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I’m so sick and tired of hearing people bitch Horner. I have realised that he does sometimes use bits of his work more than once. However, he uses them in different ways. I also believe that he is one of the most original composers of our time. Compare The Perfect Storm Theme to Casper’s Lullaby or Somewhere Out There to Hymn To The Sea. Any resemblance? I think not. What about For The Love Of A Princess or Then You At Look Me or The Ludlows. Any resemblance here? I would also like to remind you that Horner is the composer of the world’s greatest selling soundtrack of all time (Titanic), the winner of 2 Oscars and 2 Golden Globes for Titanic, an Oscar for best song (Somewhere Out There) and there are quite a lot more. Oh yeah, didn’t My Heart Will Go On stay at the no. 1 spot for 12 weeks?
I’m not a Horner-hater, and I like some of his work… But saying that he did the best selling soundtrack of all time and that he composed “My Heart Will Go On”, which stayed at the nº1 spot for 12 weeks it’s not a very credible reason to justify he’s a great composer, you know… I mean, Britney Spears also sells A LOT, and yet…
On the opposite, Tom Waits makes great albums and he doesn’t climb the charts. Does this mean that Britney Spears is a better artist than Tom Waits?Think about Britney Spears this way. . . if she turned out to be 300 pounds with a couple of chins, would she be as famous as she is now? I think not!
As for Horner, I downloaded the opening sequence for A Beautiful Mind today and it is indeed very beautiful. Awsome stuff.
And I LOVE Hans Zimmer’s “Honor Him” and “Ending” from Gladiator. . . Don’t see why people here hate Horner of Zimmer, either.
Oh by the way, My Heart Will Go On is BARFALICIOUS!!!!
You know, now that Williams is treading synth ground…i’m figuring none of these guys are very far from each other. Zimmer and his friends — especially Trevor Rabin — have been sectioned off as popcorn film composers, working mainly with synth and developing these dispassionate scores. But they actually DONT sound bad at all. Seems to me that considering what Elfman said in his interview, the synth use is a big way to cut back on pressure with the timetables….maybe this timetable is whats making all these promising scores turn out to be total crap or bordering on it. They just dont have enough time to polish and edit it. i also notice no one ever mentions James Newton Howard on here…
His Waterworld score kicks serious ass
JNH is one of my favorites. Man, he had a streak going with SIXTH SENSE, SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS, UNBREAKABLE and ATLANTIS…
Horner has continued his descent with WINDTALKERS.
Ryan
Oh YEAH! JNH is awsome!! The Orchestral stuff he did with Elton John was amazing! Sixth Sense. . . sublime!
Wow, I’ll have to check out James Newton Howard…I know I”ve heard his stuff before, I just haven’t really paid attention THAT closely to figure out who the composer was. Well, as many of you know, I think Evan Evans is a fantastic composer, who does all his work on synths (but it’s all scored for full orchestra), and as such, the difference isn’t even that noticeable. We’re talking thickly-scored, rich sound here. Has Evans climbed the charts? Heck no, he’s doing strictly “indie” stuff…it is great, though. Pay attention to “Miss Wonton,” and his “Elan Vital” tracks.
-E
My favorite JNH, despite whatever other “Awesome” work he has done, would have to be “Dave.” What a FUN, bouncy, lively, and almost fantasy-esque score! Opening titles, Work Montage, etc., are some of my favorite tracks to listen to.
But since this thread started about Horner, I would have to say I just don’t care for his “later” period, and that’s personal taste. I LOVE his Rocketeer and pre-“Braveheart” sound. Then he turned a corner into a style I just don’t like. But I won’t knock his TALENT at what he does.
I guess it’s the same for all composers. There’s even (stay back!) some Elfman I don’t like listening to!
And I prefer less synth, more traditional acoustic orchestra.
(Let’s see what kinds of hate mail all of those comments generate.)
nigelsimmons — “As for Horner, I downloaded the opening sequence for A Beautiful Mind today and it is indeed very beautiful. Awsome stuff.”
Have you heard the first track of Bicentennial Man yet?
How can anyone call Horner “one of the most original composers of our time” when he does this and classical composers like Michael Daugherty, Richard Danielpour, Thomas Ades, Michael Torke, and countless others continually turn out “original” music using complex concepts and interesting combinations (much like Elfman).nigelsimmons — “And I LOVE Hans Zimmer’s “Honor Him” and “Ending” from Gladiator. . . Don’t see why people here hate Horner of Zimmer, either.”
Yes, but are both of these pieces just by Zimmer? Give full credit to where it is due. Lisa Gerrard wrote the lovely theme used at the end, and Klaus Badelt also worked on this cue (I do want to say though that I enjoyed the Gladiator score).
Nat
Ah, well they’re nice anyway.
grab your torch and pitchforks…
Britany Spears was mentioned on an Elfman site–tah-ha! Both scary and amusing at once!
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