main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Imprisoned By Their Evil Step-Fathers: Good Soundtracks From Terrible Movies

Discussion in 'Star Wars And Film Music' started by DarthBoba, Jun 15, 2009.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    I got the idea for this thread aupon realizing that I have a pretty fair number of scores to movies that are less than a cinematic marvel. So, to start the discussion, we have the 1998 Godzilla soundtrack to start with.

    This, unlike other movie soundtracks that came shackled to a terrible movie (Like X-Men 3, which we'll be discussing later on, I hope) is freaking rare. So rare, in fact, that finding it is sort of the movie music nerd equivalent of finding the Ark of the Covenant.


    [image=http://www.mpimages.net/mp/compressed/promotional/IJ1_IA_128_R.jpg]

    ^The Godzilla soundtrack is inside; it's what really killed the Nazis.


    But, despite being hitched to a nearly universally disliked monster movie, it's an utterly spectacular soundtrack that nearly saves the film all on it's own. It, however, couldn't save it from Matthew Broderick. If this movie didn't have any people in it, and was just the monster and her music, it'd be spectacular-the music gives things, at various times and appropriate moments, an appropriate sense of mystery, adventure, horror, comedy, grandeur, and tragedy-the chorus at the end with G's theme is honestly pretty heartbreaking, IMO. It's by David Arnold, who also did the soundtracks for Stargate, Independence Day, and the last three or four Bond films, so he's had plenty of experience making great soundtracks for wretched films.


    Thoughts?
     
  2. Gry Sarth

    Gry Sarth Ex 2x Banhammer Wielding Besalisk Mod star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 1999
    Ok, so its's not really a movie, but a TV mini-series, and it's not really terrible either, but I have to make the case here for a soundtrack that is astoundingly superior to its vehicle and deserves a lot more attention than it's bound to receive. I'm talking about "Children of Dune" by Brian Tyler.

    A testament to how good this soundtrack is is how much it's being used in trailers for big movies, Star Trek being the latest I know of. This score has some amazing themes that rival The Lord of the Rings in epicness and pure rich melodies. Granted, it gets a bit repetitive as the album progresses, with the themes being replayed over and over with different tempos and different instruments, but what themes we get are simply astounding. The series itself is not bad, and I quite like it, but if it were as good as its soundtrack it would be simply the most fenomenal thing ever done for TV.
     
  3. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 17, 2004
    I would remiss if I didn't mention the Star Wars prequels. Mediocre to excellent soundtracks for terrible, terrible films.
     
  4. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000

    I've never even heard of this series, actually. :p I'll try and go look for it-although comparing it to Lord Of The Rings may not be the best selling point for me, as I don't think much of anything about the LOTR films is all that astounding. :p


     
  5. Destined_Jedi

    Destined_Jedi Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2002
    Cutthroat Island (1995). The movie pretty much killed the pirate genre and is one of the biggest box office flops of all time. John Debney's score, however, is outstanding and probably one of my favorites. The score is very fun and reminiscent of the classic Korngold scores.
     
  6. Jedi_Keiran_Halcyon

    Jedi_Keiran_Halcyon Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 17, 2000
    1. I like X-Men 3. But I realize I'm in the extreme minority with this, so I won't start a debate. I just had to mention it.

    2. Actually, while the majority of the score IS available, many of the orchestrations are altered from the in-film versions (as detailed on this site). I REALLY wish the film version of the main title sequence was available.

    3. Sorry that I don't have much to say about Godzilla. I haven't seen it since it came out on VHS back in the day. When people talk about the score I get the urge to re-watch it, but then I think about all the other elements of the -- WAIT A MINUTE! I figured out why the score is unavailable! Because the movie is so bad and the score is so good, the producers make the movie the only place to hear the score so people HAVE to watch it!:p



    BTW. David Arnold has to date scored five Bond films: both of Craig's, and all but Goldeneye with Brosnan. So by my reckoning two okay-ish movies, one awful one, and two great ones.

     
  7. Drac39

    Drac39 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 9, 2002
    Van Helsing comes to mind
     
  8. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000

    I'd have reckoned X-Men 3 would've been great if they'd used Magneto as the central character instead of Wolverine. I mean, the guy was basically responsible for the death of the only friend he has...that's bound to be a ton more interesting than what we got. Particularly with Ian McKellen in the role. As it is, it's merely okay or possibly good.


