Tag: Hans Zimmer

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS – The Review

Mystery fans rejoice, the world’s greatest detective returns in SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, to be referred to as AGOS from here out. Guy Ritchie returns to direct the sequel to his 2009 reimagining of the eccentric, yet brilliant master sleuth. Robert Downey, Jr. (RDJ) returns as Holmes, along with Jude Law as Doctor James Watson. This film also offers the arrival of Swedish actress Noomi Rapace (from the original THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) in a major Hollywood film, as the gypsy Madame Simza Heron.

Holmes is up to his normal shenanigans, but this time he’s obsessed with what he calls the greatest case of his career, or even of all time, in his words. The problem, however, is that Holmes is working alone. Watson is about to get married, but Holmes isn’t about to let that stand in his way, managing to unintentionally involve Doc Watson in his deadly pursuit of a genius evil mastermind by way of biting off more than he may be able to chew. Also assisting Holmes this time around, but in a smaller role and with comedic flair, is Stephen Fry (V FOR VENDETTA) as Holmes’ brother Mycroft.

AGOS sees the emergence of Professor Moriarty, played rivetingly by Jared Harris, an incredibly smart and dangerous foe to rival the wits of Holmes himself. The two engage in a battle of the minds, a sort of game to determine who is superior, but a game that has the lives of many, even world peace at stake. Moriarty’s plans are merely a business venture to him, but to Holmes this is a test of his own ability, proving to be his most challenging and deadly investigation.

For fans of the first SHERLOCK HOLMES (2009), expect more of the same from RDJ, cunning and clever, witty and ill-mannered, obnoxious and reckless. With Ritchie once again behind the helm, AGOS also maintains the use of the slow-motion, or “bullet time” effects photography that allows incredible detail during epic action sequences. As before, this technique works wonderfully for the hand to hand fights, illustrating how Holmes preconceives his every move before the fight even begins. However, as spectacular as one massive scene involving Holmes, Watson and Heron fleeing an arsenal of massive guns may be, the technique is used to a point of being stretched too thin. The result is a dampening of the initially induced awe.

Aside from the slight overuse of the slow-motion tactics, AGOS involves some truly exhilarating action sequences. Hans Zimmer’s score is nothing short of a damn good time, energetic and highly appropriate, but the pacing of the film as a whole is not quite as finely tuned as in Ritchie’s 2009 film. There’s plenty of fun to be had with this second adventure, but the 129-minute sequel feels significantly longer than the 128-minute SHERLOCK HOLMES that rebooted the franchise.

Guy Ritchie continues to prove his knack from combining comedy and action, a talent Brett Ratner could only dream to accomplish on this level. Holmes and Moriarty are something like a superhero and his arch-nemesis super villain, whose quarrel with determine the fate of the world. AGOS is as much a battle of intellects as it is a physical battle, as the two characters try and gain the tactical edge throughout the film, much like the symbolic chess match they undertake in the final act of the film.

I found myself thoroughly entertained by SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, despite the slower pacing. Unfortunately, the only real complaint I have about the film is the ending, which feels a bit too much like a Hail Mary, last resort effort to wrap up the final battle while setting up a twist to follow. The ending is absurd as it plays out, requiring more than it’s fair share of demand on the viewer’s suspension of disbelief, even for a popcorn movie such as this. Regardless of the faltering finale, SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS is well worth seeing for the fun factor on a Friday night.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Hans Zimmer And Pharrell Williams To Serve As Music Consultant​s For 84th Academy Awards

Oscar® -winning composer Hans Zimmer and Grammy® Award-winning songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams will serve as music consultants for the 84th Academy Awards, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced today. This will be the first time the composers have worked on the Oscar show.

“Hans is one of the most accomplished and creative film composers of our time, and Pharrell is a phenomenal songwriter with an amazing list of credits,” said Grazer and Mischer. “This is an exciting and prestigious collaboration that promises to take the audience on a musical journey.”

“It is a great privilege to serve the Academy in this role and to help celebrate and honor this year’s incredible artistry,” stated Zimmer.

“I am honored to work with my mentor and teacher, Hans Zimmer and I have wanted to collaborate with Brian Grazer on something for years,” said Williams. “I cannot believe I will be joining them and their teams on the most prestigious show of the year, the Academy Awards.”

