It has been good days for my soundtrack fan-ism. First Alice and now Dragon. The first bits of Dragon sound somewhat familiar though, but I can't quite put my finger on where I've heard it before. The first track has a kind of Pirates of the Caribbean -feel to it, or perhaps it reminds me of Bolt or X-Men 3. But I quickly forgot these thoughts as the soundtrack swept me right back to the film. The Downed Dragon is a fabulous piece with some very strong melancholy vibes to it, but it's the Arabian and Celtic influences in some of the tracks that really stole my heart. See You Tomorrow is probably my favorite of the bunch. Test Drive and all the other that have to do with flying are great as well, they really capture the joy and adrenaline rush of flying with a dragon. Test Drive is probably the best track to depict the whole movie as well, it sums it all up quite nicely.
All in all a good soundtrack once again. It's not as creative as Alice was, but great bit of fun none the less, and very inspiring for when I'm writing about flying.
lauantai 10. huhtikuuta 2010
Danny Elfman -Alice in Wonderland
Danny's Alice is probably one of his finest works, offering his best features in pretty much every track -hauntingly beautiful tunes and strong, emotional themes that take you right back to the film's best moments. I think I hear more flutes than usually from him, but there's that same playfulness as Big Fish had, same sorrow as in Edward, and the same glooming dread as in Planet of the Apes and some of Charlie's tracks. And yet the new soundtrack feels fresh and exciting, like anything from Underland should.
Alice's theme is a part of many of the tracks, and is reprised in various forms often as well, but can you really blame him when the track is this fabulous and strong? It is a perfect representative of the film, and in a way something different from Danny. But in the end there's quite many versions of it in the soundtrack, and I do feel one or two less would have been better. Still, a great soundtrack, easily one of the best from this year already.
Alice's theme is a part of many of the tracks, and is reprised in various forms often as well, but can you really blame him when the track is this fabulous and strong? It is a perfect representative of the film, and in a way something different from Danny. But in the end there's quite many versions of it in the soundtrack, and I do feel one or two less would have been better. Still, a great soundtrack, easily one of the best from this year already.
tiistai 22. joulukuuta 2009
Steve Jablonsky -Transformers
Jablonsky's Transformers is quite different from Avatar: It's not as clever and complex, not as sophisticated. Perhaps that is why it's much more commanding, a much more powerful experience. I remember when I went to see the movie -I didn't even notice the music until the very end. Not because it wasn't there, but because Jablonsky's score did what a great score does -it merges with the pictures, creating a complete experience. When it comes to Transformers I don't remember pictures or individual score pieces -I remember the scene as a whole. This differs from Avatar where I can clearly remember the music on its own, but not as a part of the film.
The score of Transformers is nothing new or unheard of. It's actually pretty much the generic super-powerful action -stuff you hear in Hollywood blockbusters, and the Zimmer -influence is clear enough even for me. But what Jablonsky has done, he has done well -Transformers is a perfect example what a score of this type should be like. Power, danger, desperation, growing suspension, and that theme that binds it all together into a strong and heroic roar. Transformers is a commanding score, demanding attention with every track, forcing you to stop what you were doing and to listen what it has to say. I haven't felt power like this in a long time.
The score of Transformers is nothing new or unheard of. It's actually pretty much the generic super-powerful action -stuff you hear in Hollywood blockbusters, and the Zimmer -influence is clear enough even for me. But what Jablonsky has done, he has done well -Transformers is a perfect example what a score of this type should be like. Power, danger, desperation, growing suspension, and that theme that binds it all together into a strong and heroic roar. Transformers is a commanding score, demanding attention with every track, forcing you to stop what you were doing and to listen what it has to say. I haven't felt power like this in a long time.
James Horner -Avatar
I noticed that the music for Avatar isn't as good as it could be even when I went to see the film (that would be Saturday). That always brings me down a little -for me, movies need to be a full experience, and when the music doesn't live up to the film a part of it dies. But that's life, I suppose, we can't always have the best.
It's not a horrible soundtrack, don't get me wrong. It's good enough, does it's job of sort of filling the blanks, but that's all. The score lacks the final punch, that tiny bit of extra love that would turn it into a masterpiece. I keep getting the feeling I'm listening to the soundtrack through a wall, that I only hear the damped out, incomplete version of it. It really ticks me off. There's so much potential in it, so much unpolished greatness, and all I want to do is turn it into the brilliant soundtrack it (and the movie) deserves.
