NO TIME TO DIE (2021) - Discuss Hans Zimmer's Score

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  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Somebody mentioned "some" cello. I like cello. How can we possibly know what he is doing right now anyway? ;)
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,243
    Romer posted a video on Instagram with someone playing a cello off key or something, and assumptions are being made because we have little to go on I guess?
  • edited August 2019 Posts: 3,327
    The problem for me is that only John Barry can do John Barry. Arnold may have gotten the surface level of the Barry sound but the scores lacked the substance of what made those Barry scores masterful. Once Newman came on board it was like a breath of fresh air. For the first time in a long time I could actually feel the music building up tension during the SKYFALL PTS.

    Whatever Romer does, I hope it’s engrossing and not too slavish to Barry. Bond deserves to move forward and not become stagnant.

    I didn't mind Newman on Skyfall. Like you said, it felt like a fresh departure from Arnold's tenure.

    But by SP it became apparent Newman was a one-trick pony, and he couldn't pull off what Arnold had done with Bond. SP sounded worn out, tired, repeat mode throughout most of it.

    Arnold was just getting into his stride by CR and QoS, which are definitely his best scores for Bond, and he was just about getting the Barry sound perfected.

    I put an example on earlier showing the moon landing sequence on First Man. This evoked Barry without sounding too slavish. If Romer goes for something like that he'll be fine. It remains to be seen whether Romer can pull this type of sound off though, from every example I've heard so far. I'm not very convinced currently, but really hope I'm proved wrong.

  • RyanRyan Canada
    Posts: 692
    Romer posted a video on Instagram with someone playing a cello off key or something, and assumptions are being made because we have little to go on I guess?

    Unless I'm blind (or missed something in one of his stories), the most recent cello video I see on his page is from October 2018.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,243
    Ryan wrote: »
    Romer posted a video on Instagram with someone playing a cello off key or something, and assumptions are being made because we have little to go on I guess?

    Unless I'm blind (or missed something in one of his stories), the most recent cello video I see on his page is from October 2018.

    I was referred to a story video posted not too long ago, one of those videos that are only up for 24 hrs.
  • Posts: 572
    The problem for me is that only John Barry can do John Barry. Arnold may have gotten the surface level of the Barry sound but the scores lacked the substance of what made those Barry scores masterful. Once Newman came on board it was like a breath of fresh air. For the first time in a long time I could actually feel the music building up tension during the SKYFALL PTS.

    Whatever Romer does, I hope it’s engrossing and not too slavish to Barry. Bond deserves to move forward and not become stagnant.

    I didn't mind Newman on Skyfall. Like you said, it felt like a fresh departure from Arnold's tenure.

    But by SP it became apparent Newman was a one-trick pony, and he couldn't pull off what Arnold had done with Bond. SP sounded worn out, tired, repeat mode throughout most of it.

    Arnold was just getting into his stride by CR and QoS, which are definitely his best scores for Bond, and he was just about getting the Barry sound perfected.

    I put an example on earlier showing the moon landing sequence on First Man. This evoked Barry without sounding too slavish. If Romer goes for something like that he'll be fine. It remains to be seen whether Romer can pull this type of sound off though, from every example I've heard so far. I'm not very convinced currently, but really hope I'm proved wrong.
    I share this sentiment 100%
  • RyanRyan Canada
    Posts: 692
    Ryan wrote: »
    Romer posted a video on Instagram with someone playing a cello off key or something, and assumptions are being made because we have little to go on I guess?

    Unless I'm blind (or missed something in one of his stories), the most recent cello video I see on his page is from October 2018.

    I was referred to a story video posted not too long ago, one of those videos that are only up for 24 hrs.

