There's something else you are all missing which is why it's EXTREMELY appropriate -- and almost essential -- that the Captain America theme is used from his film. If you'll recall, the film is not just called Captain America. It is called Captain America: The First Avenger.
For those of you not familiar with the comics, Cap was not really the first Avenger -- in fact, he didn't join until issue number 4 after it became clear that the Hulk was never going to suffice as an ongoing member because of his inability to play well with others.
However, anyone who has read the comics knows that Cap is the heart and soul of the Avengers. His values are very much the values of the team and how it operates. He is the one others aspire to be like. And even in the film, although there is much conflict between him and the others in the early going, it is ultimately he who the others rally around in the final battle and who assumes the mantle of leadership once they finally become a team rather than a group thrown together and fighting a common enemy.
So if Silvestri chose to use the theme just because it was his own composition, he serendipitously achieved something artistically that enhanced the film thematically and strengthened what the Avengers is really about. "And there came a day when Earth's mightiest heroes united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born to fight the foes that no single hero could withstand."
This entire score very much tells that story in the team's origin story, yet one that was started in the Captain America film with the tesseract/Cosmic Cube.
"this is so incredibly low-key and unremarkable, just really very cyclopedic musical material with nothing like a distinctive outline or contour, even more viewers miss that one"
o·pin·ion/?'piny?n/ Noun:
A view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
I remember your similar reactions from the other Avengers soundtrack thread. There is no personal insult in anything I post here, don't feel offended please like your reactions suggest.
not everything you can say concerning music is subjective, and on the other hand in some way everything you say is an opinion.
I think generally YOUR opinion in this case is not as nearby than mine. And it is obvious that your opinions in general seem to lack backup more than mine.
One criterion for that could be a stastistic one: how many on posters on this board recognized that musical material, and how many claim there is a theme. I can't account for the former group, but I think there are like three guys for the latter one. That would be an argument derived from reception of the music.
Another criterion would be the in the compositional technique. There is a a degree of distinctness and ascertainability a certain musical motif, melody, theme, whatever can have or cannot have - and this degree can be impartially observed to some extent based on the pure musical material, with only some opinion in it. And this music for Loki, you and others call it theme, has a small degree of distinctness- to claim something else reveals more about the claimer than about the music, believe it or not (I am pretts sure you won't).
I know that it is not easy to understand that from someone you don't know and this maybe shows how this board has changed in the last years. This is something which keeps me more and more away from here and as I can see unfortunately also other posters like Gunnar or David Coscina who like to discuss and share musical observations without simply stating opinions based on nothing and absolutely no background in music, and there is not as much appreciation for people here you have knowledge and post musical astute observations as has been before.
I enjoyed the score in the movie, it really propelled the action scenes forward and left me with several goosebump moments (avengers montage at the end). The main theme is clearly there, definable and entirely fitting. As mentioned before, it really drives some of the action scenes forward but not in the zimmer-way of one thick layer of sound but a much more dynamic way. It was really refreshing to diggest something like that in a big summer blockbuster again. The other melodic development is more restricted to motivs instead of full themes. Not necessarily a bad thing, but i can see why some have problems with this. Not every character motiv, such as the loki stuff or black widow stuff, is like your typical big john williams concert arrangement. Nevertheless, it plays a part in developing these characters musically. The CD gives me lots of joy recently.
Here is my own suite that summarizes the most important thematic moments for me:
I finally saw this last night with my girlfriend and certainly enjoyed it. I had seen and liked THOR and CAPTAIN AMERICA, though as far as movies from the Marvel Comics universe I still connect more with the X-MEN series. The cast and their chemistry was great and there were some really neat action sequences. I found the giant weird outer space creatures a bit of an odd fit for the film and good grief, did the FX team seemto relish destroying New York in their best Godzilla fashion, but whatever. The score by Silvestri improved as the movie progressed and what I could hear under the sound FX I liked, especially when his Captain America theme would show up. The Avengers theme itself is memorable and the film ended with a pretty rousing statement before its first post-credits scene (and who the heck was that guy in that scene?).
