The Harry Potter score sounds eerily like many Danny Elfman creations (Batman, Edward Scissorhand), yet done by John Williams.
Is this the first time Mr. williams is writing / arranging in this style? His trademark is bombastic score, not so much lushes and dark.
While we are at it–what other music does this dark style remind
you of?
Sounded just like John Williams to me actually. I thought HPATSS was one of his best in a while (although many are inclined to disagree with me.) Kind of reminded me of “Hook”
Mrs. Zebra noticed how the HP theme sounds like an upbeat version of the Schindler’s List theme.
While I have not heard this particular score, I must point out that John Williams has several distinct “sounds”. If you listen to something he composed before his “Star Wars” era, you might be amazed, or surprised.
Ever hear the score to “The Missouri Breaks” (Jack Nicholson movie, mid-'70s)? Amazingly different—very “country” and hyper. Several years back, I recall some reviewer in a local L.A. paper praising this score. But, they wrongfully assumed that it was composed by a different John Williams (not the one of “Star Wars” fame). The reviewer made snide remarks about how this John Williams was so much better than that John Williams. But of course, the reviewer was a moron, because “The Missouri Breaks” and “Star Wars” were composed by the same John Williams! But the styles were that different that the reviewer was fooled.
Same goes for other Williams scores like “The River”, “The Eiger Sanction” and I forget what else. He’s definitely got more than one sound.
I watched Sorceror’s Stone last night, and couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d heard parts of the main theme before. (And I don’t mean when I heard it in theater. :)) The first few notes sound striking like something I’ve heard before, then it goes off in a different direction, then comes back to something else I think I’ve heard before.
I know this isn’t all that unusal for movie music and John Williams in particular, I’m just wondering if anyone knows what pieces might have been his “inspirations” for the Harry Potter theme?
I haven’t seen Chamber of Secrets yet, but my brother went to the premiere and he remarked that Williams seemed to be recycling his own stuff somewhat … a lot of it sounded similar to stuff from, say, Star Wars.
It was a telling remark, coming from my brother, who isn’t nearly as fascinated by movie scores as I am.
Certainly the Harry Potter theme seems less sharply defined and “hummable” than stuff like Indiana Jones – more like Jurassic Park, maybe. (those are both Williams, right? I’m not smoking crack?) It’s a nice, eerie melody, but it won’t be popping up on cel phones anytime soon (thank the Gods).
I don’t know if it was “inspiration” or just laziness, but Williams’ score for Harry Potter has always reminded me strongly of his music for Jurassic Park. The main theme and many of the action sequences just seem like adaptations of the JP theme.
I have to agree with yosemitebabe that Williams has more tan one “sound,” though he seems to break out into his non-signature styles more and more rarely. His score for Presumed Innocent, for example, is almost unrecognizable as his, and I’ve liked his music for Born on the Fourth of July and JFK for a long time (both of these remind me more of James Horner than Williams). Even his score for Schindler’s List was something of a departure, though not as much as the others. Though I’m no fan of Williams’ work as a whole, these scores stand out for me as good ones, and unique.
Sadly, Harry Potter seems like more of the same for Williams. If anything, he’s recycling himself more and more, as Chamber of Secrets seemed to have very little actually new music. My only major quibble with the movies thus far has been that they didn’t choose a better composer.
FWIW, Elfman’s distinctive Beetlejuice oom-pah sounds a lot less original if you hear it next to Williams’ Witches of Eastwick.
And no, Dragonblink, you’re not smoking crack. 