    Well, I guess Romer has nothing to declare. Just a cello. ;)
  • 00Agent00Agent Any man who drinks Dom Perignon '52 can't be all bad.
    edited August 2019 Posts: 5,185
    Dan Romer has been officially announced by EoN now:


    James Bond Producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today released the official title of the 25th James Bond adventure, NO TIME TO DIE. The film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios (MGM), and Universal Pictures International is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation, True Detective) and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his fifth film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007. Written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (SPECTRE, SKYFALL), Cary Joji Fukunaga, Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Bourne Ultimatum) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve, Fleabag) NO TIME TO DIE is currently in production. The film will be released globally from April 3, 2020 in the UK through Universal Pictures International and in the US on April 8, from MGM via their United Artists Releasing banner.

    NO TIME TO DIE also stars Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, Rory Kinnear, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah with Jeffrey Wright and Ralph Fiennes.

    In NO TIME TO DIE, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

    Other members of the creative team are; Composer Dan Romer, Director of Photography Linus Sandgren, Editors Tom Cross and Elliot Graham, Production Designer Mark Tildesley, Costume Designer Suttirat Larlarb, Hair and Make up Designer Daniel Phillips, Supervising Stunt Coordinator Olivier Schneider, Stunt Coordinator Lee Morrison and Visual Effects Supervisor Charlie Noble. Returning members to the team are; 2nd Unit Director Alexander Witt, Special Effects and Action Vehicles Supervisor Chris Corbould and Casting Director Debbie McWilliams.

    https://www.007.com/no-time-to-die-is-the-official-title-of-bond-25/
  • Posts: 1,993
    Just found out he is the composer. Not familiar with his work. Is he good?
  • Posts: 3,327
    fjdinardo wrote: »
    Just found out he is the composer. Not familiar with his work. Is he good?
    Check out his work on YouTube. The jury is still out. Some think he'll be great (not sure what this is based on), others like myself think Arnold would have been better.

    None of his examples show he can write the big, bold brassy Bond type numbers, or compose a sweeping Barry type overture. His work mainly consists of Netflix drama type atmos sounds.

    Looking more optimistically, this is his first big gig, so he will probably try to pull out all the stops and give us what the fans and the franchise expect. I doubt he'll stick to the atmos crap he has done so far in his career, otherwise this one shot at the big time will be a wasted opportunity for Romer.


  • Posts: 1,993
    fjdinardo wrote: »
    Just found out he is the composer. Not familiar with his work. Is he good?
    Check out his work on YouTube. The jury is still out. Some think he'll be great (not sure what this is based on), others like myself think Arnold would have been better.

    None of his examples show he can write the big, bold brassy Bond type numbers, or compose a sweeping Barry type overture. His work mainly consists of Netflix drama type atmos sounds.

    Looking more optimistically, this is his first big gig, so he will probably try to pull out all the stops and give us what the fans and the franchise expect. I doubt he'll stick to the atmos crap he has done so far in his career, otherwise this one shot at the big time will be a wasted opportunity for Romer.


    Very interesting. Im willing to give him a chance. He will most likely be a 1 time composer for Bond anyways. So yeah I believe he will go all out.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,243
    Walecs wrote: »

    I appreciate your job in trying to fit Barry's music in here, but IMO they don't work. The gunbarrel and the Bond theme as Bond drives the tank are pretty good (though I think the GE gunbarrel fits the movie better) and because I'm not a huge fan of Altman's track I actually prefer Barry's rendition of the theme to underscore the tank chase.

    Yeah, I do think the slower tempo matches well with the slow moving tank.

    As for the 007, it's too lighthearted. It just doesn't work in a scene where Bond is destroying the town and chasing the bad guys to save the girl. It almost makes it feel like a parody.

    IMO, it being lighthearted actually fits, because the scene itself is inherently lighthearted. There's not a lot of drama or suspense involved with a scene of Bond literally plowing his way through the streets of St. Petersburg. He's literally an unstoppable force. I think post-Cubby, the Bond films haven't really offered a lot of sequences that would call for something musically lighthearted, but I think the tank chance is one of the rare exceptions.

