Are the Oscare nominations truly representative of what was best for 2003? Are you bitter because your favorite score or song was left out... in the cold? Are you bitter because the state of movie music really has nothing better to offer this year?

I'd like to hear some honest reaction. Brian Tyler fans, why are you not hollering?

Here's a big list of soundtrack CDs for films released 2003, for reference.

I'll go first:

I am a little upset with how the Academy has evolved these past 10-15 years, totally bending to the pressures of marketing machines. Although I am pleased with Howard Shore's ROTK nomination (and most certain win!), some technically great scores were written this year when Oscar pencils were not sharp. I won't go as far as saying movie music these days absolutely sucks, because it does not. There are a lot of rehashed temp-track-influenced scores around, but these have always been around.... it seems more of them are simply getting the CD release they don't really need.

Some worthy modern scores:

The Matrix Revolutions
SWAT
The Italian Job

Some good "old-fashioned" scores:

Open Range
Peter Pan
Master & Commander

There are plenty of others, so have at it... and try not to make a list like I just did. Too many lists around here lately. Discuss discuss!

And, if you so believe there was nothing worthy this year, think about why... and let us know. Is it because Herrmann or Rozsa is dead? Is movie music DEAD? This is a good place to have Zimmer clones fall in line with Alfred Newmanophiles and really have at it... with philosophy in mind, not juvenility.

So, how are the signs of the times?

I just got back from a lunch run to get the newer version of RoboCop. I was met with a response that no Best Buy store will carry it in a store because the demand is low. I was given a friednly suggestion to order from their website. Having had trouble with that a month ago, I chose no.

What this tells me is that the demands of the few are not enough, as it has always been. And the horrible conclusion is, our money isn't good enough for people who could make more off of a rap CD. All of this is nothing new. But it used to be that Best Buy carried an item in stock like this- they've lost money from not enough sales, so they don't carry what we as movie music lovers want. And what about those folks who can't order online- the minimum option is a money order, and even with that, there's no guarantee Best Buy or Circuit City's website will carry them.

Retailers don't care, marketers don't care unless the marketer is the one putting the product out- especially ig the economy is in as much turmoil as it has been these last three and a half or more years.

Music score aren't dead. But there are plenty of people who want to kill it.

And there are so many more factors than I can list here, some of which include:

1.) The sales of mp3s online at Itunes, offering some alternatives, just not a lot of stock...yet- and the prices are lower, just no physical hold of material.

2.) The quality of scores being released. Pretty soon, it'll be just the hit movies, the disney movies, and the occasional independent film score- if even that.

3.) The quality of the films the scores come from.

4.) Difficulties that exist within the film industry for intellectual properties - list the rejected scores as have been listed before on this website, and you'll have quite a few examples there alone.

Add this all up; it doesn't look good. Or at least it hasn't, looking at the past. I can think of no suggestions towards a group effort; it's always been a case of "getting the scores anyway I can". Unfortunately, new personal soluons have been forced. We live in a market in the U.S. where the tastes of the few are catered to as much as it can be, mostly thanks to the internet.

We're due for a windfall soon. I simply can't predict when. I'm concerned it may be never.

The Matrix scores are among the very few new scores that I've been coming back to again and again at least a few times each month. It's one of the rare times that a big sci-fi movie was given this type of score. For the whole trilogy not to get a single nomination just shows what a laughable and sorry affair the Oscars are.

IMHO fo cuorse,

I'm pleased with the list of nominees this year. I agree with you though, Peter, film music doesn't suck these days, at least not totally, but I think that a lot of film composers are writing some pretty crap stuff for, as was also suggested, some pretty crap movies.

Lately I've been listening to some of Alberto Iglesias' work. I think that if every film composer was to write music as creative, interesting and effective as Iglesias, then my opinion and liking of film music might not be deteriorating like it is.

I'm also glad to see Hans Zimmer not get nominated this year. For a long time, Zimmer was my favourite composer but now all he does is $h!t me off.

I don't even remember the last score that I bought. I think it might have been all the way back in July.

NP: Adaptation - Carter Burwell

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Originally posted by rkeaveney:
I think Davis was snubbed because the MATRIX movies are now a huge joke in Hollwood.

Ryan

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Unfortunate verdict = almost adequate score for a reasonably adequate film, but a missed opportunity for an expansive statement out there in the wide "open range". Surprised to see the 'in memory of' for Mr. Kamen, who looked well in the music section of the DVD extras.

In summation, not surprised Open Range is not on Oscar's list. Will listen to the CD sometime to hear if the music stands alone better than it feels in the movie.

