'Skyfall' re-ignited me as a fan. What about you?

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  • edited August 2013 Posts: 3,494
    @Shark- nice to see you could break away from your mod duties over at B&B and spend some time discussing the Skyfall soundtrack ;)
    Shark wrote:

    That's exactly what you here when Bond does his bike flip onto the train (the signature gunshot chords we've been waiting for), when he uses the digger's claw to the grab the other train car, wrestling with Patrice in the tunnel as Eve gets in position to shoot, Silva's capture, the enquiry shootout, the above mentioned DB5, the death of the DB5 (one of my favourite moments in the score - a balls to wall TBesque rendition of the theme) and the underwater struggle - along with a few more I've probably forgotten.

    It's probably the most extensive and 'epic' use of the Bond theme since DIE ANOTHER DAY.

    It's the more full renditions of the theme that I'm more referring to here. These can be way overdone like Kamen's effort, but most composers will find a way of including subtle nods here and there, four chords here, two over there. Other than "Breadcrumbs", you're mostly referring to "The Bloody Shot" and "She's Mine". The rest is more of a two chord/four chord nod here and there and it just felt more or less no more epic nor extensive than what Arnold gave us previously in say, Casino Royale. And perhaps part of my problem here is that considering I find Newman overall more technically advanced and versatile than Arnold, I expected more than I got in an original sense and what I felt he was capable of in this particular effort. I felt he was as repetitive as much as anyone else when I listened to the soundtrack as a standalone. Whereas Arnold, and I am consciously trying to keep the conversation focused here on Newman rather than comparisons to others in order to fairly judge it, exceeded my expectations with QOS. I felt it was more diverse from track to track. Which is why I felt that was a better effort than this one. Unlike discussing music in technical terms, personal taste in music is all subjective and there's no right and wrong answer there.
    Shark wrote:
    They might not be original to Newman, but the use of instrumental colours like George Doering's hammered dulcimer (sometime it's heard normally as in Jellfyfish, or its reversed as with the pads as with Mother), the psy trance string sample in Shanghai Drive, Phil Todd's jazz and ethnic flute solos, the brass choir theme for M, Sonia Slany's Middle Eastern electric violin solos in Grand Bazaar, Istanbul and Adreneline and so on - all of these are unique amongst Bond scores.

    I would not remotely dispute that the soundtrack is very much a Newman effort consistent with his style. I'm familiar with many of his works and his stamp is all over it. Now this is just my personal taste speaking here as it is for any and all who comment on the subject, but from having Bond soundtracks ingrained in some of my earliest childhood memories and being from a family where the last 3 generations have contained performance musicians, I tend to make my initial judgements strictly by my "ear" before digging in on a technical level. And perhaps it is nostalgic in the sense that "nobody does it better" than Barry, but I have yet to hear anyone produce a better and more original Bond soundtrack since George Martin to date.
    Shark wrote:
    Severine is much more than Newman than Barry in the harmonies and Bluesy modulations, even if he said it was a tribute.

    That's brilliant Shark, thank you for saying that! I really couldn't understand what he meant by this past the lushness of the strings. I post here during the day from work and I'm so busy with my teenagers at night that I rarely get the chance to pick up my guitar and noodle around with Bond music. Strictly on what my ear says, the technical structure and overall tone of the strings sounds much more Newman than Barry.
    And why is Mendes involved in this aspect of the proceedings anyway?

    Shark wrote:
    It's call spotting.

    In a spotting session the composer, director and producer/s (probably MGW) will watch a workprint cut of the film, with incomplete sound fx, folly, VFX and no dubbing. In a second viewing they all decide where the music will go and what its dramatic purpose is for each scene. Here notes will be made, and the composer and music editor will be given cue sheets, with the timing for all the different cues, sometimes with footnotes from the director. From here the composer will write his sketches (either on a MIDI sequencer or handwritten on 8-12 line sketch paper), which will later be orchestrated (in SF the orchestrators were JAC Redford, Carl Johnson, Peter Boyer, and Newman himself).

    Film music is a collaborative art and compromise between the composer and the director's vision.

