master theses about this guy... Sorry for doing it here, I wanted to respond to Marselus' statement about AVP being the best action score of the year.

Forever I'll wonder:
(i) how it was that the balalaika players were so musically-illiterate that they could only play 'Lara's theme' by ear when they came to record this score. Had they been able to record the theme for Zhivago, this score would not be nearly so irritating.
(ii) how it was that the public fell in love with 'Lara's theme' in the same way that the late 90s audience fell in love with Horner's TITANIC love theme.
Two things that go some way to limiting this score. It works a lot better as a 9 minute concert suite.

NP: Nid de Guepes (Desplat)

Includes - to my knowledge - the only rap song I know of based on a Herrmannesque string theme.

NP:The Ring Sessions (Zimmer)

One of his best themes. And one of the themes with most suspense attached .

Hannibal, The Ring and The Da Vinci Code are probably some of his best scores ever, and when He really uses very well all the instruments from the orchestra.

I can play the 11 minutes end credits again and again and again and again......