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@CommanderRoss, I do think that suspense and drawing the viewer in by giving them an exotic, mysterious world, with some feeling of "palpably waiting" for the story to develop is evident in Dr. No and FRWL. Everything got more explosive (pun intended), stranger, higher octane action, etc. with Goldfinger. Your mention of looking at the earlier films and the later Brosnan films is a good one. The Brosnan era fit the style of its times, while Dr. No and FRWL gave those times (early sixties) a new style, an unraveling of a story, with a fascinating new character named Bond but without the much quicker paced action or faster cutting that more modern audiences are so familiar with. While Craig's films bring us grittier realism, more character study of what made Bond who he is, what he became as he grew as a double O agent, they do contain incredibly good action sequences that are compelling, not just explosive high jinks. I think the Craig era so far has a good balance in that.
@Sandy, thanks for your summing up of directors. Indeed, Terence Young is "The Man!" and we were fortunate indeed to have had him helming the films at the beginning of this series. I feel we are also greatly fortunate that Campbell gave us two magnificent films, both debuts for a Bond actor. Rather extraordinary, I feel. As for Forster (I think he has some talent), well ... I think Forster was trying too hard to have his Bond film look and feel different.
And, @BeatlesSansEarmuffs, I totally agree that craftmanship is a better word and a more positive word. I'm rather dismayed that workmanlike has become so negative. John Glen was a good director overall, yes. Not mediocre, in my opinion.
B-) Okay, fellow (and sister) agents, we have one more day for our main topic of discussing Bond Directors. Then we shall plunge into the world of theme songs and soundtracks.
Anybody care to comment about any particular director, how well or poorly a film was directed, or even if you have happy Mendes has returned for the next one. :D
Let's chat a bit more, then we shall move on probably late tomorrow.
Cheers!
Would that be a Campbell trait? high-up stunts?
And yes, I'm very happy Mendes is back at the helm. Even though SF hasn't held my attention as two previous films, I still think he's one heck of a director and I have good hopes for the next Thunderb... eh... film!
But onward we go! We are moving on today to Music in Bond Films (theme songs and soundtracks).
Let's discuss any part of theme songs and soundtracks you'd like. Bond films certainly developed their own style early on and have been come such a part of our culture. The music definitely plays an important part role. I like that things change over the years, yet I can count on a Bond film to have a good soundtrack and far more often than not, a good theme song. You can talk about any aspect. Just for example:
~ list your favorite songs, or discuss any of them
~ mention your favorite soundtracks and why
~ discuss the change of direction that Serra took in GE
~ delve into the Barry era or the Arnold era
~ elaborate on what makes a great soundtrack or theme song
Honestly ... to digress for a moment ... this is one of those times where I keenly miss Sir Henry. @};- His musical knowledge and experience gave so much depth to this thread. I have spent a little time on the internet, looking up quotes and facts, so I will try to add my thoughts along with some of the things I have read about these songs I'm going to mention. I tried to find some info not already mentioned on this thread, but a couple of things may have already been noted. Anyway, these are the bits that interested me today.
Theme songs that I feel sort of "charged up" the series, brought a spark, were very memorable, or were very much of their times. (I used italics when copying material from online sources.)
Goldfinger - (Music by John Barry, lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley). How could anyone not mention this one? Like it or not (I think most do), it certainly blasted into our culture and stamped Bond, James Bond further into our memory. It is so iconic, different sounding, mesmerizing, and fitting for this film and for Bond. All around the world, people think "James Bond" when they here this one. Here is something I had remembered from reading Michael Caines' fine autobiography, and it was mentioned on this website, too: Michael Caine was staying with John Barry while Barry was composing Goldfinger. Michael did not have his own place on that time; rather down on his luck) and he was kept awake a good deal (like all night) listening to Barry hammer out the tune over and over again. In the morning Michael came downstairs and found found Barry slumped over his piano and asked him the name of the song he was working on. "Goldfinger" he was told. So Michael thinks he was he very first person to hear the finished song. :)
And quoting from our own MI6 website article: Barry has said that "Goldfinger" is his personal favourite of all his Bond theme. "Shirley Bassey was perfect casting, she brought such conviction to it." It was the first 007 film that he was given full musical authority, and Barry commented that "Goldfinger" was the first time that "the musical style [in a Bond] really came together. Everything culminated with that film."
