Howard Shore wins 'Best Original Score' for 'LOTR:The Fellowship of the Ring'

[Sheriefabraham]

I feel like all 5 films should've gotten the Oscar compared to today's standards.

[drxwnedxwxrld]

If LOTR didn't win, the soundtrack to "A Beautiful Mind" would have probably won. Not saying it was the second best out of the five, but it was IN the Best Picture. Anyone remember politics of the oscars?

[nali007]

no offence to any other epic franchise,but LOTR is the most epic of all epic franchises.the sountrack,the whole story itself,is epic.NOTHING beats LOTR.

[guitarcenter999]

The visuals and scenery of LOTR makes my jaw drop to the floor, when the beautiful scores of Howard Shore role in with the film's most epic moments, that makes me cry

[smiley17777777]

Lord of the Rings has the best movie soundtrack ever created but Williams does have way more classic scores that really fit the movies but nothing he did even came close to the LOTR's masterpiece!!!!!

[bpconductor2282]

also, maybe you should stop listening to the " john williams greatest hits" album and actually listen to his scores. close encounters of the third kind if very complicated, along with memoirs of a geisha, the list is endless. and its clear that the people who say williams is awful are NOT musicians because if you would have tried to play alot of his music or just take a peek at the scores you would shut up immediatly. also enya is not complex in any way

[davedirector7]

Howard Shore over John Williams who has been nominated over 45 times for an oscar and won five times? GET OUT. The Lord of the rings trilogy is indeed epic in both visual and musical scale but to say he triumphs over Williams is a no no. Jurassic Park, E.T., Close encounters, Home Alone, Saving Private Ryan, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, try and push these aside please =)

[pretzelberg]

Williams can have no complaints.

[alvarete66xd]

OK. I think Howard Shore is just LOTR, and that's all. If you don't believe me, listen to the Eclipse score. Something improving or terrific? No, I'm afraid.

[ComposerWilliams]

@Petersclarke, nahh he looks dissapointing, and that is not strange!

[ComposerWilliams]

2:55 = RESPECT!!!

[peterSclarke]

@ComposerWilliams he looks jealous!

[ComposerWilliams]

LOL everyone is crazy about the LOTR scores. The are brilliant but some pieces makes me not awake, i always goes to sleep. Howard Shore can be very BORING. LOTR Return of the King is the best one but Harry Potter should have win.

[sukkkmyballs]

@ComposerWilliams well thats just absurd

[anataria]

I see no point of comparing the two great figures of music.

It's like you're going to say Beethoven is better than Mozart -_-

which is certainly absurd,

LOTR has its own character, and for me, I don't care about Oscars (as it totally disappointed me in 2010 Oscar). but Howard Shore did such epic job in this work; the music becomes 'second narrator' of the film, and plays such a big imaginative part.

[isasooner5]

EVERYONE IS FORGETTING ABOUT THOMAS NEWMAN. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION AND ROAD TO PERDITION.

[burrowsshreds]

@isasooner5 Everyone's also forgetting Hans Zimmer: The Lion King, Inception, Gladiator, Batman Begins, and the Dark Knight.

[proaktiff]

Harry Potter wins would be an injustice. because the "Harry Potter" and "Hook" have a similarity between. Very original and not original. Hook was better. Won the right to LOTR.

[aboo00oode992]

i'm one of the best harry potter fans but sorry , LOTR ALL THE WAY !!!

the best score in the movie history !!

[XOshamelessXO]

@aboo00oode992 yeah..apart from star wars 

[isasooner5]

@XOshamelessXO SW score is not as resonate and resounding and prominent and as powerful as LOTR. LOTR score is much more heavy dramatic, deep, and powerful.

[XOshamelessXO]

@isasooner5 i wasnt saying the star wars one was better...i think there both as equal... true about LOTR but star wars has been for years the biggest score ever.... but hopefull howard does what he done in the nest LOTR films the hobbit

[isasooner5]

@aboo00oode992  AGREED!!!!!

[thistleinfotech]

Howard Shore wrote the best score of the decade for that film...he couldn't have deserved it more...John Williams has been robbed on many occasions, but I don't personally think this was one of them. A.I. would have been my second choice...

Thanks for uploading this by the way...

[ThePiano1991]

How tragic for John Williams, conducting at the oscar and had the award presented right in his face! :( He should have won for Harry Potter.

[thejhornerfactor]

@ThePiano1991 that one or "Artificial Intelligence" ;)

[BowetBurger]

@thejhornerfactor don't get me wrong, i love john williams, but that soundtrack (LOTR) was something...

[ThePiano1991]

@thejhornerfactor Indeed, Harry Potter was a better score in my eyes. It wouldn't be the first time he was nominated twice in the same year... Not many people can say they lost an oscar to themselves, as John Williams could when he won for Star Wars.

