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Modern film scores are terrible, say composers
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- CommentAuthorfranz_conrad
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Anthony wrote
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!''.
There was once a time when the INTERNATIONAL FILM MUSIC CRITICS ASSOCIATION agreed with him! How to live down awarding Desperate Housewives over LOST Season 1?
A butterfly thinks therefore I am -
- CommentAuthorSouthall
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
franz_conrad wrote
Anthony wrote
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!''.
There was once a time when the INTERNATIONAL FILM MUSIC CRITICS ASSOCIATION agreed with him! How to live down awarding Desperate Housewives over LOST Season 1?
Tell me you're joking! -
- CommentAuthorAntineutrino
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Please stop praising these godawful Zimmer comedy scores as the second coming of Mozart. I'd rather have a root treatment by a dentist than listening again to a Zimmer comedy.
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- CommentAuthorfranz_conrad
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008 edited
Southall wrote
franz_conrad wrote
Anthony wrote
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!''.
There was once a time when the INTERNATIONAL FILM MUSIC CRITICS ASSOCIATION agreed with him! How to live down awarding Desperate Housewives over LOST Season 1?
Tell me you're joking!
Not hard to figure out why the 2004 awards aren't listed on the site...A butterfly thinks therefore I am -
- CommentAuthormoviescore
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
But people, doesn't all this come down to *quality of writing*? The quality and complexity of the music of most Remote Control scores just doesn't come close to that of Alexandre Desplat, Dario Marianelli, Patrick Doyle, Philippe Rombi, John Williams, James Horner. I know that it is *dangerous* to generalize like that, but that's how I feel.
I've listened over and over again to the Pirates of the Caribbean scores, trying to see if there is anything *interesting* about the writing, and no - I can't find any compositionally interesting elements in this music. I can admit that parts of it "rock" and is quite entertaining on one level, but behind all the cool themes and hip fireworks, the music is empty - harmonically and thematically. That said, the music has a certain appeal and is strikingly "youthful" and modern, which is why I believe so many producers want this kind of music for their movies - there are other reasons than artistic ones: they want a hip score that will appeal to the younger generations.
mc -
- CommentAuthorThomas
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Antineutrino wrote
Please stop praising these godawful Zimmer comedy scores as the second coming of Mozart. I'd rather have a root treatment by a dentist than listening again to a Zimmer comedy.
Very funny, I know you've never listened to some them.
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- CommentAuthorAntineutrino
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
I did and I knew that I want do it again after the first listen. -
- CommentAuthorAnthony
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
I like the Borat comparison of good and bad the most.
It should be ''there were good scores, and there were shit scores. Mostly the shit scores.'' -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
franz_conrad wrote
Anthony wrote
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!''.
There was once a time when the INTERNATIONAL FILM MUSIC CRITICS ASSOCIATION agreed with him! How to live down awarding Desperate Housewives over LOST Season 1?
Is the scores to Desperate Housewives any good? Anyone here admit to seeing the show?
I haven't!On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorSouthall
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Timmer wrote
franz_conrad wrote
Anthony wrote
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!''.
There was once a time when the INTERNATIONAL FILM MUSIC CRITICS ASSOCIATION agreed with him! How to live down awarding Desperate Housewives over LOST Season 1?
Is the scores to Desperate Housewives any good? Anyone here admit to seeing the show?
I haven't!
I have. In fact I've probably seen every episode (
). The music's plinky-plonky, pizzicato string stuff, Elfman style. It seems to have one library cue which is used several times in each episode, and no actual original score from week to week, but perhaps it's actually a clever (so clever, you can't tell anything changes) set of variations on that one very short piece.
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- CommentAuthorAnthony
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Wow...that deserves a release!
Oh wait, I thought we were talking about Lost season 4...
Never mind. -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Southall wrote
Timmer wrote
franz_conrad wrote
Anthony wrote
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!''.
There was once a time when the INTERNATIONAL FILM MUSIC CRITICS ASSOCIATION agreed with him! How to live down awarding Desperate Housewives over LOST Season 1?
Is the scores to Desperate Housewives any good? Anyone here admit to seeing the show?
I haven't!
I have. In fact I've probably seen every episode ( ). The music's plinky-plonky, pizzicato string stuff, Elfman style. It seems to have one library cue which is used several times in each episode, and no actual original score from week to week, but perhaps it's actually a clever (so clever, you can't tell anything changes) set of variations on that one very short piece.
Now that you mention it I have seen the begining of this show, Mel likes it so I usually go into the other room and stick my headphones on , the theme sounds very Elfman'ish as I remember?On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Just looked it up on the IMDB and see that Danny Elfman is credited with 2 episodes?On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorSouthall
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Timmer wrote
Now that you mention it I have seen the begining of this show, Mel likes it so I usually go into the other room and stick my headphones on , the theme sounds very Elfman'ish as I remember?
The theme sounds Elfmanish because it's composed by Elfman. (It's really good.)
