1894 replies to this topic

[gkgyver]

The score is as different as Eric Serra's from GoldenEye. I like it, it's dark, strange and rustic. It's a very mature sounding score.

What nonsense. "Different" is a word I see often associated with this score. It's not that different from many other action scores, and not that different from Arnold either.

Skyfall is like Quantum Of Solace, minus the themes, minus the fun, with the electronics amped up and an awkward mix.

[x007AceOfSpades]

NONE OF THEM HAVE ENOUGH COWBELL.

Conti is here to assist.

... That Cowbell. Perfect amount.

[junkanoo]

Rustic or rural fits the subtext of the film.

In fact, Eon wanted to call the film Rustic Chivalry until they found it had already been used.

Edited by junkanoo, 23 October 2012 - 01:45 AM.

[The Shark]

It's not that different from many other action scores, and not that different from Arnold either.

Can't hear it.

Shakespeare's England is where men weren't as corrupt?!

Talk about misreading my post.

[EyesOnly]

"Rustic" and "different" are still words that come to mind when I hear the score. If that's nonsense, so be it. There isn't much of Newman's score that makes me think Arnold...maybe some lines here and there but that's it. Arnold has really matured with CR and QOS, but overall I get a very seizure like experience when listening to him at times. I'm pleased to have someone else have a crack at it this go around.

I love Barry's music as much as the next Bond enthusiast, but I'm not Imbued with the idea of recreating it in modern times like some seem to suggest. I'm pleasantly surprised by Skyfall's score, and can see myself becoming bullish with it. There is more to it then people give it credit for.

[THX-007]

I've read comments here and there either wishing Arnold had done this score or they want Arnold back for the next film. Is the big emphasis on Arnold's absence because of the 50th year? If Arnold was replaced on CR, would get the same amount of attention? Arnold got to do the 40th year anniversary and the 20th Bond film, scored five Bond films which included CR which was and still is very popular (probably the most popular Bond film Arnold has scored), and not mention doing music or supervising music for Bond spin-offs (like the video games).
Leaving aside opinions about the man's music, why do people think that Arnold should have the monopoly on Bond films? You could argue "because he does great work and that's why he should do all of the future films." John Barry did great work but eventually he had to take breaks from the series. I've read some people complain that "Arnold was just getting good, his CR and QOS scores were really good." If that's the case then it took him three films to "get it right."
I guess after the sour response to Eric Serra's GE score, Michael and Barbara decided they needed a composer who would emulate the traditional Bond sound. Enter Arnold. They kept him and decided not to ever take a risk with their music composers. Just play it safe. Surprisingly EON never called Barry back to the series before his passing. I don't know if they asked him and he said he was busy or they plainly didn't ask him.
I'm just saying that having different composers for each film adds some variety.

[Armand Fancypants]

I'm just saying that having different composers for each film adds some variety.

Agreed.

Every director should be able to pick their own composer. If that happens to be Arnold so be it (somewhat amusingly, Apted has worked with Arnold exclusively after TWINE, with the exception of Enigma which was of course scored by Barry).

Forster doesn't have a stock composer so I think he was more than happy to have Arnold. Campbell seems to alternate between James Horner and James Newton Howard.

[QOS4EVER]

I've read comments here and there either wishing Arnold had done this score or they want Arnold back for the next film. Is the big emphasis on Arnold's absence because of the 50th year? If Arnold was replaced on CR, would get the same amount of attention? Arnold got to do the 40th year anniversary and the 20th Bond film, scored five Bond films which included CR which was and still is very popular (probably the most popular Bond film Arnold has scored), and not mention doing music or supervising music for Bond spin-offs (like the video games).
Leaving aside opinions about the man's music, why do people think that Arnold should have the monopoly on Bond films? You could argue "because he does great work and that's why he should do all of the future films." John Barry did great work but eventually he had to take breaks from the series. I've read some people complain that "Arnold was just getting good, his CR and QOS scores were really good." If that's the case then it took him three films to "get it right."
I guess after the sour response to Eric Serra's GE score, Michael and Barbara decided they needed a composer who would emulate the traditional Bond sound. Enter Arnold. They kept him and decided not to ever take a risk with their music composers. Just play it safe. Surprisingly EON never called Barry back to the series before his passing. I don't know if they asked him and he said he was busy or they plainly didn't ask him.
I'm just saying that having different composers for each film adds some variety.

Arnold does it the best.

[sharpshooter]

I've listened to it a number of times. I like the feel of it.

I like the feel of it as well. I’ve seen it been described as sounding mature, and I agree. Newman’s given the score a darker sheen. Most of the tracks get my endorsement. Especially the quiet atmosphere segments of stuff like Komodo Dragon, Quartermaster, Someone Usually Dies and Jellyfish.

[Satorious]

Full tracks for 'Grand Bazaar Istanbul', 'Jellyfish' and 'Granborough Road':

http://www.huffingto..._n_2004508.html

[FredJB007]

I like the score and I don't think its fair to compare him to Barry, Arnold or anyone else. Newman has his own style and I think we need to see how it plays with the context of the film before we either praise of lambaste the poor chap.

[SecretAgentFan]

Listening to the three full tracks right now...

Could this be one of the best Bond scores ever?

For me, it could.

[gkgyver]

I didn't need to see Goldfinger or Diamonds Are Forever or For Your Eyes Only or Tomorrow Never Dies to realise that these are fantastic scores. If I need to see the film to get some meaning or entertainment out of a score, chances are the score in itself is not very good.
I'm not someone who watches James Bond movies every chance he gets. I haven't seen OHMSS for ages (years), and I still get enormous chills from the action cues on the album.

It is fair to compare Newman to Barry and Arnold because he's stepping in their footsteps. And they're a couple numbers too big. So, if he can't compare to his predecessors, it's most likely a good idea to look for someone else in the next one.

[SecretAgentFan]

Boy, you really do not like Newman, do you?

Fair enough.

But liking the SKYFALL score does not diminish Barry´s legendary work at all. I like both. And of course, Barry will always be the Bond master.

Still, times change. Bond changes. This is the new score. In a few years we´ll get another one.

[junkanoo]

I love Barry's music as much as the next Bond enthusiast, but I'm not Imbued with the idea of recreating it in modern times like some seem to suggest. I'm pleasantly surprised by Skyfall's score, and can see myself becoming bullish with it. There is more to it then people give it credit for.

Cool. At its core, it's interesting musical ideas and their application that matters, no matter their inspiration root. At their best, hopefully they inspire a new generation of Bond fans.

Edited by junkanoo, 23 October 2012 - 02:11 PM.

[PeteNeon]

Can someone direct me to a part of the score that references Adele's theme? Saving the full score for the film, but I'd like to hear a bit of that.

[The Shark]

Beginning of "Komodo Dragon."

[DamnCoffee]

Komodo Dragon.

[PeteNeon]

Cheers. Verrry nice.

[QuantumOfRoyale]

Listening to the three full tracks right now...

Could this be one of the best Bond scores ever?

For me, it could.

Agreed. To me, this score seems smarter, sleeker, and more subtle, which is not a bad thing. I like how it's still distinctly Newman, with enough new sound to keep things lively and interesting, not to mention sound befitting for an actual SPY movie, and enough classic Bond sound to give the score identity.

In particular, it reminds me of Newman's previous scores for The Debt and WALL-E, both of which I own.

[gkgyver]

Boy, you really do not like Newman, do you?

Fair enough.

But liking the SKYFALL score does not diminish Barry´s legendary work at all. I like both. And of course, Barry will always be the Bond master.

Still, times change. Bond changes. This is the new score. In a few years we´ll get another one.

I like Newman, I don't like Skyfall.
I didn't say it diminishes Barry, I said Newman can't hope to reach him in any shape or form.

