What amazes me about the John Barry soundtracks is just how consistently excellent they are. He was undoubtedly a genius and his music was a major part in making the series so successful. OHMSS is my favourite Bond film and a major reason for that is John Barry's awesome score, if that music was taken away - replaced by some other soundtrack, by some other composer - OHMSS would probably not be my favourite anymore. He is that important
Barry saves Moonraker from being a complete Bond spoof. Imagine if it had Hamlisch's or Conti's scores. Barry's Moonraker score is probably my favourite of his (I was hoping for the re-recording) and keeps the film grounded. His score for TMWTGG, despite some great moments, didn't do enough to keep that film grounded at times and emphasised some of that film's faults. It's still a better score for Bond than anyone else could have done.
What amazes me about the John Barry soundtracks is just how consistently excellent they are. He was undoubtedly a genius and his music was a major part in making the series so successful. OHMSS is my favourite Bond film and a major reason for that is John Barry's awesome score, if that music was taken away - replaced by some other soundtrack, by some other composer - OHMSS would probably not be my favourite anymore. He is that important
Barry saves Moonraker from being a complete Bond spoof. Imagine if it had Hamlisch's or Conti's scores. Barry's Moonraker score is probably my favourite of his (I was hoping for the re-recording)
{[] Me too! I signed up for it and was disappointed there were problems- let's hope James Fitzpatrick can pull it off.
I cannot express how important Barry's contributions are to my enjoyment of the films. Poorer quality films like DAF, TMWTGG, AVTAK are absolutely made heaps better by his scores alone. The Bond sound is so incredibly rich and he gives each film a distinct flavour, I am incredibly disappointed at the lack of credit given to him for the film's successes...I know the score is supposed to be in the background and in any other movie but in Bond movies often Barry's cues are the standout moment.
My main exhibit is AVTAK. Everyone knows its flaws but because of Barry's score, I like watching it.
Random examples of brilliance:
- The 5 note sound when Bond/Hip realise Goodnight has the keys
- The elevator fight music with Frank's
- Cable car fight / Bond in Space
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- Where has Everybody Gone
- Chase Bomb theme
- He's Dangerous
I'd say Barry is a large part of the reason why TLD and OP are on top of my Bond ranking.
One of the biggest missed opportunities is Barry scoring FYEO, LTK and GE and had he scored those they would shoot right to the top of my rank
Barry is without a doubt a brilliant musician who has done wonders for the series. But he's not the only talented composer. Don't be Republican - accept change.
of course John Barry controbuted major tracks to the franchise (with he's dangerous as my favourite) but I think David Arnold was a brilliant choce for a successor
"You see Mr.Bond, you can't kill my dreams...but my dreams can kill you.Time to face destiny" - "Time to face gravity"
Barry is without a doubt a brilliant musician who has done wonders for the series. But he's not the only talented composer. Don't be Republican - accept change.
Well, it's hard to accept change when Thomas Newman is the man composing for Bond. He's not nearly as talented as John Barry was. Or George Martin, Marvin Hamlisch, Bill Conti, Michael Kamen (but LTK wasn't one of his better scores) or David Arnold. He is better than Monty Norman and Eric Serra.
The Spectre trailer theme song is excellent. If this is any indication of what the full score is going to be like, it will right up there with the best of them.
Barry is without a doubt a brilliant musician who has done wonders for the series. But he's not the only talented composer. Don't be Republican - accept change.
Well, it's hard to accept change when Thomas Newman is the man composing for Bond. He's not nearly as talented as John Barry was. Or George Martin, Marvin Hamlisch, Bill Conti, Michael Kamen (but LTK wasn't one of his better scores) or David Arnold. He is better than Monty Norman and Eric Serra.
Barry is without a doubt a brilliant musician who has done wonders for the series. But he's not the only talented composer. Don't be Republican - accept change.
Well, it's hard to accept change when Thomas Newman is the man composing for Bond. He's not nearly as talented as John Barry was. Or George Martin, Marvin Hamlisch, Bill Conti, Michael Kamen (but LTK wasn't one of his better scores) or David Arnold. He is better than Monty Norman and Eric Serra.
The Spectre trailer theme song is excellent. If this is any indication of what the full score is going to be like, it will right up there with the best of them.
It is no indication. Thomas Newman had nothing to do with the Spectre trailer music.
I judge every new Bond incidental soundtrack by the standard set by Barry and all fall short. Arnold at his very best is in the right ball park but too often he's not. (I'd rather have seen Arnold back than Newman, though.) Hamlisch and Kamen to my mind do the most admirable work of the earlier non-Barry composers, but I always fantasise about what the incidental soundtracks of LALD, TSWLM, FYEO, LTK and GE might have been like in Barry's hands. Barry used a number of distinctive incidental soundtrack strategies to signify Bond-ness other than the obvious (i.e. the James Bond Theme and 007) - and where his subtle, distinctive signatures are lacking, the films, to me, have only a ghost of soundtrack Bond-ness.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
Kamens soundtrack for Dead Zone was pretty good imo -{
Kamen was a musical genius IMO. His sound was just a little off for Bond though. His best work was on X-Men as far as I'm concerned... Highlander & Die Hard were awesome as well. But Barry WAS the Bond sound. David Arnold was fantastic at following Barry's style, but in losing Barry, we lost a deep connection to the Bond sound us old timers grew up with.
