Love him. Hate him. Compare him to God. Despise him with all your heart. There is no denying that composer Hans Zimmer has a massive fan following (simply referred to as "Zimmer Fanboys"), as well as people that hate the man with a passion. So I'm wondering - what is it about his music that you love so much? What is it about his music that you despise so much? And inbetweeners: Why do you only like some of his music?

For me, I guess I just grew up on his music and it's what I've grown accustomed to. I don't instantly get a hard-on when I hear his name or find out he's composing the next blockbuster (I was actually pissed to learn he'd be doing TASM2). I think that maybe/sometimes, subconsciously I just "like" his music because I like nearly all of his scores. Not sure if that's the exact reason, it's just what I can think of at the moment. Some of his scores took a little time to grow on me (TASM2, CHAPPiE), some I instantly loved (PotC, Da Vinci). And others I think that again, subconsciously, I just instantly like because I know I'm eventually going to like the score (usually due to the magnititude of the film), so I figure I already like it (MoS, Interstellar).

Some of his older scores I'm not too familiar with as I started listening to him later in my life, but I want to get to know them better. These include:

Rain Man
Driving Miss Daisy
Radio Flyer
Bird On A Wire
Beyond Rangoon


Some of his older scores I know, but I don't think they're as amazing as some people make them out to be:

Thelma & Louise
Crimson Tide
The Fan

And then there are his older scores that I love:

The Lion King
True Romance
White Fang
The Rock


Don't get me wrong, I listen to other composers as well. And yes, outside of RCP. John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman, Howard Shore, John Ottman, John Debney, Thomas Newman. I am definitely a Zimmer Fanboy, but (shocker!) there are times when I need a break from HZ and need to mix it up a bit. Again, not just RCP. And then there are the times when I need to take a break from scores completely and zone out to Pink Floyd, rock out to Led-Zeppelin or even bang my head to Quiet Riot.

All in all, I'd like everyone's thoughts/opinions on why they like/dislike his music. I'd like it to be as civil as possible, please. There are several members on here whom I can call out right now who I think will be looking to stir shit up. Please, I just ask that you say why you don't like his music. An actual legitimate reason. Not "becuzz hes a hack :p" and that's all. And the same goes for the fanboys: don't come here drooling saying "OMG HZ is teh bes composer everrrrr!!" cause that only makes you look like a child. I want actual reasons on why everyone feels the way they feel about him.

Now go

I'm not really sure how I feel about Zimmer's work. I see people loving it, I see people bashing it. I haven't listened to enough of his scores to decide for myself if he is good or not. All of the scores I've heard, I've loved. My favourites being his partial work on Kung Fu Panda 1&2, his work on Pirates 2&3, and most recently Interstellar. But perhaps I really have no say in the matter since those are his only scores I can come up with off the top of my head, lol.

I am a Zimmer Fanboy myself! And also like you, I love composers that have completely different styles than Zimmer even outside RCP. One of my personal favorites is Thomas Newman and I'd say he's completly different from Zimmer, yet I love his work just as much as my favorite Zimmer score! Zimmer oves using epic themes with a lot of horns and LFE, while Newman loves emotional themes with a lot of strings and ambience.

But like many other forms of art, it's hard for me to pinpoint why I love certain composers over others. One minute I'm listening to Inception, then The Help, then Toy Story etc all within one sitting. Art and the subjectivity of art is just something I find complicated and wonderful at the same time.

While I can certainly understand why someone wouldn't like Zimmer's style, I don't understand the hate. It's rediculous. I find it funny how a lot of people like to use the argument of why they hate him so much by saying "all his music sound the same!" Really? You're telling me The Lion King and The Dark Knight scores sound the same? The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and POTC? Interstellar and Inception?

My personal favorite Zimmer score is hands down The Lion King! Perfect blend of epic and emotional themes all while perfectly supporting the film! Also it's a huge nostalgic factor for me. A close second would be Man of Steel.

I am not a "zimmer fanboy". I do love some of his work however. And I think he is unfairly criticized in many ways, and in others praised far more than he should be. People love to point how much many of his scores sound similar. An example of this off the top of my head is The Peacemaker, The Rock, and Crimson Tide. They all have a very similar feel to them. The problem is, Zimmer is not even close to being the one who does this. Indiana Jones, Superman and Star Wars all have a very similar feel to them. (I'll wait for the hubbub and death threats to die down before continuing). Done yet? Alright then. Anyways, do I like those 3 scores? Absolutely. Williams has a signature style that is easily recognizable. Is that bad? NO! So neither should that be used to criticize Zimmer. For gosh sakes you can tell a Morricone score just about ANYWHERE! But he's one of my favorites of all time. But back to Zimmer, he actually has some nice range to his scores. Black Hawk Down, Inception, Sherlock Holmes, The Last Samurai, Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, and of course Interstellar are scores that just off the top of my head that are very different from your everyday score. Also I feel like many of his "generic scores" are only labeled that way because everyone else has come along and copied him. That only goes to show what an impact he has had on the industry. Personally, I overall prefer a good "old fashioned" Goldsmith score most of the time. Rudy is my favorite score. But if I need something to get the blood pumping, there is almost nothing that beats listening to The Rock with the volume up high.

So yes, I like Zimmer (a lot) but I do often prefer to listen to Williams or Goldsmith. Strangely I am not a big Horner fan except for a few here and there. I find HIM much more generic than Zimmer. But some are the other way around, and I would never hold that against anyone. I think it's sad that's it has become kinda "cool" to hate on Zimmer.

I'm glad you brought up Williams! If there's one composer that COULD be criticized for all his scores sounding the same, it should be him! Now don't get me wrong I LOVE williams as well! I agree about him having his own style and sticking with it. Each composer should have their own signature style and shouldn't be criticized for it. To be honest, I think Williams has a lot more scores that sound similar than Zimmer does. But I feel like because he's a veteran in this business, people forgive him of it.

I also agree it's sad that hating Zimmer has become a thing... Similar to how it's cool to hate on Michael Bay. A lot of people forget than Michael Bay has talent as a filmmaker!

I think he is unfairly criticized in many ways, and in others praised far more than he should be.