    Fascinating. This sort of modern process, as our English cousins would say, I am "very keen" about. I ordered the Jon Burlingame book on Bond music (and am salivating waiting to read it) and always thought until recently that the composer pretty much had carte blanche to run his own show here. I guess I'll find out if I was right or wrong so don't spoil it for me! :) This explains why Barb, the Wilsons, and Mendes were present.
    As a musician and composer, it's the saddest commentary of all when studios, producers, composers, and most of all the fans advocate relegating Barry's concepts and hallmarks for the series as those of ancient history.
    Shark wrote:
    No one here has said that. All Newman did was reinterpret Barry's Bond sound in a less obvious way than Arnold (notice there's no wailing plunger-muted trumpets in SF - a welcome change after their oversaturation in Arnold's 5 film run = even Barry never used the sound that much), tied with his own unique sensibilities.

    This is where we get into the old "tribute, pastiche, aping" objections to Arnold. I love the plunger muted trumpets and it's part of why I love "Breadcrumbs" and it's what I interpret as "Bondian music". And many people here recognize this aspect in the brass, as well as a certain tone to the strings, and variations of the title song in the soundtrack. Just by reading many comments over my 5 years here from the layman, it's something people recognize and enjoy and so why not give it to them? It's the "franchise music" I speak of and it's not an unheard of concept. In a tonal sense, the Adele title theme is monochromatic as far as the instruments being used, but I find that the song itself is more versatile as far as the ability to be used and variated in action and romance. Newman does bring a bit of this in "The Bloody Shot" and I could have stood to hear more of it as many others have also noted, it's "Bondian". Two instances only including this and "Komodo Dragon". By way of necessary comparison, Arnold uses the YKMN theme at least briefly in 8 different songs in CR. The bridge of the title song is very lovely, and could have been used when Bond was recovering with Sotiropoulou and would have been much better than the very limp "Close Shave". Which is why myself and others have remarked about Newman, and perhaps to be fair everyone else involved with the modern scoring process, didn't utilize the song as well as it could have been to give the movie an equally sounding "Bondian" identity as much as his own.

    By the way, did my old sparring buddy DC find the "Skyfall experience" more appealing to his sense of "Bondian"?. He doesn't bother with us here any more.

  • SharkShark Banned
    edited August 2013 Posts: 348
    @Shark- nice to see you could break away from your mod duties over at B&B and spend some time discussing the Skyfall soundtrack ;)

    It's a veritable graveyard at the moment. Not much to mod, but one tries. :)
    It's the more full renditions of the theme that I'm more referring to here. These can be way overdone like Kamen's effort, but most composers will find a way of including subtle nods here and there, four chords here, two over there. Other than "Breadcrumbs", you're mostly referring to "The Bloody Shot" and "She's Mine". The rest is more of a two chord/four chord nod here and there and it just felt more or less no more epic nor extensive than what Arnold gave us previously in say, Casino Royale.

    Well, I'll have to object there, as aside from African Rundown, Blunt Instrument The Tell and a few others tracks, I find a Arnold's Casino Royale a dull, joyless experience. Too much Independence Day-style overblown orchestral bludgeoning from Nic Raine, with Miami International being the worst offender. Newman's score strikes the right balance for me - keeping the scale and scope, but without going overboard. It's much leaner and tauter than any of Arnold's scores (even QoS). With Bond music, sometimes less is more. Just keep it loud and sexy.

    I liked this post by TheManwiththeWaltherPPK on Cb.n.
    I'm all for Newman's return. I know some think that his Skyfall score was not "Bondian" enough in that it was not grand and bombastic enough like Barry, but people forget that Barry's earlier work on the series was often more jazzy and atmospheric - befitting of the fact that the Bond films still attempted to be espionage thrillers at that time. Barry's work become more grand and bombastic during the Moore and Dalton years. I have always felt like Arnold was mainly influenced by later Barry when I have always preferred his earlier work on the series. What I loved about Newman's score for Skyfall was that it had more of the atmospheric and suspensful thriller style of Barry's earlier stuff.
    Now this is just my personal taste speaking here as it is for any and all who comment on the subject, but from having Bond soundtracks ingrained in some of my earliest childhood memories and being from a family where the last 3 generations have contained performance musicians, I tend to make my initial judgements strictly by my "ear" before digging in on a technical level.

    Well, if we're going to swing around musical bonafides, while I don't come from a lineage of performers (except my father). I'm 21, and got a Grade 8 on cello by the age of 15, self-taught on the piano and electric bass, and am studying composition at the Royal College of Music.

