MovieMusic.com Message Boards: Alan Silvestri

Message Boards

Movie Soundtracks

Alan Silvestri

Archive of old forum. No more postings.

Please visit our new forum, The MovieMusic Lobby, to post new topics.

Author	Topic: Alan Silvestri

Slick_N_Evil unregistered	Okay, I am a HUGE movie score nut, and the one name I've noticed missing in here is Alan Silvestri. He's got incredible range and versatility when it comes to movie scores. Some of his credits include "Back to the Future", "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", "The Quick and the Dead", and "Predator". Now, first and foremost, I'm an Elfman devotee. The man is incredible, and his music touches your soul and gets your blood racing like no other can. But lets not forget all the other greats outr there. Horner is definitely the man for scoring one of my favorite movies (and scores), The Rocketeer. And I love what he did with Apollo 13. (I'm willing to forgive him for Titanic, as long as he stays away from the DiCaprio guy from now on.) And John Williams, probably the father of the modern film score. Indiana Jones, 'nuff said. (Okay, for all you Star Woids out there, lets not forget Star Wars. Luke's theme is my personal fav.) Anyway, those are my four picks, I just thought someone should put Silvestri up. @~}~~ -Slick
posted 04-23-1999 06:02 AM PT (US)

Matt Oscar® Winner	im going to ignore your comment about Titanic, but just this once Silvestri is good, loved Predator, and he did a great job with The Abyss, which was mostly supporting stuff and worked very well in the movie. np: October Sky
posted 04-23-1999 09:07 AM PT (US)

SFT Oscar® Winner	Although not my favorite composer, Alan Silvestri is definitly very good. He did a great job with Preadator, wich is probably his best score. And, I agree totaly: Danny Elfman is incredible!!! As for Horner and Williams (come on Matt, Titanic was´nt that good)I think they are both excelent, but they are just not vey original when compared to Elfman. Their music is missing something wich makes it rather unintersting to me...and I really don´t think John Williams can be called "The Father of Modern Filmmusic". People like Bernard Herrmann and Max Steiner deserves the credit for that one. SFT
posted 04-23-1999 09:55 AM PT (US)

Matt Oscar® Winner	SFT: lets not start this arguement again...i dont wanna have to start pointing out faults in Elfman's work, but I will. besides, this isnt the board to do it(we can start one to discuss this topic if you like). BTW, i just listened to it again, and yes it was that good, so there. also, one more thing on Silvestri. Forrest Gump: brilliant
posted 04-23-1999 11:22 AM PT (US)

PeterK FishChip	SFT, Who says John Williams is the "Father of Modern Film Music"? I'm very interested in where this comes from. Thanks! PeterK
posted 04-23-1999 11:59 AM PT (US)

SFT Oscar® Winner	PeterK: Well, it was just something that was mentioned in the topic, I don´r really know who said it, but I just don´t think Williams is worthy of that title (there are probably people who think so), even if it was ment as a joke. SFT NP: Cape Fear, Bernard Herrmann PS- To Matt: Faults in Elfman´s work!? Wich ones??? (actually I really mean that....)
posted 04-23-1999 12:26 PM PT (US)

Kevin Oscar® Winner	I'm glad someone mentioned "The Abyss" here, but another Silvestri score that hasn't come up yet is "Contact." The movie is perhaps the best "hard-core" science fiction movie to come out since 2001, and the score (IMO) is wonderful. Just the right touch here and there, without being overbearing. I can't wait for the Varese "back to the Future" trilogy to come out later this year. Kevin NP - Dune (Toto)
posted 04-23-1999 06:16 PM PT (US)

Audacity Oscar® Winner	My favorite Silvestri scores are Predator and Young Guns II. I am still looking for The Quick and The Dead, can't seem to find it at any local stores. Anyone know if it is still available? Audacity N.P. Last Of The Dogmen (David Arnold)
posted 04-24-1999 07:58 AM PT (US)

Ted Oscar® Winner	Peter, I believe it was George Lucas who spoke in a tribute to film music in the Grammies, calling John Williams the undisputed dean of film music or something on those lines.
posted 04-24-1999 10:36 AM PT (US)

PeterK FishChip	Ted, Thanks for your reply. I know this is a little off-topic, but technically, John Williams is writing the same kind of music that was written 100 years ago by our favorite romanticists. The true father of film music is Bernard Herrmann. He wrote music that actually had roots in the films themselves, rather than in proper technique and classical style. Just a thought. Sorry about the off topic trend. PeterK NP - "Gulliver's Travels" by Victor Young
posted 04-24-1999 11:10 AM PT (US)

J. Peter Wolk-Laniewski Oscar® Winner	Predator has been mentioned quite a few times here, someone said it was his best. I think Predator 2 is worth mentioning. He took that dark low brass theme and gave it a latin kick that makes it even more fun to listen to than Predator. I love how he used the exotic percussion to showcase the Columbian and Jamaican gangs featured in the movie. I think it was a clever step from the straight, militaristic feel of the first film.
posted 04-26-1999 06:16 PM PT (US)

Magdi Oscar® Winner	Although many people don't like "Judge Dredd" I think it's a very powerful action score with some fantastiv cues.
posted 04-28-1999 09:26 AM PT (US)

pietari Oscar® Winner	Yes Judge /dredd is Great! Also Volcano is very good too, although the varese release is criminally short
posted 04-28-1999 12:13 PM PT (US)

