Comments for The Temp Track

Comment on “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I” Score Review by Bryant

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Comment on “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I” Score Review by touring car spain

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Comment on “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I” Score Review by Sammie

Sammie — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:07:00 +0000

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Comment on “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I” Score Review by Randi

Randi — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 06:00:20 +0000

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Comment on The Social Network Score Review by “The Social Network” Soundtrack, A (brief) Listening Guide - Miller's Open Source Imagination - Musings of the journey

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:36:36 +0000

[...] hodgepodge of electronica/heavy metal/industrial rock babble. This is simply NOT the case. Here andhere are thoughtful reviews that provide interesting [...]

Comment on Hiatus, Part Deux by columbuscynic

columbuscynic — Sat, 12 May 2012 20:26:02 +0000

Hopefully things worked out for the best…

Comment on The Music of Battlestar Galactica, Part I – Passacaglia by columbuscynic

columbuscynic — Sat, 12 May 2012 20:23:55 +0000

A bit slow in getting here, but great post…
I’ve been stuck on this soundtrack ever since I got it back in…’07? Crap.. that’s a while ago, but the music is truly timeless and will continue to be racking up the “times played” on iTunes.

Comment on FSFT5 – Musical Moments on TV of the Past 10 Years by Andrew Dott

Andrew Dott — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:38:45 +0000

Hey there. I couldn’t agree more with everything you’ve said here. Especially in regards to BSG. I’m actually writing an essay for my Honours Film and TV class at the moment comparing the sound design/use of music in BSG and Buffy. That’s how I came across your blog. Anyways, just to say thanks and that I concur!

Comment on About Me by William Rosar

William Rosar — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:33:03 +0000

I’m glad you got something out of my editorial that tries to sort out the rubric of “film musicology” that was apparently introduced by English musicologist Kate Daubney. As I explained, I think it is a misnomer, which is why I have proposed instead the phrase “musicological film studies,” which connotes a musicological approach to film itself–not just to music, but everything from composing as dramatizing to musical iconography in film as well–basically what musicology as a historical and systematic discipline can bring to the study of film, not just “film music” per se (a term which I feel should be reserved for a genre of composition rather than just denoting any music in a film, even if it is someone whistling in the shower for a few seconds). Film scoring is really a special art form and will be the subject of a Symposium that approaches it from a musicological standpoint:
http://www.usc.edu/libraries/about/programs_exhibitions/events/FilmMusic

Comment on Post “99.5″ – Carter Burwell’s ‘True Grit’ Score by Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:03:35 +0000

This is so uninteresting. Why do you think that people desire to read your ramblings? The film is an interesting event and work of art and a thing of integrity and passion. You really think that everything of this sort in the world needs you to capitalize on it?

Comment on Oscar Thoughts and Capsule Reviews… by Ben Hills

Ben Hills — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 20:19:38 +0000

I struggle to see how anyone could possibly say Inception is as you say, “different”. Granted, within the film, the score works brilliantly, and it does add to the film. But as a stand-alone piece of music, it is extremely average, and not really exceptional in any way. And I’m sorry, to say it’s different to other soundtracks is a bit ridiculous. It is right within Zimmer’s comfort zone, and it’s exactly the kind of sound that has dominated his scores over the last few years. He tries to say his music is innovative and groundbreaking, but to be honest, its a load of rubbish. He needs to step out of his comfort zone and explore truly innovative ideas. Have you listened to the Batman Begins or The Dark Knight scores? Zimmer employs exactly a very similar type of sound as he does in Inception. So different? No. It’s dissappointing, because all 3 of these films are up there in my all-time favourites, but the soundtracks don’t live up to it. They work within the film, but outside of the film, they are quite frankly, except for brief moments, boring. They are effective scores, but not exceptional.

The standard “sound” of Zimmer soundtracks these days is to create an atmospheric sound, lacking thematic elements. Why I would usually quite enjoy this kind of music, it is much easier and less technically demanding to compose than for example, a John Williams heroic theme, such as Indiana Jones. I have learnt this first hand from improvising on the piano and doing some compositions of my own.

Which is why How To Train Your Dragon (HTTYD) is so fantastic. I’ve haven’t heard any film score for a long time which is so brilliantly thematic. It employs brilliant melodic and rhythmic themes, and repeats and varies them throughout the score with precise and controlled skill.

Technically, John Powell’s score is better than Zimmer’s Inception. Just listen to the two of them together and the difference in technical ability is obvious.

HTTYD may be a more traditional sounding score, but its more different and exciting than Inception, which the sound of Zimmer sitting in his comfort zone, which he has produced over the last few years.