You Only Live Twice - Barry's song (lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) is so hauntingly beautiful, simply a stunner, and one that suits the film and draws you in immediately. Those opening notes are wonderful! As someone else put it more accurately: The song is widely recognized for its striking opening bars, featuring a simple 2-bar theme in the high octaves of the violins and lush harmonies from French horns.
I also appreciate how skillfully in was woven in the soundtrack. For me, one of the most memorable theme songs. I just read this, and I found Barry's mention of the producers being so involved with the music to be interesting: Barry first worked with Julie Rogers singing it, a different version than what ended up in the film. Barry said: "It was usually the producers that said 'this isn't working, there's a certain something that it needed'. If that energy wasn't there, if that mysterioso kind of thing wasn't there, then it wasn't going to work for the movie." The song shares only two lines with Sinatra's, "You only live twice", and "you’ll pay the price". The film's producer Cubby Broccoli, wanted his friend Frank Sinatra to perform the song. Frank suggested that they use his daughter instead. Barry wanted to use Aretha Franklin, but the producers insisted that he use Nancy instead, who was enjoying great popularity in the wake of her single, These Boots Are Made For Walkin'.
Well, I think it's a wonder things ever get made so beautifully, sometimes near perfection, with so many people having their hands in the making of a theme song or soundtrack!
The sweeping, grand and wistful version (2:46) featured in the film's opening title sequence and on the soundtrack LP is in the key of B and has a single vocal track. The song was recorded with a 60 piece orchestra on 2 May 1967 at the CTS Studios in Bayswater, London. Sinatra later recalled that she was incredibly nervous during the recording, and it took around 30 takes to acquire enough material. Producer John Barry eventually created the final product by incorporating vocals from 25 takes.
Nobody Does It Better - B-) Oh, this is James Bond. Still, to this day, I love this song as sung by Carly Simon (music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager). It builds as it goes along, it's fun, and it suits the James Bond of TSWLM, one of my favorites. Nobody sings this as well as Carly; I so love her voice, her take on this.
A View to A Kill - (As far I can tell; music and words by Duran Duran with music also written and all rearranged and fully finished by John Barry) A rocking, melodic, fun and very much of its time song. It fit the film, it's the second Bond theme song that rocked (I am including Live and Let Die as the first), and was very popular indeed.
Here is a quote I just read online: "Singer Simon Le Bon said of Barry: "He didn't really come up with any of the basic musical ideas. He heard what we came up with and he put them into an order. And that's why it happened so quickly because he was able to separate the good ideas from the bad ones, and he arranged them. He has a great way of working brilliant chord arrangements. He was working with us as virtually a sixth member of the group, but not really getting on our backs at all." Brilliant chord arrangements indeed. It seems this collaboration was mutually agreeable.
You Know My Name - (Music by Chris Cornell and David Arnold, Lyrics by Chris Cornell). This song is so great. I love how it totally fits the film. Cornell's voice is compelling, it builds and builds; this is one of the best theme songs, in my opinion. Here is one quote from Cornell: "I (wanted) an orchestra. I didn't want to do a song for a James Bond film and not have it sound somewhat like a James Bond song."
And I found this interesting: Cornell stated that the biggest two influences on "You Know My Name" were Tom Jones, who performed the theme for Thunderball, and Paul McCartney, who composed and performed the theme for Live and Let Die. "I decided that I was going to sing it like Tom Jones, in that crooning style. I wanted people to hear my voice," Cornell said. "And 'Live and Let Die' is a fantastic song. Paul McCartney wouldn't have written it if not for that movie. I [also] wanted to write a song in its own universe. I knew I'd never have it again — a big orchestra — so I wanted to have fun with it."
Skyfall - (Written by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; orchestration by J. A. C. Redford.) For me, it is a lovely, rather sad, yearning song that does end on a note of strength. It is lovely, haunting in a similar way You Only Live Twice is haunting; very memorable and fits the mood of Skyall. And I do like Adele's voice. I found the following info interesting:
Epworth stated that although "Skyfall" is an original composition, he and Adele had worked to capture "the James Bond feeling" of previous theme songs. The song intentionally references Monty Norman's "James Bond Theme" after the first chorus. Norman said that the song had his seal of approval and that including the leitmotif he wrote for the Bond character was "a pretty sensible thing to do, if you want to feel the 'James Bond quality' of the music.
