1 Topic by DieAnotherDay

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Topic: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

My favourites are:
LALD - So different and unique, it was a brilliant score to start off Moore's run as Bond
AVTAK - I just loved how atmospheric that score was and I really do think it elevated that film no end.
TND & TWINE - Just love these modern, techno influenced scores.  David Arnold just pumped energy into the action scenes here

Worst:
DN - It had some exotic music that suited the film and introduced the Bond theme but really nothing else.
TSWLM - I don't dislike this one but I just think it's so dated and pretty laughable now
LTK - I thought it was just plain dull - some people love it though
QoS - I don't remember one bit of it

....and the best he ever managed was a sermon on the mount.

2 Reply by Fillet_of_Soul

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

[edit] oops, this is about the score. Sorry.

Last edited by Fillet_of_Soul (9th Jun 2014 21:48)

3 Reply by Barbel

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Moving this to the Music Forum.

4 Reply by hehadlotsofguts

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Despite being a goofy Bond film i love the moodiness of Barry's soundtrack for Moonraker . I'm also fond of LALD's score from George Martin.

Not fond of Michel Legrand's score for NSNA score though.

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5 Reply by Barbel

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Good choices!  ajb007/cheers

6 Reply by AlphaOmegaSin

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Always loved it when the LALD Theme kicks in when Kananga makes those Cuts in Bonds Arm  ajb007/martini

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7 Reply by Thunderpussy

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

I like all the Bond scores, Goldeneye being the weakest ( just my opinion ) and NSNA
The worst, with OHMSS the Best.  ajb007/biggrin

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8 Reply by Charmed & Dangerous

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Th ü nderpussy wrote:

I like all the Bond scores, Goldeneye being the weakest ( just my opinion ) and NSNA
The worst, with OHMSS the Best.  ajb007/biggrin

+1  ajb007/martini . I can't recall the soundtrack to the 1956 Casino Royale, but the 1967 version had some good songs (albeit not very suitable for a Bond film). After OHMSS I would volunteer Thunderball followed by Goldfinger.

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9 Reply by Blackleiter

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

YOLT and OHMSS are the best.
Don't really care for LALD (except the excellent title song) and FYEO.

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10 Reply by PDJamesBond

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

YOLT, LALD, AVTAK, and CR are the best, in my opinion. I could (and do) listen to those again and again.

GE is by far the worst. So bad it makes me twitch when I hear it. I don't think it's even music; it's a bunch of weird computery mechanical noises.

11 Reply by CmdrAtticus

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Since to me Barry defined the sound of Bond, I'd put his scores at the top.  I grade the quality of scores the way I do films.  If I can remember every piece of dialogue from a film and quote them, I consider them a classic piece of cinema.  It's the same with scores.  I've heard the tracks of Barry's work so much I can play any in my head. Whether it's the moody, tension filled Meeting in St. Sophia or Gumbolt's Safe or the shrill, brassy notes and crashing drums and symbols of Dawn Raid on Fort Knox, the Barry scores are the best. Some of his tracks in the later films may have gotten repetitive and less engaging, but even in TLD he proved he could still put out thrilling tracks.   I admire the other composers for their work and some date the films more than others (though that's not really a problem, as the film's date themselves anyway when they've tried following pop and cultural trends).  However for me, the films scored by Barry will always be the best.

12 Reply by Blackleiter

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

CmdrAtticus wrote:

Since to me Barry defined the sound of Bond, I'd put his scores at the top.  I grade the quality of scores the way I do films.  If I can remember every piece of dialogue from a film and quote them, I consider them a classic piece of cinema.  It's the same with scores.  I've heard the tracks of Barry's work so much I can play any in my head. Whether it's the moody, tension filled Meeting in St. Sophia or Gumbolt's Safe or the shrill, brassy notes and crashing drums and symbols of Dawn Raid on Fort Knox, the Barry scores are the best. Some of his tracks in the later films may have gotten repetitive and less engaging, but even in TLD he proved he could still put out thrilling tracks.   I admire the other composers for their work and some date the films more than others (though that's not really a problem, as the film's date themselves anyway when they've tried following pop and cultural trends).  However for me, the films scored by Barry will always be the best.