I think it's the haters that don't give him a chance are the ones who criticize him. Often times it's the ones who love Williams and Goldsmith (not singling you out). And then there's the fanboys who make us look bad. They get excited and scream like little girls at a Bieber concert when they hear his name. For God's sake, calm the f down and listen to his music before you claim it's the best music ever.


Black Hawk Down, Inception, Sherlock Holmes, The Last Samurai, Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, and of course Interstellar are scores that just off the top of my head that are very different from your everyday score.

Exactly. To me, if there's one composer who can score a film where the music feels like what you're seeing on sccreen, then Zimmer is your man. And Black Hawk Down is not the only example. Gladiator. PotC3. The Thin Red Line. Not to mention TLS and Da Vinci. Hell, The Da Vinci Code sounds spot-on. Every time I listen to it I feel like I'm in a Catholic church or in confession. It sounds like it should. PotC3 has a great oriental sound to it (as does TLS I'm sure, I've still yet to listen to it).


Strangely I am not a big Horner fan except for a few here and there. I find HIM much more generic than Zimmer.

I forgot to include that in my post. I love Horner as well. Casper is my Horner grail, not Titanic. Shocking, I know. But Horner repeats himself WAY more than Zimmer. I remember when I first got into the film score game. Every time I watched a movie I'd try and guess the composer. The first time I had watched Jumanji in years I guess Horner was the composer. It was the percussion that gave it away. Aliens, Titanic and Avatar all have that same exact percussive sound. But he never gets called out on it.



I'm glad you brought up Williams! If there's one composer that COULD be criticized for all his scores sounding the same, it should be him! Now don't get me wrong I LOVE williams as well! I agree about him having his own style and sticking with it. Each composer should have their own signature style and shouldn't be criticized for it. To be honest, I think Williams has a lot more scores that sound similar than Zimmer does. But I feel like because he's a veteran in this business, people forgive him of it.

Williams definitely has more similar sounding scores than Zimmer IMO. But....maybe I feel this way because I've kinda (almost) become jaded to Williams. I feel like if I've heard one score, I've heard them all. However, I cannot say the same about Raiders and Jurassic Park, my 2 favorite Willams and 2 favorite Spielberg films. Clich�, yes. But idgaf.


I also agree it's sad that hating Zimmer has become a thing... Similar to how it's cool to hate on Michael Bay. A lot of people forget than Michael Bay has talent as a filmmaker!

Also similar how it's become cool if you voted for Obama. And for the record, no I did not and I stand by that :p

I've always loved Michael Bay and still want to one day work for him. All you Bay haters whos childhood he "ruined" after Transformers, bring it. I love his films and I just. Don't. Care. what you think about that :)

Of Bay's film I've only watched The Rock all the way through. From what I hear I haven't been missing much. haha. I think for awhile people were willing to hope that he'd make another "the rocK" but instead they get Transformers 4 (I didn't see the film but it sounds awful). Zimmer on the other hand continues to give us scores that, even if they aren't always great, are usually a nice listen none the less. I didn't like Chappie very much at all except for 2-3 tracks, but no one is gonna please everyone every time.

Without straying too far off topic, I just love the over-the-top insane action sequences and set pieces in Bay's films. Instant boner lol. I also grew up with Transformers, so that's another reason. And no, Bay didn't ruin my childhood with his vision. Childhood successfully unshattered :)

http://i.imgur.com/Q4C7eLt.gif

Like I said before, CHAPPiE had to grow on me. I definitely have my stand-out tracks, but the rest of it I'm still kinda trying to learn to like. It is very different. And if I don't end up liking it, then so be it. However, it does not help that the OST sucks compared to what's heard in the film. Typical. To me, it's almost a repeat of SH2.

Also similar how it's become cool if you voted for Obama. And for the record, no I did not and I stand by that :p

Well, I think THAT ship has sailed. Not many can look me in the eye and praise him anymore. Those that stand by their decision don't do it with conviction, but they don't want to lose face so they try to fake it. lol Even people online who don't have to look you in the eye give their insecurity away by being so overly protective. It's easy to spot them. :D

---------- Post added at 12:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 AM ----------


Like I said before, CHAPPiE had to grow on me. I definitely have my stand-out tracks, but the rest of it I'm still kinda trying to learn to like. It is very different. And if I don't end up liking it, then so be it. However, it does not help that the OST sucks compared to what's heard in the film. Typical. To me, it's almost a repeat of SH2.

Well I didn't see the film, but it doesn't surprise me either that the album is radically different. That is one thing that I can complain about Zimmer releases.

Well I didn't see the film, but it doesn't surprise me either that the album is radically different. That is one thing that I can complain about Zimmer releases.

I feel like Zimmer releases have been getting better, though. MoS was entirely film cues (although not film versions) and had all the suites. That's a solid release. Even TASM2 had cues from the film (again, not film versions) and suites added on. Another solid release. Same goes for Intersteller. It was pretty much cues from the film and then a shit ton of extras.CHAPPiE is the complete opposite, unfortunately...

I feel like Zimmer releases have been getting better, though. MoS was entirely film cues (although not film versions) and had all the suites. That's a solid release. Even TASM2 had cues from the film (again, not film versions) and suites added on. Another solid release. Same goes for Intersteller. It was pretty much cues from the film and then a shit ton of extras.CHAPPiE is the complete opposite, unfortunately...

Don't get me wrong, a lot of releases are just fine. But many others leave something to be desired (though THAT's not just a "Zimmer thing" either). Luckily we got the expanded and then the complete leaks for the likes of BB, TDK, Interstellar etc... Think about how small the original releases were (12 tracks for BB!!!)

Think about how small the original releases were (12 tracks for BB!!!)

Not to mention the horrible suite presentation of the entire trilogy. Away with that shit. Whoever thought that idea up (I know Williams is a fan of that method and I hate him a little for it) has some explaining to do

It does seem to be silly to release music composed FOR A FILM in a way it was not originally intended. I feel that if I were a composer it would be the LAST thing I'd want to do. But then again, I'm not a composer. :)

I'll read the replies in full later, but I'll say this about my own perception:

I have more of a problem with Zimmer's FANS than Zimmer himself.

That has entirely to do with how so many of Zimmer's more rabid fans (the real, demeaning use of the term "fanboy") have this bizarre need to tear down any and all composers and their work just to make Zimmer come off as greater and superior in their eyes.

