# Thin Red Line- Hans Zimmer's masterpiece



## dcoscina (Jul 26, 2012)

I've been watching that leaked Man of Steel Comic Con trailer non-stop which is the one tracked with this score of Zimmer's (the cue Journey to the Line). That got me to re-visit this score and truthfully, it's beautiful. Yeah, it doesn't have a lot of virtuosic orchestral moments but frankly, I don't give a fig. It's like a long meditation and it plays out beautifully on CD. I was having a rather trying morning at my day job and listening to this score in my car between sites put me in a much better perspective. One because the music is sonically rich and gotta say, some nice min6th chords voiced in the style of Debussy or Ravel. Also, almost no synths. Very acoustic and natural sounding. Finally, it plays out as a very concert like and classical, not film scoring. 

For me, it's far and away his best score. There's a timelessness about it. I also appreciate the extended harmonies he employs. If he approaches Man of Steel in this vein, I'm totally in. This introspective approach is one I've long championed about Zimmer. Look at my various posts and you will see me lauding him for his more dramatic and slower tempo cues. I don't care for his action writing but it looks like MOS isn't going that heroic route anyhow. 

Anyhow, I thought I'd see if anyone else loves this score as much as I do. It's a gem. I think I read somewhere that Hans was more upset about losing the Oscar on this one than Gladiator or other scores. I might be wrong but I think he worked months on this one. Wouldn't surprise me. Malick is very picky


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## jleckie (Jul 26, 2012)

It IS a gem. Hans wrote over 20 hours of music for that film. IT was real ball buster for him....


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## Rctec (Jul 26, 2012)

...But it was worth it. Weirdly, all the pieces on the cd came very, very quickly. Journey to the line, which is the 'fanous' piece, was written nearly in realtime - before I realized it breaks all the good orchestration rules...


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## MacQ (Jul 26, 2012)

Rctec @ Thu Jul 26 said:


> ...But it was worth it. Weirdly, all the pieces on the cd came very, very quickly. Journey to the line, which is the 'fanous' piece, was written nearly in realtime - before I realized it breaks all the good orchestration rules...



It's nice when it pours out like that. 8) 

I find deadlines help!


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## Blakus (Jul 26, 2012)

Orchestration Smorchestration :lol: I love the build in "Journey to the Line". When those cellos start coming in, then the horns taking over... aaah. Beautiful creative simplicity.


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## choc0thrax (Jul 26, 2012)

I've always felt Journey to the line was one of the top 3 film cues of all time. I generally listen to it once a day as well as Time from Inception.

I've posted it before but can't help it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-UGvQcw7QQ&feature=fvwrel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-UGvQcw ... ure=fvwrel)

I thought it was so cool when I was watching the finale to one of my favourite shows and Journey to the line came on.


Anyways, I need to listen to more of the score instead of that one cue all the time.


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## Kralc (Jul 26, 2012)

I hate to say that I'd never heard the soundtrack before. I feel like I've committed some kind of unspeakable composer blasphemy. 

It's beautiful, the way it just builds, awesome.
Thanks for introducing me to it dcoscina. And of course thanks Hans for writing it.


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## germancomponist (Jul 26, 2012)

Rctec @ Fri Jul 27 said:


> ....before I realized it breaks all the good orchestration rules...



...with the result that you showed that a piece can also sound very good if you ignore all the good orchestration rules.


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## rpaillot (Jul 27, 2012)

Rctec @ Thu Jul 26 said:


> ...But it was worth it. Weirdly, all the pieces on the cd came very, very quickly. Journey to the line, which is the 'fanous' piece, was written nearly in realtime - before I realized it breaks all the good orchestration rules...



Do I hear synth horns during the climax of the cue ?


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## Blakus (Jul 27, 2012)

I love the winds at the start, they sound like they're emulating synths


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## José Herring (Jul 27, 2012)

The whole score is brilliant, imo.

I rank it along with Inception as my favorite HZ scores.

But the odd thing is, that back in the day when I was trying to decide which career path I wanted to pursue, it was actually the score to Toys that had a big influence on me. I'm still trying to figure out why though. Something about it is just so happy sounding.


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## Danny_Owen (Jul 27, 2012)

Holy smokes Batman!

