BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Pluskylang Great Film overall

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Gareth Crook Okay so a documentary about film scores sounds a bit dry and boring right? Well you'd be very wrong, it's fantastic! A real insight into a world that moves us, toys with us, helps us experience films in a way that we simply couldn't do without music. Hans Zimmer is a revelation. Talking about the excitement of creating and the fear of getting started, what am I doing? Can I do this? It's fun too though, The Pink Panther, James Bond, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, music that makes you smile, that transports you. Bernard Herrmann's work with Hitchcock, moving away from tunes into something so much more. The way music can enhance and even be a character in itself or simply provide a skeleton for the visuals to flesh out. There are some downsides, James Cameron proving once again what an uncultured moron he is, but really it's a celebration of musicians, of composers, of studios, the technicians, of film and emotion. There's a wonderful feel of play to the whole thing. That music needs wiggle room and shouldn't, can't be perfect, it needs space. "If everyone in the orchestra hit the same note on the page, it would sound terrible. It would be like putting auto-tune on Etta James. It would take all the soul out of it". Yes there's a lot of the expected Williams, Zimmer, Elfman, Newman, but most of this is narrated by the non superstar composers working today and there's definitely the suggestion that things are once again changing with people like Reznor, Greenwood, Mansell working today. Making the whole thing very positive, not just a golden age nostalgia fest, the future is just as exciting. Oh and needless to say, watch this with the volume way up... it sounds incredible!

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Score: A Film Music Documentary" is an American 90-minute documentary movie from 2016, so now it's 2018 and this one really took way too long to be released here in Germany. But the viewing I was in was fairly full, so I'm glad it's getting the attention it deserves. The title summarizes pretty well what this one is about, namely the work of film composers. Early on we find out a bit about use of music and sound in very old films even back to the silent era. And some other stuff from way back like Psycho, E.T., Jaws, Vertigo etc. all films that are somewhat known for their music too. But most of the focus is on recent years. They got many many big name composers in here, almost too many, telling us about the subject and including personal anecdotes about their profession, which makes this an informative watch, but also a really entertaining one. And then of course you hear so much excellent music from start to finish, all the classics, that it is virtually impossible not to appreciate the music. I am for example not the greatest Star Wars or Indiana Jones fan, but I still like listening to the main themes of these movies. This film is very insightful and in-depth and I don't want to go deep into detail about what the interviewees had to say, but it was always interesting and I could have watched and listened for another half hour easily, perhaps even full hour. A really impressive way to launch one's career and most other directors could only have dreamed of such quality in a rookie project like Matt Schrader's here. Good to see it got some awards recognition at least, even if not at the big events. No idea how these go for forgettable stuff like "20 Feet from Stardom", but ignore this one here. Anyway, I myself am not a musician and I possess virtually no musical talent, so you don't need to play an instrument at all to appreciate this film. It's enough if you like music and if we are honest it's not a question of "if", but of which genres and artists are your biggest favorites. Schrader got all the big names in here and I don't want to list the names now as you can see these in the cast list, but a quick special thumbs-up to Alexandre Desplat who just won his second Golden Globe last night and he is also featured in here. Also an interesting reference to the new wave of music artists scoring film like Reznor/Ross did and had huge success with their work in that department. It is a very broad film, very relevant from the first second as we see on-set work, which is also important for score designers and it is not all just taking place inside in the recording studio or the orchestra hall. I think this is all that needs to be said. We truly should be thankful to these musicians for bringing us so many great moments and goosebumps like for example the main theme from Schindler's List. This is a definite contender for best documentary from 2016 and also top10 from all films released that year I guess. Even the seemingly random inclusions of Barrack Obama stealing songs and Paul Walker's death are elaborated on in a way that makes sense. I highly recommend seeing this one. It was a great watch.