It's so fucking petty and immature.

Examples of it are everywhere, especially among superhero fans since Zimmer has scored three major superhero characters now.

Also, there's also this really childish notion that Americans are "stupid" and don't understand the greatness of a European composer like Zimmer (Hello Filmtracks). "Stupid Americans" don't get him they say.

Right...I'm Canadian so I guess they mean stupid NORTH Americans.

The last issue I have with the rabid, more unreasonable fans, stems from this - the need to not only tear down any composer and make Zimmer look great in their eyes, but if ANYONE makes any kind of comment about Zimmer that isn't that of sheer worship, then THEY MUST EAT SHIT AND DIE AND STOP SHITTING ON EVERYONE WHO MASTURBATES TO THE GREATNESS OF THE POWER ANTHEM.

AND ALSO BAN THEM FROM EVER POSTING AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Not because of someone who was bashing or insulting (which happens with every composer from time to time) but rather just some observation that they don't really care about or care as much. That the music didn't speak to them as deeply. Not even a criticism really. But still, that threadcrapping bastard must go and leave the worshipers to have their fun.

That just leaves a sour taste in my mouth for Zimmer and his music whenever I see that happen, and it happens all the fucking time...THIS THREAD'S EXISTENCE ALONE is proof of that.


As for Zimmer himself, my issues with him are pretty much the same as what the Filmtracks reviewer's big issue is:

Zimmer loves to talk about his scores, promoting the hell out of them. The problem is, he makes a LOT of promises about how revolutionary something is going to be, or how he will evolve something he started in one film into something greater, but he almost never really follows through with those promises. It's all false hype, and it's so easy for him to avoid it if he didn't make those promises in the first place. Filmtracks calls him out on it and the endless attacks and insults are thrown.

As for Zimmer's music:

Most of it I just don't have any real feeling for. The few scores I do, it's more the connection to the films they're for, like The Dark Knight Trilogy.

I don't find it stupid or simplistic, nothing like that at all. I just don't have that EMOTIONAL connection to the majority of it.

That's all, really. That's the same thing I feel for Goldsmith and Williams...I don't 'dislike' their music, it's just not really for me.

FUCK YOU JHfan! GO RIP OFF YOUR OWN ASS HAIR LIKE YOUR HERO HORNY, I MEAN HORNER RIPS OFF EVERYTHING!

I'll read the replies in full later

And I'll reply to this in full later. I agree with most of it.

Why not Hans Zimmer?

I am annoyed a little by the monopoly he has on Hollywood film scoring, but I can't think of another composer who's done more to promote himself or his music (even outside of the movies themselves). Alexandre Desplat perhaps by his sheer output last year alone leaves little doubt in my mind that he's very much a man in demand. That was a well earned Oscar IMHO.
The Nolan/Zimmer collaboration (much like Spielberg and Williams before them) consider the music element to be a primary consideration, sometimes even before principal photography. I'd imagine that would cause a lot of resentment among Zimmer's fellow composers, but if you're in the spotlight and continue to promote yourself in ways that keep the zealots/fanboys/masses happy, then (I say again) why not?

Well, I still remember hearing his "The German Battlefront" (or whatever it's called on any of that score's many versions) from "Gladiator". I think it was pretty much his music and that particular theme that made that scene as epic as it was when seeing it for the very first time, at least for me. I mean, the Roman cavalry charging, the earth shaking underneath them as they approach the barbarian lines from behind, Maximus' commands echoing through the woods and that music, from the very beginning to Lisa Gerrard's delicate vocals at the end...it was what made me fall in love with Zimmer. Since then he's had his ups and downs, sure, but he's still a great composer to me and I guess that's just it.

I've been a "Zimmer Fanboy" since the very first film i ever saw composed by him, which of course is "The Lion King". That movie's score is above my top 5 zimmer scores.... In fact, here's my list of zimmer scores that have gone above and beyond.

Best Zimmer Scores:
01. The Lion King
02. The Prince of Egypt
03. Inception
04. Interstellar
05. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Good Zimmer Scores:
01. The Simpsons Movie
02. Pirates 1-4
03. Kung Fu Panda 1-2
04. Shark Tale
05. Chappie

These are just my opinions...

Wow, this thread must have passed me by yesterday. Great idea, DAK. But I've just finished two covers for the CC thread and it's now 11:30pm, so I'm heading off to bed.

But you can be damn well sure I'll read and reply tomorrow.

And I'll reply to this in full later. I agree with most of it.

Both you and Jason did prove me right though, bringing Horner into this the way you did. It was exactly as I wrote.

I mentioned other composers to say that I don't have a connection to their music, but I purposely avoided any comparison because I knew it was coming...and needless to say I don't have any reason to anyway.

Both you and Jason did prove me right though, bringing Horner into this the way you did. It was exactly as I wrote.

I mentioned other composers to say that I don't have a connection to their music, but I purposely avoided any comparison because I knew it was coming...and needless to say I don't have any reason to anyway.

Ok? So you were "right" (i'm honestly not sure what it is you were right about though), now what about it? This is a discussion, and in discussions people have opinions. To be specific, different opinions. I don't see the need to avoid comparison so long as you are polite about it. :) As to your previous post:

I'm sorry to say I am going to have to disagree with you on a lot of these. :)


I'll read the replies in full later, but I'll say this about my own perception:

I have more of a problem with Zimmer's FANS than Zimmer himself.

That has entirely to do with how so many of Zimmer's more rabid fans (the real, demeaning use of the term "fanboy") have this bizarre need to tear down any and all composers and their work just to make Zimmer come off as greater and superior in their eyes.

It's so fucking petty and immature.

To be perfectly honest, I don't see this happen as much as people claim. It's far more likely to see "ZIMMER IS A HACK HE SUCKS" in a Zimmer thread, than the opposite in a thread for any other composer. I agree though, that is is petty and immature.


Examples of it are everywhere, especially among superhero fans since Zimmer has scored three major superhero characters now.

Also, there's also this really childish notion that Americans are "stupid" and don't understand the greatness of a European composer like Zimmer (Hello Filmtracks). "Stupid Americans" don't get him they say.

I don't really encounter this particular line of reasoning. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.


