Movie and TV Music...

[KrangPrime]

Why has movie and TV music become so bland in the last ten years?


Back in the day, series had seasonal recycled music. For Shows like Ninja Turtles, you put up with about 15 songs for one season, then the artist (now head of Big Bang Theory no less) added in about 10 new ones...and as synth tech changed over the years, the style of music also changed with it. I remember the Water episodes having a particularly cool 'popping' sound to it that none of the other seasons had before or since.

Somewhere around the time of Justice League, though, I noticed that the music in not only TV, but especially movies had decreased to nothing. it was almost elevator background quality in it's lack of originality and epicness.


Case in Point. Nolan's Batman Trilogy. With a Batman 'theme' that conststs of about 15 notes, if that. Same goes for Superman. Recently, I Was watching the last scene in the finale of Rebels, Season 2. the composer seemed like he was TRYING to do a grand dramatic theme, but it was just the same notes repeating themselves with no real variation at the end...they just blared it super loud to try and distract you from it....though if you really pay attention to it, you realize how little there is to that supposedly dramatic theme of heroes returning from battle..

does it all stem from rick berman telling TNG's Season 3 composers 'don't over shadow the actors with music'? Or is it a lack of really GOOD composers with talent as well?
some movies composers even rip themselves off. Bay Turtles one sounds an awful lot like Avengers, cause it's the same guy. no effort at all..

sigh

 

[Laspector]

I'm just wondering if there are more than ten posts on this entire board by NeilT that don't mention Ninja Turtles?

I'm just kidding, my friend--keep on loving what you love!thumbsup

 

[The Mad Professor]

Why has movie and TV music become so bland in the last ten years?


Back in the day, series had seasonal recycled music. For Shows like Ninja Turtles, you put up with about 15 songs for one season, then the artist (now head of Big Bang Theory no less) added in about 10 new ones...and as synth tech changed over the years, the style of music also changed with it. I remember the Water episodes having a particularly cool 'popping' sound to it that none of the other seasons had before or since.

Somewhere around the time of Justice League, though, I noticed that the music in not only TV, but especially movies had decreased to nothing. it was almost elevator background quality in it's lack of originality and epicness.


Case in Point. Nolan's Batman Trilogy. With a Batman 'theme' that conststs of about 15 notes, if that. Same goes for Superman. Recently, I Was watching the last scene in the finale of Rebels, Season 2. the composer seemed like he was TRYING to do a grand dramatic theme, but it was just the same notes repeating themselves with no real variation at the end...they just blared it super loud to try and distract you from it....though if you really pay attention to it, you realize how little there is to that supposedly dramatic theme of heroes returning from battle..

does it all stem from rick berman telling TNG's Season 3 composers 'don't over shadow the actors with music'? Or is it a lack of really GOOD composers with talent as well?
some movies composers even rip themselves off. Bay Turtles one sounds an awful lot like Avengers, cause it's the same guy. no effort at all..

sigh

I think that using the Nolan Batfilm music and subsequent Superman and JL films is a poor example. That was really the same thought process that they followed for the story and lighting and, well, EVERYTHING ELSE in the DCCU. They found something that worked for a Batman film (dark and gritty, minimalist, etc) and mistakenly thought that it would work for all DC films (which it demonstrably does not). We'll have to see how they do with Wonder Woman, as the gritty look should work for the time period and the music... well the Wonder Woman theme (as I call it, for lack of a better description) was one of the best parts of all the DCCU music, if not THE best part.

As far as a contrast to the DCCU music, lets bring up the music from the MCU. Iron Man's music was a rocking good time, Captain America's harkened back to the jingoistic 1940s, Thor's music was majestic, etc. Then they meshed the styles together quite nicely in The Avengers, where you can hear little nuances that indicate the members of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Or for a little bit more controversial comparison... When examining the DCCU and the CWverse music, in addition to nearly everything else, the CWverse gets the tonal quality for the shows RIGHT. Arrow's music is dark and intense. Flash's music is awe inspiring and sometimes frenetic. Legends of Tomorrow is adventurous. Supergirl's theme is powerful and light. Props to them for truly understanding how the music should be based on the characters.

 

[Metaluna mutant]

I think that using the Nolan Batfilm music and subsequent Superman and JL films is a poor example. That was really the same thought process that they followed for the story and lighting and, well, EVERYTHING ELSE in the DCCU. They found something that worked for a Batman film (dark and gritty, minimalist, etc) and mistakenly thought that it would work for all DC films (which it demonstrably does not). We'll have to see how they do with Wonder Woman, as the gritty look should work for the time period and the music... well the Wonder Woman theme (as I call it, for lack of a better description) was one of the best parts of all the DCCU music, if not THE best part.

As far as a contrast to the DCCU music, lets bring up the music from the MCU. Iron Man's music was a rocking good time, Captain America's harkened back to the jingoistic 1940s, Thor's music was majestic, etc. Then they meshed the styles together quite nicely in The Avengers, where you can hear little nuances that indicate the members of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Or for a little bit more controversial comparison... When examining the DCCU and the CWverse music, in addition to nearly everything else, the CWverse gets the tonal quality for the shows RIGHT. Arrow's music is dark and intense. Flash's music is awe inspiring and sometimes frenetic. Legends of Tomorrow is adventurous. Supergirl's theme is powerful and light. Props to them for truly understanding how the music should be based on the characters.

Your homework assignment for tonight is to watch this, this and finally this and all your questions will be answered. Sadly you will be depressed by the answer.

 

[The Mad Professor]

Your homework assignment for tonight is to watch this, this and finally this and all your questions will be answered. Sadly you will be depressed by the answer.

1) Right off the bat, I'm calling the first one biased because I have this sneaking suspicion they cherry picked people who couldn't hum anything from a Marvel film.

2) The rest of it as well as the other two didn't tell me anything I didn't already know except for one thing: I had no idea Hans Zimmer was the keyboardist in the Video Killed The Radio Star music video.

 

[Laspector]

I can remember the tune from The Avengers and the guitar riff from the first Iron man, but that's probably about it. BUT, I don't blame that on MARVEL. Most movies in general don't have scores that really stick with you. Not everything can have John Williams longevity.