Casino Royale

I'm sure that many of you know that David Arnold's and Chris Cornell's title song for Casnio Royale, You Know My Name, has hit the web. Comingsoon.net posted the news just the other day.

I actually think it's pretty good (except for the screaming at the end, anyway). I'm really interested in seeing how it fits in with the visuals of the title sequence and also how Arnold works it in with the rest of the score. Suffice to say, it's much better than Madonna's Die Another Day.

For the score, I'm really hoping Arnold puts some of his electronics aside and approaches this one like Tomorrow Never Dies. That was an excellent score where the electronics helped, but he went a little overboard in Die Another Day.

 

Of course the theme song is better than 'Die Another Day'. It would have to plumb all-sorts of levels of awfulness to beat that.

That said, it's not great. It has the advantage of being a Bond song and not being absolutely terrible, but other than that it's nothing to write home about. I've heard it five times now and I still can't remember it.

I am interested in the scores, however. I feel that David Arnold has been underrated as a composer. I bought his score for TWINE, and enjoyed it very much. The trailer had that awful neodummerung-cum-carmina burana rubbish choir in it though, which doesn't bode well for the soundtrack. In my mind, the idea of this film would be to tone down the score, and not ramp it up to religious-choir proportions.

 

Are you talking about the choir at the end that was singing the Bond theme? I actually cringed when I first heard that. I keep hoping that's just something for the trailer and not the actual film.

I agree with that TWINE is a pretty good score, but I don't care for all the techno stuff. It doesn't bother me when it's used in moderation, but he has written some great action music that just seems to get barried beneath those electronics. Take the track "Come in 007, Your Time is Up", if you just concentrate on the orchestral writing in that cue, it's really exciting and Bondish (with some great brass around the 1:00 mark), but the relentless techno beats is just a bit much.

Now, I actually do like them in "Access Denied" where they nicely compliment the orchestra.

And I'm with you on toning down the score in this film.

 

Tomorrow Never Dies is my favorite Bond score and I have high hopes for Casino Royale following in that score's more orchestral footsteps, rather than the electronics-heavy TWINE and DAD.

Arnold is capable of some great orchestral writing, I just wish he was given more high profile projects (like Independence Day) again.

As for the new Bond song... I like it for the most part. It's a little more rocking than I expected, but they are trying to revamp the series with this film so I guess it makes sense.

 

I guess I'm the only one who really, really liked the music from the trailers.

To me, it made the movie have quite an... epic... feeling.

Then again, I am an unknowledgable idiot, so who knows.

-Semi

 

I agree the trailers rock. I downloaded the the Casino Royale trailer just for the music.

 

YAY!! other people who like the trailer music!!

 

Yes. Awful, awful idea. Bond isn't a religious figure; he's not Neo, he's not a character in a Wagner opera. Why give him operatic choirs? Just... ugh.

As for the electronics - I haven't heard DAD outside of the film, but I have to say that I really thought Arnold blended electronics and orchestral stuff very nicely on TWINE. I haven't listened to it all the way through for a while now, but I thought it was very good.

 

The choir is the one black mark on what is otherwise a freaking awesome trailer. It really better not be indicative of the score itself, because... just no.

 

Smirnoff's website has the trailer music, in full, for those who want it.

 

Well, on the idea of a choir for Bond..maybe if they ever do a final film where he dies..then it'd be appropriate, I think.

 

I assume you're not referring to the vodka? If not, what other Smirnoff is there?

 

Somehow I don't think this franchise will ever die. And if Bond does die in a movie, he'll come magically "back to life" in the next one. I never actually noticed the choir, but now re-watching the trailer I think its quite cool.

 

I am referring to the Vodka. Bond Remix Contest.

 

Haha, well now that I think about it, it does make a lot of sense. "Dry vodka martini, shaken, not stirred."

 

I... love... this... version... of... the... theme.

Thanks for the link.

-Semi

 

Well, yes. Just saying if there'd ever be an appropriate moment for a chorus in a Bond film, that'd be it.

 

Bah, I don't know. If Bond died in a good Bond film, it would be at the hands of sharks with laser beams, or by the hand of a 60ft tall supervillain with jackhammers for teeth. If you start putting choirs in things you automatically start to try and epic-ify it all, and Bond... Bond just wouldn't die seriously.

 

Alright, alright.

 

Now that I think about it, he *does* die. In 'You Only Live Twice'.

And thanks for the link, SOTS. I might try my hand at the competition.

 

I never saw that one.

 

^They faked his death.

The choir sounded awesome, it added to the grand specticle that a trailer needs. It doesnt even come close to adding a religious aspect to it. Maybe if they slowed it down a bit and added an pipe organ.

 

Soundtrack.net has a first listen of the score available!

 

Sounds awesome. I really dig the way Arnold has incorporated "You Know My Name" into the score.

I'm really excited about this one.

 

Yes, the thematic development has obviously been approached very thoughtfully, especially the transition between 'You Know My Name' and the regular Bond theme. There's also some definite influence from Barry in the love theme/s. But I can't help but think that "You Know My Name" is too weak a melody to carry basically the entire score.