The last issue I have with the rabid, more unreasonable fans, stems from this - the need to not only tear down any composer and make Zimmer look great in their eyes, but if ANYONE makes any kind of comment about Zimmer that isn't that of sheer worship, then THEY MUST EAT SHIT AND DIE AND STOP SHITTING ON EVERYONE WHO MASTURBATES TO THE GREATNESS OF THE POWER ANTHEM.

AND ALSO BAN THEM FROM EVER POSTING AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Not because of someone who was bashing or insulting (which happens with every composer from time to time) but rather just some observation that they don't really care about or care as much. That the music didn't speak to them as deeply. Not even a criticism really. But still, that threadcrapping bastard must go and leave the worshipers to have their fun.

That just leaves a sour taste in my mouth for Zimmer and his music whenever I see that happen, and it happens all the fucking time...THIS THREAD'S EXISTENCE ALONE is proof of that.

Again, I feel you are over-reacting to the few Zimmer fans that are way over the top. They exist, but (in my experience) not in the hordes that you describe. At least not here. And what do you mean by this thread is proof of that. What is "that". The thread called for polite discussion on the topic. What does that prove please?


As for Zimmer himself, my issues with him are pretty much the same as what the Filmtracks reviewer's big issue is:

Zimmer loves to talk about his scores, promoting the hell out of them. The problem is, he makes a LOT of promises about how revolutionary something is going to be, or how he will evolve something he started in one film into something greater, but he almost never really follows through with those promises. It's all false hype, and it's so easy for him to avoid it if he didn't make those promises in the first place. Filmtracks calls him out on it and the endless attacks and insults are thrown.

This I agree with. He does like to make claims that he doesn't always follow through on. I think that he's perhaps a bit prideful and maybe thinks a little too much of himself. But in all honesty, who doesn't? lol


As for Zimmer's music:

Most of it I just don't have any real feeling for. The few scores I do, it's more the connection to the films they're for, like The Dark Knight Trilogy.

I don't find it stupid or simplistic, nothing like that at all. I just don't have that EMOTIONAL connection to the majority of it.

That's all, really. That's the same thing I feel for Goldsmith and Williams...I don't 'dislike' their music, it's just not really for me.

FUCK YOU JHfan! GO RIP OFF YOUR OWN ASS HAIR LIKE YOUR HERO HORNY, I MEAN HORNER RIPS OFF EVERYTHING!

I might not agree, but I can respect your opinion (though I'd appreciate no caps lock next time ;) ). You prefer Horner, I prefer Goldsmith, as long as we enjoy what we listen to, what does it really matter? :)

I really like(d) A League of their Own and Days of Thunder. I know, too, the theme for DOT had lyrics added and placed in Aspen Extreme. I think I noticed that the first time through.

As far as newer stuff, I'm always open to a listen, and never turn down something on a whim of "oh, I hate this guy, so everything he does is [already] going to suck". Nah, I'm not the type, but it seems there are some who are (judging from the "flame-war" troll posts in threads. Rocklegend..comes to mind).

Having never seen (or heard of, aside from ffs) the film, Interstellar, it's hard to base any judgment on it.

Chappie has some nice parts. Others seem like they could be omitted.

I want actual reasons on why everyone feels the way they feel about him.

He's a German. That's enough for me to like him and his music :)

Zimmer's shown himself to be a versatile composer, but you can get pretty tired of one score of his pretty quickly if you listen to all of it at once.

He seems to be really good at coming up with exciting themes, and those are always great to listen to, but when it comes to "filler" music he can get a bit stale. Like JHFan mentioned, he isn't the best at inviting listeners to form emotional connections with his music. He just makes main themes that sound really good. Outside of its film, some of his stuff just isn't entirely appealing.

I appreciate that he's willing to collaborate with other composers to avoid this sometimes (like with the Magnificent Six in ASM2 or James Newton Howard with Batman) but I know there are others who say that some people he "collaborates" with are just his cronies.

I'm not a huge fan of him, but I've never had a reason to dislike his stuff either. His score for At World's End is in my top 10, since a lot of its "filler" stuff stands out to me.

Years ago in his foreword to the complete, uncut version of The Stand, Stephen King explained he and his editors trimmed some 400 pages from the original manuscript - that clocked in at a 1000+ - and his feelings about the edit: he did not disavow it for the trimming did not change the tone or tenor of the original.

He likened it to driving a compact car: it, like the edited version of his book, got the job done. But the original manuscript, that was like driving a classic '57 Caddy with all the trimmings.

It was just more boss.

Zimmer and his team are just more boss. Some composers seem reluctant or even embarrassed to bring the bombast, perhaps because in doing so they are taking the easy route in rousing the audience's emotions.

Again, in the words of the King, sometimes you got to go for the gross-out.

That's Zimmer and his team, they bring the bombast and do it well. If you're being less charitable, they bring gross-out. If that puts me in the musically-stunted, culturally-devoid, intellectually-lacking section of life's stadium, so be it. When Thor brings down Mjolnir, when Godzilla unleashes his breath o' doom, when the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse make their final charge I do not want subtle.

I want the-end-is-f#cking-Nigh-ringing-Hell's-Bells-here-I-come-to-save-the-day-opening-that-large-can-of-whupass-I've-saved-for-just-this-occasion music.

And right now Zimmer is the boss.

Years ago in his foreword to the complete, uncut version of The Stand, Stephen King explained he and his editors trimmed some 400 pages from the original manuscript - that clocked in at a 1000+ - and his feelings about the edit: he did not disavow it for the trimming did not change the tone or tenor of the original.

He likened it to driving a compact car: it, like the edited version of his book, got the job done. But the original manuscript, that was like driving a classic '57 Caddy with all the trimmings.

It was just more boss.

Zimmer and his team are just more boss. Some composers seem reluctant or even embarrassed to bring the bombast, perhaps because in doing so they are taking the easy route in rousing the audience's emotions.

Again, in the words of the King, sometimes you got to go for the gross-out.

That's Zimmer and his team, they bring the bombast and do it well. If you're being less charitable, they bring gross-out. If that puts me in the musically-stunted, culturally-devoid, intellectually-lacking section of life's stadium, so be it. When Thor brings down Mjolnir, when Godzilla unleashes his breath o' doom, when the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse make their final charge I do not want subtle.

