Batman Begins

Post by **ShyViolet** » August 13th, 2008, 8:36 pm

Thanks Dan!

Post by **Vernadyn** » August 14th, 2008, 6:32 pm

Yeah, sorry, I wasn't trying to bash him--he's written some fantastic music (the Lion King and Prince of Egypt, being two stunning examples) and I loved the Simpsons Movie score even though I know not everyone was that big a fan of it.
Plus I saw him on a couple of documentaries and he seems like a great guy.

Sorry, I wasn't referring to you as a Zimmer-basher. It was more of a self-admonition, as I used to disdain Zimmer a bit. I felt the need to defend him because, well, my profile picture doesn't suggest impartiality on my part. It just seems that Zimmer is either worshipped by butt-kissing devotees or dismissed as a hack. I may not like his music as much as other composers, but the last thing I want to do is come off as a rabid Elf-fan myself.

Post by **ShyViolet** » August 14th, 2008, 10:08 pm

Gotcha Vernadyn.

Elfman rules, he's definetely at the top as far as I'm concerned (he more or less ties with John Williams in my book). Zimmer's done some great work, but he's just not my personal favorite. But I loved Gladiator, Kung Fu Panda and Prince of Egypt.

Post by **Ben** » August 16th, 2008, 12:06 pm

Nice discussion going on here folks! Keep it up!

Post by **Vernadyn** » August 18th, 2008, 5:35 pm

Not getting tired of discussion only marginally having to do with Dark Knight yet? Okay, let's talk about Jerry Goldsmith. Why not? He's a film composer, and Hans Zimmer is also a film composer, and Hans Zimmer scored The Dark Knight....

To get more on topic: At this point I think I can say I enjoyed the score more than the one to Batman Begins. I was a little baffled that the big, heroic theme (found in the track "Molossus") wasn't in TDK. Then again, that theme did sound a lot like a Zimmer doing his Crimson Tide thing for the fiftieth time. The replacement theme that I identified was a simple three-note rising motif that I found to be a bit bare and not very representative of Batman as a character. But it was a nice break from the constant, somewhat tedious minor third* thing made famous in BB and used rather blatantly in Transformers (I don't know if anyone knows what I'm talking about, so I'll risk looking silly and try typing it out: it's the rhythm that goes duh-duh DUH-DUH duh-duh DUH-DUH duh-duh DUH-DUH
then on top, a blasting duhhhhhhhhhhhhh-DAHHHHHHHHHHHH!) Moving on...

I'm still a little ambivalent about the Joker's heavy metal "one-note theme." It's an interesting concept, but something doesn't quite connect for me. The Two-Face music I really liked. It expressed the emotion that seemed to be missing from the rest of the score.

*Just because I happen to know this particular musical term doesn't mean I've studied formal music theory in the classroom, so if there are any musicians out there, please be gentle.

Post by **Ben** » August 18th, 2008, 6:02 pm

I know of what you speaketh, and I agree...

Post by **eddievalient** » August 18th, 2008, 8:37 pm

Re: Joker's "theme": I thought it was interesting that Joker's theme was so thoroughly dissonant because, in a way, it represents his state of mind. He probably hears that tone constantly (or one very similar to it).

To go off topic for a minute, as long as we're talking about film scores, I think Michael Giacchino's (sp?) score for Speed Racer deserves major props and I hope he gets an Oscar nom for best music. You'd think an orchestral version of the show's theme song might be kind of silly, but the score's finale, Let Us Drink Milk, is amazing and brings in a chorus to back up some wonderful string and brass work. It is most definitely worth seeking out the 2-CD expanded score (which, like most such releases, is an unofficial promo but pretty easily found nonetheless).

Back on topic, I like the new Batman theme, but I feel that Danny Elfman's is more iconic and fits the character better. Zimmer's theme suits the film, but listening to it on its own, it doesn't say "Batman" to me.

Post by **Vernadyn** » August 19th, 2008, 3:52 pm

Regarding Speed Racer: Before the film came out, a site (I THINK it was Time Warner Cable, but I'm not sure) accidentally made the whole score available as a stream, complete with Giacchino shouting, "I just want to say, I LOVE you guys!" at the end. And this was before the Varese Sarabande album came out! Needless to say, it was quickly removed. A fantastic score; I'm looking forward to hear what he does with Star Trek and Up.

And I've run out of things to say about The Dark Knight for the time being.

Post by **James** » August 20th, 2008, 12:14 pm

http://winnipegsun.com/Entertainment/Ot ... 1-sun.html

Heath Ledger had not updated his will when he died and his daughter was left nothing. Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell are all donating their salaries from The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus to her.

...I think I have something in my eye...

Post by **eddievalient** » August 20th, 2008, 1:07 pm

Just goes to show that not all richies are heartless (just most of the ones I've ever met).

Post by **Dacey** » August 28th, 2008, 12:44 pm

Even if you loved the movie as much as I did, you gotta admit that this is pretty funny:

(Warning: Language)

http://www.the-editing-room.com/thedark ... l#more-521

There was one joke about Heath Ledger in there that I had a problem with, though. You'll know it when you see it.