    The OHMSS title song, on the other hand, is too dramatic for the ski chase in TWINE. The OHMSS theme song is my most favourite piece of Bond music (besides the Bond theme) because it's an epic big scale piece and it makes you feel like Bond is facing his most dangerous mission yet. It works in OHMSS because the ski chase is full of tension; Bond is completely unarmed and escaping not only from SPECTRE goons but from Ernst Stavro Blofeld himself. The ski chase in TWINE feels very low-key compared to OHMSS', maybe because it's just Bond vs. the goons, maybe because he never feels in danger or maybe because the chase itself isn't that good.

    I can definitely agree that the chase itself isn't that well staged, like a lot of TWINE. It's also quite nonsensical in the grand scheme of things. Bond's strategy of drawing ALL the parahawks away from Elektra makes no sense, as they could have easily split up from his point of view. It makes Bond look like a chump. Ironically, Elektra had set him up all along which is why they all attack him anyway, but it feels contrived for Bond to believe they would all come for him, just so he would never suspect that Elektra was never in danger. For such a great premise, TWINE is a pretty problematic film.

    Anyway, if forgot to post another "rescore", in this case the exploding pen scene. Of all the rescores, I think it's the most natural fitting one.




    For the record, I LOVE Serra's score. Barry coming back would have felt fitting for Bond's return, but I'm glad EON took Barry's recommendation of Serra.
  • Posts: 4,045
    The Specialist is a great score.
  • Agent7777Agent7777 England
    Posts: 37
    This track suggests that Dan Romer could bring something fresh and interesting to the NTTD soundtrack...

  • BondAficionadoBondAficionado Former IMDBer
    Posts: 1,890
    I wouldn't exactly call that "fresh", but it is the first piece of music I've heard of Romer's that sparks an ounce of hope. Although I'm concerned he'll take the Newman route of writing music and at best we'll get a SF score (which was decent enough) instead of something akin to Arnold's fantastic work.
  • Posts: 4,045
    Agent7777 wrote: »
    This track suggests that Dan Romer could bring something fresh and interesting to the NTTD soundtrack...


    That sounds very much like Newman’s pts music for SF. Not a criticism, as that was a decent Newman piece.
  • Agent7777Agent7777 England
    Posts: 37
    I wouldn't exactly call that "fresh", but it is the first piece of music I've heard of Romer's that sparks an ounce of hope. Although I'm concerned he'll take the Newman route of writing music and at best we'll get a SF score (which was decent enough) instead of something akin to Arnold's fantastic work.

    I'm hoping we get something different to Newman also. I didn't mind the SF soundtrack but felt that SP was a retread to lesser effect. I also agree that it's going to be extremely difficult to match David Arnold's work, speaking of which...

  • DrClatterhandDrClatterhand United Kingdom
    Posts: 349
    Skyfall had the best soundtrack for Bond since The Living Daylights. I'm very happy Arnold isn't back. Can't wait to hear what Dan Romer gives us. I'm hopeful it isn't Barryesque in the slightest. There are too many nods to the past in Bond nowadays anyway. It becomes a parody. I want fresh and progressive.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Skyfall had the best soundtrack for Bond since The Living Daylights. I'm very happy Arnold isn't back. Can't wait to hear what Dan Romer gives us. I'm hopeful it isn't Barryesque in the slightest. There are too many nods to the past in Bond nowadays anyway. It becomes a parody. I want fresh and progressive.

    A true artist does not imitate. He creates.
  • RyanRyan Canada
    Posts: 692
    Agent7777 wrote: »
    This track suggests that Dan Romer could bring something fresh and interesting to the NTTD soundtrack...


    If we imagine this piece stylistically with some the harmonic content of the Bond theme then I think Romer is definitely capable of delivering.
  • BondAficionadoBondAficionado Former IMDBer
    Posts: 1,890
    Agent7777 wrote: »
    I wouldn't exactly call that "fresh", but it is the first piece of music I've heard of Romer's that sparks an ounce of hope. Although I'm concerned he'll take the Newman route of writing music and at best we'll get a SF score (which was decent enough) instead of something akin to Arnold's fantastic work.

    I'm hoping we get something different to Newman also. I didn't mind the SF soundtrack but felt that SP was a retread to lesser effect. I also agree that it's going to be extremely difficult to match David Arnold's work, speaking of which...


