Very disappointed Thomas Newman is doing the Spectre score

He’s a good film score composer in general, but his score for Skyfall was very un-Bond-like, with no hint of the John Barry tradition here and there, like David Arnold used to do.

Why was Arnold ditched anyway?
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Comments

  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    Sam Mendes wanted to bring in his own man.
    Visit my blog, Bond Suits
  • osrisosris Posts: 558MI6 Agent
    I see. It's a pity, though, as I thought Arnold had the right balance between a Barry sound and his own.
  • lotuslotus englandPosts: 292MI6 Agent
    I think the soundtracks for skyfall is very good ,I think its better than David Arnolds
  • MrSwindermanMrSwinderman Dover, Ohio, USAPosts: 212MI6 Agent
    We all have our own ideas about this issue. I think all the scores are good in their own right. Newman's score was very different from what we've heard before. I enjoyed the Skyfall score; however, it didn't have a lot of that high brass sound. I think since Spectre is going back to a sorta "old style" Bond film, the score will be more brassy. Hopefully...
  • osrisosris Posts: 558MI6 Agent
    "I think the soundtracks for skyfall is very good ,I think its better than David Arnolds"


    It depends what the criteria is. It might be as an action film score, but is it a Bond score? By that I mean taking on board Barry’s contribution to the way we perceive a Bond score.
  • MrSwindermanMrSwinderman Dover, Ohio, USAPosts: 212MI6 Agent
    osris wrote:
    "I think the soundtracks for skyfall is very good ,I think its better than David Arnolds"


    It depends what the criteria is. It might be as an action film score, but is it a Bond score? By that I mean taking on board Barry’s contribution to the way we perceive a Bond score.

    While I enjoy the Berry score, Bond is always changing. Also, Skyfall was a bit of a rebirth/in a funk time for Bond. Perhaps, that is why the PTS had lots of brass and that Berry sound and most of the rest of the film didn't.
  • osrisosris Posts: 558MI6 Agent
    We all have our own ideas about this issue. I think all the scores are good in their own right. Newman's score was very different from what we've heard before. I enjoyed the Skyfall score; however, it didn't have a lot of that high brass sound. I think since Spectre is going back to a sorta "old style" Bond film, the score will be more brassy. Hopefully...

    True, but the brass sound is not the only Barry element. There are flutes, oboes, piano, and harp elements that he used as well. More languid and eerie sounds too, as in the underwater sequences in TB and in parts of DAF.
  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    lotus wrote:
    I think the soundtracks for skyfall is very good ,I think its better than David Arnolds

    The Skyfall soundtrack sets the right moods, but it completely lacks progression and common themes, except for a couple undeveloped motifs. It mostly just sounds like generic action music. Arnold understands the Bond sound, and he's great at writing themes. He also knows how to use themes in his scores. His Night at the Opera track is a brilliant piece of music, not only for the film but also just as music on its own. Plus, Arnold uses that theme in other parts of the score, which helps give the film a musical identity. Newman's score lacks this complexity.
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  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    osris wrote:
    We all have our own ideas about this issue. I think all the scores are good in their own right. Newman's score was very different from what we've heard before. I enjoyed the Skyfall score; however, it didn't have a lot of that high brass sound. I think since Spectre is going back to a sorta "old style" Bond film, the score will be more brassy. Hopefully...

    True, but the brass sound is not the only Barry element. There are flutes, oboes, piano, and harp elements that he used as well. More languid and eerie sounds too, as in the underwater sequences in TB and in parts of DAF.