    That's an interesting site about the X-Men 3 soundtrack-I still like it quite abit, though. Particularly the Jean Grey/Phoenix theme.

    As for Godzilla-find it somewhere! It's absolutely fantastic.


     
  9. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000

    So, I finally found & listened to this.

    It's waaay better than LoTR dude. :p
     
  10. Jedi_Master_Cazz

    Jedi_Master_Cazz Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 13, 2005
    What about DragonHeart? Less is more imo, and this one is clean and noble and paired with a terrible movie, lol.:p
     
  11. Gry Sarth

    Gry Sarth Ex 2x Banhammer Wielding Besalisk Mod star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 1999
    That is a matter of opinion, of course. But I'm glad I was able to introduce you to it and that you liked it. It's just a stunning piece of scoring that is just not as well-known as it deserves to be.
     
  12. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    Yeah, it's impressive.


    Most impressive. :p
     
  13. Duragizer

    Duragizer Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 23, 2009
    A good soundtrack from a terrible movie? Well, only one comes to mind at this time ...

    2001: A Space Odyssey

    That film has only two things going for it : special effects & score. It has nothing else. Nothing.
     
  14. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    Man, it's been so long since I saw 2001. The score was older pieces of classical music like Holst, wasn't it?
     
  15. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 17, 2004
    Alex North's original score was replaced with classical pieces, yes.
     
  16. Duragizer

    Duragizer Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 23, 2009
    Yep. The score was made up, mainly anyway, of old classical music. Still, it's an example of a poor movie with great music.
     
  17. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    Heh, well, I can barely remember it. Been a good thirteen or fourteen years since I watched that, I think. :p
     
  18. Jedi Gunny

    Jedi Gunny Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    May 20, 2008
    It is a pretty bad movie IMO.
     
  19. Cerrabore

    Cerrabore Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 17, 2004
    Yikes. Haven't seen it myself, but 2001 is regarded as a classic in most film circles. Methinks somebody expecting an accessible, action-filled adventure from Kubrick is setting himself up for disappointment.
     
  20. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    Ehh, I think that this forum shows that "good" is a pretty elusive quality with no set standards. :p


    If people don't like 2001, then they don't like 2001. Let's leave it at that.


     
  21. Duragizer

    Duragizer Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 23, 2009
    All I can say is that 2001 would have been much better as a short film. O:)
     
  22. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    lol. :p


    Well, moving on:

    Alien 3!

    [image=http://www.hardevidencemagazine.com.au/alien3.jpg]


    I personally like this movie quite alot, but yeah, alot of people don't, so it qualifies. :p

    I think the first (Adagio) and last (Agnus Dei) tracks are utterly grand, and frankly alot better than anything in the first two film's music.


    Yes, I know Bishop's Countdown is like required by international law to be in any major action movie's preview trailer. :p
     
  23. General Kenobi

    General Kenobi Administrator Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 1998
    The two most famous pieces used by Kubrick in 2001 were Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra and Johann Strauss II's An der schönen blauen Donau (On The Beautiful Blue Danube). It's a great film, but compared to modern films like this year's Star Trek, its pace is glacial. It's unfortunate that the trend to hyper-fast edits (and modern society in general) has spoiled people's patience so much, because the brilliant cinematography and score in 2001 can evoke some deep and profound thoughts. This is not a film for the "here I am, entertain me" crowd.
     
  24. Jedi_Keiran_Halcyon

    Jedi_Keiran_Halcyon Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 17, 2000
    I don't mind that argument, except that the people who make it almost never extend the same patience to the original Star Trek: The Motion Picture, whose slow-moving score and effects are every bit as evocative as 2001's, if not quite so expositionally nebulous.
     
  25. General Kenobi

    General Kenobi Administrator Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 1998
    I am not one of those people. :)

    Jerry Goldsmith's score is one of the all-time great originals, and the film is good. It just gets overshadowed by Wrath Of Khan. It's kind of 2001 meets The Changeling.

    But those uniforms... [face_palm]
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.