NTTD Soundtrack by Hans Zimmer: Discussion

Traditionally, when it comes to say Trek, Star Wars or Bond, I'll hot foot it out to buy the OST and wait until I've seen the film, as with a Bond film the music matters.

Not yet on this account (largely as places to buy OST's have all but gone).

Anyway. The film was my first experience of the score, I've not heard bits anywhere else. Excluding the OHMSS stuff, it seemed to do the job even if towards the end, he echoed Dark Knight (the Like a Dog Chasing Cars bit). Suitable uses of the Bond theme perhaps.

For me, an interesting point was quoting Arnold's "Vesper". Probably the first time a Bond composer has quoted from a previous composer beyond the Bond theme itself. Indeed, sometimes Zimmer seemed to be veering towards the You Know My Name instrumentals.

See what the rest of you think.

I only got to ask Zimmer one question about Bond and one about TOP GUN in my DUNE piece on him, but what he said about TG actually seems to reflect what you say about Vesper and other CR remnants in the NTTD score.

I do employ Harold [Faltermeyer]’s original theme from Top Gun, but had the idea of using fragments of original cues, but turning them on their heads. Whether or not people recognize those bits will be of some interest to me, but most importantly, they gave me a starting-off point, and what better basis than to draw on the original film’s DNA?

The full Zimmer piece and a longer article on the shooting of Dune are in the same issue: https://issuu.com/icgmagazine/docs/october2021

trevanian wrote:

I only got to ask Zimmer one question about Bond and one about TOP GUN in my DUNE piece on him, but what he said about TG actually seems to reflect what you say about Vesper and other CR remnants in the NTTD score.

I do employ Harold [Faltermeyer]’s original theme from Top Gun, but had the idea of using fragments of original cues, but turning them on their heads. Whether or not people recognize those bits will be of some interest to me, but most importantly, they gave me a starting-off point, and what better basis than to draw on the original film’s DNA?

The full Zimmer piece and a longer article on the shooting of Dune are in the same issue: https://issuu.com/icgmagazine/docs/october2021

That's interesting. Makes me think about people like Giacchino who have done Star Wars/Jurassic World and employ Williams' themes (he was slated for incorrectly using the Force Theme early in Rogue One for example).

Thanks for the link, I'll look at it properly shortly.

If they're using Williams themes, chances are they're also using themes from composers such as Gliere and Stravinsky. Williams "borrows" shamelessly.

The OHMSS quoting was unbelievably jarring and ill advised. Then there's a cue Zimmer lifts from The Dark Knight in the climax which was really perplexing and infuriating.

None of these guys were so offensive with their steals than Horner. I mean, he stole from everybody when he started out, mostly Goldsmith, but then he'd refine the theft down to one or two composers per show (Randy Newman for ROCKETEER as I recall, but it has been awhile.) How many times did he steal that classical piece from 2001 -- there was the opening credits of ALIENS, and I think PATRIOT GAMES, plus something else I've blocked, probably due to fury at how the lift took me out of viewing the moview. Then again, he stole more from himself than most.

Honestly, I have never understood how this kind of behavior was permitted, or in his case, it must have been encouraged. Somebody temptracks a movie with Horner music, then he gets hired and gives you exactly what you had in the temp track, often with the same orchestration. I have a book from editor Paul Hirsch who mentions that on MIGHTY JOE YOUNG he was wondering if Horner would at least write a couple of new notes ... he didn't, though he did spend an unnecessary 100 grand on a special stage that he could conduct from.

I just really wish I didn't enjoy his KHAN score so much. And GLORY. And all those 80s contemporary movies of his that have the same sound (which is probably half-lifted from TUBULAR BELLS, now that I think of it.)

I’m struggling to remember any of Zimmer’s original work beyond that little Latino flavour added to the Paloma’s fight scene.

Also, found his gunbarrel music to be very reminiscent of TSWLM’s. Probably the best of Craig’s era.