    It's not just about sounding like Barry, but a good score helps tell the story through the music. Newman mostly just writes background music that could fit almost anything.
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  • ToTheRightToTheRight Posts: 314MI6 Agent
    Arnold's music tends to be memorable even upon first hearing. Each film had it's own stamp and feel. Something Barry was amazing at. I did like Newman's score, but no how many time's I've seen SF I can't say I go around humming various cues from it like I could do with Barry or Arnold.
  • osrisosris Posts: 558MI6 Agent
    The only other composer than Barry to introduce a new Bond sound that could have caught on had he done more Bond films was George Martin for LALD—at least for the action and suspense elements of the film.
  • blame_thatcherblame_thatcher Posts: 199MI6 Agent
    Newman used to be a good composer but now he's run out of ideas and his Skyfall score was just a retread of his usual stuff as well as some quite generic Hollywood scoring with very little use of themes or motifs. It was mostly an anonymous score and that's not good enough. The Skyfall score reflected the poor state in general of film scoring today. Its nomination for an Oscar was insulting when John Barry never got a nomination for any of his Bond scores.
  • broadshoulderbroadshoulder Acton, London, UKPosts: 1,363MI6 Agent
    I liked Thomas Newman
    1. For Your Eyes Only 2. The Living Daylights 3 From Russia with Love 4. Casino Royale 5. OHMSS 6. Skyfall
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I enjoyed the SF score -{ , ideally I'd always get David Arnold, but
    I thought Newman did a great job.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    Newman used to be a good composer but now he's run out of ideas and his Skyfall score was just a retread of his usual stuff as well as some quite generic Hollywood scoring with very little use of themes or motifs. It was mostly an anonymous score and that's not good enough. The Skyfall score reflected the poor state in general of film scoring today. Its nomination for an Oscar was insulting when John Barry never got a nomination for any of his Bond scores.

    That's pretty much it. Very generic. But I'm a musician and composer, so I have higher standards.
    Visit my blog, Bond Suits
  • ShatterfangShatterfang Posts: 538MI6 Agent
    Well i for one loved THOMAS NEWMAN'S SKYFALL. I have a lot of his bond scores on my ipod, a lot less David Arnold Scores. It just makes you feel like Bond
  • VeguroVeguro Posts: 11MI6 Agent
    What I miss about Arnold was how he wove the title song into the soundtrack. Listen to Tomorrow Never Dies (if you count Surrender as the title theme) and Casino Royale - he had hints of the title theme in all the right places (one of my favorite has to be on the train in Montenegro). Anyways, it's a shame they didn't bring Arnold back for Skyfall. He might not have wrote it but it was one hell of an instrumental piece and he would have had a TON to work with. Now for this one I think Arnold would hear the title theme and just say 'Nope.' :))
  • MrSwindermanMrSwinderman Dover, Ohio, USAPosts: 212MI6 Agent
    Matt S wrote:
    Newman used to be a good composer but now he's run out of ideas and his Skyfall score was just a retread of his usual stuff as well as some quite generic Hollywood scoring with very little use of themes or motifs. It was mostly an anonymous score and that's not good enough. The Skyfall score reflected the poor state in general of film scoring today. Its nomination for an Oscar was insulting when John Barry never got a nomination for any of his Bond scores.

    That's pretty much it. Very generic. But I'm a musician and composer, so I have higher standards.

    Same here Matt! I had no idea you were a musician like myself!
  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    Matt S wrote:
    Newman used to be a good composer but now he's run out of ideas and his Skyfall score was just a retread of his usual stuff as well as some quite generic Hollywood scoring with very little use of themes or motifs. It was mostly an anonymous score and that's not good enough. The Skyfall score reflected the poor state in general of film scoring today. Its nomination for an Oscar was insulting when John Barry never got a nomination for any of his Bond scores.

    That's pretty much it. Very generic. But I'm a musician and composer, so I have higher standards.

    Same here Matt! I had no idea you were a musician like myself!

    I'm not a musician professionally in general, but I've done a lot of music in my life. Many people have told me I should have gone into it as a profession.
    Visit my blog, Bond Suits
  • heartbroken_mr_draxheartbroken_mr_drax New Zealand Posts: 2,073MI6 Agent
    I don't mind Newman doing a few, Skyfall was a good soundtrack, but I do hope Arnold comes back. His scores have improved film by film - and he certainly has the Barry influence.
    1. TWINE 2. FYEO 3. MR 4. TLD 5. TSWLM 6. OHMSS 7. DN 8. OP 9. AVTAK 10. TMWTGG 11. QoS 12. GE 13. CR 14. TB 15. FRWL 16. TND 17. LTK 18. GF 19. SF 20. LaLD 21. YOLT 22. NTTD 23. DAD 24. DAF. 25. SP

    "Better make that two."
  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,418Quartermasters
    Skyfall's score was okay. It had some cues which I really enjoyed but like others have mentioned it lacks theme development, which for me is an essential element of film scoring. Apart from M's motif, there aren't any other strong recurring themes that I can recall from the score which is a disappointment.

