Just saw Avatar..Horner does it again

[NYC Composer]

That's interesting inside info, Brian, but to me, it sounds like what you put in your first post about it- Horner did a bunch of music, and Cameron and the editor cut it to taste. If you think the composer really had final say on what was used where, well...I'd guess Cameron did, personally, but maybe you know better. Cheers.

 

[Ned Bouhalassa]

Avatar should be rated 14 and under!

I saw it yesterday and walked out half-way through. It's set in 2154 and yet everyone dresses like us, speaks like us, same haircuts, they read a reference book on the Navi that looks like it was printed in 2002 (that was the straw that broke it for me), there are barely any Chinese, Indian or other non-whites sent to other planets. Someone should give Cameron this kind of kit for research:

- copies of Blade Runner, early Star Trek, and the new Battlestar Galactica.

- copies of Stephenson's The Diamond Age, Gibson's Neuromancer and Kurzweil's The Age of Spiritual Machines.

- link to ted.org, along with suggested viewing.

Oh, this thread is about the music in Avatar? Same old, same old. I found some of the soundtrack to Sherlock Holmes much, much more modern-sounding (thanks in part to Diego's amazing Experibass). If only Jonny Greenwood had been hired instead...

 

[choc0thrax]

Avatar should be rated 14 and under!

I saw it yesterday and walked out half-way through. It's set in 2154 and yet everyone dresses like us, speaks like us, same haircuts, they read a reference book on the Navi that looks like it was printed in 2002 (that was the straw that broke it for me), there are barely any Chinese, Indian or other non-whites sent to other planets. Someone should give Cameron this kind of kit for research:

- copies of Blade Runner, early Star Trek, and the new Battlestar Galactica.

- copies of Stephenson's The Diamond Age, Gibson's Neuromancer and Kurzweil's The Age of Spiritual Machines.

- link to ted.org, along with suggested viewing.

Oh, this thread is about the music in Avatar? Same old, same old. I found some of the soundtrack to Sherlock Holmes much, much more modern-sounding (thanks in part to Diego's amazing Experibass). If only Jonny Greenwood had been hired instead...

Wow, so you only saw 3 hours of it? I laughed when Jake held up that text book. Did you get to the uncomfortable part where they sort of have sex with the animals?

 

[bryla]

they read a reference book on the Navi that looks like it was printed in 2002 (that was the straw that broke it for me),

So you haven't read Fux Counterpoint?

 

[theheresy]

Avatar should be rated 14 and under!

I saw it yesterday and walked out half-way through. It's set in 2154 and yet everyone dresses like us, speaks like us, same haircuts, they read a reference book on the Navi that looks like it was printed in 2002 (that was the straw that broke it for me), there are barely any Chinese, Indian or other non-whites sent to other planets. Someone should give Cameron this kind of kit for research:

- copies of Blade Runner, early Star Trek, and the new Battlestar Galactica.

- copies of Stephenson's The Diamond Age, Gibson's Neuromancer and Kurzweil's The Age of Spiritual Machines.

- link to ted.org, along with suggested viewing.

Oh, this thread is about the music in Avatar? Same old, same old. I found some of the soundtrack to Sherlock Holmes much, much more modern-sounding (thanks in part to Diego's amazing Experibass). If only Jonny Greenwood had been hired instead...

Wow, so you only saw 3 hours of it? I laughed when Jake held up that text book. Did you get to the uncomfortable part where they sort of have sex with the animals?

I must say first of all that I thought the movie was incredible and those little things didn't spoil it for me but I must also agree with you it's sort of ridiculous that the thing is set 150 years in the future yet they have our same catch words, looks, clothes and the most offensive thing is like you said they're all seemingly white americans why not have some russian/eastern-european, chinese, indian, african, as you said, etc, etc, in particular I say russian and chinese because they obviously have the most advanced space programs apart from the U.S. so one would think in the future they would also be up there working with whatever consortiums.
But anyways that's just personal opinion.
I liked your book suggestions though, I'm a big fan of Kurzweil's age of spiritual machines and his whole singularity hypothesis.

 

[Nick Batzdorf]

We saw it last night - in 3d. The movie was amazingly well done, even though there wasn't all that much to the story.

But to be honest I found the score a little frustrating - and not because the music was bad (it wasn't) but because I feel the approach was too traditional.

To me it seems that they should have come up with something new to go along with the incredible fantasy world they created. I mean, they came up with a whole new spoken language, so why not a new musical one? Don Davis certainly did that in The Matrix series, for example.

 

[Nick Batzdorf]

And of course the classic example is Jerry Goldsmith's 'Planet of the Apes' score.

 

[Frederick Russ]

But to be honest I found the score a little frustrating - and not because the music was bad (it wasn't) but because I feel the approach was too traditional.

James Horner has more writing chops than he used in the score. I think he just played it safe and gave the director exactly what he wanted. Its frustrating I agree - check out Horner's work on Jumanji for example - he definitely can write and do it well if allowed by those in charge.

 

[theheresy]

But to be honest I found the score a little frustrating - and not because the music was bad (it wasn't) but because I feel the approach was too traditional.

James Horner has more writing chops than he used in the score. I think he just played it safe and gave the director exactly what he wanted. Its frustrating I agree - check out Horner's work on Jumanji for example - he definitely can write and do it well if allowed by those in charge.

yup actually I'm pretty sure I read in an interview that Horner wanted to do far more exotic, challenging, and modern music for Avatar sort of like the end of 2001 or what have you but Cameron is the one that reigned him in and said that people weren't ready for it and that the mass populace is not 'ready' to hear avant garde or simply doesn't want to hear it so Horner was forced into doing a Titanic rehash etc.

Remember a lot of the choices composers make in their careers are not their own and they have no say in the matter. I'm sure Horner would have done almost every score differently if he had full creative control but bottom line is that he doesn't and 90% of the time a director wants a certain sound that everyone is used to i.e. that which he's using as temp music etc.

 

[snowleopard]

Yes, I heard the same thing about Horner wanting to be more adventurous. I should try to dig that up. Sucks because like I said some 20-30 posts ago when given the opening, Horner can make some very avant guard music.

I totally hear what you're saying Nick about Goldsmith's score to Planet of the Apes. A more simple example would be Jerry's score to the first Star Trek film. Most of the score is traditional grand orchestra, but he used one single exotic instrument, the old Blaster Beam, with great aplomb to achieve something special in that score.