I haven't been as passionate about film music as a I used to be the last few years. I don't think I've lost interest, but more that the current state of film music as a listening experience hasn't piqued my interest. Plus I don't watch movies that often anymore either. Some how I got wrapped up in Berlin-school and French electronica, Synthwave, New Age and Contemporary Jazz. And a small obsession with collecting albums on the Innovative Communication label.
But every once in a while I do enjoy some good orchestral bombast. Can someone recommend some good recent orchestral action scores , say within the last 5 years that sounds like something from the 80s and 90s in the likeness of Goldsmith, Newton Howard, Debney, or Arnold? I like Brass.
Powell’s HTTYD scores are the obvious ones that come to mind. Not sure how you feel about Giacchino, but his recent Fallen Kingdom brought some real orchestral bombast, and his Star Trek: Into Darkness from 2013 was a fine rousing action score. On the Marvel front, Brian Tyler impressed with Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World and Alan Silvestri went superhero by way of The Mummy Returns for Infinity War. Then Kraemer’s Rogue Nation is pretty tough to beat.
I haven't been as passionate about film music as a I used to be the last few years. I don't think I've lost interest, but more that the current state of film music as a listening experience hasn't piqued my interest. Plus I don't watch movies that often anymore either. Some how I got wrapped up in Berlin-school and French electronica, Synthwave, New Age and Contemporary Jazz. And a small obsession with collecting albums on the Innovative Communication label..
Wow, I could almost have written that myself!
The IC label is indeed interesting, I love artists like Megabyte, Atmosphere and Software.
Really nothing harkens back to that 70's and 80's orchestral soundscape. Including Williams efforts the last few decades. The best bet is How To Train Your Dragon 2. Maybe Snow White and Huntsman and the sequel score. Portions of Fantastic Beasts 1 & 2. I'm drawing a blank on titles but a lot of comedy scores over the last few decades are surprisingly orchestral and bombastic. You would never know they were from comedy's.
Really nothing harkens back to that 70's and 80's orchestral soundscape. Including Williams efforts the last few decades. The best bet is How To Train Your Dragon 2. Maybe Snow White and Huntsman and the sequel score. Portions of Fantastic Beasts 1 & 2. I'm drawing a blank on titles but a lot of comedy scores over the last few decades are surprisingly orchestral and bombastic. You would never know they were from comedy's.
I have the first Httyd. Is the sequel score that much different?
The short answer is that they just don't make em like that anymore. The movie aesthetic has changed and that extends to the scores we've had in recent years. Nothing really sounds like that period unless it is a deliberate attempt to recall the style such as Silvestri's Ready Player One. There are a few recent examples of things done in that spirit like what Powell did for the Dragons score and especially for Solo. But I'm hard pressed to come up with any strong recommendations.
Really nothing harkens back to that 70's and 80's orchestral soundscape. Including Williams efforts the last few decades. The best bet is How To Train Your Dragon 2. Maybe Snow White and Huntsman and the sequel score. Portions of Fantastic Beasts 1 & 2. I'm drawing a blank on titles but a lot of comedy scores over the last few decades are surprisingly orchestral and bombastic. You would never know they were from comedy's.
I have the first Httyd. Is the sequel score that much different?
Yes, HTTYD 2 is a supercharged bombastic delight. But more than that its thematic and lyrical from start to finish. I would compare it to Willow.
TJ, I'm somewhat in the same place you are with it all. The best "throwback " I've heard lately, still not wholly cut from the vintage cloth, but damn close, is Powell's SOLO. Some of the brass does harken back to better days...the album is an assault, aside from a few moments, it's mostly non-stop. There is a focus to this score that I dont hear in, um other items named here. Highly recommended.
TJ, I'm somewhat in the same place you are with it all. The best "throwback " I've heard lately, still not wholly cut from the vintage cloth, but damn close, is Powell's SOLO. Some of the brass does harken back to better days...the album is an assault, aside from a few moments, it's mostly non-stop. There is a focus to this score that I dont hear in, um other items named here. Highly recommended.
I agree. Even the quieter moments reminds me of the romanticism of those classic scores.
