Music in SPECTRE

13941434445

Comments

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,328
    I don't hate the score, but I don't think it's worthy of any special praise. It's just generic to my ears. A couple good tracks. But the rest is just generic filler and copy and paste tracks from Skyfall. It doesn't stand out and have anything that can grip you for repeated listening. Bond scores need to big and bold, catchy and memorable and not to mention unique to their own film. Spectre's score was just Skyfall Expanded. Spectre demanded a unique sound and didn't deliver. The VERY minimal use of the James Bond theme is one of my biggest concerns. It could have been used to great effect during the Plane chase and escape from Blofeld's lair. A lack of a theme for Blofeld was a big mistep. Madeline and Lucia (Who was barely in the film.) Had a unique theme but ole Ernst got squat.

    The recycling of Skyfall's score was just shameful and lazy. It was appropriate to reuse "Mother" when Judi's video cameo appears but it seemed like Tommy boy just copy and pasted Skyfall's music where he couldn't be bothered to write new material. And of course David Arnold's Bond theme arrangement from CR was used for the third time. Is Newman afraid of doing his own full rendition of the James Bond theme? How hard could it be.

    Like I said, I don't hate it, but I think it's pretty boring and unexciting. It's time to bring in a new composer who's not afraid of fully adapting the Bond theme and putting their own spin on it.
  • Posts: 11,425
    DonnyDB5 wrote: »
    This is my first time actually weighing in on Thomas Newman's score for the film. I honestly don't know why there was so much hate! I found the score to be thoroughly entertaining. He hits all the right elements, and evokes many different emotions in the soundtrack. There's mystery, suspense, exhilaration, and beauty. I've listened to every track and there was at least one thing I enjoyed about each one. These are my top 3...

    L'Americain: Especially from the 1:20-1:35 mark. The piano combined with the guitar make up the Bond theme & it sounds so smooth; almost even calming. Great musical combination.

    WOTW Instrumental: The instrumental of Sam Smith's song fits in so well in the film, especially during the context of the scene. Again, love the gentle sounding piano towards the end at about the 1:47 mark onward. Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

    Detonation: Another awesome track. Love the building suspense throughout, but my favorite part is around 2:50 & on when the downtempo Bond theme plays. Very epic & exciting.

    I thought the score was great. Although it was almost identical to Skyfall in parts I still enjoyed it & thought it suited the film quite well.

    I thought the Skyfall score was particularly weak. SP's score didn't bother me so much. May be the overall film was just better so I noticed the score less.
  • DonnyDB5DonnyDB5 Buffalo, New York
    Posts: 1,755
    DonnyDB5 wrote: »

    WOTW Instrumental: The instrumental of Sam Smith's song fits in so well in the film, especially during the context of the scene. Again, love the gentle sounding piano towards the end at about the 1:47 mark onward. Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

    So in compiling the top 3 tracks from Thomas Newman's SP score you have to resort to a track not even written by Thomas Newman?

    Says it all really.

    What's it to you? Just stating my opinion, not resorting. Top three or not, I enjoyed almost every track. Backfire, Vauxhall Bridge, Los Muertos Vivos Estan. Just so happens WOTW Instrumental is in there because I like the way it sounds. Has nothing to do with Newman's ability for a Bond movie.

  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited November 2015 Posts: 9,117
    DonnyDB5 wrote: »
    DonnyDB5 wrote: »

    WOTW Instrumental: The instrumental of Sam Smith's song fits in so well in the film, especially during the context of the scene. Again, love the gentle sounding piano towards the end at about the 1:47 mark onward. Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

    So in compiling the top 3 tracks from Thomas Newman's SP score you have to resort to a track not even written by Thomas Newman?

    Says it all really.

    What's it to you? Just stating my opinion, not resorting. Top three or not, I enjoyed almost every track. Backfire, Vauxhall Bridge, Los Muertos Vivos Estan. Just so happens WOTW Instrumental is in there because I like the way it sounds. Has nothing to do with Newman's ability for a Bond movie.

