It's getting a lot of flack everywhere, but I like the idea. And it also feels more coherent and original and thematic, musically, than a lot of the other entries I've seen (that have all treated it traditionally, with all the obligatory action tropes).
It's getting a lot of flack everywhere, but I like the idea. And it also feels more coherent and original and thematic, musically, than a lot of the other entries I've seen (that have all treated it traditionally, with all the obligatory action tropes).
I, too, like the overall approach, even if there are some flaws in the execution. I liked how the video game music became more "orchestral" as it went on. I'd like to see the result if the composer had only used the video game music when the shot was clearly from the perspective of the drugged character, but the editing of the show may not have made this possible. Or, if the video game sounds were more recessed or processed in such a way so that they were clearly from the tripper's mind.
With all of the droning, ostinato-heavy scoring that takes place today, it is refreshing when a composer can evoke any new response from a listener. I understand the jaw-drops over this winning the top prize, and it maybe wouldn't be in the top 50 entries if I could listen to them all. I'd be willing to bet, though, that it is a more interesting solution than 95% of the other 11,000 entries.
It's getting a lot of flack everywhere, but I like the idea. And it also feels more coherent and original and thematic, musically, than a lot of the other entries I've seen (that have all treated it traditionally, with all the obligatory action tropes).
But it doesn't help the visuals, like AT ALL. Cristian Henson has argued that Tarantino, and Kubrick(one the biggest enemies of film scoring ever to walk the Earth, let's not forget) would have voted the winner because of its risk-taking. You're judging it as music, not as scoring.
I think it does. The whole episode is kinda hokey, exploring various film genres through the drug that Aaron Paul takes. But it also allows for a freer reign in terms of musical approaches -- kinda detached from reality. The whole videogame genre is a neat idea, and the way the composer takes the 8-bit approach and enhances it with el guitars and orchestral colours when it segues from self-awareness to actual danger.
I read something that if you had seen the whole episode that the way he scored it with some 8bit sounds actually does make a lot of sense. IF you have not seen the whole episode and/or what led up to this, it may sound funny. I admit I chuckled a few times, but I don't know what led up to this in the plot nor what happened in this particular episode.
If I was giving an award for a score-it-yourself scene from Wreck-It-Ralph 3, I could definitely see this winning first place. In terms of Westworld, really not so much, at all - unless the secret was to be as clever as possible without fitting the scene or the series at all. In the real world, this is 8-bit game over. Perhaps this won because the judges were just tired of hearing what actually worked for the scene, be it normal or not (which is any real composer's job), which a few of the runners-up actually seemed to. For those composers who entered and have been going on and on here about how exasperated they were that this won, I've got an open casting call for a major Hollywood production I can direct you to to see how these sort of things work when it comes to doing the job versus PR story-generating enthusiasm you just want to pat on the head for being so cutely audacious
That was...clever. I mean, it's not to my taste, but it's a unique spin and not the same old way to score the scene. I can see why it won.
I'd never buy an album in this vein, but it's certainly imaginative. It does really show how the music can change the tone of a scene. Other composers made it tense and deadly. This guy made it much lighter and added a layer of fun. Again, not my thing, but kudos for thinking outside the box.
