I honestly haven't watched Pacific Rim since I saw it in theaters when it first came out. I even own the Blu-ray. I just haven't felt like watching it. Not saying it was bad, there just hasn't been that urge to re-watch it again. I love director Guillermo Del Toro's work and loved this movie but, I don't know something was missing from it but wasn't missing was a truly epic score.
Disney'slatest animated hit, Frozen, has been killing it at the box office, bringing in almost $1 billion dollars, and is on its way to becoming the highest grossing animated film of all time. Some of this is because of the great story but most is due to this amazing music throughout the film.
The LEGO Movie score by legendary musician Mark Mothersbaugh is just as hyper and vast as the film itself. In fact, it's such a pumped up score that I listen to it in the gym. Though, it would be better suited for a hardcore parkour session, it's that crazy.
To say the score to the film Inception isn't intense would be like saying water isn't wet. It keeps you on your feet from the very beginning and never let's you take a seat. But with a movie like Inception with all it's twists and turns and layers upon layers you need to stay on your feet.
Is there a more inspiring opening theme to a movie. One that fills your eye sockets with tears of joy, every time? One that inspires a grown man to release his inner child and put on a towel as a cape and jump off his couch? NO. Nothing makes me want to pound evil-doers more than, the Superman: The Movie score by the impeccable John Williams.
Nothing is more mysterious and cosmic than The Trip to Earth. As violins weave trough the cosmic vapors. Like a planets only hope in a space capsule.
Is there a more romantic and awe-inspiring love theme than the Love Theme? I think not. Fly me around Metropolis and to the stars John Williams.
In fact, this entire score is a romanticizes one of the greatest superheros. It reminds us why we love Superman; deep down in our hearts, even if we scuff at the mere mention of his name. At it's peaks it's powerful and overwhelming like Superman himself. At it's lows it's somber and thoughtful just like Superman. Everything about this soundtrack perfectly encapsulates Superman. But, not just Superman the hero in all of us. Because, it's a reminder that we're capable of so much more.
I applaud Hans Zimmer for even attempting a Superman score. I'm not saying that his score isn't great because it is. But to walk in the footsteps of the legendary John Williams must have been scary. Yet Zimmer still goes for it and it works. It's not like William's score at all and still you feel like this is Superman.
I think what people tend to forget when watching a Superman film is that Superman isn't like us, he isn't human. He's an alien from another planet. Zimmer remembered this, even with his calm undertones for certain scenes or booming action music for others they all seem a bit otherworldly. There are definitely science fiction roots in the score and moments of it even sound a bit Blade Runner eskew. Only slightly though.
Zimmer also takes into account a line spoken by Jor-El early in the film before they send Kal-El (Superman) off to Earth, he says "He will be a god amongst them." With this Zimmer adds a holy almost gospel undertone to the score. Making it seem like this man, this being is indeed way more powerful than any of us could ever imagine. Should we fear him or should we worship him? The answer is neither, Hans brings us back to Earth everyonce in awhile reminding us that even with his godlike abilities that Clark Kent, Superman, whatever you want to call him is really just a kid from Kansas. So we can relate to him. You can relate to his isolation he had to endure as a child, the sadness of this spreads throughout much of the music.
Let us not forget the rest of the characters who get there moment to shine in Zimmer's score. His theme for Zod is exactly what it should be. He takes the Superman score and makes it intense and dark, making you fear Zod as you should. The man can snap your neck with his fingers and not even break a sweat. The intensity of the score when he is on screen will have you on the edge of your seat (yes I really just said that).
If you haven't heard the score seperately or seen the movie, no worries it comes out on DVD and Bluray November 12th. It's a really good movie and you should check it out. There hasn't been any confirmation as to whether or not Zimmer would be back for the sequel Batman Vs. Superman (I hate that title) but if he does it should be interesting seeing as he recently scored all three of Nolan's Batman films. It'd be nice to see if he could bring something new and exciting to a character he has already done so many times before. But we'll see as production starts and the crew is revealed to what should be an epic film.
Welcome to the first ever Movie Score Monday (Update: now Movie Score Mania) and yes I know it's Tuesday but hey nothing in life is perfect. For our very first entry we will be exploring a score maybe not that many people paid attention to. But take it from me if anything from this movie (which I personally enjoyed very much) is to remembered, it has to be Nathan Johnson's score.
Basically made up of clicks and whistles, it sounds like no other score I've heard before. Instead of of going with a booming orchestra Johnson prerecord various sounds and noises that we all hear on a daily basis, like the sound of a microwave as it finishes or the beeps and sounds of a treadmill. He took these sounds and twisted and turned them into something completely different.
If you ever listen to the score alone seperate from the movie you can still feel that intensity from each scene. Without knowing it you still get nervous for Joe as he's being hunted by the gangsters of this scifi film set not that far into the future. You can feel the heartbreak of Old Joe as he loses the one person he actually cared about in this world.
Each piece of music is done so meticulously that you have to praise Nathan for taking the time to creating new instruments to create something you may haven't heard before. All in all I personally believe the score to this film is one of the best parts of it and will be remembered for being so different just like the film it belongs to.
To get a sense of what I'm talking about, watch the video below:
