MovieMusic.com Message Boards: What's New in the Collection for June?

Message Boards

Movie Soundtracks

What's New in the Collection for June?

Archive of old forum. No more postings.

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

Author	Topic: What's New in the Collection for June?

craig Standard Userer	I got pretty lucky in the last week and a half... At an HPB, I found... October Sky (Isham) $5 The Indian Runner (Nitzsche) $3 The Haunting (Goldsmith) $5 Grand Canyon (J.N. Howard) $5 The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys (Beltrami) $5 The Triangle (Loduca) $5 At a WalMart for $13 a piece Poseidon (Badelt) Firewall (Desplat) And at a 2nd hand place, I got Antz (Gregson-Williams/Powell) $6 Ed Wood (Shore) $6 Ray (Armstrong) $8 and picked up Craig Armstrong's "Piano Works"
posted 06-09-2006 08:39 PM PT (US)

nuts_score Standard Userer	I picked up Beltrami's The Omen and Nick Cave's and Warren Ellis' (of the Aussie band the Bad Seeds) collaborative score for the Cave-scripted Western, The Propostion. Both are very good pieces of individaul talents in film composing (I just wish that Cave would use his talents outside of numerous appearances of "Red Right Hand" in Hollywood flicks).
posted 06-09-2006 09:35 PM PT (US)

Graham Watt Standard Userer	In my truly fascinating contribution to this thread, I'd like to turn convention on its head and, instead of telling you what I think of the things I got today, I'd like YOU to tell ME. Because I haven't heard them yet, nor have any idea what they're like. But first, to create suspense, I'll set the scene (zzzz, you've already scrolled down to the titles) - Instead of going to the fruiterer's to see what might be hiding under the limp lettuce, I went to one of the town's somewhat infrequent "record fairs". And I picked up four CDs at 6 Euros each. Now, it must be said that immediately after I bought these things I felt terribly depressed and guilty. I mean, they had some great jazz stuff which I just KNEW would be good, but I passed all that up in favour of some "soundtracks" which I just KNEW might be not very good. Such is the soundtrack collector's inexplicable disease. And, furthermore, I was torturing myself mentally after having forked out 6 times 4 equals 24 Euros for rubbish, when I could have sent away for one truly very good CD from one of the on-line stores, postage included. So, YOU tell ME first. Did I waste my money? FRANKENSTEIN plus BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN - The latter is Waxman of course, but the former has track titles which allude to scenes which were unscored in the original. From "The Soundtrack Factory" this bodes none too well. Why do I get the gnawing sensation that it might be taped direct from the TV? I could be wrong, but I'd like YOU to tell ME first. SNAKE EYES (Ryuichi Sakamoto) - Hmmm, is this the one with the Herrmannesque score? Might be OK... LES RIVIERES POURPRES 2 - LES ANGES DE L'APOCALYPSE (Colin Towns) - Now, my French is none to strong, but I think this might be the classic we all know and love as PORPOISES IN THE RIVER OF HELL'S ANGELS. My first Colin Towns. I've heard good things about his FULL CIRCLE. YOU tell ME (you get the picture). THE ISLAND OF DR MOREAU (Gary Chang) - I saw the dreadful film when it came out, but can't remember the music at all. A bad sign. But one never knows. Gary Chang's name on a credit has, up till now, failed to get me all excited, but this might be the one. Or not. YOU tell ME! See what I'm getting at? After I hear them, I'll post MY thoughts. But I'd like you all to tell me (that's enough time, go to bed please)
posted 06-10-2006 04:19 PM PT (US)

franz_conrad Standard Userer	SNAKE EYES has some great Herrmannesque cues. Here's a review of it, although a rather short one: http://www.musicweb-international.com/film/1998/dec98/snake.html
posted 06-10-2006 04:29 PM PT (US)

