What are some maligned scores that you enjoy (either sincerely or as a guilty pleasure)? I have a sort of embarrassing fondness for Jerry Goldsmith's "Link", as well as the film itself. Along with finding every King Kong film at least watchable and my affection for Monkey Shines, I think I just have a thing for apes/monkeys. Except chimpanzees. I hate those things. Well anyway, I've witnessed some pretty scathing reviews for Goldsmith's contributions to Link, and I admittedly used to be among them. On one hand, it IS pretty much a less passionate Gremlins. But on the other hand, a less passionate Gremlins is still immensely fun to put on as a pallet cleanser, and the main theme gets stuck in my head more than I'd like to admit. Does it really suit the film? Probably not. But since the movie's so silly, does it really matter?
I understand why James Horner was often bashed for his recyclings (either from himself or others), and I don't have much of a counter-arguement for that. All I can muster is..it doesn't bother me! I wish it could, but it just doesn't. I hear a great deal of John Williams scores and think "oh, that sounds like Indiana Jones" or Jerry Goldsmith and think "oh, that sounds like Rambo, doesn't it?", Christopher Young often sounding Hellraiser-esque, etc. And those examples usually don't bother me either! Baby isn't nearly as riveting as Rambo, but it's a fun listen anyway, just as The Fly II plays well as a sort of "Hellraiser III" work. So I can only hold the same carefree indifference for James Horner's monotony. The Horner bashing reached a point where I previously never bothered to give a lot of his 'lesser' works a chance. But seeing as how I could never drum up much enthusiasm for Wrath of Khan (wonderful in the film, but I rarely desire to put on the CD), Cocoon is a little TOO overtly sappy for even my tastes, and anything to do with Titanic or Avatar makes me ill, I was soon left with no choice but to seek pleasures elsewhere when I was recently on a Horner kick (my first in a pretty long time, as after he passed away, I couldn't bear to listen to his stuff for awhile). I was startled to discover just how much FUN a lot of his lesser works are. They can hardly be referred to him on his A-game, but listening to We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story, The Pagemaster and Mighty Joe Young (which I never heard beyond Windsong, which IS certainly the best part) were much more jovial, invigorating experiences than I had anticipated. The Amazing Spider-Man also remains one of the few superhero scores of any era that makes me happy. Again, anyone who's too uncomfortable with his recycling, I get where you're coming from, and I have no desire to debate about it. Just let me have my naive fun. I desperately needed some good swashbuckling music when wallowing in my usual pit of depression, and Pagemaster supplied that quite nicely. Are Cocoon, Avatar, Titanic and Wrath of Khan stronger works? Certainly. But I guess my ears just found greater comfort elsewhere.
And lastly, Michael Giacchino doesn't exactly seem especially popular here, and seeing his name practically everywhere in mainstream films nowadays indeed gets a little tiring, but eh, he has his moments for me. Jurassic World's score was a mixed rather low in the film (I think the film only lets the music be heard when he's using the John Williams themes), and the CD sounds a little dry, but there are a few moments of power that I love. I think "Chasing the Dragons" is a wonderful piece of action music, and the music for the dimorphodon attack sequence leaves me to think he should try horror more often. Zootopia suffers from a lack of a main theme (and is once again mixed pretty low in the film), but I find it a fun listen anyway. Though as someone who was raised on Looney Tunes and classic Disney shorts, I think I've built up a pretty strong 'tolerance' for mickey-mousing.
We've had some similar threads on this topic over the years ("guilty pleasures"), as well as individual threads about maligned scores we love.
I like plenty of scores that aren't appreciated by many. Perhaps the most quintessential is Andrew Powell's LADYHAWKE. You can read a defense, sort of, here:
Darn..sorry about that. xS I was in the mood to start a thread with a more upbeat tone than usual and didn't think to do a search beforehand. I remember finding the venom-spitting toward Ladyhawke to be amusing, especially once I played a bit and didn't find it all that terrible, though I can understand why the use of syths in scores in general tends to be looked down upon (I often read variations of the opinion "this Goldsmith score would be great you took out those cheesy syths!"). But I personally love cheese.
Other than the Psycho theme for Re-animator (which suits the film anyway) and Poltergeist near the end of Troll, are there any others I don't know of?
Also, what is the four-note "danger motif" with Horner that everyone brings up? I can never make out a reoccurring motif like that, or am I just missing it?
Other than the Psycho theme for Re-animator (which suits the film anyway) and Poltergeist near the end of Troll, are there any others I don't know of?
Also, what is the four-note "danger motif" with Horner that everyone brings up? I can never make out a reoccurring motif like that, or am I just missing it?
Other than the Psycho theme for Re-animator (which suits the film anyway) and Poltergeist near the end of Troll, are there any others I don't know of?
Altered States is heard in Mutant, Rambo in Ghost Warrior, Boys from Brazil in From Beyond, the giant crab music from Mysterious Island is the main theme of Dungeon Master, the theme from The Entity makes a sweeping cameo in The Caller... That's all just off the top of my head.
Shame, because when he wanted to, he COULD write really great music and does have his own original voice.
Cantos Profane (or however the heck you spell that) is one of the most unique film themes I've ever heard, so I'll take your word for it!
