There are more sound clips here. Sounds like a good score, reminds me quite a bit of Bruce Broughton actually.

And thanks guys for the information on the ballroom music. Too bad it's not on the album, I LOVE it when composers write authentic ballroom dances/waltzes for dance scenes.

Dylan

quote:

---

Originally posted by justin boggan:
After having heard the first 0:30 clip, I must say I want, no, need this one. To bad I don't have the cash.
Was a bit heavy on the electronics, but other than that...

---

FYI, Soundtrack.net is giving away five copies in a contest. But the odds of winning are probably tiny

quote:

---

Originally posted by ESB:
FYI, Soundtrack.net is giving away five copies in a contest. But the odds of winning are probably tiny

---

OUCH!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Widescreen:
Okay- PeterK- what's this about a score release for the animated Van Helsing DVD. Any news on who is scoring it? Silvestri?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by ESB:
FYI, Soundtrack.net is giving away five copies in a contest. But the odds of winning are probably tiny

---

--Brian

quote:

---

Originally posted by JeffBond:
I wonder if, as in the case of the Matrix sequels, the Van Helsing cartoon will be better than the movie. If you check out Ain't It Cool News you'll see this movie is getting some of the most virulent screening audience reaction I've heard about in years. Which is amazing considering what a subtle artistic genius Stephen Sommers is.

---

I don't take the Ain't It Cool site that serious. The people who post there are some of the dumbest people I've ever seen. Their vocabulary is limited to cursing like f*ck and sh*t. They like to bash everything. Probably nothing more than a bunch of brainless ten year olds. I would be shocked if they are a good representation of the average American citizen.

And BTW, I don't think Jeron was that serious about his Soundtrack.net remark, weren't you Jeron?

quote:

---

Originally posted by ESB:
And BTW, I don't think Jeron was that serious about his Soundtrack.net remark, weren't you Jeron?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by JeffBond:
I don't take the people at AICN seriously either; however, I also don't take Stephen Sommers seriously, and in this case I suspect he's made a movie so bad that even complete morons can tell it's terrible.

---

Yeah well I spoke to people who went to a screening and they had a great time. There are always the kind of people who will bash it before they've even seen it. There are also a lot of Sommers-haters out there. People just don't get it that these kind of films are only to entertain people, nothing more.

quote:

---

Originally posted by ESB:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=1 face=arial>quote:</font><HR size=1>Originally posted by JeffBond:
[b]I don't take the people at AICN seriously either; however, I also don't take Stephen Sommers seriously, and in this case I suspect he's made a movie so bad that even complete morons can tell it's terrible.<HR size=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah well I spoke to people who went to a screening and they had a great time. There are always the kind of people who will bash it before they've even seen it. There are also a lot of Sommers-haters out there. People just don't get it that these kind of films are only to entertain people, nothing more.

[Message edited by ESB on 04-29-2004][/B]

---

I think I understand what Steven Sommers is all about. Completely reactionary, brainless entertainment. I can appreciate that. I actually think Idependence day is a good, fun, stupid movie and I enjoyed it as just that. But at a certain point Steven Sommers' movies are so simple-minded and empty that they aren't that much fun anymore. The first Mummy was reasonably entertaining but the dialogue and stupid characters made it a barely a half meter above absolute trash. The second one was no better.

Sommers makes his movies dumb to the point of near insult for anyone who isn't willing to give themselves over 100%. Given the tone and formula of all his movies from Deep Rising onward I'm almost expecting Van Helsing to be as bad as I've heard. The clips I've seen seem to bear this out as well.

quote:

---

Originally posted by JeffBond:
When you have six horses leap over a 300-foot chasm, I'm sorry, but at what point are you actually supposed to WORRY about what happens to a character in a movie that allows that event as a piece of action? That's an action scene for a cartoon, not a live action movie. Apparently there is no gravity or laws of momentum in the Stephen Sommers universe. Why don't the characters just fall to the bottom of the chasm and get up and shake the impact off like in Bugs Bunny? I know all about "checking your brain at the door" but I'm tired of that excuse. For one thing it's a chore to remove my brain, and if I have to do all the work of removing my brain, why can't a highly-paid filmmaker do the work of writing a script smart enough so I don't HAVE to remove my brain? Secondly, checking your brain at the door used to mean you were going to watch Jaws or Raiders of the Lost Ark. Those were the dumb movies of a few decades ago. Now the standards for dumbness have gone through the floor. Maybe I wouldn't care so much if Sommers didn't have to make his living by robbing the graves of better, older movies.