Zimmer won an Oscar in 1994 for Original Score for “The Lion King” and has received eight additional nominations for Original Score. His credits include “Rain Man,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Thelma & Louise,” “The Preacher’s Wife,” “As Good as It Gets,” “The Thin Red Line,” “The Prince of Egypt,” “Gladiator,” “Black Hawk Down,” “Madagascar,” “The Da Vinci Code,” “The Dark Knight,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Sherlock Holmes” and “Inception.” His most recent credits include “Rango,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Kung Fu Panda 2” and the upcoming “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” and “The Dark Knight Rises.” Zimmer has earned 10 Grammy nominations and won four.


credit: Jam Sutton

Williams is a prolific producer-singer-songwriter who has also written for feature films. He has been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards and has won three. Williams’ songs have appeared on the soundtracks of such films as “Any Given Sunday,” “Kiss of the Dragon,” “Rush Hour 2,” “Zoolander,” “Bringing down the House,” “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” “50 First Dates,” “Hitch,” “The 40 Year-Old Virgin,” “Date Movie” and “Knocked Up.” He wrote the original song score for “Despicable Me.”

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

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WaterTower Music To Release Soundtrack For SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS On December 13

SOUNDTRACK COMPOSED BY OSCAR®, GRAMMY &
GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER HANS ZIMMER

December 7, 2011 – Burbank, CA – WaterTower Music has announced the release of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with an original score by Oscar®, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer (Inception, The Dark Knight, Gladiator and The Lion King) at physical and digital retailers on December 13, 2011.

The creation of this album brought Zimmer–who also scored the blockbuster Sherlock Holmes, for which he received an Oscar® nomination–all the way to Slovakia to capture the traditional sounds of the Roma people and bring an authentic musical accompaniment to the picture.

In addition to receiving the 18 tracks on the album, fans who purchase the soundtrack will also be able to download three free additional tracks from the film, along with a video chronicling Mr. Zimmer’s journey to Slovakia to record the music of the Roma people. “While visiting Roma settlements in Slovakia, I discovered unbelievable musicianship,” said Zimmer. “We heard a few bands, loved their playing and invited them to Vienna, where we went into a tiny recording studio and started making music. I don’t speak Romani, and they can’t speak German or English, but when we sat down and started playing, there was no question about what language we needed to speak,” continued Zimmer.

Hans Zimmer has received nine Academy Award® nominations for his scores for Inception, Sherlock Holmes, Gladiator, The Thin Red Line, The Prince of Egypt, As Good As It Gets, The Preacher’s Wife, Rain Man and The Lion King, winning the Oscar® for the last. His more recent film credits include Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Rango.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows stars Robert Downey Jr., reprising the title role of the world’s most famous detective, and Jude Law as his friend and colleague, Dr. John Watson.

Sherlock Holmes has always been the smartest man in the room…until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large–Professor James Moriarty–and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may give him an advantage over the renowned detective.

Holmes’ investigation into Moriarty’s plot becomes more dangerous as it leads him and Watson out of London to France, Germany and finally Switzerland. But the cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead, and moving perilously close to completing his ominous plan. If he succeeds, it will not only bring him immense wealth and power but alter the course of history.

Filmmaker Guy Ritchie returned to direct Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, the follow-up to the smash hit Sherlock Holmes. The sequel also reunited producers Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey and Dan Lin. Bruce Berman and Steve Clark-Hall served as executive producers. The film also stars Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly and Rachel McAdams. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was written by Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were created by the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and appear in stories and novels by him.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a Silver Pictures Production, in association with Wigram Productions, a Guy Ritchie Film, “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.” The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. The film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action and some drug material.

Visit the film’s official site: www.sherlockholmes2.com
“Like” the film on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SherlockHolmesMovie

Review: INCEPTION

“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.” – Eames

This line spoken by Eames, played by Tom Hardy (BRONSON), truly sums up so much about Christopher Nolan and his newest film INCEPTION. From a director already known for delivering original, mind-entangling and powerful films, INCEPTION is his precious baby of some 10 years in conception, now ready to be unleashed upon the world in all its glory. To put it simply, INCEPTION is one of those films too difficult to summarize effectively without spoilers. INCEPTION bends various genres to its will, combining elements of science-fiction and mystery with an intellectual story and blockbuster appeal. INCEPTION is a smart, action-packed heist film that makes the audience think.