    Well you preface your original post by saying 'This is my first time actually weighing in on Thomas Newman's score for the film. I honestly don't know why there was so much hate! I found the score to be thoroughly entertaining. He hits all the right elements'.

    Yet then you go on to illustrate this by citing WOTW as the 2nd best track of said 'entertaining' score?!?

    I'm just going in to watch the film as we speak and I'll certainly have my ears peeled this time round for anything decent but I'm pretty sure the track when Bond and Madeline shag is not even an arrangement by Newman as per SF casino entrance but merely the title song with the vocals lifted.

    He's received a lot of flak but it's about time Sam Smith got some credit for turning in the only decent music on the SP soundtrack.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 5,921
    Mallory wrote: »
    Looking at the soundtrack it doesn't appear like its too far out of sync with the film, there are one or two that are out of place, so I suppose this would be the movie running order:

    1. Los Muertos Vivos Estan
    2. Day of the Dead
    3. Vauxhall Bridge
    4. The Eternal City
    5. Donna Lucia
    6. A Place Without Mercy
    7. Backfire
    8. The Pale King
    9. Crows Klinik
    10. Snow Plane
    11. L'Americain
    12. Secret Room
    13. Hinx
    14. Writing's on the Wall (Instrumental)
    15. Silver Wraith
    16. A Reuinion
    17. Kite in a Hurricaine
    18. Tempus Fugit
    19. Safe House
    20. Blindfold
    21. Careless
    23. Detonation
    24. Westminster Bridge
    25. Out of Bullets
    26. Spectre End Titles

    Seems like there is a lot missing from the soundtrack. I wonder if they'll ever release an expanded version (I want that lovely gunbarrel music).

    Looks pretty good. Where is Madeleine?
  • MalloryMallory Do mosquitoes have friends?
    Posts: 2,032
    echo wrote: »
    Mallory wrote: »
    Looking at the soundtrack it doesn't appear like its too far out of sync with the film, there are one or two that are out of place, so I suppose this would be the movie running order:

    1. Los Muertos Vivos Estan
    2. Day of the Dead
    3. Vauxhall Bridge
    4. The Eternal City
    5. Donna Lucia
    6. A Place Without Mercy
    7. Backfire
    8. The Pale King
    9. Crows Klinik
    10. Snow Plane
    11. L'Americain
    12. Secret Room
    13. Hinx
    14. Writing's on the Wall (Instrumental)
    15. Silver Wraith
    16. A Reuinion
    17. Kite in a Hurricaine
    18. Tempus Fugit
    19. Safe House
    20. Blindfold
    21. Careless
    23. Detonation
    24. Westminster Bridge
    25. Out of Bullets
    26. Spectre End Titles

    Seems like there is a lot missing from the soundtrack. I wonder if they'll ever release an expanded version (I want that lovely gunbarrel music).

    Looks pretty good. Where is Madeleine?

    I wasn't too sure, but having seen it again yesterday, its during the scene in the dining carriage in Morrocco, so the new running order is:

    1. Los Muertos Vivos Estan
    2. Day of the Dead
    3. Vauxhall Bridge
    4. The Eternal City
    5. Donna Lucia
    6. A Place Without Mercy
    7. Backfire
    8. The Pale King
    9. Crows Klinik
    10. Snow Plane
    11. L'Americain
    12. Secret Room
    13. Madeleine
    14. Hinx
    15. Writing's on the Wall (Instrumental)
    16. Silver Wraith
    17. A Reuinion
    18. Kite in a Hurricaine
    19. Tempus Fugit
    20. Safe House
    21. Blindfold
    22. Careless
    23. Detonation
    24. Westminster Bridge
    25. Out of Bullets
    26. Spectre End Titles
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 5,921
    Thank you, @Mallory.
  • Posts: 485
    Mallory wrote: »
    echo wrote: »
    Mallory wrote: »
    Looking at the soundtrack it doesn't appear like its too far out of sync with the film, there are one or two that are out of place, so I suppose this would be the movie running order:

    1. Los Muertos Vivos Estan
    2. Day of the Dead
    3. Vauxhall Bridge
    4. The Eternal City
    5. Donna Lucia
    6. A Place Without Mercy
    7. Backfire
    8. The Pale King
    9. Crows Klinik
    10. Snow Plane
    11. L'Americain
    12. Secret Room
    13. Hinx
    14. Writing's on the Wall (Instrumental)
    15. Silver Wraith
    16. A Reuinion
    17. Kite in a Hurricaine
    18. Tempus Fugit
    19. Safe House
    20. Blindfold
    21. Careless
    23. Detonation
    24. Westminster Bridge
    25. Out of Bullets
    26. Spectre End Titles

    Seems like there is a lot missing from the soundtrack. I wonder if they'll ever release an expanded version (I want that lovely gunbarrel music).

    Looks pretty good. Where is Madeleine?

    I wasn't too sure, but having seen it again yesterday, its during the scene in the dining carriage in Morrocco, so the new running order is:

    1. Los Muertos Vivos Estan
    2. Day of the Dead
    3. Vauxhall Bridge
    4. The Eternal City
    5. Donna Lucia
    6. A Place Without Mercy
    7. Backfire
    8. The Pale King
    9. Crows Klinik
    10. Snow Plane
    11. L'Americain
    12. Secret Room
    13. Madeleine
    14. Hinx
    15. Writing's on the Wall (Instrumental)
    16. Silver Wraith
    17. A Reuinion
    18. Kite in a Hurricaine
    19. Tempus Fugit
    20. Safe House
    21. Blindfold
    22. Careless
    23. Detonation
    24. Westminster Bridge
    25. Out of Bullets
    26. Spectre End Titles

    Tempis Fugit contains the music which accompanies the helicopter spin so I'd put that third.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    I have not analyzed the score for myself yet, but I can say it is the biggest disappointment of the entire film for me. Definitely lacking. I enjoyed SPECTRE a lot. I expected a good deal more, and more originality, finesse, and Bondian tones too, from Newman this time - as well as utilizing the Bond title song and Bond theme better than in Skyfall. Suffice to say, this score is lacking a good deal. I felt his action music was mostly redundant, bombastic; unenjoyable & the fact that I noticed the music and disliked it took me out of the film for a moment; not good.

    Use of title song was better. The whole score is simply not very good or memorable, in my opinion. I'll write later after I see SPECTRE a couple of more times.
  • Posts: 11,425
    I have not analyzed the score for myself yet, but I can say it is the biggest disappointment of the entire film for me. Definitely lacking. I enjoyed SPECTRE a lot. I expected a good deal more, and more originality, finesse, and Bondian tones too, from Newman this time - as well as utilizing the Bond title song and Bond theme better than in Skyfall. Suffice to say, this score is lacking a good deal. I felt his action music was mostly redundant, bombastic; unenjoyable & the fact that I noticed the music and disliked it took me out of the film for a moment; not good.

    Use of title song was better. The whole score is simply not very good or memorable, in my opinion. I'll write later after I see SPECTRE a couple of more times.

    I think most people on here agree - even those who liked his SF score.

    I personally found it less awful than SF, but I think that's because I was actually enjoying the movie.

    As with SF the stand out moment for me was he one brief reference to the title song.

    I really have quite a strong dislike of Newman after these two films. You have to wonder why he even took the job, as he seems so uninterested in it.

    Still amazes me that he got an Oscar nomination for SF. I'm convinced the people who voted for him thought he had something to do with Adele's song.
  • I’m on the side that Newman’s work was pretty terrific this time out.

    I liked his work on SF but I thought he exceeded himself here, often elevating the drama and suspense when required. In particular, I love the ‘Madeline’ motif that is used throughout the film. For instance the moment where Bond discovers the secret room is very effective and Newman’s work gives the scene a slight pathos and longing.