[ProblemWarning]

@ThePiano1991 then you should use your ears.

[webeffect]

@ThePiano1991 Harry potter was a better score in your eyes? That explains why: you need to use your ears next time. And hopefully some knowledge of music

[isasooner5]

@ThePiano1991 I don't see how anyone could even dream HP score is better than LOTR. HP that childish family lighthearted orchestral music over the pounding deep heavy dramatic, beautiful heroic, powerful, resounding resonate, prominent and powerful score of the LOTR especially the fellowship of the ring. Lotr is the single best piece of music I've ever heard period.

[Swidhelm]

@ThePiano1991 I think sometimes they give others the chance, because John Williams could fill a large storage unit with awards and trophies, heh. 

[bence778]

@ThePiano1991 He sould not have won, even if his two music nominated were really good, LotR is better!

[spas16]

@ThePiano1991

No way, most of Williams's stuff is great, but Howard Shore deserved the Oscar.

[burrowsshreds]

@ThePiano1991 I don't know, Lord of the Rings is more epic in almost every way than Harry Potter. Even Williams himself could say that Shore deserved it. Now LOTR vs. Star Wars, Shore might not get so lucky.

[webeffect]

@burrowsshreds Actually Lord of the Rings would beat Star Wars as well. Lord of the Rings is the most complex film score ever written. Read about it in the book: The Music of Lord of the Rings" by Doug Adams. Star Wars was a very robust and epic score in an homage to older film scores, but it was no Lord of the Rings.

[burrowsshreds]

@webeffect Lord of the Rings can't beat Episode IV. That's the classic.

[ENRIQUE881]

@burrowsshreds I think it can beat it

[burrowsshreds]

@ENRIQUE881 Then why did AFI rank Episode IV as the greatest film score of all time, and Fellowship didn't even make the list? I'm not saying that I agree with every American Film Institute decision, but ranking Episode IV at the top was a wise choice.

[isasooner5]

@burrowsshreds The Lord of the rings original score is the best piece of music I've ever heard period. All three particularly the fellowship of the ring. The lotr Music is much much more deep heavy dramatic, heroic and beautiful music compared to the star wars films original score. Also I think LOTR is the most diverse score I've ever heard. Now if I'm not mistaken The fellowship of the ring is ranked on AFI list now. The star wars music is more recognizable no doubt but that

[isasooner5]

@isasooner5 doesn't mean the music is better. The AFI most likely ranked star wars score the best of all-time based on being more instantly recognizable. No one can argue star wars music is the most memorable and recognizable score in history but the LOTR SCORES ARE MUCH BETTER AND MORE COMPLEX. Star wars music just like the movies as a whole are much more lighthearted and happy go lucky and childish music and movies compared to the more heavy dramatic music and movies of LOTR.

[burrowsshreds]

@isasooner5 Really? Happy Go Lucky? If you listen much closer, the Star Wars scores has so many dark and emotional points in them. If you listen closely, especially in Episode III, you can see adventurous and dark at the same time. And AFI ranked it the best not only because it's the most recognizable, but it's the most influential score since I'd say Gone With the Wind. And LOTR had to be more serious because it wasn't a space adventure series, and it couldn't have been filmed on location, like

[isasooner5]

@burrowsshreds That may be but still LOTR music themes transition seamlessly throughout the films. There a so many different diverse themes in the LOTR trilogy that range from heroic, to heavy pounding menacing, to beautiful European opera, to just plan heavy powerful music. One thing in think the fellowship of the rings score had going for it was no one saw that score coming in completely stunned people with a greatly original and well written the score was.

[burrowsshreds]

@isasooner5 I think though it's pretty obvious that Shore took several ideas from Williams. One could argue yes that the LOTR is better than SW (I love them both, but I personally pick SW), but it's quite obvious that Williams is the better composer.

[isasooner5]

@burrowsshreds I think the SW score was completely original no doubt. but I'm just not a huge fan of that type of orchestral music that fast-paced score that for the most part sounds like the score from a a children's family movie or a cartoon. Like i said before LOTR score was in the tradition of a dramatic film score very heavy and powerful. Maybe it's the sci-fi genre that SW is makes that the case. LOTR's score just resonates more and is more resounding and prominent to me.

[isasooner5]

@isasooner5 Me personally I prefer more heavy dramatic powerful scores. like Thomas Newman the shawshank redemption or road to perdition or hans zimmers Gladiator and the last samurai. Everyone is forgetting about Thomas Newman. Me personally I like Newmans scores over john Williams.

[burrowsshreds]

@isasooner5 No doubt, both are extremely powerful (even if you don't like the prequels, most of the music is really dark and tragic). It's all just a matter of taste. I'd still say Williams is the better composer, because of Jaws, Indiana Jones, ET, Jurassic Park, Catch Me If You Can, Saving Private Ryan, and of course, Schindler's List and Star Wars. Shore is great no doubt, but Williams is the master. LOTR trumps Harry Potter, that's just a no-brainer.

