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I think the time has come that we all must declare Shark as legally insane :-D
Personally I'd agree with Elliot Goldenthal, and add Don Davis and Lalo Schifrin.
Definitely agreed on Dave Grusin. Though I disagree with you on your reservations of him scoring an action. One of my biggest qualms with modern scores in general, is too much music. Films are over-spotted, overscored. Scenes that don't need music at all, or at the most, very subtle music, are given intrusive, obvious and redundant underscore. i.e. the tender shower scene in CR, ruined by Arnold's late Barry-ripoff that calls far too much attention to itself, and takes away from what's happening on screen.
Same goes for action. The music should add an external element, that doesn't mimic the pace, or merely underline in bold marker pen what's already apparent. It should suggest things that the director couldn't (for whatever reason) get. That's why John Barry always plaid by behind the beat of a scene.
Personally I would have loved to have heard what Roy Budd would have done with a Bond score. I'd rather that than what Marvin Hamlisch gave us in TSWLM. It's got little to do with Hans Zimmer being a big name, even though I wish he wasn't.
It's how monotonous his scores all are, how little subtlety, nuance, depth, thought or feeling there really is in work. Everything's in the foreground, and spelled out for you. In my holding, Hans is just a hack with a lot of expensive toys, and industrious professionals (with likely more musical expertise than himself) working for him, round the clock.
Some consider treating an 80 piece orchestra like one big synthesiser, and have every play the same note, as loud as they feasibly can in the most basic subdivided 4/4 pulse, and then have that injected with steroids - grit. I don't.
If you want to write for an orchestra, you've got know how to use it first.
And lastly, the most regrettable thing about Zimmer's career, is the creation of Media Ventures/Remote Control Productions. Through that factory method approach to churning out not only his own scores, but other young composers created in his mold, he's managed to conquer, and effectively homogenise the industry.
It'll take a lot time for it to recover.
I don't mind Arnold at all - between TND and DAD he was getting very stale... but each of those soundtracks had their standouts - like:
"Paris and Bond" from Tomorrow Never Dies
"Elektra's theme" from The World Is Not Enough
"Welcome to Cuba" from Die Another Day
Day Another Day, for my own personal tastes is by far his laziest effort, as it was nothing but regurgitated music from The World Is Not Enough, just dubbed up with techno flair..
but between CR and QOS, i feel like he's taken steps forward, and has grown into a well rounded composer, and i think tracks such as..
"Solange" from Casino Royale
"Vesper" from Casino Royale
"The End of an Aston Martin" from Casino Royale
"City of Lovers" from Casino Royale
and..
"Time To Get Out" from Quantum Of Solace
"Camile's Story" from Quantum Of Solace
for me at least, they show the growth he has made as not only a Bond composer, but a film composer..
I feel his scores have carried more of an emotional weight as of late, than merely hitting the usual Bond theme cords and moving on.. But I will be honest, Arnold's scores aren't as flashy, catchy and legendary like Barry's - but few can top a legend, and if there is one thing I don't want to see, is someone doing a score, to merely imitate Barry's sound - because then that person, IMO, is just trying to be a clone, rather than be their own artist..
i would like to see Arnold continue on, but if he doesn't, or isn't brought back - oh well, guess then we'll have another change to look forward to..
I'll be the first to admit I don't think much of DA's Brosnan scores - but given the unspeakable awfulness of those wretched films it's hardly surprising that he found himself somewhat uninspired. With CR and QOS his Bond scoring has, in my opinion, improved dramatically and I for one shall be more than happy for him to score 'Bond 23'.
As for the notion of Mr. Wilson and Ms. Broccoli opting for a different composer for the next film... um... why would they? David has been the 007 composer laureate since 1997 - what reason could there be for a change now? Surely if they were going to take the series in a new musical direction they would have done so when they (thankfully) took the series in a new cinematic direction with the arrival of Daniel. I think the decision to keep David on board at that juncture speaks volumes about how much they value his contribution.
And with the colossal commercial and artistic success of CR and QOS, changing any aspect of this winning formula at this stage would be an unlikely move. Hey, if it ain't broke - don't fix it!
Plus, there's always been a "family business" element to the making of the Bond films, with the producers displaying great loyalty to their team.
So, while there are no certainties in life, I honestly can't imagine that we'll see another composer's name gracing the opening titles of 'Bond 23'.
Besides, who on earth would they get instead? That woeful hack Zimmer or one of his bland clones? Ugh! Perish the thought!