Adele, who had just released her second album 21, admitted that initially she was a "little hesitant" about agreeing to write a Bond theme song. On meeting with the Skyfall film crew, the singer had told Skyfall director Sam Mendes that she felt as though she was not the person that they were looking for because "my songs are personal, I write from the heart". Mendes simply replied "just write a personal song", telling her to use Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better" from The Spy Who Loved Me as an inspiration; Adele left the meeting with the script of Skyfall and, upon reading it, decided that it was a "no-brainer" as she "fell in love" with the film's plot. Producer Paul Epworth, who had worked with Adele on 21, was brought in to help her write the song. Adele stated that she enjoyed working to a brief and set of guidelines, even though it was something she had never done before.
Adele's vocal range spans over one octave, from the low note of G3 to the high note of C5, on the song. The lyrics closely follow the narrative of the film rather than focusing on romanticism.
Epworth stated that the producers' request was for "a dramatic ballad", so he and Adele tried to "do something that was simultaneously dark and final, like a funeral, and to try and turn it into something that was not final. A sense of death and rebirth".
Epworth watched the first thirteen Bond films seeking the "musical code" of the songs, "whatever the modal structure or the chord that always seemed to unify those songs" and contributed to the mood and "that kind of '60s jazzy quality". Epworth identified as an uniting factor "a minor ninth as the harmonic code ... the Bond songs, they have that elaboration to it", and wrote what would become the instrumental part of "Skyfall". He described it as "a bit of a 'Eureka!' moment""
I will add more later - that's enough to get us started, I hope. Have fun discussing Bond songs and soundtracks. I just tackled theme songs, but feel free to go right into soundtrack discussion.
Cheers!
:)>-
My favorite main songs from the movies include You Only Live Twice, OHMSS (instrumental theme song), Live and Let Die, Nobody Does it Better, For Your Eyes Only, You Know My Name, and Skyfall.
And he loved Guns 'n Roses, but that's another story alltogether ;-)
anyway, I too am very fond of OHMSS, I think it's got the best soundtrack. I think Barry was at his best in the 60's, and I love the surf influnces. TB, YOLT and LALD are title tracks that are absolutely awesome.
However, one that often is forgotten but I also really like is FRWL.
It's a very romantic song and I think it fits the film very well. Moreover the instrumental version is very cool as well. It's got that international feel that you so seldom get in music.
This isn't the exoustive list of what I like, but I want to mention SF as well as I was so pleased with Adele's song...
Incidentally, it's almost four months since Sir Henry left our mortal coil.
And thanks for your kind words, @royale65. This thread is carrying on (as Sir Henry would want) ... but it is not the same, of course. I think we are doing all right on this thread now. It takes time. I believe we can continue to have fun and good discussions here, and I think Sir Henry would be pleased. But yes, the first 66 pages of this thread are pure gold, packed with his tons of fantastic detailed information.
Talking about soundtracks a bit now, not just theme songs, here are my thoughts:
I just watched OHMSS two days ago and the soundtrack was definitely a standout, one of the best things about the film.
But I really need to watch some films again. I don't remember the soundtrack from FRWL well, just the ending song by Matt Munro. Which was very 60's lounge style and I am on the fence about that one.
For soundtracks overall, though, I am firmly in the Barry camp. I just think he was truly the master of Bond soundtracks, so creatively weaving together the music throughout the films, using all kinds of instruments and giving us that special Bondian touch of having the theme song woven in at times. I love ALL of Barry's soundtracks, but here I'll mention my very favorites:
Goldfinger put the stamp on it, didn't it? OHMSS is on most fan's lists (I think) for one of the best soundtracks. And YOLT is an amazing soundtrack. DAF also has a very lovely soundtrack (and another great theme song). And AVTAK is also very fine. Wine with Stacy (one of the few pieces I can easily name) is a great example of Barry reworking the theme song, turning it into a lovely, very romantic piece of music.
NonBarry composers I enjoyed were Martin (LALD was fun and rocked and had a fluid, fun soundtrack), Hamlisch (I love TSWLM and enjoy the whole soundtrack very much) and Arnold. I think my favorites of Arnold are Tomorrow Never Dies , TWINE (better soundtrack than the movie, in my opinion), Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace. Skyfall and Newman were not bad, at times good (favorite piece is Komodo Dragon) but not overall great. Well, even parts of Serra's work on GE I like; but mostly not so much overall.