That. Was. Something.


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## mwarsell (Jul 27, 2012)

Glad to see other "Journey to the Line" fans here, it is superb. Been haunted by it ever since the release. I love the high-pitched ticking, genius. 

Also, the polyphonic music at the end of the album, from Polynesia (?), is exquisite. Absolutely stunning. The entire film is one of my absolute faves. Watch it like twice a year. Malick is indescribably talented.


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## Evan Gamble (Jul 27, 2012)

Agreed! I love it so much I sampled it for a Hip-pop song, looking for someone to add flow to it, and replace my vocals since I don't consider myself a singer.

http://soundcloud.com/e-gamble/resurrection

Enjoy if you're looking for a different take on that progression.

-E. Gamble


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## Wes Antczak (Jul 27, 2012)

I haven't listened to Thin Red Line in a while, now you guys have me wanting to revisit it again. Just put on the cd because I wanted to refresh my mind... Ahh, yes. 

As far as HZ soundtracks/cds specifically, some of the others that are standouts for me and that I wind up listening to sometimes over the course of a day (in the car, etc.) and that I can recommend are The Last Samurai, Beyond Rangoon, and Tears of the Sun. Some absolutely wonderful moments on those soundtracks. 

The Last Samurai... I love A Way of Life, with the delicate beginning... very haunting and melancholy.

Beyond Rangoon... Waters of Irrawaddy... I just realized the beginning has a very similar effect... also haunting and melancholy - and dreamy. 

Not HZ but one that I also really like is The Promise by Klaus Badelt.


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## JBZeon (Jul 28, 2012)

"Journey to the line"...Beautiful music, very emotional.


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## Ryan Scully (Jul 29, 2012)

This is an absolutely brilliant piece of music from Hans that is continuously on my playlist as well.


I think one of Hans' most poignant moments in his work to me is towards the finale of "The Battle" from Gladiator(the first movie soundtrack I ever purchased at the time for the score alone). I saw the film 3 times in the theater after it's release - Few action sequences sum up a better marriage of striking visuals and complimentary/intense score. Then all of sudden your taken completely back with the gorgeous and lush string section at the finale complimented by Lisa Gerrard's brilliant voice. It was such an incredible take on the climax of such a crucial scene - The score completely assisted in emphasizing the horrors of the battle/war and it's consequences. I remembered looking forward to that scene on each subsequent viewing because of it's deep emotional impact(Which I still feel each time I listen to it). Mission accomplished 150% on Hans' part..


Ryan


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## Dan Mott (Jul 29, 2012)

I don't know why you care so much about how the guy writes...


but, I really like this score. Emotive. It really works with the film. Awesome.


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## choc0thrax (Jul 29, 2012)

Wes Antczak @ Sat Jul 28 said:


> Not HZ but one that I also really like is The Promise by Klaus Badelt.



The Promise is amazing. Really shows what Badelt is capable of. Need to get back to listening to that one.


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## Matt Baron (Jul 29, 2012)

It's probably my favorite HZ score, though it's hard to say because as a child of the 90's The Lion King is one of my all-time favorite scores.


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## Kralc (Jul 30, 2012)

I'll second that Matt.


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## Niah (Aug 1, 2012)

I believe the thin red line is probably one of the very few scores that every time I put it on I have to listen to it to the very end...

It is also the only music I associate every time I hear the word Zimmer (sorry but I never really cared for the other movies..)

As masterpiece score for a masterpiece film


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## mojamusic (Aug 1, 2012)

Haven't bought the soundtrack yet, but I'm watching the movie again. There is a cue called "Silence" that shares the same movement as Inception's theme. I love the sound of it. I am buying this one tonight.


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## Malo (Aug 22, 2012)

Talking about Zimmer and Badelt: check out their score for The Pledge, directed by Sean Penn. The intimate score sets the tone for this film perfectly. The use of that single voice... now that's just great scoring! Recommended! Watch the movie, though! Great acting!


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## jleckie (Aug 22, 2012)

+1 on the pledge. 

Great musicians on that one. That's what I really respect about Hans. He brings in some killer musicians. 

Check out "Green Card" as well.

Back OT- "The Pledge" is always on my iPod.


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