David Arnold Will Return. (I reckon!)
If I were to put forward a name (on the clear understanding that I'd prefer DA to score 'Bond 23') it would be that of up and coming British composer Samuel Sim whose shamelessly Barryesque scores for the ITV1 documentary series 'The Secret Caribbean' and 'The Secret Mediterranean' are absolutely superb.
As for Jag's comment about Mr. A's commitment to the 2012 Olympics, David did say that he was extremely busy on that project at the moment when I had the good fortune to speak to him the other night - but surely he'll have to have finished working on that long before the event takes place next summer, leaving him (presumably) more than enough time to get back in the 007 saddle.
Clearly we don't want that man anywhere near a Bond, do we? Either he changes his style and MO completely or I'll happily stick to Arnold thank you very much.
We need a new composer, to stamp his unique sound on this franchise. Not pay a toll fee to the past. They're shameless Arnoldesque, which is even worse. Secondhand dilution of what was once fresh.
Besides from a few lame attempts to update the old sound with electronic beats, there's not much going on musically, or dramatically with Samuel Sim's scores.
So...
By a “Bond score” I simply mean a score suitable for a Bond film. Now whilst we all obviously crave a “good score”, that in itself isn’t enough where Bond is concerned. Look at NSNA. (Yes, I know it’s not technically a Bond film – but it tried to be one). What’s the chief criticism levelled at Michel Legrand’s score? That it’s a bad score? Certainly not. In fact it’s a very good score – and I defy anyone to say that Mr. Legrand isn’t one of the cinemas most gifted composers. The problem with his score is that it just isn’t, for want of a better term, “Bondian”. And what makes a score “Bondian”? Well, being by or in the style of John Barry pretty much hits the nail on the head. He created the definitive “Bond sound” – and it’s now as much a part of the 007 formula as guns, girls, fast cars and vodka martinis. People expect, nay demand, that Bond films look and sound a particular way, that they contain certain crucial ingredients.
Of course, just because there’s a 007 formula doesn’t necessarily mean that 007 films have to be formulaic. The spectacular gulf between the “Carry On Up The Secret Service” nonsense of the Brosnan era and the deadly serious outlook adopted when Daniel came along to save our hero from such ignominy proves this in spades.
Nevertheless, any composer attempting to follow in JB’s immortal footsteps must be willing to “tip his trilby” to The Guv’nor whilst hopefully bringing something of his (or her – hey, it could happen!) own artistic identity to proceedings. To my mind, the only composer who failed to do this and created something unconnected to 007’s musical heritage was Eric Serra with ‘Goldeneye’ – and what an unmitigated disaster that was!
But not everyone, no matter how talented, can “do a Barry”. Look at Michael Kamen. When Mr. B proved unavailable for LTK hiring Michael Kamen must have seemed a real no-brainer for the producers: one of the hottest talents in Hollywood, the go-to guy for action-packed thrillers, a successful songwriter, a sideline in scoring small British films... And yet he simply couldn’t bring the lightness of touch to the film that JB could do so effortlessly. His leaden, bombastic score was like a millstone round the neck of what was already a dull, plodding film. I’m not saying that JB would have turned it into another TLD anymore than his valiant efforts were able to save ‘Howard The Duck’ from transforming into ‘Howard The Turkey’ – but that he would have vastly improved it is beyond question.
So a composer who can to some degree write Barryesque music, hopefully without just lazily aping the great man, is, in my opinion, always going to be a must for the series.
But that's only my opinion. If not available or hired by the Bond folk, they should give Morricone a try.
It was *not* an unmitigated disaster, by any means. It served the film perfectly, providing all of dramatic needs, whether it was creating a longing, tender love theme for Natayla that well and truly "got" Barry, far more than Arnold has ever had - or on the other hand creating one of the most daring soundscapes in any Bond film, with the harsh metallic ambiance for Soviet and Federal Russia. It took the Bond score in a fresh and compelling direction, that makes Arnold's work look positively timid and middle of the road. Frighted of sounding too contemporary, and yet not wanting sound too old fashioned. He's a created a Catch-22 for himself, a loophole that he can't get out of.
The truth is that fans weren't ready for it. They didn't understand it, and couldn't place it within the library of Bond scores. Only now is it beginning get the appreciation it deserves.
Though I agree with you on your conclusion on Kamen's LTK. Though I'd probably rank it much lower than GE, or even Norman's DN.
Here is some of his work:
Oh and I hope I did everything right, I'm new here but have been following the old forums since CR. B-)