JWFAN Cool Wall poll 7: Jerry Goldsmith

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Jerry Goldsmith is a fabulous composer. But is he cool?

There's always been a quality about him, the way he looked, the way he spoke. In a magazine he was once descibed as a gnarly hippie, I believe.

He never became the household name that John Williams did become, and still is, nor do his themes live in the public consiousness in the same way that Williams most famous themes do.

So one might say that Jerry has always been second best, number 2, best of the losers, yet a loser still.

One might also say Goldsmith has the alternative voice, the Mick Jagges opposite the John Lennon, the guy to go to if you didn't want a Williamsy score for your film.

It is certain that not only Goldsmith commanded huge respect from his fellow filmcomposers but was also a major influence in the way certain genre's were scored (Goldsmith and Michael Kamen defined the sound of the action score for the 80's and early 90's)

Yet does that make him cool.

Thoughout his life Goldsmith experimented with unuasual orchestrations and instumentations, and blended together synth and the orchestra in a way I've never heard another composer do better.

He also brought a Duduk to Hollywood's scoring stage a full 10 years before Hans Zimmer did so for Glad I Ate Her. But does that make Goldsmith cool?

I saw Goldsmith in concert only once, it was a great evening, but there was also a moment amidst the music that Goldsmith was making a plug for the SACD format. (though he wasn't getting paid for it)

Is it cool for a composer to take the time to inform his devoted fans about a new and superiour way of listening to music, or is it just Goldsmith jumping on the wrong bandwagon (once again) and putting his faith into a format that has essentially failed commercially (perhaps Jerry should have plugged MP3 instead

I've been really struggling with this, but I finally reached a conclusion based on a very personal single moment.

Some 2 and a half years ago i Made a compilation of some romantic or relaxing film music to play in the background for when I was with my girlfriend (now my ex). One day I had that compilation playing during some intimate...uuummm...bed time moments.

Goldsmith's Pillow Talk from Basic Instinct was playing, and at the climax of that cue, my girl friend, who knew nothing about film music, reconised that music, reconised what film it was from and the exact scene and how it coincided with our situation at that time.

It was great and wonderfull, and for me personally, very very cool.

[Romão 2,274]

He was quite cool, but a little too bitter. For that, he gets a cool vote from me instead of sub zero. He was an astonishing composer, though.

[robthehand 3]

Very cool, but not sub zero.

[Red 75]

Uh, I'll go with cool. He's probably one of my favorite composer after Williams.

[tpigeon 3]

He was quite cool, but a little too bitter. For that, he gets a cool vote from me instead of sub zero. He was an astonishing composer, though.

Towards whom?

Ted

[Romão 2,274]

A lot of people. At least judging from the excerpts of his biography...Williams, Previn, Horner...

[Marian Schedenig 8,214]

I saw Goldsmith in concert only once, it was a great evening, but there was also a moment amidst the music that Goldsmith was making a plug for the SACD format. (though he wasn't getting paid for it)

Is it cool for a composer to take the time to inform his devoted fans about a new and superiour way of listening to music, or is it just Goldsmith jumping on the wrong bandwagon (once again) and putting his faith into a format that has essentially failed commercially (perhaps Jerry should have plugged MP3 instead

I'd rather object to his misinformation about the SACD/DVD-A issues.

Anyway, despite what has been concluded from my Herrmann comments, I don't rate Goldsmith as uncool. There might have been a certain bitterness about him (I haven't read the bio excerpts yet), but he was also humorous, and shared some cool anecdotes in his concerts (although he often re-used them for more than one concert).

Then think about music like Total Recall, consider this photo:

And bear in mind that Sean Connery, once the "sexiest man alive", copied his hair style.

Conclusion: Sub Zero.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Be mindfull that we have not been given the chance to read the whole thing yet

[Justin 2]

I agree with the fabulous Austrian man.

Justin

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The old guy, with his kick-ass silver pony tail and great attitude, was still able to write scores like Star Trek: Nemesis and Timeline shortly before his death.

Sub-zero.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Goldsmith and Michael Kamen defined the sound of the action score for the 80's and early 90's

That sound I don't like at all.

But anyway , very interesting person , magnificent composer(oh,that beauty)

and even with that pony tail : Sub Zero

EDIT : despite of that pony tail,

I ment

[Red 75]

I don't call pony tails on elderly men cool.

[Ollie 1,059]

Cool.

A very brilliant composer who could score any type of film and give it the musical voice it needed, wrote great and good scores for crappy films, should have been more recognized and won more Oscars.

Much like myself, he re-married and ended up with a much younger woman so that's a plus in my book. The ponytail is a plus, was the voice of ST as much as Courage was.

However it appears he may have been jealous towards some of his peers and has been known to be a grouch. He seemed a little too cranky about simple things.

[SomeNewGuy 0]

Sub-zero. The pony tail sealed the deal.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

If Williams got sub-zero points from people here for re-popularizing the orchestra, then Goldsmith gets twice as many cool points for creating the modern sound of film music, especially in the realm of action.

