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Comments
Oh yes it was! Even worse it is simply boring. Great melodies (even good ones) tend to float within your head. There's is nothing in SF s melodies that's even close to it. I would have taken Arnold anytime (and been glad to have a choice). I am also kind of bewildered how many use the " hey, give him a second chance. He might have not tried hard enough." term. HE BETTER SHOULD HAVE! He was to make a contribution to the anniversary of the worlds longest lasting franchise. He should have tried to make it very special, especially in memory of Barry's everlasting heritage. Even Mendes tried to make it very special. In my mind ( and I know I'm in a minuscule minority here) he failed terribly, but at least he tried!
He's probably back because Mendes wanted him. Wish EON had put their foot down and made him hire David Arnold instead :(
I'm afraid I disagree completely with you on this. To each their own. I'll take Newman any day over Arnold. I've had to endure his Barry-lite for 11 years (97-08) and while he improved in the Craig years, I believe he concocted banal music for the most part for a franchise I have a great respect for. No doubt he reveres Barry and does his best. It's just not good enough in my opinion. I felt his quality was much more suited to the Brosnan era.
As for Newman, I enjoyed his SF score very much. Sure it could have been better, but I felt it was absolutely outstanding in some places, and very modern. I certainly hope he integrates the theme music into his score (I'm sure he will) this time, but I still want his modern take on Bond. There will never be another Barry, so we don't need composers who attempt to emulate him and make a muck of it (my opinion on most of Arnold's work - and I hope he's reading this).
I'm quite confident that most folks on here will be happy with the end result of Newman's second time at it..
As I've said, the entire SP team is going to take this to another level this time. I'm certain of it.
PS: let me be clear I just prefer Newman to Arnold. I'm not advocating for Newman compared to anyone else. I would actually like someone like Howard Shore to have a crack at it, as he has the gravitas and has done outstanding work on LTR.
Agreed. Severine, The Chimera, New Diggs & Shanghai Drive were the standouts to me. He has great potential. He just needs more experience with the Bond universe and he needs to incorporate the title song in his score.
Frankly, I prefer his action cues to Arnold's, who I have always felt just creates unmelodic noise for action sequences (I've felt he was better on the slower stuff).
But I do see this is an appreciation thread, so I'll finish by saying he is a respected professional and has definite talent and I am fairly confident he will improve with Spectre and that means a great score. Staying hopeful. :)
It must be Spectre ... !
I try to make my point with one comment at a time but not triplicates or worse!
Just kidding, of course.
i'll add to that "Shanghai Drive" "Jellyfish" "Silhouette" "Enquiry" and "Tennyson" and his "Skyfall" track .... his action or tension building music is excellent... but stuff like "New Digs" "Modigliani" "Day Wasted" "Quartermaster" "Enjoying Death" etc.. it feels kind of 'meh'
thats why i've always liked Newman's score, but not really loved it.... i still think Arnold's score for CR is better - he did a magnificent job of incorporating the title song as well creating some pretty sweeping melodies that i think really give that really helps identify with that film... a lot of that i felt was missing in SF - but thats just me..
I am onboard with Newman coming back, not upset about it..... if i had one request.. it would be a little less Zimmer influence, and don't be afraid to use the Bond theme during action moments - i really am starting to miss it..
I just hope these Sam Smith rumours aren't true, the title kind says something more hard edged, a group maybe? Portishead would knock it out the park but I'm dreaming now.
:))
Yes, it was overused in both eras you cite sadly.
At least Barry was getting his feet wet in FRWL & DN & so that's his excuse. I don't know what Arnold's is.
By GF he had matured and created a decent score incorporating the theme, but it's only by TB that he hit full stride IMO & delivered a magnificent standalone score without overusing the Bond theme.
I think it has far more impact if used judiciously.
However, I am a big fan of it being incorporated and recomposed or refashioned in inventive ways, which is something Barry did very well during his later years (I was just listening to the Octopussy soundtrack in my car today and the Bond theme is littered throughout that score, but very delicately incorporated - it takes a level of diligence and finesse to do it right, and when done well, it's genius).
I think the producers have decided against this. I get the impression that they see it as one of the cliches. My evidence for this is the fact that Arnold himself dialled back the use of the Bond theme considerably in QoS (was it even played once there apart from the end) and CR (ditto). He likely was instructed to do this, otherwise I don't know why he would have, after overusing it in the Brosnan era.
As I said earlier, if it's incorporated and refashioned in a more organic way (which actually takes real compositional talent, which Barry had in spades) then I'm all for it, and I hope the producers are as well.