The Dark Knight Little interview with Hans Zimmer about Joker theme

[Marx]

I don't know about that - it didn't seem like a theme to me (or two distinct notes, for that matter). It sounded more like a recording slowing down to nothing - kind of a representation of everything coming to a stop when Joker shows up.

Who knows if it'll be used outside the trailer.

It was such a quick sound, it's hard to say.

 

[The Battousai]

That's possible as well, got pumped up, it's creepy sounding either way.

It was effective, to be sure

 

[Commodore Schmidlapp]

I just thought it was worth discussing

 

[FinchersGhost]

Isn't that just one note that slows to a stop? Its so hard to tell with the audio quality here.

 

[Mr. Superhero]

I actually thought that the "slowing down" movement in the trailer was part of the actual Joker theme. If you repeat the tune a couple of times, it does sound like a very creepy and twisted theme. Plus, it's a two-note motif, as described by Hans Zimmer.

It's possible, methinks.

 

[perry normal]

I've always thought that Tom Waits could score one hell of a Joker theme. Half of his stuff already sounds like twisted carnival music and the musings on death and insanity are a bonus. At the very least, Joker would probably be a Waits fan.

 

[CJWilkie]

I don't think that the "slowing down" was part of the Joker Theme. It's just a massively synthesised "stop" of the music to allow for the punch of "Goooood Eeeeevening..."

besides I've read places (don't remember where) that recording starts in May and JNH and HZ have been trying to nail the Joker's theme...which is interesting. So yeah, I don't thing that's what you hear in the trailer.

 

[Keyser Soze]

For some reason, whenever I hear about this Joker theme, that opening note from "There Will Be Blood" springs to mind.

www.therewillbeblood.com

 

[Marx]

For some reason, whenever I hear about this Joker theme, that opening note from "There Will Be Blood" springs to mind.

www.therewillbeblood.com

I loved that score!

 

[turtlefocker]

"Batman Begins" - My In-Depth Review

OT: Just read your review. Wonderful stuff. Can't wait to hear your opinion of TDK.

 

[Yurka]

For some reason, whenever I hear about this Joker theme, that opening note from "There Will Be Blood" springs to mind.

www.therewillbeblood.com

I knew I wasn't the only one who would think that.

 

[Keyser Soze]

OT: Just read your review. Wonderful stuff. Can't wait to hear your opinion of TDK.

Thanks! t:

 

[FinchersGhost]

The theme from TWBB is very un-nerving. As much as I loved it for that film, I'm not sure I'd enjoy something akin to it in TDK.

 

[FatherMerrin]

While Zimmer did spawn a whole school of horrible hacks with his Media Ventures, and is therefore responsible for at least some of all the awful and ear-hurting scores that they wrote ("Pirates of the Caribbean"... shudder), he himself is still able to often compose a decent score. And he's actually at his best when he sticks to minimalistic themes and electronics - in "Black Rain", for instance. As for minimalistic music, Carpenter is one thing, but the skeleton of Shirley Walker's theme for the Penguin is comprised of essentially two notes - and yet it's the best recurrent motif in the entire animated series: http://download.yousendit.com/EB9AFE8707F7A77D

 

[Keyser Soze]

The theme from TWBB is very un-nerving. As much as I loved it for that film, I'm not sure I'd enjoy something akin to it in TDK.

I dunno. I think that hundred-bees note from the opening of "There Will Be Blood" would have made for an awesome fade-in to Gotham City for the prologue at the start.

 

[FinchersGhost]

I dunno. I think that hundred-bees note from the opening of "There Will Be Blood" would have made for an awesome fade-in to Gotham City for the prologue at the start.

I think the opening was close to that, actually. Only electronically synthesized.

And does anyone else hear the theme from Signs when hearing TWWB?

 

[Yurka]

I dunno. I think that hundred-bees note from the opening of "There Will Be Blood" would have made for an awesome fade-in to Gotham City for the prologue at the start.

Have you heard the track "Stranded The Line" off of the TWWB score?
I think that has the most "Jokerish" feel.

 

[CJWilkie]

While Zimmer did spawn a whole school of horrible hacks with his Media Ventures, and is therefore responsible for at least some of all the awful and ear-hurting scores that they wrote ("Pirates of the Caribbean"... shudder), he himself is still able to often compose a decent score. And he's actually at his best when he sticks to minimalistic themes and electronics - in "Black Rain", for instance. As for minimalistic music, Carpenter is one thing, but the skeleton of Shirley Walker's theme for the Penguin is comprised of essentially two notes - and yet it's the best recurrent motif in the entire animated series: http://download.yousendit.com/EB9AFE8707F7A77D

Pirates 1 was trashy and fun thematics, though it was Klaus Badelt composing around Zimmer's themes.
Pirates 2 had a couple of good themes otherwise very mediocre.
Pirates 3 had one of my favourite scores and shows that HZ can manipulate and create themes brilliantly, so I have a lot of confidence for The Dark Knight.

My two cents

 

[Anita18]

But Begins DID have a sad theme. Listen to Lasirius on the Begins track. It's so sad it brought tears to my eyes. I'm not joking, it did.

It does for me too. It's one of the saddest tracks I've heard.

It just doesn't appear in the movie anywhere, aside from that held crescendo at the very end.

Pirates 1 was trashy and fun thematics, though it was Klaus Badelt composing around Zimmer's themes.
Pirates 2 had a couple of good themes otherwise very mediocre.
Pirates 3 had one of my favourite scores and shows that HZ can manipulate and create themes brilliantly, so I have a lot of confidence for The Dark Knight.

My two cents

The scores for the POTC movies were pretty fun, although I thought the POTC2 theme for the Kraken was absolutely atrocious.

 

[JaD]

After seeing the official trailer in hi-res and hearing that eerie bell sound during the logos, I'm thinking that's the Joker's theme. That sound grabbed me when the trailer began, before anything else did, honestly.

 

[sasquatchs]

I've said it before but the first 30 seconds of Nycteris would work quite well I think, don't now why such a creepy track was used for the gadget scene

 

[Frank Noir]

I've said it before but the first 30 seconds of Nycteris would work quite well I think, don't now why such a creepy track was used for the gadget scene

Yes, I fully agree with you. It's very sinister sounding. And later the string part consists of two notes (Nycteris 0:53 - 1:07).

 

[JaD]

Just listened to what you guys were mentioning (Nycteris) Couldn't agree with you more, very dark and sinister like you said. When I was listening to the part you pointed out Frank, I was thinking of the Joker sticking his body out of the cop car. Like if there wasn't too much background sound with the sirens it fits pretty well

 

[CJWilkie]

After seeing the official trailer in hi-res and hearing that eerie bell sound during the logos, I'm thinking that's the Joker's theme. That sound grabbed me when the trailer began, before anything else did, honestly.

eerie bell sound? during the logos? during the opening logos it sounds pretty much just like a straight segment from Vespertilio (the opening BB track)...I don't know what you mean by bells...

 

[JaD]

eerie bell sound? during the logos? during the opening logos it sounds pretty much just like a straight segment from Vespertilio (the opening BB track)...I don't know what you mean by bells...

Oh no I'm talking about the new trailer