This was mentioned earlier, and I got to second it, even if the film is largely forgotten today. A lovely score -- nice to know that he went out on a score that is so quintessentially him, with those bittersweet melodies.
A score full of creativity, energy, humor, and joy, that had new challenges and really didn't sound quite like anything he had composed before (aside from the intentional humorous references of course)? Something that sounded like it was written by an up-and-coming energetic young composer eager to prove themselves like John Powell, rather than a composer in his 70s dying of cancer? Composed for Joe Dante, his closest and most prolific director collaborator who was still living? I honestly can't think of a better and more inspiring final score for Jerry Goldsmith to have written.
The Mummy is a great score but it would have been a real shame if his final experience scoring a film was one he didn't enjoy. And he clearly relished the opportunity to work with Dante one last time, and truly gave it his all.
Even if it would have certainly been nice for him to live long enough to get past the demo stage on The Game of Their Lives, which would have been his third score for David Anspaugh and Angelo Pizzo...
Hm, not the same opinion here. Of the Dante/Goldsmith works this to me is the weakest one. I wish Goldsmith could have gone with a bang of a score. But as we know, that‘s something we have no influence to. I was hugely dissappointed when that score came out in 2003, of course only later did we learn about the health of Jerry. That was a big blow, especially for a die hard Goldsmith fan.
You can like or dislike LOONEY TUNES. It still remains a parenthesis of a movie in Goldsmith's canon. But as I said in the first post already, not everyone is so lucky as to go out on a TAXI DRIVER.
Actually, I think MAGIC FIRE (1955) may have been the last one. But, not having seen the film, I'm not sure how much original score there is. He may have mainly arranged Wagner's music to fit the narrative.
Actually, I think MAGIC FIRE (1955) may have been the last one. But, not having seen the film, I'm not sure how much original score there is. He may have mainly arranged Wagner's music to fit the narrative.
Yes, I was going to mention MAGIC FIRE. Korngold came out of retirement to protect Wagner's music, but the movie is a travesty from William Dieterle's declining years.
Actually, I think MAGIC FIRE (1955) may have been the last one. But, not having seen the film, I'm not sure how much original score there is. He may have mainly arranged Wagner's music to fit the narrative.
Yes, I was going to mention MAGIC FIRE. Korngold came out of retirement to protect Wagner's music, but the movie is a travesty from William Dieterle's declining years.
I should perhaps have specified early on that I'm talking about FULL original scores for an entire feature film. Not the last film a composer was associated with in any capacity, be it arranging or writing a theme or two etc. Collaborations are okay, though.
So, for example, Angelo Badalamenti's last full film score would be THE WAIT (2016), AFAIK. Haven't heard it, as I don't believe it's available anywhere. There are things released after, like shorts or films where he only wrote a theme or two, but I don't count those. I'm also hesitant to include the third season of TWIN PEAKS, as I believe he only wrote a few fragments here, while the rest was made up of his old TWIN PEAKS music, existing music by others, or sometimes NEW music by others, like Johnny Jewel.
I love both of Rozsa's final scores: EYE OF THE NEEDLE and DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID. Also among his last works is the gorgeous TIME AFTER TIME. Well, I actually love many of his scores from the late 60's on.
Agree with so many already mentioned. I tend not to dwell on the worst of anything, so have ignored that topic!
Hm, not the same opinion here. Of the Dante/Goldsmith works this to me is the weakest one.
Of the Dante/Goldsmith works I think their weakest by far is "Boo!" (Amazing Stories). It's... fine? It's just not very interesting compared to their many theatrical film collaborations. Here are my current personal rankings: 1. The 'Burbs 2. Matinee (seeing the film when Intrada released the complete score made this really rise in my estimation) 3. Small Soldiers 4. Looney Tunes: Back in Action (I think I would rate it 3rd or maybe even 2nd if Goldsmith had been able to finish it rather than Debney writing four cues covering the finale.) 5. Explorers 6. Innerspace 7. Gremlins 2: The New Batch 8. Gremlins
And even my least favorite of these I consider to be an excellent and iconic score! (Also I prefer the first film's end credits arrangement of the Gremlins Rag to any treatment of it in the otherwise-superior sequel score.)
I used to rank Twilight Zone: The Movie in there, but they apparently only collaborated on the Dante-directed segment "It's a Good Life" (which is solid, but not my favorite segment of Goldsmith's score by any means); before Dante clarified this for me I had always heard that Dante handled a lot of the post production and spotting with Jerry on the entire film.
I wish Goldsmith could have gone with a bang of a score. But as we know, that‘s something we have no influence to.
A man in his mid-70s dying of cancer wrote these two complex, energetic, witty, and thrilling action cues... how are these not "going out with a bang"?? I'd be shocked to hear these from a composer in their 20s!
Listen how he effortlessly and seamlessly changes gears/modes multiple times throughout those cues! Nobody was better at that than Goldsmith; he went out at the top of his game in terms of film composition.
I was hugely dissappointed when that score came out in 2003, of course only later did we learn about the health of Jerry. That was a big blow, especially for a die hard Goldsmith fan.
What about the score exactly did you find disappointing, less than impressive work on Goldsmith's part? Apart from Goldsmith unfortunately not being able to finish his score, what about it to your ears *sounds* like it was written by someone in poor/deteriorating health? I don't hear that at all, and I think (apart from not being able to culminate his material by scoring the finale of the film) Goldsmith wrote the best possible score for the film.