It's quite the creation, isn't it!?
House on Sorority Row, The Alchemist, the love theme from Mutant, the gorgeous and very moving main theme from Ghost Warrior... Now that's the Richard Band I love.
Also, what is the four-note "danger motif" with Horner that everyone brings up? I can never make out a reoccurring motif like that, or am I just missing it?
This is in French, but just listen starting 21 seconds in. You'll get the idea.
Other than the Psycho theme for Re-animator (which suits the film anyway) and Poltergeist near the end of Troll, are there any others I don't know of?
Altered States is heard in Mutant, Rambo in Ghost Warrior, Boys from Brazil in From Beyond, the giant crab music from Mysterious Island is the main theme of Dungeon Master, the theme from The Entity makes a sweeping cameo in The Caller... That's all just off the top of my head.
As well as Sisters and The Amityville Horror in House on Sorority Row, Tourist Trap in Day Time Ended, Star Trek: TMP in Metalstorm, Piranha in Mutant, Freud and Amityville II in Re-Animator and Empire Strikes Back in Zone Troopers.
One would think I dislike Band's music based on listing these. Quite the opposite, really. It's kind of fun picking them out amongst the fabric of Band's (enjoyable) music.
In terms of maligned scores I enjoy, Goldsmith's Warlock is pretty high up the list. The synths aren't for everyone, but I think it's a neat score, buoyed by two terrific themes.
Altered States is heard in Mutant, Rambo in Ghost Warrior, Boys from Brazil in From Beyond, the giant crab music from Mysterious Island is the main theme of Dungeon Master, the theme from The Entity makes a sweeping cameo in The Caller... That's all just off the top of my head.
As well as Sisters and The Amityville Horror in House on Sorority Row, Tourist Trap in Day Time Ended, Star Trek: TMP in Metalstorm, Piranha in Mutant, Freud and Amityville II in Re-Animator and Empire Strikes Back in Zone Troopers.
One would think I dislike Band's music based on listing these. Quite the opposite, really. It's kind of fun picking them out amongst the fabric of Band's (enjoyable) music.
I'll fight ya on the Amityville/Sorority Row comparison (it's just not there - I own and know both like the back of my hand!) but I can't believe I forgot that Piranha makes a cameo appearance in Mutant's breathless finale cue! Right you are. The Tourist Trap/Day Time Ended one is new to me, though I've heard people compare the evocative main theme from that score to Citizen Kane as well... Which isn't entirely unfounded either.
I could make a case here for Steve Jablonsky. Yes, it is McScoring and lot of it is derivative. But Transformers is brilliant and Ender's Game in particular is evocative. It is so much better than his contemporaries like Barfe or even Tyler who seems to be somehow respected. At least Jablonsky does what he does, and it is awesomely good listening - and even within the four Transformers scores, distinctive. Can't say that about anything Hairgel Man has produced in the last 10 years.
Also, what is the four-note "danger motif" with Horner that everyone brings up? I can never make out a reoccurring motif like that, or am I just missing it?
And on topic. Titles that I like, which might not get laurels here. There might be more.
• Captain America Civil War. A score that not excels in depth, agreed. But the modern feel, the brassy fanfare-like two note theme and the sonore tone fit the film like a glove and listing to it separated form the picture gets me back in what I enjoyed watching it.
• Hannibal – Brian Reitzell. Perhaps not *not* loved, but it doesn't get a lot of response. Reitzell's avantgardist and even experimental approach is daring, and to the surreality of the show. Without leaving an emotional texture. It's a fantastic and embracing work!
• Social Network / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / Gone Girl — Trent Reznor. Unmelodic, unromantic, unacoustic thus automatically unloved here. Nevertheless, these scores are in your face and yet nuanced in their emotional spectrum. No small feat.
I could make a case here for Steve Jablonsky. Yes, it is McScoring and lot of it is derivative. But Transformers is brilliant and Ender's Game in particular is evocative. It is so much better than his contemporaries like Barfe or even Tyler who seems to be somehow respected. At least Jablonsky does what he does, and it is awesomely good listening - and even within the four Transformers scores, distinctive. Can't say that about anything Hairgel Man has produced in the last 10 years.
You talk so much shit about Tyler's looks that one can't help but think you are actually obsessed with the guy. Or jealous that you neither have his talent or good looks.
Conti's MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE - Derivative, obvious, unoriginal - But executed with SO much heart and enthusiasm!
Likewise for LoDuca's HERCULES scores. It's all a big game of "spot the temp track", but at its very best, there's loads of great stuff in here, and much to enjoy and admire!
Not exactly maligned, but man, David Newman's Ducktales is ridiculously underrated, and I had no idea just how fantastic it was until Intrada released it. It's everything wonderful about his classic Brave Little Toaster score (though for a better movie in that case), but beefed up to eleven. Practically every character gets a memorable theme/motif (I especially love the 'action' theme, first heard in the opening and blasted beautifully in the ten-minute finale), and it's just a relentlessly exciting listen from start to finish, with the orchestra giving a pretty dang passionate performance considering the film they're contributing to. My favorite of the composer's, easily. I do hope to one day read professional evaluation of the work, as I believe it deserves that kind of attention.
