TOTO

I thought it was weirdly great. I made a post on MMUK about it. Unforunately it's not as great as on CD, when I'm listening to it driving to school.

It has grown on me the past while, so much so that it's in top ten (maybe five) favourite scores. Stop laughing, I can hear it. Toto, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, a sizable choir, and electronics, who would have thought? This is definitely one of the best incorporations of guitars and orchestra that I have ever heard, something that Trevor Rabin is still working on. The electronics are accenting the orchestra, not replacing the orchestra (like cough cough Media Ventures).

I know the score has aged (obviously), mostly because a rock band did it, but it doesn't seem that aged. The electric guitars add to the score in power (no pun intended) more than they take away in agefulness.

The main theme doesn't change in variation at all, aka John Barry like, it's good so it can get away with it. The themes for the movie (kinda like a sci-fi Lawerence of Arabia), Paul (dark/disonant), Leto (noble), Fremen (mysterious), the love theme (err love like?), the dream/mourning theme (repeating choral piece) etc are quite simplistic and effective as you might expect from a rock band (which musical help from Marty Paich, who taught James Newton Howard).

Although I mention the themes, the score spends most of its time under the surface. The action cues are very decent, with action motifs developed as the cues progress. The last minute of "Big Battle" is absolutely sublime.

I agree with Christian Clemm about Eno's "Prophecy theme", it works great in the film, but when you listen to it on the album, you realize that, 2 minutes in, nothing is happening.

Granted, there are some unlistenable parts, but they are few fortunately. You can also hear some of the influences for the score like Shostokovich's Symphony #11. But that was intended by David Lynch. The end credits, is quite originally Toto, with them doing what Toto does, soft rock and such with orchestral and choral backing.

Is it worth the $20, though?

James Newton Howard did some totally gorgeous orchestral arrangements on Toto IV. The horn lines on "I Won't Hold You Back" are just insanely beautiful.

mc

Always been a fan of this score. A classic!

Revel's isn't good indeed but Tyler's, albeit the originality issues, is ages beyond imo mate

I didn't realise that the Lone Ranger's horse had written a score for Dune. Probably better than Graeme Revell's.

God damn it. And I thought I was being so clever.

Yes, Joseph Williams was in Toto, I think.

Swing and a miss, as usual for Mr. Southall.

But anyway, the battle music in Dune is a bit well... underwhelming.

There's a lot more to scoring than just "battle" music. Toto's Dune is great, the mystic elements are scored perfctly.

Less of the "fool" thankyou.

Point taken, it's not a CD I would put on for battle music.

Could we please watch the GD language , Thanks.