The Rightful Heir: Part II

So here it is, the intermission is over! The anticipation recedes! The truth is revealed! But before you see exactly who I think is the next likely inheritor of John Williams’ deservedly unique position in the art of film scoring, I’d like to say that if you haven’t read Part I of this series, then I suggest you do so now so you can get up to speed with the rest of us.

I’d also like to take this time to explain what I am and am not doing.

Taste in music, much like a sense of humor, is often akin to one’s sexual preferences. It’s not something you really choose. It just kind of happens. That said, don’t complain about what I’m NOT doing here.

I’m not talking about who is necessarily better in terms of scoring nor am I talking about who is more prolific or more of a house-hold name. I’m talking about who is most like our dear old pal John. So let’s take a look at the winners, shall we? 

The Rightful Heir: Part I

 

Okay, so this kind of music doesn't work ALL the time, but like one of those obnoxious yellow rental jeeps you see everywhere in Hawaii, John (Towner) Williams (Junior) has been one of the most prolific, successful and accomplished film composers in the world since…well…ever.

Who hasn’t heard a university pep band bellow the Imperial March when things aren’t looking too good for the home team? When has the devastatingly simple two-note motif from Jaws not been a portent of doom? Come on. Just admit it. Any time you heard the Raider’s March you wished you owned a bullwhip and knew some Nazis who needed a what-fer. And when you heard the Superman theme you’d run down the street, ripping off your clothes in slow motion, only to realize moments after leaping off of a building that you actually couldn’t fly.

Soundtrack of a Script: "The Social Network"

You’d think a movie about something as commonplace as Facebook would be pretty milquetoast, right? What would it be about, anyway? The innovation of the status update? The intricacies of app requests? The art of the Facebook stalk? As uninteresting as all that sounds the movie is actually nothing like what you’d expect. Therefore I can only come to the logical conclusion that screenwriter Aaron Sorkin chose the title “The Social Network” (from his adaptation of the book “The Accidental Billionaires”) to deliberately avoid any affiliation between our everyday familiarities with Farmville and the “true story” of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

And the score. Don't forget that wonderful score.

Poll Results, Jan/Feb2010

    Now that we got the basic system down, we plan on having at least two polls for every 2-4 weeks. Generally, one will be focused on the Tunes sector and one on the Films. That isn't the formula though, as occasionaly they'll mix with each other and the Whatever part of our blog. We'll try to keep it diverse, but if you have any questions you're dying to examine, send em in! Here are the results of our first two polls from the first two months:


Thanks for voting! Watch for more of 'em!

Soundtrack to My Life

Every so often you see a movie that just has an awesome soundtrack. Afterward, there's always someone going on about how "awesome the soundtrack was, I wish my life had a soundtrack like that!" or some mumbo jumbo along those lines.

But do you, really, wish your life had a soundtrack?