Hopefully Newman has at least 10-15 years more left in him. I don't think he is that old yet, he isn't even in his 70s. His father died at 69, but he was a heavy smoker and died of lung cancer, that's a bit different I think. His mother lived until her mid 80s, which is probably a much better estimation of how long Newman will still be with us.
Alfred probably would've had another ten or so years of life if he hadn't died relatively early. Oh well. Some people pick up bad habits. At least he was still going strong at the end. 'Airport' is a fantastic score.
As you said, hopefully Thomas outlives his father by a decade or more and continues scoring films to the end, just as his father did.
I am revisiting this score and I like it even more! The score has certainly grown on me since my first listens. I'm also surprised that it hasn't gotten more attention and acclaim. As I wrote earlier: interesting and inventive harmony, orchestration and so on without it ever sounding dated. Also, innovative use of vocals, intricate rhythms and all done with incredible feeling and color.
This is Newman's best score in a few years, and one of the best scores written by anyone in recent years. I'm repeating myself, but I really hope it leads to his 16th Oscar nomination, and even his first win!
Yes, it is quite lovely. I enjoy Thomas Newman in India-infused mode and there are tracks in this one that just shimmer with gorge-osity. Lately, I've even started to enjoy the (more recent, previously thought of) lesser efforts by TN. He's great when you're really in the mood for such music. It might get nominated, but I wouldn't see it beating OPPENHEIMER. I'd like to think Thomas Newman doesn't care about such trivialities. If he NEVER wins an Oscar...well...he's in good company.
I've found so much joy in this score, I really have. It's made with such love and commitment to real music - some really wonderful tracks, especially Across the Ocean and Hot Air Balloon.
You'd like to think that Disney/Pixar would campaign hard for at least a nomination for Newman - once he's in the mix, he has a super strong overdue narrative that might just catch on.
I'm looking forward to hearing White Bird - orchestral and piano based, yes please! - and then excited to see what's next. I hope it's In the Blink of an Eye with Andrew Stanton or a reunion with whatever Sam Mendes has next, he was missed on Empire of Light.
I know his most recent scores since 1917 don't seem as instant as his classics but I find they are deeply rewarding after some time - I've found so much to enjoy about The Little Things, Operation Mincemeat and A Man Called Otto.
Just a shame that more of the review sites like Jonathan Broxton etc didn't review Elemental in detail. I'd love to see some discussion about specific tracks.
Always love talking Newman - I'm an unabashed fanboy!
I love almost everything he has ever written, but i'm biased since he might even be my absolute favorite film composer.
I like all of his recent work, even if I don't think that they are masterpieces like the best of his scores from the 1990s.
I am also an unbashed fanboy: Newman is definitely an anomaly in today's film industry. He is a true original, who always writes original and fresh work, he is perhaps the closest we have to a Bernard Herrmann of today.
He is a truly remarkable composer, who usually doesn't get enough acclaim for his work (yes, I know he has been Oscar-nominated 15 times, but he has never won, and just think of all of his lesser-known scores that are often remarkable that haven't even been nominated). I also love his use of electronic music, and the way he seems seemingly incapable of overscoring a movie like some other famous film composers too often do. His music does exactly what film music at it best should do but too rarely does.
White Bird will be something to look forward to, even if I expect it to be a minor Newman score for some reason; still, it should be interesting to hear. I'm also looking forward to learn about his upcoming projects.
Yeah, agreed, even if I rarely agree with Broxton. Unless it is a big, orchestral score, preferably with strong themes, he doesn't seem to have as much fondness for other types of scoring. Personally, I love all kinds of scoring, not just big orchestral scores.
As I wrote earlier, this score has grown on me. I have gone from liking it to really liking it. It will most likely end up as by far my favorite new film score of 2023. I don't think that the film music critics gave it its due. As usual, they underrate Newman's work. Very annoying.
I really hope it will get an Oscar nomination at least even if it won't stand a chance of winning (sadly).
