Rutgers University Ennio Morricone Research Paper Assignment: 1000 word paper on any contemporary film composer of your choice. Late Papers: 2 Points w

Rutgers University Ennio Morricone Research Paper Assignment: 1000 word paper on any contemporary film composer of your choice.

Late Papers: 2 Points will be subtracted per day for late papers.

Students should submit papers to this assignment as Word docs only.

Choose any contemporary film composer, either mentioned about in this course or one that you know about from a film or films that made an impression on you. Give biographical information with important dates, films scored, musical influences and overall style most associated with the composer. Most important, write about why this composer is of interested to you and some of the films that helped you make this choice. You may go over 1000 works if needed. Please cite all references used in your research. 10. COMPOSERS TODAY – Horner, Zimmer, Desplat & others
James Horner
James Roy Horner (1953-2015) was one of the greatly admired film composers in Hollywood. He was mostly known for his combinations of both vocal
and electronic sound in many of his scores. His work on the movie “Titanic” in 1997 and “Avatar” in 2009, both directed by David Cameron became the
two most financially successful of all time. When director David Cameron approached Horner to score “Avatar” he asked him not accept any other work
for a full year, so that he could devote himself entirely to the film. Most composers would never get the luxury of having a full year to work on a score,
being that the norm is usually 2 to 6 weeks at the most.
Horner composed the scores for well over 100 films and was awarded two Academy Awards, both for Best Song and Best Score for “Titanic.” Horner was
a flying enthusiast and often would pilot his own plane, and in 2015 he was killed in a crash just outside of Santa Barbara, California.
Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer (born in 1957) is one of Hollywood’s most sought after composers with a catalogue of composing over 150 film scores. Some of his more
well known films include, “The Thin Red Line,” “The Dark Knight Trilogy.” “Inception,” “The Lion King.” “The Last Samurai,” “Interstellar,” “Gladiator,” and
“Dunkirk.” He formed his own music production company, Remote Control Productions and is well known for his use of combining electronic sounds with
orchestral arrangements. His intense research when working on a score has led him to remote parts of the world, collecting and recording various audio
samples, which he could use in his elaborate sound designs along with computer and electronic effects. As always his instinct and talent for film scoring
has given us some of the most wonderful music today.
Danny Elfman
Daniel Elfman (born in 1953) is a songwriter, composer, and producer. Mostly known for his work on the TV series “The Simpsons” and his association
with director friend Tim Burton. Elfman scored many of Burton’s films including the very popular score for “Batman,” for which he received a Grammy
Award. His musical style is one of light orchestral writing that is sometimes playful in nature and at other times melodic and tuneful. The scores for Tim
Burton’s “Batman” films are a bit more somber in nature but they can also consist of lighter more playful moments. He has been honored with The Disney
Legend Award and four Academy Award nominations.
Alexandre Desplat
Alexandre Desplat (born in 1961). Although born in France he has been internationally sought after by many directors in both Europe and the United
States, He has received seven Academy Award nominations recently receiving one for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” in 2014. Some of the scores he is well
known for include: “Unbroken.” “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Queen,” “The Golden Compass,” “Moonrise
Kingdom,” “Rise of the Guardians,” “Argo,” “The Imitation Game,” “The King’s Speech,” “Godzilla,” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”
Desplat scores are often surprising for their simplicity and flowing beauty. He can take a very small amount of musical material and weave a moving and
magical passage of music. His sensitivities lie in his ability to find the deeper less obvious emotional meaning in a scene and express it in music.
Howard Shore
Howard Shore (born in 1946) is one of today’s most respected composers and some of the worlds leading orchestras perform his music. His most popular
contribution to date is his work on the films “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” “The Lord of the Rings” stands as his most respected composition
for which he received three Academy Awards. Also of significance was the Max Steiner Award given to him by the city of Vienna. His score to “The Lord of
the Rings” shows him at his best when writing for large orchestras and composing dramatic themes that are epic in proportion. Vast armies clash in these
adventure films but at the same time there is a beautiful undercurrent of nobility and endurance. Not an easy task for a composer to portray all this
through music, yet Shore manages to succeed without question.