    We all make our first judgements by ear. If you happen to have any technical knowledge that will come into play with following listens (FWIW, when the SF score first leaked online I played along to it on the piano, working out all the harmonies and voicings).
    And perhaps it is nostalgic in the sense that "nobody does it better" than Barry, but I have yet to hear anyone produce a better and more original Bond soundtrack since George Martin to date.

    I'd agree with that, even if I've still got a lot of love for Bill Conti and Eric Serra's scores.
    I ordered the Jon Burlingame book on Bond music (and am salivating waiting to read it) and always thought until recently that the composer pretty much had carte blanche to run his own show here.

    You won't regret it. It's a terrific, light read. :)
    I love the plunger muted trumpets and it's part of why I love "Breadcrumbs" and it's what I interpret as "Bondian music".

    My point was that it's the equivalent of the Brosnan era box-ticking of shoehorning 'shaken not stirred' and 'the name's Bond... James Bond' into every bloody film. The Connery or Moore film never did that. It's a kind of lazy revisionism that only came about in the PoMo '90s, with Britpop and babyboomer nostalgia.

    The plunger mutes are a great effect, but best used sparingly, like any effect really. Newman's probably saving them up for the next one (I hope, at least). Maybe as a tribute to the late Derek Watkins, who played the famous plungered notes on Shirley Bassey's Goldfinger at only 19.
    By the way, did my old sparring buddy DC find the "Skyfall experience" more appealing to his sense of "Bondian"?. He doesn't bother with us here any more.

    No idea. I haven't seen him post for years.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 4,622
    @SirHenry and @Shark. You guys are in a world of your own with that music talk. Impressive. Maybe you could collaborate on a big Bond symphony,preferalby with lots of guitar bass and drums.
    Me, I am easy to please. I'm good with Newman's work except that I want the Bond theme blaring full blast, and properly at full blast, not that restrained rendition we heard during the Breadcrumbs scene, and I do want the title theme very clearly and obviously infused into the score too.
    Otherwise I don't care what he does with the rest of the movie.
    I want my Bond movies to feel like Bond movies. Harruumph.
    I have no interest in their (Mendes and Newman's) lame excuses for not incorporating the JB and SF themes more brazenly into the film.
    Too bad Cubby wasn't still around. He wouldn't have put up with their crap, and that gunbarrel never would have left the front of the film either.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited August 2013 Posts: 4,416
    SirHenryLeeChaChing, do i correctly understand you whant more tracks like Granborough Road (Track 19), who end with a litle 007 theme.

    I agree David Arnold know that, but this track also be good example of things what be les good. It have a bit to much techno like DA techno use in QOS track 6 ''Somebody Wants To Kill You''.

    Newman also succes a bit with shangai drive, but the contuted be partly dispointed (To much TDK like track 20 and 21) and i wish Macau scene's be much better. David Arnold never will make a score who liked on TDK, but possible have been more liked on his ealier TMND Carver Party track.
  • M_Balje wrote:
    SirHenryLeeChaChing, do i correctly understand you want more tracks like Granborough Road (Track 19), who end with a little 007 theme.

    I don't have an objection to Newman's various nods to the Bond theme in Skyfall. I would have liked the full theme to be a bit more prominent though. QOS suffered from the same problem as well.
    M_Balje wrote:
    I agree David Arnold know that, but this track also be good example of things what be les good. It have a bit to much techno like DA techno use in QOS track 6 ''Somebody Wants To Kill You''.

    In this song, I would have preferred percussion instruments such as congas or bongos rather than synthesized drum beats, the track has some nice Latin flavored guitar and horns and use of real instruments is always preferable. I don't like percussion that comes from a machine.
    M_Balje wrote:
    Newman also succes a bit with shangai drive, but the contuted be partly dispointed (To much TDK like track 20 and 21) and i wish Macau scene's be much better. David Arnold never will make a score who liked on TDK, but possible have been more liked on his ealier TMND Carver Party track.

    I'm not always sure I fully understand techno as a form of music as well I probably should, but I don't care for any of Arnold's except for the Hamburg pieces in TND, which were all right because it fit the German locales and popularity of the style there. Newman's "Shanghai Drive" otherwise blows all of Arnold's techno styled pieces away, it's got an urban feel and a great techno sort of backbeat that captures the ultra modern surroundings with the blue highway lights and dazzling neon everywhere.

