SKYFALL Thread - Newman's Score, What a Drag

[Paul MacLean]

Nice to see one of my favorite Scottish locales, Glen Etive, making an appearance in the film...

[John Johnson]

He was last seen jumping out of a helicopter with the Queen at the Olympic ceremony, but James Bond’s next mission looks like it won’t disappoint.

The trailer for the 23rd instalment in the franchise based on Sir Ian Fleming’s novels sees 007 – played again by Daniel Craig – return to his guns-blazing espionage antics in high-octane action flick Skyfall.

With British director Sam Mendes at helm, the trailer with its gun fights, chase scenes and, of course, a steamy shower scene with the leading lady, has all the hallmarks of classic Bond.

And there are some twists along the way. The 2 minute and 32 second clip shows Bond being shot and falling to his death, only to come back from the dead, proclaiming “resurrection” is his art.

The film, which opens in the UK on October 26th, tackles the modern theme of terrorism as MI6 comes under attack and 007 is tasked with destroying the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Dame Judi Dench returns as M making the tough decisions that cause her agents to doubt her as she prepares for her retirement and introduces her replacement – none other than Sir Ralph Fiennes.

Meanwhile, Tonia Sotiropoulou smoulders as the new Bond Girl.

As the clip went viral this afternoon, Bond fans voiced their enthusiasm for the forthcoming film.

Tom Newsom posted on the microblogging website: “That Skyfall trailer is amazing.” While Sam Strong noted: “The Skyfall trailer is good. Plus the last film set the bar so low this one will seem brilliant no matter what ”



http://www.standard.co.uk/olympics/olym ... 94632.html

[Mike Skerritt]

The international trailer gives WAY too much of the plot away (including the oh-so-tired MacGuffin). I saw the Imax trailer before THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and it had the same wow factor without going through the story note by note.

[Eric W.]

Tom Newsom posted on the microblogging website: “That Skyfall trailer is amazing.” While Sam Strong noted: “The Skyfall trailer is good. Plus the last film set the bar so low this one will seem brilliant no matter what ”

Good point!

[Paul MacLean]

Looks like the "grim" tone of the Craig films is here to stay. While I miss Connery's glib puns, I can't deny I prefer the seriousness of these new movies to the silliness of the early Moore films.

[mkaroly]

Looks like the "grim" tone of the Craig films is here to stay. While I miss Connery's glib puns, I can't deny I prefer the seriousness of these new movies to the silliness of the early Moore films.

I too prefer the seriousness of these new movies to the silliness of the early Moore films (and the later ones too)! I also prefer Craig's Bond (which I maintain is closer to the Bond in the novels) to the "super-hero" Brosnan Bond, especially in DIE ANOTHER DAY. I am excited about the trailer and am looking forward to seeing it!

[AndyDursin]

Glad you guys are so jazzed for a dreary looking Bond movie from the light touch of Sam Mendes, the sentimentalist of AMERICAN BEAUTY and ROAD TO PERDITION

I'll see it, but I can't say I'm really looking forward to it, to be honest. Thomas Newman's hiring doesn't interest me either...but I know it'll be better than the last one.

[AndyDursin]

Adele's theme is out!

Honestly, I think it's terrific...a very classic "Bond sounding" ballad, which we haven't had in a long, long time...a bit slow and a tad repetitive...but superbly orchestrated...and certainly miles better than any of the recent Bond title songs I can recall, going back through the Pierce Brosnan era (that one Arnold-k.d. lang song excepted). In fact I think it puts Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Garbage, Chris Cornell and Jack White's offerings to shame...apparently it's poised to set an itunes record for downloads too (no surprise when you put one of the few truly good things to happen in recent pop music together with the Bond series).

Hopefully the film will be as good...

[youtube]7HKoqNJtMTQ#![/youtube]

[mkaroly]

Well done.

The lyrics are awful (lol) but I was never expecting Shakespeare.

I agree Andy that this blows away the majority of recent era Bond songs (kd Lang's song excepted here too!). At least for me it blows away everything that came after FYEO...in other words, best Bond title song since then.