Hmm. I just spent a few minutes looking at another thread on soundtracks, trying to see if I missed any major points for me. And I found some of Sir Henry's comments. I am sure he posted on several threads about Bond soundtracks, but I thought this list of "top 7" soundtracks would be concise enough to add here. I know this thread must move forward on its own, and I won't usually post his previous comments again. However, I do feel that just sometimes - especially where music is concerned - that it is appropriate enough for me to re-post something relevant that Sir Henry wrote. So, please bear with me - here are some comments from Sir Henry regarding some of his favorite soundtracks. (He did also say that if this list was not listed to seven, Barry would be all at the top of the list.)
1. GF- Like the movie itself, the "Bond Sound" was created here. The scores that followed would not have that "sound" if it wasn't created here. There has yet to be a better theme than the title song.
2. DAF- The ethereal sounds Barry creates are just awesome. The Vegas big brass and horns are perfect- if you close your eyes and didn't know the movie was in Vegas, you might guess you were there or listening to a mob movie. And the mobsters still found their way in anyway! The title song Barry's second best without question, like GF I still get chilled to the bone listening to it after all these years. Brilliant stuff.
3. OHMSS- Probably one of if not the greatest instrumental ever in the movie genre. Provides me with this incredible boost of energy. I found the Nina song ill-fitting and awkward sounding and always skip the track. Otherwise a great soundtrack.
4. OP- I've been listening to it a lot more lately and appreciating it a lot more. I like the title song much better as an instrumental weaving it's way through the film. The locality themes in India fit well. It mostly all seems to fit really well.
5. LALD- The best non-Barry score in the series. Martin uses the title song like Barry, which I feel all Bond composers should do because it really helps give the movie and individual soundtrack an identity to help it stand out from the other movies, especially when the same composer scores multiple films.
6. YOLT- Another haunting theme that you can hum over and over. The Oriental themes are lush and atmospheric. Love it.
7. TND- Surprise, surprise, but I still feel this is Arnold's best work. I realize it is in part a tribute to the Barry era, but even his more original stuff is pretty good compared to most of his other work. Surrender is a classic theme of any Bond era and should have been the title piece, I rank the song with Barry's best pieces and it takes a lot to impress me like that.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
So, do let us hear from you. Your thoughts on soundtracks and theme songs. Anything you would like to say.
Cheers!
:-bd
I know I will be enjoying this, and I thought it would be nice and appropriate to post it on this thread today.
Here is a video with more than one hour of Bond songs; I think it is every single James Bond theme song in full, starting with Marty Norman's guitar theme in Dr. No through Skyfall.
So do give a listen, when you have a some time. Once again, I feel the need to say, Yes, John Barry - nobody did it better. Thank you for your outstanding contributions to the Bond films and to all the films you did. ^:)^
working on posting the video, bear with me ...
http://wn.com/james_bond_music
Enjoy!
:)>-
Oh, and @4Ever, I don't think I'm alone when saying that @Sir Henry's comments are worth repeating now and then, so don't you worry! It's great reading his thoughts again.
As for OHMSS - I rather liked all the snow scenes, even the avalanche part - I thought that was all well filmed. And it is a very good soundtrack overall, yes.
DAF tomorrow, eh? Lovely PTS and another great theme song.
I just made my dinner while listening to the link of Bond songs. Rather handy, that.
Signing off soon. Enjoy, everybody and sweet dreams ...or at least enjoy the rest of your afternoon/evening (that's true for many of you, I think).
My dear lady, I might be a civil servant, but that's pushing it, not all of us sleep at their offices! ;-)
Back in the thirties, forties, and thru the seventies we were treated to top notch soundtracks and theme songs. The James Bond films were a part of this golden age of movie music.
John Barry did a great many of the films and he has other top notch work to his credit. As for Bond, Barry always felt that "Goldfinger" was his personal favorite but many Bond afficionados insist that OHMSS is his best, his masterpiece.
Goldfinger is the most recongnizable of any main theme song. That heavy song with Shirley Bassey pounding out those unforgettable lyrics. It is the instrumental versions of the song (Alpine Drive and the heavy guitar ladden track on side two of the LP) that stays with you. Alpine Drive is beautiful and simply brings back memories of my childhood.