John Barry's early scores were superb and he helped immeasurably to make Bond the global success it was.
But after missing out on LALD he came back with an absolute stinker with TMWTGG, it is a dreadful score from start to finish, he was must have been rushed for time or bored with the movie because there is virtually no saving grace musically whatsoever.
MR, OP and AVTAK were all good scores as such but not up to the usual Barry standard.
TSWLM and FYEO were superior although I realise that is not of the general opinion on AJB.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
John Barry's early scores were superb and he helped immeasurably to make Bond the global success it was.
But after missing out on LALD he came back with an absolute stinker with TMWTGG, it is a dreadful score from start to finish, he was must have been rushed for time or bored with the movie because there is virtually no saving grace musically whatsoever.
MR, OP and AVTAK were all good scores as such but not up to the usual Barry standard.
TSWLM and FYEO were superior although I realise that is not of the general opinion on AJB.
Barry's style changed during the 1970s. Whilst I agree that TMWTGG doesn't have such a great score, Barry's four Bond scores after are very strong scores on the level of YOLT and DAF, they're just much different. The first three weren't as strong, but they kept getting better. OHMSS and TLD are by far Barry's best Bond scores. TMWTGG is still a pretty good score, with "Hip's Trip", "In Search of Scaramanga's Island" and a fantastic new take on the Bond theme in a more orchestral way.
TMWTGG is still a pretty good score, with "Hip's Trip", "In Search of Scaramanga's Island" and a fantastic new take on the Bond theme in a more orchestral way.
A bad Barry score is like saying 'reverse anti-matter' (no such thing). TMWTGG is admittedly his weakest Bond score (meaning that it's only great). )
I enjoy the score to TMWTGG... Barry writes very well for Christopher Lee's sinister persona, configuring him as a sort of perverse version of Bond himself; and he delineates a catchy, cartoon sense of exoticism for the Far East locations. The title song is a little over-produced, but the various instrumental arrangements of the main theme are highly evocative: classic, to my ear.
As for the James Bond Theme, Barry introduced in the gunbarrel sequence the 'symphonic arrangement' which he continued to use afterwards all the way through to TLD, helping to define Roger Moore's lighter approach.
We know, of course, that the penny whistle effect marred the movie's set piece 'Evel Knievel'-style stunt, and Barry admitted with hindsight that this was the case.
TMWTGG is sometimes derided, unfairly, as 'TV movie' Bond: John Barry's excellent work is one factor elevating it to something much better.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
I forgot to mention that, on the TMWTGG album, the full version of the Dixieland arrangement of the movie's main theme always blows me away!
Another important context to remember is that, by 1974, the British film industry had reached its nadir, churning out cheap sexploitation comedies; the 'Carry On' and Hammer horror franchises were in their degenerate, 'last gasp' phase. In this specific pop-cultural context, Barry had to bring some Bondian magic to the broader comic moments of TMWTGG; no one could have done a more accomplished job.
Even Nick Nack's quirky theme remains etched in my memory, though it embarrasses now as a piece with its musical roots in demeaning side show/freak show traditions.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
No. Just because Barry is still alive in the non Barry-scores. Everyone follows Barry's template, sometimes loosely, but Barry is always there. Actually Barry was much more than Bond, so the music is more Bond-esque than Barry-esque
No. Just because Barry is still alive in the non Barry-scores. Everyone follows Barry's template, sometimes loosely, but Barry is always there. Actually Barry was much more than Bond, so the music is more Bond-esque than Barry-esque
Barry is still there in David Arnold's scores, and to lesser extent in Marvin Hamlisch's score, and even less in Bill Conti's and Michael Kamen's scores. But in the others' scores there's hardly anything of Barry's sound or approach to scoring Bond. Apart from the Breadcrumbs track, there's no element of Barry's approach in the Skyfall score.
Apart from the Breadcrumbs track, there's no element of Barry's approach in the Skyfall score.
Thomas Newman has a good go at 'doing' Barry with his lush instrumental take on the 'Skyfall' main theme blended with the Bond theme as 007 arrives at the Macau casino. I only wish Newman had attempted more Barry references in SF.
As for the 'Skyfall' main title track, it's certainly 'heard of' Barry, especially in its opening and closing notes and in its surging, then ebbing, moments of full orchestral dramatic menace - but the track has also 'heard of' Marvin Hamlisch (with its plaintive piano), and Arnold too.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
Barry is so closely associated with Bond's success in the sixties that for anyone else it was always a challenge.
For me, Arnold does well because he is invoking the lush feel of Barry's scores. He seems to understand how the themes work in a Bond movie and help guide the audience. They are never in your face.
Not so with Newman, Kamen, Conti, Norman, who frankly are much too 'loud' as if they want to show off their good work. Hamlisch was so-so for me; Martin too pop.
