James Horner
- This topic has 84 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 3 weeks, 6 days ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I don’t really have favourites as such – more as the mood takes me. But I think Horner falls into 3 groups of scores for my taste:
1st – most excellent
Wrath of Khan
Search For Spock
The Rocketeer
The Last Wolf
Glory
Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
The Ludlows2 – Innovative and memorable
Sneakers
Cocoon
Braveheart
Name of the Rose
The Land Before Time
Karate Kid3 – Works well on the film, but too many bits stolen or recycled etc
Apollo 13 (nice but derivative)
Aliens (nice but derivative)
Enemy at the Gate (nice but derivative)
Patriot Games
etcIf you have COCOON THE RETURN on CD, you will be familiar with the Main Theme from SURVIVING 😉
Good that I don’t have it 😉
Cool!
If I had had any disposable income for “extra things”, supporting that would have been a no-brainer.
As it is, I can’t. There’s also a whole chapter of complexities involved in terms of my James Horner collection, its ebb and flow over the years, and where this would fit in, priority-wise. Maybe something to write out on a later occasion.
I am not sure I have any composers where I would support a Kickstarter ‘blind’ (I don’t know any of the proposed titles). I much prefer his early output in terms of style – Star Trek’s 2 and 3, Krull, etc – and I am not sure any of these TV scores fit into this style.
It’s funny reading that these titles are so obscure that the status of any original recordings isn’t known. That leaves the gate open for these to be re-recorded and then, further down the line, the release of newly discovered original recordings (if there are any around).
These scores are from my favourite James Horner period (the 80s) when his voice, although very distinctive, was still blossoming and he hadn’t settled into his routine so much.
WEASEL CREEK is a lovely Americana score, not unlike early Goldsmith similar styled scores featuring guitars, banjo and harmonica, plus flourishing orchestra, like NATTY GANN and RASCALS & ROBBERS.
ANGEL DUSTED contrasts gentle Americana with some heavy/dark atonal writing not unlike BRAINSTORM and ALIENS.
MRS CIMINO has a slight blues inflection, like a small-scale BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED with a main theme led by sax.
I really hope this funds cos these 3 scores are all fantastic early Horner efforts.Thanks, nice roundup. On FSM someone posted the movies as found on youtube, too. Have to take a closer listen. Maybe I decide to support it next month but if only the digital category…
Amazing 45,000 $ set for “just some smaller scores” where apparently even the scores don’t need reconstruction as other did. 13,000+ $ already backed.
The costings do seem quite expensive, with 30 players as the max on WEASEL CREEK, but it’s way better than the $150k those Perseverance guys wanted to record THE DRESSER and THE HAND. I guess we will see if James Horner music has the same backing/pull as Williams, Goldsmith, Barry etc.
Yeah, we’ll see. Nearly a third the first two days already is not that bad for a start. Maybe the rights play their parts in those costs, too. Or any other speciality hidden somewhere… That Perseverance project seemed very expensive indeed…
Warning: Long post ahead!
This upcoming recording has made me think about “composer collection histories”, which is something we don’t often talk about on messageboards. We talk about our histories with composers, or collections in general, but the ebb and flow of a composer collection is a big and complex (and FASCINATING!) world that is rarely talked about, at least in-depth. Because in order to answer the question of where this new Horner TV soundtrack would fit into my existing Horner collection, I would need to look at how it has evolved over the years. Each composer collection has a history that goes with it.
—-
I discovered Horner in the early 90s, along with most other big names in film music. The Varese CD of ALIENS was the first I got, I think, via mail order. Later I got things like BRAVEHEART and APOLLO 13 in local record stores while the films were new. He’s always been a top 10 composer for me, and in the last few years I’ve ranked him at 4th place (me an my rankings, you know!).
I have a big hard drive folder that houses a whopping 103 Horner items, which is the rightful amount, given his high ranking. This is a completely curated collection and is basically everything I want to own by Horner. There are things I have no intention of owning on either CD or digital (here’s looking at you, P.K. AND THE KID!). I’m not a completist, but I need to have a lot.
But when I gaze over on my shelf, the physical Horner collection is tiny. 8 – EIGHT! – CD survivors. How the heck did THAT happen?
The survivors are STAR TREK II, STAR TREK III, THE ROCKETEER, LEGENDS OF THE FALL, BRAVEHEART, TITANIC, THE MASK OF ZORRO and AVATAR. Plus “Alamo Jobe” on the AMAZING STORIES set.
