Jerry Goldsmith

Started by MN Dave, December 22, 2009, 05:10:48 AM

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MN Dave

I was enjoying the Star Trek: The Motion Picture soundtrack last night and thought that, yes, Goldsmith should have his own thread here (moreso than Willaims *sniff*). Other top notch stuff: Planet of the Apes and Alien. I haven't heard CDs of his other works (I've heard the music at the movies) but I'm a'gonna.

Brahmsian

Quote from: Dave of MN on December 22, 2009, 05:10:48 AM
I was enjoying the Star Trek: The Motion Picture soundtrack last night and thought that, yes, Goldsmith should have his own thread here (moreso than Willaims *sniff*). Other top notch stuff: Planet of the Apes and Alien. I haven't heard CDs of his other works (I've heard the music at the movies) but I'm a'gonna.

Have you heard The Omen - 1976 soundtrack?  Excellent!

MN Dave

Quote from: Brahmsian on December 22, 2009, 05:15:24 AM
Have you heard The Omen - 1976 soundtrack?  Excellent!

Of course I have my eye on that one.  >:D

Bogey

If I grabbed just one off the shelf in a burning house, the three you mentioned Dave would be hard to pass.  However, I would grab his Alien score.  In short, the three you mentioned are my favorites. 

Another worth your time is Patton....great stuff.  But try to get a download of the vinyl album if you can. 

Wait 'til Benji jumps on board this thread! ;D
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

MN Dave

Thank you, sir. Patton! Yes, I'd like that.

Bogey

Another, that it sounds like we both need (I only have a couple excerpts) is Total Recall.  Cool film as well, IMO.
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

MN Dave

Quote from: Bogey on December 22, 2009, 05:45:02 AM
Another, that it sounds like we both need (I only have a couple excerpts) is Total Recall.  Cool film as well, IMO.

Yes, there's much to explore. I sort of needed a new music vein to mine and this might be it.

Bogey

Quote from: Dave of MN on December 22, 2009, 05:47:03 AM
Yes, there's much to explore. I sort of needed a new music vein to mine and this might be it.

With Herrmann in the conversation, Goldsmith is in my mind the best ever for scores.  His adaptability is unmatched, IMO.  His music will take you down many different avenues while many film composers keep you on the same street. 
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

MN Dave

Quote from: Bogey on December 22, 2009, 05:49:40 AM
With Herrmann in the conversation, Goldsmith is in my mind the best ever for scores.  His adaptability is unmatched, IMO.  His music will take you down many different avenues while many film composers keep you on the same street.

I agree with this totally. Williams and Elfman seem to play the same tunes repeatedly in slight variations from movie to movie.

Bogey

Quote from: Dave of MN on December 22, 2009, 05:51:49 AM
I agree with this totally. Williams and Elfman seem to play the same tunes repeatedly in slight variations from movie to movie.

I feel your pain, though I enjoy Johnny's music, even Raiders and Superman.  Williams can have his moments though, breaking away from his war horses.  A couple that you may want to try from him are Catch Me If You Can and Minority Report (my all time favorite from him).  For an Elfman difference maker, try A Simple Plan....absolutely brilliant!
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

MN Dave

Quote from: Bogey on December 22, 2009, 06:00:51 AM
I feel your pain, though I enjoy Johnny's music, even Raiders and Superman.  Williams can have his moments though, breaking away from his war horses.  A couple that you may want to try from him are Catch Me If You Can and Minority Report (my all time favorite from him).  For an Elfman difference maker, try A Simple Plan....absolutely brilliant!

Hm. Maybe after I collect more Goldsmith.  ;)

Bogey

Quote from: Dave of MN on December 22, 2009, 06:02:11 AM
Hm. Maybe after I collect more Goldsmith.  ;)

;D

And make sure you give his Western scores a sniff.  Also very good stuff.
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

karlhenning

Just saw The Boys from Brazil, with (IIRC) a score by Goldsmith.  Sort of 'period-piece' waltzes, well done, served the movie nicely.

Of course, the film-scorer you want for waltzes is Sergei Sergeyevich . . . .

MN Dave

Quote from: Bogey on December 22, 2009, 06:04:43 AM
;D

And make sure you give his Western scores a sniff.  Also very good stuff.

I might though I don't like most Western music. Yet I enjoy Westerns. Go figure.

snyprrr

Honestly Dave, have you heard the rich vein of Spaghetti Westerns beyond the obvious? I remember my friend had a few boxes of just dynamite stuff from the '60s-'70s. oh oh, I feel a Morricone Thread coming on...

MN Dave

Quote from: snyprrr on December 22, 2009, 10:56:49 AM
Honestly Dave, have you heard the rich vein of Spaghetti Westerns beyond the obvious? I remember my friend had a few boxes of just dynamite stuff from the '60s-'70s. oh oh, I feel a Morricone Thread coming on...

That stuff I like. I was thinking more mainstream big Western music. You know, like Copland.  ;D

Brian

Quote from: Dave of MN on December 22, 2009, 05:42:52 AM
Thank you, sir. Patton! Yes, I'd like that.

Man, Patton has one of THE great soundtracks!

One of Jerry Goldsmith's very first scores was for a western movie called Lonely Are the Brave, which star Kirk Douglas says is the best movie he ever made.

MN Dave

Thanks for your input, Brian.

Just picked up The Omen and Total Recall.

vandermolen

I like his music a lot. The opening titles of 'Tora, Tora, Tora' are highlights for me. Also the scores for 'Patton', the 'Black Mass' from 'Damien, Omen 2', 'Planet of the Apes', 'Alien', 'Capricorn One' and 'Total Recall' - as you see, I have high brow tastes in cinema  ;D
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

karlhenning

Bogey's table-pounding had me re-visiting Minority Report.  It is a good score, perhaps Williams's best.  Sure wish he had scored the harp concerto which was recently premiered at Symphony as well (as imaginatively, as intelligently) as he scored his music accompanying this film.  But then, I suppose Spielberg paid him more.