  • SharkShark Banned
    Posts: 348
    I'm not always sure I fully understand techno as a form of music as well I probably should, but I don't care for any of Arnold's except for the Hamburg pieces in TND, which were all right because it fit the German locales and popularity of the style there.

    According to John Burlingame's book, Arnold didn't even compose the music for Carver's party. The shimmering chillout track that opens the sequence (with the porno sax) was written by Simon Greenaway & Sacha Collisson (AKA Aurora).

  • Posts: 11,119
    Shark wrote:
    I'm not always sure I fully understand techno as a form of music as well I probably should, but I don't care for any of Arnold's except for the Hamburg pieces in TND, which were all right because it fit the German locales and popularity of the style there.

    According to John Burlingame's book, Arnold didn't even compose the music for Carver's party. The shimmering chillout track that opens the sequence (with the porno sax) was written by Simon Greenaway & Sacha Collisson (AKA Aurora).


    Thanks for mentioning this. John Barry himself composed all the source music....from loungy, luxury casino scenes to the arrival of James Bond to the Whyte House (DAF).

    David Arnold never composed source or background music by himself. This source music from QOS is from Jaime Cuadra, titled 'Cholo Soy'. Most of us know it as Dominic Greene's party music:




    To be honest, I think it's quite unfair that we Bond fans tend to give David Arnold the credits for this (Allthough.....all Bond end credits mention this, but it's sad it's kept unnoticed). Luckily, with Thomas Newman we're back on the John Barry track again, as Newman composed his own original music for the casino scenes in Macau in SF.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 3,494
    You guys thought I was talking about the party music? I thought I was talking about the techno synth percussion in "Hamburg Break In" and the style of drumming in "Break Out" and "Backseat Driver". If this doesn't qualify as techno type music, please excuse me, as I've said earlier I am not real knowledgeable about this form and really don't like it anyway to be honest. I'm pretty sure the DAD theme is techno based and I definitely hate that for sure.

    I did like the song with that porn sax though. I had no idea who wrote it, it isn't on my what I'm told somewhat rare 2000 soundtrack version that includes the excellent Far East music he wrote including the exquisite "Kowloon Bay". Now that is some great music right there.
  • SharkShark Banned
    edited August 2013 Posts: 348
    "Backseat Driver" was a collab between Arnold and The Propellorheads (Spottiwoode tempted the scene with their remix of OHMSS from Shaken & Stirred). Arnold did the orchestral stuff, such as the wailing trumpet variations on Surrender and the Bond theme, while Alex Gifford came up with the sampled breakbeat and the iconic synth bass line (recorded through bass amp with the gain cranked up).

    "Hamburg Break In" is all Arnold, tho, and great it is, even if the first half is just a reworking of Bond Back in Action Again from Barry's Goldfinger. Love the ever-building synth hook in the second half. Very creepy. Very German.

    Re: Gustav - DA wrote the lounge source cue "Casino" for TWINE.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Shark wrote:
    "Backseat Driver" was a collab between Arnold and The Propellorheads (Spottiwoode tempted the scene with their remix of OHMSS from Shaken & Stirred). Arnold did the orchestral stuff, such as the wailing trumpet variations on Surrender and the Bond theme, while Alex Gifford came up with the sampled breakbeat and the iconic synth bass line (recorded through bass amp with the gain cranked up).

    "Hamburg Break In" is all Arnold, tho, and great it is, even if the first half is just a reworking of Bond Back in Action Again from Barry's Goldfinger. Love the ever-building synth hook in the second half. Very creepy. Very German.

    Re: Gustav - DA wrote the lounge source cue "Casino" for TWINE.

    Thanks m8. I agree with you here. 'Hamburg Break In' is a wunderful bit of espionage music. Could have been Barry's work. But then again, from all Arnold soundtracks, I find TND the best. Despite the rather unoriginal source music.....

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    edited August 2013 Posts: 16,328
    Thanks m8. I agree with you here. 'Hamburg Break In' is a wunderful bit of espionage music. Could have been Barry's work. But then again, from all Arnold soundtracks, I find TND the best. Despite the rather unoriginal source music.....
    Oh please. Arnold had plenty of original music! Saying He didn't while Newman did is nonsense.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 3,494
    Murdock wrote:
    Thanks m8. I agree with you here. 'Hamburg Break In' is a wunderful bit of espionage music. Could have been Barry's work. But then again, from all Arnold soundtracks, I find TND the best. Despite the rather unoriginal source music.....
    Oh please. Arnold had plenty of original music! Saying He didn't while Newman did is nonsense.