I want the-end-is-f#cking-Nigh-ringing-Hell's-Bells-here-I-come-to-save-the-day-opening-that-large-can-of-whupass-I've-saved-for-just-this-occasion music.

And right now Zimmer is the boss.

I was literally listening to "7m41 Clark Kent, Reporter" from Man of Steel when reading this post! Perfectly fit with what you were saying at the end! :P

Don't want to type it out all again, but I posted in other threads how he experiments and makes sound a real project.
Inception, Interstellar, MoS (DTS Headphone:X) are the real prime examples of playing with audio.

Using a pencil isn't that big.
Fran�ois T�taz used a small cactus to pluck on for music.
I'm sure other composers have also used foley for musical inspiration.

But Inception, slowing down Edith Piaf's music was quite ingenious.
I'm sure some indie youtuber/viemo user has done similar things before Inception did it.
But since we don't know them, they're no one.

Paul Leonard-Morgan took the same approach to compose music and then slow it down for the film.
All the slow motion scenes got slowed down music.
Not many have taken this approach for any music and rather would just compose it slowly.
PLM used "Paul's Extreme Sound Stretch" (AKA "PaulStretch") to slow down his music, but most people complain it's more noise and ambience worse than they do for most of Zimmer's recent works.

MoS is a great soundtrack. But very limited to how it's intended to be heard.
The bombastic track on MoS sounds better through the DTS Headphone:X as it was mainly recorded to be in surround sound.
Probably the only track to be composed as such.
It was really the only highlight that every news media group ever talked about when it came to the OST release and the new DTS Headphone:X feature.
We love the rest of the tracks, but when it comes to reviews and promotional campaigns, no one talks about anything else.

Interstellar, he really pulled through playing with the loudness of the OST to create a surreal environment to the film as a whole.
I'm sure many other composers do that, but none of them got a printed notice on the theater doors warning attendees about the drastic volume diferences between the film and the music.

He loves playing with new formats and delivery.
He was so new to this when he did Sherlock Holmes (first one).
Giving us Dolby Pro Logic... :notgood:

His best delivery was with Inception having the OST in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.
Except where licensing was involved to restrict tracks that sampled Edith Piaf. :notgood:

The DTS Headphone:X is probably the best delivery as it's complete ("complete" as the whole retail album without missing tracks ala Inception; although he didn't really sample any artists in MoS).


I like him because he's adapting to today's technology.
He's changing.

"Themes" and "noise" is an old argument that can be copied/pasted from older arguments and be repeated for centuries.

Zimmer and technology is a thing of the future that is to inspire others.

It just needs a wider audience and a more accessible avenue of complete and total delivery of the product.
Not everyone on iTunes or Android care to pay for the music on through the app as they already about the CD.
Sometimes keys to unlock the music through the phone is for a limited time only (as most keys are for movies).

I think the only thing that would really push his music and tech ways forward is if DTS™ actually mainstreamed the DTS Headphone:X technology so it's more accessible and affordable.

So far, DTS™ itself is a limited and bummed technology since it's limited to only a few select lines of receivers to get that fancy 11.1 surround sound (see The Expendables 2? or 1?).

It needs to be easily hacked for use in things like Foobar2000 (as FB2K already has a hack of the old DTS Headphone technology; via Cyberlink PowerDVD).

Hmm, I don't know what to say? Call me a "Zimmer fanboy", but his work has always struck a chord with me somehow. I do think that Zimmer sometimes gets unnecessary flack for his simplistic themes, but a great deal of his themes are so perfect for the movies because they are simplistic. Just look at the Clark Kent or "Sent Here For a Reason" theme in "Man of Steel". It is a simple little piano motif, but for me, it really captures the humbleness and groundedness of Superman when he is not flying in the air and beating guys up. He does a great job of using themes to portray characters: the Jack Sparrow theme, the Bane theme (love this one), the Davy Jones theme, the Sherlock Holmes theme, the Joker theme, etc. His scores like "The Dark Knight Trilogy" or "Man of Steel" will get my heart pounding. Scores like "The Da Vinci Code" and "Interstellar" will make me feel mystified. Others like "PoTC" are excellent because of their exciting and well-integrated themes. I don't know why, he just connects with me. Haha, I guess that is the best I can explain it! I do not think he is the best film composer of all time (that'd probably be John Williams) but I do think he is one of the best ever and... he is my favorite. Those are my feelings. :)

Hello DAK,
May I recommend to go in deep with these scores you have mentioned?
Rain Man, Driving Miss Daisy, Radio Flyer, Bird On A Wire, Beyond Rangoon

In addition: Black rain

They are the reason I start to love Zimmer's music
Obviously not everything is at the same level, like for other prolific composers.
Some of his themes will remain in the history, this a matter of fact.
Thank you for your thread.

As a Zimmer Disliker (hate is a strong word), I must first say that I have no qualms with old Zimmer; I loved the Lion King score as much as the next guy/girl/insertgenderhere. My problem with him is the same problem I have with the triple A score scene in general at the moment, that synthetic orchestras have supplanted real ones, and that the generically epic melody is king. Look, I get it, orchestras are expensive, and following the "epic music" formula is nice and doesn't step on anyone's toes, as the audience can just sit back and enjoy the big melodic swooping gestures of Crimson Tide/Blackhawk Down/etc.. That being said, when you look at a score like Man of Steel as opposed to something like Danny Elfman's Spiderman score, you'll find that it's completely devoid of character. It could just as easily be a score for a cop movie, or a zombie movie, there's just nothing distinct or organic about it. Even worse, the music for fight scenes is completely nonreactive, drums pound and pound with no respect for the action onscreen, whereas in Spiderman, characters leap through the air with a swirl of strings, punches rip through the air with a guttural brass smack, and there's just something cool about hearing the cutting bass staccato lurching with Doc Ock's footsteps.

