Goldeneye Score by Eric Serra: Severely Underrated?

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  • edited October 2012 Posts: 11,189
    I think We Share the Same Passions is nice :(

    Never had an issue with that track. If anything quite the opposite. I've always liked it, very soothing and relaxing. I especially like the slightly mysterious tone it takes at 4.06 (the moment in the film when Bond walks up those steps opposite the mimes doing a routine - very fitting to what's onscreen in my view).
  • a truly vomit inducing score and one of the many reasons why seeing goldeneye was the most crushingly dissapointing day of my life.. having waited 6 years for a since after LTK

    the score is probably the most important component of a bond film in my opinion and THAT score was SHITE.
  • and apologies for not being able to write well - im 3 becks down.. ;)
  • edited October 2012 Posts: 11,189
    I've just come in from an evening shift at work and was actually listening to "we share the same passions" in the car. Works well late at night.
  • Pussfella wrote:
    a truly vomit inducing score and one of the many reasons why seeing goldeneye was the most crushingly dissapointing day of my life.. having waited 6 years for a since after LTK

    the score is probably the most important component of a bond film in my opinion and THAT score was SHITE.

    You have quite a good point. I truly enjoy GE for the most part, great villains and sense of humor about the film. But the music definitely plays a big part for me as well, and it's probably why GE has yet to make my top 10 or a classic status. Arnold's TLD score wipes the floor with it.
  • Then again you reap what you sow. In 1995 John Barry was still scoring films so after a 6 year hiatus (8 for John) they should've just paid him whatever he wanted to ensure Bond came back in style.

    Barry wasn't available. He was busy scoring 'Cry, The Beloved Country' and 'Across The Sea Of Time'

  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Then again you reap what you sow. In 1995 John Barry was still scoring films so after a 6 year hiatus (8 for John) they should've just paid him whatever he wanted to ensure Bond came back in style.

    Barry wasn't available. He was busy scoring 'Cry, The Beloved Country' and 'Across The Sea Of Time'

    Well he wouldn't have been if EON had used a bit of foresight and booked him up in advance. You can't expect blokes of that calibre to be available at the drop of a hat.
  • I always like to come at these things with an open mind - personally, I don't totally hate the GoldenEye soundtrack. I think it suffers from monotony at times and perhaps is too much of a departure from what went before, but there are some great things about it like that distorted 'fanfare' sound and what sounds like an electronic timpani. I don't know if it's because GoldenEye was the first Bond film I really remember or because of the game on N64, but I've always identified those two sounds from the overture as being iconically 'Bond' ...
  • I'm a big fan of the film Goldeneye (saw it twice at the cinema) and I'm also a fan of the music within. I think that musical backgrounds really fit the mood and style of the film and back in 1995 it worked very well with the whole "Bond is back" theme. It had been 6 long years since LTK and that felt like a freaking lifetime.

    Back to the soundtrack. Some others have mentioned what I think are the highlights of the score in this thread and I'm also a big fan of the music right at the start of the film when Bond is racing Zenia (Ladies First?) I think it's great and that scene was awesome to watch at the cinema. Brosnan at his best.

    As a standalone body of work, no it doesn't fill the shoes of say DAF and it doesn't have the same depth but I'm a fan
  • Posts: 3,278
    I disagree entirely. It deserves the reputation it has. Aside from a few cues here and there, the whole thing is the worst thing to ever happen to the franchise as far as scores go.
    I would say second worst, after Conti's.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    Zekidk wrote:
    I disagree entirely. It deserves the reputation it has. Aside from a few cues here and there, the whole thing is the worst thing to ever happen to the franchise as far as scores go.
    I would say second worst, after Conti's.

    Eww...... really?

    Conti's score was more diverse and entertaining than anything Serra ever threw on screen.. the typical argument against Conti's score is that "it's too disco" - alright, remove that and what else is there against it?..... Because I could do the same with Serra's, i'll toss out the "dated" argument - what is left? - it's just musically bad.. it has it's bright spots (few and far between)... but you look at Conti's score...

    - A Drive In The Country
    - Melina's Revenge
    - Gonzales Takes A Drive
    - Runaway
    - Submarine
    - For Your Eyes Only (orchestral version)
    - Gunbarrel / Flowers For Theresa / Sinking of St Georges

    All of those are miles and miles ahead of any of Serra's work from GE.... and the soundtrack works in the film as well as is great to listen to on it's own - unlike the GE soundtrack which can be a chore to make it through once..
  • Posts: 3,278
    HASEROT wrote:
    Zekidk wrote:
    I disagree entirely. It deserves the reputation it has. Aside from a few cues here and there, the whole thing is the worst thing to ever happen to the franchise as far as scores go.
    I would say second worst, after Conti's.
    i'll toss out the "dated" argument - what is left?
    But there you have it. Because - for me - the litmus test of any Bond score is: Does it sound dated or not? And I do believe that Conti's score sound a lot more dated than Serra's.
  • Posts: 278
    Pussfella wrote:
    a truly vomit inducing score and one of the many reasons why seeing goldeneye was the most crushingly dissapointing day of my life.. having waited 6 years for a since after LTK

    the score is probably the most important component of a bond film in my opinion and THAT score was SHITE.

