Just got back from the film today, and really enjoyed both the movie and the score. The music worked very well, at times echoing Vangelis, sometimes Tangerine Dream, along with some very nice orchestral cues.
Went ahead and ordered the 2 CD "deluxe" soundtrack from Amazon containing the score and the songs.
It's been quite a while since Harry G-W truly engaged me so I'm amazed by how much I have been engaged by this one. I've hardly stopped listening to it for the past couple of weeks.
It's been quite a while since Harry G-W truly engaged me so I'm amazed by how much I have been engaged by this one. I've hardly stopped listening to it for the past couple of weeks.
I really liked the climactic cue (although the climactic ACTION is almost verbatim from RED PLANET). The movie is good, although a little too relentlessly upbeat and cheerful. Composers don't get a lot of opportunities to write science fiction music now; for a lot of this Greyson-Williams seemed to be scoring a contemporary comedy/drama. But that little echo-y motif at the beginning laid the groundwork for a very nice, developed piece of action/suspense for the climax that really felt like sic-fi scoring.
Wow, this is HGW? Never would have guessed. Very minimalist and atmospheric. Though like others have said, it has form and substance. A lot of it reminds me of Bear's "Europa Report". A score I didn't latch onto at all, until I saw the film. Same may apply here.
Edit: Is "Work the problem" a shout out to Apollo 13? (The phrase not the music.)
Movie and score work togetrher really well IMO. It's very rare that I'm touched by HGWs music (PHONE BOOTH was another one, simply because it totally nailed the movie) but I think this one is excellent.
Although I can't help myself but be reminded of other scores when I'm hearing the larger scale orchestral parts. Seems like he had to stick to the temp track in some places.
Especially the part after the 2:30 minute mark (and bits right before that) in "Crossing Mars" STRONGLY reminds me of another score but I can't put my finger on it. I even have the "original" melody in my mind but jast can't remember where its from. Anybody can think of a score from which this particular moments could come from?
Thanks Mike, great video. It really showcases HGW's talent as a composer and it's nice to hear a conversation with him. He says that the total score is around 80 minutes long, and though the forthcoming (Friday) Amazon CD (and previously released digital album) is about 50 minutes long, I'm very excited to listen to it independently of the movie. One of my first thoughts leaving the theater was: great score!
Movie and score work togetrher really well IMO. It's very rare that I'm touched by HGWs music (PHONE BOOTH was another one, simply because it totally nailed the movie) but I think this one is excellent.
Although I can't help myself but be reminded of other scores when I'm hearing the larger scale orchestral parts. Seems like he had to stick to the temp track in some places.
Especially the part after the 2:30 minute mark (and bits right before that) in "Crossing Mars" STRONGLY reminds me of another score but I can't put my finger on it. I even have the "original" melody in my mind but jast can't remember where its from. Anybody can think of a score from which this particular moments could come from?
Having watched this last night, and I may be in Morriconian mood right now, but I heard both The Humanoid (in the electronic bleeping integral to the score in the first half of the film) and Mission to Mars in touches later on. Could these be the droids, er, references, you seek?
I just saw the film. Very good first half, fell quite a bit in the second. A bit too long, too much technical talk and too little philosophical talk. I didn't really have a problem with the comedy elements that Thor is talking about. They gave a nice change of pace.
Score by HGW was among the best I have heard from him, up there among his best Tony Scott/Antoine Fuqua scores. I think it's the best score for a Ridley Scott film since Gladiator in 2000. Haven't heard all though. Mostly electronic, thankfully. Disco songs were a pain throughout the film though.
(The phrase not the music.) 
