On to the subject. We've argued pleasantly and unplesantly over individual scores from this past season, but we've not yet really checked them out to see how they stack up against each other.

Personally, I hope my bid doesn't spawn a bunch of Top 10 lists of best scores of the summer. I want a good discussion why some scores were just better than others - and include every element to judge the score by! I want to hear what kind of score made it for you this summer.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen every movie released this summer, but I do think Chicken Run was one of THE most solid scores of the summer, perhaps because it had me whistlin' the main "power to the chicks" theme and had me feeling good as I left the theater, pondering whether or not the chicken came before the egg. Not too many other scores had that affect on me this summer....

What do YOU think?

PeterK

While this summer has featured some outstanding scores and underachivers, these are my favorite scores so far:

1.Hollow Man
2.The Patriot
3.The Perfect Storm
4.What Lies Beneath
5.Chicken Run
6.The Big Khauna
7.Hamlet 2000
8.I Dreamed of Africa
9.Dinosaur
10.(Tie) Gladiator, Sunshine

As for vintage soundtracks and reissues there were loads of them that are really worthy of attention and here are the best so far:

1.Jaws
2.Bullitt (re-recording)
3.Tora Tora Tora
4.Hammett
5.Logan's Run/Coma
6.Last Run/Wild Rovers
7.Marnie (re-recording)
8.Peyton Place (re-recording)
9.The Fox (re-recording)
10.Guide To Married Man

1) Chicken Run
2) Dinosaur
3) The Patriot
4) The Perfect Storm

I've heard parts of Patriot, MI2 and Hollow Man but I don't like judging till I hear the whole thing.

Chicken Run did blow me away and is still getting all my Car stereo playing time. I loved Gladiator despite all the criticism, even the corny action music, but would have to say that Chicken Run comes out on top in my books.

1. The Hollow Man
2. The Patriot
3. The Perfect Storm
4. Dinosaurs
5. Chicken Run

1) MISSION TO MARS (Morricone) - movie scores can't get much better than this one

2) X-MEN (Kamen) - works perfectly in the movie.

The worst:

1) GLADIATOR/M:I2 Combo (Zimmer) - laughable gargabe

For me the best so far has been Dinosaur. (O.K. Shaun darling, I can
hear you slapping your forehead right now. Don’t worry, I just sent you
some rather youthful looking hearing aides to engage your support for
this most excellent score..heh, heh..Don’t be trading them in for ear
plugs, please.) Anyway, I noticed that both Soundtrack and FSM
magazines gave it 4 stars, so that must make me right, huh?

The main theme heard in The Egg Travels and at the end is as exhilarating
and delightful as the Much Ado About Nothing theme. Chorus, cymbals,
brass, strings, etc. combine for a melody that I believe will be used in
future trailers as often as Rudy. The Across the Desert theme sort of
reminded me of Bernstein’s Ten Commandments. Maybe that is because of
the visuals which show the dinosaurs crossing the desert, looking for a new
land, and running from the flesh eaters. Wonderful, resonant brass theme that
is varied several times.

It is certainly is an iconographic score;
the brass, with its sometimes ear-shattering blasts, perfectly captures rearing
dinosaur heads and sharp teeth. (Jurassic Parkish?) The Egg Travels begins
with a touch of Peter and the Wolf. Some have complained about the jungle
sounds, but it all worked for me.

I’ve only heard Chicken Run and Mission to Mars within the context of the movies and enjoyed both of them.
They are on their way, and I’m sure will also become favorites.

Thanks PeterK for posting this thread and for asking for narrative discussion.
(Geez, I hope Shaun doesn’t burn is adoption papers!)

NP Dinosaur

NP: Bernard Herrmann THE TWILIGHT ZONE
McNeely conducting (Varese Sarabande)

GLADIATOR
CHICKEN RUN
DINOSAUR
THE PERFECT STORM
THE PATRIOT
HOLLOW MAN

By the way, Jens...NUTTY PROFESSOR 2's score has electric guitar, and some real cheap sounding electric percussion...but you'll probably like it since you like Newman, no? Would you like it if Zimmer had done the same thing?

quote:

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Originally posted by Hornerfan:
NUTTY PROFESSOR 2's score has electric guitar, and some real cheap sounding electric percussion...but you'll probably like it since you like Newman, no? Would you like it if Zimmer had done the same thing?

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On top is a tie between Williams' Patriot and Newton's Dinosaur. Those two scores have received the most playing time. Although they are stylistically very different, they not only support but enhance the moving images they were created for.

The Patriot:

With its very moving, emotional , center theme, played by solo violin, flute and other instruments I just can't remember right now; and its heroic, I wanna go to war kind of theme which is enhanced by the multiple flute accompaniments this is one score to be treasured. Besides the usuall flawless craftmenship that John Williams graces his sounds with, the music fits the picture like a glove. Certain cliche's type of music that he could have employed were left out. Williams, with his current style and all, seems to try to score each picture in different ways than is usually the norm in Hollywood. It often takes repeated listenings to enjoy the music on its own. The action cue, while often derived from the Jurrassic styles, are powerful and often very melodic, more so than in the JP score. Nobody can score a tender moment with so much skill, love and care as Williams, which he proves in this picture as well. The use of violin and harp are done with so much bravour it simply amazes me.
While much can be said about the accuracy of the movie, from and entertainment point of view it is sheer fun and emotional. After all, it is an entertainment film.

Dinosaur:

Besides the incredible images that filled the scream and the loving care the animators took on the whole film, James Newton Howard wrote a fitting, big and exciting score. The main theme alone makes one want to lift up and fly high into the sky. The music for the wedding (well, monkey wedding) with chorus and all is my absolute faveorite. It is funny, exciting and upbeat all at once. This happens to be the kind of score my little nephew reckognizes immedeately and doesn't mind me playing in the car. The playing time on the cd is adequate although I would have loved to have the end title theme (which seemed to be a mix in the move anyhow), and a few other parts of the score included on the cd.

