1894 replies to this topic

[Pussfeller]

I like that a lot. Apart from Shawshank, I hadn't heard anything from Newman before. I'm sure he's up to the job. The producers would never drop the bugleboy without finding a damn good replacement.

For a minute I thought Newman was going to be the first American to score a Bond film. I had totally forgotten about Marvin Hamlisch, and was under the impression that Bill Conti and Michael Kamen were British. Newman will be the fourth American to score a Bond film. So I guess there's nothing unprecedented (in a trivia-quiz sort of away) about Newman taking the reins.

[Ace Roberts]

This is really interesting news. The Shawshank Redemption has one of my favorite scores ever. I also like his other stuff. I'm just curious how he'll do the action scenes because I've never heard him do that kind of music. Coming from Newman, I expect some beautiful music like John Barry's You Only Live Twice.

Listen to Wall-e. There are several actions tracks, and shows he can do this - IMO.

[marktmurphy]

Yes, I thought Michael Kamen was British too; no idea why!

[gkgyver]

Hopefully this is true as it is time for change. I hope Newman doesn't screw it up. He has some pretty big shoes to fill now.

Legendary: John Barry
Master: George Martin, Bill Conti, David Arnold, Thomas Newman?
Average: Marvin Hamlisch
Bottom of the barrel: Norman, Kamen, Serra

This has nothing to do with the subject but: are you freaking joking putting Michael Kamen in the same category as Eric bloody Serra?

[The Shark]

I'm more concerned about David Arnold being on the same level as George Martin and Bill Motherfing Conti.

Haven't seen the film, but this one's growing on me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_jbhAO_Nr4

Assuming he adopts that style for SKYFALL, it would be a natural progression from Arnold's QOS.

[Zorin Industries]

If it is indeed Mr Newman that is scoring SKYFALL then that is nothing but fantastic news for the film and the Bond sound. Thomas Newman, apart from being part of a lineage of film scoring royalty, redefined how film scoring was done. His AMERICAN BEAUTY work alone is aped 12/13 years later in many a TV show and created the cinematic sound of whatever the first decade of this century is to be called.

And a director working with his proven musical buddy is a good thing for any film, let alone a Bond.

[Mr_Wint]

This has nothing to do with the subject but: are you freaking joking putting Michael Kamen in the same category as Eric bloody Serra?

No, I wasn't joking. I think the LTK score is terrible.

Some more action tracks by Newman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhwJ6pRLeHU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G8CWRowazY

[MattofSteel]

Brass! Sweet, sweet brass!

Great finds, actually. Haven't listened to those scores in their entirety yet. Encouraging.

[The Shark]

Here's another.

[MattofSteel]

If it is indeed Mr Newman that is scoring SKYFALL then that is nothing but fantastic news for the film and the Bond sound. Thomas Newman, apart from being part of a lineage of film scoring royalty, redefined how film scoring was done. His AMERICAN BEAUTY work alone is aped 12/13 years later in many a TV show and created the cinematic sound of whatever the first decade of this century is to be called.

And a director working with his proven musical buddy is a good thing for any film, let alone a Bond.

No doubt. I think the main issue for the more hesitant amongst us has simply been a result of the fact that Mr. Newman has very little readily "Bond-comparable" work, so it's quite a blank slate in our minds as to what his interpretation of a 007 score might be. His music tends more toward the ambient and the full-bodied, as well - which aren't bad things (he's a phenomenal composer in his own right), but aren't necessarily what we want to see in a Bond.

Having familiarized myself with more and more of his work over the last day or so, I'm feeling confident we'll be more than fine. A part of me does lament, though, that the familiarity and (in my case) virtually guaranteed positive reaction to a new David Arnold 007 score will be absent for such a notable film in the series.

[DCI_director]

If he is indeed the composer, do you think this time the producers will let him write the title song as to incorporate it within the score?

[Captain Tightpants]

Why is that so essential?

[The Shark]

So the score will have a unifying thematic identity.

[MattofSteel]

Why is that so essential?

I wouldn't say it's "essential", but traditionally, the scores benefitting from integration with the title song have seemed to come out far stronger for the exact reason Shark's suggesting.

[Rich Douglas]

I always get extremely excited when a new bond composer is announced... change is good. While I really respect David Arnold as a composer and it's no secret that I have absolutely loved all of his bond scores, I'm very anxious to hear what Newman brings to the table. My guess would be that it's something emotional, something new, and something we probably haven't heard in a bond film before but with musical echoes of something not entirely foreign. Bring it on... we're in good hands if this news is true.