However, I'm not over fussed by a movie's soundtrack. A good soundtrack will enhance a good movie or even improve a bad one, a bad score can kill a film. Mediocre ones (which the worst of Bond scores are IMO) do nothing at all.
That may be why I have such a low opinion of GoldenEye.
Serra's score is not bad IMO, just not as orchestrated as it should have been (too industrial).
I'd agree with that. Too often it just feels like there's a series of weird obnoxious noises going off in the background. I can't imagine what he was thinking when he scored it. Except perhaps: I mustn't be John Barry.
Comments
That's what I said!
+1 {[]
{[] Me too! I signed up for it and was disappointed there were problems- let's hope James Fitzpatrick can pull it off.
My main exhibit is AVTAK. Everyone knows its flaws but because of Barry's score, I like watching it.
Random examples of brilliance:
- The 5 note sound when Bond/Hip realise Goodnight has the keys
- The elevator fight music with Frank's
- Cable car fight / Bond in Space
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- Where has Everybody Gone
- Chase Bomb theme
- He's Dangerous
I'd say Barry is a large part of the reason why TLD and OP are on top of my Bond ranking.
One of the biggest missed opportunities is Barry scoring FYEO, LTK and GE and had he scored those they would shoot right to the top of my rank
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
Well, it's hard to accept change when Thomas Newman is the man composing for Bond. He's not nearly as talented as John Barry was. Or George Martin, Marvin Hamlisch, Bill Conti, Michael Kamen (but LTK wasn't one of his better scores) or David Arnold. He is better than Monty Norman and Eric Serra.
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
That goes for me, too.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
It is no indication. Thomas Newman had nothing to do with the Spectre trailer music.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
But after missing out on LALD he came back with an absolute stinker with TMWTGG, it is a dreadful score from start to finish, he was must have been rushed for time or bored with the movie because there is virtually no saving grace musically whatsoever.
MR, OP and AVTAK were all good scores as such but not up to the usual Barry standard.
TSWLM and FYEO were superior although I realise that is not of the general opinion on AJB.
Barry's style changed during the 1970s. Whilst I agree that TMWTGG doesn't have such a great score, Barry's four Bond scores after are very strong scores on the level of YOLT and DAF, they're just much different. The first three weren't as strong, but they kept getting better. OHMSS and TLD are by far Barry's best Bond scores. TMWTGG is still a pretty good score, with "Hip's Trip", "In Search of Scaramanga's Island" and a fantastic new take on the Bond theme in a more orchestral way.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
As for the James Bond Theme, Barry introduced in the gunbarrel sequence the 'symphonic arrangement' which he continued to use afterwards all the way through to TLD, helping to define Roger Moore's lighter approach.
We know, of course, that the penny whistle effect marred the movie's set piece 'Evel Knievel'-style stunt, and Barry admitted with hindsight that this was the case.
TMWTGG is sometimes derided, unfairly, as 'TV movie' Bond: John Barry's excellent work is one factor elevating it to something much better.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
A pleasure!
I forgot to mention that, on the TMWTGG album, the full version of the Dixieland arrangement of the movie's main theme always blows me away!
Another important context to remember is that, by 1974, the British film industry had reached its nadir, churning out cheap sexploitation comedies; the 'Carry On' and Hammer horror franchises were in their degenerate, 'last gasp' phase. In this specific pop-cultural context, Barry had to bring some Bondian magic to the broader comic moments of TMWTGG; no one could have done a more accomplished job.
Even Nick Nack's quirky theme remains etched in my memory, though it embarrasses now as a piece with its musical roots in demeaning side show/freak show traditions.
Barry is still there in David Arnold's scores, and to lesser extent in Marvin Hamlisch's score, and even less in Bill Conti's and Michael Kamen's scores. But in the others' scores there's hardly anything of Barry's sound or approach to scoring Bond. Apart from the Breadcrumbs track, there's no element of Barry's approach in the Skyfall score.
Thomas Newman has a good go at 'doing' Barry with his lush instrumental take on the 'Skyfall' main theme blended with the Bond theme as 007 arrives at the Macau casino. I only wish Newman had attempted more Barry references in SF.
As for the 'Skyfall' main title track, it's certainly 'heard of' Barry, especially in its opening and closing notes and in its surging, then ebbing, moments of full orchestral dramatic menace - but the track has also 'heard of' Marvin Hamlisch (with its plaintive piano), and Arnold too.
For me, Arnold does well because he is invoking the lush feel of Barry's scores. He seems to understand how the themes work in a Bond movie and help guide the audience. They are never in your face.
Not so with Newman, Kamen, Conti, Norman, who frankly are much too 'loud' as if they want to show off their good work. Hamlisch was so-so for me; Martin too pop.
However, I'm not over fussed by a movie's soundtrack. A good soundtrack will enhance a good movie or even improve a bad one, a bad score can kill a film. Mediocre ones (which the worst of Bond scores are IMO) do nothing at all.
That may be why I have such a low opinion of GoldenEye.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
I'd agree with that. Too often it just feels like there's a series of weird obnoxious noises going off in the background. I can't imagine what he was thinking when he scored it. Except perhaps: I mustn't be John Barry.