Thanks in part to this thread and having watched the film again over the weekend, I am starting to rethink my previous view on CIVIL WAR. It's a lot more engaging within the film itself, so when I listen to the score on its own, the film's dramatic high points are definitely well served by Jackman's efforts. Is it as good as his work in WINTER SOLDIER, no, but CW is fast growing on me as a stand alone listening experience.
Having said that, Captain America is imo the best superhero film trilogy, just edging out Nolan's Batman films.
Thanks in part to this thread and having watched the film again over the weekend, I am starting to rethink my previous view on CIVIL WAR. It's a lot more engaging within the film itself, so when I listen to the score on its own, the film's dramatic high points are definitely well served by Jackman's efforts. Is it as good as his work in WINTER SOLDIER, no, but CW is fast growing on me as a stand alone listening experience.
Having said that, Captain America is imo the best superhero film trilogy, just edging out Nolan's Batman films.
I completely agree, but I do really like the Dark Knight trilogy. I think the first part of each of those trilogies was a bit flawed, but the following two were so good it's easy to live with imo.
I honestly only liked the Copland-esque parts of Silverstri's score for First Avenger, otherwise I (gasp) prefer WS and CW (as Jim mentioned, the latter mostly for how it worked in the film).
For stand alone listening my favorites are the aforementioned WS and Dark Knight Rises.
But my favorite superhero scores are tied between Williams and Zimmer's Supermen.
To keep things positive, I will state that Alan Silvestri has composed some marvelous (no pun intended, really) main titles over the decades. I am particularly grateful he has contributed the Avengers rousing theme.
To keep things positive, I will state that Alan Silvestri has composed some marvelous (no pun intended, really) main titles over the decades. I am particularly grateful he has contributed the Avengers rousing theme.
To keep things positive, I will state that Alan Silvestri has composed some marvelous (no pun intended, really) main titles over the decades. I am particularly grateful he has contributed the Avengers rousing theme.
That is awesome. He's generally great imo.
A bit OT: Ironically (for me, at least) Silvestri was at his best whenever he employed 1980s synths, a sound I *usually* dislike. However, as the years go by I find that there is an increasing number of film and TV scores I enjoy with that very sound (I'm thinking about you Simon & Simon!)
To keep things positive, I will state that Alan Silvestri has composed some marvelous (no pun intended, really) main titles over the decades. I am particularly grateful he has contributed the Avengers rousing theme.
That is awesome. He's generally great imo.
A bit OT: Ironically (for me, at least) Silvestri was at his best whenever he employed 1980s synths, a sound I *usually* dislike. However, as the years go by I find that there is an increasing number of film and TV scores I enjoy with that very sound (I'm thinking about you Simon & Simon!)
I liked that show, now I'm going to go track down some clips.
You've definitely interested me, thanks Jim. The hunt is always so much fun!
Indeed it is! Just as I was about to whine, cry, and complain in that grand FSMer tradition, "Spouse of Bridget" goes and composes a wonderful theme for my beloved Avengers!
I believe that FSMers hate the Marvel movies simply because those films "aren't Star Wars."
Indeed it is! Just as I was about to whine, cry, and complain in that grand FSMer tradition, "Spouse of Bridget" goes and composes a wonderful theme for my beloved Avengers!
I believe that FSMers hate the Marvel movies simply because those films "aren't Star Wars."
Ha! I just hope they don't not like me because I don't care for SW much, mostly as movies but the majority of the scores as well (it bears mentioning that I have grown to appreciate Empire Strikes back over the years as a score).
There are bits and pieces of Elfman that I like over the years, but I never really embraced a full score by him. It's just moments. Perhaps Batman Returns will remedy that, as I haven't had time to give that one a chance yet.
There are bits and pieces of Elfman that I like over the years, but I never really embraced a full score by him.
Thing is, WA, several months ago you could have said the exact same thing about Poledouris, and now you have several scores by him you own and LOVE.