Not only the sound, but the style as well. Who else scored films without putting on a tie and khakis? Who wore blue jeans to recording sessions? Who put on the ape mask while recording?

As for his popularity status, he is the Steve Jobs of music. Sure Bill Gates (Williams) gets all the money, but Goldsmith had the true innovation and coolness. Where Williams composed the equivalent luxury cars, Goldsmith's scores were the Porsche's and Ferrari's of the film score industry.

And finally, Basic Instinct.

'Nuff said.

Sub-zero.

[scissorhands 16]

I wonder why all Goldsmith fans have the need to compare Jerry with Williams all the time. It's as if they felt attacked by Williams fans. Really, just check the jerrygoldsmithonline forums.

As I hate comparissons, and being a Williams fan myself, I find Goldsmith to be another sub zero.

[Indiana_Fett 0]

He composed the Burbs and Patton. Sub-Zero.

[Red 75]

He may be Williams' only true equal.

[QMM 4]

but he was also humorous, and shared some cool anecdotes in his concerts (although he often re-used them for more than one concert).

To be fair, Williams does this too, as does everybody I imagine.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Sub-zero. The pony tail sealed the deal.

You just know Williams would be sporting one too, if he could.

Goldsmith: Very very COOL.

[Marian Schedenig 8,214]

To be fair, Williams does this too, as does everybody I imagine.

Of course Williams does (not everybody though... at least, conductors in general don't do that ). But Goldsmith's anecdotes just seemed more down to earth. Or perhaps it's just the difference of having heard them live.

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

Sub zero without a doubt.

No 0ºK, though

[rocnathan 0]

Cool. On the plus side: Pony tail, ape mask and the younger woman (whcih I didn't know about). On the downside his bashing of The Mummy (which in my opinion is one of his best scores).

He almost but not quite made it to sub sero in my book, but I just remembered that he scored Airforce One, the second worst movie of all time.

[Olivier 5]

On the downside his bashing of The Mummy (which in my opinion is one of his best scores).

On the contrary, his stating that he didn't "get" the movie and didn't agree with having so much music in it and his writing such a great adventure score for it nonetheless prove how great a professional he was.

[Marcus 390]

Jerry Goldsmith is sub-zero. He had tremendous integrity, great skill and a wonderful sense of musical humor. Also, he seemed like a genuinely kind man when I had the great privelege to meet him in 2001.

[Quintus 5,399]

He never became the household name that John Williams did become

Williams is a household name? Thats news to me. He should be a household name, but he really isn't. No amount of idolising from the likes of you and me is going to make him such either. Not just yet anyway. Methinks Williams needs to be dead a while. Damn.

But anyway, Goldsmith is cool as hell, even if he never achieved the filmic heights his talent so welcomed.

[Red 75]

Williams is a house-hold name at my house, but he's probably not in most homes. I think that it has a lot to do with how famous their themes are. Everyone knows Star Wars, but not everyone knows Star Trek.

[Romão 2,274]

As far as modern day composers go, he is probably as household as could expect.

[Red 75]

And Jerry Goldsmith, unfortunatly, isn't.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

Jerry Goldsmith saved tons of movies with his music (like Omen II and III, Treks I, V, Nemesis and a host of others), which makes him cool.

The ponytail, as another poster put it, seals the deal. Subzero...

[crocodile 8,022]

There's something about Jerry's personality that is very compelling for me. I can't really name it, but you can easily tell when you hear his music.

Sub-zero.

Karol, who doesn't consider duduk cool anymore.

[Marian Schedenig 8,214]

Karol, who doesn't consider duduk cool anymore.

It was cool back in the time when Sandy DeCrescent actually had no idea what Goldsmith was talking about until she found someone who could tell here what a duduk is.

Conan the Barbarian (Basil Poledouris)

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Now this is a cool picture!

[robthehand 3]

Nice picture.

When was that taken - what film (I presume it was a scoring session)?

[Ollie 1,059]

Nice picture.

Speaking of Goldsmith I'm a little concerned we haven't heard much more about the Goldsmith biography.

According to the webmaster at Jerry Goldsmith online emails to Carrie Goldsmith haven't been returned for awhile.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Anyone who doesn't look like a dork in a conducting picture, has got to be sub zero.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It is sub-zero actually.

The wry and confident smile, the way he loosely holds the baton, the casual shirt.

I saw Goldsmith in concert in 2001, he wore a suite, it looked good, but wasn't really him.

I'm sure he got out of it ASAP afterwards.

[Red 75]

Your like half in love with him, aren't you?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes, of course.

[Red 75]

I thought so.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You got a problem with that?

Oh wait you are from the South. So your way of expressing your emotions is by drinking 2 six-packs and shooting at the empty cans from the back of your pick-up truck.

[Red 75]

[Ollie 1,059]

He has a man crush on him.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Oh wait you are from the South. So your way of expressing your emotions is by drinking 2 six-packs and shooting at the empty cans from the back of your pick-up truck.

Be careful, he might kill you Souther style....

That is, you'll hear the words "bless your little heart" and die.