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Possible movie composer?

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 12:13 am
by tharpdevenport
Well, at a message board I post at, someone brought up this composer and while looking threw his credits...

http://www.chriswalden.com/page.htm

Click on Music Samples and then at the top of the list there is the section Film Scores - the last cue is Knight Rider!

And what's more? It says:
(new version)
I e-mailed the composer, but got no response.

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 1:58 am
by CB2001
Let's not get our hopes up. For all we know, those are just examples he's constructed based off of those media projects (he could be a "Knight Rider" fan at heart and decided to do one), like the Papa Wheelie version that was posted here a while back.

Besides, the last time we heard from David and Glen about the project, they were still writing it. The track sounds like its based during an action sequence. Which means either of these possibilities: 1. That Glen and David gave him a copy of the script to compose the movie (which some directors like M. Night Shyamalan did with his film "Unbreakable", but is doubtful in this case because normally its a copy of the final script the director gives to the composer while they are in pre-production). 2. Glen and David lied to us about their progression and they are well in the middle or towards the end of the preproduction stage. 3. That this is just a sample, seeing that the composer is German, and a lot of Germans dig Hasselhoff, so he makes a "Knight Rider" track to submit to David and Glen so he could be considered to do the score of the film.

Besides, I think that it would be sloppy on the behalf of the production company to allow a composer to release a track for the score out onto the Internet when the movie hasn't even begun production. And his IMDb page doesn't list "Knight Rider" for either (2005) or Currently in Production 2005. Check for yourself: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0907065/

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 2:03 am
by Toni Nummela
VERY nice find! Man those distorted guitars rock behind the theme!

The direct link:
http://www.chriswalden.com/audio/KnightRider.mp3

This is almost perfectly the style I hoped the movie's soundtrack would be done. They should add a little more punch to the programmed drums and it's perfect (IMHO).

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 2:38 am
by HondaSiR
Toni Nummela wrote:VERY nice find! Man those distorted guitars rock behind the theme!

This is almost perfectly the style I hoped the movie's soundtrack would be done. They should add a little more punch to the programmed drums and it's perfect (IMHO).
I agree, the music is done in a surprisingly movie like feel. The composer has good taste. Well, the title theme is here, now all there is left to do is do the actual movie. :wink:

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 2:49 am
by CB2001
I agree, the track is good. But still...

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 6:36 am
by Army_F_Body
Cool track. Too dramatic, however.

I always loved Basel Poledouris. He did the music for Robocop, Cherry 2000 and Starship Troopers. Then there's Jan Hammer.

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 1:34 pm
by Brian99_1
Hi folks

I hate to burst eveyones bubble here but as Film scores are my main hobby I did some checking up on Chris Walden. It appears that he has worked on at least one of David Hasselhoff's albums called "David Hasselhoff Sings America"
and there is a limited fan editon of this disc with a Bonus track
http://www.paidspace.de/modules.php?nam ... B00016PO6S
16. BONUS: Knight Rider Theme (Orchestral Version)
I would assume that the sample heard on Walden's site would be this.

But I agree he would be good for the movie and with his connection to Hasselhoff already established he may have a foot in the door but that is usually chosen by the director or can be vetoed by the producers

Brian99_1

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 5:37 pm
by CB2001
Brian99_1 wrote:Hi folks

I hate to burst eveyones bubble here but as Film scores are my main hobby I did some checking up on Chris Walden. It appears that he has worked on at least one of David Hasselhoff's albums called "David Hasselhoff Sings America"
and there is a limited fan editon of this disc with a Bonus track
http://www.paidspace.de/modules.php?nam ... B00016PO6S
16. BONUS: Knight Rider Theme (Orchestral Version)
I would assume that the sample heard on Walden's site would be this.

But I agree he would be good for the movie and with his connection to Hasselhoff already established he may have a foot in the door but that is usually chosen by the director or can be vetoed by the producers

Brian99_1
Unless we can hear the actual track fron the site that you mention, we cannot be sure of ANYTHING.

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 6:03 pm
by Brian99_1
CB2001
So we need someone with that disc then to verfy.
But I wouldn't hold your breath since we know he worked on that album of Hasselhoff's and that film scores are NOT recorded before a film.

