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If we're talking mainstream Hollywood, it may very well be Williams, but I believe that compelling cases could be made for a few others also.
So make the case then, if you don't think it's Williams overall. You mentioned Lalo Schifrin before as being the greatest living film composer in your view -- why? Under what remotely objective criteria (not just your personal preferences) is he a "greater" film composer than Williams?
Same question to anyone suggesting Philippe Sarde. Make your case rather than just throwing his name out there. Otherwise this is just a thread about favorites.
Yavar
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Posted: |
Apr 15, 2021 - 12:38 PM
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By: |
Thor
(Member)
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I'm sure you could find a lot of French composers who are less known than Alexandre Desplat or Georges Delerue.
Oh, absolutely. France has nothing to be embarassed about either. We all know the iconic composers of yesteryear, and the "big names" working today. No need to mention those. But some of my more recent favourites include Armand Amar, Bruno Coulais, Guillaume Loiseau, Guillaume Roussel, HiTnRuN, Laurent Eyquem, Laurent Perez del Mar, Ludovic Bource, Nathaniel Mechaly, Olivier Deriviere, Pascal Gaigne (more Spanish than French these days, I suppose), Philippe Jakko, Philippe Rombi, Robin Coudert, Vincent Cahay, Yann Tiersen, Zombie Zombie.
I'm now discussing in my own little "bubble" here, about lesser known composers from various countries, as the overarching topic about 'greatest living film composer' is something I can't wrap my head around (beyond what I've already said on the topic, anyway). Without specific parameters, my brain tends to implode. 
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Posted: |
Apr 15, 2021 - 1:23 PM
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By: |
Nono
(Member)
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Same question to anyone suggesting Philippe Sarde. Make your case rather than just throwing his name out there. Otherwise this is just a thread about favorites.
I already said why, the movies he scored are integral part of the French cinema culture and history, his music is rooted in both classical and popular music, often innovative in the choice of instruments he chose, he worked with some of the greatest musicians and directors, Hollywood even called him but he was not that interested and preferred to stay in France.
And one of my old American friend who sometimes posts here, who worked for Malcolm Arnold by the way, often talks about Philippe Sarde, but never about John Williams.
And as I said, someone who would value more French cinema than Hollywood cinema could answer Philippe Sarde.
- Bruno
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Same question to anyone suggesting Philippe Sarde. Make your case rather than just throwing his name out there. Otherwise this is just a thread about favorites.
I already said why, the movies he scored are integral part of the French cinema culture and history,
So? Dozens of movies John Williams scored are an integral part of not only Hollywood cinema culture and history, but world cinema culture and history (Star Wars? Jaws?) How is this an argument that Sarde is "the greatest living film composer" (in the world as opposed to just France)?
his music is rooted in both classical and popular music,
This is true of many film composers (including Williams I would say), and is in no way an argument for "greatest".
often innovative in the choice of instruments he chose,
If you actually gave examples of him being consistently *more* innovative than John Williams, then that would be one criterion on which to make your case of him being superior. You have not done this.
he worked with some of the greatest musicians and directors,
John Williams has worked with auteurs such as Robert Altman, Alfred Hitchcock, John Frankenheimer, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Oliver Stone, Alfonso Cuarón, Brian De Palma, Arthur Penn, Don Siegel, Mark Rydell, Martin Ritt, Sydney Pollack, and Alan J. Pakula.
That's *not* counting the more "popular Hollywood" folks like Chris Columbus, Irwin Allen, Richard Donner, George Miller, Lawrence Kasdan, John Badham, Barry Levinson, Rob Marshall, Roland Emmerich, George Lucas, and of course his many decade long relationship with Spielberg.
In terms of musicians, he's collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Christopher Parkening, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and dozens of others who would be considered among the greatest in the world.
So yeah, feel free to give me a similar list for Sarde and see how he measures up.
Hollywood even called him but he was not that interested and preferred to stay in France.
He was interested enough to do several American films! And no surprise he would prefer to stay in France, since that's the language and culture he grew up in. How does that matter one way or another? What you wrote is like me saying, based on Storia di una Donna, "Italy even called John Williams but he was not that interested and preferred to stay in the United States."
And one of my old American friend who sometimes posts here, who worked for Malcolm Arnold by the way, often talks about Philippe Sarde, but never about John Williams.
Anecdotal stuff about an American friend of yours who likes Sarde better than Williams is not making a case.
And as I said, someone who would value more French cinema than Hollywood cinema could answer Philippe Sarde.
As their preferred/favorite composer, yes. As the "greatest living film composer", they would need to come up with some actual criteria in which Sarde is superior (not just personally preferred) to Williams.
Yavar
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Posted: |
Apr 15, 2021 - 4:23 PM
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By: |
Nono
(Member)
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Same question to anyone suggesting Philippe Sarde. Make your case rather than just throwing his name out there. Otherwise this is just a thread about favorites.
I already said why, the movies he scored are integral part of the French cinema culture and history,
So? Dozens of movies John Williams scored are an integral part of not only Hollywood cinema culture and history, but world cinema culture and history (Star Wars? Jaws?) How is this an argument that Sarde is "the greatest living film composer" (in the world as opposed to just France)?
his music is rooted in both classical and popular music,
This is true of many film composers (including Williams I would say), and is in no way an argument for "greatest".
often innovative in the choice of instruments he chose,
If you actually gave examples of him being consistently *more* innovative than John Williams, then that would be one criterion on which to make your case of him being superior. You have not done this.
he worked with some of the greatest musicians and directors,
John Williams has worked with auteurs such as Robert Altman, Alfred Hitchcock, John Frankenheimer, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Oliver Stone, Alfonso Cuarón, Brian De Palma, Arthur Penn, Don Siegel, Mark Rydell, Martin Ritt, Sydney Pollack, and Alan J. Pakula.
That's *not* counting the more "popular Hollywood" folks like Chris Columbus, Irwin Allen, Richard Donner, George Miller, Lawrence Kasdan, John Badham, Barry Levinson, Rob Marshall, Roland Emmerich, George Lucas, and of course his many decade long relationship with Spielberg.
In terms of musicians, he's collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Christopher Parkening, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and dozens of others who would be considered among the greatest in the world.
So yeah, feel free to give me a similar list for Sarde and see how he measures up.
Hollywood even called him but he was not that interested and preferred to stay in France.
He was interested enough to do several American films! And no surprise he would prefer to stay in France, since that's the language and culture he grew up in. How does that matter one way or another? What you wrote is like me saying, based on Storia di una Donna, "Italy even called John Williams but he was not that interested and preferred to stay in the United States."
And one of my old American friend who sometimes posts here, who worked for Malcolm Arnold by the way, often talks about Philippe Sarde, but never about John Williams.
Anecdotal stuff about an American friend of yours who likes Sarde better than Williams is not making a case.
And as I said, someone who would value more French cinema than Hollywood cinema could answer Philippe Sarde.
As their preferred/favorite composer, yes. As the "greatest living film composer", they would need to come up with some actual criteria in which Sarde is superior (not just personally preferred) to Williams.
Yavar
Make your own culture of French music and cinema and we can talk about it after.
And in French, please.
If you can't understand something as basic as the answer depend on criteria each person has, I can't do anything for you.
As I said, according to the criteria many have, John Williams is the greatest.
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Well, in the end, like in Highlander, there can be only one. And it is John Williams.
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