I get all kinds of responses. First is "you mean like "Sleepless in Seattle?" or some other song driven soundtrack. Then I explain without trying to display too much insult that I listen to the SCORE of the film. Then it can go anywhere from there. Some simply say, "Oh... that's nice". Others, to my surprise, have actually shown some genuine curiosity and others still, to my utter amazement, actually own a handful of soundtracks. One guy I know completely surprised me by enthusiastically declaring that he was big fan of Danny Elfman. On the other extreme, my college roomate used to always persecute me for listening to that "opera" music, as he called it and then would make a fuax cymbal crash sound effect... "Tsssssh!". He still does it to this day.

But whatever the case it usually takes some explanation whenever the question of my taste in music comes up.

For the record, I always make clear that I'm flexible in my interests as I tell them that I have large amounts of jazz (big fan of Pat Metheny), soul/R&B, and classical in my music stash.

What do you guys get from people?

And when people react that way, I donīt even want to bother educating them a little about the subject.
Fortunately, once in a while you do meet people who are more or less interested in filmscores. Actually, there was once a TV-show here in Denmark called something like "Score Quiz". It was a show where people had to answer all sorts of REALLY hard questions about composers, films and all that. It was really cool. But I guess it didīnt get many viewers, so they shut it down after about two monts.

And I kwow exactly what you mean HAL 9000. Itīs like:

"Hey, so you must have Wild Wild West right! Will Smith is awsome!"....Tsssssh!

SFT

Usually, when I say I listen to movie soundtracks, I have to explain that it's not the kind with "songs" from "bands" in it, I have to mention that it's orchestral (or synthesizer) work from a composer used in the film. Usually when I say that, people will think it's an opportunity to show off one of their wierd music tastes ("I collect Nintendo Music!", they'd say, and then show off a music track from a Squaresoft game).

If film scores appear too wierd or "uncool" to someone, I can always even it out by mentioning that I listen to the Nine Inch Nails (actually, it's just a one-man name).

"What was that music playing during that great scene in Saving Private Ryan?"

"Well, that was written especially for the movie by a composer named John Williams. He also wrote the music from Star Wars."

"Oh, cool. Has he done anything else?"

(Groan) "Um, yeah . . . a few things. Ever heard of a little movie called JAWS?"

"Yeah."

"He wrote that theme -- (me singing) bah dum ... bah dum ... bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum ..."

"Oh, I never thought about anybody writing that stuff."

"This is Dan.......he listens to soundtracks"....ugh

I like educating people on scores if they wish to be educated.

Dan (UK)

A short reply--
When I brought it up with my art professor over the summer, it was "oh you mean like John Williams?" Yes, at first, I thought that's all he knew. But he went on to prove me wrong, and that he knew A LOT about the genre and I was quite impressed. However, that's a very very rare occasion. Very rare.

The long reply--
Well, maybe this is one subject that differs me from everyone else here. It would seem that whenever the discussion would come up about film music with my fellow "unmusical" (excuse the term) pals, I would get insulted and bashed with criticism about how I could listen to that crap, or others would give me the run-around on how Superman is so great and stuff.

I pride my interest in film music and I don't give a rat's @$$ about what others think of it. (GO DAN!!) Sure, I enjoy all other sorts of music genres, but in the end, there's really no contest if I had to pick one kind of music to listen to. There are some people out there who enjoy all forms of music, and there are others like me, who enjoys everything, but deep down inside, I really only like other genres because I have to "fit in."

