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john ottman is no elfman but i think he delivered a respectable superhero score to accompany the visuals, the film was much better than the first, nightcrawler needed a separate theme for himself though
it was good but nothing like Kamen’s work for the first one; that was amazing.
Ottman delivers an honnest score, but i’m not sure it’s going to be exciting on cd…
I like X2 on CD. Been listening to it non-stop for a week. It’s a colorful, densely textured score that definitely has an Elfman vibe (particularly in the choir arrangements, which evoke, surprise-surprise, SPIDER-MAN) — with Goldenthal and Christopher Young thrown in!
Ryan
yes, i’ll give it a try…
I thought that Ottman’s score worked lousy in the movie. Not subtle at all, not that that’s necessarily a problem by itself, except that the music just didn’t suit the film. I found it distracting. It was the only thing about the movie I didn’t like.
In my opinion, much inferior to Michael Kamen’s score for the first X-Men movie. Why wasn’t he hired back for this one?
Ottman was going to do the music for the first X-Men, as he had scored and edited every previous film directed by Bryan Singer. But he was unavailable because he was directing, editing, and scoring Urban Legends: Final Cut, so they got Kamen.
I wasn’t too thrilled with Kamen’s score, but I haven’t seen X2 yet.
Man, when Mystique was breaking into the mainframe and Lady Deathstrike was getting closer and closer — that was prime Elfman. The female moans that accompanied Mystique reminded me of Worm Lounge #1 from Men in Black II as well.
The two movies do have interesting juxtapositions.
X-Men 2 was really inventive that punctuated the score’s energy with little or no theme. Not that it matters. The first was very different; it was very thematic though the orchestration wasn’t punctuated well at all, making some of the action cold and unenergetic.
So, X-Men 2, how many stars or notes Ryan?
My review of X2 was added to Cinemusic Sunday night:
http://www.cinemusic.net/reviews/2003/xmen2.html
Ryan
i’m not the only one who actually admires kamen’s work for the first episode you know
too bad ottman didn’t use mystic’s theme. It was one the most exciting point of kamen’s score.
the great thing about kamen score is that he really took an original approach….it was nothing like the others super-heros scores (ottman’s work is good, it has great moments, but it’s a very classical hero stuff). He actually created a musical unvierse, between traditional and post-modern style. The electronic sound add an interesting environment and is perfectly integrated with the orchestra (i’m still not convinced by Elfman’s use of electronic as an exemple; in Kamen’s score the supply is natural while with Danny it’s still something like “oh look, the electronical part is coming !!”).
Kamen’s theme is great, powerful but serene (ottman’s variation is convincing but doesn’t have the same aura) and there are wonderful, emotinal parts like Rogue and Logan, a real masterpiece.But it’s a matter of taste. I just find Kamen’s point of view more subtle (it takes time to enter the score…..but once you did, it’s a marvel
)Pish! I’m biased–not only because I like Danny’s music better, but I also like the characters of Spider-man and Batman better.
I didn’t think the music to X-men 2 sucked, or anything–and I liked the movie, in general, but I am getting fed up with all the liberties being taken and all….
I mean, I understand I probably take the movies a little more serious than those who don’t read the comics and all–and I really don’t mind if they change piddly stuff here and there….but, they really seem to like re-writing a ton of stuff just because they can.
(Does anyone else realize that if they were to introduce Gambit at this point in time, that he’d be about sixteen? Yah)!
Stan Lee said himself that he believes in changing things up when a comic book moves into the realm of film. It’s a different medium, so changes are necessary. I personally don’t mind all the changes because you have to understand that different creative forces are behind the films, and they bring their own sensibilities and strengths to the storytelling.
The interview with Stan Lee that I speak of is from the Hulk TV movie double feature DVD where he applauded the change to make the Hulk “mute” on TV rather than have him speak.
Nat
I agree with Nat. What would be the point of retelling the exact same story in the exact same way, just in a different medium (assuming that this could be done), anyway?
I knew someone who hated the first X-Men movie. When I asked him why, his answer was, “The guy they cast as Wolverine isn’t short enough.” That was his entire reason for not liking the movie. Nevermind that the portrayal of Wolverine’s personality (which is much more essential to the character than any physical characteristics, except, of course, for the adamantium claws and such) was spot-on, and that the actor otherwise resembled the character as drawn in the comics very well. Nevermind that the story was great and told well. Some superficial, minor, inessential, entirely inconsequential “flaw” (i.e., difference) ruins the whole movie.
What? Some people need to get their priorities straight. We’ve got a couple of great movies out of this venture, and I wouldn’t change a thing about them.
Well, I don’t mean to bash the X-Men movies, or anything–I do like them. I just happen to like Batman and Spider-man more. (Of course that could also have something to do with them being directed by my favorite directors)!
And, I don’t mind when things change–I mean, I wasn’t at all pissed with the whole organic webbing issue or anything. (But I’m not a big fan of the Goblin armor–too close to those other Batman movies that I try and not think about).
And, I was one of those people who were kinda bummed Wolverine wasn’t short and hairy–but that’s just because I’m obsessed….(besides, I squinted and ignored it, and was fine–I’m not gonna nit-pick that much)!
And I’ll admit that some of the changes are good….like I like that Mystique is paired with Magneto–I think they work rather well together.
I just think that when it comes to characters like Rogue, it almost would’ve been easier to create a different character altogether. (I mean about the only thing she has in common with the Rogue in the comics is she has similar powers and a Southern accent).
I mean, re-writes are inevitable, and there’s a ton of different X-Men comics out there–each with their own timelines, characters, and alternate realities….not to mention one-shots, and special collaborations and all–so I understand there’s a ton of stuff to work with (including a ton of characters!).
And I do think they’ve done a great job at capturing the essence of what everything is about in the X-Men movies….I just think Tim and Sam did a better job, is all.
I don’t know if it’s strictly because I feel they stayed closer to the characters–or I liked the plot better, or what….(although I do have a sneaky suspicion it may have something to do with the music, as well)!
But I do know that there are very few books that translate well to film–whether you’re talking comics or literary books….and that’s usually because whoever is involved isn’t as close to the material as the author.
So, sometimes change is good–but not always.
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