Essentially, the story follows an extremely talented extractor named Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he develops a team and formulates a plan to pull off the seemingly impossible… “Inception” or the planting of an idea in the mind of another without their knowing the idea was not their own. The science-fiction behind this is a bit complicated and, to be honest, not entirely important to the understanding of the film, yet still very fascinating and useful in creating the layered, enigmatic world of INCEPTION.

An extractor, to give a better understanding going into the film, is a person who specializes in “stealing” secrets from the minds of others. However, this is an endeavor that requires a team. Cobb’s team consists of his “architect” Ariadne (Ellen Page) made available to him by his mentor Miles (Michael Caine), his “point man” Arthur (Joseph Gordon Levitt), his “forger” Eames (Tom Hardy) and a biochemist named Yusuf (Dileep Rao). Together with Saito (Ken Watanabe) – Cobb’s employer on this job – the team proceeds to enter the mind of “the mark” Robert Fischer, Jr. (Cillian Murphy) through his dreams, but the journey will not be what any of them expected and everything will hang in the balance of Cobb’s own sense of reality.

INCEPTION was directed by Christopher Nolan, the filmmaker who brought us both chapters of the current BATMAN reboot, as well as THE PRESTIGE and MEMENTO, among other films deserving of praise. The film is 2 hours and 35 minutes in length, or so the official counter says. INCEPTION does not feel long in any sense of the word. For some, the beginning of the film may tread lightly on a slower pace, but this is quickly remedied.

One of the things Nolan does so remarkably well is to integrate sound and music into his films to enhance the emotional impact and – as is exceedingly evident in INCEPTION – move the story along at a comfortable and appropriate pace, without drawing attention to its self. This, perhaps more than any other element, is what allows INCEPTION’s long running time to feel much shorter, similar in context to how those who delve into the dream-state experience time faster than in their waking, conscious state. A few minutes in the “real” world may be up to a few hours in the dream-state.

Hans Zimmer’s score for INCEPTION is truly a thing to behold – powerful, mesmerizing and jarring all at once – the music embodies a technologically tweaked world of dreams that is more about feeling than wild visual imagery. While many films rely on a more traditional, orchestral sounding score, Zimmer creates a sound far more synthetic, employing deep rumbling horn sounds and electronic enhancements to take us deeper into the dream.

While INCEPTION does not rely on special effects, those Nolan chose to incorporate are simply mind-blowing. During a scene when Cobb explains the intricacies of designing a dream, the two walk within a dream state as Ariadne toys with what would happen if she turned physics upside-down within a dream. The result is straight-forward, but truly awe-inspiring. Other examples include the relatively low-key but intriguing idea of the stairway as a paradox, and the most impressive feat being the zero-gravity fight scene between Arthur and one of many militarized subconscious projections, intended to protect the dreamer from foreign invading elements… aka, extractors.

The manufactured landscapes of INCEPTION are realistic, but emit an aural glow of surrealism. Part Rene Magrite and part M.C. Escher, the “architecture” of INCEPTION’s dream scenes will induce wide-eyes and slack jaws, but once again – and I cannot emphasize this enough – do not draw away from the story or distract the viewer.

All around, the cast of INCEPTION delivers a solid and even-keeled performance. Personally, I felt Tom Hardy and Marion Cotillard – who plays Mal, Cobb’s wife – delivered exceptionally well and Ken Watanabe also shines. This is a highly valuable attribute for a script as complex and detailed as this. INCEPTION is a heavily cerebral story, with a plot that is vivid and textural, with layers stacked upon layers, but the story never become so involved or convoluted that the viewer loses focus or comprehension. This alone is an accomplishment that makes INCEPTION a must-see film.

One thing is for sure about INCEPTION and that’s a need for this film to be recognized come Oscar season. Both for Best Picture and Best Director, the film deserves nominations, as well as for the special effects and score. There is so much to enjoy in this movie, so much that will appeal to viewers – from those who enjoyed THE MATRIX, MEMENTO or even James Bond films in the later portion of the movie — but never does INCEPTION feel unoriginal or old hat. While the entire concept of the film will have viewers mentally and philosophically engaged, the ending more than anything else will have people talking for days afterward, something few films do these days.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

‘The Dark Knight’ Score Back in Oscar Contention

About a month ago, we brought you the news that the musical score for ‘The Dark Knight’ had been disqualified by the Academy Awards, because there were too many names listed as composers for the film on the music cue sheet. Â  Variety reported on Monday that Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, the two main composers on the film, are back in contention.

