Xixax Film Forum

Film Discussion => News and Theory => Topic started by: polkablues on June 22, 2015, 11:22:16 PM

Title: James Horner RIP
Post by: polkablues on June 22, 2015, 11:22:16 PM
Split from "Who's Next To Croak"


James Horner, in all likelihood. (http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/22/living/feat-james-horner-titantic-plane-crash/)
Title: Re: Re: Who's Next To Croak?
Post by: wilder on June 22, 2015, 11:26:11 PM
It's confirmed (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/james-horner-dead-titanic-composer-804365) :(
Title: Re: Re: Who's Next To Croak?
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on June 23, 2015, 11:20:17 AM
Noooo....

I've talked about this before, but I was completely obsessed with his Braveheart and Titanic scores. Definitely must revisit those now. Braveheart in particular.

I need to listen to more of his work. What are other people's favorites?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXWwAjwJe4E
Title: Re: James Horner RIP
Post by: Just Withnail on July 02, 2015, 09:35:16 AM
I was among the obsessives as well. There was a point in my childhood where I would pretty much only listen to soundtracks, and the big romantic ones were definite favorites. I quickly learned that Horner was a master at the romantic theme: Braveheart, Titanic, Legends of the Fall, Land Before Time, Apollo 13, I ate it all up, the closet romantic I was, headphones on, dreaming away.

There was one particular part of the Braveheart theme (just after 01:06 in the clip JB posted above), that completely destroyed me. That little break in the flow (God, I wish I had a musicians vocabulary), where you've been floating away, and suddenly it does two little jumps back and forth, a little jolt out of the flow. I would hum this little part over and over, eventually making up my own little lyrics (and how goddamn into-my-soul embarrassing they were).

Years later I heard Black is the color of my true love's hair for the first time, and lo and behold, the very same little jumpy back-and-forth is there! At least to my ears it sounds extremely similar. Listen here, at 00:17-ish.




I then started obsessing over that song, and it's still one of the pieces of music I hold most dear. A big part of that is how it throws my thoughts in the direction of being 11 years old. Listening to Black is the color, I'm secretly listening to Braveheart.
Title: Re: James Horner RIP
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on July 02, 2015, 10:30:14 AM
Have you listened to Gustav Holst's The Planets, by the way? It was massively influential on James Horner and John Williams. They even borrowed some of his melodies.

2:58 here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu77Vtja30c
Title: Re: James Horner RIP
Post by: picolas on July 03, 2015, 01:12:48 AM
if i had to pick one:



it's the epitome of STAKES! THRILLS! SUSPENSE!

his new world score has really endured for me too.