    LOL, haven't laughed so much at a post.

    And yes, I agree entirely :)
  • Posts: 278
    HASEROT wrote:
    Zekidk wrote:
    I disagree entirely. It deserves the reputation it has. Aside from a few cues here and there, the whole thing is the worst thing to ever happen to the franchise as far as scores go.
    I would say second worst, after Conti's.

    Eww...... really?

    Conti's score was more diverse and entertaining than anything Serra ever threw on screen.. the typical argument against Conti's score is that "it's too disco" - alright, remove that and what else is there against it?..... Because I could do the same with Serra's, i'll toss out the "dated" argument - what is left? - it's just musically bad.. it has it's bright spots (few and far between)... but you look at Conti's score...

    - A Drive In The Country
    - Melina's Revenge
    - Gonzales Takes A Drive
    - Runaway
    - Submarine
    - For Your Eyes Only (orchestral version)
    - Gunbarrel / Flowers For Theresa / Sinking of St Georges

    All of those are miles and miles ahead of any of Serra's work from GE.... and the soundtrack works in the film as well as is great to listen to on it's own - unlike the GE soundtrack which can be a chore to make it through once..

    At least Conti's score sounded like a Bond score. I can't even begin to tey and think what Serra's score sounded like......Nothing good anyway.
  • Yeah, I actually think the Goldeneye soundtrack is one of the better ones in the series. It's a shame they didn't continue on in that vein for a while.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    I like Serra's score. It uses Music Samples from the Goldfinger Gunbarrel for the GE Gunbarrel and the music that kicks in when Bond turns on the conveyer belt in the PTS and used once more when there trapped in the Tiger helicopter.

    It's the Dun Nah lowered in pitch and given a wah filter I believe.
  • Posts: 612
    I rank Serra's score as the worst in the entire franchise. Sorry.

    If you want an underrated score, hit up Michael Kamen's LTK score.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    edited November 2012 Posts: 16,359
    I rank Serra's score as the worst in the entire franchise. Sorry.

    If you want an underrated score, hit up Michael Kamen's LTK score.

    Oh I also love Kamen's Score. It's one of my personal favorites. :)

    His Die Hard score is also Excellent.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    I haven't listened to the score or watched GE in some time - waiting to start up a proper Bondathon over my Thanksgiving Break - but I remember loving Serra's score and finding it highly underrated.
  • Posts: 4,762
    Creasy47 wrote:
    I haven't listened to the score or watched GE in some time - waiting to start up a proper Bondathon over my Thanksgiving Break - but I remember loving Serra's score and finding it highly underrated.

    We are in the same block here, Creasy! The GoldenEye soundtrack is incredibly memorable and very suitably worthy for a Bond movie. Can't believe anyone dislikes it! It's just too epic for words to describe!
  • mdo007mdo007 Katy, Texas
    Posts: 259
    Although most people didn't like Serra's music. I liked it, it was a nice refresher and add on to the Bond music.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    The GoldenEye Overture is pure Beast. :)
  • Posts: 4,762
    Murdock wrote:
    The GoldenEye Overture is pure Beast. :)

    Yes, EXACTLY!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    As a matter of fact, I think I may have to purchase it and put it on my iPod soon, @00Beast!
  • It's worth it alone for the synthesizer sound effect when Bond hits the conveyor belt to escape the Facility
  • Creasy47 wrote:
    As a matter of fact, I think I may have to purchase it and put it on my iPod soon, @00Beast!

    I don't think it's offered.

  • Domo!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    No problem! $8 for the entire score isn't too bad, and it has Tina Turner's title song on it. Hello, Christmas ideas for the girlfriend.
  • LicencedToKilt69007LicencedToKilt69007 Belgium, Wallonia
    Posts: 523
    Yes, it is. The score wasn't much typically Bond-esque/Bond-ian, but what he did he did it very well. Let's say his style was in general, too silly (I remember the small scenes like Natalyia escaping Severnaya, it was yawning). On the other hand, his score fitted well such a storyline, with short, dark and secretive sonorities (the opening is AMAZING). It was quite good. For me.
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