 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Personally think his sung songs are pure genius.
His film scores dislike, just why couldn't say as in the films they do work; maybe as score albums they are poorly sequenced??
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Nov 27, 2005 - 9:34 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Southall
(Member)
|
I'm not at all familiar with his rock albums and satirical songs. But for me, Randy was in league with guys like Mark Knopfler and Ry Cooder for many years...imports from the rock/pop scene that really lacked some of the DRAMATIC insight of the educated film composers and providing SIMPLISTICALLY orchestrated film scores. Today, I'm a bit wiser and see qualities in the scores by all of these guys, even though their orchestral complexity still isn't as refined and developed as more traditional film composers. Sometimes, simplicity does the trick. And of the three above-mentioned, Randy Newman seems to be the most dramatically adept (it must run in the family).
Hmm. To me, Randy Newman is far more dramatically adept than the vast majority of "full-time" film composers. I very much doubt anyone else could have written such heartfelt, moving scores for things like Ragtime, Avalon, Awakenings and Pleasantville. Elmer Bernstein, perhaps; I can't think of anyone else. Avalon is one of the very finest film scores I've ever come across, both on the album and in the film.
You say it's simplistic - and perhaps it is - but there is nothing at all unsophisticated about the orchestration. Newman's a trained composer, and it shows. I would far rather listen to that sort of deliberately written music, patently composed with a pencil on a sheet of manuscript paper, and orchestrated in the same way, than another "orchestrated by computer" effort for a 120-piece orchestra, "composed" by someone who writes five or six scores a year.
The likes of Knopfler and Cooder are OK at what they do, but Newman is in a different league. I wish he scored more films, but he chooses not to; he's a wonderful orchestral composer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Nov 30, 2005 - 6:20 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
John Mullin
(Member)
|
I think there are very impressive things about all three working Newmans today.
Randy, however, always holds a really special spot on my CD shelf and is probably my overall favorite, both for the pictures he chooses to do and for the quality of the music he's written. I think it's really neat that he's sort of off doing his own thing -- he doesn't seem that influenced by what the trends in filmmusic are at the moment.
What I love about his songs is what I love about his scores... he has what may seem like a perculiar voice and a limited range, but he's able to evoke a great deal through his music in a very sublime way. I think of the "Graduation" cue from PARENTHOOD and just laugh... he plays very serious, pompous music (in fact, a wry take on 'Pomp and Circumstance') over Gil's dream sequence in a way that just elevates the humor to this amazing new level. There are many remarkable sections of that score, but that cue in particular along with the tender "Karen & Gil - Montage" toward the end are just brilliant. He pulls a similar trick in MAVERICK by playing the kind of sappy love music his uncle used to arrange for pictures like HOW THE WEST WAS WON over Jodie Foster's character of a southern belle con artiist who's basically crooking everybody. It's a rare case of music being able to be sarcastic in a subtle way that just works wonders in the film and enhances every joke.
When I think about it, though, it's Randy's intellect that I think really enhances the pictures he works on. AVALON and AWAKENINGS are two examples of scores done minimally and sublimely. Of his five animated scores (to date), one should pay particular attention to JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH and the masterfully scored TOY STORY 2. TS2 takes the thematic material from the first picture and builds on it in a mature, thoughtful way that manages to be a hell of a lot of fun and in ways, much more of an enjoyable listen than the first score. There's an expanded disc of this that I've never been able to find, but would kill for.
Other favorites are A BUG'S LIFE and PLEASANTVILLE. I feel his talents were somewhat wasted on the MEET THE PARENTS movies and I was hoping for a lot more of out SEABISCUIT (but then, he's said in multiple interviews that it was the worst experience of his life!). As far as THE NATURAL goes, I love the first cue, but rarely listen to the rest of the score.
MICHAEL is an excellent score, that is only available as an ultra rare CD-R. I have his score to AIR FORCE ONE and cannot listen to it... I feel it was probably rightfully jettisoned, but perhaps I'd feel differently if I ever saw it synced up with the movie.
----
My love for Randy aside, the Newman I've been most curious about in recent years, however, is David, simply because he writes these gorgeous, heart-breaking melodies that unfortunately usually go with wretched movies. The credit suite from HOFFA is stunning, as is most of his score from MR. DESTINY, sections of I LOVE TROUBLE, the finale from BOWFINGER, the criminally unreleased MATILDA, THE MIGHTY DUCKS, ICE AGE, JINGLE ALL THE WAY... the list goes on and on as does the wonderful, hard-to-find music. Irnonically, more of his music _has_ been getting released lately, but the scores that have made it out have not been great listens -- THE CAT IN THE HAT, SERENITY.
There are many, many Thomas scores that I just adore, although there can sometimes be a certain homogeny in his work. CINDERELLA MAN in particular was a dissapointing purchase for me in that I felt it was ground he had covered before and music he could have probably written in his sleep at this point. Same goes for JARHEAD, which I saw recently. That said, when he comes up with something really fresh, it's hard to deny his sheer talent. I love LITTLE WOMEN, SCENT OF A WOMAN, MEET JOE BLACK, HORSE WHISPERER, OSCAR & LUCINDA, and most recently FINDING NEMO and A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As I said in 2005 (geez, talk about being stuck in the past!!) I loved that run of his from RAGTIME to MAVERICK, featuring fantastic scores I never tire of listening to.
After TOY STORY, I grew a bit bored of his stuff (although there are some delights still to be had beyond TOY STORY*).
I remember watching the film RAGTIME and enjoying it and liking the pretty waltz/dance-like score, but really sitting up and taking notice when those Dramatic!! Denouement cues (for the stand-off) started kicking in towards the end of the film.
Then...a few years later...THE NATURAL 
Where did THAT come from. STUNNING STUFF.
PARENTHOOD, AVALON, AWAKENINGS, THE PAPER, MAVERICK. I love those CD's.
But yeah, I've stopped taking notice during his latter years.
This thread will no doubt have me reaching for those classic score CD's of his again.
*I have a real soft spot for his first CARS score.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
