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Bond misses David Arnold

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  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Alexander Desplat's Ghost (or Ghost Writer) score was very good imho:


    Johann Johannson's work on Sicario was excellent as well:
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,025
    While we're on the topic of Barry and GE, I think you two might find this interesting to watch: http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/comment/510199/#Comment_510199
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,331
    MakeshiftPython wrote: »
    While we're on the topic of Barry and GE, I think you two might find this interesting to watch: http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/comment/510199/#Comment_510199
    That was excellent. :D
  • petergreenhill5petergreenhill5
    Posts: 824
    Barry recommended Conti but not Serra
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,331
    If I recall correctly, I believe Barry said, if he did FYEO he would take a similar approach as Conti.
  • shortpinktie_DAFshortpinktie_DAF
    Posts: 25
    bondjames wrote: »
    Alexander Desplat's Ghost (or Ghost Writer) score was very good imho:


    Johann Johannson's work on Sicario was excellent as well:

    Oh man, the score to Sicario was incredible! Best movie of the year by far. I encourage everyone to go see it. Give Roger Deakins a damned Oscar already!
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,025
    PeterGreenhill wrote: »
    Barry recommended Conti but not Serra

    Barry did recommend Serra. Here's part of an interview from the book "The Score: Interviews with Film Composers". He also gives his unfavorable opinion on what Serra did.
    You've composed the scores for the majority of the Bond pictures. Were you asked to do the recent GoldenEye?

    I was asked to do that picture, but I was committed. I had too many things to do already, which was maybe too bad. Because of the nostalgia element, it might have been fun to return to the series. But I actually thought that I'd done enough of that - that was the past, just too many years had gone by and the theme wasn't right anymore. Also, I didn't think the movie was going anywhere at all. So they asked me who I would recommend. I'd recently heard an Eric Serra score, a synthesized score, but a very attractive score, and I suggested that maybe this might be a new way to go for the contemporary and image. When I finally saw the movie, nothing worked. I was confused. I truly don't know what happened. It should have worked, I believed that the idea was a good new direction for Bond. But he didn't do anything close to what I had heard in his earlier score, the score that prompted me to make my recommendation in the first place. He just went off on another tangent.

    Wondering if he is referring to LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL, which came out in 1994 and might have been still fresh on his mind to recommend him to EON.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2015 Posts: 23,883
    I agree @shortpinktie_DAF, Sicario was brilliant. Easy top 3 or 4 of the year for me at the moment along with MI-RN, The Martian & Mad Max-FR.

    I didn't even know it was Deakins when I watched it in the theatre.....all I remember thinking was 'who the heck is doing the cinematography for this thing because he's brilliant.....Bond needs this chap'. Then I came home and realized it was Deakins himself. Genius.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    edited October 2015 Posts: 1,727
    MakeshiftPython wrote: »
    Barry arguably peaked with DANCES WITH WOLVES and since then went through the motions. He still delivered good work, but he no longer seemed interested in topping himself.

    Thank goodness for that. Didn't know he was suicidal right up untill 1990 :>
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    MakeshiftPython wrote: »
    PeterGreenhill wrote: »
    Barry recommended Conti but not Serra

    Barry did recommend Serra. Here's part of an interview from the book "The Score: Interviews with Film Composers". He also gives his unfavorable opinion on what Serra did.
    You've composed the scores for the majority of the Bond pictures. Were you asked to do the recent GoldenEye?

    I was asked to do that picture, but I was committed. I had too many things to do already, which was maybe too bad. Because of the nostalgia element, it might have been fun to return to the series. But I actually thought that I'd done enough of that - that was the past, just too many years had gone by and the theme wasn't right anymore. Also, I didn't think the movie was going anywhere at all. So they asked me who I would recommend. I'd recently heard an Eric Serra score, a synthesized score, but a very attractive score, and I suggested that maybe this might be a new way to go for the contemporary and image. When I finally saw the movie, nothing worked. I was confused. I truly don't know what happened. It should have worked, I believed that the idea was a good new direction for Bond. But he didn't do anything close to what I had heard in his earlier score, the score that prompted me to make my recommendation in the first place. He just went off on another tangent.

    Wondering if he is referring to LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL, which came out in 1994 and might have been still fresh on his mind to recommend him to EON.

    I imagine so. Leon was a stunning score and I was overjoyed when I heard Serra had got the GE gig.

    Who knew?
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Well Barry was right about the GE score - it's truly abysmal.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,727
    To get back on topic - I have to say (and I never thought I would) that part of me does yearn for Arnold's naïve musical energy & enthousiasm after hearing Newman’s sopophoric SP ‘effort’ (I use the word in its broadest sense).
    A score should improve or even LIFT its film - I cannot imagine this plodding piece of work adding any value to the movie.

    Watched QoS last weekend and it is painfully obvious that Shirley Bassey’s beautifully melancholic “No good about goodbye” was intended as the title song (you first hear it referenced as the Aston first drives up into the streets of Sienna following the opening chase). His score for that movie is no classic, but at least it added value to the film.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    T
    AceHole wrote: »
    To get back on topic - I have to say (and I never thought I would) that part of me does yearn for Arnold's naïve musical energy & enthousiasm after hearing Newman’s sopophoric SP ‘effort’ (I use the word in its broadest sense).
    A score should improve or even LIFT its film - I cannot imagine this plodding piece of work adding any value to the movie.