    Indeed. The build at the start works so well within the film and it's these types of moments in his scores that make him stand out.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,243
    “Difficult to match David Arnold”?

    Let’s not get carried away.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,236
    “Difficult to match David Arnold”?

    Let’s not get carried away.

    Nothing in that statement to suggest that anyone is getting carried away. ;)
  • Posts: 3,327
    Skyfall had the best soundtrack for Bond since The Living Daylights. I'm very happy Arnold isn't back. Can't wait to hear what Dan Romer gives us. I'm hopeful it isn't Barryesque in the slightest. There are too many nods to the past in Bond nowadays anyway. It becomes a parody. I want fresh and progressive.

    Yes, let's hope it strays completely away from sounding anything like a Bond film. Let's disregard everything Barry ever gave the franchise, and bin it for some Netflix drama atmos sounds.

    It's a good job you ain't in charge of the franchise.... ;)
  • GertGettlerGertGettler Laptop Barcelona
    Posts: 431
    My favourite works from the beginner-in-the-field Dan Romer:


    'The Survivors', from the motion picture "Beasts Of The Southern Wild":


    'A Song For Strika', from the motion picture "Beasts Of No Nation":


    'Symbiosis', from the Netflix documentary "Chasing Coral":


    Song 'We Will Rise Again', from the videogame "Far Cry 5: Into The Flames":


    'It Felt Like An Escape', from the Netflix-series "Maniac":


    'My Greatest Triumph', from the Netflix-series "Maniac" (very Bond-ian):


    'This Is Goodbye For Us', from the Netflix-series "Maniac":


    'Lab Melodies (Source)', from the Netflix-series "Maniac":


    Song 'Say Something', composed/produced by Dan Romer, performed by A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera:


    To be honest, Dan Romer is an absolute newcomer in Hollywood. And is therefore perhaps one of the riskiest choices ever for a Bond score. But I stay open-minded. The works mentioned above in my opinion are top notch. "No Time To Die" is therefore most definitely Romer's biggest project to date.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    I really hope Romer embraces the Bond sound and doesn’t push against it. It’s the only aspect of this project that leaves me with a very minor nagging doubt.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,589
    The problem for me is that only John Barry can do John Barry. Arnold may have gotten the surface level of the Barry sound but the scores lacked the substance of what made those Barry scores masterful. Once Newman came on board it was like a breath of fresh air. For the first time in a long time I could actually feel the music building up tension during the SKYFALL PTS.

    Whatever Romer does, I hope it’s engrossing and not too slavish to Barry. Bond deserves to move forward and not become stagnant.

    I didn't mind Newman on Skyfall. Like you said, it felt like a fresh departure from Arnold's tenure.

    But by SP it became apparent Newman was a one-trick pony, and he couldn't pull off what Arnold had done with Bond. SP sounded worn out, tired, repeat mode throughout most of it.

    Arnold was just getting into his stride by CR and QoS, which are definitely his best scores for Bond, and he was just about getting the Barry sound perfected.

    I put an example on earlier showing the moon landing sequence on First Man. This evoked Barry without sounding too slavish. If Romer goes for something like that he'll be fine. It remains to be seen whether Romer can pull this type of sound off though, from every example I've heard so far. I'm not very convinced currently, but really hope I'm proved wrong.

    We listened to different soundtracks, then. SP wasn't as good as SF, but it was still better than most of Arnold's output. In particular the following tracks: Madeleine's theme, Donna Lucia, the Los Muertos music in the beginning (fantastic mix of Latin beats and the Bond theme), L'Americain, Vauxhall Bridge, and Silver Wraith.

    I hate to say it, because Arnold's work was quite good on CR and QoS, but he isn't in Newman's class. Not close.

    And remember, the use of SF tracks in SP is Mendes' call and not Newman's.



  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    TripAces wrote: »
    The problem for me is that only John Barry can do John Barry. Arnold may have gotten the surface level of the Barry sound but the scores lacked the substance of what made those Barry scores masterful. Once Newman came on board it was like a breath of fresh air. For the first time in a long time I could actually feel the music building up tension during the SKYFALL PTS.