[isasooner5]

@burrowsshreds I agree with you in a sense but I really don't like the scores of any of those movies like Indiana Jones, ET, or Jurassic park for the same reasons, their just too lighthearted and adventurous and childlike scores.John Williams is known for those type of scores that are good but I'm just not a fan of that type of orchestral music. Now saving private ryan and schindler's list I can enjoy. But there has been criticism of private ryans score from critics.

[burrowsshreds]

@isasooner5 Schindler's List has always been a favorite. That and the Patriot. And I understand where you're coming from. But at times (especially in the Shire), LOTR has felt very lighthearted and childlike, though the rest of the score doesn't. I've never heard Private Ryan getting big criticism, only the script. I'll look into it more. And Newman is great as well, but I'm personally more in favor of Hans Zimmer or Alan Silvestri.

[isasooner5]

@burrowsshreds Yeah the shire and the dealing with the hobbits that music is lighthearted and childlike but you expect that and its supposed to be because that's the nature of hobbits. LOTR the complete recordings score soundtrack is utterly stunning the fellowship of the ring. especially the Aragorn segments it's almost like modern western music mixed with an orchestra and the Ur-khaki that pounding menacing evil disconcerting music. and the heroic main theme.

[isasooner5]

@isasooner5 newsman's the shawshank redemption is among the most memorable and copied and influential scores in history as well. Newsman's road to perdition score was about as an original a score as you are ever going to hear. Also Marco Beltrami's 2007 Oscar nominated score for 3:10 to Yuma is completely amazing and origina.l If you haven't heard it you need to it is brilliant, one of my favorites. I listen to it all the time.

[burrowsshreds]

@isasooner5 If you really like LOTR, another score you should look into if you haven't already is that of the Princess Bride by Mark Knopfler. It's beautiful, maybe as beautiful as LOTR.

[burrowsshreds]

@isasooner5 LOTR. Both are amazing, but since Star Wars was really the one (along with Jaws) that made summer blockbusters possible, I'd rank it higher. And to add, Peter Jackson was influenced by Star Wars.

[Intranetusa]

@burrowsshreds

Uh, except the Star Wars 1-3 sucked, and Star Wars VI sucked. So there's only 2 good Star Wars movies.

[burrowsshreds]

@Intranetusa I never mentioned the prequels, you twat. And Return of the Jedi was a great movie. Sure, it's not as good as the other two (which are masterpieces), but it's still a well-made movie. Sure Lucas kind of fucked up with the Ewoks, but it's still a great movie.

[Intranetusa]

@burrowsshreds

You just compared Lord of the Rings (3 movies) with Episode VI (a single movie).

You're an idiot and you call me a twat?

Return of the Jedi was almost as bad as the prequels. And the best was Empire Strikes Back, which wasn't even directed by Lucas.

[burrowsshreds]

@Intranetusa Never did I compare Return of the Jedi with the LOTR trilogy. In fact, I think all three movies beat out ROTJ.

Everyone knows Empire's the best. Please tell me something I don't know.

How was ROTJ, besides the Ewoks, a bad movie?

[Intranetusa]

@burrowsshreds

The ewoks was a fairly good chunk of the movie. And the entire bit about the empire putting their shield generator on some random forest plant.......

[burrowsshreds]

@Intranetusa The shield generator bit wasn't a problem, seeing as the Rebellion had a hard time getting it destroyed. The Ewoks were the only bad thing in ROTJ, but it still wasn't a bad movie.

[isasooner5]

@burrowsshreds The lord of the rings trilogy I think is better than the original 1977 and 80's star wars because the LOTR films are more beautiful and heavy dramatic with the storytelling and screenplay. The cinematography, scenery and the original score is what elevates the LOTR trilogy over the star wars saga.

[isasooner5]

@isasooner5 The star wars prequels and george lucas were put to complete and utter shame by peter jackson and the LOTR trilogy back in the early 2000's.

'

[burrowsshreds]

@isasooner5 It's really, I think, the imagination of George Lucas, that in some ways, elevates Star Wars over LOTR.

[isasooner5]

@webeffect Thank you. I couldn't agree more. The Lord of the rings original score is the best piece of music I've ever heard period. All three particularly the fellowship of the ring. The lotr Music is much much more deep heavy dramatic, heroic and beautiful music compared to the star wars films original score. Also I think LOTR is the most diverse score I've ever heard.

[p0llux]

The Star Wars scores are every bit as complex as the LOTR scores. If you asked Howard Shore to compose for a space adventure movie like Star Wars, I highly doubt he'd be able to write something on par with JW's Star Wars scores. If you asked John Williams to compose for a medieval fantasy score like LOTR, I actually have confidence he can write something on par with Shore's LOTR scores. But, they both set the standard for scores of their respective film genre, so the standard setting one wins.

