Christopher Nolan is smart, but sooner or later, every good director is involved with or makes a bad film. Trust me, Nolan's day is coming. It could even be THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.
Or it might not. Still, since you've made a 'prediction' that Nolan's unbroken streak of intelligent, critically acclaimed and commercially successful blockbusters might come to an end at some unspecified point in the future you'll still get to say 'I told you so' even if its 30 or 40 years from now.
...but keeping positive I will reserve judgement until I see/hear the film. Im sure Zimmer knows is the aware of the pressure. I surely hope this isnt a percussion style thing. If worse comes at least we have the Superman Blue box to listen to. )
As somebody who thought "Superman Returns" was a deadly dull and awful movie, I found the score serviceable at best. Just my opinion. But thank you for teaching me a new definition of the word "slate"! Is that a British term? I'm going to use it!
From Dictionary.com:
4. to censure or criticize harshly or violently; scold.
Don't know if it's exclusively British but you are welcome to borrow it.
That or his fanbase will convince us he never makes anything bad (see Joss Whedon and David Fincher).
Whoa. Again, with putting words in people's mouths. I love Joss Whedon and I like the majority of his work, but his Buffy movie script, Alien Resurrection and "Dollhouse" aren't my cup of tea. So please stop generalizing us.
All three of those projects, coincidently, were not as originally intended. The original Buffy movie script was messed with. The original "Alien: Resurrection" script was altered and not followed properly by the director. "Dollhouse" has interference from FOX, not intent with Whedon's abilities to create wildly popular shows and that they might know better than him.
It does not help, however, that Whedon has doubled down on "Dollhouse", even creating comic book contiuances.
"I don’t feel confident at all. I never feel confident. But, a little bit of fear has gone a long way to being inspiring in the past. John Williams is the master and I am not even going to try and go in that direction. I’ll try my best not to embarrass myself and my colleagues on the film. I’m definitely going to have a go! In a funny way, it’s exactly because Superman is such an opposite character to Batman that I am welcoming the opportunity to do the music."
The test of a super hero theme is whether or not kids in the playground sing it while beating each other with sticks. I don't know that anyone has really met the bar in quite a long time. Maybe Elfman with Batman but not since. I don't expect Zimmer will crack it with Man of Steel.
No, the test is how well it works in the film, not whether you can whistle it or not -- that is entirely incidental. And considering that NO footage of the film has even come out yet, it's far too early to make assumptions. And seriously, you'd have us agree with you that there haven't been any memorable themes since Batman (1989)?
The original Buffy movie script was messed with. The original "Alien: Resurrection" script was altered and not followed properly by the director. "Dollhouse" has interference from FOX, not intent with Whedon's abilities to create wildly popular shows and that they might know better than him.
You're right on the first one. In fact, Whedon even got into a spat on set with Donald Sutherland who was improvising lines in the film.
Joss has publicly apologized for Alien Resurrection on a number of occasions and is generally embarrassed by both what he wrote and what the film came out as.
No, the test is how well it works in the film, not whether you can whistle it or not -- that is entirely incidental. And considering that NO footage of the film has even come out yet, it's far too early to make assumptions. And seriously, you'd have us agree with you that there haven't been any memorable themes since Batman (1989)?
I feel like quoting John Stossel...
Yes, John Stossel is a humorless scold. I was being tongue in cheek. And I didn't say there haven't been memorable themes since Batman. But on the super hero front, specifically, the culture hasn't adopted much that I can see.
My point is that it was once a given that themes associated with super hero characters would stick to them a little, that's all. A measure of how well they stuck was, did kids respond to them. In fact, I would suggest that composers assigned to super hero films and tv shows of the 60s and 70s considered it their JOB to come up with something catchy, something that not only worked dramatically, but also sold the characters and the shows to the audience. (Super heroes were for kids when I was young, not pretentious 40 year old men who take them really, really seriously.) We didn't necessarily know the names on my playground, but we brought guys like Neal Hefti and Oliver Nelson, as well as Williams and Barry, with us.