"Thanos is a mutant member of the race of superhumans known as the Titanian Eternals. The character possesses abilities common to the Eternals, but amplified to a higher degree through a combination of his mutant Eternal heritage, bionic amplification, mysticism, and the entity Death. Demonstrating enormous superhuman strength, stamina, and durability, Thanos can absorb and project vast quantities of cosmic energy and is capable of telekinesis, telepathy and matter manipulation. Thanos is an accomplished hand-to-hand combatant, having been trained in the art of war on Titan. "Thanos is a genius in virtually all known fields of advanced science and has created technology far exceeding contemporary Earth science. He often employs a transportation chair capable of space flight, force field projection, teleportation, time travel and movement through alternate universes. Thanos is also a master strategist and uses a space vessel called Sanctuary II as a base of operations."
He's basically like a god, just more so than Thor and Loki. The Avengers will have quite a fight on their hands.
resequencing by Bruce Marshall (track numbers refer to the Intrada soundtrack release)
06. AVENGERS Assemble! 2:09 01. The Tesseract Cube Awakens 2:59 04. The Black Widow Strikes 2:38 05. Stark Goes Green 4:46 10. Assault on the Helicarrier 4:25
19. Theme from Marvel Comics "The Avengers" 2:03 11. Aftermath 2:41 17. One Way Trip 5:50 18. A Promise 3:34
bonus track: The First Avenger (end titles from CAPTAIN AMERICA) 2:30
total playing time: 34:00
this score needed alot of pruning and I was merciless I think the result will please fans of the film and score bruce
resequencing by Bruce Marshall (track numbers refer to the Intrada soundtrack release)
06. AVENGERS Assemble! 2:09 01. Arrival 2:59 04. The Black Widow Strikes 2:38 05. Stark Goes Green 4:46 10. Assault 4:25
19. Theme from Marvel Comics "The Avengers" 2:03 11. They Called It 2:41 17. One Way Trip 5:50 18. A Promise 3:34
bonus track: The First Avenger (end titles from CAPTAIN AMERICA) 2:30
total playing time: 34:00
this score needed alot of pruning and I was merciless I think the result will please fans of the film and score bruce
I appreciate the effort, but how could any playlist not conclude the cue, "I Got a Ride"? It's the only cue that uses the "Avengers" theme as an action theme, and is easily the best track on the album!
resequencing by Bruce Marshall (track numbers refer to the Intrada soundtrack release)
06. AVENGERS Assemble! 2:09 01. Arrival 2:59 04. The Black Widow Strikes 2:38 05. Stark Goes Green 4:46 10. Assault 4:25
19. Theme from Marvel Comics "The Avengers" 2:03 11. They Called It 2:41 17. One Way Trip 5:50 18. A Promise 3:34
bonus track: The First Avenger (end titles from CAPTAIN AMERICA) 2:30
total playing time: 34:00
this score needed alot of pruning and I was merciless I think the result will please fans of the film and score bruce
I appreciate the effort, but how could any playlist not conclude the cue, "I Got a Ride"? It's the only cue that uses the "Avengers" theme as an action theme, and is easily the best track on the album!
I listened to it again and do not think it is an outstanding track. As far as the "Avengers" theme goes, it is well represented on track #19 brm
Of course one of the best pieces from the movie isn't even on the soundtrack at all -- the faux-ethnic music in the scene at that poverish country.
There is a whole string of excellent cues (and memorable secondary motifs) missing from the intrada album which made me appreciate the score a lot more than I did after hearing the album. A lot of it has that electronic meets orchestra sound that Silvestri does so flawless these days, I can't get enough of it! It has become one of my favorites of this year.
resequencing by Bruce Marshall (track numbers refer to the Intrada soundtrack release)
06. AVENGERS Assemble! 2:09 01. The Tesseract Cube Awakens 2:59 04. The Black Widow Strikes 2:38 05. Stark Goes Green 4:46 10. Assault on the Helicarrier 4:25
19. Theme from Marvel Comics "The Avengers" 2:03 11. Aftermath 2:41 17. One Way Trip 5:50 18. A Promise 3:34
bonus track: The First Avenger (end titles from CAPTAIN AMERICA) 2:30
I did not love this score at first (another case of wrong expectations?). But finally I´m beginning to appreciate it. Definitely one of the better scores of the last years.
