It’s difficult to say when I stopped paying attention to the annual awards handed out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. I know that I never forgave the Academy for not giving the best actor award to Edward James Olmos in Stand and Deliver, I remember Bruce Springsteen picking up his award for “Streets of Philadelphia.” Both of those were quite a while ago.
The only information I picked up this year was that Hans Zimmer was given the award for best score, and it is the second time he has won the award. The information came from my favorite classical radio station. I was more than a little surprised to learn that his first award was for the Disney movie The Lion King. Really?!? That fact was even more surprising than the fact that he had only won two.
There was a period of time when I listened to a lot of movie soundtracks and scores. Even so, I didn’t usually pick up on the composer until I saw the name in the credits. Hans Zimmer was one of the exceptions. His style is not only distinctive but uniquely rhythmic, giving each movie its pulse. It’s mesmerizing.
He scored one of my favorite films of all time, The Power of One.
Wow, that’s big. I will have to learn how to make YouTube links smaller.
My other favorite composition of his is The Last Samurai.
I adore The Last Samurai. I am not a big Tom Cruise fan because every movie just felt like I was watching Tom Cruise, Superstar! The Last Samurai didn’t feel that way. Cruise gets top billing because he is the box office draw, but his character’s story, while interesting and redemptive, is not the most important in the film. The scenery and cinematography are breathtaking, and the Japanese actors make you practically forget the superstar in their midst.
But I am supposed to be writing about Hans Zimmer. The other big film of his which came immediately to mind was Gladiator, another favorite. I knew there were more, but gadzooks, there are at least 150 more. That almost puts him in the realm of that other famous film composer who has been working more than twice as long. Okay, not really, but he has still composed a LOT of film scores. He has worked on everything from Sponge Bob to the Simpsons to James Bond to Kung Fu Panda. Thelma and Louise, Bird on a Wire, and Driving Miss Daisy are all his.
I dare you to go look at the IMDB list and not find some of your favorite films.
Meanwhile, I need to go make a decision about backing the Brandon Sanderson Kickstarter campaign.
Happy Wednesday!
Small Town Hermit 