    I think he's referring to much of TND's music like the rest of the movie being a deliberate homage to the past. The techno though is a bit different even if you hear some of this as reminiscent of a-ha's electronica contributions in TLD.

    Now if we get into all the rest of Arnold's work being a deliberate "homage" while discounting the fact that the many wonderful melodies were his own and not Barry's, then I'll back you up there :)

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,328

    I think he's referring to much of TND's music like the rest of the movie being a deliberate homage to the past. The techno though is a bit different even if you hear some of this as reminiscent of a-ha's electronica contributions in TLD.

    Now if we get into all the rest of Arnold's work being a deliberate "homage" while discounting the fact that the many wonderful melodies were his own and not Barry's, then I'll back you up there :)

    Perhaps. But then again it was the 90's Techno beats were becoming more dominate in film score. Barry's techno in TLD was very simple "kick kick snare kick kick kick snare" Where Arnold was his own styles with his collab with The Propellerheads. Even Serra used heavy techno. It wasn't because Barry did it. It was the new trend.
  • I'll be the first to agree that any music that simulates real instruments and musicians through a keyboard, like synthesized drum beats, will never replace the real thing or be something I will ever embrace as progress or "trendy" in a good way.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,328
    I'll be the first to agree that any music that simulates real instruments and musicians through a keyboard, like synthesized drum beats, will never replace the real thing or be something I will ever embrace as progress or "trendy" in a good way.
    Agreed but it was the new trend in the 90's and early 2000's.
  • SharkShark Banned
    edited August 2013 Posts: 348
    Mark Mancina's Speed was the groundbreaking score. It wasn't the first of its kind (Hans Zimmer's Backdraft came before it), but it was the most influential.



    What you're hearing is a 100 piece orchestra combined with sampled percussion (using the Fairlight CMI III's Page R sequencer). Everything from rock toms to banged metal pans and high tension coils.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Shark wrote:
    Mark Mancina's Speed was the groundbreaking score. It wasn't the first of its kind (Hans Zimmer's Backdraft came before it), but it was the most influential.



    What you're hearing is a 100 piece orchestra combined with sampled percussion (using the Fairlight CMI III's Page R sequencer). Everything from rock toms to banged metal pans and high tension coils.

    I just hear one tiny bit of melody that repeats itself over and over again. And around that, rather lacklustre, melody....I just hear a lot of noise that doesn't sound stylish nor Bond-esque. Reminds me more of some stuff from Arnold's soundtrack for 'Die Another Day'

    Then I prefer this over the example you just posted:


    It sounds more 'suave', sounds less 'rushed' and you can hear that Thomas Newman depends more on big orchestra's with lots of strings. And it has a more surprising climax: The moment when Moneypenny (Eve) starts setting up her sniper gun.

    By the way. Do we still hear Mark Mancina's work in recent movies? Does he have an active discography? Meaning that he's composing for big quality stuff? The answer is 'No'.

  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Posts: 4,416
    Party music from TMND

    Play this above music track under this video from 2.17-4.34
  • SharkShark Banned
    Posts: 348
    The more I listen to it, the more that party music reminds me of Trevor Jones's Main Title from Sea of Love (1986).

    http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=sea++of++love++trevor++jones
  • Shark wrote: »
    The more I listen to it, the more that party music reminds me of Trevor Jones's Main Title from Sea of Love (1986).

    http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=sea++of++love++trevor++jones

    The thing is.....this "party source" music is not at all composed, written or produced by David Arnold. Arnold simply asked politely if he could use these tracks from a bunch of unknown lounge artists.

    I don't call that particularly creative. At least John Barry created/composed all the source music by himself.

    In any case, I'm just curious if they are fans who can relate to the topic title?
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Shark wrote: »
    The more I listen to it, the more that party music reminds me of Trevor Jones's Main Title from Sea of Love (1986).

    http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=sea++of++love++trevor++jones

    The thing is.....this "party source" music is not at all composed, written or produced by David Arnold. Arnold simply asked politely if he could use these tracks from a bunch of unknown lounge artists.

    I don't call that particularly creative. At least John Barry created/composed all the source music by himself.

    In any case, I'm just curious if they are fans who can relate to the topic title?
    Yeah, he's not a creative person because he's done it once out of five movies.

