# How the "Inception" Soundtrack conquered the world



## science

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/03/trailer-trash.html

First two paragraphs:



> It seemed as though we had survived a dark time, and made it safely to the other side, when roughly two minutes and twenty seconds of the new "Star Trek" trailer had elapsed without the appearance of a certain ear-splitting and maddeningly ubiquitous action-movie-trailer musical cue. And then, about eight seconds from the finish, there it was: "duhhhhn," that low and loud synthesized hum-ominous and brain-addling. (Click here for repeated torture.) And although another big-effects thrill ride had been promised in the single deep note, hope for a better today was dashed.
> 
> For the unfamiliar, a quick tour of recent trailers promoting big-budget fare gives a fuller sense of this abominable sonic trend: spots for "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," "The Dark Knight Rises," "Prometheus," "Iron Man 3," "Olympus Has Fallen," "World War Z," "Oblivion"-the list goes thudding on and on. Sometimes the hum is delivered by deep horns, other times by strings-often these are expertly timed to the sound of drums and/or something exploding onscreen-and recently it has taken on a digitized, layered character.


That's a teaser.


----------



## DeepR

Inception was such a pompous load of mumbo jumbo, the trailer and these sounds fit the movie perfectly. And that star trek trailer is just as ridiculous. Seems like another pumped up cgi action fest that has nothing to do with the real star trek (series).


----------



## Skilmarilion

The Inception soundtrack is one of the most powerful and memorable film scores that I can remember. "Time", in particular, is phenomenal.

Zimmer is one of the greats of his field, imo. Big fan of his music to the Batman trilogy and of course Gladiator, surely his greatest work.


----------



## Guest

Skilmarilion said:


> and of course Gladiator, surely his greatest work.


How much was Zimmer? How much was Gerrard?


----------



## PetrB

MacLeod said:


> How much was Zimmer? How much was Gerrard?


All that pseudo ethnic / quasi antique sounding new-age was Gerrard: all the how to really agitate a bunch of 12 year-olds into believing the music and scene it scored was "awesome exciting" was Zimmer. That's what I'd put my bet down on, anyway.


----------



## PetrB

science said:


> http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/03/trailer-trash.html
> That's a teaser.


Of course this has nothing whatsoever to do with hypo-mega Hollywood industry style hype, now does it? <g>


----------



## Chrythes

Do people really enjoy watching these trailers and say "wow, it sounds like Inception, so it must be an awesome movie", or do they just don't hear it? 

Even though it's only a trailer, it irritates me and makes me think less of the film if I hear those stuttering horns. It creates this sense that if the trailer is a mere spin off of what's popular, the movie could be as well.


----------



## PetrB

Chrythes said:


> Do people really enjoy watching these trailers and say "wow, it sounds like Inception, so it must be an awesome movie", or do they just don't hear it?
> 
> Even though it's only a trailer, it irritates me and makes me think less of the film if I hear those stuttering horns. It creates this sense that if the trailer is a mere spin off of what's popular, the movie could be as well.


I think you've got it in one, as they say.

But, like terrible tawdry sounding squibs written to promote a great novel, sometimes there is no telling, the PR machinery and staff who make the squibs and trailers an entirely different crew who make the actual film or book.


----------



## Guest

I followed the New Yorker link to some of the 70s/80s trailers. I saw the movies and remember seeing them trailed - like _The China Syndrome_ - but I don't remember the trails being so awful!

Watching the trailers while waiting to see _Star Trek_ the other night, I leant across to my wife and commented that trailers no longer just beat me round the head with a rolled up newspaper - they now just repeatedly punch me in the face.

Then they ask if I have hearing and sight problems!


----------



## Chrythes

PetrB said:


> I think you've got it in one, as they say.
> 
> But, like terrible tawdry sounding squibs written to promote a great novel, sometimes there is no telling, the PR machinery and staff who make the squibs and trailers an entirely different crew who make the actual film or book.


True. But by lowering my expectations I can be more pleasantly surprised watching the movie. :lol:
Though it didn't work with Prometheus.


----------



## quack

That sub-bass gets them every time. You, yes you, with your puny flat screen tv and pathetic little sound bar can't compete with our low frequency, THX, gut rumblers, you ain't seen the movie until you've felt the movie. And as for you watching on a laptop, we pity you, and your "convenience". A warm lap does not compare to a loosened bowel.


----------



## ericdxx

I get the point. I'm not sure but I viewed the first american "The Ring" movie as the watershed moment when sound design proved to be way more efficient than film music. The soundscapes rather than the music is what pulls the weight in that movie.

There was probably a movie before that, that did the same thing.



Skilmarilion said:


> Zimmer is one of the greats of his field, imo. Big fan of his music to the Batman trilogy and of course Gladiator, surely his greatest work.


The decision to not use Danny Elfman's tremendous theme for Batman was a major mistake IMO.

I loved Gladiator before I heard Mars the bringer of war for the first time....now I mostly enjoy "Elysium", that is until I discover that he stole that piece too...if he did.


----------



## Eschbeg

In the case of Inception, there was at least a story-related, thematic reason why such a sound needed to be incorporated into the soundtrack:


----------



## PetrB

Eschbeg said:


> In the case of Inception, there was at least a story-related, thematic reason why such a sound needed to be incorporated into the soundtrack:


Excuses, excuses. I'm sure its a better excuse than the ones needed to defend the pervasive use of Andean bamboo pipes in every other film score of another era  I.e. all trends pass: they're trends.


----------



## Jos

Did anyone use the inception-app ?
I pretty much enjoyed myself with it on a holidaytrip. A lot of hype about the "augmented sound" , but it was a weird experience when you lay on your bed with headphones on and suddenly realising that it's your own heartbeat, or your breathing that you are hearing ! Mixed in an ambient soundscape.
And after unlocking some dream (dunno which one) you get Johnny Marr's guitarriffs !!

Cheers,

Jos


----------



## Wandering

I think this says it better somehow.


----------



## Couac Addict




----------



## Svelte Silhouette

Surely it depends on who is sat in your lap ... I'd rather keep my bowel tight, my lap warm and just feel the earth move

PCs are not a good source for sound whatever is attached and even an expensive Yamaha soundbar and sub can't replace decent front and rears with an accompanying centre and sub but movie music is best listened in stereo and Movie music best heard on Blu-Ray if not available in it's own right on a stereo disc BUT I don't like much movie music in it's own right other than perhaps Michael Nyman


----------