The episodes are not scored by him though. -
- CommentAuthorAnthony
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
It's Jablonsky normally isn't it? -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Southall wrote
Timmer wrote
Now that you mention it I have seen the begining of this show, Mel likes it so I usually go into the other room and stick my headphones on , the theme sounds very Elfman'ish as I remember?
The theme sounds Elfmanish because it's composed by Elfman. (It's really good.)
The episodes are not scored by him though.
Well, we all know you can't totally trust the IMDB hence my " ? ".On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorThomas Glorieux
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
DreamTheater wrote
I find it myself more and more difficult to appreciate the scores of today, I grew up with all the classics of the time, Superman, Star Wars, Willow, Star Trek, the numerous truly original scores by the great Jerry Goldsmith, the fantastic James Horner in his prime, the truly unbeatable John Williams who is for me the best film composer of all time, for giving me unforgettable themes and music that makes my body hair stand up (the period 1977-1983 is his most brilliant). Nothing that is coming out these days even comes close to these landmark scores.
Though there is some exceptional talent at work today: M. Giacchino is the greatest talent and one that can live up to the legendary status of some of those I mentioned.
I admit most music nowadays sounds very forced, unfocused and seriously unmelodic. Where are the grand sweeping scores of the time, which accompanied the movie as if it was a character in itself? Last I remember are The Lord of the Rings symphonies, but what has come out since then, not much that truly makes me sit up and notice.
For me this goes along with my affection toward the awesome sound of J. Horner in the eighties and during the nineties but the totally blandness of most of his scores during this decade. That totally sums up how much I care or don't care about the film scores we're offered lately.
Maybe it's to do with how spoiled we get as film music fans as the years go by. Maybe newer fans appreciate the modern music more as they have not heard as much as us veterans. Or maybe composers just don't get inspired at all anymore by all the nonsense we keep seeing in the theaters.
I have to concur with my brother here, how much I keep hearing music, it doesn't sting anymore like it used too. I've seen the great rise of filmmusic in the '80 and '90 and nowadays music is good, but it doesn't leave a feeling with me like it used too. Back then music from all those wonderful composers simply stayed in the mind longer than nowadays. Now good music is still heard but its more strength and rhythm. I still hear good music but it just doesn't stay in the mind anymore.
Ah well, I guess the more you hear music the lesser you can be surprised?waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Careful Tommy, it won't be long before you get dismissed as being just "nostalgic"
p.s. I agree with you.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorThomas Glorieux
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Timmer wrote
Careful Tommy, it won't be long before you get dismissed as being just "nostalgic"
p.s. I agree with you.
Hehe, maybe I am
Why do you think guys like Martijn, My brother and myself are so looking forward to Indiana Jones 4? Because it takes us back to the good old days
waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh -
- CommentAuthorJoep
- CommentTimeMar 18th 2008
Do Zimmer and Dudley talk about the entire industry or just Hollywood? It isn't specifically mentioned in the article. Anyways, I think there's so much quality and diversity and originality in modern film scores. -
- CommentAuthorDemetris
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008 edited
Tommy_Boy wrote
I have to concur with my brother here, how much I keep hearing music, it doesn't sting anymore like it used too. I've seen the great rise of filmmusic in the '80 and '90 and nowadays music is good, but it doesn't leave a feeling with me like it used too. Back then music from all those wonderful composers simply stayed in the mind longer than nowadays. Now good music is still heard but its more strength and rhythm. I still hear good music but it just doesn't stay in the mind anymore.
Ah well, I guess the more you hear music the lesser you can be surprised?
So what about the younger people who are now growing up with the current film music outcome? Will they too be missing the eras you mention at some point eventually? I am not accusing anyone of being nostalgic here but don't you think it's a bit logical that one will feel a stronger bond with what introduced him into the specific genre in the first place and cultivated his wider range of film music from that point onward?
Does it REALLY have to do with quality in the end?
Think about this.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthorelenewton
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008
Christodoulides wrote
Tommy_Boy wrote
I have to concur with my brother here, how much I keep hearing music, it doesn't sting anymore like it used too. I've seen the great rise of filmmusic in the '80 and '90 and nowadays music is good, but it doesn't leave a feeling with me like it used too. Back then music from all those wonderful composers simply stayed in the mind longer than nowadays. Now good music is still heard but its more strength and rhythm. I still hear good music but it just doesn't stay in the mind anymore.
Ah well, I guess the more you hear music the lesser you can be surprised?
So what about the younger people who are now growing up with the current film music outcome? Will they too be missing the eras you mention at some point eventually? I am not accusing anyone of being nostalgic here but don't you think it's a bit logical that one will feel a stronger bond with what introduced him into the specific genre in the first place and cultivated his wider range of film music from that point onward?
Does it REALLY have to do with quality in the end?
Think about this.
I was introduced into film music by Armageddon and The Rock.
