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Thomas Newman (stay/go)

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  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    I can't remember his score for Lucy though, I guess it was not "memorable", but I do remember enjoying it in the theater and actually thinking "ah, Serra, I missed you and your whimsical touch". I think it was during a car chase or something.
  • mepal1mepal1
    Posts: 1,098
    MakeshiftPython wrote: »
    Let's get Eric Serra back!

    No......some of his tracks for GE were quite good...........but the rest of them were pretty much unremarkable, and didn't add anything to the film. It was not surprisng he's never been asked back.
    Put it this way. You listen to the score for the Bond that came along next i.e TND, where Davis Arnold's score really lifted that film up a notch or two!

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I'm giving that a listen right now. I'm liking what I'm hearing, I loved Serra's work on GoldenEye. I'd love it if he came back.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    GE's score is infinitely better than TND's. All the latter did was bring a surface level John Barry score without the wisdom that came with those old scores.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    MakeshiftPython wrote: »
    GE's score is infinitely better than TND's. All the latter did was bring a surface level John Barry score without the wisdom that came with those old scores.
    I honestly don't mind that. That's how it should be in my opinion. It's a continuation of the Bond sound while modernizing it. I also don't mind a new one off composer trying something new for a change in pace. Of all the one off composers in the franchise, I wish George Martin came back and did another. Perhaps for The Spy Who Loved Me. I'm not a big fan of Marvin Hamlich's score. Mainly the heavy disco tracks but I love his use of the Bond theme and his remake of Barry's "Stalking" from FRWL.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Eric Serra recently did Lucy recently. And like the rest of the composers of the modern day doing the scores of films, Serra's work was uninspiring. Basically, in this age, composers post carbon copy works of one another these days, and only few of them bring out real music with memorable melodies.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    Melodic music in scores are not the be-all and end-all of film scoring. That would be very dismissive of some great works out there, whether rhythmic or avant-garde. Newman does go for more modern flair with percussion and rhythms, but the way he handles I think works to great effect.

    This argument is sounding like the generation that dismissed rock music for being "noise" compared to big band orchestra.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Agreed and it's really saddening. It's why I'm so hard on Newman's score and modern film scores as a whole. One of my hobbies is collecting film scores I love and enjoy. It's sad to see film music in general de-evolve into repetitive droning and loops of violins and the occasional blowing of a french horn. I love film music with a big defining theme. You don't really get that much anymore. When a film doesn't have a defining theme it sort of gets lost. Sure if a movie is really good and has a simple score that's fine. While I don't enjoy Newman's work for Skyfall. It doesn't ruin my enjoyment for Skyfall and won't ruin my enjoyment for SPECTRE when I'm able to see it. I'm not asking for future composers to ape previous ones, but I would prefer and enjoy something with that class and panache without being a soundalike. Newman didn't do that for me.

    However on the subject of film music in general. It's sad to see most music today be endless copies of Hans Zimmer's style. Hopefully this trend in film music will end soon. I can think of bad movies that had memorable music.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Funny you should say that, I'm an avid listener to Big Band Orchestra. :D
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    Funny you should say that, I'm an avid listener to Big Band Orchestra. :D

    Enjoy your Glen Miller collection as I listen to some Elvis.
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745
    PeterGreenhill wrote: »
    Arnold has had five attempts. Enough is enough!!

    Yes, I count 3 standout successes and 2 complementary, worthy additions.

  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Murdock wrote: »
    MakeshiftPython wrote: »
    Let's get Eric Serra back!
    Now we're talking.
    :-bd

    I'd take Serra over Arnold to be honest. At least his score was distinctive, inventive, and fit the associated film like a glove. The only thing I didn't like was his tank score, which thankfully was replaced in the final cut.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    I've come to enjoy "Ladies First" because it plays that race as a farce, because it was and Serra recognized as such. It's the kind of scoring THE TRANSPORTER would try to replicate with that whimsical touch that lets you in on the joke.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I liked "Ladies First". It fit the scene and the film. It was playful, like the scene. Lighthearted.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Ladies First doesn't bother me like many others on here, It's my least favorite track in the score. As a whole I really enjoy it. And I'm nostalgic for it as GoldenEye was the first Bond film I watched, Though I understand why people may not like it.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    Oh yes, it has "contempt" for Bond as some would say. HO HO HO!
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Yes, I also like Serra's Timpani version of the Bond theme used in the GoldenEye overture as well as his use of filtered samples of Goldfinger's gunbarrel music. Those "techno hits" during the final half of the overture.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    The fact that the guy uses percussion to perform the Bond theme was inspired. Nobody has done that before or since.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2015 Posts: 23,883
    Serra was ahead of his time I think. It was too much of a break with established expectations in 1995 when Barry was still fresh in most people's minds. I respect the fact that he came up with some thing suspenseful and distinctive....something completely modern and his own.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    And it was after a hiatus, when people were missing Bond the most, so having the return of Bond accompanied by radically different music was probably off putting for fans. Probably why Arnold blew his wad with the Bond theme in TND as if to make up for the lack of a Bond sound the last time, like "don't be upset, we're bringing back the Bond sound! It's not John Barry, but we're really really trying!".
  • Seven_Point_Six_FiveSeven_Point_Six_Five Southern California
    Posts: 1,257
    Go

    Skyfall's score didn't feel like a Bond score and based on what I heard from the Spectre OST, it's just more of the same. Newman is excellent composer but he is wrong for the Bond franchise.