Even if it's a demo the chances of a Big Studio using a relative newcomer is unlikely especially for the re-surgance of a franchise, Look at what they did with Hanz Zimmer and Thunderbirds. Well known composer and Mediocre score (IMHO) and most people who do demos like this don't get the job. It usually ends up with a more experienced composer.(depending on the director of course)

One exception I can think of is David Arnold who before becoming the resident composer on the James Bond films did an album called shaken and stirred with all James Bond Covers of John Barry's themes, which showed some of the style he would later use and is basically what got him the job but by then he had already scored some major action films IE: Stargate, Independance Day


Brian99_1 - who is sure he knows tharpdevenport from one of those other sites.

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 6:12 pm
by FuzzieDice
When I heard the track, it reminded me of a movie based on a cartoon type thing, almost expecting to see spiderman, superman, batman, the joker, or even Scooby Doo and gang pop out at any moment. :)

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 6:18 pm
by Michael Pajaro
This one's easy. It's the same track from Hasselhoff's album, and you can even get it from iTunes. (spend the 99 cents and give Hasselhoff's popularity an extra boost.)

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 6:25 pm
by LadyV2000
i thought that piece sounded pretty cool. i like when new aged stuff is mixed with classical sounds

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 7:18 pm
by CB2001
Brian99_1 wrote:CB2001
So we need someone with that disc then to verfy.
But I wouldn't hold your breath since we know he worked on that album of Hasselhoff's and that film scores are NOT recorded before a film.
As I've stated before, for M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable", James Newton Howard was given a script and a concept and he composed the score for the film based off the script alone, not a single shot of the film having to have been done before (which means a score could be written before the film is made). For the concept, Shyamalan told Howard that he wanted the score to have a "singular" quality to it, which means that after hearing a few keys to it, you'd know right away that it's the score to "Unbreakable". And with that, the score for "Unbreakable" became one of my favorites. The only downfall to it was that when "A Beautiful Mind" used the score for some of the TV commercials, I immediately thought of "Unbreakable" instead of paying attention to the commercials (I mean, how would a fan of "Knight Rider" not think of "Knight Rider" if they included a segment of the opening theme for a "Dukes of Hazzard" movie trailer, or in some kind of commercial for a film meant to be "the next Matrix" or something like that?).

But since Michael has in fact confirmed the track is from Hasselhoff's album, it doesn't mean that David hasn't forgot about him. Maybe he would remember him for the score. Of course, I would prefer Moby to do the score (his music includes a few real instruments to go along with the techno portion of the song, including guitar and drums. So, him including an orchestra style instruments into his music music doesn't seem too far off base).

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:40 pm
by Brian99_1
CB2001
I would be very interested to know where you got the information on Unbreakable.
I’ve read tons of reviews on it (since I too have that in my collection) and I've never seen anything about it being written from the script. If it was indeed written from the script it must have been heavily edited to fit the film before the scoring session because it does match the film quite well and that is one thing I've not seen happen from reading a script. Most composers need the actual film, because most things are written to happen on cue and are timed out meticulously. The only thing I can see being written from the script might be the sketches for the themes which can be quite common

I've heard of things being written while being shot and if JNH had dailies to write from that's another thing altogether, This of course has been done before on films with little or no postproduction time. (In fact that's the reason sometimes score CD's only contain the first part of the film because it's being written and recorded AS it's being shot and the record companies want the disc out when the marketing campaign for the movie comes out.) The normal practise for films as I'm sure you know is to have a spotting session with perhaps the script and a rough edit of the film or dailies sewn together to resemble the film and mock-ups of the effects or storyboards. The composer goes off while the film is being completed and writes the score the scoring session usually take places near the end of post production so most of the editing and effects are done and the music can be recorded to match up as close as possible without too much editing (although that is almost ALWAYS necessary especially on a George Lucas movie)

Anyway I’m just curious to know where you read this info on unbreakable I would be very interested in reading it?
and regardless of who scores the Knight Rider film I can’t wait to hear what they come up with as long as it’s not Hans Zimmer and what used to be Media Ventures
Brian99_1

Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2005 10:26 pm
by tkr9
HANS ZIMMER!

