Thomas Newman will score SKYFALL

I'm thinking more of the fansites than YouTube. I've heard pieces from ROAD TO PERDITION and THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU and even FINDING NEMO, but nothing comes close to sounding like it would fit a Bond film. Maybe that's the problem - Newman hasn't done anything that would fit a Bond film.

I'm more concerned by the way fans have leaped on this news and assumed it to be Gospel truth simply because they want it to be.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

I'm thinking more of the fansites than YouTube. I've heard pieces from ROAD TO PERDITION and THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU and even FINDING NEMO, but nothing comes close to sounding like it would fit a Bond film. Maybe that's the problem - Newman hasn't done anything that would fit a Bond film.

But then when you think about it, neither has Mendes. It's entirely possible that they want to break out of their mould, and do something new. Some have this fear Newman won't be brought to Bond, but instead Bond will be brought to Newman, if you get the gist. The man isn't a one trick pony.

I never said he was. And you are right in saying that Mendes is also something of an unknown. But I think far more people are much more emotionally-invested in the choice of composer than they are in the choice of director. David Arnold's value to the series is something that people have been arguing about since 1997. Like I said, some people on some other forums (that I am no longer a member of) have constructed this elaborate fantasy where EON dramatically fired Arnold (when a much more reasonable explanation is that EON simply decided that SKYFALL and the Olympics was too much for him). So I think people are going to be paying a lot more attention to the score than to the direction. If Newman is indeed composing for the film, people are going to have exceptionally high expectiations - possibly even higher than when CASINO ROYALE was annouced and intended to address the issues of DIE ANOTHER DAY.

I think that Mendes preferred his "own composer" over DA simply because of his artistic vision of Bond23, and music is part of that package. He simply prefers the work of Newman over DA, which is his choice,

However if the soundtrack created by a new composer might be a big improvement on DA, which doesn't take a lot imho, it could be that EON will be looking seriously into some new talent to score the soundtracks of future 007 movies. And I personaly hope that is what is happening, or going to happen.

The Olympic scoring should be finished after june/july 2012 which leaves plenty of time to score a Bond23 so I do not believe that should be a handicap for DA.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

But I think far more people are much more emotionally-invested in the choice of composer than they are in the choice of director.

I think you might be in the minority on that one. Eon gives their directors a great deal of artistic freedom, for example see Forster's decision to have MK12 do the titles and visual work on QOS (a group he's worked with many times in the past). Directors influence so much more in a film than a composer, they actually have the authority to make changes to the screenplay if they so desire and that, as far as I'm concerned, has much more to do with the overall turnout of a film than the music. Composers are like guns for hire, they come in, do a job, insert the Bond theme every once in a while and leave. Whatever they do, the director approves it, and it fits the director's vision for the film. I'd find it very difficult to believe that David Arnold was told to go off, create some music, return with it by a certain date and that's it.

Mendes has chosen Newman because he has done what Mendes has asked and taken his direction. Either that, or Mendes is just helping out one of this buddies.

Personally, I find most of today's composers to be exceptionally horrible. There hasn't been a score come out in years that I can listen to and enjoy. David Arnold was the worst offender, too. He'd have MINUTES of one long drawn-out note playing so softly and subtly in a film and then release that as a track on an album and I'm supposed to pay for that?!? It's just so mediocre to do that. Hans Zimmer is another offender of the same technique, and I think he's a genius. And listen to Trent Reznor's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo score: same shit. At least John Barry would write another soft theme to play during the slower moments of a film.

But whatever, if that is what's popular today, then I guess I'm showing my age. As long as Newman gets to compose the theme tune, I'll be happy.

Personally, I'm thrilled with the notion that someone other than DA will score Skyfall. The music of Bond desperately needs a breath of fresh air, and this is a move that should have been made two films ago. At the same time, the prospect of Newman scoring Skyfall doesn't particularly excite me because, as it's been pointed out already, his style doesn't really go hand-in-hand with Bond. There's no doubt that Mendes is trying to get his guys on board, and I applaud that, but this is an instance where I think someone else would have been more appropriate (although if the choice came down to Newman or Arnold, then I'm going with Newman every day of the week). I can also say, as someone who has composed and arranged many pieces of music (mostly arranged, though), it's quite difficult as a musician to expand outside of your comfort zone once you've established your own personal style.

