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Comments
I think that certain parts of CR's score would be boring to listen to on an iPod but they work well in the film. I think that the problem with Miami International is that it's covering 12 minutes of film. A good filmmaker knows that silence can be as effective as dialogue or music (especially in a suspense scene) but they chose to cover this whole sequence with music. I do like that (like African Rundown) it has a nice build to it over time but yes, I agree that it's not an outstanding piece of music.
2nd choice would be Michael Kamen, followed by Eric Serra!
David Arnold should just have stayed for one.
It makes African Rundown sound like one of the greatest action cues ever composed for screen. From personal experience, that accounts for about 85% of the score. If they didn't, they have been rejected by Martin Campbell and the producers. It's more a question how well they work. A good composer too. In what's called the spotting sessions, the directors, producers and composer decide where all the music will go, and of what nature it should be. Usually from there the he/she assembles a cue sheet, with very specific timings, and writes to that.
I think Serra's score has found new praise because of what came after it. That said, I've always felt satisfied with the score as implemented in the film. I even like The Experience Of Love for the end titles. But there was a time when I was one of the very few. Now I'm glad to see this score receive some more positive comments. Some even want Serra back for another Bond score but I doubt he'd do that.
Mod edit: offensive comments removed.
I have been in a music Conservatoire for the last 5 years, and been playing in an orchestra for the last 6 years, so I know what I'm talking about. Serra's soundtrack is much more musically complex than Arnold's (fact), in such a way that it is the closest non-Barry soundtrack in terms of musical complexity. Please try to understand my posts before puting words in my mouth I have never said.
DaltonCraig007 raises an interesting point - there are different ways that people understand the meaning of "Barryesque", "sounds like Barry", "sounds Bond-y", etc.
In my experience, which is anecdotal and not scientific, most people think of Barry's use of "wah-wah" horns and brass as the typical (or cliche, if you're so inclined) Barry sound or the "classic Bond sound". Think of Goldfinger especially. The thing is, that's just one part of Barry's scores but because it's so obvious and out-sized it's the easiest thing for the "general public" (again, just in my experience) to pick up on. So ANY type of music that adds a lot of that "wah wah" brass sounds very Bond-y to them - even if it's sub-standard, boring, or tuneless music. Think of how many low-grade TV shows have simply thrown in some horns to suggest Bond - that's the type of thing I mean.
Listen to this piece from the first season of Alias, starting at around 1:30 - that's the type of thing I mean (not that it's tuneless, just that it's going for that classic Bond sound with the horns). And to clarify, I really like Giacchino and think he could do a good job with Bond - just tone down the horns! He did a wonderful job with Alias and I'd love to see what he could do with a full orchestra (I never watched Lost).
My personal definition of a Barryesque sound is one that has a lush, orchestral sound to it and uses strong melodies (and not very many) to establish a distinct personality for the film. What's interesting to me when listening to some of Barry's tracks is how simple they can be, although they "call back" to the main theme or title song. His use of lietmotifs is wonderful, and his melodies memorable. Just adding brass onto a forgettable melody doesn't make it sound Bond-y in my opinion - it just makes it sound like a cheesy knockoff. And having too many different "themes" or melodies in a film (hello, David Arnold) dilutes the sense of personality to a film - there's no strong identity, just several weak ones.
And then there are people who have studied music and can break the "Barryesque" sound down into the nuts and bolts of how and why it works. So while some people may not think that two pieces of music are similar an educated person can hear the structural and thematic similarities.
In other words, there are no wrong opinions :-)
IMO, I prefer strong melodies, that can be different from the 'Barry sound', than just trying to emulate the Barry sound, without thinking of making musically complex cues.
Arnold's orchestration I also feel is more reminiscent of the Barry sound. As far as complexity DC, I've told you before that I agree with you regarding Arnold's lack of the same. I regret having to say what I did, but it's very frustrating when I present you a valid argument and you seem to disregard the points I made. I'm glad Lord F was able to get you to recognize what I've been trying to tell you. Anyway that's what you get with Arnold. It's obvious he idolizes Barry, hence why he comes up with melodies that pay homage to him that are not limited to his Bond catalog. But as it's been often said, he's not Barry and no one is. I also agree that on a level of complexity, Serra easily exceeds Arnold. But that really isn't hard to do as I could name many fine composers who fit that bill.
To me, Serra doesn't deliver the sounds that make a Bond movie, but they would work better for a Bourne or some other spy-type thriller where people don't have the same expectations. It's unfamiliar to my ears in a Bond context, which I feel should be the primary concern of any composer who does a Bond movie, and as a composer myself my ears hear a better understanding of the style and flair that Barry brought to these movies from most of the other one-off composers. Yet in the same exact movie, the Turner/Bono/Edge theme collaboration is right out of the Barry songbook and it works. Serra would have been better served to play off of the main theme but in all fairness, he may not have been aware of it when he composed the soundtrack.
John Barry's greatest contribution to the Bond films, in all it's obvious musical brilliance, is that he established a musical identity for the character. The "Bond Sound" as it were. Straying too far from that identity is never a good idea. Those who do will always fail the legacy the master left to us.
Sir Henry
1. SKYFALL
2. LIVE AND LET DIE
3. GOLDENEYE
4. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
5. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
6. LICENCE TO KILL
7. DR. NO
Of course! This may be a backhanded compliment to George Martin, but the score fits so well I always forget it's not John Barry.
I also have a love-hate feeling toward Michael Kamen's LTK score. Sometimes it is amazing - like 'Licence Revoked' other times I find it kind of shrieking. But his scores for lethal weapon and die hard are like this too and i love the Mexican influence on LTK,
I think I might have to vote for Newman (except hes not on the poll).
Monty Norman - Please. That finale of Dr No when the control room is blowing up is just copied and pasted from a 30s B movie. IMO Barry should get equal credit for the Bond theme but I'm not a high court judge am I so its Monty who gets all the plaudits in the eyes of the law despite Cubby and Harry gettting rid of him after one film even though he delivered the greatest piece of cinema music ever.
Martin - Good though LALD is how much of the score relies on the theme tune? About 85% and the rest is the Bond theme - one was written by Mcartney and the other by Monty (Barry). Difficult to say how much George actually contributes himself but as it borrows so heavily on the title song its difficult to say its that much of an original score. I know he worked with Macca on the theme song so maybe I'm being harsh but life is cruel - sorry George.
Hamlisch - Well Bond '77 is great in the film but bloody awful listened to on its own. Nobody Does it Better is a great song but overall the score seems rather patchy to me.
Conti - I dont mind it but it does seem to have dated quite badly and these days its pretty cheesy.
Kamen - I find this pretty dire. Bascially Die Hard but not as good and with the Bond theme constantly repeated with that annoying change of timing of a couple of notes at the end of a phrase he decided was the way he was going to do it. It works for the GB as it leads into the film but then everytime he plays the Bond theme after that he does it which is not what Monty (Barry) wrote.
Serra - The PTS I can live with and the scene on the beach isnt bad but the low points of the GB, the car chase and the (original) tank chase outweigh the good. And as for the end credits song.....
Newman - The PTS is pretty decent and the bit on the yacht and Tennyson are damn good also. Shame we only got one bit where he wove the SF theme into the score. I quite like the horns for M at the start with Mallory and when she goes. I think he might well take the crown of best of the one shot musical Lazenbys.