I actually completely understand why TSN was nominated for an award. Although I don’t get the hype and don’t agree with the win, I must concede that it is well done score that puts you into the shoes of Mark Zuckerberg. Your enjoyment of the music is dependent on how much you love feeling like Mark Zuckerberg. For me, I don’t find feeling like the Zuck too appealing.
That’s why Dragon got my vote. If only because Powell found a way to re-introduce the overture to modern cinema by wrapping it around an introductory action set piece with This Is Berk. Every major theme plays out in under 5 minutes and it is glorious. But it was so much more than that. But that was the best part for me.
And it looks like I’m the only way that agrees with the Academy. It got nominated which is a huge freakin deal, so heck yeah HTTYD! Still, I think it was the second best score of it’s year, a super super super close second. But TSN had just a little something more. There are tracks that I skip on my HTTYD CD, on my TSN disc I listen to every single one. I still congratulate HTTYD for their nomination which again is HUGE; that’s a win all its own.
Far from it. Most of the people I know are right there with you on TSN’s win. I have to visit tiny niches like this one to find anyone who disagrees.
As I said, I already feel like Zuckerberg enough, as undeserving of those feelings as I may be, so the score doesn’t appeal to me. But I do recognize why it’s hailed by others. I just don’t get the hype.
Yup, I meant here at Pixar Planet. TSN winning Score had the most votes at the workplace Oscar poll this year, therefore everyone made the least amount of money for it’s win, along with the Best Animated category xD
While we’re at the topic of score anyway, I’d like to throw my hat into the ring about it. Say, the soundtrack makes GREAT use of leitmotifs. Toothless’ theme, you know? First heard when Hiccup is about to slay him (and again when Toothless almost does so to Hiccup in turn), then heard again when the young Viking is looking through the Dragon book and reads about the Night Fury, and again during Test Drive, and also whenever the dragon’s in distress. Some other characters and happenings have their own leitmotifs too. It’s such an amazing soundtrack, John Powell deserves a cookie for it.
Same here. It’s a great character piece, but I didn’t like the character to begin with. And it doesn’t so much as tell a story as more of give the film an ambient feel. Whereas you can listen to the soundtrack of HTTYD and looking at the track title, ‘guess’ what’s going on.
As consolatory a nomination is for HTTYD, I still am bitter that it didn’t get the win. Well, not really bitter, just disappointed. Perhaps I should give the TSN soundtrack a listen, but honestly I wasn’t paying as much attention to the music while watching the film (except for the opening scene and maybe the rowing contest) as I was for HTTYD.
I agree! I especially love the ‘BRAAAHMMM…’ of the brass whenever something dramatic happens, like the beginning of ‘Test Drive’ or during the shot of Toothless’ eyes when he pinned Hiccup to the rock in ‘The Downed Dragon’. And the French horns ushering the audience into the movie at the start of ‘This is Berk’ is just magnificent. Like they’re saying, 'We have a great story for y’all, so listen up!"
I also love the variations of the theme, you can hear it being ‘rephrased’ in 'Forbidden Friendship, ‘See You Tomorrow’ and ‘Romantic Flight’ depending on its context. <3
Give it (TSN) a listen indeed. When the characters actually take a second to shut up in that film, haha, the score really snatched my attention so I picked up a copy of the CD, and then found out that everyone else was just as in love with it. I get excited, hearing pieces of it on television, on award shows, I can’t say what’s so captivating about it but I’m absolutely in love.
EDIT: And I love the movie itself, but not as much as HTTYD. Still, I love the score just a little bit more than HTTYD. Still adore Dragon and it’s score… but TSN’s score just a liiiittllle biiit more, I think it’s got a liiiittle something special no other nomination had.
Random Hiccup randomly ‘doing the worm’ is random.
Seriously, that Deadly Nadder looks incredible - and this is by the same guys who brought you Walking With Dinosaurs Live. Hearing ‘Forbidden Friendship’ playing over the speakers is amazing.
The footage is from an Australian channel, and it will arriving in Melbourne next year!
This is like a dream come true for me… <3 Now if it comes to Sydney… and I can afford the tickets, my life would be complete.
Holy cow, that dragon looks AMAZING! Like it’s actually living and breathing…no idea how they did it. It really does look like it came directly from the movie though!
And what a coincidence, I was listening to a live performance of the HTTYD suite yesterday on youtube. And I was like “How awesome would it to see that in person!”
Hi everyone - I met Dean DeBlois (co-writer/director of HTTYD) at the Toronto Screenwriting Conference this past Sunday and was lucky enough to get an interview with him. You can read my interview here: onemoviefiveviews.wordpress.com/ … ur-dragon/
There’s a bit about the second and third instalments (which he is writing/directing) in there for anyone interested.
I really loved HTTYD. I think its DW’s best film to date. It just has really good storytelling instead of pop-culture references in DW’s other films. The friendship between Hiccup and Toothless was also wonderful.
