As for the compiling job done on Zimmer's scores, I think they're done pretty nicely and the mixes tend to be superior to the film mixes. However, there is the issue of what material to include and exclude from the release. Tears Of the Sun. Black Hawk Down, and Batman Begins suffer pretty harshly because of the poor choices made on what music makes the release and what doesn't: That's more of an issue of "diversifying" the release; for example, many of the pieces on the BHD CD could have been dropped altogether, in favour of including more action music and the emotional variations on the "Leave No Man Behind" theme, which would have been great! Instead, we're given 2 action pieces ("Chant" and "Tribal War"... and a 3rd could be made from "Syncrotone") and 2 variants on the main theme (the end of "Syncrotone" and "Leave No Man Behind"); it's poor judgment on the part of the album compiler.

Backdraft is just a poor recording in general. It makes me wonder what would happen if League of Their Own was released because the recording for that is pretty similar... As for Black Hawk Down, I remember watching a feature on the DVD and Blu-Ray where Zimmer talks about how the music for the movie wasn't finished when they put the CD together. So basically, what's on the CD is the early versions of some of the tracks. But I don't think that CD is quite as poorly done as Tears of the Sun. Not only does that CD not flow at all, but multiple tracks are just themeless droning. Normally I wouldn't have a problem with that, however in the movie there's so much good music that it's hard to imagine them thinking that the droning is better than whatelse is in the film. As for Batman Begins, I don't mind that CD that much. But it seemed slightly rushed and unorganized and the action is to little with to much inbetween. Also there's way too much Ducard music. We really only needed to hear that theme once or twice on the CD and I think it actually repeats more than it repeats in the film. But I do love the way the CD ended. There's something about a CD ending the way it began that I like... Plus the big emotional music (which wasn't in the movie) was pretty good. Personally I can't wait to hear what they do with The Dark Knight...

What would you have included on Pirates 3? I think that this represents the majority of what was in the film without repeating to much of the music from the first 2 films.

if you like his music, of course

Yeah, same with Crimson Tide & The Peacemaker (5 tracks @ around 60 minutes). While we're talking about The Peacemaker, for some reason, I absolutely love the last 2 minutes on the CD (which wasn't even in the film). Anyone with me on that? No? Everyone sick of the dramatic vocal thing?

[Message edited by mathew on 12-08-2007]

And for the record, Zimmer's concert piece arranging is usually a hit. DaVinci and PotC: AWE being recent stellar examples.

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