josekroppmusic From opening on an altered piano used to score The Hurt Locker to hearing the live acoustics of Abbey Road Studios, Score: A Film Music Documentary takes us on an intriguing journey through the history, process, and personalities of film music. This vast ground is covered without feeling like a chaptered class lecture, and the composers, along with their scores, are presented with full freedom to shine on their own. Given that documentaries have recently seen a rise in popularity, it is always exciting to find those that break from the crowd; especially those which focus on a particular niche of an industry. It is easy for a niche documentary to become inaccessible to many audiences because of its disparity in common knowledge. Score, however, removes itself from this danger in two ways: first, by attaching composers' interviews to clips from numerous films that are very much in the public eye. For example, nearly everyone can relate to the "less is more" principle that is touched upon when put into the example of Jaws and it's unmistakable theme. Secondly, Score allows us to connect with the personable, quirky side of these composers rather than harping on their craft and process alone. Every composer becomes relatable. The authenticity of these composers grants us raw insight into their personal methods along with their insecurities. We see Hans Zimmer, the master of the modern film score (Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight), confess that he does not know where the inspiration for music comes from and that there is "always the fear that someone is going to switch off the tap" in his creative process. Meanwhile, on the lighter side, it is charming to follow Brian Tyler into the theater as he gets a kick out of observing audience members' reactions to his music. We get to be a fly on the wall to witness the genius of Steven Spielberg and John Williams as they create E.T.'s legendary score. We are ultimately given a wider, renewed appreciation for the musical aspects of the films we know and love.What the film boils down to, however, is what gave me the greatest spark of inspiration as a student composer: the recognition of film scoring as its own art form that requires its own special set of instincts for emotional translation through music. This notion was best revealed to me when Score examined President Barack Obama's victory speech in 2008 and the decision to play music from Remember the Titans in the background. The emotional impact of the score in its original film was so strong and memorable that it was deemed the best fit for a real-world event as significant as this presidential victory speech. Score convinces its audience that while we are not always aware of it, film music plays an essential role in the films we love and the feelings we walk away with afterwards.As a film score enthusiast and budding composer, Score was a complete thrill that seemed almost tailor-made to my dreams. It encompassed nearly every question I had wondered and supported my seemingly lonely doubts with a resounding "Me too!" from the world's greatest film composers. I have no doubt that this documentary will inform and inspire the industry's next generation. Prepare for the itch afterwards to rewatch your favorite films with a renewed ear for the score!

bryanalford In 1989, I remember entering my local movie theater to watch Tim Burton's "Batman" -- a film I was eager to see due to my nerd-like obsession with this comic-book hero. What I didn't expect was to be consumed with the film's dark and edgy score, composed by Danny Elfman. While kids were lining up to get the Batman action figures, t-shirts, and other items stamped with the iconic Batman symbol, I was at my local music store purchasing the soundtrack on cassette. I was mesmerized by Elfman's score. It invigorated an intense sense of imagination and allowed me to think clearly; it calmed my insecurities as a awkward adolescent. Hell, I had to go back and purchase another cassette because I wore-out the first one I bought. From that point on, I didn't watch movies; I listened. I judged all films by their scores. If the music didn't give me the chills and move my imagination, then I wasn't interested. And I can easily name the films that left me with an urgency to buy the soundtrack on cassette, and later on CD. James Horner's "Glory," John Barry's "Dances With Wolves," Basil Poledouris' "The Hunt For Red October," Ennio Morricone's "The Mission," Randy Newman's "The Natural," Jerry Goldsmith's "Hoosiers," Elliot Goldenthal's "Interview with the Vampire" and anything produced by John Williams--all were scores I had playing on repeat throughout my younger years. And later in my adult years, I was heavily influenced by the scores composed by Hans Zimmer, John Debney, Ramin Djawadi, Marc Streitenfeld, Tom Holkenborg, Bear McCreary, and many others. I was obsessed. Still am. In fact, I'm listening to Hans Zimmer's "Gladiator" score while writing this review. And just yesterday, I couldn't hold back my excitement to listen to Zimmer's latest film score: "Blade Runner 2049." I haven't even seen this in the theaters yet, if that tells you anything.Why does all this matter? When watching "SCORE: A Film Music Documentary," I find myself enthused about movie-making again--the craft... the core of what it takes to be an artist. This documentary allows me to see inside the mind of the film score composer. And at the age when I first started listening to film scores, I was heavily influenced by guys like Danny Elfman, James Horner and John Williams--while my friends had Madonna, Bon Jovi, and other pop artists. But I could feel those emotions again, while watching this documentary. It made me feel young again. New. Creative. Watching SCORE was therapeutic for me. It was familiar but invigoratingly fresh. And I was able to once again appreciate what it meant to listen to a film, rather than just watch. Thanks to the film's director and writer, Matt Schrader, and his entire crew for making this work of art. It's allowed me to break through the mundane and wake my child-like imagination to be creative and true to myself.