I guess my biggest fear is that this could end up like another Altman/Goldeneye thing, or if the producers don't like Newman's sound and force him to adopt some generic Bond "jazzy" style. Yuck.

Sure, Newman hardly has what one would call "Bond Credentials", if we refer to such credentials as merely the aping of John Barry in one's sound. And, in that sense, Bill Conti didn't have those credentials beforehand either, yet the guy knocked it out of the park by not only bringing his own distinctive sound to the Bond canon and helping to create a distinct sonic atmosphere for the film to set it apart sufficiently from other entries, he also created utterly stonking, celebratory action cues. I'd take Newman's equivalent of A Drive In The Country, Gunbarrel or Runaway over yet another Time To Get Out or Miami International variant any day of the week.

This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of David Arnold, and will soon see the end of stale Bond music.

Lazenby. wrote:

This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of David Arnold, and will soon see the end of stale Bond music.

Um, the only thing that I'm seeing of note here is that it is the day that a rumour about a new composer first appeared. Wanting Arnold to be let go does not make these reports any more reliable than they actually are. All the article says is "MI6 understands" - they never quote anyone directly associated with the production, much less naming and quoting someone who would be in a position to comment with any degree of accuracy. There was a time, Lazenby., when you would have pounced on these shortcomings in a report, pointing out that they could easily be a fabrication. Why change now?

Lazenby. wrote:

Sure, Newman hardly has what one would call "Bond Credentials", if we refer to such credentials as merely the aping of John Barry in one's sound. And, in that sense, Bill Conti didn't have those credentials beforehand either, yet the guy knocked it out of the park by not only bringing his own distinctive sound to the Bond canon and helping to create a distinct sonic atmosphere for the film to set it apart sufficiently from other entries, he also created utterly stonking, celebratory action cues.

My thoughts exactly.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Why change now?

Hope.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Lazenby. wrote:

This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of David Arnold, and will soon see the end of stale Bond music.

Um, the only thing that I'm seeing of note here is that it is the day that a rumour about a new composer first appeared. Wanting Arnold to be let go does not make these reports any more reliable than they actually are. All the article says is "MI6 understands" - they never quote anyone directly associated with the production, much less naming and quoting someone who would be in a position to comment with any degree of accuracy. There was a time, Lazenby., when you would have pounced on these shortcomings in a report, pointing out that they could easily be a fabrication. Why change now?

If a major U.S. newspaper had reported this story you might see the following:

Newman/Arnold, etc.l, according to 1 person/X people familiar with the decision/with direct knowledge of the decision, who asked not to be identified because the selection of the composer hasn't been publicly announced. XXXXXX, a spokesman for Eon Productions/MGM/Sony or whoever, declined to comment.

The MI6 story had none of that, just, as Prisoner Monkeys pointed out, a line saying the Web site "understands" Newman replaced Arnold as composer for Skyfall. To use a journalism term, it wasn't transparent. Sometimes you get solid facts but can't identify how you obtained the information. But you can provide the reader with at least some idea how solid the information is.

Napoleon Solo wrote:

If a major U.S. newspaper had reported this story you might see the following:

Newman/Arnold, etc.l, according to 1 person/X people familiar with the decision/with direct knowledge of the decision, who asked not to be identified because the selection of the composer hasn't been publicly announced. XXXXXX, a spokesman for Eon Productions/MGM/Sony or whoever, declined to comment.

If a major U.S. newspaper is citing an anonymous source on a story about a film composer, I think it has some issues to deal with.

Jack Wade wrote:

Napoleon Solo wrote:

If a major U.S. newspaper had reported this story you might see the following:

Newman/Arnold, etc.l, according to 1 person/X people familiar with the decision/with direct knowledge of the decision, who asked not to be identified because the selection of the composer hasn't been publicly announced. XXXXXX, a spokesman for Eon Productions/MGM/Sony or whoever, declined to comment.