    I would definitely have preferred to have David Arnold back for Spectre. I much prefer his approach, which involves developing thematic ideas throughout the score, often incorporating the title song where possible.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    To be honest, you don't need any music qualifications. We all
    have two ears ( most of us anyway) we all know what we like
    when we hear it, and what we dislike.
    If you dislike the score, thete's no need to explain . ;)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Bondage007Bondage007 AustraliaPosts: 371MI6 Agent
    As mentioned, Skyfall score is too generic, there's absolutely no Bond vibes. I wish the filmmakers would place more priority on a Bondian score. Since it seems like they are going all out on providing THE Bond movie this time, hopefully they haven't forgotten Barry's contributions
    2019 Bondathon...in progress (6) FRWL (7) GE (8) FYEO (9) TND (10) MR (11) GF (12) LALD (13) DAF (14) LTK (15) TMWTGG (16) TB (17) TSWLM (18) DAD (19) AVTAK (20) YOLT (21) QOS (22) SF (23) TWINE (24) SP
  • blame_thatcherblame_thatcher Posts: 199MI6 Agent
    Golrush007 wrote:
    Apart from M's motif, there aren't any other strong recurring themes that I can recall from the score which is a disappointment.
    The only apparent theme is 'Severine' which takes up approximately 90 seconds of the score. That's really not good enough.
  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,418Quartermasters
    Golrush007 wrote:
    Apart from M's motif, there aren't any other strong recurring themes that I can recall from the score which is a disappointment.
    The only apparent theme is 'Severine' which takes up approximately 90 seconds of the score. That's really not good enough.

    Yes, that one was also in the back of my mind, but I couldn't recall if it was developed or repeated over several cues or if it just appeared once.
  • writingsonthewallwritingsonthewall SpainPosts: 417MI6 Agent
    Mixed feelings here, but I tend to err on the Arnold side. Skyfall was less-than-memorable (I kept thinking Newman was trying to sound like Hans Zimmer in Dark Knight Rises or Inception) and will agree that Arnold masterfully conveyed the Barryness of the series without losing its contemporary flavour. QoS keeps being one of my faves (for all he says "No Good about Goodbye" was not intended to be the movie song, you can hear traces of it EVERYWHERE) and didn't enjoy the change.

    That being said, if and when Arnold comes back we will appreciate him twice as much. Or is that TWINE?
    "Enjoy it while it lasts."
    "The very words I live by."
  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    Bondage007 wrote:
    As mentioned, Skyfall score is too generic, there's absolutely no Bond vibes. I wish the filmmakers would place more priority on a Bondian score. Since it seems like they are going all out on providing THE Bond movie this time, hopefully they haven't forgotten Barry's contributions

    There are occasional Bond vibes, but no amount of Bond vibes could make up for the lack of musicality in the score. I'd rather have a well composed score without Bond vibes, like LALD or FYEO, than a score that just sounds like Bond without any substance.
    Visit my blog, Bond Suits
  • i expect u2 diei expect u2 die LondonPosts: 583MI6 Agent
    Add me to the 'underwhelmed' camp. I'm hoping for better things with Spectre. Maybe even a theme (or two?!).
  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    Add me to the 'underwhelmed' camp. I'm hoping for better things with Spectre. Maybe even a theme (or two?!).

    Even when Thomas Newman writes themes, they are never memorable. You won't find a janitor whistling a Thomas Newman theme. :D
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  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Even the janitor in OHMSS had to whistle "Goldfinger" ;)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
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