Quote of the Day (and other randomosity)

[ealgylden]

From The Storyteller (John Hurt) in "A Story Short," The Storyteller:

"I am not domestic. I am a luxury, and in that sense, necessary."



Also, a not very positive review of the Master and Commander score album (score spoilers, if there is such a thing), from Filmtracks. They didn't hate it; they just weren't very enthusiastic. I haven't heard any of the score tracks yet, so I can't legitimately agree or disagree with the review, but the types of complaints they have don't seem that bad to me. I'm okay with it not being Korngold (especially considering the tones and textures of O'Brian's writing), as long as whatever it is, is good. The non-score tracks, which fittingly and happily include pieces by Corelli and Boccherini, look encouraging. And despite that fact that Tallis and Vaughn Williams are both anachronistic for the setting, I love "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" madly, so I won't complain if it's used well in the film (like using Mozart's Requiem in Elizabeth- completely random timeline-wise, but a nice choice artistically, I thought).

Kino is releasing Die Niebelungen, uncut, on DVD! Yay! It's Fritz Lang and all that that implies, but if you only see one silent movie version of the Siegfried story, make this the one (actually, I think it may be the only one. Oh well). Margarete Schoen as Kriemhild is one intense lady and well worth the... 291 minutes. Wow, that's long. Keen! Nice dragon, too. Always a plus. Kino, like Criterion, does an amazing job with remastering classic films and compiling interesting extras for them, so this should be a treat.


My luck with commenting today is spotty at best- sometimes they work fine, sometimes I get an error message again and again, and sometimes I end up with five copies of the same comment, so I may just leave it again for now, though it seems so rude. I keep telling myself that LJ is only a couple of bucks a month, but at the moment, that's not very soothing. And I owe emails. And there's a review of Joan of Arcadia in the new EW that I haven't read yet. Oh, speaking of JoA, Eliza Dushku's older brother is in tonight's episode, which is neat. And one of the cats just brought me a wee mole for lunch (oh, thank you, Ross). And, um, that's more than enough babble for today, I think.

Comments

[castalianspring.livejournal.com]

Also, a not very positive review of the Master and Commander score album

I'm hesitant to take anything this guy says seriously, if only b/c he's a sucky writer. I agree that the types of complaints here don't seem very valid. Just because it's not a "swashbuckling" theme, doesn't mean it's bad. Considering POB's style, I don't think a straightforward, "traditional" sea epic theme would be fitting. It needs that period feel to it, the classical and folk elements. From what he says, it sounds like we might actually get to hear a few snatches of sea chanties, which pleases me greatly.

Also, how did PotC not have dramatic brass in the score? I thought the french horn work in particular was lovely. Very swashbuckling at times.

And one of the cats just brought me a wee mole for lunch

Hee. I got half a mouse the other day. Just the tail end. At least there are no more baby bunnies, though.

[ealgylden.livejournal.com]

Just because it's not a "swashbuckling" theme, doesn't mean it's bad. Considering POB's style, I don't think a straightforward, "traditional" sea epic theme would be fitting. It needs that period feel to it, the classical and folk elements. From what he says, it sounds like we might actually get to hear a few snatches of sea chanties, which pleases me greatly.

Precisely what I was thinking. Sure, there are battle scenes and gales and Drama on the High Seas (tm), but if the movie's going to be anything like the books in tone, the score should be more Jane Austen Action Movie than Bruckheimer Production, the fabulousness of PotC notwithstanding (and yeah, I could have sworn I heard dramatic brass in the PotC score, too. Maybe we dreamed it?). It sounds to me like the reviewer had certain expectations pre-listening, and he wasn't able to get beyond those to judge what he actually heard. Of course, it might not be a very good score. I wouldn't know yet. But this particular review doesn't seem all that convincing to me- if I end up not liking the score, I don't think it'll be for these reasons.

And yay for sea chanties! I want sailors singing while they work! *g*

Hee. I got half a mouse the other day. Just the tail end. At least there are no more baby bunnies, though.

Aren't cats nice? So concerned for our happiness. ;) It's always a little disturbing to head out to the get the paper in the morning and find a tail or a wing. Blech. I hear you on the baby bunny front, too. My savage barbarian kitten (well, she's seven, but she'll always be the kitten) once cleaned out an entire nest in fifteen minutes and piled them on the porch for me. She just kept going back! My sister was traumatized, and the kitten looked so proud. shudder

[castalianspring.livejournal.com]

Listened again to make sure, definitely great brass in PotC. The french horns alone...guh. The main theme is full of them. I love the main action theme.

I agree, I'm going to withhold judgement until I hear the entire score. But I hope it's really, really good.

My savage barbarian kitten (well, she's seven, but she'll always be the kitten) once cleaned out an entire nest in fifteen minutes and piled them on the porch for me. She just kept going back! My sister was traumatized, and the kitten looked so proud. shudder

Oh my, you've got quite the little savage there. Isn't it sort of sweet how they look up at you for approval of their bloodthirsty ways?

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

so I won't complain if it's used well in the film (like using Mozart's Requiem in Elizabeth- completely random timeline-wise, but a nice choice artistically, I thought).

Heh! See, I wanted them to use, I dunno, Tallis or Byrd, or even better, if they wanted a Requiem, the great Victoria Requiem (but only because I think that's one of the most beautiful pieces every) - the Mozart took me completely out of the mood, to be honest, and it sort of made me think too much about "Amadeus." ;)

I heard some Pärt the other day that sounded a good bit like some bits of the LOTR scores - it was interesting because I wouldn't have expected that.

[ealgylden.livejournal.com]

I would have been happier if they'd used something more time-appropriate, though not as much for the accuracy factor (I'd given up on that long before that point, although Elizabeth didn't have quite as many "what are they doing?! moments as some movies) as for the fact that I love Renaissance music. Some Tallis would have made me really happy. But the Mozart was nicely dramatic, so I didn't mind it. And I escaped the Amadeus problem, luckily, since I've only seen it once, years ago. So I just got happy Mozart vibes (er, happy for me, not for Mozart so much).

Pärt, huh? That is interesting. I remember thinking when I first heard the FotR score that some passages sounded like Górecki. It makes me curious about Howard Shore's personal CD collection, really.