The Music Branch Executive Committee of the Academy has reversed its Nov. 10 decision declaring their score for ‘The Dark Knight’Â  ineligible for the 2008 Academy Awards. Â  After reviewing information submitted by the affected parties, the committee concluded that two, Zimmer and Howard, were responsible for the score’s authorship.

Neither nomination ballots nor lists of eligible scores had been distributed so there is no impact on the actual voting process.

What do you think? Â  Will ‘The Dark Knight’ get an Oscar nomination for music anyway? Â  What other films do you think had the best score this year? Â  Let us know by commenting below!

Source: Variety

‘The Dark Knight’ Score Disqualified from Academy Awards


So, it’s not been a good week to be someone who worked on ‘The Dark Knight’.   First off, your film is getting sued by the mayor of a little town called Batman, Turkey for name infringement (see that article here), and, now, your film is getting one less Oscar nomination than it deserves.

The executive committee of the Academy music branch (all 2 of them?) have decided to disqualify the score for ‘The Dark Knight’ from Academy Award competition.   The reasoning?   Too many chefs in the kitchen.   Apparently, five names were listed as composers on the music cue sheet, the official studio document that specifies every piece of music in the film.

Composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard collaborated on the music, but, evidently, multiple names were listed on the cue sheet as a way to financially reward parts of the music team.   This cue sheet is used by performing-rights societies in order to disperse royalties.   Zimmer; Howard; music editor, Alex Gibson; ambient music designer, Mel Wesson; and composer, Lorne Balfe all signed an affidavit stating that the score was primarily the work of Zimmer and Howard.

That wasn’t enough to dissuade the committee from disqualifying the film’s score.   Documentation was supplied to the committee stating that more than 60%, but less than 70%, of ‘The Dark Knight’s score was credited to Zimmer and Howard.

Just for your information, here are the rules for eligibility for Best Musical Score:

B.   ELIGIBILITY

1.   The work must be specifically created for the eligible feature-length motion picture.

2.   The work must be the result of a creative interaction between the filmmaker(s) and the composer(s) or songwriter(s) who have been engaged to work directly on the film.

3.   The measure of the work’s qualification shall be its effectiveness, craftsmanship, creative substance and relevance to the dramatic whole.

4.   The work must be recorded for use in the film prior to any other usage, including public performance or exploitation through any media whatsoever.

5.   Only the principal composer(s) or songwriter(s) responsible for the conception and execution of the work as a whole shall be eligible for an award.   This expressly excludes from eligibility all of the following:

a)Â   supervisors

b)Â   partial contributors (e.g., any writer not responsible for the overall design of the work)

c)Â   contributors working on speculation

d)Â   scores diluted by the use of tracked themes or other pre-existing music

e)Â   scores diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs

f)Â   scores assembled from the music of more than one composer.

6.   No more than two statuettes will normally be given in the Original Song category.   A third statuette may be awarded when there are three essentially equal contributors to a song.

7. The Executive Committee shall resolve all rules interpretations and all questions of eligibility.

8. It is within the sole and confidential discretion of the Board of Governors to determine what awards, if any, shall be given.

So, what do you think about this ruling?   Let us know below!

Source: Variety

‘The Dark Knight’ … Music LIVE

Hollywood composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard will be performing elements of their score for The Dark Knight at the film’s premiere in New York.  To listen to 3  samples of their awesome score, click here.

IGN and Reuters report the two composers will be performing together live for the first time, on stage at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square IMAX Theater prior to the film’s world premiere  this Monday, July 14, at 7pm.

Additionally, Zimmer and Howard will be signing copies of the soundtrack at Virgin Megastores in New York on Tuesday, July 15th, in Times Square at 7pm, and in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 16th, at Hollywood and Highland, also at 7pm.

Warner Bros. Records will release four different configurations of the soundtrack for The Dark Knight:

  • a standard jewel case CD
  • a 2 LP set of heavy-weight 180 gram vinyl version
  • a special edition digipack
  • a collector’s edition with special artwork to come after release.

The soundtrack for The Dark Knight will be released on Warner Bros. Records on July 15 prior to the film’s nationwide opening on July 18.