---

I'm not going to argue your point, Jeff, as I do agree with you that these big budget films are getting more ridiculous as the years go on... but I'm just wondering if you have seen the film. Maybe the horses are magic Transylvanian horses and CAN jump 300 feet over a chasm. Now, if you have seen the film and they aren't magic horses then I totally agree with you... the jumping horses look comical... a lot like the leaping bus in Speed.

quote:

---

Originally posted by JeffBond:
...every time Van Helsing swings on a rope he apparently swings for 100 feet or so, so I guess Van Helsing is an enchanted supernatural character along with most of the other people in the movie).

---

Actually, if you saw the movie, you'd know that he is.

You reach a point while watching VAN HELSING where you are totally disconnected from the characters. Your investment is gone. Our heroes come within an inch of their lives 100 times, and by the tenth time, who really cares?

Talk about suspension of disbelief, more like suspension of pain!

Remember the INDIANA JONES movies? Sure, we never really thought Indy was gonna give up the ghost, but he sure did look like he was really hurting when he took a beating. And goddamit if THOSE weren't "popcorn movies" (the biggest bullshit term of the last 20 years).

I enjoyed the first 20-30 minutes (especially liked the black and white intro bit), but by the end I just wanted it to end, for crying out loud. It really was just like watching a Playstation game, albeit a very good looking one.

The movie did not surprise me...I got what I expected. A healthy diversion...not much else.

The score is excellent...though it did feel a tad repetitive in the movie.

Okay, this is David from SoundtrackNet (Need to at least cover that since I think I last posted over 2 years ago)...

This is in response to the "contest" stuff that we run, and a way to let you know how things are supposed to run.

My intention for even having "contests" on the site were to make sure they were fair and offered equal chance for winners. Barring a catastrophic breakdown of the database, entries for the given time period would be collected, and then a name (or how many prizes award required) is selected. We then DELETE the entries in the database to comply with the privacy rules I specified (I work full tiem in the IT Security arena, so they are tried and true policies). If, as the contest is structured, the record or other promotions agent is the person sponsoring the contest, the names are sent to them, we keep a record (actually, Dan has the records, but I'm now requesting them so that if any "dispute" arises, there is a way to verify compliance with the rules). If we were mailed any of the prizes to give away (as was the case a few times in the past, but very infrequently), Dan would make sure the contest winners received their prizes. I can at least confirm one, since when I lived in Los Angeles, we went to the post office to mail the stuff off personally, but mind you this was 4 years ago.

So, occassionally, extra review copies are mailed, and if that is the case, some are given to reviewers, potential reviewers, and in some cases, yes, friends. I have a stack of some items I've been mailed 2-3 times over. Usually becuase of a big promotions push that involves a number of different companies, but becuase, outside of funding the site, I haven't done much reviewing, so that well has dried up.

Anyhow, I never won really anything from contests on the web, except in the early days where I won a Toys 'r Us mousepad from the opening of the Toysrus.com site and a Toy Story CD-ROM from having played a quiz contest on their site when it was released... but in short, I believe, even when I get slighted myself, in equal chances.

If there are any proprieties, or charges of so, I will research them (if they relate to anythign I'm involved in) and sort it out. I have a high standard in ethics, so I like to keep things reputable.

So with the comments above... you should still enter into the contests... they are fair... and if outside auditing is required, then it it will be done. Simple as that...

If you have any questions regarding this, pop them to this board, or e-mail me directly at : dak@soundtrack.net

I appreciate your comments, and thanks for reading this far.

David

quote:

---

Originally posted by webjedi:
I appreciate your comments, and thanks for reading this far.

David

---