Thomas Newman to score Skyfall

PDJamesBond · January 2012

I can't believe that I'm actually the first to post some news, as I always seem to be behind on these things, but over at MI6 they have a new article up about the score. It looks like Thomas Newman, who has scored all other Sam Mendes films, will be composing the score to Skyfall. The article mentions that David Arnold will be too busy being the musical director for the 2012 London Olympics. It doesn't make it clear whether Arnold simply couldn't do it, or whether Mendes just wanted Newman because he always works with him.

Read the full article here:

http://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=9922&t=mi6&s=news

What does everyone think about this?

Napoleon Plural · January 2012

Quite hopeful, I don't pop into this forum much but did when I read of this on mi6. His stuff is quite lush and atmospheric isn't it, from what I recall. He's prolific enough going from his recent credits.

Myself, I'm just glad to have a different slant on it, was long bored with David Arnold. Though he wasn't awful, moments of real inspiration seemed thin on the ground.

darenhat · January 2012

Very interesting news...I'm looking forward to hear Newman's take on a Bond score. No knock on David Arnold...Arnold's scores are great, and he is an extremely talented composer with a vast range. I worried a bit with TWINE and DAD that he was going to insist on too much rock-type rhythms, but it turned out not to be the case.

Arnold's claim to fame with Bond IMO was his ability to channel a bit of Barry-esque sweep into his work. I wonder if Newman will try the same thing.

Napoleon Plural · January 2012

My gripe, having listened on youtube, is that he tends to do that tinkly piano stuff, all very moving but rather generic after a while. Makes me wonder if this film also won't be a bundle of laughs, plus some of the rumours about the Scottish location at the end coming true... can see it happening.

jasper_lamar_crabb · January 2012

Newman is a fine composer, but I've not heard anything of his that suggests he's appropriate for a James Bond film. As others have asked, can he score action sequences?

He won't be worse than Eric Serra or Bill Conti, though, so I wish him well, and hope he also collaborates on the title song.

zaphod · January 2012

He is a truly class act and a fine composer. I am a bit concerned as I cannot recall him producing music to drive action along. I'm sure that if he has accepted the gig he can deliver the goods.
There really are some high quality people lnvolved in 23 for sure.

Napoleon Plural · January 2012

It's funny to think that while Monty Norman wasn't a great writer, Dr No doesn't suffer much because of the Bond theme, plus some pop songs of a kind like Three Blind Mice, Jump Up and Under the Mango Tree. Likewise, LALD wouldn't be much without Macca's pounding song for the action scenes. Perhaps they could do something here with a couple of songs thrown in?

John Drake · January 2012

Arnold getting punted is great news. Found his work dull and mechanical. Very interested to see what Newman brings to 'Skyfall.'

Barry Nelson · January 2012

IMO, a great choice, loved his work in American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Wall-E, Finding Nemo, The Green Mile and others.

Alex · January 2012

Fascinated with what Newman might do. A new Bond composer is a big deal!

And I've never been much up on Arnold either. Found his scores too artificial and self aware. After 17 years we need a change.

Wilde · January 2012

With his work on Road To Perdition, it's not surprising that Mendes will be using his talents again. -{

7289 · January 2012

Napoleon Plural wrote:

My gripe, having listened on youtube, is that he tends to do that tinkly piano stuff, all very moving but rather generic after a while. Makes me wonder if this film also won't be a bundle of laughs, plus some of the rumours about the Scottish location at the end coming true... can see it happening.

Would that be McTarry Castle?

Napoleon Plural · January 2012

Can't remember, in any case they've changed the location, but it was to be for the climax and some possible self-revelation for Bond, won't expand in case it's either speculative rubbish or actual spoiler.

Moonraker 5 · January 2012

Don't know his work very well, but I'm looking forward to a change to be honest. Ironically, I found Arnold's last score for QoS the most listenable he's done (and the best thing about the film), but I can echo the thoughts that his inspiration was thin on the ground, and there was much repetition in his scores.

HowardB · January 2012

Well, Newman does come from Hollywood film score royalty....his father is Alfred Newman, brother David Newman, uncle Lionel Newman and his cousin is famed singer/songwriter and film composer, Randy Newman. I just hope he doesn't try to reinvent the wheel and do something oddball. John Barry set the bar very high for Bond scores. The style of music in a Bond film is as much a part of the canon (if not more) as anything. He needs to compose a "Bond" score not some personal artistic statement. A good Bond score needs to be majestic and memorable. Forget originality, Newman needs to take his stylistic inspiration from the best Barry scores. I was never a huge fan of David Arnold's Bond scores (CR IMO was the best and most classically "Bond") so I don't mind a change, but EON should lay down the law with Newman and tell him they want a score that sounds like a classic Barry score or hit the highway. Funny thing, EON has always been able to come up with a decent replacement for the last Bond, but they have never been able to replace John Barry.

Gassy Man · January 2012

M'eh -- his scores are contemporary and professional but not especially original nor memorable . . . that doesn't mean he won't do a good job, but while I can hum any number of works by Barry, Zimmer, Williams, Goldsmith, or Poledouris, I can't do the same for Newman even though I have seen some of his films.

walther p99 · January 2012

i cant wait to see how Newman scores the action scenes and to hear his take on the bond theme, as much as i love David Arnolds bond scores, after TNDs, they all seemed to blend together. i love Newmans score for road to perdition and i have full confidence in him to create a classic Bond score.

zaphod · January 2012

Gassy Man wrote:

M'eh -- his scores are contemporary and professional but not especially original nor memorable . . . that doesn't mean he won't do a good job, but while I can hum any number of works by Barry, Zimmer, Williams, Goldsmith, or Poledouris, I can't do the same for Newman even though I have seen some of his films.