Maybe about time to change up my own bond sound to reflect this change as well.

[Captain Tightpants]

So the score will have a unifying thematic identity.

What's preventing EON from deciding on the title artist early on, then giving the recorded song to the composer to work into the score?

[d21089]

I don't see any issue that he hasn't done anything overtly Bond-y before... Bond is its own unique thing and it shows me he has his own way of doing things and doesn't need to borrow from established sounds and can create his own. That being said, I've no doubt he is aware of the heritage of Bond movies and soundtracks and can mold the Bond soundtrack formula into something uniquely his own as well. Arnold on the other hand, I have a lot of respect for but i would say his career has mainly been based on paying tribute to John Barry - nothing wrong with that and he definitely modernised the established sound with his big beat style production but he's not an iconic or unique composer in my mind.

[00Twelve]

Why is that so essential?

I wouldn't say it's "essential", but traditionally, the scores benefitting from integration with the title song have seemed to come out far stronger for the exact reason Shark's suggesting.

Agreed. Each score that strongly integrated the title song's melodic line was stronger for it. (Reason #454 that TND's title song should have been "Surrender.") I'm a fan of Serra's GE score for sure, but I still wonder what might have been if the awesome title song had been a central part of it.

[Captain Tightpants]

I'm sure everyone will cry blue murder if the theme song is bad and is subsequently worked into the score ...

[Mr Teddy Bear]

So make the theme good?

[Captain Tightpants]

Oh, of course! Why didn't I think of that? It's so easy now that I look back over it.

No doubt EON thought Another Way to Die wasa good theme for QUANTUM OF SOLACE. And that Die Another Day was a good film for DIE ANOTHER DAY. They were, however, mauled by the fans. Can you imagine what those films would have been like if those themes were worked into their respective scores?

[chanoch]

Traditionally, the theme is meant to be integrated into the score. There is no mystery about that.

I think this is fantastic news really.

[Mr Teddy Bear]

Oh, of course! Why didn't I think of that? It's so easy now that I look back over it.

No doubt EON thought Another Way to Die wasa good theme for QUANTUM OF SOLACE. And that Die Another Day was a good film for DIE ANOTHER DAY. They were, however, mauled by the fans. Can you imagine what those films would have been like if those themes were worked into their respective scores?

Luckily EoN productions don't make descisions soley on potential backlash on internet forums.

Keep in mind the two songs you site were products of the individual artists producing a single song. If the decision was made to integrate the main theme song with the film's score, who's to say that Another Way to Die or Madonna's Die Another Day would've been anything like we know them today. Presumably the films' composer would've been involved and influenced the theme from the outset, so I find the 'what if' scenario flawed.

[Captain Tightpants]

Sorry, but I'm not buying into the believe that if the film's composer writes the theme song, then the theme song will automatically be good.

[SecretAgentFan]

Well, Barry managed to accomplish that.

[Mr Teddy Bear]

Sorry, but I'm not buying into the believe that if the film's composer writes the theme song, then the theme song will automatically be good.

I didn't come across anyone make such an assertion. I feel the general belief is that it strengthens the film's score when and sense of identity rather than the score proping the song up.

[Mr_Wint]

I'm sure everyone will cry blue murder if the theme song is bad and is subsequently worked into the score ...

Sorry, but I'm not buying into the believe that if the film's composer writes the theme song, then the theme song will automatically be good.

What is "good", what is "bad"?
If the theme song doesn't complement the movie, and actually enhance the movie experience, then I'll say it is bad.

I personally don't care what the Justin-Bieber generation thinks about the song or what chart position it reached. Leave the creative work to the director and the composer.

[Zorin Industries]

Traditionally, the theme is meant to be integrated into the score. There is no mystery about that.

Well traditions are there to be broken. And a few will continue to be broken with SKYFALL I'm sure.

[marktmurphy]

So the score will have a unifying thematic identity.

What's preventing EON from deciding on the title artist early on, then giving the recorded song to the composer to work into the score?

Worked for From Russia With Love.
And Arnold managed to slide the Bond theme in a few times. And Another Way To Die, in fact

[talos7]

The theme from A View to a Kill is heard throughout the film's score. Barry worked with Duran Duran on the song.