  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,585
    Seven_Point_Six_Five wrote: »
    Go

    Skyfall's score didn't feel like a Bond score and based on what I heard from the Spectre OST, it's just more of the same. Newman is excellent composer but he is wrong for the Bond franchise.

    I don't think this is such a bad thing.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Murdock wrote: »
    Agreed and it's really saddening. It's why I'm so hard on Newman's score and modern film scores as a whole. One of my hobbies is collecting film scores I love and enjoy. It's sad to see film music in general de-evolve into repetitive droning and loops of violins and the occasional blowing of a french horn. I love film music with a big defining theme. You don't really get that much anymore. When a film doesn't have a defining theme it sort of gets lost. Sure if a movie is really good and has a simple score that's fine. While I don't enjoy Newman's work for Skyfall. It doesn't ruin my enjoyment for Skyfall and won't ruin my enjoyment for SPECTRE when I'm able to see it. I'm not asking for future composers to ape previous ones, but I would prefer and enjoy something with that class and panache without being a soundalike. Newman didn't do that for me.

    However on the subject of film music in general. It's sad to see most music today be endless copies of Hans Zimmer's style. Hopefully this trend in film music will end soon. I can think of bad movies that had memorable music.

    I think this is the first time I've wholeheartedly agreed with one of your posts!
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Murdock wrote: »
    MakeshiftPython wrote: »
    Let's get Eric Serra back!
    Now we're talking.
    :-bd

    I'd prefer no score to this!!!
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,731
    Murdock wrote: »
    Agreed and it's really saddening. It's why I'm so hard on Newman's score and modern film scores as a whole. One of my hobbies is collecting film scores I love and enjoy. It's sad to see film music in general de-evolve into repetitive droning and loops of violins and the occasional blowing of a french horn. I love film music with a big defining theme. You don't really get that much anymore. When a film doesn't have a defining theme it sort of gets lost. Sure if a movie is really good and has a simple score that's fine. While I don't enjoy Newman's work for Skyfall. It doesn't ruin my enjoyment for Skyfall and won't ruin my enjoyment for SPECTRE when I'm able to see it. I'm not asking for future composers to ape previous ones, but I would prefer and enjoy something with that class and panache without being a soundalike. Newman didn't do that for me.

    However on the subject of film music in general. It's sad to see most music today be endless copies of Hans Zimmer's style. Hopefully this trend in film music will end soon. I can think of bad movies that had memorable music.

    People knock Hans Zimmer, but for 'Batman Begins', for example, his score ADDED value to the film with some very distinctive cues that heighten what you are seeing on screen.
    Newman's SP doesn't hold a candle to most of Zimmer's stuff.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Getafix wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    Agreed and it's really saddening. It's why I'm so hard on Newman's score and modern film scores as a whole. One of my hobbies is collecting film scores I love and enjoy. It's sad to see film music in general de-evolve into repetitive droning and loops of violins and the occasional blowing of a french horn. I love film music with a big defining theme. You don't really get that much anymore. When a film doesn't have a defining theme it sort of gets lost. Sure if a movie is really good and has a simple score that's fine. While I don't enjoy Newman's work for Skyfall. It doesn't ruin my enjoyment for Skyfall and won't ruin my enjoyment for SPECTRE when I'm able to see it. I'm not asking for future composers to ape previous ones, but I would prefer and enjoy something with that class and panache without being a soundalike. Newman didn't do that for me.

    However on the subject of film music in general. It's sad to see most music today be endless copies of Hans Zimmer's style. Hopefully this trend in film music will end soon. I can think of bad movies that had memorable music.

    I think this is the first time I've wholeheartedly agreed with one of your posts!

    I know, it's a strange but welcome feeling. Glad to see I'm not the only one extremely passionate about film music. ;)
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    edited October 2015 Posts: 4,116
    Newman seems like such a nice guy but then so does Arnold. Anyone seen that pre-Skyfall interview with both Newman and Arnold? So very awkward and Arnold looks none too happy.

    I really don't want Thomas or Arnold or Serra. Desplat is my choice right now.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    full.jpg
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    :)) No sitting on the fence.
  • petergreenhill5petergreenhill5
    Posts: 824
    If it's not Newman for Bond 25 go for Desplat, maintain the quality set by Newman.
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