Alexborn007 Standard Userer	I like Graham's idea Picked up United 93 (Powell), The Omen 2006(Beltrami), Firewall(Deplat), K2 (Zimmer), and The Promise (Badelt). Haven't heard Promise as of yet (still in mail)...
posted 06-10-2006 05:06 PM PT (US)

nuts_score Standard Userer	Okay, I'll respond to a bit of Alexborn's post in the manner that Graham brought up: Desplat's Firewall is an average effort from the composer. Every second you think it might reach a level that he achieved in either Hostage or Birth, it fails. True, there are some thrilling action cues here and there, but it's nothing too mind-blowing and original. Beltrami's The Omen (which I mentioned having just purchased earlier) is a fantastic work. I'm going out on the line here and saying that just after two or three listenings, it's his best horror score to date. I may be an extremely biased Beltrami fan, but his Omen score demands to be heard by any fan of the original (and any fan of horror film music). Being a protege of Maestro Goldsmith, you can sense these moments where Marco displayed the ultimate restraint and composed these cues in his own style, but had all the intention to just do it "the Goldsmith-way"; this is another reason why the final cue, "The Omen 76/06", is such a wonderful addition. It includes Goldsmith's best motifs from the original (off the top of my head, including "Ave Satani" and "Killer Storm") but you can sense in Beltrami's arrangement his devotion and respect to his former mentor's work. I'm glad that he kept his original stuff original and let Goldie's score stand on it's own.
posted 06-10-2006 06:23 PM PT (US)

Al Standard Userer	I really dig Beltrami's Omen score. I agree with everything Sir Nuts said, though I don't think I'd venture out onto the same limb over it being his best horror score to date. I think it's probably his best horror album to date, since the length allows his repeating motifs to build and satisfy more, but it's hard for me to say that this score is better than, say, Mimic, which had strong varied melodies but not enough play time on CD--for me at least. It's tough to compare, though, as the Beltrami heard in Mimic seemed to be out to impress (which he does) while Beltrami in The Omen is more economical with his themes and more mature in his composition, so that one's satisfying in its own way. But there's no need straining my brain cells about it, as The Omen is just a great listen: skillfully written, performed and recorded.
posted 06-10-2006 07:18 PM PT (US)

PeterK FishChip	After all these years, the only thing I remember from the Island of Dr Moreau album is one of the songs included that, ironically, wasn't even used in the film. It sampled a track from Goldsmith's Planet of the Apes... and failed to mention either composer or film at all. Nuts. Maybe this didn't help, Graham. Sorry bout dat.
posted 06-10-2006 09:24 PM PT (US)

PeterK FishChip	And to the topic at hand, I recently listened to this "Joe 90" television soundtrack CD that is coming soon from Silva. It's a fun listen and without much consideration one of the stronger Barry Gray albums in his growing list of scores-finally-arriving-on-CD. It's cool, but not like Hans Zimmer cool... so to the kids: stay away!
posted 06-10-2006 09:27 PM PT (US)

franz_conrad Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by nuts_score: *Desplat's Firewall* is an average effort from the composer. Every second you think it might reach a level that he achieved in either Hostage or Birth, it fails.** Well, it's no BIRTH, but I'd argue it's a better score for that film than even Jerry Goldsmith would have written. Desplat suppresses some of his flair for orchestration here, but it's a strong work all the same. And the recording is to die for. MI3 and X-MEN3 would probably be much better scores with that kind of clarity.
posted 06-11-2006 01:05 AM PT (US)

Alexborn007 Standard Userer	I have to say that it was indeed some of the orchestration styles that really added a lot to Firewall for me; it had a few moments I wasn't expecting which is a rare thing these days! What amazed me was that the two lengthiest tracks on the CD are probably the best and didn't get boring at all. Some of the recording sounded a little too "bright" for the movie IMO, though. And on another topic, I really enjoyed Beltrami's Omen score as well. The album is very well put together, and Beltrami shows the ultimate respect to Goldsmith by writing something that is distinctly his own, save for a few references. There's a good interview that just came out with him where he talks about some of the odd instrumentation he used. IIRC, he took the sound that a piano makes when you let go of the sustain pedal, and manipulated that throughout the score. [Message edited by Alexborn007 on 06-11-2006]
posted 06-11-2006 12:09 PM PT (US)

nuts_score Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by franz_conrad: Well, it's no BIRTH, but I'd argue it's a better score for that film than even Jerry Goldsmith would have written. Desplat suppresses some of his flair for orchestration here, but it's a strong work all the same. And the recording is to die for. MI3 and X-MEN3 would probably be much better scores with that kind of clarity. I see what you're saying Franz, but I thought your analysis of Firewall sits much better with Hostage - which, itself, has been examined to great detail on these boards before; and it always comes up in future references! You are right on the money with the mention of the mix, it's really clear on the Varese album; and very impressed with this new contract they have and I have been eagerly awaiting all of their new releases (although the X-Men 3 playings have become substantially nilch after too many listenings of those last few action cues; the anvil percussion is absolutely dreadful when taken in majority).
posted 06-11-2006 02:33 PM PT (US)

