Intrada Soundtrack Forum

In a separate thread, Indy suggested: "On an entirely different topic, is it just me, or does it seem to the rest of you that the epic orchestral film score is becoming fashionable again?"

I hope Indy is right, as epics have usually (but not always; I offer no examples) given Hollywood some of its most timeless film scores.

His question is a good one, so I hope Indy will indulge my taking his significant question and starting a new thread.

His comments are whetting my appetite in regards to THE PROMISE. Badelt usually doesn't get my attention, but given that this is a score for a Chinese epic, recorded with a Chinese orchestra, and presumably in response to Chinese film score sensibilities (CROUCHING TIGER, HERO, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, PAVILLION OF WOMEN [the latter a great score by Conrad Pope], and presumably THE TOUCH (which I haven't heard would fit here, too), this one may be okay.

b.

Sure, indulge away...

It seems to me that there's been a lot more "epic orchestral scores" in the past year or two, and I hope it's the start of a trend. Some were okay, some were good, some were great, but it's encouraging to me to see so many of them... just from last year alone...

"The Brothers Grimm", "The Greatest Game Ever Played", "The Legend of Zorro", "Hostage", "Arsene Lupin", "Steamboy", "War of the Worlds", "Revenge of the Sith", "King Kong", "Kingdom of Heaven", "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", "Zathura", "Valiant", "Sahara", and "Fantastic Four".

Okay, so maybe all of these don't count as EPIC, but they're all primarily big orchestral scores, whether they be sweepingly romantic or brutally intense. To me, it's really encouraging to see the way these films have been scored, considering that many of them could have easily gone the "Pirates of the Caribbean" route. Based on the projects a lot of composers are attatched to this year, I suspect we're going to have a relatively strong year of new releases. Between some of the current trends, all the wonderful re-releases from Film Score Monthly, Intrada, and others, and the newer rules regarding union fees and such, it's a great time to be a film score fan, if you ask me.

Back at ya later

At first glance I think it would seem that the epic film score is back, but it appears more the case of just continuing the trend that Hollywood has been following for some time, and that's "Louder and Bigger is better." It's no secret that films have gotten flashier and that sound systems are being pushed to the brink as film plots are stretched to their most ultra shear and virtually transparent best. Is this bad or good? I don't know, but I do love that the big orchestral sound is peaking. I just wish that they sounded more melodic and with more harmony. I recently relistened to ZATHURA and while I do love it's expansiveness, I still feel that it's just one big orchestral score that fits the bill of being just that: Big and orchestral. But there is a lot missing from that score, as well as most recent epic scores have been. LORD OF THE RINGS is a welcome departure from the canned sound of most contemporary film music - there are tons of themes, great melodies and a lot of heart. This is no argument, it is great music made better by it's shear size. Can we say the same of PASSION OF CHRIST or ZATHURA? Still, I'm not really complaining, as I like my scores hitting me from all dimensions and swallowing me whole. If this continues, then great. But think about this, when Williams is gone, who will replace the magic that he does? Is there even one composer living that can come close to nailing the moment, with as much wild abandon and originality as him?

~ Oz

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