    Watched QoS last weekend and it is painfully obvious that Shirley Bassey’s beautifully melancholic “No good about goodbye” was intended as the title song (you first hear it referenced as the Aston first drives up into the streets of Sienna following the opening chase). His score for that movie is no classic, but at least it added value to the film.

    soporiphic is the right word. While I liked SP I did find myself lulled into a state of near disengagement during long stretches, partly I think because of Newman's score. Not only does his score not really elevate or add to what's on screen, I think it actively undermines what the director is trying to do.

    A romantic moment becomes a dull stretch in which nothing much happens. Action becomes dependant entirely on visuals for its impact. Dramatic scenes are stripped of tension and atmosphere by a dialled in TV espionage ready made 'microwave meal' of a score.

  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Well soporific is actually the right word ;)

    But your points are very valid. I found the car chase very flat. Ok I was kept entertained by the comedic moments but in the early part before it descends into comedy and seems like a serious chase I really cannot recollect any music being there at all.

    Thinking back there's not a thing I can remember about the score (except it repeated large parts of SF note for note).

    And I didn't feel that about SF. The PTS I found decent and I love the music when the yacht is sailing to Silva's island. I thought Newman had shown enough in SF that I was optimistic about what he would deliver for SP but the guy just didn't turn up. Shameful.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    I have never seen a writer/director put
    a telephone call in the middle of a car chase before. If someone has time to make a relaxed call mid chase, that's not a very exciting chase IMO. It totally deflates any sense of urgency/danger. It works neither as action sequence or dramatic moment. Very weird film making.

    To me that explains a lot of what is wrong with that particular sequence. Totally bizarre.

  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Getafix wrote: »
    I have never seen a writer/director put
    a telephone call in the middle of a car chase before. If someone has time to make a relaxed call mid chase, that's not a very exciting chase IMO. It totally deflates any sense of urgency/danger. It works neither as action sequence or dramatic moment. Very weird film making.

    To me that explains a lot of what is wrong with that particular sequence. Totally bizarre.

    Indeed. They've spent a lot of money closing down the streets of Rome for night after night and to intersperse it with shots of MP going to her fridge rather than give us a serious thrill packed chase is certainly a very curious decision. I found the scene entertaining but on a pure car chase level it was extremely disappointing. Behind Ronin (which I think most would agree is the gold standard), all three Bourne films and QOS. Need to see it a few more times to really decide but I would probably have it sandwiched slightly above the AVTAK taxi chase but slightly below the 2CV chase. It's certainly more of a Roger style chase than the hard hitting ones from Ronin, Bourne or QOS.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2015 Posts: 23,883
    I haven't seen it but this car chase news is disappointing to say the least, especially with the money that was spent (which could have otherwise been spent elsewhere perhaps)... I hope Aston coughed up the bulk of it.

    Let's not knock Sir Rog's chases though.....he's had two of the series best imho, namely TMWTGG (excluding Barry's whistle mistep) and the legendary TSWLM which I still find gripping to this day.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Aston Martin don't have the money to put together a stand at the Frankfurt motor show, let alone bankroll a Bond movie. They are in serious financial difficulty.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Actually, on that note, where the heck would Aston be today without Bond, or Lord Brett Sinclair?

    They owe almost everything to Bond imho, and it seems that 51 yrs after the connection was first made, Bond is still carrying them.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Getafix wrote: »
    Well Barry was right about the GE score - it's truly abysmal.

    Agreed. When someone else has to rewrite the major parts ie tank chase then yup sad.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,331
    Can someone explain what is so terrible about GoldenEye's ost? Aside from the cringy Ladies First, I don't see what's so abysmal about it.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    The overture is great. And other parts ...and it's a nice one up departure. But it dated fast.

    For me it doesn't always compliment the action but mostly and honestly I just don't like it. Just a subjective take.

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,331
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    The overture is great. And other parts ...and it's a nice one up departure. But it dated fast.

    For me it doesn't always compliment the action but mostly and honestly I just don't like it. Just a subjective take.
    Which is fair. I like hearing why people may not like things. I usually see people dismiss the whole score solely because of "Ladies First."
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Well I didn't like ladies first but thinking back I guess I did like the score more than I remembered.

    I just remembered that when TND came out I was pumped that we had a more traditional score I could relate to. Was just fun to listen to and daydream.

    I'm ready for a new sound though.
  • WillyGaloreWillyGalore
    Posts: 6,396
    I defy anyone to say that they think the tank chase in GE would have been as exciting had EON gone ahead and used Serra's original score.

    It's beyond horrific.

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,331
    It wouldn't have worked in the movie but on it's own while I'm on a drive, I think it works great. ;)
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Murdock wrote: »
    It wouldn't have worked in the movie but on it's own while I'm on a drive, I think it works great. ;)

    As long as you're not tempted to tear through buildings and trucks.. lol.

    Just kidding.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,331
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    It wouldn't have worked in the movie but on it's own while I'm on a drive, I think it works great. ;)

    As long as you're not tempted to tear through buildings and trucks.. lol.

    Just kidding.

    I'd never dream of it. :D
    Tomorrow-Never-Dies-car-600x249.jpg
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    edited October 2015 Posts: 4,116
    =))

    (maybe you shouldn't listen to THAT one either :P )
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,035
    Murdock wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    The overture is great. And other parts ...and it's a nice one up departure. But it dated fast.

    For me it doesn't always compliment the action but mostly and honestly I just don't like it. Just a subjective take.
    Which is fair. I like hearing why people may not like things. I usually see people dismiss the whole score solely because of "Ladies First."

    The romantic cues are wonderful. They're easily the highlights of the score.
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