There are some nice moments of course, like when Jake runs with his avatar for the first time, but there aren't any great moments. Which leaves me very disappointed yet again, as it did after the movie. Such a shame really, it could have been so much better.
It's not a horrible soundtrack, don't get me wrong. It's good enough, does it's job of sort of filling the blanks, but that's all. The score lacks the final punch, that tiny bit of extra love that would turn it into a masterpiece. I keep getting the feeling I'm listening to the soundtrack through a wall, that I only hear the damped out, incomplete version of it. It really ticks me off. There's so much potential in it, so much unpolished greatness, and all I want to do is turn it into the brilliant soundtrack it (and the movie) deserves.
There are some nice moments of course, like when Jake runs with his avatar for the first time, but there aren't any great moments. Which leaves me very disappointed yet again, as it did after the movie. Such a shame really, it could have been so much better.
torstai 5. marraskuuta 2009
Danny Elfman -Big Fish
Big Fish is easily my favorite Tim Burton film, with it's beautiful storytelling and great acting, and Danny's soundtrack for the film is also one of my favorites. It's probably not the kind of soundtrack that many would fall in love with right a way, but it's one that will capture your heart and mind if you keep listening to it the whole way through.
The title track is a good representation of the whole soundtrack in my opinion -it starts very silently, and has a sort of shy and insecure feeling to it, yet there's a characteristic curiosity in it that makes you want to turn up the volume so you could hear what it's whispering to you. And what you hear is a very mystical, sad and beautiful story of old, like the one you can see in the eyes of old people. Though there's not to hear there's even more emotion in every sound that creates a very peaceful and hopeful feeling in me. And then in the very end, the uplifting small snipped is bound to get my spirits up.
Most of the tracks are very quiet and hiding behind the silence in a way, forcing you to concentrate in the things they are telling (which is really not a good thing when you're trying to study, as I found out before I started to write this). There are sad stories, mystical stories and those lovely little everyday stories that just brighten the day when you hear them. For these tracks are truly more about telling stories than bringing the movie to life -there simply is more to tell than would fit in a movie. There are some darker stories to tell as well, especially the ones concerning Spectre, with more elaborate tunes and tricks, that take you to whole nother world.
It actually feels rather silly trying to describe what the soundtrack awakens in me -it most likely will be something totally different for you. Big Fish is definitely one of Danny's most skillfully arranged soundtracks, and probably my favorite from him as well -there so much soul in the music. It makes me stop everything I'm doing, because I just want to drown myself in those fragile yet vibrant tunes that take my mind somewhere far away, every track having millions of stories that words can't describe. No, not really actual stories -more like the essence of stories, the golden standards for every feeling. Pure perfection, that's what they are.
Sandra's theme represents the movie most to me, and it also has the most references to other Danny -soundtracks (I heard at least Corpse Bride and Edward in it). The Growing Montage is filled with Nightmare-ish tunes in turn, making it probably the worst track on it's own. It's not bad, just doesn't depict that much feelings without the film material.
The title track is a good representation of the whole soundtrack in my opinion -it starts very silently, and has a sort of shy and insecure feeling to it, yet there's a characteristic curiosity in it that makes you want to turn up the volume so you could hear what it's whispering to you. And what you hear is a very mystical, sad and beautiful story of old, like the one you can see in the eyes of old people. Though there's not to hear there's even more emotion in every sound that creates a very peaceful and hopeful feeling in me. And then in the very end, the uplifting small snipped is bound to get my spirits up.
Most of the tracks are very quiet and hiding behind the silence in a way, forcing you to concentrate in the things they are telling (which is really not a good thing when you're trying to study, as I found out before I started to write this). There are sad stories, mystical stories and those lovely little everyday stories that just brighten the day when you hear them. For these tracks are truly more about telling stories than bringing the movie to life -there simply is more to tell than would fit in a movie. There are some darker stories to tell as well, especially the ones concerning Spectre, with more elaborate tunes and tricks, that take you to whole nother world.
It actually feels rather silly trying to describe what the soundtrack awakens in me -it most likely will be something totally different for you. Big Fish is definitely one of Danny's most skillfully arranged soundtracks, and probably my favorite from him as well -there so much soul in the music. It makes me stop everything I'm doing, because I just want to drown myself in those fragile yet vibrant tunes that take my mind somewhere far away, every track having millions of stories that words can't describe. No, not really actual stories -more like the essence of stories, the golden standards for every feeling. Pure perfection, that's what they are.