    Additionally, he is able to elevate some of the more shoddily handled scenes. For instance, the moment Madeline says goodbye to Bond before the third act is pretty woeful. The performances are lacklustre and the dialogue and direction is beyond pedestrian. However, Newman’s score brings the thing up to standard and brings a hint of frailty and humanity to a rather dodgy scene. The same can be said of the finale where Bond (rather obviously) stands on Westminster Bridge and has to decide between his old life or his new one. Newman’s work here stops the piece from becoming too mawkish and sentimental.

    Also, I love a lot of the work in the third act, the score really contributes to the great pacing and keeps the thing alive. Especially the riff Newman uses when Bond escapes on the speedboat.

    I’d imagine the reason people dislike it is because it isn’t a typical clichéd action-movie score, the type of personality devoid nonsense you’d expect from a John Barry tribute act like Arnold. Barry was unimpeachable, there’s no point trying to scale those heights, I’d rather hear something new and different. Bond fans are nothing if not traditionalists so it’s no wonder they have mostly rejected this score (not to mention the expanded roles of the MI6 team – but that’s an entirely different conversation).
  • I am certainly getting to appreciate the score for Spectre. On first listening I did not like it, but now I have heard it 4 or 5 times I am starting to get in to it. For me they key was to let go of the past and drop my own expectations of what a Bond score should be and instead enjoy what it is.
    Let go of Barry and enjoy the music.
    I am listening to the 24 bit 96 kHz high definition audio version, and it really sounds great.
    For those who may not know this is like 1080p video but for music. A lot of the Bond soundtracks are now being released for download in this new format. If you have the appropriate equipment to try them i suggest you do because they are great.
  • eddychaputeddychaput Montreal, Canada
    Posts: 364
    DonnyDB5 wrote: »
    This is my first time actually weighing in on Thomas Newman's score for the film. I honestly don't know why there was so much hate! I found the score to be thoroughly entertaining.

    @DonnyDB5

    That makes two of us. It took me about a month to get around to it, but last week I finally sat down and just listened to the score. I've done so a couple of times since. I do, honestly, enjoy Newman's work here. It could never be on the level of Barry (for artistic reasons Newman probably feels but also for some royalties issues I've heard about). I agree with other fans wishing that it would be great to have a score in which the composer went for more melodies and built the entire score around them, but I do think what Newman's done here is fine work. Of course I prefer Barry, dare I say I think I prefer Arnold, but the SP score is solid, if unspectacular.
  • Posts: 11,425
    I found Newman's score for SP less bad than his SF score. Although the highlight was still the brief reference to WOTW.
  • edited December 2015 Posts: 252
    Ext. Version of the Opening Sequence, Chasing Sciarra and Helicopter Fight

    https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bxuzsl4NRLwFX0dCN2tvSXZJTGs&usp=sharing
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,535
    Bernie99 wrote: »
    Ext. Version of the Opening Sequence, Chasing Sciarra and Helicopter Fight

    https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bxuzsl4NRLwFX0dCN2tvSXZJTGs&usp=sharing
    Great! Is there a extended version already?? Somewhere??
  • edited December 2015 Posts: 5,745
    Los Muertos Vivos is easily the best work Newman has produced for Bond.

    Such a punchy, stylistic, beautiful chant-turned-melody.

    That and his transition to the theme song at the end of the PTS.

    Newman's best lives in the PTS of SPECTRE.

    Question -- when Los Muertos Vivos transitions into the operatic spanish music, is that an actual isolated song? I'd be very interested in finding it all on its own. Can anyone help?

    It's the moment Bond enters the elevator and the music transitions into this haunting opera.

    https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bxuzsl4NRLwFX0dCN2tvSXZJTGs&usp=sharing
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,535
    JWESTBROOK wrote: »
    Question -- when Los Muertos Vivos transitions into the operatic spanish music, is that an actual isolated song? I'd be very interested in finding it all on its own. Can anyone help?