Thunderball and YOLT also has grand soundtracks. It seems that after OHMSS there was a marked dropoff and the soundtracks do not even come close to these classics. I love Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang from TB and "Bond averts WW3" as well as the haunting melody "Space March" from YOLT.
These four films (GF thru OHMSS) music really stays with you.
As for theme songs my favorites "A View to A Kill" by Duran Duran, "Licence to Kill" featuring the beautiful Gladys Knight, and of course, "Nobody does It Better" by Carly Simon should have won the oscar that year. "Skyfall" is beautiful, and "You Know My Name" has big balls.
And Thunderfinger, are you especially fond of Thunderball? (just musing on your usernames ...) ;)
And OHMSS69, I am glad you pointed out the instrumental version of Goldfinger during the drive - it is so perfect and does stay with you. I think Barry's creativity regarding Bond soundtracks was genius, most especially beginning with Goldfinger.
Also, I do think that, in spite of the flaws of the film itself, the AVTAK soundtrack is very good indeed.
I am glad I don't have to pick just one favorite soundtrack because that would be too hard to choose. The Barry era was golden and shaped the series indelibly and forever. Even if future composers did not emulate Barry at all, they still cannot escape being compared to him and his enduring legacy. It is a legacy well earned. ^:)^
The music is such an integral, important part of Bond films. It lets me know that it is a Bond film, not just any other kind of action movie. I want it to do more than just fit the scenes. Which reminds me of why I am not excited about Skyfall's score. I felt that the Skyfall soundtrack was mostly fairly good, and it did fit the scenes, but it needed more of a Bond feeling. That is just my feeling; it didn't impress me greatly. I wanted more of the theme song woven in ... more than just that superlative part when Bond floats towards the casino ("Komodo Dragon") and I wanted a bit more of the M. Norman style Bond theme. The beginning of the film is especially good, though, as far as the soundtrack goes. It captured the flavor and suspense of Bond finding Ronson, moving out into the Istanbul bazaar and the ensuing chase. But most of it is just not greatly memorable for me.
LALD though not John Barry is a decent soundtrack as well. AVTAK is very good. The way Barry is able to take that heavy metal Duran Duran song and make it into a soft melody for "Wine with Stacy" shows his genius. As he had been doing this since Goldfinger.
I have such an adversion to DAF and MR that I find nothing related to those films as being "worthy". Perhaps the DAF main title song is pretty good, but I'm not overly fond of it.
LALD title song gets a whole lot of love(not always deserved IMHO). I think its okay. It does not hold water to "Nobody Does it Better" or Chris Connell's song.
Theme Song: Thunderball
Soundtrack: TB or YOLT (honorable mentions: GF, OHMSS, MR)
The Bond music is certainly one of my favorite topics
I think several of you may have a good idea. I am not current with European music. I just thought of that. If you have any suggestions, please let us hear your ideas.
Cheers! :-bd
The best Scandinavian musician alive today...
Barry is a film music divinity to me. Others have tried to write good Bond music and in some cases have succeeded, but none has ever come close to Barry's brilliant compositions.
I will come back to write more when I have the time but for now I can say this. The Music Of James Bond,
is a must-read for all Bond fans out there. I'm serious about this. You will find many unanswered questions finally answered, many behind-the-scenes details nicely delivered on a plate and many interesting pictures you've never seen before. Trust me on this. If you're interested in Bond music, you will not want to miss this book. It's a splendid achievement!
@DarthDimi, good to learn about this book. Others may have it already, but I sure don't. I will happily order this one. I agree with you about Barry. His musical touch with Bond scores is incomparable. There are films whose entire scores I enjoy (LALD, TSWLM and TND are three) but Barry is definitely head and shoulders above everybody else.
Since DAF was my first Bond film experience (in the theatre), you can perhaps imagine the impression the theme song and PTS had on me (I was an impressionable 14 or 15 year old at the time). I also was not one to notice music in films a whole lot. I mean I knew the score contributed to a film but I didn't really pay attention to music in films (unless it was a musical - ha!) until I saw DAF. Barry's fine touch is throughout that film.
That was followed by LALD which had Paul (I'm a lifelong Beatles and McCartney fan), so I was crazy about that, too. It rocked; it was fun and it suited the scenes. I thought the score was fine throughout.
