Welcome Guest
[Log In]
[Register]
| Score Reviewed (Two Angles) | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: 13 Jun 2014, 02:24 (4329 Views) | |
| TheCube42 | 13 Jun 2014, 02:24 Post #1 |
(As Not Seen on TV)
|
With respect to the film: A score, when placed in the context of a film, is meant to be subordinate to the movie (except in cases like The Red Violin where the score is the main player in the film). The new score does this well: The new themes match up with new elements of the film, from a mystery-thriller type snippet (what I would like to call a "Bourne"-esque music) to minimalist lyrics. It's a lot easier to digest at first viewing than the first film's score: the score is more settled, and less capricious in its direction. This gives the viewers something to hang onto in terms of mood. The newer ideas (themes) are simpler in their construction as well, mainly made up of pentatonic gestures. Overall, with respect to the film, it is a great companion with both fun and pain. By itself: First of all, this should be let out: The intro of "Dragon Racing" is a completely different version from the actual version used in the film. It is heard later during credits as filler music; the actual film cut is much closer to the beginning of "This is Berk," with gentle horn melody and soft string accompaniment. If you listen to the first and the second scores back-to-back, you can see where material was lifted off the first film's score (not just the themes, but the exact forms). From "Counter Attack" to "Vikings Have Their Tea" to "This is Berk" to "Test Drive," a lot of the material is the same settings rehashed into a slightly fuller mood (or sometimes they're nigh-identical). These are, as we all know, proven to be great. Much of the portions utilizing new themes, I feel, lack something. It isn't gravitas; it has plenty of that. What I feel as lacking, viewing this as a concert work, is a sense of great movement that the first score had. As much as I like massive music, it can be achieved without sacrificing movement (The last movement of Mahler Symphony No. 9 is really, really, reallllly slow, but it still keeps a very weighted momentum throughout). I'm all for minimalists (Philip Glass, etc.) whose music often shows movement only when viewed on a bigger scope, but I feel that the disjoint between the two styles (and the intermingling of them) kind of broke some paces for me thinking of this as a concert piece. A huge exception to this was one of Drago-centric motifs (scale degree 5 - 10 -  which really breathed some John Williams DNA back into the score, and the 6/4 instances of one of the pentatonic motifs (3 - 3 - 4 - 5 - | 4 - 3 - 1 - 7 | 1) where the entire orchestra injected movement into the music with sheer force.Addendum: The violin solo of the Celtic theme in "Dragon Racing" is sterile; The violin solo in "Two New Alphas" is a bit out of tune. UGGGGGGHHHHHH That's all. |
| Σ (a sigma-ture) | |
| HideousZippleback | 13 Jun 2014, 14:59 Post #2 |
[color=blue]I'm just here for Snotlout. [/color] 
|
I agree with your without respect to film part but for some reason I feel that some parts of the soundtrack in respect to the film just don't sound as atmospheric or fitting to what was happening... Like in Battle of The Bewilderbeast I don't think there was enough emotion and darkness put into the moments happening in the film... |
| |
| TheCube42 | 13 Jun 2014, 20:31 Post #3 |
|
(As Not Seen on TV)
|
The first film's score equivalents ("Battling the Green Death" and "Counter Attack") always had some sense of hope in them, primarily when something hopeful was introduced on-screen. During "Battle of the Bewilderbeast" you can hear when the riders emerge, when Ruffnut gets picked back up by Snotlout and Fishlegs (comedy!), and the various dragon rescues. This is supposed to be a more triumphant track than "Hiccup Confronts Drago" (which, it is). But clearly there are also darker elements: The intro, for example, which feels like standard Hollywood dark music with the accompaniments. Then the horns come with one of the newer motifs in phrygian mode (actually often used in the first film, for mystery). There are also a couple of passages utilizing very abrasive textures, using cymbals, rapid-fire string/brass trills, etc. Personally, I don't think the music is deviant from the on-screen elements. |
| Σ (a sigma-ture) | |
| Rocky Rose | 13 Jun 2014, 23:47 Post #4 |
Deadly Nadder
|
I agree on both points actually... listening to the soundtrack right now, and for the most part- I can barely connect the scenes from the film with the music even though I just saw the movie today... then again- a movie of this scope.. requires multiple viewings just to take it all in.... |
|
"I saw him, and I saw myself."- Hiccup "With Vikings on the backs of dragons, the world just got a whole lot bigger."  Addicted to DRAGONS  My Devianart My Tumblr (I'm on there ALOT) Nightfury326 | |
| Users browsing this forum:
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests
|
|
| Print view | |
| « Previous Topic · How to Train Your Dragon 2 · Next Topic » |
| Members · Contact us · Delete cookies | It is currently 19 Apr 2024, 22:46 |