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Music is certainly down to taste, because from where I'm listening TLD shits on SF from a gargantuan height.
I don´t know where all this imitation talk comes from. Arnold mixed Barry-elements, pop music and techno sounds. That´s not at all the same as copying or ripping off or imitating Barry, not at all. I´m not saying he´s the perfect composer, but within his context, he makes a lot of sense. If you refer to Arnold sounding like another composer, you have to throw in more names than Barry´s, because clearly a lot of Arnold´s music is almost as much inspired by Williams and perhaps some others as it is by Barry.
Anyway, to stay on topic, I find that most negative things that were said about Arnold´s work were surpassed by Newman´s SF score. I don´t mean to say that it was bad, but as far as blandness and generic action cues are concerned, Arnold clearly doesn´t reach Newman´s level.
Again, it amazes me how there can be so negativity for Newman on the basis of 1 score. Arnold had 5 chances to screw up and in my view did so more times than not (his last 2 hit the spot more due to Barry influences rather than his own).
What Barry track does African Rundown sound like? In all of Barry's work, I've never heard anything that sounded like African Rundown.
I found his SF score to be refreshingly different after Arnold's 11 year run, and I appreciated it. It was far from perfect, and I expect him to do better with SP, but I thought it was an excellent first crack at Bond. I endured Arnold, as I endured Brosnan, and like the latter, I am happy we've moved on.
I couldn't care less if he received an Oscar nomination or not. That is not relevant to me. The travesty is that Barry did not receive one for each of his scores.
Knock Newman all you want.....in comparison to Barry. In that comparative sphere, he is not worthy of Bond. However, in comparison to Arnold, I'm happy we have him. He has the potential (he showed it in SF to me) but he has to realize it fully. If he can't then he must go and we must get someone new.
To me it has the Barry sound. Continued repetitive building grand orchestral motifs which was a Barry staple. In this case, referencing the title track added to that impression. It was (to that point) the most Barry'esque thing that Arnold had done for Bond to my ears, until Night at the Opera came along, which to me, like African Rundown, is a sort of tribute to Barry.
Barry is the one who I most associate with this. For me, it's his trademark. Even the quieter suspenseful parts of his score use this element. I personally love it. He finds a great rhythmic melody and then repeats and varies it several times in one track. Brilliant, and I have not heard it enough by others. The trick to me is an appropriate rhythmic melody, which he was just so damn good at. Each one of them (even those that ran for a few seconds) were classics to my ears.
2) He does have talent, and has a great work before doing Bond, can't argue with that.
3) Newman didn't get nominated because he's a Newman. If that were the reason, his brother, David Newman, would've got nominated every single year as well. However, he only was nominated for Anastasia. His surname, and the fact that he's the son of Alfred Newman, the composer with most Oscars with 9, has nothing to do with it.
4) It was an improvement. A huge improvement. Arnold's work was almost always trying to imitate John Barry. I don't some impersonator, I want the original or another. The same way I don't like most of the imitators of Hans Zimmer of nowadays, despite loving Zimmer himself. I think Arnold is a fine composer, but he was too concerned with make it look as if he was a modern version of Barry that he never showed all of his potential. I liked Casino Royale more than any of the other Bond scores he composed, but still, not enough for me. His work for the TV series Sherlock however, I love his score.
But as you know "The Man From UNCLE" will premiere in about two weeks. And like with "Kingsman: The Secret Service" (Henry Jackman did a very good job for this film) and "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" (Joe Kraemer, not so much of a fan of the first track I heard), I have been digging into the composer's work of "UNCLE".
His name is Pemberton....Daniel Pemberton. A young UK-based composer (born 1978). And I think this man has the "midas touch" that the late John Barry always had.
Just listen to some examples from his score for the BBC TV-Mini-Series "The Game" (2014). A great cold war espionage TV-series, reminiscent of "The Americans".
