It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
That is most important to note. Most composers, even the highly revered Williams, do reuse previous music, even Arnold was not above it on occasion (sometimes I even hear his stuff spill over onto his non-Bond films). Aside from the occasional use of the "007" theme, Barry was clearly an exception to the rule, avoiding using previous material. I suppose that spoiled us in some way?
The way I see it, given that this film is closely following up SKYFALL, it makes sense for there to be some connective tissue via use of previous music. I personally do not think it's too much, as there enough original SPECTRE cues and that the old cues are tweaked in parts like "Westminster Bridge" with the addition of Barry style muted trumpets.
Anyway, I think I'll retire from these Newman threads for now. I've listened to the score enough to give my opinion on it and want to keep it fresh enough to hear it as it was intended to be: Within the film.
They need to get someone who will try and channel Barry. Yes there will never be another Barry but half a Barry is better than the generic dross served up in SP and SF.
Now I listen to the soundtrack at home and now I can feel the suspense in the music because I have seen the movie. And it is awesome, very exciting.
Maybe we shouldn't forget that with Daniel Craig we entered a different kind of movie, more action thriller and drama than the more lighthearted movies in the era before him.
Did someone actually say that? SP's score is not even fit to lace the boots on the laces of CR's boots.
The scenes you mention along with White Knight are the only times Arnold really managed to channel Barry perfectly.
In TND it still borders on pastiche. Just because Arnold serves up some Barry style cues doesn't mean he works like Barry, understands Barry or is remotely comparable.
TND was fun, CR an improvement and QOS a pretty decent film score but TWINE and DAD are utter tuneless tosh. I can't remember much from either.
If anything only Bill Conti's score evoked the 'approach' of Barry with repeated romantic motifs and action themes that were vibrant and memorable.
100% agree, including your comments on Conti. I think he evoked Barry & the Bond sound better than Arnold while still being original, & I don't even like his score.
This! David Arnold only had one repetitive trick: ugly technobeats. Although Casino Royale was better and the operascene in QoS was nicely done.
The items that I have underlined are my most significant criticisms of how I remember Arnold's music, with a few exceptions that almost everyone keeps holding up over and over again (and that should tell us something about what was good after 5 films) as being decent (e.g. African Rundown, Night at the Opera, Time to Get Out).
"This" means I agree with PeterGreenhill. Maybe my issue is Arnold never comes close to the sound and melodies by Barry. The best he could was try to hommage to Barry. Of course he did his best but I don't like all of it.
And yes the techno by Newman sounds different, more the likes of Hans Zimmer for Batman.
I think this techno sounds more tense or sinister, more atmospheric. It does suit the Craig era more I think.
What about Newman's Barry pastiches - Severine and Donna Lucia? Or are they not?
And as for crash bang wallop music? In act 3 - Newman is up there with Arnold.
Agree - we need fresh blood. But Arnold like Newman did give "Exotic, romantic, thrilling, tense." Both also gave forgettable generic nothingness.
From my perspective, it might be pastiche, or at least evokes Barry, but it is also tremendously good music. Melodic and atmospherically lush with excellent use of strings to evoke romance. My only criticism is that it appears that both tracks were underused.
I wouldn't have minded if the motifs from Donna Lucia had been used in the title song to be honest, in lieu of what Smith gave us.
But poor old Arnold gets bollocked.
Ok, I listened to them, and here are my personal thoughts:
1. Paris and Bond - don't like it. I remember it now. It just builds into this crescendo that reminds me a little of Smith's falsetto in WOTW (which I can't stand). Too much imho. Not subtle.
2. Elektra's Theme - not bad, but again there is a slightly melodramatic rather than uplifting tone to this (imho) that again, to my ears at least, evokes WOTW. Still, I like it better than 1.
3. Peaceful Fountains Of Desire - not bad. Perhaps I like this one best of the 3. but the melody is not all that memorable to me
I still think these 3 tracks from Arnold aren't up to the same level as those 2 from Newman. There's something very uplifting about the two Newman tracks to my ears, without being overemotional or sad. I don't know how to describe it except to say it sounds 'epic' and 'grand' without being 'noisy'. There's also (imho) an overuse of pianos in Arnold's slower compositions, which is not my favourite for this sort of thing (brings back memories of something depressing.....like the 'Love Story' theme if you know what I mean.......and I realize some people love that tune.)
The slow stuff is Newman's area of expertise however.
Not a pastiche -in no way.
Yes, this is not bad at all. A lot of the CR soundtrack is actually very good.
The beauty of life is that we are all different -appreciate your slant on the music - and hey - we have one thing in common - James Bond
True enough. There's no pleasing everyone all the time (just look at the SP reviews!).
As @mcdonbb says, perhaps the only way to solve this ongoing debate is to get someone new in there so we can start taking potshots at him.
FYEO sounds extremely dated, because of the early 80's disco-drums and synth used in the car chase, the ski chase, etc. TSWLM suffers from the same.