When Elfman was in his prime I loved him as much as Poledouris. Batman Returns (the complete edition from LLL) is a must, but I'd actually recommend that before you get that, you get LLL's complete release of Black Beauty. While I consider The Nightmare Before Christmas to be his brilliant magnum opus, Black Beauty is my single *favorite* score of his, and frankly one of the most beautiful scores ever written...by anyone. I'm including Golden Age masters in this. You NEED Black Beauty:
There are bits and pieces of Elfman that I like over the years, but I never really embraced a full score by him.
Thing is, WA, several months ago you could have said the exact same thing about Poledouris, and now you have several scores by him you own and LOVE.
When Elfman was in his prime I loved him as much as Poledouris. Batman Returns (the complete edition from LLL) is a must, but I'd actually recommend that before you get that, you get LLL's complete release of Black Beauty. While I consider The Nightmare Before Christmas to be his brilliant magnum opus, Black Beauty is my single *favorite* score of his, and frankly one of the most beautiful scores ever written...by anyone. I'm including Golden Age masters in this. You NEED Black Beauty:
This looks good...I have First Knight, Fall of the Roman Empire, and Giant in that cart already. My refund will go to good use (yes I STILL have carts at Varese and Intrada that need emptying as well lol!).
This looks good...I have First Knight, Fall of the Roman Empire, and Giant in that cart already. My refund will go to good use (yes I STILL have carts at Varese and Intrada that need emptying as well lol!).
And a certain Miklos Rozsa Treasury you said you were hoping to purchase with your refund before prices on it got astronomical...don't suppose that can still happen?
But seriously, consider Black Beauty to be a recommendation from me on the level of Friedhofer's Rains of Ranchipur.
This looks good...I have First Knight, Fall of the Roman Empire, and Giant in that cart already. My refund will go to good use (yes I STILL have carts at Varese and Intrada that need emptying as well lol!).
And a certain Miklos Rozsa Treasury you said you were hoping to purchase with your refund before prices on it got astronomical...don't suppose that can still happen?
But seriously, consider Black Beauty to be a recommendation from me on the level of Friedhofer's Rains of Ranchipur.
Yavar
The Rains reccomendation was beyond spot on; I rank that with "Red Pony","Family Plot", and countless Goldsmith and Alfred Newman recs as my favorites.
Just returned from seeing Black Panther. The score AND the songs worked well throughout the film, so much so that I couldn't tell which were which, though I can guess that the hip-hop sounding stuff was from Kendrick Lamar? I really am unfamiliar with Ludwig Göransson, too. I am guessing that it was Göransson whose music it was that accompanied the South Korean car chase sequence; whoever was responsible did a fine job.
Someone--is he "one of us"? did a video discussing the MCU's "Thematic Continuity Issue"
Someone in the Silvestri Avengers Infinity War thread remarked, and I'm paraphrasing here, that the stop-and-start nature of Silvestri's Avengers score hindered the composer's specialty at composing big scores. I have to agree. (I'll find and quote the post shortly).
Holy crap, it was solium! In slight disagreement, though, as I think the Avengers theme itself is one of Silvestri's finest.
"In my opinion, no. He writes in a very simple narrative. His action music has no flow, it's always starting and stopping. Compare that with what Williams or Horner can do with heroic music. That's the bottom line, Avengers didn't sound heroic. There are a few nice motifs, the last four cues on the soundtrack are "nice", but nothing exiting or memorable. The only time he knocked it out of the park was when he wrote Judge Dredd. If Silverstri can bring that kind of breath and exhilaration to his music, I'll be pleasantly surprised and very pleased."
It was mildly disappointing that Marvel replaced Brian Tyler's Marvel Studios Fanfare with an imo inferior composition by Michael Giacchino. Decide for yourselves, True Believers!
In slight disagreement, though, as I think the Avengers theme itself is one of Silvestri's finest.