But nowadays I HATE Zimmer and his clone pets for blocking many other talented composers from getting assignments and leading the general direction of blockbuster film score into trash. -
- CommentAuthorDemetris
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008 edited
Well, no, i am talking way later than that. Nowadays. People who are introduced to film music via Jablonsky, Brian Tyler, Powell, Giacchino, etc etc.
note: those are just examples, i am NOT in any way comparing them or the quality of their work.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthorelenewton
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008
Then they'll discover after sometime that:
Jablonsky only writes recycled, easy-listening, fast-food stuff;
Tyler only writes something good occasionally, but tries hard to imitate RC clones most of the time;
Powell and Giacchino are good indeed but---
When they find out about Goldsmith etc., they'd still weep for the decline of modern film music. -
- CommentAuthorDreamTheater
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008
Christodoulides wrote
So what about the younger people who are now growing up with the current film music outcome? Will they too be missing the eras you mention at some point eventually? I am not accusing anyone of being nostalgic here but don't you think it's a bit logical that one will feel a stronger bond with what introduced him into the specific genre in the first place and cultivated his wider range of film music from that point onward?
Does it REALLY have to do with quality in the end?
Think about this.
You have a point. I guess nostalgic feelings of your childhood and the music you were introduced to during that time define your love for that particular period. I can still remember going all crazy when I saw the movie Aliens and heard that terrific music by some dude I never heard of. Hey I actually thought back then that the guy who made the movie (whatever movie) also did the music, but no really there was some unknown talent writing down all this thrilling stuff that accompanies the action or drama on screen. Film making to me looked to be such a simple job. How was I to know at the age of ten, give or take a few years?
But those were my first steps into discovering this genre of music, and those are the defining moments, those stay in your head for the rest of your life, because it made such an impression on you. And man was I totally flipping out when I got the actual soundtrack of the movie, many years ago, at a time when film scores were just uncool and (almost) nobody listened to them, even before the internet existed, before actual forums were formed for people to talk about film music.
That said I still cherish the music from that era, though I've heard them tons of times already and I know 'em inside out, they keep entertaining me to no end, where more modern scores fail to do that. It's a shame because I've never given up on film music, I still enjoy some current titles, but the newer composers just don't get my attention anymore as opposed to those that are legendary in my book.
Another interesting topic here..."considering I've seen an enormous debate here about The Amazing Spider-Man and the ones who love it, and the ones who hate it, I feel myself obliged to say: TASTE DIFFERS, DEAL WITH IT" - Thomas G. -
- CommentAuthorDemonStar
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008 edited
Christodoulides wrote
Those views come based on the relatively small percentage of film music's output that mostly comes from the USA and large parts of it from - and here's the hypocrisy - Zimmer's own studios, with composers like Geof Zanelli and Atli Örvarsson just to name but a couple who are largely responsible for the easily digestible and fast-good nature of this part of film music which accompanies movies of equally low quality.
Well I don't mean what Zimmer said is 100% right, as I mentioned in my next post, but what he said does make sense and is certainly what I feel. He sort of didn't take into consideration some of his own MV scores We've had great scores from him previously too but lately... *clears throat* synths have sort of become his signature 
Not that he overuses them. But you cannot deny that the older scores certainly had a grandeur many of the ones nowadays lack.
For example, the Transformers score certainly has great moments ("Decepticons", "Arrival to Earth") but tracks like "Downtown Battle" are Synth-O-Rama rubbish!
I think what Zimmer is referring to is scores like 300
Yes, yes, I know he uses electric guitars a lot too, but he knows how to use them, and IMO they sort of blend in the score (may I say... "The Kraken"?) and unlike in 300, don't stick out like a pain in the arse
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- CommentAuthorSteven
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008
(Except 'The Kraken' has no electric guitar.) -
- CommentAuthorDemonStar
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008
Steven wrote
(Except 'The Kraken' has no electric guitar.)
Well, this proves how seamlessly it has been blended in
Listen to the points 3:15, 4:23 and 4:28 of the track ("The Kraken"), that's clearly electric guitar. There are lower riffs that play throughout, though a bit low. -
- CommentAuthorSteven
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008
DemonStar wrote
Steven wrote
(Except 'The Kraken' has no electric guitar.)
Well, this proves how seamlessly it has been blended in
Listen to the points 3:15, 4:23 and 4:28 of the track ("The Kraken"), that's clearly electric guitar. There are lower riffs that play throughout, though a bit low.
Nope, it's orchestra fed through an amp. (Or so I'm told... from the man himself I believe?) -
- CommentAuthorAnthony
- CommentTimeMar 19th 2008
Steven wrote
DemonStar wrote
Steven wrote
(Except 'The Kraken' has no electric guitar.)
Well, this proves how seamlessly it has been blended in
Listen to the points 3:15, 4:23 and 4:28 of the track ("The Kraken"), that's clearly electric guitar. There are lower riffs that play throughout, though a bit low.
Nope, it's orchestra fed through an amp. (Or so I'm told... from the man himself I believe?)
Yup, Steven is right. There is no electric guitar in The Kraken.