Modern film scores are terrible, say composers

I agree with this, although you would need an article to define what is really meant with "film music today" and "good/better". These are both vague terms that need serious specification.

Yeah, but it's not only a matter of period, but also what paradigm you're talking about. Classical-style Hollywood films, Hong Kong movies, Experimental Bulgarian films, Bollywood, Japanese animé....you name it.

That's my problem with Zimmer's statement (or any broad generalization). They lack nuance.

That´s precisely why I don´t agree with Zimmer´s statement or the "film music is almost dead" one that we read very often. Just because most of hollywood blockbusters (not all, actually) are scored in the laziest and cheapest way does not mean we have to generalise.

Perhaps it's partially a case of nostalgia? Those who grew up in a certain period often look back at it with a certain fondness and remember only the good things. Maybe it's the same thing with scores? Maybe there was a lot of crap back then too? Scores are more easily available these days than they've ever been which is another factor to take into account.

I don't think scores in general are as good as the classics of old, but I don't think it's as bad as it's sometimes made out to be.

There's no season four start date confirmed yet. I guess I have to wait at least until the end of the year.

I guess dubbing takes a bit of time, but not that long. Most movies here are released in cinema at the same time as in the US or UK.

I think it has more to do with the not very good audience rate.

For the record, I was also referring to this discussion in the major mainstream context. I wouldn't run my soundtrack label if I didn't believe that there is tons of great music written for films, so I agree with you on that point - however, most of the music written for the big, influential film, is sadly not very interesting these days. And, again, the guy who seems to worry so much about it is also one to blame!

mc

On one hand yes. On the other hand, a bit different version of that jazzy convention (though more rooting in an earlier score, namely Leonard Bernstein's "On the Waterfront") are written for films like The Black Dahlia or LA Confidential.

We have to remember that the old conventions may still live along. And modernizing them too much may end up with something like Tyler's Rambo, where something that is supposed (in some way, I think Tyler planned out a homage) to be a modern version of Jerry Goldsmith ends up to sound like (simplification to get across with a point) Tears of the Sun with Goldsmith's theme.

It's of course quite easy to criticize film scoring of today and Zimmer, wants it or not, IS in some way responsible for that, though really I wouldn't demonize his part in it. RC composers are something like "Zimmer for the poorer" and they are asked, because people want that kind of sound and either can't afford or can't warrant Zimmer's interest. He would be the first to say that they should start out branching into their OWN voices, which was particularly well shown in the way he started out John Powell's career always trying to get him jobs that fits Powell's style (I guess that influence ended as far as Chicken Run though). To some extent that's also how he made Harry Gregson-Williams' career work out - getting the best of what he has best. I wouldn't sense bad intentions with Zimmer. I guess the thing is really about what are they given than what he does to them. Zimmer is responsible for the factory called Remote Control/Media Ventures/Whatever Else It May Be Called in the Future. What he is NOT responsible for are the producers' minds. If we want people like Giacchino to do worthy blockbusters, we should rather concentrate on wondering why don't producers give jobs to people like that (bitter comment which I am close to sometimes would mention that Giacchino and other talented composers are just TOO GOOD for the producers' liking, that's Hollywood for God's sake and what else could we expect). Zimmer gets the best from the situation we have at hand. And for that we can't blame him, I think.

Well, you can't say that about many of the scores of Zimmer himself. And you can't give him too much blame for the doings of his students once they're composing their own scores...Zimmer himself is quoted as calling them something along the lines of "bastards."

Indeed, hardly anyone made a film like CHINATOWN then either!

Very interesting. The question is, how can we get these new fans to apprec. the veteran style of scoring?

Can you explain where's the difference between Hans Zimmer scoring Kung Fu Panda and, for example Christopher Lennertz scoring crap like Meet the Spartans? Why is Lennertz praised and Zimmer bashed?

Also, it's ok that you don't like the Simpsons score but please, it's not a scientific fact...

Let's just say I know someone who loves all the RC guys. When I told him ''OMGZORZ - Lost season 3 is coming out!!'' he actually said (seriously too), ''Oh Lost gets all these releases, but it's been the same from the beginning! Why won't they release Desperate Housewives? That's so much better!''.

Pirates 3, The Holiday, The Da Vinci Code, Spanglish, Matchstick Men, The Last Samurai.
Where does he "ignorantly generalize"? I bet if John Williams have said the same he would be praised as the saviour of film music.

As for the examples you posted:

Pirates 3: good ol' fun but nothing more groundbreaking than other equally good scores released at the time.

The Holiday: is that REALLY so worthy and original? Me thinks not; not even close. Spanglish is sweet and nostalgic but that doesn't put him above any other either. Same goes for Matchstick Men. People like Roque Banos and Rombi for instance - or even Mark McKenzie - write significantly more beautiful stuff than that all the time but go below the radar for apparent reasons.

The Da Vinci code and The Last Samurai are excellent film music indeed but i doubt anyone would factually consider them to have anything more than - say Rombi's Angel or Desplat's material or Marianelli's Atonement apart the biggest name-stamp apparently.