To be fair, Zimmer has scores that do this too, but there's just so few of them that it's not what his name implies anymore. I see someone upload a Zimmer score and I sigh, with it being guilty of bleh until proven innocent. You have every right to enjoy the scores, but be wary of the environment they are thriving in, a sadly cynical world in which efficiency is more highly prized than craftsmanship. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go stock up on scores, my Howard Shore supply is running low, and the Zimmerpocalypse is almost upon us, o.0

He is most effective at what he does, no one can deny this. He produces simplistic, bombastic and sometimes otherworldly themes (or thematic phrases) � I really liked interstellar. He has fresh ideas and constantly pushes the envelope, but IMHO his output is hugely based and interlocked with other�s ingenuity and creativity, some of which are never credited or get tiny mentions. Not to forget the orchestrators, whom they have the huge - sometimes impossible task of taking the mold and creating music out of it, and the multi-instrumentalists, composers, conductors (e.g. Richard Harvey) whom they put the real art of composition, performance and their ideas in the mix. There I said it! On a lighter note, when I want to listen to true* music that I can relate to, expand my senses on the space time and contemplate about life, I find myself switching to Alexandre Desplat and the likes�

*true; not merely ostensible, nominal, or apparent:

_BTW, right now I' m listening to Gy�rgy Ligeti's 'Lux Aeterna'

_As a child, I grew up listening to Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota, Maurice Jarre, Vangelis and John Williams. Then Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, JNH, Thomas Newman, Michael Kamen and then I found out about Hans Zimmer etc. etc.

I hated ASM2 when I first heard it, but it grew on me over time and now it's actually quite nice in spots.

I really like/love most of Zimmer's work, but personally, I like Thomas Bergersen way better. His latest album "Sun" is all sorts of awesome.

Been a fan of zimmer since The Rock with Nick Glennie smith, people forget the main themes are his. Instead of reahashing there is one thing that stands out and that is the soundscape, he creates new sounds, sound worlds or whatever you wana call it and that people copy the shit out of and then others blame him for being a hack.

Plus people have to remember that zimmer have to give what the director and producer wants, just look at pot4, he created allot of themes but the director wanted rehash, what is zimmer supposed to do then, people then blame him. Even for the dark knight with nolan when you had the music for evacuating the hospital, the producers wanted to rehash batman begins but they gave in.

Finally I love Zimmer themes, be it small or big, be it The Walk Home or Chevalier de sangreal (which is masterpiece imo).

Here's a thought..

If HZ had to score a film and was expressly told he couldn't use any other of his "the usual suspects", do you think he could do it, or run the risk of being replaced?

Hey Dak, as a totally unbiased bystander, why don't you hit me
with 2 or 3 of your favourite Zimmer Cues and i'll give you my honest Opinion. :)

Here's a thought..

If HZ had to score a film and was expressly told he couldn't use any other of his "the usual suspects", do you think he could do it, or run the risk of being replaced?

He did exactly that with Interstellar.


Hey Dak, as a totally unbiased bystander, why don't you hit me
with 2 or 3 of your favourite Zimmer Cues and i'll give you my honest Opinion. :)

That's like asking me to choose my mom, dad, brother or sister.

I'll get back to you.

I remember hearing a pretty decent cue in True Romance.

I need to listen to more of his scores to know some of his best cues, or which ones are my favorite.

Although I liked the Pirates of the Caribbean scores really well.

Edit: One of my favorite cues, although in the sessions I got from Number 112 (SHOUTOUT TO 112!), this cue is tagged as Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt, James Dooley.
The cue is "The Captain's Table". Although it has a very short runtime (40 seconds), its a very beautiful cue; I really enjoy it.

If only it was longer! :p

I love Hans Zimmer's music. 'Nuff said.

I love Hans Zimmer's music. 'Nuff said.

-_-

He's Okay.....

Ok, but why. The thread is titled Why Hans Zimmer?, not "State Your Opinion".

Jeeze.

Wut the hell just happened!?

I asked Mr Gold to expand on why he feels the way he feels about Zimmer. No wrongdoing there. That's all. Sulley did the same. May as well have been a one-word answer. Hence my response to his "I love Zimmer" comment.

Ok, so why do you love him? Why is he "okay"? We all have our reasons. I like to know why people feel the way they feel about him.

He's okay because I like some of his scores but not others. I like listening to them but would choose other composers over him.

I don't like how he used Imagine Dragon's melody for Kai's theme :/ not the most original composing if you ask me..

DAK, you gotta understand, some people just like a person or their scores without being able to explain why. Just because, they just love it. Or some people if they have reason, they're never able to explain right.

Hey Dak, as a totally unbiased bystander, why don't you hit me
with 2 or 3 of your favourite Zimmer Cues and i'll give you my honest Opinion. :)

Try these for starters:

"3m23 Rain's World", "3m26 Love Found Us", "3m28 Blue Man Raid / Rapids", "4m30 Fallen Rain", "4m32 Iron Horse Camp / Pulling", "4m33 Spirit's Vision / Train Escape", "4m36 Canyon Chase (Pts 1 & 2)", "5m37 Spirit's Leap" from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

"The Rest of My Life (Film Version)" & "You're That Spider Guy" from The Amazing Spider-Man 2

"1m02 Extraction" & "7m47 Welcome Home, Mr. Cobb" from Inception

"Day One (Suite)" & "4m16b They're Not Mountains" from Interstellar

"Zoosters Breakout" & "Once Upon A Time In Africa" from Madgascar 1 + 2

"1m01b Zod Disbands Council", "5m30 Escape From Ship", & "7m41 Clark Kent, Reporter" from Man of Steel

"Stopwatch" & "Lost but Won" from RUSH

"1m01 Race To Ritual" & "4m26b The Boat" from Sherlock Holmes

There are so many more, it would be impossible to list them all.

---------- Post added at 02:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:52 PM ----------


Ok, but why. The thread is titled Why Hans Zimmer?, not "State Your Opinion".

I've said so before. Not sure when or where, but I know I've defended my love for Zimmer here before. You applauded me for it when I did. Don't you remember?

It's tiring to have to do so again. I love his music because it's amazing. It's beautiful. It touches my heart in many ways.

But so does a lot of other music by other composers.

---------- Post added at 03:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:55 PM ----------

I said this a while ago. (Thread 183008) Seems like it would fit here nicely enough.

Completely agreed, Mr. Sullivan! :)

OK, I just sat through one hour and thirty-four minutes subjecting myself to The Rock sessions. So where's my medal? I want my fucking medal!

:nedry:

Completely agreed, Mr. Sullivan! :)

:)

Oh, boy, another Hans Zimmer thread. This never gets old. But, tbh, Zimmer is a love/hate sort of thing.