Need I say more.

Wow, I've been away from this forum for a year and a half. Nice to be back. Anyone miss me? :?

Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2005 10:39 pm
by CB2001
Brian99_1 wrote:CB2001
I would be very interested to know where you got the information on Unbreakable.
I’ve read tons of reviews on it (since I too have that in my collection) and I've never seen anything about it being written from the script. If it was indeed written from the script it must have been heavily edited to fit the film before the scoring session because it does match the film quite well and that is one thing I've not seen happen from reading a script. Most composers need the actual film, because most things are written to happen on cue and are timed out meticulously. The only thing I can see being written from the script might be the sketches for the themes which can be quite common

I've heard of things being written while being shot and if JNH had dailies to write from that's another thing altogether, This of course has been done before on films with little or no postproduction time. (In fact that's the reason sometimes score CD's only contain the first part of the film because it's being written and recorded AS it's being shot and the record companies want the disc out when the marketing campaign for the movie comes out.) The normal practise for films as I'm sure you know is to have a spotting session with perhaps the script and a rough edit of the film or dailies sewn together to resemble the film and mock-ups of the effects or storyboards. The composer goes off while the film is being completed and writes the score the scoring session usually take places near the end of post production so most of the editing and effects are done and the music can be recorded to match up as close as possible without too much editing (although that is almost ALWAYS necessary especially on a George Lucas movie)

Anyway I’m just curious to know where you read this info on unbreakable I would be very interested in reading it?
and regardless of who scores the Knight Rider film I can’t wait to hear what they come up with as long as it’s not Hans Zimmer and what used to be Media Ventures
Brian99_1
Brian99_1
The source of my information on the score of the film being made from the scripted is from the second disk of the "Unbreakable" DVD release. On the second disk, they have a making-of featurette that breaks down each of the elements of the film, from the story, the casting, the design of the charactters appearances and the use of colors, the use of shots that appear to be framed as if they were "a comic book" without doing any coverage and in one take. When it comes to the score, M. Night explains that he gave the script to Newton and he began composing the score from the script. Later on, for "Signs", M. Night gave Newton the storyboards for the film and he composed the movie that way.

Also, its not really uncommon for films to have the scores done first before the film is shot. The first act of "2001: A Space Odyessy was filmed in time to the music the movie uses (I know those particular ques were not composed for the film, but it still counts). Alejandro Amenábar actually composed the score and would play it while filming for the actors in the movie "The Others" (there is actual footage of him playing the music while they are shooting the scene featued on the DVD).

Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2005 10:41 pm
by tkr9
HANS ZIMMER...

Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 10:49 pm
by Alex T.
I love Chris Waldens version of the KR theme. But I must hear the full song? Anyone have the full version?

...

Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:13 pm
by tharpdevenport
Could be Brian99_1, I post at a few film score message boards.

Usually under my real name: Justin Boggan

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:37 am
by Brian99_1
tharpdevenport
I know which one it is... its Jwfan.net
we are both long time members there, altough I haven't posted in a long time.

I have the FULL version of the KR theme Movie Version

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 3:09 am
by Dave Knight
I have the FULL version (thanks to my free iTunes song download bottle cap code :D ) if anybody here has a way to host it online id be HAPPY to supply it. its only 1min 19 seconds long but it sounds pretty damn cool.

Re: I have the FULL version of the KR theme Movie Version

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 3:49 am
by Army_F_Body
Dave Knight wrote:I have the FULL version (thanks to my free iTunes song download bottle cap code :D ) if anybody here has a way to host it online id be HAPPY to supply it. its only 1min 19 seconds long but it sounds pretty damn cool.
That's how I got mine too!

I was sitting in class enjoying my Diet Pepsi and saw that I had one. This song immediately came to mind.

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:23 am
by Lyn
It's really too bad that we Americans don't give a crap about D. Hasselhoff's music at all....

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:36 pm
by Knightuser
It's amazing! :D

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:10 pm
by Phoenix915
As soon as I read this topic, I immediately grabbed my sister's Mountain Dew and took it over to the computer. :D

Anyway, now I have the 'classical' version of the Knight Rider theme. It kicks seven kinds of butt. :P