This whole project smells of the desperation that Scott has had in the last 15-20 years since making Gladiator. With the exception of one or two films (The Martian being the main one), most of his films have been lackluster. Tired sequels to Alien didn't help either.
I wish HGW luck on this because you know Scott is going to butcher whatever he comes up with or replace him.
Absolutely. GLADIATOR is a reference point (whether you like the score or not). KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is not. But the latter is still a brilliant score. You dont' have to be a film music history cornerstone in order to be a brillliant score.
I agree with Thor regarding Kingdom Of Heaven but I'm disappointed by the choice of HGW for Gladiator 2. For me he has not impressed me much of late. Being a Scott movie the score is more than likely going to have a bumpy ride but I'm a little tired now of the prospect of yet another remote score....
Thor: I will concede that 'almost' was a bit of an over-estimation. GLADIATOR is in a class of its own as one of the cornerstones of film music history. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN isn't there. But by golly, it was the score that convinced me of HGW's chops, after having been critical of his work all the way since the 90s. Gorgeous, sweeping textures that capture world music vibes combined with darker orchestral colours and religioso, choral goosebumps -- there's a "blueish" tint to the music, just as there is the film, with lots of chilly instrumentation choices. Favourite tracks include "Burning the Past", "Ibelin", "Coronation" and "Path to Heaven".
nuts_score: Like Thor, Kingdom of Heaven has been a score that has stuck with me through the years and years. Thor has dropped a few of his favorites, and I would agree with those. I honestly feel the entire soundtrack is one of the most spiritually peaceful, yet rousing, Adventure film scores of my lifetime.
There is a Medieval wonder found in the music, that I've never heard another composer match. At least until HGW scored The Last Duel for R. Scott. For me, it transports me to the time and place in a memory. And that is what good music accomplishes for me.
Recommendations: "A New World," "Rise a Knight," "Terms," and "Saladin."
Appreciate the thoughtful replies, gents. I'll take another listen of KOH with these cues in mind.
I'm in the same boat as Mike. I've always wondered what people are hearing when I play the KOH CD (bought cheap s/h years ago). I enjoy plenty about Gladiator, but don't hear anything of that quality in KOH. I'll dig it out and give it a respin, keeping in mind those track titles. One never knows...
I'll walk this back toward the reason we're here, but without getting too far afield with KOH, I gave it another listen and felt about it basically the same as I have after previous listens. There are a few moments when it comes alive - the gorgeous and austere "Burning the Past" and the dynamic "Wall Breached" among them - but for too long it stays at the same somewhat muted emotional pitch. In fairness, the comparison with GLADIATOR is not exactly apples to apples since KOH is a more contemplative movie requiring a more contemplative score. But, to me that's really where KOH falls short on its own merits; it spends so much time being contemplative that it never really reaches a destination. That's not to say I see it as a bad score; quite the opposite. Unfulfilled promise can't exist without promise. HGW sets the table in such an intruiging way with how he approaches the mix of cultures at the heart of the story, but ultimately for me the ingredients just don't coalesce into a compelling whole.
I wonder how this all will manifest with GLADIATOR 2. Is it more of a melodrama with action, like the original, or more of a rumination with action, like KOH? If it's more like the original, I think HGW has the chops to do it justice but I hope that he picks a side and goes for it full stop.
Mike Esssss, have you had a chance to listen to HGW's The Last Duel? It's definitely a companion score for Kingdom of Heaven, with that same sense of Medieval liturgical rumination but less action material. I find it more lyrical than KoH, and the disc running time is a brisk 45 minutes.
I have not! I'm woefully behind in my current movie viewing so I've not yet seen DUEL, and I definitely prefer to hear a score first in context where possible. But I will absolutely keep it on my radar. Thanks for the recommendation.
Well, Mike, I'm very much into contemplative sounds these days, while most action music tends to either bore or annoy me. So maybe that explains our different reactions to this score (although, to be fair, there is a fair amount of action music in KOH too).
While Gladiator is a decent score by Zimmer and the first track is amazing, Kingdom of Heaven and The Last Duel blow it out of the water! Yay for Harry Gregson-Williams!