In second place in Goldsmith's Hollow Man. I like this one better than Basic Instinct although they both are composed in the same style. This one seems to be a little warmer however with a little more melodic passages. There are not that many action cues, but when they do appear, it's watch out baby. If you are driving during that time, you better have self control.
The quieter parts, which makes up most of the cd are complex and seem to be scored with less syncs in mind. In fact, this is probably one of the few scores that Goldsmith has composed that doesn't use that much "machine" music. Good for him, not that I mind how he usually incorporates syncs in his scores.

In third place, and this is unusual for me is Zimmer's Gladiator. While I did not think it fit the film one hundred percent, it still supported the movie and is one of the rare scores that got mentioned by people who usually do not collect film music. I am sure this had more to do with the quieter parts that were supported by the beautiful female vocals than the action parts that are my favorites. The two main action cues are the ones that play constantly in my stereo and it is a score I thourouly enjoy.

The perfect Storm from Horner enters then the fourth place. I like this one much more than Bicentenial Man. As usual, Horner provides us with a main theme that is melodic and hummable and even some of the action parts are enjoyable. Didn't like this score at first too much, but after repeated listening it has earned it's spot in my repeated listening section and it moved up to this space as well. Since I haven't seen the movie to this one yet, I can not say much about it in that regard, but as a stand alone cd it is without a doubt very listenable. Yes, it is a long cd, as usual with our friend the mighty Horner, yet it doesn't bother this time as much as it has in his other releases since Migthy Joe Young.

Honoray mention:

Fantasia 2000, while not an original score, contains some of the most diverse and exciting classical pieces seldom heard in cinema today. Even if one does not like the classics too much, this is certainly a cd that serves as a crossover from film music to the classics. I love the cd. How in the world these artists at Disney came up with the stories and images in itsel is just amazing. Surely this is a masterpiece raraly seen in popular entertainment these days.

Haven't done much with re-releases, yet i would like to mention two scores. First the re-recording of Born Free. Get it. I remember seeing the movie when I was a kid and falling in love with the theme. I wish the song was included as well, but the score alone is worth the money.
Next is the full score for Born on the Fourth of July. While essentially a two theme score, this release shows how Williams can take a theme and just by changing the orchestration and arrangements a little bit instill different emotions in the audience. Awesome piece of work.

Well, PeterK,

I hope I did you proud with my essay here. Haven't heard Chicken Run yet, the movie looks rather "ehhmmm" too me so I don't know if I am going to see it, but I may look for the cd, since everyone is raving about it.

Im out,

Even though it is not playing really anywhere, Doyle's music for "Love's Labour's Lost" is quite exquisite and the arrangments of music leading into the songs is very well done and complementary to the style. This is grand "old Hollywood" film music spruced up a bit. As to the singing on the disc, I'd rather listen to this than the usual junk that finds its way onto soundtrack albums these days destroying whatever mood was being set.

I am a big Williams fan (take that anyway you want to) but "The Patriot" just did not do it for me the way "Saving Private Ryan" did. I did like the main title music-which I bet we will hear plenty of in the future, but the rest fell a bit flat. Yet, it is a score that one really needs to listen to carefully and more often I discover that it rewards much the more I listen to it.

"Chicken Run" is also a great score for one of the best movies of the summer (maybe the year). I have resisted shelling out the big bucks for this one yet, but after listening through the disc at a local bookstore it is definitely on its way here to the collection.

I also listened a bit to Silvestri's "What Lies Beneath" and was struck at how Hermmannesque the music seemed, especially the last track of end title music. Not sure if it is a "best of the summer" but Silvestri is one of those underappreciated composers that turns out great music.

"Hollow Man" is also a bit different. Kind of a cross with "The Haunting", "Basic Instinct" and "Total Recall". Still pondering this one, but while it is a good score, it like "The Patriot" simply sits within the general output of the respective composer.

NP: Max Steiner KING KONG
Moscow Symphony Orchestra/Stromberg
Marco Polo

Maybe I misread the above, sakman, but personally, I thought JNH "arrived" back in '93. His output has become more and more redundant since '95 as well. I also don't find much particularly memorable about Dinosaur. Really nothing I haven't heard from Howard before.

quote:

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Originally posted by Hasta:
But in my opinion, M2M is the worst score I have heard all year (it's unimagineably bad in the film, and even worse on cd).

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Well, I think this statement reveals a lot about you and your "tastes" matte!

Take care.

quote:

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Originally posted by JJH:
I thought JNH arrived way back with Flatliners, a creepy score for a creepy movie -- but a movie that provokes a lot of thoughts and questions.

the "redemption" cue is fantastic.

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I agree with you, JJH. Although I think 1993 was an incredible year fo JNH, (I just finished writing a review of DAVE for Cinemusic about 10 mintues ago) I think he officially "arrived" in 1990 with Pretty Woman and Flatliners. He then went on to big films in 91 like Grand Canyon and My Girl, after scoring insignifcant films prior to 1990.

Yes, I love "Redemption" as well... I still listen to it when I'm in a bad mood- it puts me at ease.

I was not referring to the historical emergence of JJH as a film composer...merely the fact that "Dinosaur" has been the only real "action"-type score that has spurred any real interest this summer. This is not like last year when we had "The Mummy" followed by "Phantom Menace" and a few others. And, unlike other efforts in the recent past, "Dinosaur" got much more visibility in the stores than other efforts by JNH (save maybe "Snow Falling on Cedars").

[Alright, my cat was laying in front of my laptop when I typed those initials... ]

JNH is another story.