Terrible Movies That Don't Deserve Their Scores

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:31pm

Have you ever seen a terrible movie with a great score? Here are some of mine:

MEET JOE BLACK

PAY IT FORWARD

STAR WARS EPISODE III (Not a terrible movie but it's just odd to hear such great music over lines like "YOU UNDERESTIMATE MY POWER!!!!")

BICENTENNIAL MAN

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:32pm

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

While the script has its moment, it mostly falls into the "what were they thinking" category. Still, it's one of the better Trek film scores (by Jerry Goldsmith, of course).

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:34pm

I can't think of a single example of a score I liked in a film I didn't like. If I like the score, I generally like the film. I can think of the reverse, however.

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:34pm

Cruel, what is this? Like the 100 movie thread you've started...

Back on topic, I don't really pay attention to the score. I remember the movie itself.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:36pm

Speaking of scores, have you seen AFI's nominations for 100 Greatest Movie Scores? I was appalled to see the score from Jurassic Park wasn't there! I'm sorry, but whatever you think of the movie, it is one of John Williams' best known, and in my opinion, most enchanting scores...it couldn't even make the top 250 or 200 or whatever??? ARGH

Anyway, I can't think of any at the moment. I'm trying to think of the Academy Award winners, but they get it wrong a lot, imo....or is that Best Song..

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:47pm

I like the JP score but there are really only two themes recycled throughout the whole thing.

Williams has done far more interesting and varied work in his other movies.

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:51pm

That's generally Williams' way. He writes themes, not scores. Except for a few of his themes: Superman, The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno and some of his television stuff (Lost In Space, The Time Tunnel), John Williams is one of my least favorite film composers. His scores are very weak, IMO. Yes, I know most people adore him; but I just don't get it. I do love film scores, however. They make up the biggest part of my CD collection.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:53pm

I enjoy James Newton Howard alot. I think his score for The Prince of Tides is amazing.


I also love the score to Shakespeare in Love.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:54pm

The score to RETURN TO OZ is one of the best of the 80s, though not a lot of people love the film.

Ditto the score to YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES.

I also love John Barry's score to ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND.



Updated On: 8/4/05 at 12:54 PM

[Bret]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:54pm

Williams does not even write his own music half the time...
My best friend's dad is a band director, and has a former student who was a great composer. He submitted some of his work to different people after college, including John Williams. Williams (or someone who works for him) said that they would love for this person to work for John. However, like all of his other workers, anything he wrote would have to be published as "Composed by John Williams". He passed on the offer.
That being said, "John Williams" is a great composer.

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 1:01pm

I love James Newton Howard's work, as well. Especially his stuff for M. Night Shyamalan's films.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 1:02pm

THE VILLAGE as a film didn't deserve its great score...

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 1:04pm

I loved every second of THE VILLAGE. It is my favorite film of 2004.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 1:08pm

CM2! Your high standards are slipping...

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 1:12pm

What are you talking about? Name one movie that was better than THE VILLAGE, in 2004? I like what I like.

[broadway86]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 1:33pm

I could name many movies that I thought were better than The Village, but you love it and that's what is important (I'm not being sarcastic).

As for movies that I think are bad with good scores...

Marcelo Zarvos, The Door in the Floor
Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Finding Neverland
James Horner, A Beautiful Mind
Randy Newman, Seabiscuit
James Horner, Braveheart
Nicola Piovani, Life is Beautiful
John Debney, The Passion of the Christ
Mark Mancina, Bad Boys
Gabriel Yared, City of Angels
Marc Shaiman, Patch Adams
Hans Zimmer, Gladiator
Rachel Portman, Chocolat
John Williams, The Patriot

And, yes. I realize that many of these either won or were nominated for Best Picture. It seems that, every year, the Academy never fails to nominate at least one film that I can't stand.
Updated On: 8/4/05 at 01:33 PM