Marmite.

Marmite.

Love

I like Hans Zimmer because...

http://fanaru.com/shaun-the-sheep-movie/image/90506-shaun-the-sheep-movie-characters-as-babies.gif

I like Hans Zimmer because...

http://fanaru.com/shaun-the-sheep-movie/image/90506-shaun-the-sheep-movie-characters-as-babies.gif

Love this. :laugh:

I discovered Hans Zimmer around the time of Gladiator. That score was rousing, epic, and so perfectly fit the film. I was on a serious Ridley Scott jag from then on, and was rewarded with Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, and then Matchstick Men. I was floored that such varied sound could come from one man (little did I know that it didn't really). In the last decade or so, I think his sound has changed into something I'm not incredibly fond of anymore, and I believe he has more misses than hits. That being said, Man of Steel is incredibly beautiful, The Dark Knight trilogy is undeniable (although, I always like James Newton Howard's contributions more, and thought DKR suffered in his absence) and Interstellar is one of the most gorgeous scores I've heard in years, truly moving.

I always like to quote this when this question is brought up.

"I worked for Hans Zimmer for about 8 years, 5 of which were in a studio at Remote Control, his facility in Santa Monica. Since leaving Remote, many people have said to me, usually in a conspiratorial tone of voice, things like this: Hans doesn’t really write his own music. The studios only give him work because he’s famous. He’s not a real musician. He just gets his clients drunk and all the work is done by guys in the back room. And so forth.

The underlying implication is that this underhanded semi-musician has Hollywood in his thrall due to Svengali like powers and maybe, someday, they’ll wake up and hire a “real” composer – like whoever is whispering to me.

No other composer seems to stir up this kind of ire – I never hear people say, “Yeah, that John Williams only writes 12-line sketches and it’s up to his orchestrators to make it into real music!”

Well, I hate to break it to you, but Hans gets what he gets because…he deserves it.

Here is why:

1) HANS IS A VISIONARY.

In films there is a process called “spotting” in which the composer and director decide what kind of music is needed where. Hans is the best spotter I’ve ever observed. He has an extraordinary sense of what will work. But long before spotting, he will spend weeks writing a suite which is the source of the musical themes of the film. Oddly, this isn’t really about music – it’s about the essence of what the story and the characters are. Film composer great Elmer Bernstein (Magnificent Seven, To Kill A Mockingbird) once said to me, “The dirty little secret is that we’re not musicians – we’re dramatists.” Hans is an outstanding dramatist.

But he also fearlessly pushes himself, challenging the limits of what is acceptable in our medium. In Batman: Dark Knight, long before we had footage of the film, Hans asked Heitor Pereira (guitar), Martin Tillman (cello), and me (violin and tenor violin) to separately record some variations on a set of instructions involving 2 notes, C and D. This involved a fair amount of interpretation! For those who are familiar with classical music, it was John Cage meets Phil Glass. We each spent a week making hundreds of snippets. Then we had to listen to each other’s work and re-interpret that. The end result was a toolbox of sounds that provided Hans with the attitude of his score.

Later, he asked me to double every ostinato (repeating phrase) pattern the violins and violas played. There were a LOT. And a great studio orchestra had already played them all! I spent a week on what I considered an eccentric fool’s errand, providing score mixer, Alan Meyerson, with single, double, and triple pass versions of huge swaths of the score. Months later, I joked with him about how “useful” my efforts had been. Alan told me that, actually, they had turned out to be a crucial element of the score, that he often pulled out the orchestra and went to my performances when something needed to be edgy or raw.

The video below shows something from Man of Steel. Hans assembled a room full of great trap set drummers to play the same groove at the same time, each with tiny variations. Is it a stunt? Maybe. But does it deliver a sound you’ve never quite heard before? Definitely.

2) HANS WORKS VERY, VERY HARD.

When working on a project – which is most of the time – Hans usually arrives at the studio at 11 am and then works until 3 or 4 in the morning. 7 days a week. For months. As the deadline approaches, everything else fades away. Harry Gregson-Williams once told me you could tell how far into a project Hans was by the length of his beard – at some point, he stops shaving.

His late-night hours provide welcome relief from badgering studios and the noise of running a business. They proved to be a challenge to my metabolism when I was getting up at 6 a.m. to go to yoga. Which leads me to a the title of another post, “Never Keep Different Hours Than Your Boss.” But I digress.

Hans is not as fast as his one-time assistant, Harry, or his current go-to arranger, Lorne Balfe, both of whom work at superhuman speed. Hans once suggested that I worked too fast. I was puzzled at the time, but what I think he was really saying was that I needed to pay better attention to the little details that, cumulatively, make all the difference.

3) HANS IS THE BEST FILM MUSIC PRODUCER IN THE BUSINESS.

We’re not talking about technical music skills. Hans is a so-so pianist and guitarist and his knowledge of academic theory is, by intention, limited. (I was once chastised while working on The Simpsons Movie for saying “lydian flat 7” instead of “the cartoon scale.”) He doesn’t read standard notation very well, either. But no one reads piano roll better than he does. [The piano roll is a page of a music computer program that displays the notes graphically.] Which gets to the heart of the matter: Hans knows what he needs to know to make it sound great.

Sometimes, that is the right musicians. Sometimes it is the right sample library. Sometimes it is the right room, or engineer, or recording technique, or mixing technique. All that counts is the end result. And it always sounds spectacular.

4) HANS WORKS WITH GREAT PEOPLE.

Take a look at the composers who have worked for Hans: John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, Heitor Pereira, Henry Jackman, Steve Jablonsky, Lorne Balfe, Trevor Morris, Ramin Djawadi, Jeff Rona, Mark Mancina, Atli �rvarsson, Geoff Zanelli, Blake Neeley, Stephen Hilton, Tom “Junkie XL” Holkenborg and on and on. And Alan Meyerson, his mixer. And Bob Badami and Ken Karman, his music editors. (Bob’s credits alone dwarf about everybody in the business). His great percussionists, Satnam Ramgotra and Ryeland Allison. Sound designers, Howard Scarr and Mel Wesson. Not to mention Steve Kofsky, his business partner. And all the tech whizzes he’s had over the years: Mark Wherry, Sam Estes, Pete Snell, Tom Broderick. Even his personal assistants – Andrew Zack, and later, Czar Russell – are remarkable.

