I loved Magnifcent Seven more than most so I’m very optimistic about this, though I’d have loved previous Cameron collaborator Joel McNeely to get the gig!
Terrible, albeit expected news. I haven't liked a single thing Franglen has done as solo composer, and his attempt at 'recreating'/arranging Horner on MAG 7 and PANDORA is one of the most lacklustre things I've ever heard. So now I'm able to add Franglen to the list of hack composers who take over franchises I love and ruin potentially great movies (other 'luminaries' on this list include Desplat, Giacchino and Göransson).
This should have been James Newton Howard's gig all the way.
There's nothing immature in labelling someone a 'hack', if that's one's opinion. It's a negative, brutally honest evalution of a composer's work, usually a composer that gets prominent gigs, but where you just can't see an ounce of quality. "The Emperor's New Clothes" and all that.
Not impressed by this choice at all. Magnificent 7 is an awful generic score. One would think Cameron would have the wisdom to recognize that such a mammoth task requires more than rehashing the old themes. This guy's bio takes credit for Horner's scores as if they're his own music. Not a good sign. Want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but having heard his attempts at recreating Horner and reading his bio, I don't think so. Bring in Silvestri, John Powell or James Newton Howard please. What a missed opportunity.
I loved Magnifcent Seven more than most so I’m very optimistic about this, though I’d have loved previous Cameron collaborator Joel McNeely to get the gig!
Yavar
Totally agree with you regarding Mag7. A gritty, full bodied meaty score with some magnificent Horner touches.
How can a positive thread descend into chaos so quickly!?
Well, 'positive' is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? This was not positive news to me. I care very much for the AVATAR universe, both score and film. So the hiring of Franglen -- albeit somewhat expected -- was a provocation and punch to the gut.
How can a positive thread descend into chaos so quickly!?
Well, 'positive' is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? This was not positive news to me. I care very much for the AVATAR universe, both score and film. So the hiring of Franglen -- albeit somewhat expected -- was a provocation and punch to the gut.
Fair enough. But why is Giacchino o a hack, or Desplat? They are not in my top ten but blimey I would hardly describe them as hacks!
Fair enough. But why is Giacchino o a hack, or Desplat? They are not in my top ten but blimey I would hardly describe them as hacks!
Well, true. In relation to Desplat it's not really fair. He has a few gems on his resume and he isn't generally a hack. But he quite often displays 'hack' tendencies, perhaps due to his immense workload; there's a lot of uninspired, aimless ostinato swirling around in his scores, especially for bigger films. Completely anonymous, seemingly indifferent scores going nowhere fast. Like when he completely undermined anything that was interesting about the HARRY POTTER scores. Even the simple noodlings of Nicholas Hooper were better.
But don't get me started on Giacchino again. We'd be here all day! He's the Ultimate Hack.
