Spectre Composer Is Thomas Newman

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  • BMW_with_missilesBMW_with_missiles All the usual refinements.
    edited June 2017 Posts: 3,000
    How about plastic?



    On an unrelated note, the above is at least indicative of the excitement Mendes would funnel into scenes like the Rome chase. Just see the moment at 2:04 when you think the bag has disappeared well off to the left, and then—out of nowhere—it shoots back to center screen.

    So this why they want to ban plastic bags, so stuff like this doesn't happen. It's not about preventing litter, it's about stopping pretentious cinema.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Newman's best score tho.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited June 2017 Posts: 23,883
    This is the track that gets me every time. I haven't seen the film.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Yes, vintage Newman. Whatever floats your boat I suppose. He's certainly good at inoffensive downbeat background noise.

    Road to Perdition was a massive disappointment when I saw it. Have to say, it was this film that set the alarm bells ringing for me when Mendes was announced as the new Bond director. He had a great cast but the film just fails to ignite. Just like SF and SP from my perspective.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Getafix wrote: »
    Yes, vintage Newman. Whatever floats your boat I suppose.

    Or your bag.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Mallory wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Nothing to worry about here folks.

    Newman was nominated for an Oscar for Skyfall. He has been given the privelege of returning to one of the most storied franchises (music wise) of all time. He is only the 3rd composer, after Barry and Arnold, to be asked back.

    He will 'up' his game. I have no doubt he has the talent. If he paid the franchise lip service in SF, he won't do it this time.

    The score will be epic. He will use the title theme in it too. I'm certain of it. SF was such a success that everyone has to step it up a notch, especially the composer, given the importance of music to the movie.

    Ho ho ho.

    Always fun reading back over old predictions!
    Indeed. I blew it on this one. I'll be the first to admit it. I was overly positive.

    You're not tge only one. I read tonnes of excuses as to why SF's musical score was lacklustre and with news of SP having a bigger budget and Newman having a full orchestra to work with etc I for one felt positive we were going to get Newman knocking out of the park. I was wrong.


    Lee Smith (Editor) on the music...

    In the case of “Spectre” I got a music editor on very early on and we took apart the existing score from “Skyfall” and strung that out and rebuilt cues to suit the new film, just to give us the temp score. We needed it to be in Bond’s world. I saw no reason to pull temp score from other films. We did use other existing score in moments where we clearly couldn’t build it from Skyfall, but it was great because we were doing a really polished version of a score underneath the editor’s cut and it worked and whenever we played it for producers or Sam I think there was only once or twice where he said we missed the point with the music, but for 90% of the time we were on the money and I think when we started working with Thomas Newman and he was re-writing it, he knew mode and placement or the temp score was pushing all the right emotional buttons. I know that would have been hard for him, because it’s already his score and I know how tough that is, but I kept saying to him, “But it’s so good!” I can’t put other composers scores on this movie! (laughs) He was great and incredibly collaborative.

    Someone please explain what this means because I've got no clue.
    Mallory wrote: »
    @Getafix I agree that QoS is his best Bond score but it is also one of the least 'Bondian' scores ever. I am struggling to recite any Bond theme in the score, save for the end gun barrel. Maybe a little in the car chase at the beginning but otherwise its completely absent.

    People who slag of Newman for a 'supposed lack of Bond theme' need to go and listen to the QoS soundtrack again.

    And Skyfall OST > QoS OST

    We're not going through this bloody argument again, are we? Just because you lack a good music ear (and you do, otherwise you'd hear plenty of Bond theme in QoS score), it doesn't mean Arnold score suck.

    Bond theme is featured in Field Trips, Oil Fields, Time to get Out, Perla de las dunas, Bond in Haiti, Bolivian taxi drive, Pursuit at Port Au Prince, Inside Man and The dead don't care about vengeance.

    That's 9 instances.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    @Walecs, It means when they were putting the film together, they put in music from Skyfall as a placeholder "temp track." as the call it. But because they thought it was so good they decided to keep the music from Skyfall in Spectre.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    TOFANA007 wrote: »
    YES David ARnold is GOOD! TND is fantastic score.. as is other work for Indpendce Day and Stargate. BUT his inpiration was gone for CR AND QOS sadly!

    CR is his best score.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Murdock wrote: »
    @Walecs, It means when they were putting the film together, they put in music from Skyfall as a placeholder "temp track." as the call it. But because they thought it was so good they decided to keep the music from Skyfall in Spectre.

    I see, thank you a lot for explanation. This seems to explain why Grand Bazaar fits SPECTRE's PTS so well. It was a terrible idea, anyway. I was fine with them reusing a couple of themes from Skyfall (the Mother motif made sense where it was used, and I love Grand Bazaar and Drive to Skyfall so much that I'm glad those popped up), but too many tracks were reused. I also loved The Moors a lot, but I feel like it was overused during SPECTRE's climax.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited June 2017 Posts: 9,117
    Murdock wrote: »
    @Walecs, It means when they were putting the film together, they put in music from Skyfall as a placeholder "temp track." as the call it. But because they thought it was so good they decided to keep the music from Skyfall in Spectre.

    Explains a lot.