As I wrote earlier, this score has grown on me. I have gone from liking it to really liking it. It will most likely end up as by far my favorite new film score of 2023. I don't think that the film music critics gave it its due. As usual, they underrate Newman's work. Very annoying.
I really hope it will get an Oscar nomination at least even if it won't stand a chance of winning (sadly).
Night, I always enjoy your Thomas Newman contributions. This was a lovely little video.
Elemental really has become a firm favourite, it's so layered and complex and broad and it has some truly beautiful tracks. I hope he's nominated and then a campaign might start to build around the nomination. Not sure Disney has any other horses in the race. But I just have this horrible feeling he'll be overlooked...again.
I hope I'm wrong! As always greedy for more new Thomas Newman music, always such a treat.
Shame, Oscars snubbed this score too. One of the most memorable of the year imo and I'm convinced it was instrumental in the movie achieving the kind of audience success it did.
I think Thomas will probably have a better shot at a nom next year since he's scoring Yorgos Lanthimos' next movie. IMDB also has him listed now as In the Blink of an Eye's composer, definitely looking forward to another Andrew Stanton collab if true.
I’m really disappointed not to see Newman nominated for Elemental, I thought it was a really rich and beautiful score - Hot Air Baloon is just a delight.
I know he’s successful in his field beyond words and I hate minimising his success and influence to simply not having an Oscar - but he’s so richly deserving of it.
Maybe A Kind of Kindness will be the one we are talking about next year and that he has some really interesting and prestige projects on the horizon.
I agree. As nominations are picked by other composers, and not the entire community, this selection says a lot about what type of scores are held in high regard by the current composer community. The fact that Newman has only been selected a number of times by his peers, must at least sting a little.
The fact that Newman has only been selected a number of times by his peers, must at least sting a little.
In the last 30 years Thomas Newman has been nominated for an Oscar 15 times! The only composer who received more nominations than him in that period is John Williams. I'd say his peers have shown him plenty of love.
I’m hopeful that the thinking is that he has to win on 16…
He deserves that Oscar narrative if the 16th nomination arrives. Kind of Kindness could be it, not sure what else he has on the horizon, maybe hoping for something else along with KoK and White Bird in 2024.
I'm also annoyed that they keep snubbing Newman. Yes, he has been nominated 15 times, but just think of the many amazing scores he's written that haven't been nominated. Most of his best scores haven't been nominated, only some of his best. I was surprised to see that Laura Karpman made the cut, but not Newman... his Elemental score was probably the most innovative score of the year in tems of harmonic writing and so on, and carries the film in a beautiful and special way. It is a shame that it wasn't recognized. For me, almost any Newman score would be a shoo-in for the nominations given how inventive he is (unlike most other film music), and Elemental was no exception.
Oh well, let's move on from this disappointment, here's hoping that he will make it next year if he writes something worthy.
I'm also annoyed that they keep snubbing Newman. Yes, he has been nominated 15 times, but just think of the many amazing scores he's written that haven't been nominated. Most of his best scores haven't been nominated, only some of his best. I was surprised to see that Laura Karpman made the cut, but not Newman... his Elemental score was probably the most innovative score of the year in tems of harmonic writing and so on, and carries the film in a beautiful and special way. It is a shame that it wasn't recognized. For me, almost any Newman score would be a shoo-in for the nominations given how inventive he is (unlike most other film music), and Elemental was no exception.
Oh well, let's move on from this disappointment, here's hoping that he will make it next year if he writes something worthy.
It’s amazing when you consider the brilliant scores that Newman hasn’t been nominated for!
Meet Joe Black Less Than Zero The Green Mile The Help The Horse Whisperer Tolkien Scene of a Woman
To be honest, I didn't really dig this movie. Sure, the graphics were killer as usual, and yeah, there were some cool parts, but nothing to make me go "WOW!" (Maybe I'm just getting old). The soundtracks when I watched it in the movies were great, but when I listened to them separately, oh, it's beautiful
