When we look to the stars what do we think of? Is it the desire to travel beyond them, engage in adventures (and misadventures) with alien compadres or do we wish to meet a star voyager come to Earth? But what happens when we finally meet said traveler…do they come in peace, or are they a threat? Today’s FourScore pits four truly spacey composers against one another regardless of how benign or malignant those characters in question may be. But which will take the prize and be the ace of space?? Is it the the tale of the hardworking (is it too much to call him a spaced out) lunar custodian? Is the story…
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FourScore Match-Up #10: "Evolution of the PIXAR Score"
The Pixar catalog has grown by leaps and bounds in the past 25 years. While they have won countless millions of hearts in all age ranges, Pixar has come from being a cutsey little animation company (started by John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs) making commercials to an animation powerhouse. They are gifted story telllers who give such life and depth to inanimate objects like toys, cars and robots. Like anything, with growth comes change and progress. That said, most should have noticed both their stories and musical scores taking a more adult approach. Starting with Randy Newman’s light and airy themes, the soundtracks to the films in Pixar’s resume have blossomed to…
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FourScore Match-Up #9: “Synths and Sustainability”
Today we’re going to take a look at the films that have forgone the traditional orchestral score and instead paved new ground with something almost completely electronic. No you won’t find Ladyhawke here (which was so bad it was good…no it was just bad) but we’ll take a look at the epic worlds created by a few key stokes on a Casio/Yamaha or something synthetically similar. It’s not just what sounds great on an electronic keyboard, but also what holds up over time. So who will take the title as king of the digital domain? Is it the EDM duo seemingly born in “The Grid”, the master of all orchestral replicants, or…
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FourScore Match-Up #8: “It Came From Outer Space”
We’ve heard that expression tons of times and proceeding those very ominous words we’ve seen a wide range of alien life come to Earth via the Silver Screen. Some want to help us and some try to collect us. Others want to either meet and greet us, or just plain eat us. One thing is certain, whatever their objective, cinematic aliens are fascinating. Sunglasses, glowing fingers, human facades, or acid blood, you name it, it’s all so mysterious. But what makes these better than the rest? Well aside from great designs (K-Pax not withstanding) few extra terrestrial films have been given such top notch orchestral treatment and the movie is that…
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FourScore Match-Up #7: "Batteries Not Included"
Today we’ve got robots, robots everywhere; good, bad, big, small, made of new parts and spare parts. Each film features four equally impressive scores about peace, love, family and even all out war. Quite a mixed bag of bolts, wouldn’t you say? In true Rock’em Sock’em format we pit these big guys (and not so big guys) up against one another. Leave it to great composers to craft such amazing scores to make you feel emotional for walking trash cans. So which of these can take a licking and keep on ticking?? Is the story of a boy and his Giant, How about that gorgeous CG moral lesson touting we can…
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FourScore Match-Up #6: “Once Upon A Time In The West”
Much like one of our earlier FourScores, today’s match-up focuses on the gunslingers who helped tame the West. Each film is is chock full of boots, spurs horse and more, fantastic shootouts and of course simply stunning scores to drive it all home. But only one will take the tile of the Wildest. Who will it be? Is it the OK Corral’s fearsome foursome, the tale of the outlaw/bored king Ben Wade, a man named “Bluebonnet” just trying to make a living, or the anonymous man named “Joe“?? Find out after the jump…
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FourScore Match-Up #5: “Another World, Another Time”
When filmmakers tell a story, the visual fantasy is only about as good as the auditory one. It seems the only way to move the story and the characters along with an engaging pace is to really take the audience along for the ride. Annnd how is that accomplished? By composing a score so amazing and moving but at the same time fun and catchy that it is has the ability to make you feel part of the film. But which of these really pulls that off?? Is it the return to Neverland, the long strides for the short legged Willow, the arduous travel from The Shire to Mount Doom, or the seemingly simple task…
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FourScore Match-Up #4: "Somewhere in Time"
Today we’re going back, way back. Back in time in fact, but no we’re not using a time machine; today we’re doing period pieces. Each of these is from a different time, a different place, have wildly different plots…but the one thing they share is that they are visually gorgeous and their scores are just fantastic. But with four standout and stellar scores, only one of these makes the trip worth the effort. But which one is it?? Find out after the jump…
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FourScore Match-Up #3: "Something Inspirational…In a Sporty Way"
Today we examine four film scores that help tell stories that are less about the that championship game/match/season/event but more about gaining personal pride. On the roster we have: the Fighting Irish’s most famous underdog football player, the middle-aged ball player who gets a second chance, the two Olympic sprinters running for different and personal reasons, or the man who refuses to let his own setbacks affect his family. One thing these different athletes have in common is that each of these inspiring tales span generations. But which is the mostinspirational?? Find out after the jump…
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FourScore Match-Up #2: "Have Guns, Will Travel"
Let the battle of the shoot’ em upers begin!! Today we have a film scores telling the tales of a tight-lipped French (but somehow playing an Italian) hitman, a life and death battle for the future of mankind (all played inside an overblown video game), the “how many more characters can you add to an already bloated and dragging plot line? overlapping story of the Feds vs the Mob (basically this a boring version of Snatch), and well the self-explanatory flick called Shoot Em Up (hmm, wonder what that’s going to be about?). But since we’re examining the scores all the flying bullets and big ass guns are only as effective as the music…