    Although presume Newman was stil quite happy to pocket his full fee.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    And for less work.
  • Posts: 5,767
    In that context, credit must be given to Mendes for shooting new scenes. SF pushing all the right emotional buttons, Mendes would have been justified to take the same scenes again.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    =))
  • Posts: 1,162
    boldfinger wrote: »
    In that context, credit must be given to Mendes for shooting new scenes. SF pushing all the right emotional buttons, Mendes would have been justified to take the same scenes again.

    The disturbing thing is, in the context of what Mr. Smith said this makes absolutely sense.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    I don't want Mendes back, I don't want Newman back. They've had their two.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    From the Lee Smith comments above one has to ado the question 'What exactly did Thomas Newman contribute to SP?'

    It seems they just copy and pasted SF's soundtrack (which is blatantly obvious if first viewing of the film) and that was job done.

    I considered SP's soundtrack was a disgrace when I thought it was Newman hitting CTRL C, CTRL V. Now I know it wasn't even him doing that I think EON should be suing the guy.

    Can anyone come up with a lazier, more shoddy soundtrack than what Newman foisted upon us with SP?
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Newman's lazy score makes Michel Legrand's score for NSNA sound amazing. =))
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Murdock wrote: »
    Newman's lazy score makes Michel Legrand's score for NSNA sound amazing. =))

    Careful. Much as I am with you on when it comes to slating Newman it's going a bit far to say SP's score is worse than NSNA.

  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    You're crossing a line there!
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I tend to cross the line a lot. ;)
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    The thing is objectively SP's score isn't horrific. It has its good points.

    But I can't forgive Newman's laziness so it will always be bottom three for that alone.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    That's pretty much how I feel. There's some good bits sprinkled in both scored he did but the rest of it is so generic and forgettable that it just irritates me. We deserve better Bond music, not some Hanz Zimmer copycat.
  • edited June 2017 Posts: 6,844
    The thing is objectively SP's score isn't horrific. It has its good points.

    But I can't forgive Newman's laziness so it will always be bottom three for that alone.

    Just this. There are good bits. Enough to enjoy on their own, not enough to make up a satisfying listening experience. But the greatest crime here is the completely uninspired cut-and-paste (of a sound that is—let's face it—not the best for Bond to begin with).
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    #MakeBondscoresgreatagain!
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,583
    MrBond wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    ...and yet Newman continues to rack up the awards and the jobs from A-list directors. The guy obviously sucks.

    Great attitude you got there. Did you read the interview with Lee Smith?
    Mendes and the producers wanted the same feel SP as from SF. Hence they wanted to emulate the success in all departments, including the music. Newman did what he was told to do, nothing more. If he didn't he would've probably been sacked and someone else would've completed it to EONs wishes.
    You guys are entitled to your opinions on the score, but Newman does not suck.

    My comment was meant to be sarcastic. eeeeck. LOL
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,583
    Despite some of the repeat tracks, Newman still wrote 25 original tracks for SP. How was that lazy??? I just don't understand the criticism at all.

    Newman's music for SP was not nearly as good as SF. But SP features the stunning pre-title track, in which Newman fused Latin rhythms and the Bond theme--Arnold did a similar thing in QoS. SP also features two distinct and beautiful tracks for the leading women. Madeleine's theme, in particular, is a gorgeous piece of music.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    edited June 2017 Posts: 16,351
    The recycled music is what's lazy. Everything else. Meh.
  • edited June 2017 Posts: 6,844
    Madeleine's theme is indeed the highlight of Spectre's score. It is the essence of who Newman is as a composer and most, most welcome here. Also, "Donna Lucia" is a lovely evolution of Severine's theme and there's no arguing "Los Muertos Vivos Estan" is a groovy beat.

    I'm assuming you pulled the number 25 from the amount of tracks on the album release. Yes, these were newly composed and recorded tracks, but many of them—a few notable exceptions like Madeleine's theme aside—hew very closely to tracks from Skyfall: "Tempus Fugit," "Blindfold," "Careless," "Detonation." The unoriginality problem doesn't have to do so much with lifting whole tracks from Skyfall—though there is that, too—as it does with really failing to develop a new musical identity for Spectre. Again, Madeleine's theme aside.

    That does make sense though if the film was temp-tracked with Skyfall and Newman was told by Mendes and company, hear what you did in Skyfall there? Yeah, do that again.
  • edited June 2017 Posts: 11,425
    I don't sense Newman gave a sh*t about getting the Bond gig. Just another paycheck. He's a dreary composer anyway so no wonder the scores for both films are adrenalin and excitment sapping exercises.
  • Getafix wrote: »
    I don't sense Newman gave a sh*t about getting the Bond gig. Just another paycheck. He's a dreary composer anyway so no wonder the scores for both films are adrenalin and excitment sapping exercises.

    This too. Although I feel this mostly applies to Spectre. At least with Skyfall there was a certain freshness in his approaching a new genre, a new franchise. Not all of Skyfall works for me, but tracks like "New Digs," "Brave New World," "Shanghai Drive," "Jellyfish," "Modigliani," "The Chimera" reveal a playfulness and a promising originality that formed a unique take on Bond much as, say, Kamen or Serra had done before him. Some of the droning action and Newmanesque noodling in Skyfall didn't enthrall me so much, but there were at least those other standout tracks.

    With Spectre, it's as if he lifted his most banal droning and noodling from Skyfall, added some ghostly ambient cues, and wrote one gorgeous new theme for Madeleine, then called it a day.
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