TMWTGG was a bit of a glitch to me (theme song, I mean), but it was such a part of the times and reminded more of the "swinging sixties" which had finished. The score is okay, not one of my favorites by Barry, but still good. I just kept happily growing up with Bond, enjoying Bond films and it became such a part of my life; I was well and truly hooked.
When I finally got around to seeing YOLT, in the 80's, I adored the music. What a gorgeous, haunting theme song and truly excellent score by Barry!
And I love the score to AVTAK, far more than the film overall.
Music is a very important part of a Bond film, for sure.
I want to know who the cinematographer is soon, I hope; and I also really want the composer confirmed.
Looking forward to more of your thoughts on Bond scores, DarthDimi.
:)>-
Oh no, you didn't! :-t :))
But seriously, I actually wouldn't mind an instrumental theme tune again like we had in OHMSS, and if they'd ever need a soloist, Truls Mørk (not Rybak %-( ) is the guy! But then I am a cellist student...
I honestly think it will be either Adele (since Daniel and the producers really want her ... or at least they did 6 months or so ago) or some other solo singer who is currently popular. Not saying that's what I want most, just that I think that is likely.
In FRWL we got a John Barry off the leash and on his own, for me this is one of the great soundtracks in which he laid the groundwork for all the Bondmusic that still had to come. With the titlesong he started the legendary songs for the 007 movies a powerballad that still stands like a house.
With GF came a more balanced soundtrack and the visionary music from the previous soundtrack became smoother and grander. Basseys great titlesong might not be liked by some of the younger generation but it remains the ULTIMATE 007 song ever and has a recognotion that is close to the original theme as created by Barry.
TB again a tour the force by Barry has its recognisable moments but has a complete identity of his own. Barry has shown with the first three soundtracks that he is capable to give the movies their own sound and yet makes it very clear that it is a James Bond movie. And Tom Jones titlesong is power and not very subtle, which suits the title and movie.
YOLT has this mysterious oriental sound with a recognisable 007 footing, Nancy Sinatra does a great job. Barry is easily cruising and still a powerhouse when it comes to the 007 franchise.
OHMSS together with FRWL are my two favorites skyhigh above the other soundtracks of Barry for the 007 franchise. The man does great action music, does subtle love and has two great songs added to the arsenal, one kinda christmas fun and the other one a vocal brilliant performance by the always great Louis Armstrong. Where FRWL is 007 on acid OHMSS is 007 in the most subtle and and emotional soundtrack of them all.
DAF once again a brilliant opening with Bassey in a classic song that has perhaps less of a recognition as a 007 track but is well known crooner song, and Shirley does it like nobody else can. Further another Barry strong soundtrack with Vegas Grandness.
LALD the first soundtrack without Barry instead we get the Beatles producer and he does create a different sound alltogether from Barry but is able to keep the sound recognisable as belonging to a 007 movie. The titlesong is the greatest rocksongs in the franchise and with Paul MacCarthy a brilliant performer.
TMWTGG shows a return by Barry with a fun titletrack by Lulu and while the movie has its oriental sound, which is different from YOLT, its theme derived from the titletrack is well done and gives the soundtrack quite a lot of power.
TSWLM is a softpop/disco-esque soundtrack by Harry Hamlish and he with his interpretation of the 007 music gives Roger Moores repositioning of 007 and Broccoli's 1st solo movie a grand flair. Carly Simons "Nobody does it better" is one of the great titlesongs ever. Like GF should have gotten a oscar.
MR brings a third outing by Bassey in a grand titlesong, even if I prefer the Disco version at the end of the movie and soundtrack. The movie contains sadly the last time the 007 theme, but Barry once again strikes a homerun with this beautifull and sometimes haunting soundtrack, which is the nr 3 in my list of favorites.
FYEO Conti does bring his A-game to the franchise and creates a lovely disco-esque soundtrack that suits the movie very well, and has aged well together with the movie, stand alone I can appriciate it a lot too,........... OOOOEH can you feel it...........
Great titlesong by a Scottish lass.
OP another great performance by Barry who makes it look easy in composing the 007 soundtracks. Rita Coolidge song is nice but nothing special.
AVTAK Barry is doing it again, and even Duran Duran recognises the brilliance of the man and do deliver a powerfull titletrack. Another recognisable sound from Barry's composing table.