    That's nothing compared to what Newman stole from Zimmer and Arnold. He didn't even create his own Bond theme arrangement, he had to borrow Arnold's one from Casino Royale. Pathetic.
  • Walecs wrote: »
    Shark wrote: »
    The more I listen to it, the more that party music reminds me of Trevor Jones's Main Title from Sea of Love (1986).

    http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=sea++of++love++trevor++jones

    The thing is.....this "party source" music is not at all composed, written or produced by David Arnold. Arnold simply asked politely if he could use these tracks from a bunch of unknown lounge artists.

    I don't call that particularly creative. At least John Barry created/composed all the source music by himself.

    In any case, I'm just curious if they are fans who can relate to the topic title?
    Yeah, he's not a creative person because he's done it once out of five movies.

    That's nothing compared to what Newman stole from Zimmer and Arnold. He didn't even create his own Bond theme arrangement, he had to borrow Arnold's one from Casino Royale. Pathetic.

    You think he stole it from Arnold? Why was the police not called then? 8-}
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,328
    Walecs wrote: »
    Shark wrote: »
    The more I listen to it, the more that party music reminds me of Trevor Jones's Main Title from Sea of Love (1986).

    http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=sea++of++love++trevor++jones

    The thing is.....this "party source" music is not at all composed, written or produced by David Arnold. Arnold simply asked politely if he could use these tracks from a bunch of unknown lounge artists.

    I don't call that particularly creative. At least John Barry created/composed all the source music by himself.

    In any case, I'm just curious if they are fans who can relate to the topic title?
    Yeah, he's not a creative person because he's done it once out of five movies.

    That's nothing compared to what Newman stole from Zimmer and Arnold. He didn't even create his own Bond theme arrangement, he had to borrow Arnold's one from Casino Royale. Pathetic.

    You think he stole it from Arnold? Why was the police not called then? 8-}

    Music from CR was recycled into Skyfall. When the DB5 is revealed and used during the ending credits.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2014 Posts: 23,883
    To answer the original question posed, no it did not reignite me as a fan.

    However, it kept me as a fan, did not alienate me, and I was reassured to see some of the familiar elements that I associate with Bond (humour/irony/sarcasm, MI6 crew, male M. grand sweeping cinematography) creeping back in.

    CR reignited me as a Bond fan. Loved it. A breath of fresh air in every way and a return to form.

    QoS kept me as a fan but it did not create additional passion for me. I was disappointed by the obvious noted flaws with this film (which were self-inflicted IMO), but one thing stood out, for me: EON had the right Bond. Of that I was confident. Craig was very solid in QoS despite that movie's flaws.

    SF kept me as a Bond fan and added a small dose of extra passion. I did not like the many plot holes that have been discussed on other threads. However, I loved the characterizations of all the major players (Mendes deserves an 'A' on this) and the cinematography, as well as a new composer (I'm not a fan of Arnold, apart from a few compositions scattered throughout his tenure). I find the characterizations to be much more fleshed out here than in QoS. Only Mathis was sufficiently three dimensional for QoS, but even then, he was already known from CR. Blame the writer's strike for this I think.

    So I'm very happy to be a Bond fan at present, because I think they are on the right track. If they can make sure that the humour slowly comes back in without overdoing it, and that they don't resort to excesses (very difficult to do when Box office is at stake) then I think we're alright. I do want the GB at the start, I want a Bond, James Bond moment, and I want a Martini, shaken not stirred.

    PS: I do not see the standard Bond theme blaring out every time Bond is in an action scene or doing something 'cool' as being characteristic of the series. Barry did this most often in DN and FRWL when he was getting his feet wet. From then on, he was much more subtle, and far more creative, in how he incorporated it into his compositions (e.g the hovercraft bit with Moneypenny in DAF, and the trip to Osato's office at night in the back seat of the car in YOLT). I much preferred this subtle referencing rather than the more obvious standard blaring out (like a party whistle/horn) that characterized Arnold's Brosnan tenure in particular. It just seems lazy to me. It takes more skill to subtley reference it and incorporate it.....if it's done properly we will make it out.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Agree bondjames
    bondjames wrote: »
    To answer the original question posed, no it did not reignite me as a fan.

    However, it kept me as a fan, did not alienate me, and I was reassured to see some of the familiar elements that I associate with Bond (humour/irony/sarcasm, MI6 crew, male M. grand sweeping cinematography) creeping back in.

