[Closed] Now Playing - Part XIV

I agree with Erik but I think this discussion is really missing the point of why people criticise Zimmer. I mean, I think (say) George Fenton is a million times the composer Zimmer could ever dream of being, but no way would anyone anywhere be able to hum you a Fenton theme (I would struggle myself and I have spent far more time listening to his music than Zimmer's). There's more to quality than that.

Damn straight!

Raiders is "beloved by all generations"....proof? Pirates has a "small and limited audience" (one of the biggest blockbuster series of all time, certainly not LESS than Indy)....proof?

You're saying Raiders is "better" and "superior" and has a "bigger" audience. I am not disagreeing with that. I just want to know how that opinion can be backed up with solid, objective facts.

Hmm. To me, themes and melody are 50% of why I listen to film music. I struggle with composers like Fenton because of exactly that lack. Admittedly, almost every composer is better than Zimmer if by "quality" you mean technical music expertise. But my greatest enjoyment of music comes from melody, and I doubt that will ever change. I've certainly developed a much greater taste for technical excellence in the years since I first became a film music fan, but I will still listen to Zimmer ten times more than Fenton if Zimmer has the themes and Fenton doesn't.

I absolutely do know what I'm talking about!

-Erik-

NP : JAWS 2 - John Willams



Excellent score! Even though it's one of Williams lesser scores in his canon of great scores it's still better than ANYTHING Hans Zimmer ever wrote!

Jaws through a Star Wars filter as I like to describe it.

You don't know that for sure. And while i DO agree that you can't compare the musical value or any value whatsoever of the two, still that's you and me talking about it who are perhaps musically educated and most importantly directly linked to everything film music. I don't think if you ask the average dude on the street he'll actually spot any difference whatsoever between the two. They're just two memorable tunes out of the cinema to his ears. Have you ever thought of that? If not, go out and ask 'average dudes'. And not only in the U.S, if you want to have a complete vision. I am sure you'll discover way more disappointing results than what you might have initially thought.

In England, most people know the Pirates theme. Just throwing that out there, not trying to make a point. Please don't kill me.

Same here, 2 university orchestras on 2 different occasions; full potc suites. And 2 from Gladiator, both of them.

See above.

Really?

As a score fan, I know I am alone. It's just dumb luck my boss is a little into film scores.

While working the other day, I heard someone whistling the "Raiders March", and when he stopped, I picked up where he left off. No one has ever, ever whistled "He's A Pirate", or any other Zimmer score for that matter.

I know it's different when you're Nautilus' "land" or a band from his "land", but in
Reality Land Erik is absolutely right. "my band plays suites from Pirates!!1!". Yeah, and they probably think "Transformers" is one of the best films they've ever seen.