• Categories

Vanilla 1.1.4 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

 
    •  
      CommentAuthorLSH
    • CommentTimeNov 28th 2007
    Just under a week now until James Newton Howard's score for The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep is released. After the disappointing album experience of this Autumn's Michael Clayton, I'm hoping for a return of Howard at his best, particularly during his animation period.

    Roll on Dec 4th...
    •  
      CommentAuthorErik Woods
    • CommentTimeNov 28th 2007
    The only one to open a composer thread and have something interesting and informative to say!

    biggrin

    -Erik-
    host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS!
    •  
      CommentAuthorLSH
    • CommentTimeNov 28th 2007 edited
    Well I knew I had to be the one to open it but I was desperate for something topical to begin with. And that's as close as I could get.

    biggrin
    •  
      CommentAuthormarie-lise
    • CommentTimeNov 28th 2007
    :-)

    Well, I'm still a believer, and I really, really think, just by seeing the cover and the theme of the movie spin this will be a good score...
    *keeps fingers crossed for not losing all credibility in the future ;-)*
    • CommentAuthorAnthony
    • CommentTimeNov 28th 2007
    I'm not too familiar with all of JNH's works. I've got what I consider to be his best which are: Atlantis, Blood Diamond, Dinosaur, Hidalgo, King Kong, Lady In The Water, Peter Pan, The Interpreter, Treature Planet, Waterworld and Wyatt Earp, but is there anything else that I MUST get (considering Dinosaur is my favourite)?
  1. Signs - Howard goes Hitchcock, big style.
    The Village - probably the most beautiful score he´ll ever compose. If you love Hilary Hahn.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeNov 28th 2007
    Devil's advocate if you like dark scores with brooding atmosphere and apocalyptic choirs, it's in fact my all-time favorite JNH score and one of those that really got me into film music when it was originally released; an awesome score.

    But talking of must-gets, you should get THE VILLAGE / SIGNS / THE SIXTH SENSE / UNBREAKABLE immediately! You just can't have Lady in the Water which is 113 steps below what these gems are and don't have those! smile

    Also recommended:
    Batman Begins
    The postman
    Collateral

    and the beautifully romantic My Best friend's wedding
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
  2. I second Unbreakable, Batman Begins & Postman to be absolute must-haves.
    •  
      CommentAuthorLSH
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007 edited
    Some of his lesser known scores are fabulous too:

    - Grand Canyon - mostly electronic atmospheric urban score
    - The Prince Of Tides - another of his very romantic works
    - The Man In The Moon - gorgeous and heartbreaking score (one of his personal favourites, I read somewhere)
    - My Best Friend's Wedding - (I agree Demetris) one of the best romantic comedy scores ever

    Also be sure to check out:

    - Snow Falling On Cedars
    - Vertical Limit

    smile
    • CommentAuthorAnthony
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007
    I had The Postman at one point as someone said it was a massive action score...but where was the action?!
  3. I certainly love Postman for its quiet scenes.
    •  
      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007 edited
    I consider Snow Falling On Cedars to be his most accomplished score, just because of the ethereal moments, the sense of wonder and incredible mood. It's not, however, his most accessible score.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007 edited
    BobdH wrote
    I consider Snow Falling On Cedars to be his most accomplished score, just because of the ethereal moments, the sense of wonder and incredible mood. It's not, however, his most accessible score.


    I considered it as such until i discovered the brilliance of Arvo Part and particularly his "Fratres for Strings" and which JNH quotes in various ways throughout his score here. Don't take me wrong, i still love it to date, Snow Falling on Cedars and it is certainly a very mature step for JNH and one of his worthiest efforts for sure but all the magic was instantly swept away, just like that.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007 edited
    Christodoulides wrote
    I considered it as such until i discovered the brilliance of Arvo Part and particularly his "Fratres for Strings" and which JNH quotes in various ways throughout his score here. Don't take me wrong, i still love it to date, Snow Falling on Cedars and it is certainly a very mature step for JNH but all the magic was instantly swept away, just like that.


    So... do you recommend listening to Fratres for Strings...? Hmm... I'd love another listening experience like Snow, but I don't want to diminish it... dizzy
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007
    I don't know, i'd be careful with that. It's not like it's "300" vs "TITUS", in any case; Snow Falling on Cedars is a ware more mature and well-worked, notable work but still, you can hear the direct draws and influences. If you love the former too much i'd say don't listen to Fratres. If you're cool with it, do so, it's a cool musical experiment smile

    I'd also like to hear Michael's view on the matter too.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorManwe
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007 edited
    Really looking forward to The Waterhorse, I am really hoping that JNH will impress me again with this one... that has not really happened since The Village.