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Originally posted by Richard:
I'm happy to see John Williams not being nominated this year.

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I guess that's mostly because he didn't write any film scores this year.

That's also the reason I'm not really upset by Horner's nomination for The House of Sand and Fog. I have no desire to listen to that score on its own, and it would not have made my top 5 list for the year, but there's no denying it worked great in the context of the film.

Big Fish I was rooting for, ditto (of course) for Return of the King. And while I would normally cringe at seeing Zimmer make the list and rejoice at seeing him left off, this year he pulled out two scores I really like, Matchstick Men and The Last Samurai, and I would not have been disappointed to see other of them get a nod.

I haven't yet heard Cold Mountain, so I have nothing to say in that regard, and I suppose Finding Nemo was predictable. It did its job, but I don't know that it was one of the year's best.

The only other score I heard this year that really, really stood out for me was Jerry Goldsmith's Looney Tunes: Back in Action, without a doubt (at least in my mind) one of his best works in quite a few years. And in terms of scores I didn't particularly care for musically but did a great job in the context of the films, Lisa Gerrard's Whale Rider and Gustavo Santaolalla's 21 Grams come to mind.

Despite the Academy's decline, there were a few very big surprises in the nominations, some of them quite pleasant. The first noticeable shock was that Cold Mountain, which I think most people thought was a lock for a nomination, was left of the Best Picture list. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm delighted that its absense is probably what allowed Lost in Translation to creep its way on there. It's so unlike your typical "Oscar movie," I expected it only to be nominated for screenplay (where the voters dump all the "weird" movies) and director (not because they would actually recognize Sofia Coppola's talent, but because she's Hollywood royalty).

The next positive jolt came in the Best Actor category, where I was surprised to see Johnny Depp's name. I know everyone wanted him to get nominated, but it was such a weird performance in a movie that wasn't likely to be noticed for anything other than special effects that I didn't think they'd actually give him the nod. Of course, it's a travesty that it took him this long to get noticed by the Academy, but Depp doesn't strike me as the type of actor who cares. I am upset that Paul Giamatti wasn't nominated for American Splendor, though.

The two actress categories were noticeable for me at first because of the heartbreaking absense of Scarlett Johannson, but I expect that many voters were confused as to whether she qualified as a lead or a supporting role for Lost in Translation. But that disappointment was outweighed by the extreme shock and pleasure I underwent at reading that Samantha Morton (In America) and especially Keisha Castle-Hughes (The Whale Rider) had been nominated. I was also glad to see Naomi Watts on there for 21 Grams. How the Golden Globes passed her over is beyond me. Here's hoping one of these dark horses succeeds in snatching up the Oscar that Charlize Theron (who I thought was just awful in Monster) is all set to receive.

Also glad to see Ken Watanabe get his nod for The Last Samurai and very surprised (and pleased) to see Djimon Hounsou get noticed for In America.

But for me, the most surprising, most confusing, and most inexplicable absense was Big Fish from every category except music, especially "Best Adapted Screenplay." I would have thought it was a lock for a nomination there, but somehow it was overlooked. It is nice to see American Splendor here, however. After Ghost World, it's now the second screenplay adapted from a comic book to be recognized at the Oscars, and it's good to see an often unfairly maligned art form get some due exposure.

Such are my thoughts.

The Academy Awards do still mean a lot for many people, and the man who made me realize that was Howard Shore.

In early 2002 when Fellowship was sweeping the awards ceremonies, I was watching the AFI Awards (I think) when Howard Shore won for best score. He strolled up to the microphone and said in the flattest, most unenthusiastic and unconvincing monotone, "Thrilling, just thrilling." Some people in attendance actually laughed at it.

And then, a couple months later, he won the Oscar. The difference in his reaction was tremendous. He walked up on stage totally elated and ecstatic as he thanked anyone he could remember and talked about what an honor it was. His surprise and enthusiasm completely won me over, and I don't doubt his sincerity for a second.

So whether or not they matter to the public (and there are certainly plenty of actors, directors, etc. who don't care), they do matter to some of the people getting the awards, moreso than other awards recognition, and I suppose that counts for something, doesn't it?

Kirk

That being said the sad thing is the second best score of 2003 was written for a video game, Secret Weapons Over Normandy. Now probably the best score release for 2003 was Varese's Deluxe Edition of The Robe, but that's another story.

Master and Commander may have not been chosen because more than 2 composers were involved and part of the score consisted of classical pieces.

