Rate Thomas Newman's SKYFALL Score

Have you listened to Newman's score for SKYFALL?

• What did you think of it?
  
  
• How did it work in the film vs. being a standalone listening experience?
  
  
• How did it rank among the other Bond scores, especially David Arnold's?
  
  
• What were some of your favorite and least favorite tracks?

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I was excited to hear this score since I first read that Newman would be taking over Arnold's position as composer for Bond 23. As the Amazon previews were released, I became less excited, as it was sounding like a generic action score, very similar to Arnold's own work. After listening to the full score, however, I have to say that it's nothing like that. Newman definitely brings a fresh sound to the franchise, although not quite as prominent as Eric Serra's fresh sounds for GOLDENEYE.

I have to say that I enjoy this more than any of Arnold's scores. If I were to rank it among the entire line of Bond scores, it'd place somewhere above Hamlisch's THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, but below some of John Barry's lesser Bond work. As much as I enjoy SKYFALL's score, it doesn't come close to anything that Barry gave us.

As far as tracks go, I really enjoyed:

1. BREADCRUMBS -- Newman's take on the Bond theme. While it's a rerecording of Arnold's "The Name's Bond... James Bond", from CASINO ROYALE, this track has a very Barry-esque vibe, being similar to Barry's "James Bond with Bongos" in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. I imagine this works very well within this film. I also enjoy this rendition more than Arnold's.

2. SEVERINE -- This is better than most, if not all, of the romantic themes we've been given during Arnold's 10 or 11 years with the franchise. Again, this also sounds quite Barry-esque, in comparison to the rest of the score. I believe Newman even stated that it adopts John Barry's major-minor approach to a sexy and dangerous theme.

3. SHANGHAI DRIVE -- I feel that this best sums up Newman's overall contribution to the film and franchise. With this track, he gives us a stylish, serious, and exotic theme. It's certainly Bondian, but it's not a Bondian sound we've heard before. I like the electronic work in this track, too, along with the bass.


I give Newman's score an 8/10. It has some weak points, but definitely brings a mix of both fresh and bold Bondian sounds to the franchise.

I'm interested in reading other opinions.

Likewise intrigued to hear the score once Newman was aboard to do it. Someone new for the first time in yonks and more eager to hear the Bond theme back than anything. Overall the score was a marked improvement over the previous two films at least, even a little further back. Newman worked the score well and it'd be good to get him back. As with other Bond scores I'd say it sits on the threshold of John Barry.

Favourite track might be Tennyson at the moment: the last forty seconds or so being quite stirring and imagining Dench's recital as Bond is pelting through Whitehall. Similarly, something about Mother and also Breadcrumbs the latter pefectly accompanying the DB5's reveal and Bond and M's drive north. A mention of The Bloody Shot for the theme as Bond mounts the VW's in the bulldozer.

overall score of 8

The use of "Breadcrumbs" in the film was truly awesome.

I'm really liking the score a lot and look forward to how it plays out with the film. I'll rate it after I watch the flick tomorrow evening.

I gave it a 9...but don't listen to it after blasting trash metal

I am enjoying the score, certainly moreso than any since GE but want to hear it in the context of the film before casting a vote.

Eh, I was longing for Arnold during my first watch.

Aren't you always longing for Arnold?

When i heard the first previews on YouTube i was very sceptical. It sounded way to bland and too much techno, my mind sprang away to the appaling GE soundtrack. But when i bought it and listened through it then i was convinced that Newman was pretty good. He had mixed together a orchester and some techno sound in a nice way.
But in context, the soundtrack was even better. It did impress on me in the cinema! But i gotta say that it isn't better then Arnolds two last.

The best tracks is:

Grand Bazaar, New Digs, Health And Safety, Tennyson, Enquiry, Breadcrumbs and She's Mine.

Gave it a 9.

Gave it a 7. Shanghai Drive is superb, and Newman's use of the Bond them was judicious and perfect. Outside of that, the score was unobtrusive, which is another way of saying that it didn't interfere with what we were seeing.

8/10 based on the music in the movie.

The music isn't so good as David Arnold with Tomorrow Never Dies where a big part of it remember me too, but i don't say this because it is Thomas Newman first Bond movie he scored like TMND be David Arnold his first score but because i think another Twine re-make music from David Arnold haven't work for me for this movie. Whyle i feeling missing a bit more drama in the score, then have been the danger to fall in Twine or DAD tricks from David Arnold in some scene's be on the corner. With Shangai or Macau opening and mabey some other parts i missing David Arnold cues from TMND, but i don't missing him with the search light scene or the scene's in court. David Arnold judgement mabey is also mist for the maintile whyle this is of course more a problem of Daniel Kleinman, some other people like the directer, producers, the writers of the movie and the writers of Adele song.

This score is definitely growing on me. It's got a bit of Conti, a bit of Serra, and it all adds up to a clear improvement over Arnold.

Definitely an improvement from David Arnold. I feel like Arnold's music was uninspired after TWINE. Newman's music is vibrant and colorful. It's Bondian and traditional, while being unafraid to introduce new sounds.