I didn't mind Garbage's song though...it wasn't bad but unfortunately the movie kind of had something to do with it. I mean, why not keep Elektra as your villain instead of having her be a lackey to a dude with a bullet in his skull? And Denise Richards as a physicist??? Not even on Mars would they suspend disbelief for that one!

[AndyDursin]

Yeah, the lyrics in so many Bond songs are terrible -- especially anything by Don Black!

I'm going to be surprised if there isn't a remix of the song. It could be cut by about a minute and a bit of re-editing could turn it into a really snazzy single. Since this happens so often, I'll be shocked if we don't hear another version of it that tightens it up a tad -- bit I like it a lot. The orchestral arrangement is really good and Adele is one of the few genuine good things to come out of pop music for me in a long, long time.

Agreed too Michael: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY -- that was a great song -- I laughed at some FSM poster's assertion that it was "one of the worst" of the series, which is just insane given how big a hit it was. But everything since then -- personally I like A VIEW TO A KILL a lot, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS was pleasant but forgettable, and I'll break from convention and say I like LICENCE TO KILL because it at least attempted to bridge the Barry sound (using the Goldfinger motif at the start) with a late '80s A/C ballad by Gladys Knight (at least I like it far better than Tina Turner's clunky 'Goldeneye' -- talk about U2 and the Edge cashing the check lol). May not have been great as a Bond song but I like it for what it is.

But beyond that -- the Brosnan film songs all sucked across the board. Even when Arnold tried to do a faux-Barry "Bond song" in Garbage and Cornell's offerings, neither came close to the k.d. lang song -- which they unceremoniously dumped to the end credits of TOMORROW NEVER DIES. (I couldn't stand Cornell SCREAMING at the end of the Casino Royale track...ruined it). The Jack White-Alicia Keys collaboration was crap that nobody liked, and Madonna's effort was feeble.

What I like about the Adele song is that it's set in the classic mold of Shirley Bassey soul, which is something the series hasn't had in forever, and it does more with the traditional "Bond sound" than even Arnold's intentional efforts to adhere close to the Barry idiom did.

[TomServo]

Two things about the title songs for "The World Is Not Enough" and "Casino Royale" that should be considered a bonus for any fan is that their respective thematic material was woven into the score itself for the film, thanks to David Arnold being allowed to compose both. That hadn't happened since the last John Barry score, "The Living Daylights". This is not counting "Tomorrow Never Dies", as its actual title tune is not heard in the score, but as we all know the melody for "Surrender" is all over the score instead.

On a personal note, I happen to really like both of the songs, along with k.d. Lang's "Surrender", I find them all top-notch listens in terms of modern Bond songs. In terms of the post-Barry era of Bond music, I enjoy these three title tunes more than those for "License to Kill", "Goldeneye" and "Die Another Day". As for "Another Way To Die"... Buddha help me, but I kind of enjoy the drum and brass element in that one!

[mkaroly]

...neither came close to the k.d. lang song -- which they unceremoniously dumped to the end credits of TOMORROW NEVER DIES.

That had to be one of the most bone-headed moves in Bond film history.

And the poster at FSM said FYEO was one of the WORST songs in the series??? Lol...gotta heavily disagree on that one!

I also agree Andy that it was a wise choice...I am personally not a fan of Adele but her voice has a sultry feel to it (which fits the Bond style), she is relevant in pop music, and the music is contemporary but definitely "sounds" like a more classic Bond song. Makes me really excited for the movie.

[Paul MacLean]

Here's a brief clip from the film where you can here some of Newman's score...

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news ... video.html

[Paul MacLean]

Some more excerpts from Newman's score...

[AndyDursin]

Interesting -- sounds very much like a Thomas Newman score mixed with the usual grab bag of guitars and percussion from Hans Zimmer and his team of zombies. Can't say it excites me very much, those cues feel like something of an appetizer before the main course -- I'm just hoping dinner will be served at some point! (and I apologize for the cliches I haven't had breakfast yet)