    On the Fratres thing - JNH is not the only one to have quoted/borrowed from Pärt's fabulous work. His special soundscape seems to have inspired many, at least in the construction of their sonic landscapes. And, the opening of Thomas Newman's Meet Joe Black is also a more or less direct lift from Pärt's work. For me personally, these quotes does not diminish the experience of the scores however. Composers have borrowed from eachother for ages - I have never really seen the problem with it.
    - What matters is the music -
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007
    I agree overall but in Snow falling on Cedars it's significantly more obvious, imo. It's down to personal takes again.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorManwe
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007
    Of course. As always, it is all a matter of opinion in the end. smile
    - What matters is the music -
    •  
      CommentAuthorCristian
    • CommentTimeNov 29th 2007
    James Newton Howard is my favorite composer and Snow Falling on Cedar is my favorite score ever. I can't describe this score in words, it's so beautiful and sad at the same time, a masterpiece.

    I can't wait for Waterhorse I hope it will blow me away especially now that we don't get a release for I Am Legend.
    •  
      CommentAuthorCristian
    • CommentTimeNov 30th 2007
    Running time for Waterhorse!

    01 Back Where You Belong (04:29)
    02 Water Horse Main Title (01:09)
    03 Angus Feeds Crusoe (01:59)
    04 You Didn''t Even Get Wet (02:58)
    05 The Workshop (02:35)
    06 Ann (01:28)
    07 Bathtub (02:23)
    08 Driving to the Loch (02:00)
    09 Run Angus (01:20)
    10 The Fishermen (01:37)
    11 Angus in Training (02:52)
    12 Swimming (06:34)
    13 The Children Laugh (02:58)
    14 The Dinner Party (03:03)
    15 There's No Monster (02:01)
    16 Saving Crusoe (02:04)
    17 The Net (04:22)
    18 The Jump (01:40)
    19 End of the Story (03:04)
    20 The Water Horse Suite (08:08)

    http://www.sonybmg.ch/artists2.php?iA=1 … 8697193002
    •  
      CommentAuthorDavid
    • CommentTimeNov 30th 2007
    Has anyone heard The Water Horse yet? Considering it comes out in four days, I would have thought someone would have heard it by now...
    •  
      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeNov 30th 2007
    Cristian wrote
    I can't wait for Waterhorse I hope it will blow me away especially now that we don't get a release for I Am Legend.


    Indeed. I wasn't expecting too much from this before, instead focusing on Legend, but now, this'd better blow us away with wonder and magic angry
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeNov 30th 2007
    Yeah, i wouldn't raise the bar too high. The last time i did that with GOLDEN COMPASS, it fell violently right on my head and i'm still dizzy in pain. slant rolleyes
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorErik Woods
    • CommentTimeDec 1st 2007
    Signs is my favorite score of the decade. Not even my favorite genre of music... action/adventure (Sky Captain) could knock Signs off the top. Two more years for others to try but they will fail.

    -Erik-
    host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS!
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeDec 1st 2007
    Signs is indeed singularly phenomenal. I am longing for the day he'll deliver something at that level. I hope some people do understand (Erik too perhaps?) my enormous disappointment with crap like Michael Clayton; JNH's one of the 10 most important film composers currently and i simply can't accept stuff like that, just like that; nop sir, not from the man who gave us stuff like THE VILLAGE and SIGNS, easily two of the most important modern film scores ever.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorErik Woods
    • CommentTimeDec 1st 2007
    I'm with ya, Demetris. I'm with ya... except for THE VILLAGE being an important score... because it ain't. Professional violin noodling... yawn! But that's another story.

    -Erik-
    host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS!
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeDec 1st 2007 edited
    Well ok, that's about tastes and it's subjective. But the important thing is that he can't be writing that horrible stuff and i am worried; i hope he gets out of it completely and quickly! And stop hanging out with Zimmer! angry
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorErik Woods
    • CommentTimeDec 1st 2007
    Exactly... Zimmer is brainwashing the poor soul. Get out while you can, JNH. Please for the love of God.

    -Erik=
    host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS!
    •  
      CommentAuthorNautilus
    • CommentTimeDec 1st 2007
    Erik Woods wrote
    Exactly... Zimmer is brainwashing the poor soul. Get out while you can, JNH. Please for the love of God.

    -Erik=


    Yes, it's a great danger! He can be infected with ZImmer's talent!
    •  
      CommentAuthorErik Woods
    • CommentTimeDec 1st 2007
    Nautilus wrote
    Erik Woods wrote
    Exactly... Zimmer is brainwashing the poor soul. Get out while you can, JNH. Please for the love of God.

    -Erik=


    Yes, it's a great danger! He can be infected with ZImmer's talent!


    Nope... the other way around. Zimmer's a cancerous tumor and if it's not removed in time the JNH we all know and love with be gone forever

    -Erik-
    host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS!