1894 replies to this topic

[Ace Roberts]

Bravo to Eon for making it official. Although, again, my guess is that some high name artist (Adele, Coldplay, etc.) is going to be seen at this stage or accompanying Newman somewhere - and a new set of tweets and spy photos will begin - so it's best they get out ahead of the game.

[Jim]

Sorry, delfloria, but being right once doesn't make you right every single time. The forum members with a reputation for being in the know have that reputation because they are consistently accurate. Not just the one time.

Bit churlish?

[SecretAgentFan]

Hmmmmmm................................. Like I said they had already started to set up the scoring stage in England for Newman. Just saying...........................

You absolutely did. It caught my eye at the time.

Being the old sourpuss that I am: I still don´t believe that they have already started to set up the scoring stage. Because... why now? Scoring will take place sometime in the summer. They probably secured a stage and maybe booked the orchestra. But setting up the stage now?

[The Shark]

Hmmmmmm................................. Like I said they had already started to set up the scoring stage in England for Newman. Just saying...........................

A bit early, eh?

Though this kind of thing has been done before. EAST OF EDEN, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, IMAGES, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK come to mind, as films with music composed before or concurrently with principle photography. In some of these, music recorded early (composed from the script) was even played on set in speakers to get actors in the mood. Kazan did this with Rosenman's score for EDEN, and Spielberg with Williams's score for some scenes in RAIDERS (namely the "Well of Souls" snake setpiece).

[SecretAgentFan]

I did not know that!

Still, maybe Mendes is requesting music for the teaser? Or some temp score for those sequences he has completed in order to find out what is still needed?

Damn, maybe delfloria is right, after all...

Where is the other half of my hat?

[Mr. Blofeld]

Check your head. ;-)

I'm a little shocked at this news, myself; nine days away, and I miss the big composer news! Ahhh, well; sure it'll be great. :-)

[DamnCoffee]

One of the things I'm most excited about, is Newmans take on the gunbarrel and Bond theme. I hope he goes for a classic but exciting feel for the Gunbarrel sequence, something like this.




I could live very well, with a Licence To Kill type theme. Not exactly starting with the Bond theme, something dark and dramatic then the Bond theme blasting in once he shoots.

Edited by Mharkin, 14 January 2012 - 10:47 AM.

[DaveBond21]

I agree, I would love something a little different along the lines of the LTK gunbarrel theme.

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[sharpshooter]

We are literally getting a new man to do the score after five films of Arnold. Pretty excited to hear what he comes up with. It's the 50th anniversary, so it's up to him to deliver the goods.

[Captain Tightpants]

That's the problem - it's the fiftieth anniversary, and there is nothing in his professional career that has sounded remotely like Bond.

[d21089]

Yeah but he is one of the most acclaimed composers around today, and I dont think its a problem he hasnt spent his career worshipping John Barry in everything he does- Its great that like with Mendes, The Director of Photography whose name escapes me at the moment, Bardem, Fiennes, Craig, Dench, Whishaw and now Newman, you are getting some of the best in the business to work on a 50th Anniversary film is better than Die Another Day's blatant TV show style references to the past just imo

[Jim]

That's the problem - it's the fiftieth anniversary, and there is nothing in his professional career that has sounded remotely like Bond.

Could come up with something original, then.

[Captain Tightpants]

I dont think its a problem he hasnt spent his career worshipping John Barry in everything he does

Trust me - I've been around Bond forums long enough to know that this will be a massive problem for some. I know some people who will likely write SKYFALL off as a horrible film because of it. Ironically, they're the same people who credit themselves with getting Arnold "fired" in the first place.

[LastBroadcast]

I interviewed David Arnold earlier this week and he's confirmed that he wasn't asked to come back for Skyfall once Sam Mendes was involved...

http://www.cultbox.c...nterview-part-2

"My availability wasn’t an issue. I would hate to be a composer foisted upon a director if the director would rather have someone else and I have been lucky that the five directors who I've worked with on the Bond movies chose to work with me. You have to afford each director the same right and I've never expected to be asked back just because I'd done the films previously."

He also hints that he has "several things in development" regarding the 50th anniversary and states that he's keen to return for Bond 24: "I'm never not available to Bond."

[MattofSteel]

Saw 'The Iron Lady' last night. One of Newman's more expansive scores and definitely like a big step in a 'grander' direction for him. If Skyfall is *another* step and he really dives into and embraces the Bond sound, we could be in for something surprisingly good.

[gkgyver]

Is it even confirmed the movie will have a gunbarrel?

When we travel back the road the Bond movies came from, there are several things you can observe about the "one hit wonders" (not meaning it in a negative way) George Martin, Marvin Hamlish, Bill Conti, Michael Kamen and Eric Serra.
Most important of all, they all brought a very different sound to their movie, different from John Barry and different from each other. And while their scores are considered great (with the very fair exception of Serra), they are rarely mentioned in a sentence about the great classic Bond scores.

The point is: even if Newman does well, he most likely will suffer the same fate, that he will remain an oddity in the series, replaced again with the usual Bond mold, unless he does so outstandingly well that future directors and producers can't avoid him.

[Captain Tightpants]

Is it even confirmed the movie will have a gunbarrel?

Why wouldn't it?

[Napoleon Solo]

Is it even confirmed the movie will have a gunbarrel?

Why wouldn't it?

The last two had one but not in the traditional manner. Michael G. Wilson said Quantum's gunbarrel would "probably" be done in the traditional manner. But it came at the end instead of the beginning. Maybe one shouldn't assume anything about the gunbarrel at this stage.

http://commanderbond...-gunbarrel.html

[The Shark]

Think they've learned from their mistake this time.

[Captain Tightpants]

Is it even confirmed the movie will have a gunbarrel?

Why wouldn't it?

The last two had one but not in the traditional manner. Michael G. Wilson said Quantum's gunbarrel would "probably" be done in the traditional manner. But it came at the end instead of the beginning. Maybe one shouldn't assume anything about the gunbarrel at this stage.

That's hardly proof that the gunbarrel will be removed from SKYFALL. The CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE gunbarrels were played wround with for stylistic reasons - one to show Bond's first kill, and the other to retain the tension at the start of the film with the build-up across Lake Garda.

[Napoleon Solo]

Is it even confirmed the movie will have a gunbarrel?

Why wouldn't it?

The last two had one but not in the traditional manner. Michael G. Wilson said Quantum's gunbarrel would "probably" be done in the traditional manner. But it came at the end instead of the beginning. Maybe one shouldn't assume anything about the gunbarrel at this stage.

That's hardly proof that the gunbarrel will be removed from SKYFALL. The CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE gunbarrels were played wround with for stylistic reasons - one to show Bond's first kill, and the other to retain the tension at the start of the film with the build-up across Lake Garda.

Captain, read it again. Wilson said Quantum's gunbarrel would be done in the traditional manner and then it wasn't.

Is that proof that this won't be the case in Skyfall? No. Then again, I never said it WAS. I just said maybe we shouldn't assume anything at this stage.

Next time, try reading what is actually posted. And, if you're capable, try not to be caustic in your response.

[Matt_13]

I took "Bond movie with a capital B" to mean everything in its proper place.

[gkgyver]

With B as in B-movie?

Would explain the hiring of Newman.

[The Shark]

With B as in B-movie?

Would explain the hiring of Newman.

Eh?

DR. NO was pretty much a B-movie.

[gkgyver]

Homor is ... a difficult concept.

[The Shark]

I read that as "Horner is ... a difficult concept."

Makes more sense.

[MattofSteel]

An odd example and an especially curious selection to have affected my opinion, but I'm listening to Newman's WALL-E score in its entirety and absolutely loving it. Driving, powerful orchestral music that's heavily melodically based and layered with lots of complex emotion. Dare I say it, parts of it are actually Barry-ish.

Have to say, I'm starting to feel some definite anticipation for what he might be able to do with Bond, if he really embraces that Barry-influenced sound and throws himself into it.

[Robinson]

Interesting stuff; I'm aware of him but not listened to much of his stuff; any recommendations?

Please check these out on YouTube:

Intro - "Less than Zero" (1987)



Brooks Was Here - "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994)


Road to Chicago - "Road to Perdition" (2002)

These are my favorites from Newman. Hope you like them.

[Robinson]

When we travel back the road the Bond movies came from, there are several things you can observe about the "one hit wonders" (not meaning it in a negative way) George Martin, Marvin Hamlish, Bill Conti, Michael Kamen and Eric Serra.
Most important of all, they all brought a very different sound to their movie, different from John Barry and different from each other. And while their scores are considered great (with the very fair exception of Serra), they are rarely mentioned in a sentence about the great classic Bond scores.

The point is: even if Newman does well, he most likely will suffer the same fate, that he will remain an oddity in the series, replaced again with the usual Bond mold, unless he does so outstandingly well that future directors and producers can't avoid him.

Even if Skyfall isn't a "great" Bond score, it won't hamper Newman's ability to get work.

To be fair, the other composers, save Kamen and Serra, were used because Barry was unavailable.

• Martin (LALD): Not bad. Especially since they were going for a "Bond meets Blaxploitation" sound (Isaac Hayes, would've done a great score).
• Hamlisch (TSWLM): Wasn't Barry but it didn't stop folk from flocking to see this film.
• Conti (FYEO): A more grounded outing for Moore. Didn't need a grand score.
• Kamen & Serra: Barry was done with scoring Bond films, stating that he had done all he could do. Kamen was decent. The Serra who scored "The Professional" would've been a better choice than the one who scored GE. That being said, "Run, Jump, Shoot" and "The Goldeneye Oveture" are great cues.

[SecretAgentFan]

IMO, every one-time Bond composer delivered something very special and perfectly Bondian. Martin did a perfect job, mixing the Bond theme with an irresistable new melody. Hamlish composed a superlative main theme that still defines an important part of Bond for me. Conti also brought us a terrific main theme and a very listenable and exciting score. Kamen´s score did not have the advantage of a recognizable main theme and also had the disadvantage of the similarity of his LETHAL WEAPON scores but still turned out memorable . And Serra surprised with the electronic coldness that was perfectly suitable for GOLDENEYE.

And since Newman is an accomplished composer who can work in any style (see "THE GOOD GERMAN") I believe he will deliver something special as well. I just hope he will not revert to the tricks he often falls back on. I want a great melody, orchestrated lushly but intelligently.