My kids and their friends aren't exectly whistling Media Ventures greatest hits, that's all I'm saying.
You guys don't forget that Robert Kral came up with a great Superman theme of his own... it has as hint of melancholy sadness to it that the other themes miss, since it deals with Superman's death. I recognized the motif when he brought it back for the newly-released film Superman Vs. the Elite.
Side note: when it comes to John Williams' Superman theme, I'd rather it not be referenced at all - many people think it's the greatest Superman theme of all time, if not Williams' greatest theme ever. We get it: it's famous, and all Superman music will forever be in the shadow of JW's original theme. That said, I'm not sure we can hold on to it for every single interpretation of Superman - bringing back the theme from a previous franchise seems to tie together two things that, while both about Supes, are otherwise unrelated. My two cents would say that Zimmer go ahead and create his own 'theme' (or in his case, it might be his own 'sound') for The Man Of Steel.
Totally agree. Let the old Superman stay iconic and nostalgic with Williams and let this one be exactly what it's supposed to be: "a reboot." Take it in a direction musically. I think Zimmer could come up with something good if given the chance. Look at "Backdraft", "King Arthur", even the 3rd Pirates movie. He can write some good thundering epic stuff. But don't try to copy Williams. It doesn't make sense...
I was just thinking last night (as a track shuffled on my iPod from The Simpsons Movie, oddly) about making a comp of Zimmer music for myself that could "work" as Superman music - more as a reassurance than anything. Zimmer's major projects of late have been so "heavy" - low strings, synth grumbles, etc. - that it's easy to forget that he's adept at comedy scores and brassy melodies.
Doesn't mean that's what he'll do, but at least it will make me feel better until I hear otherwise
The original Buffy movie script was messed with. The original "Alien: Resurrection" script was altered and not followed properly by the director. "Dollhouse" has interference from FOX, not intent with Whedon's abilities to create wildly popular shows and that they might know better than him.
You're right on the first one. In fact, Whedon even got into a spat on set with Donald Sutherland who was improvising lines in the film.
Joss has publicly apologized for Alien Resurrection on a number of occasions and is generally embarrassed by both what he wrote and what the film came out as.
Dollhouse is an entirely other matter.
All the summerations I gave were culled from recollections from statements by Whedon in interviews over the years.
Although I shouldn't be so closed-minded, I was only the other day saying to LK that after years of film music, IMO, going downhill, suddenly 'proper' composers were getting major gigs again, especially for genre flicks, for example Doyle/Silvestri/Horner for Thor, Cap America and Spiderman. I see it as a bit of a renassaince for film music after years of scores with no architecture or strong themes, which just burble along (not always a composer issue, more what the producers want),
Now someone spoils my day and says Man Of Steel hasn't gone to one of these guys or, as I really would love to hear, a superhero score by Cliff Eidelman (yes, aware of Meteor Man)!
After Horner getting "Spider-Man", Silvestri scoring "The Avengers" and Doyle writing "Thor", I thought there was hope that one of these composers would get the opportunity to give the Man of Steel what he deserves: a nice sweeping score. But then again, those composers mentioned above obviously had to adapt their styles to match the "modern" sound Hans Zimmer helped to create.
I guess I'll listen to Williams Superman now and be content! Those who like Zimmer's stuff got good new today, I'm happy for them.
Well I am with you on that, the Zimmer thing is okay to the extent, and the extent is kinda over for me, back with Pirate series and such. It is a landscape sound, he is a technical guy capable or making really punchy stuff. I got it, but the "impress" is over now.
I wish some of these film makers would open the door for talented newer guys rather than recycling the Zimmer and Remote Control crowd for so many films a year. As example, we pretty much have Nick Meyer to thank for getting James Horner on the scene when he was pretty much a no one in Hollywood, and he did the same thing later for Cliff Eidelman. The Superman score would be interesting from someone with a fresh take, not already so used in Hollywood blockbuster material, or for that matter use Cliff Eidelman himself. Give the Cliff a break from the small dramas.
If worse comes at least we have the Superman Blue box to listen to. 