It oozes late 1960's, early 1970's sound. The orchestration with the lush violins, russian klavecimbel-strings and xylophones give his melodies a particular rich and lush feel. In a way it reminds me of "The Persuaders". But most importantly, he composes...melodies! Unforgettable, clearly structured arrangements.....that stick to your mind!:
His recent score for the 2013 film "The Counselor", directed by Ridley Scott. It has a slight western-flavor to it. Perhaps reminiscent of John Barry's "The Magnificent Seven". Though also Ennio Morricone comes to my mind:
Here are some tracks from his only big motion picture soundtrack so far, "The Awakening" (2009). A track like 'The Seance' has this wonderful choir added to it, that makes it sound mysterious and dark. And in a way it sounds like 'Slumber Inc.' from John Barry's "Diamonds Are Forever" score.
And again, lovely strings of cello's, violins, alt violins, and choirs that give you goosebumps. And again, beautiful arrangements and melodies:
And, because I can't stop now, here are some tracks from the BBC Documentary "Heroes and Villains" (2007), from the episodes "Attila The Hun" and "Napoleon" to be precise. Wonderful, magnificent, classical arrangements that are entirely focused on a kind of Mozart-esque tradition of writing. A bloody shame that he has been so invisible to bigger movie production companies:
And to finish this post, a wonderful piece of carnival music from Mr Pemberton. It's absolutely happy, frivolous and I would love to hear this as source music in a carnival scene in a James Bond film:
And this talent, born in 1978, finally gets to compose music for a big blockbuster spy movie: "The Man From UNCLE". I. Can. Not. Wait. For. This. Score! And I think this man should be seriously considered to compose a Bond score in the future.
We will probably always compare to Barry but others have been successful (Martin), some just okay (Kamen), bland (Newman) and downright awful (Serra). I Expect Kamen standard or better, but bland and awful are not acceptable.
African Rundown sounds a little like John Barry's Nightwall track on the King Kong soundtrack.
Bland and awful are David Arnod's TND and DAD. They're horrible. QoS just bland, not so awful. I don't see all that hatred against these two scores.
Regarding new composers, as I said before, I'd love Alberto Iglesias, Alexandre Desplat or Murray Gold to have a go.
They tried to get him back for TND, but Barry declined and recommended Arnold instead.
About Barry's style of music:
And because of tax matters, Barry moved to the US: (some people say, thhat this had to do with him not working in the UK more often)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/music-obituaries/8292892/John-Barry.html
I also hoped for Barry to return to the Bond franchise, especially after his score for the Stallone/Stone flick THE SPECIALIST (which I still like - the score, that is)...
I like Arnold's work on SHERLOCK. Alexander Desplat would be good choice if he gets offered the job, maybe Michael Giacchino (based on his input for the two STAR TREK movies by JJ Abrams. Alberto Iglesias? Why not?
And we should really stop comparing every composer to Barry. Barry is a legend anjd wiklk ever be a legend and genius, and he created the Bond sound we all loved and still love, but he's gone forever and will never return. So mlet's be fair in judging his successors. If I want John Barry, I'd listen to one of his soundtracks, Bond or Non-Bond.
Agreed with the Barry summary and appraisal but for me Arnold reminds me more of John Williams than Barry for the most part, especially in his action scoring. He only really turns up the Barry influences on his transition and romantic pieces.
There's a reason why Stargate, ID4 and Godzilla are held in such high regard. They're three of the best scores of the 90's. He applied that same template to Casino Royale, which for me, is the best non-Barry soundtrack - second only to LALD.
His Oscar winning score to Grand Budapest Hotel was exquisite, I could just see him bringing the melody back to the series.
Morten Tyldum was in the running for 'Spectre' before Mendes signed on, maybe he might be a possible candidate for Bond 25, especially with the success of Imitation Game, might want to bring Desplat with him like Mendes bought Newman unless he's told Arnold is back.
I thought you would be interested in this, @Gustav - popped up on my newsfeed and I thought of your post.
Edit: Yes, sorry about that. Poor internet tonight so the connection kept timing out when I was typing.