Comment on 2011 Academy Awards for Best Original Score Nominations… by Herr Vogler

Herr Vogler — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:26:15 +0000

Reznor will probably win because the Academy likes to reinforce the “anybody can do it” mentality. That isn’t a reflection on Reznor’s score. I’ve heard it but I haven’t seen the film so I have no idea what the interaction is like, but I do prefer to have some sort of cohesion in my scores and there’s not much there to go on.

Suprisingly, How to Train Your Dragon is a quite good score. I don’t know if it’s Oscar nomination worthy, but it is good. As a side note to this particular score, the main tune sounds an awful lot like a real Celtic folk tune. I wonder what the Academy ruling is on that?

That being said, if Reznor doesn’t win then Alexandre Desplat probably does because of the tidal wave of buzz that The King’s Speech is riding.

Comment on The Second Annual Temp Track “Tempi” Awards!!!!!!! by Steve Mascaro

Steve Mascaro — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:01:29 +0000

Excellent! I can’t disagree with any of the winners either. You should have a category – “Music to Dance to” or “Music to Clean House to” – and that would be the soundtrack from THE BLACK SWAN.

Comment on The Second Annual Temp Track “Tempi” Awards!!!!!!! by Hilarity Ensues

Hilarity Ensues — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:30:15 +0000

Can’t disagree with any of the winners. Nice work – and congrats on the upgrade from the broom closet!

Comment on Post “99.5″ – Carter Burwell’s ‘True Grit’ Score by villabourani

villabourani — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 20:21:49 +0000

Nice one!
http://musicatthemovies.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/true-grit-2011-carter-burwell/

Comment on Post “99.5″ – Carter Burwell’s ‘True Grit’ Score by filmscore80

filmscore80 — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 01:36:30 +0000

When I wrote that I they hadn’t announced the eligibility of it, but I’m not surprised about it or Mansell’s wonderful score for Black Swan. I know, though, that I’ll probably be dissapointed by many of the nominees this year because I would be shocked if either Tron Legacy or Social Network (two of my favorite score this year) are nominated because of the “two composer” rule which kept Zimmer and Newton Howard’s score for The Dark Knight out a few year ago. There have been so many score in the last 5-10 years not nominated becuase of the Academy’s short-sighted rules. Do we disqualify actors for copying styles and mannerisms of pervious actors?

Comment on Post “99.5″ – Carter Burwell’s ‘True Grit’ Score by Dr. Russell A. Potter

Dr. Russell A. Potter — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 04:16:36 +0000

Hi -- delighted to read your post; my family has a similar tradition of Xmas films, and we all departed this one with the delightful score still in our ears. I was greatly disappointed at the Academy's decision on the eligibility of the score, and posted on this on my own blog here. It's downloadable on iTunes, as is by far my favourite score of 2010.

Comment on Film Score “Friday” Top 5: On Second Thought, Ranking the ‘Star Trek’ Scores by Thomas Kelly

Thomas Kelly — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 10:36:48 +0000

I just ran across your Film Score Friday "On second Thought" list. I appreciate what you've written, and largely agree. As much as I like Goldsmith's STV OST, it never seemed "Star Trek" to me. Save for the Klingon bits, parts almost seemed they belonged to a film like Masada than anything in space. Not direct theme, but feel. Anyhow, your list and analysis really helped me decide what to check out and what not. Having all the non-Next Gen soundtracks except for ST IV -- not a fan of what I heard while watching the film. While it worked for the film, I think you know what I mean when I say that I was hoping for something that would give me that feeling I got when I first heard the cue for "Surprise Attack" on the STII LP all by itself in 1982. ...And in Krull, Cocoon, and so on... But I jest (sort of), -- and digress (completely). I really liked the analysis. I will now give the new Giacchino Star Trek soundtrack a shot (I wasn't going to before). I honestly couldn't recall what I had heard while watching the film (so many darned lens flares, I guess they were a bit distracting). And I totally got the "Geek moment." some years ago, I chauffeured a friend around town to a mix of tracks from Gorky Park, Clear & Present Danger, Terminator 2, etc. as we hid items and tracked those looking for said items (it was a Wedding Present thing). He is a huge film fan, but not a collector of Soundtracks, but he kept going on about how movie-like it seemed. And it heightened the experience of sneaking and driving and trying not to be seen. It was loads of fun. Thanks again for the list. Tom Kelly Albuquerque, NM

Comment on Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood… by Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 02:16:41 +0000

I’ve been really distressed by this too. We should catch up while I’m at the language teachers’ conference this weekend.

Comment on Film Score “Friday” Top 5: Music Performance Scenes in Film by JerryB

JerryB — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:52:20 +0000

Check out:

(especially from 1:30 – 2:16 and try to imagine what that looked like 70 feet high)