Of course, the really amazing talents are the ones he works for: Chris Nolan, Gore Verbinski, Jim Brooks, Ron Howard, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Jerry Bruckheimer. But he would never get the chance to work for them if he didn’t hold up his end of the bargain.

5) HANS IS A CHARMER.

The first time Jeffrey Katzenberg heard Hans’ love theme for Megamind he said, “It sounds like 1968 on the French Riviera.” It was not a compliment. And it wasn’t wrong. Actually, what Hans realized – and Jeffrey hadn’t – was that the heart of the love story in the movie was right out of A Man and A Woman and La Nouvelle Vague. Rather than point this out, Hans said, “Let me work on it some more.” Over the next two weeks he played revision after revision for Jeffrey, each time making small changes to the arrangement or structure, but keeping the same basic tune. A couple of weeks later, after Jeffrey tore apart the music for a different scene that we’d worked pretty hard on, he said, “Well, at least we have a great love theme!” The rest of us looked at each other. When did that happen!

Hans is acutely aware of the presentational aspect of our business. His capacious control room, rather than being the strictly functional wood and bland fabric of a typical studio, is a lurid red velvet – a 19th century Turkish bordello as Hans describes it. With a wall of rare analog modular synthesizers in the back. At dinner, he serves his guests fine wine, and gives others cleverly appropriate (more so than lavish) gifts. As one of his clients said to me, “Hans makes you feel like a great chef is inviting you into his kitchen.”

Not all of us can afford HZ-level dog and pony shows. But most of us can use what we do have better.

6) HANS DELIVERS.

Hans often gets hired for massive projects. The reason he uses an army of people is that he needs them to keep up with the demands of the directors and the studios. Halfway through Rango, Gore Verbinski suddenly changed direction, threw almost everything out, and we started over. Without a team to carry out the new directions, we’d have been dead.

Look at what happened to Howard Shore on King Kong, Marc Shaiman on Team America, Maurice Jarre on River Wild, Gabriel Yared on Troy, or the great Bernard Herrmann on Torn Curtain. In each case they were fired because the studio or director lost faith that they could shift direction quickly enough once their original approach was rejected. In 150+ films this has never happened to Hans.

BTW, he is also very aware of what the power structure is – who really makes decisions. I was fired – or more accurately not hired after a trial period – from a film because I jumped through hoops for the director who brought me in while not spending enough time figuring out what the producer – the actual power – wanted. Rather than being sympathetic, Hans told me I had failed in a fundamental task: determining who was my boss. He was right, and I haven’t made that mistake again.

So, is Hans my favorite film composer? No. He’s not even Hans’ favorite film composer! (I’m guessing that would be Nina Rota or Ennio Morricone, but you’d have to ask him.) And he can be dismissive, condescending, arrogant, exploitative, and just plain mean. Like me. And, I suspect, you.

But he is exceptionally smart, gifted, accomplished, and hard-working. And here is the hard truth: outside of a few rare exceptions, the people who are successful in the film business are successful because they deserve to be. They have earned it. Yes, they have been lucky. But everybody gets lucky eventually. The question is what do you do when good fortune arrives. If you want to be as successful as the people you admire, you need to be as smart, resourceful, and determined as they are. As Hans is."

-

Lockdown, I'm curious - who's the person you were quoting? I really liked what I just read.

:this:

Ta

Ta

Da

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/3-19-2014/CPocu7.gif

Ta-da!

HA!

http://gifsec.com/wp-content/uploads/GIF/2014/09/Amused-Chuckle-Funny-Haha--Ha-Ha-Hahaha-Laugh-LOL-Robert-De-Niro-GIF.gif?gs=a

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/3-19-2014/CPocu7.gif

That's a really messed up movie to fall asleep to.

Hearing her trying to speak creeps me out when I'm half asleep.

Or it was him that was creepy... E-e-E-ee-v-e.

Ooops. :p

Hans Zimmer is the closest movie composer to TSFH that I can think of, so in terms of bombast he is arguably the best at what he does. Jablonsky takes a close second.

And Williams and Elfman...? What gets me is that their styles aren't at all like Zimmer's as they tend to use string instead of synth. Of course who's "better" is up to the listener, but I just don't think there's any comparing them with Zimmer (music-wise).

-

The thing about Hans Zimmer is, that he can create music that will match to the movie he is working on. Even if its different from his previous works. Compare Frost/Nixon soundtracks to Interstellar for example. Or to Sherlock Holmes, or the Da Vinci Code. Every score is different, but really memorable.

I don't hate Hans Zimmer. I'd say I don't like his marketing ways or his fanboys, but then again, his marketing ways is actually a talent and not something bad - and his fanboys are not him, at the end. I like some of his music, those who are most classical or symphonic (like The Simpsons Movie) and not very experimental or generic superhero. The Lion King is good too. I like him when he composes like he did in the 90s. And I'm not really a big fan of him composing with a huge crew of artists, for Hans to get most of the credit at the end. Although it's true that the crew of artists he works with, gets to be something bigger later alone thanks to him and all, eh, I just dunno, always felt like he was stealing the spotlight of everything.

Exactly. Why?
I have never liked one of his albums.

Why not...

---------- Post added at 06:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:01 AM ----------

Hans Zimmer will be back, in a big way, I might say, when The Lion King and Dark Phoenix are released.

one of the best composer of all time!

one of the best composer of all time!


The worst of all time!

Of course Zimmer, as other composers, will have followers and people that likes better other kind of music. It's open to discussion.
Not all Zimmer's tracks are great for me, but there are a lot that they are.
I'd like to encourage you to listen to:
King Arthur
Pearl Harbor
The last Samurai
Gladiator
Rush

He is just great in Pirates of the Caribbean

Also good composer for cartoon music like the following:
The Lion King
The Prince of Egypt
Kung Fu Panda
Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron

Or special tracks as:
Chevaliers de Sangreal of the movie DaVinci Code even the rest of the album is not so good for me.

I know that he has a lot of other great jobs as well as some that are very famous like Inception or Interstellar are not so good to me as they are for somebody else.

a friend: hans zimmer really is awesome.

me: no, he's not.

a friend: but, true romance...

me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tEgzGnzojc