Even before I saw Poltergiest in the cinema in the UK, I heard one excerpt of Jerry Goldsmith's exordinary score with Twisted Abduction. The score was the driving force behind wanting to see the film. To hear that score performed within the film was mind-bending. Just like what Goldsmith did with Star Trek: The Motion Picture, he achieved again with Poltergiest. The characters and lightshow needed substance, and Goldsmith unleashed the spiritual high jinks with orchestra. It's a crime that today's vacuous films from Hollywood are incapable of achieving the exhilarating exploits that Spielberg, Hooper, and Goldsmith achieved. Everything that follows is second rate or just empty uncreativity.
The sound design and score of a movie is privotal. It can really turn a good movie into a truly legendary one. I still get chills watching (or listening to) Blade Runner or the Dollar Trilogy. Or most of John Carpenter's movies. And I recently rewatched Taxi Driver and I was shocked at how simple, yet iconic the score is. It embodies New York in the 60s and 70s so much so that it is the soundtrack I associate with that location in that period. And I had forgotten it is all down to the exemplary work of Bernard Herrmann. Goldsmith is also another genius of his craft and I can definitely see what you mean. I have some faint hope that music scores are not completely dead. Yet. The last two Dune movies had great scores. And although not as memorable, Longlegs did have a decent score too. But it is not something you get in the major blockbusters the same way you did in the 60s-90s
@lazyfranchisereviews Goldsmith wrote a very admiral score to The Haunting in 1999. The film is absolutely shocking. The score was stylishly performed with some notable cues. The same could be said of Goldsmith's Omen Trilogy. All three scores are exceptionally consistent with the middle film having electronic effects added into the mix with orchestra. Then, that terrific end score with The Final Conflict. The film just couldn't carry the weight of the score. Goldsmith was left wanting.
@@dr.impossibleofcounterpunc1984 Interesting. I have not watched that one, as I have always been told that it is a bad remake. But I agree that it worked well in The Omen. I cannot recollect the score in the two initial sequels, but I am now curious.
@lazyfranchisereviews Goldsmith delivered his crowning achievement with The Final Conflict. Lionel Newman conducted the orchestra, The National Philharmonic, with an impressive choral choir. Newman had conducted for Goldsmith numerous times in the past. What's impressive about the score. Well, Goldsmith approached the score differently to The Omen and Damien. Though the Damien theme is apparent, Goldsmith pushes forward with strong cues, including The Second Coming, The Hunt and the cue that plays out the film, The final conflict. This is probably Goldsmith's most ambitious orchestral manoeuvre in his film back catalouge. The story and the films budget just can't compare to Goldsmith's clever orchestral settings. You'll find the full score up on You Tube. Listen and be impressed. The film, not so much. Even the director of The Final Conflict, Graham Baker admitted, Goldsmith outfoxed me quite literally with an incredible film score.
@@dr.impossibleofcounterpunc1984 I just gave the score a listen and you are right. It is really good. And yes, it also deserves a better movie than Final Conflict. I was mildly entertained by the movie, but it is not a masterpiece
Even before I saw Poltergiest in the cinema in the UK, I heard one excerpt of Jerry Goldsmith's exordinary score with Twisted Abduction. The score was the driving force behind wanting to see the film. To hear that score performed within the film was mind-bending. Just like what Goldsmith did with Star Trek: The Motion Picture, he achieved again with Poltergiest. The characters and lightshow needed substance, and Goldsmith unleashed the spiritual high jinks with orchestra. It's a crime that today's vacuous films from Hollywood are incapable of achieving the exhilarating exploits that Spielberg, Hooper, and Goldsmith achieved. Everything that follows is second rate or just empty uncreativity.
The sound design and score of a movie is privotal. It can really turn a good movie into a truly legendary one.
I still get chills watching (or listening to) Blade Runner or the Dollar Trilogy. Or most of John Carpenter's movies.
And I recently rewatched Taxi Driver and I was shocked at how simple, yet iconic the score is. It embodies New York in the 60s and 70s so much so that it is the soundtrack I associate with that location in that period. And I had forgotten it is all down to the exemplary work of Bernard Herrmann.
Goldsmith is also another genius of his craft and I can definitely see what you mean.
I have some faint hope that music scores are not completely dead. Yet. The last two Dune movies had great scores.
And although not as memorable, Longlegs did have a decent score too.
But it is not something you get in the major blockbusters the same way you did in the 60s-90s
@lazyfranchisereviews Goldsmith wrote a very admiral score to The Haunting in 1999. The film is absolutely shocking. The score was stylishly performed with some notable cues. The same could be said of Goldsmith's Omen Trilogy. All three scores are exceptionally consistent with the middle film having electronic effects added into the mix with orchestra. Then, that terrific end score with The Final Conflict. The film just couldn't carry the weight of the score. Goldsmith was left wanting.
@@dr.impossibleofcounterpunc1984
Interesting. I have not watched that one, as I have always been told that it is a bad remake. But I agree that it worked well in The Omen. I cannot recollect the score in the two initial sequels, but I am now curious.
@lazyfranchisereviews Goldsmith delivered his crowning achievement with The Final Conflict. Lionel Newman conducted the orchestra, The National Philharmonic, with an impressive choral choir. Newman had conducted for Goldsmith numerous times in the past. What's impressive about the score. Well, Goldsmith approached the score differently to The Omen and Damien. Though the Damien theme is apparent, Goldsmith pushes forward with strong cues, including The Second Coming, The Hunt and the cue that plays out the film, The final conflict. This is probably Goldsmith's most ambitious orchestral manoeuvre in his film back catalouge. The story and the films budget just can't compare to Goldsmith's clever orchestral settings. You'll find the full score up on You Tube. Listen and be impressed. The film, not so much. Even the director of The Final Conflict, Graham Baker admitted, Goldsmith outfoxed me quite literally with an incredible film score.
@@dr.impossibleofcounterpunc1984 I just gave the score a listen and you are right. It is really good. And yes, it also deserves a better movie than Final Conflict.
I was mildly entertained by the movie, but it is not a masterpiece
The actress that played the teenage daughter was murdered in real life so yeah…..
I know. Quite the tragedy. I was not aware of that until reviewing the second film in the franchise, so I did mess up a bit.