I absolutely concur with your thoughts about the Barry scores. They are still unmatched as far as I'm concerned.

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13 Reply by Thunderpussy

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

+1,  ajb007/martini  John Barry, was as important to the success of the series as anyone.  ajb007/cheers

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14 Reply by Jarvio

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Best score is TB.

Worst is either DAD, CR or QOS (although none are particularly bad)

1 - Lald, 2 - Ltk, 3 - Avtak, 4 - Op, 5 - Dn, 6 - Fyeo, 7 - Tswlm, 8 - Daf, 9 - Sf, 10 - Ohmss, 11 - Yolt, 12 - Ge, 13 - Tld, 14 - Mr, 15 - Gf, 16 - Tb, 17 - Tmwtgg, 18 - Sp, 19 - Tnd, 20 - Dad, 21 - Twine, 22 - Frwl, 23 - Cr, 24 - Qos

1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby

15 Reply by AlphaOmegaSin

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Best -

LALD
TMWTGG
OHMSS

Worst -

DAD
YOLT
FYEO

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16 Reply by AdamOmega

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Best (John Barry): OHMSS & The Living Daylights
Best (David Arnold): Tomorrow Never Dies & Casino Royale
Best (Misc.): Live And Let Die (George Martin) & The Spy Who Loved Me (Marvin Hamlisch)

Worst (John Barry): Octopussy
Worst (David Arnold): N/A
Worst (Misc.): Dr. No (Monty Norman), For Your Eyes Only (Bill Conti*), Licence to Kill (Michael Kamen), Skyfall (Thomas Newman)

*Done with trepidation; I actually enjoy this score.

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17 Reply by Blackleiter

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

Best -

LALD
TMWTGG
OHMSS

Worst -

DAD
YOLT
FYEO

Interesting - I don't recall ever seeing anyone express the opinion that the score for YOLT is one of the worst. Can you give some insight into why you don't like it?

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18 Reply by AlphaOmegaSin

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

To me, it's always felt underwhelming compared to Goldfinger's or Thunderball's.

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19 Reply by AdamOmega

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

To me, it's always felt underwhelming compared to Goldfinger's or Thunderball's.

Also strikes me as a little "repetitive" compared to Barry's other work (save perhaps Octopussy).

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20 Reply by Blackleiter

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

To me, it's always felt underwhelming compared to Goldfinger's or Thunderball's.

Obviously I don't feel the same way, but I can understand how someone could have that opinion. But does not measuring up to the score of GF or TB really make it one of the worst?

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21 Reply by Charmed & Dangerous

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Interesting. I think YOLT has a stunning score - particularly the Capsule in Space theme, which is iconic. Seeing that scene for the first time in the cinema, with Barry's powerful and dramatic theme, was spectacular and gave me goosebumps. I also think Mountains and Sunsets is haunting and beautiful.

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22 Reply by walther p99

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Best: Skyfall, Newman injects so much emotion into the tracks "shes mine" and "deepwater" especially in the bond theme.

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23 Reply by Blackleiter

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Charmed & Dangerous wrote:

Interesting. I think YOLT has a stunning score - particularly the Capsule in Space theme, which is iconic. Seeing that scene for the first time in the cinema, with Barry's powerful and dramatic theme, was spectacular and gave me goosebumps. I also think Mountains and Sunsets is haunting and beautiful.

+1

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24 Reply by CmdrAtticus

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

Charmed & Dangerous wrote:

Interesting. I think YOLT has a stunning score - particularly the Capsule in Space theme, which is iconic. Seeing that scene for the first time in the cinema, with Barry's powerful and dramatic theme, was spectacular and gave me goosebumps. I also think Mountains and Sunsets is haunting and beautiful.

Totally concur.  If one can just listen to it without thinking of the visuals, the power and threat it conveys feels chilling to me.

Last edited by CmdrAtticus (4th Sep 2014 19:25)

25 Reply by Thunderpussy

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Re: Which Films have the best and worst scores?

+1, YOLT is a fantastic score.  ajb007/cheers

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‘What are you doing here with that hammer?’”..... Lee Mack.