    Whatever Romer does, I hope it’s engrossing and not too slavish to Barry. Bond deserves to move forward and not become stagnant.

    I didn't mind Newman on Skyfall. Like you said, it felt like a fresh departure from Arnold's tenure.

    But by SP it became apparent Newman was a one-trick pony, and he couldn't pull off what Arnold had done with Bond. SP sounded worn out, tired, repeat mode throughout most of it.

    Arnold was just getting into his stride by CR and QoS, which are definitely his best scores for Bond, and he was just about getting the Barry sound perfected.

    I put an example on earlier showing the moon landing sequence on First Man. This evoked Barry without sounding too slavish. If Romer goes for something like that he'll be fine. It remains to be seen whether Romer can pull this type of sound off though, from every example I've heard so far. I'm not very convinced currently, but really hope I'm proved wrong.

    We listened to different soundtracks, then. SP wasn't as good as SF, but it was still better than most of Arnold's output. In particular the following tracks: Madeleine's theme, Donna Lucia, the Los Muertos music in the beginning (fantastic mix of Latin beats and the Bond theme), L'Americain, Vauxhall Bridge, and Silver Wraith.

    I hate to say it, because Arnold's work was quite good on CR and QoS, but he isn't in Newman's class. Not close.

    And remember, the use of SF tracks in SP is Mendes' call and not Newman's.

    Newman would be ranked above Arnold by his peers, no doubt about that. But the argument here isn’t about that sort of technicality.

    You could have a Michelin starred chef who can cook his old mum out of the kitchen, but there will always be that one dish she can smash, and no amount of technical skill can compensate. That’s where Arnold sits, he just knows how to do Bond. Same as Campbell.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,589
    RC7 wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    The problem for me is that only John Barry can do John Barry. Arnold may have gotten the surface level of the Barry sound but the scores lacked the substance of what made those Barry scores masterful. Once Newman came on board it was like a breath of fresh air. For the first time in a long time I could actually feel the music building up tension during the SKYFALL PTS.

    Whatever Romer does, I hope it’s engrossing and not too slavish to Barry. Bond deserves to move forward and not become stagnant.

    I didn't mind Newman on Skyfall. Like you said, it felt like a fresh departure from Arnold's tenure.

    But by SP it became apparent Newman was a one-trick pony, and he couldn't pull off what Arnold had done with Bond. SP sounded worn out, tired, repeat mode throughout most of it.

    Arnold was just getting into his stride by CR and QoS, which are definitely his best scores for Bond, and he was just about getting the Barry sound perfected.

    I put an example on earlier showing the moon landing sequence on First Man. This evoked Barry without sounding too slavish. If Romer goes for something like that he'll be fine. It remains to be seen whether Romer can pull this type of sound off though, from every example I've heard so far. I'm not very convinced currently, but really hope I'm proved wrong.

    We listened to different soundtracks, then. SP wasn't as good as SF, but it was still better than most of Arnold's output. In particular the following tracks: Madeleine's theme, Donna Lucia, the Los Muertos music in the beginning (fantastic mix of Latin beats and the Bond theme), L'Americain, Vauxhall Bridge, and Silver Wraith.

    I hate to say it, because Arnold's work was quite good on CR and QoS, but he isn't in Newman's class. Not close.

    And remember, the use of SF tracks in SP is Mendes' call and not Newman's.

    Newman would be ranked above Arnold by his peers, no doubt about that. But the argument here isn’t about that sort of technicality.

    You could have a Michelin starred chef who can cook his old mum out of the kitchen, but there will always be that one dish she can smash, and no amount of technical skill can compensate. That’s where Arnold sits, he just knows how to do Bond. Same as Campbell.

    I realize this and still view Newman's Bond work as stellar. I think he "got Bond" just fine.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,256
    The “My Greatest Triumph” track from Maniac is very reassuring that he’s up to the challenge.
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