    It's the moment Bond enters the elevator and the music transitions into this haunting opera.

    https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bxuzsl4NRLwFX0dCN2tvSXZJTGs&usp=sharing
    La Llorona



    Check: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2379713/soundtrack?ref_=tt_ql_trv_7
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    JWESTBROOK wrote: »

    Newman's best lives in the PTS of SPECTRE.

    Wtf? You mean Newman's best lives in SF surely - because he just nicked 90% of SP's PTS from SF.

    Can you sue yourself for plagiarism? Because I reckon he has a watertight case.

    If I were EON I would seriously consider legal action against Newman. Copied half the score from SF but I bet he's happy to trouser the full fee for an honest days work?
  • Posts: 5,745
    JWESTBROOK wrote: »

    Newman's best lives in the PTS of SPECTRE.

    Wtf? You mean Newman's best lives in SF surely - because he just nicked 90% of SP's PTS from SF.

    Can you sue yourself for plagiarism? Because I reckon he has a watertight case.

    If I were EON I would seriously consider legal action against Newman. Copied half the score from SF but I bet he's happy to trouser the full fee for an honest days work?

    There's only 30 seconds of Newman copying himself in the OPENING of SPECTRE, and that I am completely okay with -- the majority of the sequence is all new, and the 30 seconds of copy come from the PTS of Skyfall, which is likely to serve as an audible link between the two films for the audience.


    Newman "plagiarizing" himself the rest of the film is concerning, though. But I'm okay with it in the opening.
  • CASINOROYALECASINOROYALE Somewhere hot
    Posts: 1,003
    Does anyone know where to get the James Bond theme from the end of the movie? I know it's not the regular theme and it's different from the previous Craig films.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,727
    Newman obviously has no interest in the Bond series whatsoever, as his work effort for these two scores are the clerical equivalent of licking invoice envelopes whilst watching 'Wheel of Fortune' in the workplace...
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,328
    Does anyone know where to get the James Bond theme from the end of the movie? I know it's not the regular theme and it's different from the previous Craig films.

    It's some Newman stuff with Arnold's CR Bond theme slapped on.
    http://picosong.com/QfxL/
  • dominicgreenedominicgreene The Eternal QOS Defender
    Posts: 1,756
    Too bad one furtive tear didn't get more screentime, sounds extremely nice.
  • Posts: 4,325
    Murdock wrote: »
    I don't hate the score, but I don't think it's worthy of any special praise. It's just generic to my ears. A couple good tracks. But the rest is just generic filler and copy and paste tracks from Skyfall. It doesn't stand out and have anything that can grip you for repeated listening. Bond scores need to big and bold, catchy and memorable and not to mention unique to their own film. Spectre's score was just Skyfall Expanded. Spectre demanded a unique sound and didn't deliver. The VERY minimal use of the James Bond theme is one of my biggest concerns. It could have been used to great effect during the Plane chase and escape from Blofeld's lair. A lack of a theme for Blofeld was a big mistep. Madeline and Lucia (Who was barely in the film.) Had a unique theme but ole Ernst got squat.

    The recycling of Skyfall's score was just shameful and lazy. It was appropriate to reuse "Mother" when Judi's video cameo appears but it seemed like Tommy boy just copy and pasted Skyfall's music where he couldn't be bothered to write new material. And of course David Arnold's Bond theme arrangement from CR was used for the third time. Is Newman afraid of doing his own full rendition of the James Bond theme? How hard could it be.

    Like I said, I don't hate it, but I think it's pretty boring and unexciting. It's time to bring in a new composer who's not afraid of fully adapting the Bond theme and putting their own spin on it.

    I completely agree. I would really like it if a future Bond would also play a slow and haunting version of the JB theme - perhaps as Bond is stealthing around somewhere. It has that bombastic bebop bit that Barry arranged, but the guitar bit that Norman took from Good Sign/Bad Sign is quite haunting when played slow.

