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Goldeneye Score by Eric Serra: Severely Underrated?

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  • Agent_Zero_OneAgent_Zero_One Ireland
    Posts: 554
    Nah.
  • RoadphillRoadphill United Kingdom
    Posts: 984
    suavejmf wrote: »
    MakeshiftPython wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    The score is overrated rather than underrated IMO.

    To call Eric Serra’s “GoldenEye” score an acquired taste is putting it mildly. Though some fans appreciate its originality (I don’t), many will find its synth-heavy sound lacks the rich orchestral flavor that’s been an integral part of the 007 film series since the very beginning.

    Even Michael G. Wilson referred to it as “controversial” during his audio commentary on the film’s Blu-ray. Hence, why John Altman was brought in to ‘fix’ the tank chase scene.

    So a small fraction of Bond fans liking Serra’s score constitutes as overrated?

    I get you have an unreasonably massive rage boner for anything Brosnan era and always look for any opportunity to knock it down... but give me break.

    Quite a ‘perverse’ analogy! Brilliant....ha ha ha.

    I actually think GE is ok along with the first hour of TND, the pre-title of TWINE and the pre-title of DAD.

    I also think Brosnan was let down by poor scripts rather than anything else as well.

    Yes, he was. I love GE and actually rather like TND's attempt at melding classic Bond elements with 90's action. The other two, though... Unfortunately you can't separate his era in half. TWINE and DAD where such disappointments on every level, that it will forever put a stain on Pierce's run.

    A shame really as I rather liked his portrayal. He would have been far more fondly remembered had he only done his first two.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    edited February 2021 Posts: 7,020
    The Janus Files - An Espionage Score is Yannick Zenhäusern's music for the cancelled GoldenEye 64 video game remake (now reworked as S.P.I.E.S. Don't Die).

    It takes mostly after the film score by Éric Serra, incorporating many of its sounds, such as the signature hollow metal sound and the deep chorus. I've also heard some nods to the video game score and the Tina Turner song.

    I haven't listened to the whole thing (it's five and a half hours after all) but so far, it's really delightful! Highlights include Deadly Science and Tiger Escape (he had shared snippets of these two tracks before the cancellation of the remake). Escape is an absolutely wonderful, fleshed out version of the respective film cue.

    Available on all major electronic stores!

  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,108
    Thanks for sharing!! Lovely stuff!
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,020
    You're welcome!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,344
    The end of Yacht Casing (just before 1hr44) is a really fun swaggery version of the Bond theme- worth a listen.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,020
    I like that.

    My favorite part from the album is the final segment of Core Operation (4:00:27 to 4:03:33). The Bond theme sounds really cool, and the percussion keeps building. I love the change at 4:02:06; at that moment I can imagine the level in the game growing more frantic and intense (the music in the game was going to be modular and follow the onscreen action).
  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 4,247
    I'm really loving the score. I just got the full score and can't stop listening. The score makes me love Serra's GE score even more. Yannick really understands the Bond sound, maybe he might score a Bond film in Bond 7's era.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,020
    A track Rich Douglas just released. Available to buy, too, if you want to further support his work.



    This is his second orchestral take on this track, by the way. I don't know if the first one is on YouTube.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,546
    Underrated, but not severely underrated.
  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia
    Posts: 3,368
    I think I posted this on the unpopular opinion thread, but I greatly prefer the Serra tank chase synth track to what we got, which to me was the most generic sounding bond theme ever. The rescore was a super safe choice, especially for a new Bond, but a very bland choice, though I know I'm in the tiny minority here.
  • slide_99slide_99 USA
    Posts: 691
    I like Serra's score apart from the Ferrari chase music. It has a sly, seductive quality that makes it seem very Bondian even though it obviously sounds nothing like Barry's work. The producers made a good call in giving the tank chase a more traditional score, though.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    MooseWithFleas wrote: »
    I think I posted this on the unpopular opinion thread, but I greatly prefer the Serra tank chase synth track to what we got, which to me was the most generic sounding bond theme ever. The rescore was a super safe choice, especially for a new Bond, but a very bland choice, though I know I'm in the tiny minority here.

    I’m with you there. It may not sound like a traditional Bond score, but I am at a point in my life where I don’t value tradition and playing it safe. That’s why David Arnold’s scores never get my blood running. I prefer composers that bring their own unique take on the Bond sound and Serra was probably the most extreme of them all.

    To me what makes a great Bond score is how it compliments the film, and Serra gives GE a very unique flavor that I treasure in Brosnan’s run. Trying to make it sound more like John Barry or whatever doesn’t mean an improvement.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    edited August 2022 Posts: 7,108
    Being a huge Serra fan in and outside the world of Bond, I enjoy every single moment of the GE score. It’s my second favourite Bond score, coming in just behind TLD.

    It’s refreshing to read I’m not alone on this :)
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,556
    I like the GE s/t as well. It's different, unique, it has a kind of sterile and cold vibe to it that matches the locations. Other words that come to mind are mechanical; metallic. But is it better than the GE64 s/t? I'm really not sure. *cue elevator music*
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