Sandra's theme represents the movie most to me, and it also has the most references to other Danny -soundtracks (I heard at least Corpse Bride and Edward in it). The Growing Montage is filled with Nightmare-ish tunes in turn, making it probably the worst track on it's own. It's not bad, just doesn't depict that much feelings without the film material.
tiistai 22. syyskuuta 2009
Joe Hisaishi - Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
Ponyo is another fabulous album from Joe Hisaishi, I could even go as far as claim it's his best one yet. Not because of the theme song (since Totoro's is better :P), but because of all the emotion it has. The movie is hand-drawn in a very simplistic fasion, and there isn't as much visiual aid for your emotions. So they created it all with the sounds and the music -which is very evident from the very beginning of the film as the first track fills the air. Usually only one or two track on a soundtrack has enough emotion to make me stop what I'm doing and just feel the music, but in Ponyo almost every track has that strong emotion attach to it. You don't just hear the effort and work put into it, you feel it with every fibre.
The soundtrack made me once again admire Hisaishi's versatility, how every movie sounds unique and different. Ponyo has a more western feel to it than his previous scores -with western I mean the flamboyance and the power of western composers. The soundtrack is far louder and pushy than his previous work, with a hint of opera and classical in it -mostly reminds me of The Ride of the Valkyries. Though "loud and pushy" gives you the wrong impression about it -it's still very sophisticated compared to some composers. And the more calm themes are as sweet and sincere as Hisaishi's work always is. But you truly have to wonder how such a versatile composer is not more known -I have to admit that Johnny's place as my number 1 composer hero is getting even more iffy with every soundtrack Hisaishi makes :P
Ponyo on the Fish of the Wave is one of the loud and pushy of the soundtrack :P
I do love Hisaishi's previous work as well for it's simple beauty and magical energy, but Ponyo gives such a strong emotional message with it through the whole soundtrack that I have to call it my favorite from him so far.
Chill-moment of the soundtrack: Deep Sea Ranch.
The soundtrack made me once again admire Hisaishi's versatility, how every movie sounds unique and different. Ponyo has a more western feel to it than his previous scores -with western I mean the flamboyance and the power of western composers. The soundtrack is far louder and pushy than his previous work, with a hint of opera and classical in it -mostly reminds me of The Ride of the Valkyries. Though "loud and pushy" gives you the wrong impression about it -it's still very sophisticated compared to some composers. And the more calm themes are as sweet and sincere as Hisaishi's work always is. But you truly have to wonder how such a versatile composer is not more known -I have to admit that Johnny's place as my number 1 composer hero is getting even more iffy with every soundtrack Hisaishi makes :P
Ponyo on the Fish of the Wave is one of the loud and pushy of the soundtrack :P
I do love Hisaishi's previous work as well for it's simple beauty and magical energy, but Ponyo gives such a strong emotional message with it through the whole soundtrack that I have to call it my favorite from him so far.
Chill-moment of the soundtrack: Deep Sea Ranch.
keskiviikko 1. heinäkuuta 2009
Hans Zimmer & James Newton-Howard - Batman Begins
A strong score, I must admit. Very dark and gloomy, fits the movie well. And I like how all the track names are bats. Vespertilio has pretty much all the good themes from the whole soundtrack, because there's a lot of repetition between tracks. Eptesicus covers the other end of the soundtrack being the most versatile of the more sad, slower pieces. A very good track, and the one that gave the chill effect. But again you can hear Zimmer's laziness in the back, the same themes were heard on Gladiator. It makes me bad that a brilliant composer like him re-uses his own stuff.
Myotis is probably the best track if you want that epic piece of music heard in the trailers. Other than that it's not a very special track -all flash and no substance. Barbastella on the other hand is quite versatile, has a lot of everything if you just listen through it.
...This all reminds me so much from another soundtrack, but I just can't figure out what was it.....Darn.
But all in all it's a livable soundtrack, the awesome themes save even the not-so-original ones.
Myotis is probably the best track if you want that epic piece of music heard in the trailers. Other than that it's not a very special track -all flash and no substance. Barbastella on the other hand is quite versatile, has a lot of everything if you just listen through it.
...This all reminds me so much from another soundtrack, but I just can't figure out what was it.....Darn.
But all in all it's a livable soundtrack, the awesome themes save even the not-so-original ones.
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