If a major U.S. newspaper is citing an anonymous source on a story about a film composer, I think it has some issues to deal with.

True enough. My only point was MI6 should have been more transparent, even if they had a source they couldn't name. The other thing is MI6 doesn't really break news, it mostly reproduces stories from elsewhere.

Napoleon Solo wrote:

The MI6 story had none of that, just, as Prisoner Monkeys pointed out, a line saying the Web site "understands" Newman replaced Arnold as composer for Skyfall. To use a journalism term, it wasn't transparent. Sometimes you get solid facts but can't identify how you obtained the information. But you can provide the reader with at least some idea how solid the information is.

Exactly. But I do tend to believe them, as I don't think they would stick their neck out so far, on such a major development, but still its very sloppy reportage. "Understands" needs some expanding on.

I don't blame MI6. If it has a good source, no reason to risk going public with it and risk losing it.

There are some members of those forums - MI6 and CBn - who are astonishingly well-connected (you can probably guess who I mean). They do have a bit of a reputation for accuracy in their predictions, and most people are willing to take what they say at face value, even if they do not reveal their sources or quote anyone.

However, MI6 as a whole does not have that reputation.

No in terms of the forum, but you never know who's providing info behind the scenes. I just hope this doesn't turn out to be Rachel Weisz-as-head-of-Quantum 2.0.

Exactly - MI6 have run stories in the past that have amounted to absolutely nothing, despite their claims of an exclusive. If they've done it before, they can no doubt do it again.

And those CBn/MI6 members in the know have remained silent on the subject of Newman.

Those examples of The Adjustment Bureau, Jarhead, The Dept & Towelhead be good examples. Stil not very exited because it look like sometimes a litle bit Bourne music and on the music from Spy Game. We know what happend when we get the editor of Spy Game with DAD. But it also remember me a litle bit to Inside Man best track David Arnold did for QOS. I think it be realy freshing to get somebody who is bit silence with his music, hopefully he can proof he can make good but special Bond theme's with the needed humor.

Next: A good sounmixer (not the same guy as CR and stil some inprovement on QOS )

Problem i have with not having David Arnold is i hoped on a new variation of the ''M'' theme (M's confession) of Twine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w8oF7MV1H4 If it is Realy Judi Dench her last one, then the mom chapter should end where it begin.

Another thing be that it wil be from American view made, not English. Iam also a litle afraid the Bond theme is lost. From the other side his example of Jarhead and Towelhead Thomas Newman mabey is quiker to step a side.

Welcome this (with some litle inprovement):

Moonraker Boat chase https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHXi3W57FVc

LALD Boat/Car chase https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJcOYQDeGm8

GE Car chase

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WTCFCxh5rQ

Race for the Yankee Zephyr (Queenstown Newzealand)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECl7T1ODPEQ

A style iam happy it is gone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O8Fi_SOhQY
QOS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_YHTdu1jFc
Composed by Jon Powell. This possible have been what David Arnold have made next, inspyrated by the good one of Twine and the worse i have seen from his for QOS boat chase. To much techno and machiene guns.

FourDot wrote:

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Why change now?

Hope.

Positivity. It's as good a New Year's resolution as any.

I also think that MI6 wouldn't stick their necks out and run it if there was any risk of this news expanding their rep for posting from unreliable sources after the whole Rachel Weisz debacle.

On top of all that, even a deaf man would find two good reasons to lose David Arnold. The last two dire soundtrack album skipathons speak for themselves.

Eh, QOS's score ain't that bad really. CR is terrible I admit, but he showed real improvement with the last one. A compact, compelling and unique listening experience with the finest opening cue for a Bond PTS since Serra's GE. Shame it was mostly drowned out by the film's shit sounding mixing. It's probably one of the best things about it.

I will defend Arnold's QOS to my deathbed.

His work on QOS is easily the best of the five he has done so far, probably because Forster had him compose music based on the script and less of what was on the screen. IMO he even improves the Vesper theme cues with "What’s Keeping You Awake" and "I Never Left". Like Shadow said, I think that score shows most promise. Still, while I like where Arnold went with QOS I'd still like to see someone else get a crack at Bond.