Incredible Soundtrack #24: Hannibal (Zimmer)

The music attached to a film creates the environment, I believe, moreso than the literal environment depicted through the visuals...

This is such an important soundtrack to me. Hannibal was the first 18-rated film I saw at the cinema (at the tender age of 16) and I loved the film. Such class and beauty - and it was the first time I fell in love with the city of Florence. Shortly after watching the film, a close friend became infatuated with Anthony Hopkins, even using Vide Cor Meum in a performance in college. I loved the song and had to hunt down the soundtrack. I had the soundtrack. I lost the soundtrack. I re-bought the soundtrack. Since buying the soundtrack (twice), I have listened to it,in its entierety, hundreds of times. The music flows so effortlessly and, in some cases, have no gaps between the tracks.

In fact, I have listened to the soundtrack so much that Vide Cor Meum - the reasons I purchased the CD in the first place - is rarely played whilse tracks 1 through 11 are played often. Let My Own Home be My Gallows becoming a favourite.

And, for all you fans of Kingdom of Heaven, the recycled use of Vide Cor Meum in that film was one of the stupidest ideas Ridley Scott has ever had.

9. Let My Own Home Be My Gallows - A 10-minute track that is used as Francesco Pazzi meets his fate in the Palazzo Vecchio off the Piazza delle Signoria. Subtle-at-first and slowly building up to a grand and deeply unsettling madrigal section before Anthony Hopkins begins a monologue used in the film.

10. The Burning Heart - I love the romance within this track as strings lead the song. Again, one of the three tracks a segment of Anthony Hopkins dialogue is used.

12 - Vide Vor Meum - The reason I bought the CD and maybe a reason you should buy it too ...

Incredible Soundtrack #16: X-Men: First Class (Jackman)

The music attached to a film creates the environment, I believe, moreso than the literal environment depicted through the visuals...

This is one of my more recent soundtracks. Normally I choose soundtracks with a little bit more established credability and, with X-Men: First Class, it is new enough to have garnered a bit attention but I don't think that it will remain 'as important'. But, c'est la vie, I like it at the moment. It is worth noting that the composer, Henry Jackman is no relation to Hugh Jackman.

Henry Jackman has, on the other hand, worked with Hans Zimmer before - credited as 'music arranger' for Zimmers soundtrack to The Dark Knight. You can hear the repetetive string arrangement Zimmer has used before and, I believe, sounds a little too similar to the Tron: Legacy soundtrack which, though composed by Daft Punk, I believe was hugely influenced by Zimmers composing style.

1. First Class - It was this opening track that gained my attention in the first instance. It sounds freakishly like the opening track for Tron:Legacy, but I think it has a little more of an 'heroic' edge - which obviously suits X-Men:First Class...





11. X-Training - There are two memorable montage sequences in the film. The first one, whereby they recruit the mutants uses a Gnarls Barkley song ('an instrumental version of 'Run'), the second one is when they are training. Both of which are brilliant. This is the training one.



19./20. X-Men/Magneto - The 'Magneto' theme is brilliant - and there are multiple different versions of the theme in the soundtrack. These last two tracks are the most definitive - especially the second track that plays during the closing credits. These specific choices use some brilliant electronic sounds that signify the magnetic power Magneto has and it sounds great!

Incredible Soundtrack #8: Tron: Legacy (Daft Punk)

The music attached to a film creates the environment, I believe, moreso than the literal environment depicted through the visuals...

I think everyone has agreed that the best thing about Tron: Legacy was the soundtrack. On the one hand we have electronic duo Daft Punk creating the score. The use of pop artists creating scores goes right back to Simon and Garfunkel creating the soundtrack for The Graduate and Badly Drawn Boy composing the score - and songs - for About A Boy. In terms of electronic artists, who I love, we have Underworld who composed the soundtrack for Sunshine with John Murphy and, already discussed, Trent Reznor working on The Social Network with Atticus Ross, whilst The Chemical Brothers have only recently worked on the soundtrack to Hanna and, what looks like as part of their job, they are mentioned on pretty much every trailer too.