BOND unregistered	Audacity, The Quick and the Dead is still out there, I always see it at my local hastings, and tower stores. Good Luck! as far as my favorite silvestri, it is definately predator, it took me nearly a year to track this score down, and it was definately worth it!
posted 05-06-1999 06:58 PM PT (US)

Maestro Sartori Oscar® Winner	The re-recording of Back to the Future is coming later this year, and we'll finally be able to appreciate the score of this fantastic and classic 80's movie! I hear that Silvestri will supervise the recording of his score by Debney. Keep watching Varese Sarabande!
posted 05-13-1999 03:47 AM PT (US)

Widescreen Oscar® Winner	Judge Dredd is a very good score- it had to be, since Silvestri was replacing Goldsmith. Not a bad job at all. Predator is mentioned over and over again, but where is a commerically available release? Varese Sarabande should've released a long time ago. In any event, I think Alan Silvestri (and if you listen to Who Framed Roger Rabbit alot, you might find this true)- he sound a lot like John Williams sometimes. Forgive whatever blasphemy that might ensue- but if, go forbid, Williams were to ever pass on before finishing the other two Star Wars Episodes- I'd want Alan Silvestri to do the scores- I think he could do the best job of anybody.
posted 05-17-1999 09:50 PM PT (US)

Gae Oscar® Winner	After just seeing the movie again I've been listening to "Back to the Future Part III" which is a great score but only about 40 mins. I particularly like the train music which is punctuated by that jazzy western motif. Great score to a fun movie...better film than II but not as good as the original. Gae NP "Back to the Future Part III" [This message has been edited by Gae (edited 06-09-99).]
posted 06-09-1999 03:27 PM PT (US)

Aaron R. Brown Oscar® Winner	Someone was saying something about "The Father of Modern Film Music". I guess you could call John Williams that, after all he was infulential in making JAWS the first 100 million movie sucess. I know people speak of Max Steiner, Fraz Waxman, Bernard Herrmann, Erich Korngold, Miklos Rosza and Alfred Newman-I'm told that they inspired nearly all film composers of today. Truthfully I have never heard any of their scores-except Rosza's Parade of The Charioteers (It was a re-recording conducted by John Williams) and I have heard (on The Simpson's) Herrmann's theme from PSYCHO. People generally don't know their scores because they where made for movie that are movie classic but aren't movies that people now-a-days will flock to theaters to see. Lucas and Spielburg in some ways created the mega-blockbuster special effect ladden film and they (along with Williams) changed what people like myself want to see and hear.
posted 06-09-1999 04:48 PM PT (US)

Gae Oscar® Winner	Aaron, I would definately recommend getting you're hands on some Miklos Rosza music...e.g. Classic Film Scores, Spellbound, Ben Hur, El Cid, Eye of the Needle, Time after Time, Ivanhoe, Thief of Baghdad, Dead Men Dont wear Plaid...they're all Classics! Gae Back to the Future Part III
posted 06-10-1999 03:35 PM PT (US)

Aaron Collins Oscar® Winner	First off, if the composers you named were alive and scoring I am sure that you would have heard of all their scores. They did not make cds or even tapes back then. They are all now being pulled out and re-recorded. I think you'll be hearing a lot about them in the future. All of them are the "greats"! They all write very symphonically. They are all the fathers of film music. I think what John Williams did is that he used the same style the "greats" did and thats why I love him so much. He is my all time favorite composer. I personally don't like listening to Bernard Hermanns' work, but it is still great! I love Miklos Rosza and Alferd Newmans stuff! Don't forget about Alex North! Well I will also talk about the topic at hand. Alan Silvestri is a great composer. I think he holds back alot though. He has potential to compose awesome stuff! His scores lately have not been up to par with lets say Predator, Back to the Future, the Abyss, etc.... Volcano, Eraser, and so on sound similar and I think he could have made them much better. I sure hope he gets hooked in a great adventure film or drama, so he can pull all that talent out and hit us with a huge score! Aaron NP: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade(This is what makes John Williams so great!) *****
posted 06-10-1999 09:26 PM PT (US)

Cenzo Oscar® Winner	I'm not sure that I can pick a favourite composer, but for me Alan Silvestri is still up there, having done my two favourite scores; "Back to the Future (Trilogy)" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". Without a doubt Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one of my favourite scores, it sounds so cool with its classic 40's jazz sound and cartoony and catchy themes mixed in. Cool, very memorable music that fits super good with the movie and on its own! If I could place a thumbs up here I would. Back to the Future simply has THE BEST theme ever (sorry Star Wars fans, but don't get me wrong it's still awesome). Anyway, the great Back to the Future theme is all throughout the soundtrack trilogy, both in loud and soft form and it sounds super any way it's heard. Also, Back to the Future III has a cool change with a bit of a new theme, which is also stupendous! Well that's my standing on Alan Silvestri and two of my favourite scores. What other composers do I like and what are my other favourite scores you ask, well you'll just have to ask me to find out. Cenzo
posted 06-23-1999 07:58 PM PT (US)

SFT Oscar® Winner	Excuse me, but the best theme ever is with out a doubt The Batman Theme by Danny Elfman. Plain and simple SFT
posted 06-24-1999 01:06 AM PT (US)

Old Infopop Software by UBB