Not even the theme for American Beauty ? Surely one of recent Cinema's most iconic refrains. It has found it's way into a number of diverse areas from it's use in Dance Music to countless homage/copy's in numerous adverts.

ics · January 2012

action ???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbyqlUMwJJU

but nice music and better much better than D.Arnold

Gassy Man · January 2012

zaphod wrote:

Gassy Man wrote:

M'eh -- his scores are contemporary and professional but not especially original nor memorable . . . that doesn't mean he won't do a good job, but while I can hum any number of works by Barry, Zimmer, Williams, Goldsmith, or Poledouris, I can't do the same for Newman even though I have seen some of his films.

Not even the theme for American Beauty ? Surely one of recent Cinema's most iconic refrains. It has found it's way into a number of diverse areas from it's use in Dance Music to countless homage/copy's in numerous adverts.

I vaguely do remember it . . . but I'm of that unusual minority that was unimpressed with American Beauty, in part because it somehow managed to put every cliche about American suburban life into one film.

zaphod · January 2012

Gassy Man wrote:

zaphod wrote:

Gassy Man wrote:

M'eh -- his scores are contemporary and professional but not especially original nor memorable . . . that doesn't mean he won't do a good job, but while I can hum any number of works by Barry, Zimmer, Williams, Goldsmith, or Poledouris, I can't do the same for Newman even though I have seen some of his films.

Not even the theme for American Beauty ? Surely one of recent Cinema's most iconic refrains. It has found it's way into a number of diverse areas from it's use in Dance Music to countless homage/copy's in numerous adverts.

I vaguely do remember it . . . but I'm of that unusual minority that was unimpressed with American Beauty, in part because it somehow managed to put every cliche about American suburban life into one film.

I'm the other way around as I can barely remember the film at all and have no strong feelings about it but the music was great.

Bond_James_Bond · January 2012

The Music is the only thing I really remember about the film - a good sign for me.

oscar rubio · January 2012

I do not like the idea of changing a composer, I think Arnold's work was very good Bond

jetsetwilly · January 2012

I'm a massive Arnold fan so I'm sorry to see him go. I hope that the break will give him inspiration for when he comes back, as when Barry had the break for TSWLM and came back with the sublime Moonraker.

Thunderpussy · January 2012

I was always happy with D Arnold's work and although I hated QOS, I thought it was his best score so far.

Jamesbondjr · January 2012

I'm a bit gutted about this. I think David Arnold's scores have been great and he has history with Bond. My worry is that Newman's score will sound as dull as some of his others. His scores are all a little too forgettable, he has had one lucky break with American Beauty but surely if he was that great he'd have some really memorable pieces to his name like Williams, Barry, Zimmer et al.

Still, I won't write him off without seeing the film first, after all, he cold create the best James Bond score of the series.

BuckMcNaked · January 2012

Thomas Newman has several excellent soundtracks, many I would say are much better than American Beauty. I'd suggest some of the doubters give a listen to the soundtracks to Less Than Zero, Meet Joe Black, The Green Mile, Cinderella Man, and my personal favorite (and one of the best film scores I have ever heard) The Shawshank Redemption.

I already put his name next John Williams and Hans Zimmer.

HowardB · January 2012

No doubt Newman is a fine film composer with an impressive list of credits. The question is: can or will he do a great Bond score?
Being it's the 50th Anniversary of the series along with the passing of John Barry I think a homage to the unequaled work of Barry would be appropriate. Barry's scores were essential to the films. IMO there hasn't been a truly memorable Bond score (CR was the closest) since TLD. I don't understand (except for the Bond theme...which we get snippets of and has been used sparingly during DC's tenure) doesn't EON use updated arrangements of some of Barry's classic scores/cues that were carried over in the classic Bonds like "007"? Quentin Tarantino goes so far as to use music from other movies in his films to good effect, at least EON would be using actual Bond muisc.

Lady Rose · January 2012

PDJamesBond wrote:

It doesn't make it clear whether Arnold simply couldn't do it, or whether Mendes just wanted Newman because he always works with him.

David Arnold was tweeting about it last night. Said he had known since June.

'Sam and I talked about it and I said I am very much of the opinion that a director should have who they want .'

and

'I didn't turn it down to do the Olympics ... Its Sams choice and I think the right choice for him'

He the went on to say ....

' I'm looking forward to watching Skyfall as a fan for the first time in 14 years! Still working with Eon on 50th Anniversary stuff ... exciting'

and finally as regards to future Bond movies

' I always said I would do them as long as they ask. If they ask for next one I will do it'

Obviously Mendes decision not to use Arnold. He still seems very involved from an Eon point of view.

Napoleon Plural · January 2012

Fairy Muff, but it seems redolent of ol' Marc Forster doing his own thing (getting his own guy in to do the titles, etc). I've wondered why it is directors always stick with their cinematographer too, esp Martin Campbell, like they're joined at the hip or something. I mean, TWINE with the GE cinematographer would have been cool imo.

Lady Rose · January 2012

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Fairy Muff, but it seems redolent of ol' Marc Forster doing his own thing (getting his own guy in to do the titles, etc). I've wondered why it is directors always stick with their cinematographer too, esp Martin Campbell, like they're joined at the hip or something. I mean, TWINE with the GE cinematographer would have been cool imo.

I dont like this constant changing of the main players crew wise for each film. I think it makes the films disjointed and loses a lot of the films style. There was a reason Cubby liked consistancy.

Thomas Newman to score Skyfall

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