  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 5,921
    tanaka123 wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    I don't hate the score, but I don't think it's worthy of any special praise. It's just generic to my ears. A couple good tracks. But the rest is just generic filler and copy and paste tracks from Skyfall. It doesn't stand out and have anything that can grip you for repeated listening. Bond scores need to big and bold, catchy and memorable and not to mention unique to their own film. Spectre's score was just Skyfall Expanded. Spectre demanded a unique sound and didn't deliver. The VERY minimal use of the James Bond theme is one of my biggest concerns. It could have been used to great effect during the Plane chase and escape from Blofeld's lair. A lack of a theme for Blofeld was a big mistep. Madeline and Lucia (Who was barely in the film.) Had a unique theme but ole Ernst got squat.

    The recycling of Skyfall's score was just shameful and lazy. It was appropriate to reuse "Mother" when Judi's video cameo appears but it seemed like Tommy boy just copy and pasted Skyfall's music where he couldn't be bothered to write new material. And of course David Arnold's Bond theme arrangement from CR was used for the third time. Is Newman afraid of doing his own full rendition of the James Bond theme? How hard could it be.

    Like I said, I don't hate it, but I think it's pretty boring and unexciting. It's time to bring in a new composer who's not afraid of fully adapting the Bond theme and putting their own spin on it.

    I completely agree. I would really like it if a future Bond would also play a slow and haunting version of the JB theme - perhaps as Bond is stealthing around somewhere. It has that bombastic bebop bit that Barry arranged, but the guitar bit that Norman took from Good Sign/Bad Sign is quite haunting when played slow.

    Didn't Kamen do this in LTK? An underrated score, that one.
  • OmegaXOmegaX Singapore
    Posts: 39
    Time for my rant haha =p

    My stand is that SPs score is worse than SF. I loved Newman's work in SF (probably my favourite), thus i was very surprised to hear SP's score. To me, SP's score was very much based on percussion, with no real melody, and out of those melodies, many were lifted from SF, with no change in rhythum, the keys, even the instruements involved. From the motorcycle chace soundtrack used in the car chace, to "Mother" used in Bonds apartment, to "Shes Mine" used in helicopter scene. However, i do appreciate how SP's score mirrors that of SF in one track, "Brave New World" of SF and "The Eternal City" of SP. Listen to them both back to back and u can see the similarities, but they're not identical.

    Now, the new original melodies. The most obvious would be the car chase (C D Eb D D Eb F#) but the melody that plays when we are introduced to Rome (G F# Eb D) is very striking as well. However, it pales in comparison with the Shanghai track in SF (C# G# F#). The new remix of the Bond theme is nicely done too (E G Eb D, E G Eb F#). BUT WHERE IS THE THEME FOR SPECTRE? OR BLOFELD? Come on Newman, you have a chance to create a theme as iconic as Bond, or Hydras theme! Its a big waste of an opportunity, which would add to the film a lot (imagine a theme playing each time Spectre appears on screen)

    In conclusion, i think my main problem with SP's score would be that it has many recycled tracks (referencing is one thing, copying is another) and depends too much on percussion.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Newman does very well, but agree about those wasted opportunities. A Blofeld Theme in the vein of the Vader Theme would have been nice.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Sorry but for me, I find Newman's work in Bond to be mostly trash.

    Even his Bond theme is either reusing Arnold or doing a remix version of it and even then it's all half arsed because we don't even get the full theme. Why was this man hired? As for reusing music from SF, he's not the only one that does this and it's fine if the music is good; case in point, John Williams but Williams is a musical genius and his work is beyond magnificent so he can get away with it not to mention he creates new original pieces but Newman isn't Williams...not even close and should therefore stay in his lane and put the work in and create something of note and worth before trying to immortalise his lame sounds with unwanted repeats. The man had no excuse with SP and he failed. Good riddance to the guy.
  • Which track has the OHMSS tune, from one of the early teaser trailers?

    Have been looking for it EVERYWHERE, and just can't find it :(
Sign In or Register to comment.