TLD Barry goes techno and yet again composes a great soundtrack around the song by Aha. Sadly the masters last performance for EON. And a shame they did not spend more effort to make him return, something that I hold against EON forever.
LTK, has it moments with Pams Theme but is overal a bit of a mess. While I like Gladys Knight and the Pips her titlesong is even poor for her standards. Overall a bit of a wasted opportunity for a one time composer that seems to have pjoned this soundtrack in.
GE Recognisable Serra whose efforts I adore and appriciate. His soundtrack is recognisable and different for the franchise. Tina Turner with the boys from U2 give us a nice titlesong.
The Arnold years - Boombastic and John Barry music in Drum 'n Base, a bit too much but very recognisable. the titlesongs are nothing special.
CR Arnold could create some new immortal sounds for the franchise with this reboot and to be honest he does have nice moments but untill the James Bond theme Arnold style kicks in there is not enough for me in teh soundtrack to call it a 007 soundtrack. A few good moments does not make it great. And to be honest the titletrack was the first time in the Arnold years we got an effort worth the title Bondsong.
QoS like the previous soundtrack some nice moments but in essence too much music that could be fitted in any other movie outside of the franchise and nobody would notice that. It seems that after the Brosnan-Arnold years DA seems to have an aversion against the theme and once again the composer is not able to make one big cohesive sound. Like the edit of the movie it goes everywhere and nowhere. The best music, which is not on the soundtrack, is the music from the opera, but then again that is a master at work as well.
SF is a soundtrack by a composer that can do great things, knows it, and then forgets to do it. The soundtrack lacks cohesion and the JB theme, but shows skills of a great composer. So why did the Effing basterd not bring his A-game. People bitch about Conti and Hamlish but they brought their best efforts and that is something you cannot accuse Newman of. Adele did do a brilliant titlesong that made me remember the good old Barry days.
A great franchise with memorable soundtracks that for me seemed to dry up with Barry leaving or not returning. I threw the Brosnan-Arnold soundtracks on one heap as they sound similar to me with a few exceptions. Arnold brings nothing new or interesting to the franchise in my humble opinion, has not been able to take a step up from Barry's compositions.
I wonder if EON finaly has the balls to give new composer a carte blanche to come up with a new sound for the 21st century James Bond. So far I have not heard it.
The James Bond Theme needs a special mention here. Along with Mission Impossible and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly possibly the greatest theme ever.
SF is a soundtrack by a composer that can do great things, knows it, and then forgets to do it. The soundtrack lacks cohesion and the JB theme, but shows skills of a great composer. So why did the Effing basterd not bring his A-game. People bitch about Conti and Hamlish but they brought their best efforts and that is something you cannot accuse Newman of. Adele did do a brilliant titlesong that made me remember the good old Barry days.
I agree pretty much 100% with you on Newman. I think we are - thanks to his association with Mendes more than anything else - due to have him again, yet I am hopeful for someone else. I actually won't totally deplore him returning as he has the talent ... but he had better give us more this time; I will not be satisfied if it is at the same level as Skyfall. Skyfall had more potential but was not fully realized. It could have been a great soundtrack and it had a very fine theme song to use with it. Newman just didn't use that or give us anything particularly memorable. Just my opinion, of course. I know some members love this soundtrack and have higher regard for Newman than I do. I feel like I was cheated in that regard, much as I enjoy the rest of the aspects of the film.
Yes, @Thunderfinger, the James Bond Theme is important. It is iconic and some version of it needs to be in every Bond film. That reminds me that it seems practically everybody on the planet, at least by the time they are a young adult, know the James Bond theme. And I remember when Skyfall came out, I had been talking with my boss about it off and on for weeks before it came here and he asked me, that first weekend in December (which is when it finally opened here), "What are you doing this weekend?" I just smiled, turned, and walked away (he was dropping me off at the train station) singing the James Bond theme. I could hear him laughing as he drove off.
Off to to work to prepare teaching materials for kindergartners! I hate working on a Saturday but it is required sometimes, and is a relaxing time with no teaching, just time to get all my prep work done.
I only wish I could listen to Bond music while there! But ... no.
Talk to you all later. Have fun, and let me know what you think about Bond 24 theme song potential artists, Newman returning maybe/probably, and anything else you'd care to mention about all of the amazing Bond music through the years.
I'll check back in about 7 hours or so ... :)>-