What is interesting is that Daft Punk, in the liner notes, thanks Hans Zimmer and John Powell. Aka, John Powell of The Bourne Identity and, recently Oscar-nominate, How To Train Your Dragon and, well, we all know Hans Zimmer. I think it is clear that some of their styles of soundtrack feed into Daft Punk's efforts. I'll mention it in the notes at any rate...

2. The Game Has Changed - This track presents how accomplished Daft Punk are in combining modern electronica with a more classical use of strings. I think, as previously mentioned, there is more than a hint of John Powell's Bourne scores influencing this track ...



13. Derezzed - This is just a Daft Punk track on a soundtrack. Works well in the film (when the musicians make their cameo) and, my only problem, is that I wish it was longer... 



20. Flynn Lives - This is my favourite track, by far. Daft Punk use the entire Orchestra to branch out and, as the song begins with the pulsating strings before the calming - what sounds like a heart monitor - continues the pace. The use of the 'Tron' theme is used throughout the soundtrack and this is where the theme is used to an epic scale as brass slowly, almost hum the theme, on the top of the strings in the background. I think this is where Zimmers influence seems much more apparent - and as a fan of James Newton Howard, I am sure that Newton Howard's Signs soundtrack may have played a part too. 

Incredible Soundtrack #7: The Dark Knight (Zimmer/Newton Howard)

The music attached to a film creates the environment, I believe, moreso than the literal environment depicted through the visuals...

As previously mentioned, James Newton Howard is one of may favourite composers and Hans Zimmer would come pretty high up if I was to mount a list. So a combination of both Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard was going to inevitably perk my interest.

I think we can all agree that The Dark Knight and Batman Begins both have incredible soundtracks, but what is fascinating about The Dark Knight is the off-kilter, screwy 'Joker' element thrown in to the mix. The tracks I have chosen represent that additional element to some extent and show how it is possible that The Dark Knight soundtrack is superior in this single element. Having said that, I do not own the Batman Begins soundtrack so if you would counter-argue, please do so in the comments below.

Here we go - the chosen tracks ...

2. I'm Not A Hero - I think the first time I heard this track, track two, I knew I had made a worthy purchase. It often happens that you choose a soundtrack and find the one track which is good whilst the rest are not as strong. Not with this album. This track alone begins with such a plucked-pace that you cannot help but feel undercover and as if you are some sort of secret agent.



8. Like A Dog Chasing Cars - My favourite track on the album. The throbbing pace and pulsating percussion shortly after 1.08, whilst the strings continue the pace as if to introduce the theme. Flawless.



14. A Dark Knight - A whopping 16.15 in length this is deepply brooding and unsettling. The, almost tragic ending of The Dark Knight is acted out upon this section of soundtrack. Batman has seen his love, Rachel, die. Two-face - The White Knight - has destroyed himself and Batman must turn himself from a hero into the enemy for the sake of Gotham. The romance, tragedy and fear and path that this leads to ... is unknown. Until The Dark Knight Rises.

Inception (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

"You keep telling yourself what you know. But what do you believe? What do you feel?"

Introduction

It wasn't my favourite film of 2010 - but it was pretty damn high: Number 3. Ironically, one point I made when recording my initial observations of the film was my lack of interest in the soundtrack - going so far as to say that I couldn't hear a clear 'theme' throughout. I take this back. This was foolish - since then, I have bought the soundtrack and I love it. It is great and Hans Zimmer impresses once again. Its worth noting that the incredible soundtrack to Tron:Legacy by Daft Punk states in the liner notes "with thanks to Hans Zimmer, John Powell..." and I think their are some very Zimmer-esque elements to the Tron:Legacy soundtrack, whilst John Powell is The Bourne Identity composer and, I think there are hints of that too. One thing Jo pointed out when we discussed Inception on the recent podcast was the ambiguity of the character - knowing who is good and bad. I think this is a great point to raise and this is where I will begin, by fusing it with some religious symbolism ...