I'm looking at the list of scores for films this year and while you could probably say one of The Matrix Sequels deserved to be nominated or that Horner could have had anyone of his 3 scores chosen, nothing really stood out this year. Big Fish and Finding Nemo are both ok, I haven't heard the other nominee so I can't really give my opinion on that one. Maybe Kamen's Open Range could have been considered.

Goldsmith's Looney Tunes is a fun score but nothing we haven't heard before, Peter Pan is good but not spectacular, X-2 has that been there done /heard that feeling, I still don't see all the hype about Ottman. Brian Tyler is up and coming but I don't think he's established his true identity. What else are going to nominate? Cody Banks, Spy Kids 3, 2 Fast 2 Furious???

I don't know if I can truthfully say film music is on the decline. there are moments where I feel that way but then some composer manages to show a small glimpse and my hopes are raised.

As I recall, such was the case with Master & Commander, which I consider to be an excellent movie. While I didn't notice the music much at the time, it seems to have fit very nicely within the framework of the stealthy sea chase.

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Originally posted by Scorro:
I would add one more thought in regards to Open Range. Sometimes a director/composer choose for the score to be somewhat understated and allow the visuals/characters/plot/etc to stand more or less on their own.

As I recall, such was the case with Master & Commander, which I consider to be an excellent movie. While I didn't notice the music much at the time, it seems to have fit very nicely within the framework of the stealthy sea chase.

It would seem that the more obviously colorful and dynamic scores will tend to get oscar recognition, while the understated might not... despite their being right for film.

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This is EXACTLY the case on James Horner's score for "House of Sand & Fog." The score, while not terribly varied on CD fits perfectly in the film. Anything more "noticable" would have ruined the film. Sometimes it is true that less is more.

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Originally posted by ESB:
Another important thing is the film the score is attached to. Do you really think that all those Academy members are going home with a CD to scrutinize the scores of that year? I think they look more at what kind of film the score is attached to and if they love the film they "love" the score. Sad but true. This process guarantees that the best score of that year will almost never win.

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Originally posted by ESB:
[B]It's isn't a big secret that Academy nominations and awards revolve around lobbying and friend politics. It's not primarily about quality but about how do you sell yourself. And some composers have built a good network and are popular at the Academy and others aren't.[B]

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Well considering Elfman was public enemy number 1 for about a decade, perhaps things are changing. The Academy rules for the music category state that the Music branch of voters -- or composers and their peers -- select the nominees for the Best Score and Best Song category. It's then up to the entire Academy membership to select the two winners.

So yes, it's a combination of name, schmooze, notoriety and quality. But the so is any award -- even the Pulitzer!

I agree with Peter's choice of PETER PAN...I'd had hoped for SECONDHAND LIONS which has been a guilty favorite--it went the way of the film disappearing very quickly. It is a great listen.

But, what about SINBAD, the Gregson-Williams score. Talk about a film completely forgotten. And then Tyler's TIMELINE which had a fairly good representation on score.

This is the strangest nomination list in years. I still have not been able to come up with 10 films of the past year that were really good, let alone the scores.

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Originally posted by rkeaveney:
Well considering Elfman was public enemy number 1 for about a decade, perhaps things are changing.

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That's not the only indicator. The most telling event at these nominations is Cold Mountain's absense from the Best Picture category. Harvey Weinstein is well known as the most persistent (some might say "ruthless") campaigner, and this is the first time in 11 years Miramax hasn't had one of their films nominated in the top category.

Another interesting indicator is Keisha Castle-Hughes nomination for Best Actress. Not only was nobody really expecting it, but Newmarket had been vigorously campaigning to get her nominated in the Supporting category.

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Originally posted by sakman:
I still have not been able to come up with 10 films of the past year that were really good

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How many movies did you see? I've really been struggling to narrow a list down to just ten.

PETER K:Are you bitter because the state of movie music really has nothing better to offer this year?

KEN S: No. I'm bitter because the state of movie music has had NOTHING to offer in the last couple of years.

It's a pity that there is no awards for year's best theme park music. Those kinds of awards would get my undivided attention these days.

KEN

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Originally posted by rkeaveney:
Not necessarily worth an Oscar, despite their significant size!

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Ryan, I think you concentrate rather on body parts than on serious acting. That may be the reason that you have missed REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and WAKING THE DEAD a couple of years ago.

Also, movies such as OF LOVE AND SHADOWS (1994) and THE HOT SPOT (1990) both show strong evidence of Jennifer's exquisite acting talents - although my favorite still is (and will always be) THE ROCKETEER.