    CR reignited me as a Bond fan. Loved it.

    QoS kept me as a fan but it did not create additional passion for me. I was disappointed by the obvious noted flaws with this film, but one thing stood out, for me: EON had the right Bond. Of that I was confident. Craig was very solid in QoS despite that movie's flaws.

    SF kept me as a Bond fan and added a small dose of extra passion. I did not like the many plot holes that have been discussed on other threads. However, I loved the characterizations of all the major players (Mendes deserves an 'A' on this) and the cinematography, as well as a new composer (I'm not a fan of Arnold, apart from a few compositions scattered throughout his tenure). I find the characterizations to be much more fleshed out here than in QoS. Only Mathis was sufficiently three dimensional for QoS, but even then, he was already known from CR. Blame the writer's strike for this I think.

    So I'm very happy to be a Bond fan at present, because I think they are on the right track. If they can make sure that the humour slowly comes back in without overdoing it, and that they don't resort to excesses (very difficult to do when Box office is at stake) then I think we're alright. I do want the GB at the start, I want a Bond, James Bond moment, and I want a Martini, shaken not stirred.

    PS: I do not see the Bond theme blaring out every time Bond is in an action scene being characteristic of Bond. Barry did this most often in DN and FRWL when he was getting his feet wet. From then on, he was much more subtle in how he incorporated into his compositions (e.g the hovercraft bit with Moneypenny in DAF, and the trip to Osato's office at night in the back seat of the car in YOLT). I much preferred this subtle referencing rather than the standard blaring out that characterized Arnold's Brosnan tenure in particular. It just seems lazy to me. Reference it and incorporate it.

    I too am a happy fan as I think they're on the right track. :)
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    edited November 2014 Posts: 3,157
    Walecs wrote: »
    Shark wrote: »
    The more I listen to it, the more that party music reminds me of Trevor Jones's Main Title from Sea of Love (1986).

    http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=sea++of++love++trevor++jones

    The thing is.....this "party source" music is not at all composed, written or produced by David Arnold. Arnold simply asked politely if he could use these tracks from a bunch of unknown lounge artists.

    I don't call that particularly creative. At least John Barry created/composed all the source music by himself.

    In any case, I'm just curious if they are fans who can relate to the topic title?
    Yeah, he's not a creative person because he's done it once out of five movies.

    That's nothing compared to what Newman stole from Zimmer and Arnold. He didn't even create his own Bond theme arrangement, he had to borrow Arnold's one from Casino Royale. Pathetic.

    You think he stole it from Arnold? Why was the police not called then? 8-}

    Because EON paid the rights to Arnold, but it doesn't justify Newman's lack of creativity.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Rediscovering Dalton reignited me as a Bond fan.
  • Posts: 1,394
    Well i think Skyfall is by far the worst Bond film ever made so did it '' reignite my interest '' ? .......Ummm...NO.

    If anything it proved how much a Bond fan i was before this utterly depressing Craig era began in 2006.
  • AstonLotus wrote: »
    Well i think Skyfall is by far the worst Bond film ever made so did it '' reignite my interest '' ? .......Ummm...NO.

    If anything it proved how much a Bond fan i was before this utterly depressing Craig era began in 2006.

    Can I ask...how old you are? And if you'd like to elaborate on your comment ;-)?
  • Posts: 1,394
    AstonLotus wrote: »
    Well i think Skyfall is by far the worst Bond film ever made so did it '' reignite my interest '' ? .......Ummm...NO.

    If anything it proved how much a Bond fan i was before this utterly depressing Craig era began in 2006.

    Can I ask...how old you are? And if you'd like to elaborate on your comment ;-)?

    I am in my mid thirties.Been a Bond fan for as long as i can remember.I have nothing against Daniel Craig personally but think he was a horrible choice for Bond and none of his films have changed that opinion.For me Bond has to have charm and wit as well as being tough and Craigs Bond just comes across as a Jason Staham alike thug.He would have been far better cast as a villain in this series.

    As for Skyfall, i think it is just a horribly conceived film with a terrible illogical script that makes Bond and MI6 look like complete and utter morons.I actually felt like cheering when M died.I could go on but to list all my problems with this film would take a lot longer than i have right now.I will say the film looked nice and had some good action but other than that.....ugh.

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