This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This 2005 score was written by Harry Gregson-Williams. Gregson-Williams created a score that was just right for the expansive universe portrayed in the film. His best moments come when he trades motives among different parts of the brass section. This one is a true delight. Enjoy!
Film Score Friday: Total Recall
This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from Total Recall. Jerry Goldsmith wrote the score for this 1990 film. Goldsmith described this as one of this better works. The ample material given to the low brass stands out for us. Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt wrote the score for this 2003 film. Alan Silvestri was originally attached, but was replaced before production began.
This score has become one of Zimmer's best known works. This is with good reason. The score matches the film well. It also manages to be accessible to a general audience while still retaining some layers. Our favorite parts are when the Horns are allowed to run free with the melody. Enjoy!
Film Score Friday: The Poseidon Adventure
This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from The Poseidon Adventure. John Williams wrote the score for this 1972 disaster film. This was a film made during a period when disaster films were numerous. The score bears resemblance to a number of these. Despite this, you still get some great hints at what would become Williams' style in later years. In particular, you can hear the origins of Superman and some other later works here. Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: The Natural
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from The Natural. Randy Newman wrote the score for this 1984 baseball film. Even if you think you've never heard this score, you probably have. Newman's score has been repurposed so many times it's astonishing. This is a great score, especially given the synthesizer craze that dominated so many movies during this time. Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: The Shadow
This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from The Shadow. Jerry Goldsmith wrote the score for this 1994 film. Comic book movies are not a new thing. Good comic book movies are and alas this film was not meant to break the streak of poor quality in the 90s. Despite the mess on screen, this is a tremendous score. The score is unmistakably Goldsmith and that makes it a treat. Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. Miklos Rozsa wrote the score for this 1973 retelling of the classic tale. Rozsa hits many of the same tones you hear in other middle eastern based films like Lawrence of Arabia. The original recording for the film was marred with technical problems, but the core material is worth a look. Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: Jurassic Park
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from Jurassic Park. John Williams wrote the score for this 1993 film. This is one of Williams' best scores and for good reason. The highlight of the score for us is the when the main characters enter "the park" for the first time. The moment is grandiose, but made even more so with the addition of William's theme. Enjoy!
Film Score Friday: The Lone Ranger
This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from The Lone Ranger. Hans Zimmer wrote the score for this 2013 cowboy remake. This is an awful movie with a good score. Zimmer uses techniques that will be familiar to those who have heard his work. A lot of the same scoring from the Batman trilogy find their way into this score. Despite it being unmistakably Zimmer in nature, the composer still manages a few nods to the scores of classic westerns. Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: King King (1976)
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from King Kong. John Barry wrote the score for this 1976 remake. If you close your eyes during this score you might think James Bond will appear soon. There's definitely more than a little resemblance to the Bond scores Barry wrote. Despite this, Barry made a credible entry in the Kong franchise here. The low Brass section gets the most action here. As you might guess, they often serve as a musical queue for the presence of the giant gorilla. Who would have thought? Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: Pete's Dragon
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from Pete's Dragon. Daniel Hart wrote the score for this 2016 remake adventure. Howard Shore was originally chosen to write the score but Hart eventually stepped in. Hart used celtic-like themes to light up this film. It works really well and makes for a good time. Enjoy!
Film Score Friday: The Three Musketeers
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from The Three Musketeers. Michael Kamen wrote the score for this 1993 film. If you've heard Kamen's work on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, then you'll find much of this familiar. Although we would say Robin Hood is the better score, this lesser known one is still quite good. Kamen embraces the swashbuckling theme of the film right away and it works quite well. Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: The Sons of Katie Elder
This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from The Sons on Katie Elder. Elmer Bernstein wrote the score for this 1965 western. Those familiar with Benstein's work with westerns will feel right at home here. The Horns have plenty of time to shine with the triumphant main theme. Enjoy!
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Film Score Friday: Gladiator
This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from Gladiator. Hans Zimmer wrote the score for this 2000 film. If you think this score sounds a lot like Holts' The Planets (Mars in particular) then you're in agreement with the Holst Foundation which sued Zimmer over this score. The suit was dismissed, but the resemblance is definitely there. Despite that, this is a really great score. The entire score is a delight for everyone in the brass. One moment stands out to us in particular. Maurice Murphy has the opportunity for an amazing Trumpet solo about halfway through the film. He nails it and it is one of our all time favorite Trumpet solos in a film.
Enjoy!
Film Score Friday: Star Trek: The Motion Picture
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Jerry Goldsmith wrote the score for this 1979 movie debut for the franchise. Goldsmith has the difficult task of being the first to ask: What does a Star Trek movie score sound like? We now has expectations after so many films, but this was a non-trivial task for Goldsmith especially given the timing so soon after Star Wars. Goldsmith rises to the occasion by creating themes that have been kept in the franchise for decades now. The highlight for us is the theme Goldsmith created for when we see the Enterprise for the first time. It's a big moment accompanied by equally big music. Enjoy!
Film Score Friday: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Michael Giacchino wrote the score for this latest entrant to the Star Wars saga. Giacchino had the difficult job of following the iconic scores John Williams created for this franchise. He rises to the occasion here with some great work. Giacchino captures just the right feel and integrates many of the themes we all know so well. It's not just rescoring of the Williams work, though. He manages to make much of the score his own. Enjoy!
Film Score Friday: Once Upon a Time in the West
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from Once Upon a Time in the West. Ennio Morricone wrote the score for this 1968 western. This film's score is often remembered for the amount of harmonica and ostinato. There's some overlooked Brass success here. In particular, Morricone uses unison Trumpets in the third act of the film to great effect. He also creates some wonderful Horn solos as well.
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Film Score Friday: Planet of the Apes (2001)
This week of Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from Planet of the Apes. Danny Elfman wrote the score for this 2001 remake. Elfman does a great job with creating a sound that really feels like the wilderness. The highlight are when Elfman scores just Brass and Percussion. These are great sequences. The score beyond just the tribal themes. There's some really great lyrical sections with some good Brass solos as well. Enjoy!
Film Score Friday: Spectre
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from Spectre. Thomas Newman wrote the score for the 2015 entry in the James Bond franchise. Newman strikes a good balance between breaking new ground while still paying tribute to the classic themes of this franchise. One of the tropes of Bond score over the years was keeping the Brass in the high range. Newman does a great job of having the section use the entire range. Don't worry, he still gets the screaming stuff in there too.
One sad note about the score is the lack of Derek Watkins on Trumpet. Watkins played on every Bond score up until Spectre. Watkins passed away before this score was recorded. He inspired many throughout the years with his amazing work on this series as well as so many other recordings.
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Film Score Friday: Enemy at the Gates
This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from Enemy at the Gates. James Horner wrote the score for this 2001 war film. The film depicts the fight during World War 2 from the Russian perspective while the Germans pressed further into their territory. To achieve the Russian sound and feel, Horner borrows heavily from Rimsky-Korsakov and Shostakovich. This achieves the goal and really helps sell the film. The Horn choir paired with vocal choir at the beginning is particularly worth the price of admission. The Brass as a whole have plenty of opportunities throughout the score. We recommend you give this lesser known Horner score a try, Enjoy!
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