1. Elliot Goldenthal, PUBLIC ENEMIES - Without a doubt, a new Elliot Goldenthal score for a Michael Mann film is the most exciting assignment since David Shire was brought out for ZODIAC. These guys made HEAT...

2. Alexandre Desplat, THE CURIOUS STORY OF BENJAMIN BRITTEN (yes, I know that's not the title, but it's what I think every time I read about this film) - And this would the other most exciting assignment. (LARGO WINCH and AFTERWARDS also look interesting.)

3. Christopher Gordon, DAYBREAKERS - regrettably it will be mid-to-late 2009 before we're hearing his work for MAO'S LAST DANCER, but I already know how good DAYBREAKERS is. A horror/dramatic score with some superb highpoints and chilling atmosphere.

4. Alberto Iglesias, THE GUERILLA and THE ARGENTINE - I hope the film isn't another 'Che was all good' valentine, but even if it is, I'm sure this composer will find a way into it. Will be interesting to see whether he leans more to his dark-hued chamber orchestral style or his ethnic instrumental fusion style.

5. Thomas Newman, WALL-E. Self-explanatory.

6. Thomas Newman, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. Hmm...Tom... that lovely bitonal melodic writing you worked over in THE GOOD GERMAN... is there any way you could kind of work it in here too?

7. David Hirschfelder, AUSTRALIA. A week ago Craig Armstrong seemed to be scoring this, and you wouldn't get me near with cash incentives, but Hirschfelder wrote the GOOD score for the ELIZABETH franchise... maybe he'll survive the director's preference for dramatic hyperbole? I would also like to hear his music for CHILDREN OF THE SILK ROAD, which gets a release soon in Australia.

8. Gabriel Yared, SHANGHAI. Horrible director behind this film, but I have faith that Yared will do something great for it.

9. Terence Blanchard, MIRACLE OF ST ANNA. 'Bout time this composer got a chance to attack broader genres than urban racial dramas. Naturally this one is still a race-themed drama, but it's a World War II story as well, so there should be new ground to break here.

10. Mychael Danna has many interesting things round the corner with THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR PARNASSUS (w/ Jeff), THE TIME TRAVELLER'S WIFE and PASSCHENDALE.

11. Two others: after JOSHUA, Nico Muhly has the drama THE READER coming up, and while the story might not offer the same opportunities as ATONEMENT, it's hard not to expect something good from Dario Marianelli's music for THE SOLOIST.

- Star Wars - The Clone Wars (Kiner)
- Madagascar - Escape 2 Africa (Zimmer)
- The Dark Knight (Zimmer - Newton Howard)
- Kung Fu Panda (Zimmer - Powell)
- Defiance (Newton Howard)
- May Payne (Beltrami)
- Quantum of Solace (Arnold)
- Australia (Hirschfelder)
- Incredible Hulk (Armstrong)

I've never understood all the attention Goldenthal gets; I haven't been able to really get into his works and I thought SWAT was a mediocre score. Maybe I'll give Public Enemies a shot to see if it can renew my interest.

And it took a while, but Desplat is actually starting to grow on me. For a while I found his score to Firewall a complete bore, but after listening to "Escape from the Bank" a few times (sounds a bit Arnoldish actually), I'm starting to like it.

Totally agree on Terence Blanchard. Will be interesting to see a different type score from him -- especially a WWII based one of all things.

quote:

---

Originally posted by nuts_score:
SWAT was anything BUT a mediocre score. Sure, it's a disappointment if you think of all the other Goldenthal scores we've been missing since then (what, 2003?) but it's one hell of an action score and a nice companion to Heat.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kris:
What about the following scores?

- Star Wars - The Clone Wars (Kiner)
- Madagascar - Escape 2 Africa (Zimmer)
- The Dark Knight (Zimmer - Newton Howard)
- Kung Fu Panda (Zimmer - Powell)
- Defiance (Newton Howard)
- May Payne (Beltrami)
- Quantum of Solace (Arnold)
- Australia (Hirschfelder)
- Incredible Hulk (Armstrong)

Just to name a few.

---

I listed AUSTRALIA.

HULK is Craig Armstrong, so I'm curious but not anticipating that much. QUANTUM will be solid, but probably won't rock my world - there may some more kickass setpieces and a new love theme, and one can only look forward to that so much. I don't know anything about MAX PAYNE. Kiner will have to improve on his ok-but-boring MADISON score to impress with Williams re-hash. MADAGASCAR 2 and KUNG FU PANDA could be very good, but being CGI comedies, those tend not to be the scores I like. I will probably like DARK KNIGHT after seeing the film, but at least half of that composing team doesn't tend to write music that inspires me. I don't know DEFIANCE, but Newton-Howard without Shyamalan these days tends to make me nervous.

So I know most of those are coming. But they're just not composers or projects that are going to lead to interesting music and film music. I'll be happily proven wrong, but until then I won't be looking forward to them.

quote:

---

Originally posted by nuts_score:
I seem to be the only one asking this around here and FSM, but who's "Newton-Howard" and/or "Newton Howard". Are they the same person?

---