Five questions, really:

1.) What film score will give Williams his 40th Oscar nomination?

A.I. Artificial Intelligence
- or -
Harry Potter and the Sorcere's Stone

2.) Will "For Always", the love ballad from A.I., be nominated for Best Original Song? (Making it his 41st nomination...)

3.) Will/Should Williams be nominated for both scores?

4.) In your opinion, what was Williams' best score this year?

5.) What was your favorite film score of the year? (Doesn't have to be Williams.)

Lancelot: not 6th grade, just curious to see what people think so far. Granted, the year's not over, but whatever. If you don't want to answer the question, then don't waste your time. Thanks anyways.

And from what I hear it rocks!

--Brian

My favorite this year is easily Goldenthal's Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy (I doubt it will even by nominated--but the best so far IMHO)
From Hell
LOTR (don't need to hear it...just know)
Planet of the Apes

Now that the FSM Board is going through some pretty crazy technical times I've decided to rant and rave over here (at least for the time being).

I had to start by correcting a couple of posts on this thread:

The song "For Always" is NOT eligible for an Oscar because it was not performed in the film.

In 1991 I was SO furious for the Academy over-looking Williams' HOOK score, only nominating the song - and the JFK score which had no changes of winning over Alan Menken's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

That was me over ten years ago. Since you people know my opinion on HARRY POTTER, I would be amazed if the Academy nominated it... But I do think A.I. would have a change. Let's wait and see.

KEN - about the HOOK vs. JFK thing in '91/'92, JFK was Oscar® material and somewhat of a success. HOOK, on the other hand, was very much the opposite. Plus - in '91, Spielberg wasn't as respected as Oliver Stone. It was pre-SCHINDLER'S LIST and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Now, it's very much the opposite. (Poor Ollie. Maybe he'll get some respect again when he takes on a Ronald Reagan project -- who knows? AND, most likely, Williams might do it -- but that's just wishful thinking on my part, as usual.)

Anyways...back to what I was saying... Unfortunately, there's a lot of politics when it comes to Oscar-related stuff. So - we'll just have to wait and see what happens this year.

In 1990, I dunno....DANCES WITH WOLVES was, indeed, beautiful. (in my opinion, of course.) The first time I actually quasi-enjoyed Kevin Costner....and it's the first time I paid attention to John Barry.

AND......about "Look Down Lord", I, too, haven't heard anything to the contrary of it being a Williams work. After all, it was included in his "1969-1999 Greatest Hits" album.....there's nothing on there that wasn't original Williams. I'm not 100% sure on that, but I'd venture to say that 95% of me is leaning towards the possibility that "Lord" is indeed a JW piece. (I hope it is, 'cause it's awesome!)

We should look into it, though. Thanks again.

NP: "Leaving Hogwarts", but now after thinking about it, I think I'm gonna listen to "Star of Bethlehem" from HOME ALONE.

quote:

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Originally posted by CBmogul:

2.) Will "For Always", the love ballad from A.I., be nominated for Best Original Song? (Making it his 41st nomination...)

---

All early indicators lead it to be quite an excellent film and I have heard good things about the score by Yann Tiersen. (Someone described it as Michael Nyman meets French accordion music. My guess is that it is much better sounding than that might make you think. The music in the trailers is quite nice.)

My personal favorites that I have heard so far this year would be:

"Atlantis" by James Newton Howard
"A.I." by John Williams
"Final Fantasy" by Elliot Goldenthal

I have "Harry Potter..." but I haven't spent enough time with it to formulate an opinion. This is the blessing/curse of long CDs. I DO like it...but perhaps it just hasn't moved me like "A.I." did.

James

- Hanzimmer won an Oscar, Morricone never;
- Mel Gibson won one for Best Director;
- Gladiator won various, including best picture;
- Etc...

CBmogul, if "Look Down, Lord" is a Williams-original, then WHO did the LYRICS - certainly not Williams himself ?!?! For that reason I have always believed it and the another song on the soundtrack being TRADITIONALS, not Williams-originals. (I haven't seen the movie.)

"A.I." by John Williams
"The Mummy Returns" by Alan Silvestri
"Atlantis" by James Newton Howard
"Final Fantasy" by Elliot Goldenthal
"Harry Potter" by John Williams

I've been hearing good things about AMELIE and THE SHIPPING NEWS scores. (Is that another Rachel Portman score...seeing that Lasse Holstrom is directing.) It was so much easier when the score categories were divided into Comedic and Dramatic.

We'll have to wait and see, I guess. Isn't there anything by Hans Zimmer (other than HANNIBAL and PEARL HARBOR) this year that's worth mentioning? Does he have anything coming out in the next 2 months?

OK -- this is long enough.

It's nice to see Chris is doing more high profile films that are out of the horror genre he so often gets typecast in.

That should be nominated and win. But I am sure it won't.

I imagine Randy Newman will get another song nomination for "Monsters Inc." and still NOT win.

(He should have won for Toy Story 2!)