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Well, I’ve read a bunch of books about Mr.Stanley, from various kinds (from trivia to deep analysis ones) and the music in The Shining is most of the time quite criticized.
I can see why : it creates a feeling of distance that is sometimes disturbing, but not in a good way. Kubrick always included distance when he was dealing with music (Gayane Ballet in 2001, We’ll meet again in Dr.Strangelove, Beethoven’s Ninth in Clockwork Orange, etc.) but in The Shining, that distance is way too important, as if the music is actually out of the movie. Not always of course, but some parts of it.
It’s quite explicit in the scene where Duvall is threatening Nicholson with a base-ball bat (well, it’s actually Nicholson who is threatening her lol). Pendericki’s Polymorphia seems to be played by an orchestra near the room more than attached to the images…But don’t get me wrong : the music DO works most of time…and when it does, it’s spectacular.
Very classic choices….but then, you can’t deny the films he talks about are among the most important in cinema’s history !
Quite funny though that he praises the use of music in The Shining while it’s most commonly referred to as Kubrick’s worst use of non-original music.
For my part, I’ve seen the film a zillion time and I still can’t figure out if the music is brilliant or completely out of subject. Ah, Kubrick’s mysteries…Sweeney Todd Trailer….hmm….again ?
http://journal.nonesuch.com/journal/2007/10/preview-johnny-.html
The singing and the “eating people” parts are not obvious indeed; I guess they don’t want to scare people…
Apparently, the trailer will be attached to The Heartbreak Kid, opening tomorrow in US. I hope it hits the internet soon…
Burton said several months ago that Elfman wouldn’t be involved because it wouldn’t be a proper use of his talent. I have to agree, it’s better for Elfman to work on original material of his own rather than trying to imitate someone else’s style…
Great work indeed. I especially liked “Lullaby Mortesque”, a highly elfmanesque title by the way.
As for you boingomusic, I already knew your work from previous posts but I always enjoy listening to new material. I think it’s great to see how Elfman’s music has an influence on a lot of young composers, sometimes in unexpected ways.I also compose music but mainly for short films. I just started this year, so it’s still rather simplistic. Beside, I’m self-taught and still have to explore the many possibilities of Cubase lol. My music page is my signature…
I really really hope this is just one of those internet rumours. This would be a complete waste of time. My opinion is that an artist should always go forward…
Yep, Remains of the Day for me too. Oogie Boogie’s great but I always thought it was one of the weakest song in TNBC…which tells you how great these songs are !
Je vois qu’il y a plus de francophones que je ne le pensais sur ce forum !
Very nice work indeed !
When did you start writing for films and video games ?Even though it wouldn’t be really necessary, the cd we all have being quite exhaustive, a special edition could have some interest. Like a new mix, more close to the score within the film that has a more aggressive sound (though I’ve always preferred the more moderate drums in the main titles’ cd version…it’s far more subtle and elegant) and also, it would allow us to hear unreleased material such as the bombastic Batman’s theme variation when he enters the museum to save Vicky Vale.
But again, there are more urgent special editions to produce…Not much. To me, it’s the typical unimaginative music we get too often for animated films. Nothing disturbing during the film but incredibly boring on cd. I still think that this is (maybe the only) the bad choice of the film production. Clausen and even Elfman would have been far more smarter choices.
Listen to Giacchino’s Ratatouille. Even if it’s no masterpiece, it certainly has the grace and subtlety that is missing in Zimmer music. But then, it’s Zimmer…
It’s still Edward Bloom, it was time to change my username here too…
Well, Batman Returns was a completely different film from Batman, so there was the challenge.
I must admit that, although I really enjoy Spider-Man 2, it’s far from being a new take on the first score. It’s mainly the same stuff with “more everything”, like the film itself. It’s very nicely done but it doesn’t match the freshness and the heart of the first one (even Elfman confessed that in the 2004 Cinefonia interview).
Sequels are very rarely better than the material they follow, especially nowadays and if I was a composer, I would consider them an artistic trap.
It’s different when you know from the start that you are working on a trilogy for example; there, you can build a really concrete and elaborate musical universe. Basic sequels are generally just the addition of a chapter for a book that was already finished. And most of the time, you can feel it. Even in Batman Returns, some variations of the Batman theme are more laborious, just because it’s getting hard to avoid repetition… – please people, don’t kill me for saying that !