[GGbreizh]

@webeffect I don't think this is more complex than Close Encounters of the Third Kind or even AI.

[webeffect]

@GGbreizh I don't care what you think. It's a fact. Read the textbook called "The Music of Lord of the Rings" by Doug Adams, as a starting point to learning about what the music is. In some cases, a single NOTE in the score means ten different things to anyone who knows a lot about music.

[GGbreizh]

@webeffect LotR may be a wonderful and complex soundtrack but i don't think this more complex as some of Williams scores, or other works (Heartwood, or the Cello Concerto), Shore used often the same leitmotive but he doesn't change much of the orchestration. In Star Wars, Williams uses also the same leimotive throughout the work (by definition), but he changes them a lot (the Force them in "the Throne Room and Finale" and the Force theme in "Binary sunset, by exemple).

[GGbreizh]

@webeffect I would love to discuss more with you, and to be able to say exactly what I have in mind, infortunately, I don't speak english very well, and I don't know much about music theory, and I should listen to the entire LotR soundtrack.

[webeffect]

@GGbreizh Thought that's not to demean John Williams. I'm sure if he TRIED to write an operatic style monstrosity like the Lord of the Rings, he would be successful and maybe even come close. But he hasn't attempted anything like that.

[SerahMusic]

@webeffect

Also, you "read about it in a book"? Are you for real? I think there's far too much broad comparison between Williams' Star Wars and the LOTR. Both are incredible achievements. Star Wars is much more intricate music in itself though

[webeffect]

@ThePiano1991 If he should have won for Harry Potter, he would have. You have no clue about music if you think the score to Harry Potter is a greater achievement than to Lord of the Rings! You have got to be joking.

[webeffect]

The John Williams fanboys really need to shut up. Watch or read about the music to Lord of the Rings.There is more ingenuity and complexity in 5 minutes of its score than in all of Harry Potter. I love John Williams and the Harry Potter music, but you need to get real.

[webeffect]

The Lord of the Rings scores are still being performed in dedicated concerts to sold out audiences all over the world by famous orchestras. There is not even a consideration for something like official Harry Potter concerts, If you even suggested something like that to a producer, he would laugh in your face. What does that tell you?

[alvarete66xd]

@webeffect That you're indeed an ignorant

[bpconductor2282]

@webeffect THIS IS THE DUMBEST THING IVE EVER HEARD. FIRST john williams gives his film night concert series every year and are sold out AND starwar in concert. what does that tell you? and also, the lotr concert with hopward shor did the same thing. BUT its a conert of ALL THE MOVIES. and if you looked into it im sure john williams is much more performed

[webeffect]

@bpconductor2282 And why do you think Williams has to perform ALL his movies in concert? Because not one single score of his has enough weight for audiences to want to go see it. Even LOTR: Two Towers, the least special of the three gets its own performance to sold out crowds, while the film is being projected. The ENTIRE score, of only that movie (and of the other two individually on separate nights/places) When this happens to a John Williams score, please let me know.

[bpconductor2282]

@webeffect it did actually, a few years back they played the entire score of ET with the film to a sold out audience.

[SerahMusic]

@webeffect

that lord of the rings scores are more easily adapted into concert pieces? Nothing about the intrinsic quality of the music.

[ENRIQUE881]

@ThePiano1991 no, his score wasnt the best one

[Winduct]

@ThePiano1991 Yeah but Lord of the Rings deserved it.

[ENRIQUE881]

@ThePiano1991 sorry, but here he was not competition

[webeffect]

@ThePiano1991 Um, that just proves all the more that he SHOULDN'T have won. Because he was right on the stage, the Academy would have been even more willing to give it to him. Since they didn't, even under such tempting circumstances, there must have had very good reasons to give it to another score, genius.

[TheWhiteKnight89]

@ThePiano1991 Yeah it's so tragic... Get over yourself ! Williams has won five academy awards, it's not like he is constantly being snubbed. Plus the lord of the rings is superior to Harry Potter in absolutely every single way including music.

[girolle01]

@TheWhiteKnight89 I don't think so on the music. I bet you no one would be able to recognize LOTR music almost immediately.

[nali007]

@girolle01 - and no mate the LOTR soundtrack is instantly recognizable coz its so memorable.

[girolle01]

@nali007 Maybe... I should be apologizing because I've never really listened to the soundtrack so forgive me. But I at least think it's safe to say that "Potter' would've won it had LOTR not been in contention.

[nali007]

@girolle01 - that was indeed a tough year,and true mate if not for LOTR im sure harry potter would have won it,must have been a tough choice coz potter theme also became highly popular and familiar,but in the end even i would have voted for LOTR,coz it has a epic nature behind it.