BMikeJ Standard Userer	I enjoyed Desplat's work on Firewall. My initial reaction to the CD after listening to the first track on the album was... isn't this a bit much to open up the album with? Then I saw the movie... The first cue on the album doesn't show up until at least halfway into the movie. The film actually opens up on a much quieter note, with an edited version of Massive Attack's Angel as the main title music, playing while Ford's character is being watched. I bet if the album was in film order, it might be a better listen.
posted 06-11-2006 05:52 PM PT (US)

BackToTheFutureFan Non-Standard Userer	Finally got around to purchasing LOTR: The Return of the King. Most of the reviews I had read for it were true. This release skimps out on all of the good action cues. It is the worst of the three but still a good album. The Two Towers still sits at the top. Morricone's For A Few Dollars More was a fantastic listen. Not as good as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly but still very thematic. The main theme is classic western.
posted 06-11-2006 06:10 PM PT (US)

franz_conrad Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by BackToTheFutureFan: Morricone's For A Few Dollars More was a fantastic listen. Not as good as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly but still very thematic. The main theme is classic western. I got the expanded release of this one recently too... very strong score. And two reviews of FIREWALL, including one by: http://www.musicweb.uk.net/film/2006/jun06/firewall.html
posted 06-11-2006 08:59 PM PT (US)

Alexborn007 Standard Userer	Recently picked up: OST: Poseidon Non Film-Music: Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 Bruckner Symphony No. 8 (1887 Version) Copland Symphony No. 3 (coupled with his symphony for organ and orchestra) I have to say, I enjoyed Poseidon a lot.
posted 06-11-2006 11:49 PM PT (US)

Graham Watt Standard Userer	Well, I got round to hearing The Sound Track Factory release of FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and, sure enough, it's pretty dreadful. If I'd remembered a discussion some of you had here centuries ago, I wouldn't have bothered. Yet warning lights did flash in my head when I saw it, but I wasn't sure why. Now I know. I'm going to resurrect that old thread now.
posted 06-12-2006 05:40 AM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by Alexborn007: Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 I recently picked up the Barshai set of complete Shostakovich symphonies (I still have to comment more on that in that thread). I only knew a few of the symphonies before; so far, 11 is my clear favourite. quote: Bruckner Symphony No. 8 (1887 Version) Which recording?
posted 06-12-2006 11:31 AM PT (US)

Alexborn007 Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by Marian Schedenig: Which recording? It's the Dennis russell Davies recording (Arte Nova Classics label). I liked what I heard, so I'll probably seek out the revised 1890 version at some point.
posted 06-12-2006 11:40 AM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Standard Userer	I don't want to spoil it for you, but what I've heard of DRD's Bruckner so far was pretty bad (and I was very disappointed when they chose him as the Bruckner Orchester Linz's new chief conductor). Anyway, if he's recording the original versions (?), he's to be commended at least for that. Although I've always found the original 8th a bit strange, whereas the original 3rd is far better than the revision, and one of Bruckner's best works. (The excellent Tintner set on Naxos has both, btw, and several other rare versions of the remaining symphonies... and his 3rd is the best I know). As for the revised 8th, I still have to find my ideal or at least favourite version. I have to hear Wand's Berlin recording. His old NDR version was very good, but a bit too fast. Karajan's Vienna recording has some wonderful moments but also its share of flaws. Celibidache is, for once, really too slow.
posted 06-12-2006 12:02 PM PT (US)

Alexborn007 Standard Userer	quote: Originally posted by Marian Schedenig: I don't want to spoil it for you, but what I've heard of DRD's Bruckner so far was pretty bad (and I was very disappointed when they chose him as the Bruckner Orchester Linz's new chief conductor). Anyway, if he's recording the original versions (?), he's to be commended at least for that. Although I've always found the original 8th a bit strange, whereas the original 3rd is far better than the revision, and one of Bruckner's best works. (The excellent Tintner set on Naxos has both, btw, and several other rare versions of the remaining symphonies... and his 3rd is the best I know). Yes, I wasn't too blown away with this version of the 8th, though some of the reading I've done hints that many of the qualms I had are rectified in the 1890 version. Carlo Maria Giulini's version of the 8th is one that many claim to be the definitive version, but is unfortunately OOP and somewhat expensive to acquire. Karajan's seems to be the best alternative...
posted 06-12-2006 06:58 PM PT (US)

Old Infopop Software by UBB