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I'll admit: Desplat is a great Williams replacement.
Before you set your keyboard aflame, hear me out.
After listening to the score for about a week now, I've come to the personal conclusion that this is the best score since Azkaban, and the closest score to John Williams' style.
What's amazing about it is that the score is still 100% Desplat-- his trademarks are everywhere. The only difference is that he clearly respects Williams and adopts a lot of Williams' style and meshes it with his own.
Take the track "Polyjuice Potion" for example. At roughly the 2:30 mark, there's a long stretch of music that just screams John Williams. If I didn't know any better I'd think I was listening to one of his earlier Potter scores.
Another thing to take note of is Desplat's action cues. "Sky Battle" and "Rescuing Hermione" have tons of John Williams' action style. There are also a lot of new great themes all over the place-- Desplat definitely understands themes.
What am I getting at? People have been screaming for John to return for at least Part 2, and while I share that sentiment, after hearing the Part 1 score I'd be perfectly fine with Desplat doing Part 2.
If John doesn't come back, it won't be because of Warner Bros. or the filmmakers. John has stated that he would come back if asked, but he's also currently entangled in other projects, like The Adventures of Tintin from Spielberg and Peter Jackson.
Sometimes, despite things that are said, not everything works out. And Desplat has written a jaw-dropping score for Part 1, and I think his work on Part 2 would be even better. He's proven himself on action and emotion.
I think Desplat's music for Harry walking to his death, Snape and Lily's scenes, Harry and Dumbledore in limbo, and so on would just be stunning. Desplat is a heavy sap so his emotional cues would be rocking. Just listen to Farewell to Dobby.
Just saying, a lot of people are up in arms about whether or not John will return, but I'm just simply proposing that either way, we win, because if Desplat does Part 2 we can expect another wonderful score.
Even if people complain about it right until the very end, when his Part 2 score releases, if he does in fact do it, everyone will be instantaneously silenced by how great it is.
After listening to the score for about a week now, I've come to the personal conclusion that this is the best score since Azkaban, and the closest score to John Williams' style.
What's amazing about it is that the score is still 100% Desplat-- his trademarks are everywhere. The only difference is that he clearly respects Williams and adopts a lot of Williams' style and meshes it with his own.
Take the track "Polyjuice Potion" for example. At roughly the 2:30 mark, there's a long stretch of music that just screams John Williams. If I didn't know any better I'd think I was listening to one of his earlier Potter scores.
Another thing to take note of is Desplat's action cues. "Sky Battle" and "Rescuing Hermione" have tons of John Williams' action style. There are also a lot of new great themes all over the place-- Desplat definitely understands themes.
What am I getting at? People have been screaming for John to return for at least Part 2, and while I share that sentiment, after hearing the Part 1 score I'd be perfectly fine with Desplat doing Part 2.
If John doesn't come back, it won't be because of Warner Bros. or the filmmakers. John has stated that he would come back if asked, but he's also currently entangled in other projects, like The Adventures of Tintin from Spielberg and Peter Jackson.
Sometimes, despite things that are said, not everything works out. And Desplat has written a jaw-dropping score for Part 1, and I think his work on Part 2 would be even better. He's proven himself on action and emotion.
I think Desplat's music for Harry walking to his death, Snape and Lily's scenes, Harry and Dumbledore in limbo, and so on would just be stunning. Desplat is a heavy sap so his emotional cues would be rocking. Just listen to Farewell to Dobby.
Just saying, a lot of people are up in arms about whether or not John will return, but I'm just simply proposing that either way, we win, because if Desplat does Part 2 we can expect another wonderful score.
Even if people complain about it right until the very end, when his Part 2 score releases, if he does in fact do it, everyone will be instantaneously silenced by how great it is.
Comments
dream_loudly (now known as THE COON)
protecting HPF from trolls and other assorted douchebags since 2010
What makes a score great is its own themes and identity, and how well overall it is written and performed. And Desplat uses Hedwig's theme like 10 times in this score, yet none of that is even remotely the best parts of the score.
If anything Hedwig's theme is overplayed. I know it's like the main theme for the films, but we're on the 7th and 8th films. I'll take new themes and compositions over recycling the fan favorite any day.
dream_loudly (now known as THE COON)
protecting HPF from trolls and other assorted douchebags since 2010
Okay but seriously it's awesome.
Won't happen though.
You bring up another reason why I wouldn't mind if Desplat score Part 2: thematic consistency. He placed some very well-established themes into this score and I think having some of those same themes repeat in Part 2 would help unite the two parts.
Then there are the omitted tracks and themes for ''Voldemort'', ''Bellatrix'' and ''The Dumbledores.'' Could be used for the multiple appearances (on- and offscreen) for the Dark Lord himself, for Bellatrix and for Aberforth's/Albus' tale respectively. Would like to have an actual ''War'' theme and a ''Snape'' one added, though.
Lord Stafford.
Lord Stafford.
I just don't think a theme should be used frequently just because it's popular, I'm a fan of variety. If they used it a lot more it WOULD become stale.
Desplat was smart to play with the theme and use it here and there, but he was smarter to not overdo it.
Lord Stafford.
Lord Stafford.
I agree. And it's one of the main reasons I'm disappointed with Desplat for not using it more.
[quote=darthorcrux]I think it's fine for say the opening titles. [/quote]
That's all I wanted was an opening song to included the theme like all the other films have. But it seems he didn't do it. I can only hope that it's there when I see the film.
Still the theme is used in few tracks so I don't get the complaint.
In GoF it was used once, in OotP twice as well as in HBP. Here it's used three times.
It appears in Polyjuice Potion, tenderly, near the end.
It appears in The Will.
It also appears in subtle ways in other tracks but I don't have the entire score memorized enough yet to tell you where, but probably in due time.
And yes, Obliviate is an incredible opening track, I seriously will not miss the theme. It's just that good. It's even more beautiful and epic in my opinion.
Especially the cello part. When it plays in 'Ron Leaves' or 'Death Eaters'. Oh my god.
I just really like the theme and have all the different openings from all the films, so I was just hoping for another take on the theme. That's all.
I like where the theme is used in the other songs.
I'm not saying or complaining that Obliviate is lacking without the theme.
People can complain about Obliviate lacking the Hedwig theme all they want, but that doesn't stop it from being an amazingly layered, thematic track all on its own.
I guess the only thing that bums me out is that people are focusing more on this one thing instead of trying to appreciate the rest of the score. Because it is a flat-out awesome piece of work.
Farewell to Dobby: 1:42
Obliviate: 2:26
Ron Leaves: 1:09
I'm only bummed because the theme is my favorite movie theme. But I agree that it's one of the better Potter scores.
And now I think I'm going to open my itunes and listen to it again *lol*
Godric´s Hollow is my favourite track with Ron Leaves. It´s very quiet, sad and bit dark in the end. The piano is this track is amazing as well.
I wonder what they'll play during the closing credits?