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Posted: |
Oct 6, 2021 - 10:57 PM
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By: |
Dana Wilcox
(Member)
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Looks like some of us are just TOO OLD for this FSM Board. Statistics don’t lie, and here is the proof.
In the last three days, we have had two topics about one of the most ICONIC, gorgeous, heart-rendering scores ever composed. That score is TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Elmer Bernstein. I think any member who thinks he or she is knowledgeable about film scores should “eventually” be cognizant of this score. (I say “eventually” for those who are really young and may actually someday journey back in time to hear renowned, celebrated scores.)
One TKM thread had 2, 027 views and one had 2,942 views. Sigh.
Now compare those numbers with two Zimmer threads in the last few days.
Dune topic had 21, 638 views.
No Time To Die had 266,110 views. I can’t believe it had that many views. (Maybe people just enjoyed the blood-letting on that topic.)
So, is it time for we old codgers (and you know who you are), to saddle up our walkers and wheelchairs and ride off into the sunset?
(Not me. I’m going to stick around to discover undiscovered past, present and future scores and to try to stamp out film score illiteracy, or I could keep hitting “view” on a topic 100,000 times. )
Joan, I am more than happy to wheel my walker right up beside yours! I've been secretly thrilled recently as my 34 year old son (erstwhile hip hop aficionado, YouTube reviewer of action video games and fan of world music) has begun saying things to me like, "Did you ever see a movie called 'Night of the Hunter'? I love that film!" and "I heard about an old western called 'Shane' that's supposed to be pretty good. Do you think I should see it?" It is perhaps too much to hope that this newly-arrived-at appreciation of vintage films will expand to an appreciation of the music that helped to make them great, but he'll be visiting at Christmas and I plan to start a subtle brainwashing campaign in that direction. Somehow I think that if those younger FSMers who are hearing about this old score for TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, and are wondering what all the discussion is about, would spend the time to actually see the film (any library will have a DVD of it) and pay attention to the music and how it lifts the film (and plucks the heart-strings), then no more would need to be said.
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New films are always going to get more buzz than old films, even if the old films are way better.
That said, I met a guy who described himself as a James Bond aficionado who only watched Bond films from Goldeneye onwards. He told me he tried watching From Russia With Love once and found it boring, so never watched any of the older Bond films.
There are people out there now who will describe themselves as film music experts who have never heard To Kill A Mockingbird and probably never will.
Some of them will think anything less kinetic than a super-hero movie score is boring.
I don't understand how someone can think a Transformers films is better than, say, Vertigo, but the number that do can probably be counted in their millions.
Each new generation baffles the previous one.
Cheers
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If it helps, my contributions to the new Bond movie thread haven’t been about the film itself but discussing the merits of the original series, which includes 1962’s DR. NO, which is coincidentally the same year TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD was released.
I’ve actually only seen that film once and I don’t remember a lot of music. I’m interested in the release, but it has been one of those threads that gets buried easily.
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Glad to see you are an exception to my original post and I have no doubt there are more like you ,but you and those others are still in the minority. I keep thinking about how La La Land took a financial beating on their release of Dimitri Tiomkin's GIANT. That to me is sad. [Endquote]
Or how Lukas was so disenchanted with the sales of the FSM CD of THE GREAT SANTINI, another great, later piece of work from Elmer Bernstein.
Nice thread, Joan, I get your "drift"... !
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Posted: |
Oct 7, 2021 - 1:43 AM
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By: |
Thor
(Member)
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The reverse is often true too. Whenever there's a thread about a brand new score (that isn't necessarily a blockbuster), it gets pretty quiet from those who tend to exclusively listen to scores of their formative years, and before. So even more prevalent than the young-old spectrum, is the famous-not famous spectrum. So, for example, a great deal of threads about contemporary, less famous 'gems' have far less hits than the two MOCKINGBIRD threads.
Ultimately, it comes down to the degree to which one is willing to EXPLORE, or rather openness to various idioms and periods. Some people are content with one particular idiom (orchestral, electronic, whatever), some are content with the scores of their formative years, while others yet again are interested in all kinds of idioms and periods. The first two are more common here than the latter, is my experience.
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I think the pure view statistics are not necessarily representative of anything except what may be both current AND holds the most interest. I perfectly agree that TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a classic film score, it sure is among my favorite film scores as well, but it's pretty simple that NO TIME TO DIE and DUNE are two current blockbuster movies where lots of new information may be discussed/read/found out/dismissed/whatever.
I even have the old (AVA) recording of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD on LP back from the 1980s, and it has always been among my favorite Elmer Bernstein scores, but obviously, I have read countless articles and posts about or concerning this score in one way or another over the years. There isn't all that much new to say about it. Heck, even the discussion about the later Varèse re-recording and the AVA recording or the OST is not something that I have not already done 20 years ago, probably here and on rec.music.movies.
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Bless you joan. Last couple of years ive felt marginalised around here. The posters i like reading post less if ever and subjects that interest me most dwindle to nothing. Im not on the same planet as the star wars/star trek/superheroes obsessives and i dont wanna be teleported anywhere else. Lol.
Proud to be a miserable old bastard. 60 is the new 80. 
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You're only as old as the person you feel. Providing the person you feel is a 25 year old blonde!
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I'm pretty much similar to what spook just said above.
I'm 56 at present and came into things with a love of the Silver Age and all things Williams, Goldsmith, Bernstein and Barry, which led into Horner, Poledouris, Broughton, Holdridge etc.
I've never been a big fan of the Golden Age sound though, even if I have mellowed a bit on it as I've gotten older.
That big, melodramatic '1001 strings' sound from the likes of Steiner, Waxman, Rozsa and Tiomkin has just never sat with me the way the 60's and beyond film score sound has.
Certain composers have helped me get into it a bit better (certainly Herrmann, Alfred Newman and Alex North in that respect) but I'll never like it as much as the more modern approach from the likes of Fielding, Small and Morricone.
But I can also enjoy the more modern, ambient sound that permeates most of today's scores.
Not all of it, though, and it's getting very old, very quickly too.
I think it's time for a new Thomas Newman or Hans Zimmer to bring in something fresh and new (even if it will probably be all that was old again).
People blame those two above (if that's the right word) for changing the way films are scored (TM & HZ).
And while a lot of that is probably true, I'd say it has more to do with the technology that came about, during the 90s and beyond, whereby people without much (or any) musical training, could sit at a computer and programme out a fully working film score, faster, cheaper and with less room for surprises for the director or producer.
If Newman and Zimmer hadn't been the ones to seize that trend, somebody else would have anyway.
I think we're always gonna prefer what/where we came in at, either composer, film or time-wise, and some people will be happy to explore and evolve and be open to something new, while others will not want to stray too far from their comfort zone.
It seems that when we had much less, we discussed much more.
Although it can sometimes be difficult for modern day fans to discuss their stuff without having to battle the trolls who only want to derail any chat about a new score with their hatred and antagonism.
Just some random thoughts.
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Wonder who's scoring?
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At 49yo, I am a Gen X, and been following this board for a decade. There were a bunch of releases in 2011 I wanted to pick up, but alas, limited disposable income. Anyway, I eventually tracked down all of the good stuff.
As much as I love the music of the 80's and 90's, I am finally beginning to appreciate earlier works. I have become disillusioned with most films from the last 10 years that seems to be reboots and nostalgia fests. Give me more of the original, creative stuff.
Mark
P.S. There is a record store in the Fremont neighborhood (Seattle, WA) whose owner has boxes of new/sealed soundtracks. Lots of Broughton, Bernstein, Morricone, etc.
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