Superman Returns' Ottman to use John Williams score!

[Cannikin]

Amazon.com
John Williams's theme for 1978's Superman remains one of the most famous of the '70s, so it's both obvious and a little weird that it would feature so prominently in the score for Superman Returns: Why would director Bryan Singer and composer John Ottman so willfully compare themselves to the earlier movie? Not only does a turbocharged version of Williams's theme ("Main Titles") open the album, but the "Behind the Scenes: Superman Returns Score" featurette that's part of the CD's bonus enhanced section is all about the orchestra performing the 1978 theme. Ottman's own work thus has to unfold in the shadow projected by Williams, which is a bit unfair since, while the new score isn't revolutionary, it delivers all the pomp, triumph, and vaguely atmospheric choirs that are now de rigueur in Hollywood action films. Ottman, of course, is used to dealing with superheroes (he wrote the scores for X2: X-Men United and Fantastic Four ), but this time around he's had to reflect the essentially noble nature of his main character, and so he's come up with themes that reveal even more pomp, pathos, and atmospheric choirs than before. It's not what you'd call subtle, but it does the job. --Elisabeth Vincentelli


Here's a link to sample the rest of the tracks:
http://www.soundofsuperman.com/77654.lasso#

[Deja Q]

1. if it's "original", why use Williams' score?

Can't they make anything more original that's actually original these days?
/cynic

[NewJeffCT]

2. It's original to Superman Returns

That seems to be original enough for Hollywood these days.

[billyskank]

3. No, silly

nowadays "original" means "what that dude did before" :eyes:

[Swede]

4. This episode takes off after Superman II,

Superman has returned after disappearing for a few years. Lois Lane is not happy with him.