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I saw the movie on cable while on vacation up at Lake Tahoe about 6 years ago, I enjoyed it but it wasn't this sort of "epic" thing I'd heard about. Frankly, I remember nothing of the score, which tells me something.
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Loved the movie immensely, but it was the kind of score in which nearly every note is predictable, as I've found with many Kamen scores (e.g. What Dreams May Come). Very stereotypical and unmemorable, and a tad too gushy. Luckily, even a rotten score couldn't have harmed the movie.
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Posted: |
Oct 6, 2009 - 12:04 AM
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By: |
barryfan1
(Member)
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Why start a thread about a score you just want to dump on? (ducks and runs for cover, or if you're a Star Trek fan, shields up! LOL).
I have never been much of a Kamen fan. I never cared much for his sole Bond score, and I found Prince of Thieves to be un-engaging. However, The Dead Zone is a fine score, his music for the first X-Men movie was very strong, if restrained, and I have always felt that in many ways he saved the best till last with Open Range.
I found this score to echo Barry's Dances With Wolves only in that it was much leaner in terms of orchestration than his usual style. The main theme, melodically, is nothing like The John Dunbar theme and for me at least captures the wide open spaces, and the isolation of the main characters existence. For a recent score it is built around at least two main themes, a rarity in these days of ambient musical wallpaper (like the completely un-memorable Watchmen score), and doesn't imitate either Bernstein or Morricone, or anyone else in terms of style, instead fashioning its own musical identity.
There is even a very beautiful song (a vocal version of the love theme), which instead of being tacked on for commercial reasons over the end credits, actually resolves the narrative of Costner's hugely under-rated film. The CD is a good, full representation of the score, particularly for a regular CD label, and is very rewarding upon repeat listens.
barryfan1
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Posted: |
Oct 6, 2009 - 1:32 AM
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By: |
Francis
(Member)
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It was my perfect theatre experience. I hate previews and adds they show before the movie. I arrived what I thought was "late" at the movie theatre, rushed to the hall and found the perfect seat empty, right in the middle of the packed theatre with lots of leg room  . When I sat down, the movie started!
As you can tell from me remembering the way to the movie, I equally remember it as one of the best movies I've seen. Yes it gets a bit melodramatic at times, but the pacing, the acting and yes the score is top notch.
Kamen supposedly did not have much time on this (he was brought in to replace an existing score?) but the music he wrote I hardly find "predictable". It is full of spirit, despair, warmth and that whole Americana feeling I thought to have been gone forever on the white screen. The action/suspense cues are not that impressive, but the first half of the score in particular is stunning. I listen to it a lot when I go walking.
Easily my favorite Kamen, followed by Dead Zone (which it even borrows a little from), Brazil and Die Hard.
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Posted: |
Oct 19, 2013 - 3:50 PM
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By: |
franzfan
(Member)
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Indeed...he was born in Dublin on this day, 19th October, in 1940. HOWEVER, he moved to England at the tender age of five, where, according to Wikipedia, his father 'had him made a British citizen, a decision that would later allow Gambon to receive a substantive rather than honorary, knighthood and CBE.' So, whereas he might have been Irish when he made his first appearance on the stage of life, he would now appear to be truly British!
And in my opinion, based on the accent that is variously deployed in the film he is truly an 'oirishman' despite the fact that he was born in Dublin...
But a great actor nonetheless.
As Michael Gambon is an oirishman, wasn't that his natural accent? Anyway, an outstanding film. I remember at the time, Kevin Costner stating that he wanted to keep directing a low budget western like Open Range, every couple of years. Pity that didn't pan out.
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Excellent film and score. Kamen at his best - and Costner!
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Posted: |
Oct 20, 2013 - 4:06 AM
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By: |
Uhtred
(Member)
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Indeed...he was born in Dublin on this day, 19th October, in 1940. HOWEVER, he moved to England at the tender age of five, where, according to Wikipedia, his father 'had him made a British citizen, a decision that would later allow Gambon to receive a substantive rather than honorary, knighthood and CBE.' So, whereas he might have been Irish when he made his first appearance on the stage of life, he would now appear to be truly British!
And in my opinion, based on the accent that is variously deployed in the film he is truly an 'oirishman' despite the fact that he was born in Dublin...
But a great actor nonetheless.
Ah, I didn't know that and stand corrected. Definitely a great actor and one of my favourites.
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I really liked it when i saw the film and went out and bought it as soon as i could, which kick-started a Kamen-buying binge. It great stuff and works wonderfully in the film. and it's a pleasing listen on the album.
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Kamen di a good job, but I would have loved to have heard a Poledouris score for it. Basil said about it:
"It's very important for a composer to have the room, to have the freedom, to explore these things. I tried to do that with Kevin Costner, on his last film, Open Range. I was set to do it. Then Disney called, and they needed a temp track for the movie. And you know what they temp-tracked it with? Starship Troopers! Honest to god! And I heard it and said 'This is not what we talked about. I can't do this'. And I got out of the movie. This is not a space opera! This is very classic western. Absolutely. Very intimate, in the mud, in the rain. Unfortunately, it was the end of Kevin and I relationshionship."
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