I could care less about the Ricky Martins or the Puff Daddys or the Britney Spears or the Backstreet Boys or whatever the latest trend is in mainstream music. I listen to what's good. Period. And it so happens that nearly all the stuff I like IS film music. If the Goo Goo Dolls happens to have a good song, sure, I will give it a try. But nobody out there is rushing out to the stores when John Williams scores another memorable theme for the ages (aside from The Phantom Menace, and seriously, how many pure SW Fans really enjoy John William's music had he not scored Star Wars?). Is there some kind of double standard here? I think that's just BS. These mainstream people really tick me off. When the film music topic comes up, I avoid bringing up John Williams because he's so well-known for Star Wars, so I jump to Hans Zimmer or Jerry Goldsmith. I want to avoid this "oh, the Star Wars/Superman guy!!" crap. Once Zimmer's name is mentioned, the conversation ends pretty fast, like Crono's discussions. I mean, I appreciate it when some people ask which movies Zimmer has done and sincerely want to know more, but those who don't just basically see film music as music for nerds or freaks or the senile elderly.

Here I will bring up Titanic. Did James Horner enjoy a boost in sales for Deep Impact? Or Mighty Joe Young? Heck no. Titanic fans just wanted to hold something in their hands that was part of Titanic. Now do any of you know anyone who bought the Titanic score that STILL listen to it frequently AND are NOT avid film music fans?? I don't believe so. The bottom line. People are damn conformists.

On topic-
I used to have to explain it to people like many others here have, but I've grown so bored with it, I now just tell people I listen to classical. Of course, then they always get the impression that I frequent music like Handel or Haydn, and they have no familiarity at all with the stirring music of Saint-Saens, Mussorgsky, Stravinsky, etc. Come to think of it, it usually depends on who's asking as to what and how much I will tell them. If it's a person I know is intelligent and open-minded, even if they are ignorant to scores, I will usually explain it to them, and they respond with sincere curiosity. If it's your average high-schooler (i.e. narrow-minded conformist) then I just tell them classical and let them rant on me about it. I never balance it out by saying I listen to some other stuff, because I don't.

James

P.S. I have successfully made converts out of two of my friends, both of whom are heavy metal fans. For one it was "Aliens" that did it. For the other it was Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. The first is now an avid action-score fiend, and the second actually likes more emotional scores better.

Jeron

However, because I'm not a film score fan, I'm just a fan of scores altogether (i.e. movie scores, video games scores, television scores) I get the occasional "Really?" in a not disappointed, but surprised tone, but I'm never sure if their impressed, surprised, or just don't know what I'm talking about.
I usually think that someone will like at least one of my CD's, may it be the score to Sonic Aventure (which is basically a rock n' roll score), the Zelda arranged album (which sounds like classical music), the score to Bugs Bunny cartoons, the score to Back to the Future, the score to the Great Mouse Detective or whatever. I keep a good variety, yet most people seem very uninterested in the long run.

However, I have always found it interesting that my brother likes listening to my CDs with me. He is in no way a score fan. But he likes the same movies, TV shows and video games as I do, and usually appreciates the music for all of them. We often listen to my CDs together (He was more excited than me when I bought the Great Mouse Detective-?!). But my brother is the ONLY person I know who will listen to any of my score CDs and actually enjoy it as much as it do. Oh well.

Cenzo

[This message has been edited by Cenzo (edited 09-08-99).]

Yeah youīre right...

ALL SCORE-FANS ARE BRILLIANT!!!

And actually, I donīt like The Rock either.
But Danny Elfmanīs Black Beauty is simply the third best score ever written, after Batman and Edward Scissorhands

hehe I, too.... am also a genius. IQ 140, I'm so smart ummmm... nevermind. hehe

I've been collecting for a long time and people who know me have come to accept it as part of my identity. What I didn't mention in the first post was how my interest in film scores has influenced quite a few people around me. I've since gotten my sister, my wife and a few friends to become more aware that there are gifted people who actually sit down and write this music instead of it just happening on its own. Before my Father-in-law died a few years ago I got him into scores. Goldsmith was his favorite... he was absolutely in love with Medicine Man (Speaking of Goldsmith, he used to say, "this is NOT the music of a 65 year old") and The Russia House. After he passed I was given his record collection and I came to find that he had many scores in it.

My family have no problem calling me a freak of nature when I blast them with a little Caine Mutiny or The Shadow, so I don't really care what anyone else thinks.

Most of the people I know don't really listen to music anyway; they just use it as an underscore for their lives.