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 Posted:   Jan 13, 2009 - 11:50 PM   
 By:   Dr. Lao   (Member)

Finally Tyler Bates wrote an impressive and original score.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 12:17 AM   
 By:   SchiffyM   (Member)

Have there been other nails in his coffin? Sure, he's widely loathed here. (I haven't heard a note of his music, by the way.) But he's scored one big hit where he was by all evidence a good soldier and aped the temp track, and done a few other prominent scores. My guess is I'd hate his music, but I hardly think he's on his way out.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 1:20 AM   
 By:   Grimsdyke   (Member)

So they gonna release a score album no matter what happens with the movie ??

http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/08/fox-lawsuit-wat.html

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 1:51 AM   
 By:   spook   (Member)

Isn't it nice to see that poor Mr Bates seem to be the new 'punching bag' for the List...a new 'James Horner' for many people. Shame.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 2:05 AM   
 By:   zip-zap-pow!   (Member)

Isn't it nice to see that poor Mr Bates seem to be the new 'punching bag' for the List...a new 'James Horner' for many people. Shame.

I must admit I have to agree with this sentiment. I too have yet to hear a single note of the guy's music.. but fully intend to - then I'll know for sure.

I might well not like it / it might be poor etc. - but the guy seems to be busy..

The only release I have of his is the *score* album for (ahem...!) Get Carter.

It's still sealed.. though I don't know why. Surely the _music_ can't be as bad as the film (apparently is.. I haven't bothered with that either!)

Please please please let's hope that Bates' work for Watchmen does the source material justice (a tricky project as I've always found Graphic Novels a little on the quiet side... LOL)

John.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 3:08 AM   
 By:   Devmo   (Member)

Sample preview at amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PJ08Y8/ref=dm_sp_alb

Seems to be just another disappointing score composed by Tyler Bates. I hope this puts the last nail in his coffin.


Dude, I'm not that stoked about Bates scoring this but come on - it's ONE cue. Not even a full cue, at that. Isn't it a little brutal to dismiss the entire score based on 30 seconds?

Alien 3 had a track filled with electric guitar drums and wailing voices and if you only heard a snippet of that you'd have no idea what the rest of the score would have in store for you.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 5:52 AM   
 By:   Warlok   (Member)

Way too early to tell, way too little music to judge. Since its a "prison fight", a little bit of unorchestral crunch might be suitable.

Hope to hear more soon.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 5:55 AM   
 By:   LeHah   (Member)

Isn't it nice to see that poor Mr Bates seem to be the new 'punching bag' for the List...a new 'James Horner' for many people. Shame.

Exactly this.

Its also about Dr. Lao's speed to start a pissing contest of this calibur and magnitude this early.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 6:40 AM   
 By:   DavidCoscina   (Member)

To be honest, I like what I heard. I can totally see this music working with the scene (based on what I have seen from the trailers). It's got some nice synth programming and a driving beat. Why do all scores have to be orchestral. And as a couple people already mentioned, this track might develop into an orchestral cue but it's only a sample.

Maybe it's because I know that Mr. Bates is an all over nice fellow that I'm biased but I think he's a good film composer. I still admire his Dawn of the Dead score and 300 works quite well (omitting the Goldenthal lift). In fact, the latter had the same electronic ostinato/drum track and that seemed to work well.

Plain fact is, not everyone can or should be John Williams. There's plenty of love here for Zimmer and Ottman and while they might have more discernible styles, Bates employs similar compositional devices into his work. He's still a relative newcomer. Give him time. Really, his job is to serve the filmmakers and I respect Zack Snyder as a director thus I respect whatever mandate he throws Bates' way.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 6:54 AM   
 By:   Dr. Lao   (Member)

Have there been other nails in his coffin? Sure, he's widely loathed here. (I haven't heard a note of his music, by the way.) But he's scored one big hit where he was by all evidence a good soldier and aped the temp track, and done a few other prominent scores. My guess is I'd hate his music, but I hardly think he's on his way out.

Actually he plagiarised Goldenthal's TITUS and the traditional song 'ZAJDI, ZAJDI' in 300, and John Murphy's 28 DAYS LATER in his (un)original score for DOOMSDAY.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 7:08 AM   
 By:   Devmo   (Member)


Actually he plagiarised Goldenthal's TITUS and the traditional song 'ZAJDI, ZAJDI' in 300, and John Murphy's 28 DAYS LATER in his (un)original score for DOOMSDAY.