Bond certainly changes, but someone has yet to tell me exactly what Newman does different than Arnold, except tossing obvious themes, for which Bond always stood for, and assimilating the sound to the general blockbuster mold.

[The Shark]

Bond certainly changes, but someone has yet to tell me exactly what Newman does different than Arnold

He understates rather than overstates and his compositional technique is much more streamlined than Arnold's. He's a minimalist, like Herrmann, Barry, Nyman, Mansell and Zimmer (to pick a few disparate examples from film music). Less is more is his M.O.

[QOS4EVER]

From a TechBlog but in a way represents the gnereal audience

http://blog.gsmarena...en-not-stirred/

"Decent plot, mostly great acting and jaw-dropping action sequences – Skyfall seems to tick all the right boxes. Well, there’s actually one left – the soundtrack. For a movie of such caliber, the sound was just not up to scratch"

[gkgyver]

How is understatement better than overstatement?
There is a definite difference between the minimalism of Barry and Newman. Barry has something to tell me, Newman doesn't. When a composer has absolutely nothing to tell me in a score, much like Zimmer's droning, why exactly would I listen to it?

For a movie series so closely identified with its musical themes, not writing any sort of obvious thematic identity is simply not acceptable. Barry would have never done that. Zimmer would never do that, and Herrmann most likely would never have done that either.
A James Bond score is not made unique by the James Bond theme, a point that Newman overlooked completely.

Bond certainly changes, but someone has yet to tell me exactly what Newman does different than Arnold

He understates rather than overstates and his compositional technique is much more streamlined than Arnold's. He's a minimalist, like Herrmann, Barry, Nyman, Mansell and Zimmer (to pick a few disparate examples from film music). Less is more is his M.O.

[gkgyver]

Where is the musical track in Skyfall that identifies it as Skyfall?
I think about Goldfinger, I think about Alpine Drive, Into Miami.
I think about You Only Live Twice, I think about Capsule In Space, Mountains And Sunsets.
I think about Live And Let Die, I think about Boat Chase.
I think about Tomorrow Never Dies, I think about Backseat Driver.
I think about Quantum Of Solace, I think about Night At The Opera, Oil Fields.

What is the unique selling point of Skyfall?

[The Shark]

How is understatement better than overstatement?

Unless the intention is to be camp, shocking, ironic or satirical, understatement is usually the smarter choice. Overstatement pushes drama into melodrama - something Arnold often did with his Bond scores.

For example, listen to how Barry plays Bond's quiet sadness over Tilly Masterson's death in GOLDFINGER. That's the power of understatement for you.

Barry has something to tell me, Newman doesn't.

How doesn't he?

For a movie series so closely identified with its musical themes, not writing any sort of obvious thematic identity is simply not acceptable.

Newman's score does have a thematic identity.

Where is the musical track in Skyfall that identifies it as Skyfall?

Komodo Dragon and Old Dog, New Tricks.

[gkgyver]

And which one would that be?

I'm sure people will walk out the theatre whistling the pitiful Requiem For A Dream motif as heard in Grand Bazar, Istanbul.
People remember Barry's themes almost as much as the Bond theme, I dare you to tell me that will hold true for Skyfall.

[x007AceOfSpades]

Just got the soundtrack, and let me say, I am damn well impressed with Newman's score. It's fantastic.

[Twingolot]

I am the only one to feel I am listening to a Batman or Spider-man movie when I hear "Jellyfish" (track 7)?

This soundtrack isn't that bad. It's rather conventionnal and yes, that doesn't make it a great Bond score, but it's still better than Arnold conventionnal cues. However I'll admit Arnold did make lots of efforts to improve his work, and although most of his score wasn't really good, sometimes he managed to create real Bond cues with melodies you can remember and love. There is no melodie at all in Newman's score, except maybe for "Komodo dragon".

Old Dog, New Tricks.

that one reminds me Bernard Hermann's Taxi Driver.

[gkgyver]

Komodo Dragon sounds exactly like something Arnold would do.