But obviously, I’ve had many more over the years that have left my collection, probably to get something I wanted even more. Many of them I regret, and want to reacquire. Some of them, I have no need to reacquire. Here’s a list of my “leavees” that I could think of, with a * next to the titles I want to reacquire on CD some day:
BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS
UNCOMMON VALOR
WOLFEN
KRULL * (I’d like the single-disc Southern Cross version)
BRAINSTORM
ALIENS *
WILLOW *
FIELD OF DREAMS *
GLORY
PATRIOT GAMES
THUNDERHEART
THE PELICAN BRIEF
CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
JUMANJI
APOLLO 13 *
CASPER
RANSOM
TO GILLIAN ON HER 34TH BIRTHDAY *
COURAGE UNDER FIRE
THE SPITFIRE GRILL *
THE DEVIL’S OWN
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG
DEEP IMPACT *
ENEMY AT THE GATES
PROJECT XSo once I reacquire those with an * next to them, there is another list of titles that I’ve never owned on CD, but would like to. Again, I have all of these in digital format, but I would like to own them on CD as well:
THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS (my favourite Horner score, but the Intrada CD is super expensive)
AN AMERICAN TAIL
THE LAND BEFORE TIME
BALTO
A BEAUTIFUL MIND
IRIS
HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
THE NEW WORLD
HOUSE OF CARDS
WOLF TOTEMAt this point I would have a) a completely curated digital collection, and b) a completely curated CD collection.
THEN I could lean back and be content with it in all shapes and forms. And only THEN would it make sense to look into this new Horner recording of obscurities from Lukas & co.
Put differently, there’s a long list of things I need FIRST, before I could get new, lesser known things or reassess those I’ve “dismissed”. It would be weird to buy ANGEL DUSTED on CD before I got, say, my favourite Horner score, THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMES. Wouldn’t it?
So anyway, those are some thoughts on the ebb and flow of a composer collection. I could do similar “histories” of most other composers in my collection, as I’m sure could all of you, if you had my nerdy inclinations.
I think my first was also ALIENS and I also only have a few actual CDS but lots of digital version which are fine with me unless I find real bargains. But it is far from complete. Many years ago I indeed sold the original CD of THE LAND BEFORE TIME for now unknow reasons which as usual I regret by now…
For me, James Horner was the one I felt like being alongside things from the off.
With Williams (my entry point) and then Goldsmith, Barry, Bernstein etc, I knew they had been writing scores before I was born, so I had a lot of catching up to do.
But I was listening to Horner music from his beginnings, with the LPs of Battle Beyond and Humanoids.
It was such a thrill to discover this young, bright new talent as he was arriving and evolving, seeing the movies and marveling at the music.
While it was a joy to discover and buy new LPs like Krull and Brainstorm and Gorky Park, it was also a pain not to be able to buy stuff like Something Wicked or 48Hrs or Natty Gann.
My favourite years by him where his 80s and early 90s scores (that raw energy was intoxicating) but I followed his career and music all through and have everything by him (apart from that 20 minute Four Horsemen CD/DVD thing, although I do have a CDR of it).
He’s been neck and neck with Goldsmith over the years, in my Holy Trinity of film composers, although I think his music is ageing better than Jerry’s, in a lot of cases.
His ability to find the heart of a film and pack it with an emotional wallop was incredible.
The film world really does miss him.Damn. I was there, ready to buy it from you!
It was 15+ years ago and I was “young” and didn’t know better 😉
Interesting is that I back then ditched BRAVEHEART as too typical and romantic and wanted mored Goldsmith dissonance and experimentation. But by now I really like it as I generally like these Celtic influences anyway. The movie was a favorite movie of my father btw. He was no cinema persons but I think one of the rare occasions we actually went togehter.
Numbers, Thor?
I’m in Spain at the moment and a lot of my CDs are still in protective custody after our house move last year, waiting to be restacked.
There are also bootleg editions like Heaven Help Us/Catholic Boys and whatnot.
Plus dual editions like Project X for example, cos the Varese mix/master sounds quite different to the LLL one, so both must be kept.
Also, the original Intrada promo of Deadly Blessing has different sound and track presentation compared to their legit release years later.
And then there are the original release alongside the expanded editions.
But I would hazard a guess between 150-200 CDs by Mr H.
Williams, Goldsmith and Horner lead the way in numbers for me, with Danny Elfman in 4th place, I think.@Thor Surprised that SNEAKERS didn’t make it on any of your Horner want lists. It’s not so long ago, maybe five six years, that I only owned three Horner albums. KRULL, ALIENS and TITANIC.