Yeah, the Titus / 300 thing was distracting - but I'm not sure if temp-tracking is the sort of blame that can be left entirely on the head of a new composer - surely he doesn't have much say in the matter - what would you have him do - quit in protest?

Personally, I'm not going to hold it against him so early in his career and the 30 seconds from this cue don't sound "plagiarized" from anything, so maybe this score will mark a change from that pattern.

wait a minute... did you just say he plagiarized a traditional song? as in, a folk song?
You don't care for Bartók much, do you...

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 10:23 AM   
 By:   LeHah   (Member)

wait a minute... did you just say he plagiarized a traditional song? as in, a folk song? You don't care for Bartók much, do you...

Careful, you might offend the man's delicate sensibilities if you point out that he's brandishing a double-edged sword.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 10:35 AM   
 By:   spook   (Member)


Actually he plagiarised Goldenthal's TITUS and the traditional song 'ZAJDI, ZAJDI' in 300, and John Murphy's 28 DAYS LATER in his (un)original score for DOOMSDAY.


AGAIN with the Titus/300 thing??!!!..Jesus!...Okay it happened, it was discussed at length..get over it! That seemed the kind of score the film-makers wanted..so shoot the guy!
That crack about his DOOMSDAY score though...come on! He turned out a highly enjoyable score for a certain kind of action flick. The film referenced deliberately a couple of movies and so his score reflected that. DOOMSDAY is a great score that I still often listen to where many others have fallen by the wayside. I applaud Mr Tyler for it.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 1:18 PM   
 By:   Matt B   (Member)

Everything I have heard by Tyler Bates so far has struck me as bland, themeless ambient musical wallpaper. But seeing how cowardly a lot of so-called "visionary" filmmakers are these days about letting a composer write music that might leave a lasting impression on an audience, I have a feeling he'll be around for a long, long time.

What baffles me, frankly, is how many people around here seem to enjoy this kind of endless, droning crap. I mean, maybe it works in the film sometimes, but as a separate listen? Good God, the stuff is almost intolerable. I'd made it through half of Bates' The Day The Earth Stood Still before I couldn't take it anymore and switched to something with a real musical identity.

To each his own, I suppose.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 2:02 PM   
 By:   Joe Sikoryak   (Member)

To be honest, I like what I heard. I can totally see this music working with the scene (based on what I have seen from the trailers). It's got some nice synth programming and a driving beat. Why do all scores have to be orchestral. And as a couple people already mentioned, this track might develop into an orchestral cue but it's only a sample.

Well, I'm a fan of the Watchmen comic and considering that the graphic novel is a paean/tribute/dissassembly of classic super hero comics---and it's set in 1985---this contemporary sound grates on me a bit. It's anachronistic and a little too generic. But they're making the movie for 16 year olds, not for geezer nerds.

 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 2:29 PM   
 By:   DavidCoscina   (Member)

Directors want to be front and centre along with their actors in terms of stardom these days so it makes sense that they would circumcise the pronounced efforts of the composer since that draws attention away from the main players in a film.

Pity that some maintain that film is a collaborative medium. It still can be in indie films but I see big blockbusters as mostly an ego trip for the director and lead actors.

I still would like to hear all of Tyler's score before making claims like it's aural wallpaper or bland.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 2:35 PM   
 By:   Scorebuff   (Member)

Ignore my post.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 14, 2009 - 11:08 PM   
 By:   ryankeaveney   (Member)

It's a prison fight, not Indy in a rail cart. Get a life people.

 
 Posted:   Jan 15, 2009 - 12:22 AM   
 By:   Matt B   (Member)

Get a life people.

Psst, hey pot... it's the kettle. You're black.

 
 
 Posted:   Jan 15, 2009 - 2:09 AM   
 By:   franz_conrad   (Member)

wait a minute... did you just say he plagiarized a traditional song? as in, a folk song? You don't care for Bartók much, do you...

Careful, you might offend the man's delicate sensibilities if you point out that he's brandishing a double-edged sword.


I'd be even more careful about equating Tyler Bates with Bela Bartok! (Not to beat on the TITUS door again, but even when Elliot Goldenthal provided a perfectly paved path to walk on, Bates managed to orchestrate it into a blander sounding version of the original.)

 
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