Today several news items came out regarding Justice League, and one of them was the confirmation that Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL) will score the film, and Hans Zimmer is not returning with him.
The film is set to be released on November 17, 2017.
And all of you were complaining about Henry Jackman Now being honest, JXL even though he went all Mad Max on BVS, he did wrote some cues that were different from the rest of the score. The trumpet solo motif for Bruce Wayne was a better thematic representation of the character than Zimmer's other "themes" for the other characters in the movie.
Given that the tone of Justice League will be less dark, broody and gritty, maybe Snyder will allow JXL to write something different as well. Also, Holkenborg unlike other RCP crew, actually makes the orchestrations and mixes of his own scores, he scores to picture (unlike Zimmer and his glorified tracking to films with written suites), and he's not afraid to use woodwinds (like he did in Mad Max and 300) and who knows if he can develop Zimmer's motifs from BVS like Elfman did with Silvestri's Avengers theme.
And all of you were complaining about Henry Jackman Now being honest, JXL even though he went all Mad Max on BVS, he did wrote some cues that were different from the rest of the score. The trumpet solo motif for Bruce Wayne was a better thematic representation of the character than Zimmer's other "themes" for the other characters in the movie.
Err... the only problem in your analysis is that the theme you're talking about was written by Hans, not JXL...
The "sound" though developed for the DC comic movies (which really began with Batman Begins and has continued to BvS) is becoming dull, repetitive and ultimately boring so not exactly thrilled with this news.
I am however looking forward to seeing how Steven Price will tackle Suicide Squad.
Clicking on to any thread about JXL here at FSM is bound to trigger the same predictable responses -- hate upon hate!
The only thing I feel I can do is to shout these critics in the face with an equal amount of enthusiasm. I've loved JXL ever since the days of the Elvis remix "A Little Less Conversation" back in 2004, and I've enjoyed a great deal of his studio albums. I was enthusiastic when he ventured into film music (under Zimmer's tutelage), and I've been following his new career with much enjoyment since then.
Yes, not everything has been equally good (I was rather disappointed by RUN ALL NIGHT, DIVERGENT, bits of BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN or POINT BREAK, for example), but then likewise impressed with stuff like 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE, BLACK MASS, DEADPOOL and his masterpiece MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. The proof is in the pudding; there's no logical reason to dismiss a composer just because he or she doesn't subscribe to the same old-fashioned style as established fan favourites.
Anyways, I'm ranting again. I'm curious to hear what he can compose for JUSTICE LEAGUE, but I'm rather indifferent to superhero movies and franchises, and I'd love to hear him focus on smaller films and projects instead. He's a very versatile and talented man who can do all kinds of stuff. Even traditional, symphonic material when called for.
there's no logical reason to dismiss a composer just because he or she doesn't subscribe to the same old-fashioned style as established fan favourites.
I'll agree with that.
Film music doesn't have to sound like it did 50+ years ago. It's just music which happens to have been written for films, so it can be any style that someone chooses or is deemed appropriate. Many of today's big blockbusters consist of men in metallic suits, or huge fighting robots, so a metallic crashing and banging score is quite suitable, even though it doesn't follow a style established long ago.
There's a few composers whose names keep cropping up for these films, and they obviously know what they're doing in this style of music, even if it isn't what most people on here want to listen to. But it doesn't mean they can't write in other styles as well. These guys probably haven't been brought up on classical music like the Golden Age composers. They're today's generation who maybe listen to techno-trance or heavy metal, for example.
And there may well be quite a few youngsters who seek out these types of soundtracks. Not necessarily film music fans, but simply anyone who wants a decent thumping/pounding score. And those types may also be less likely to frequent forums like this, so we don't hear much about them.
Clicking on to any thread about JXL here at FSM is bound to trigger the same predictable responses -- hate upon hate!
The only thing I feel I can do is to shout these critics in the face with an equal amount of enthusiasm. I've loved JXL ever since the days of the Elvis remix "A Little Less Conversation" back in 2004, and I've enjoyed a great deal of his studio albums. I was enthusiastic when he ventured into film music (under Zimmer's tutelage), and I've been following his new career with much enjoyment since then.
Yes, not everything has been equally good (I was rather disappointed by RUN ALL NIGHT, DIVERGENT, bits of BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN or POINT BREAK, for example), but then likewise impressed with stuff like 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE, BLACK MASS, DEADPOOL and his masterpiece MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. The proof is in the pudding; there's no logical reason to dismiss a composer just because he or she doesn't subscribe to the same old-fashioned style as established fan favourites.
Anyways, I'm ranting again. I'm curious to hear what he can compose for JUSTICE LEAGUE, but I'm rather indifferent to superhero movies and franchises, and I'd love to hear him focus on smaller films and projects instead. He's a very versatile and talented man who can do all kinds of stuff. Even traditional, symphonic material when called for.
I really enjoyed his Fury Road score, thought it was the perfect companion for the film. But nothing else I've heard from him has clicked with me. I don't know who did what on Batman Vs Superman, but big chunks of the score ( at least on CD ) were awful ( for me , anyway ) and since I enjoy Zimmer, I blame Holkenborg
He probably does has more to offer, but there's no interest in hearing another BOOM BOOM superhero thing from him. Something more like Black Mass, sure.
I really enjoyed his Fury Road score, thought it was the perfect companion for the film. But nothing else I've heard from him has clicked with me. I don't know who did what on Batman Vs Superman, but big chunks of the score ( at least on CD ) were awful ( for me , anyway ) and since I enjoy Zimmer, I blame Holkenborg
I agree it's a very uneven score, and like you I don't know who did what. That's why I boiled it down to a smokin' good 38-minute playlist/program which hardly has any bad sections.
He probably does has more to offer, but there's no interest in hearing another BOOM BOOM superhero thing from him. Something more like Black Mass, sure.
I think there's some value in some of those socalled 'Boom Boom' scores, but yeah -- let's hope he'll get to do more grounded, laidback or smaller affairs where he gets to trigger all his other abilities more.
That's pretty funny you say that knowing that Brian Tyler hasn't been able to write a score in the past 8 years without RCP people ghostwriting them (and some of those scores being ghostwritten up to 90%)...
That's pretty funny you say that knowing that Brian Tyler hasn't been able to write a score in the past 8 years without RCP people ghostwriting them (and some of those scores being ghostwritten up to 90%)...
Irony...
So you're saying that RCP composers are capable of writing good music?
But yeah, I always figured that Tyler wouldn't have been able to write so many scores all by himself. Shame he doesn't credit his additional composers like Zimmer and Beltrami do