Then when I started my run on physical CDs realising they were vanishing from the stores I started exploring more Horner, often getting OSTs second hand in the wind shadow of New expansion releases. Most of them were blind buys. With mixed results.
Some are good, some are great, some are “interesting”, some are a little boring. But a lot of great stuff in there. But I don’t feel the need for Horner expansions or completion. But rerecordings of early works might be interesing.But I would hazard a guess between 150-200 CDs by Mr H.
Pretty impressive. Get them out of storage and into proud display asap! Unless it’s a negotiating thing with your missus.
@Thor Surprised that SNEAKERS didn’t make it on any of your Horner want lists.
SNEAKERS is good, no doubt about it, but I’ve never been that connected to it like many others seem to be (do read Nils’ review of the new release). I’m content with a digital file release of that.
Your photo is a bit tiny, but many good ones there, Gerate. Not really a bad apple in the bunch, as far as I can tell.
@Thor.
A bit of both. I doubt Carole would be happy with all our walls full of CDs, DVDs, books and magazines (it’s pretty extensive).
But also, I wouldn’t want my stuff on display for anyone to (man) handle.
I’ve always been quite precious about my ‘stuff’ and don’t like anyone else touching it (apart from a few mates who look after their gear as much as I do).
So it will be open and available, but in a kind of Kev Cave, where prying eyes//hands are less intrusive.
Re Sneakers. I quite like the music but find it a tad boring and repetitive overall.
I didn’t really like the (overrated) film either.
Same with Field of Dreams.
Sneakers comes off as silly and smug to me, and I just don’t ‘get’ Field of Dreams at all.
Doesn’t help that it’s about Rounders. I find all American sports total crap.
The best thing about both films is the James Horner music.Titanic and Commando remain my absolute favorites and the scores I listen to most often. You could say that Titanic was what first introduced me to Horner’s music. What a beautiful ballad! I took notice of Commando almost immediately. I remember being amazed even back then that the same composer had written the music for both films!
Over the past year or so, I’ve gotten hooked on Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and Jade.
Here are my favorites:
Titanic
Commando
Casper
Gorky Park
Jumaji
Unlawful EntryAlso very good are The Bicentennial Man, Field of Dreams, 48 Hours, Dad, The Name of the Rose, Ransom, Red Heat, Legend of the Fall, and Jack the Bear
UNLAWFUL ENTRY is really the odd one out there, Ruslan (and JADE, I suppose). It’s one of those I have on my hard drive, but which I’ve never imported to iTunes. Maybe I should give it another chance…
I agree with you, Thor… Previously (these were the first years of my fascination with scores), I wasn’t particularly interested in these two scores. But then I decided to watch the films themselves, and unexpectedly, the music seemed appealing.
And now I still enjoy listening to them from time to time. Unlawful Entry has a great minor-key main theme, based on lively piano and dark synths. My favorite track is Pete’s Passion – Horner builds tension masterfully and skillfully in it. I especially like the section from 4:04 to 4:26. The synth strings create a wild tension. For some reason, I find it very cool and effective! Its electronic, quite minimalist. I like that.
Essentially, the same can be said about Jade score. It’s restrained, minimalist, but effective. It has many familiar sound techniques that Horner used in his other works. My favorite track is “Matt Gets Turned On.” Great string chords!
I’m pretty sure many Horner fans avoid these two scores because they lack the lush, loud orchestra with complex themes. Plus, they might be allergic to electronics;)I’m pretty sure many Horner fans avoid these two scores because they lack the lush, loud orchestra with complex themes. Plus, they might be allergic to electronics;)
Could be. But I totally agree that Horner had an underrated knack for synths. And I don’t just mean THE NAME OF THE ROSE (which everybody talks about) or the rhythmical figures in something like COMMANDO. I mean all those shimmering, ethereal textures that often pop up in even orchestra-heavy scores, or something like the wonderful and vastly underrated THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES (2007), with those slow, ephemral, almost impressionistic soundscapes. Nobody seems to like that score, but I LOVE it!
Since we just talked about the Quartet Barry on the other side: Seems that the kickstarter has a bit over half already with 9 days to go. As usual it slows down on the last days. Haven’t contributed yet…
The kickstarter deadline is getting tight. Around 37,000 of 45,000 needed reached one day before the end. But I am sure it will make it as surely some big amount will be donated in the last minute as often. However, I think I will pass this time…
And that seems to have happened.
With still over one day left, someone just dropped some big change to the campaign and it’s almost there.
I imagine the stretch goal (to record his Faerie Tale Theatre episode) should be met as well
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.