Bet you can’t guess who my new favorite avenger is; the title may be a bit deceiving, but you’ll figure it out.
Doctor Strange is such a cool film. I could go on and on about it and this post would be more of a movie review than a soundtrack review. So I’m going to start with the new Marvel Studios title.
My first thoughts: “Wait. Didn’t they just compose a new Marvel Studios fanfare?” Yes, they did, and Brian Tyler composed for that one. But it looks like Marvel decided to completely redo it. Rather than flipping through traditional comic books, now we see snippets of each Avenger in action as we slowly zoom out from the walls of the MARVEL letters. It’s a really cool effect, but I have to say: I liked the former logo. It was more old school and comic-book classy.
I even liked Tyler’s score for the logos better than the new fanfare (composed by Michael Giacchino). Both fanfares are similar, but the former one had an epic melody and was more horn dominant (I liked the brass, particularly at the very beginning). It’s just more epic. And I’m going to have to come up with a new word for epic. Anyways, here’s the older Marvel fanfare by Brian Tyler with the comic book flipping. I personally like this one better, but compare the two and see for yourself (you just saw the newer one up there^).
Take your pick. Looks like the logo has changed at least three times, so who knows if this new one is here to stay?
Okay, on to Doctor Strange.
The music for the first scene was awesome, and was one of the few times that the main theme for Doctor Strange played to its fullest extent: as the Ancient One is walking away from her brief skirmish with Kaecilius and his zealots: pretty much the second half of the first track called Ancient Sorcerer’s Secret has some pretty killer score by Michael Giacchino. The main theme is also played during Part 1 of the End Credits (just think of the end credits for the Star Trek movies; it’s very similar, with beautiful spacey CGI and visually stunning Inception-ist clockwork art). Skip to halfway through this track Strange Days Ahead and close your eyes to bask in the glory of the soundtrack.
I mentioned earlier that Michael Giacchino composed the new Marvel Logo fanfare. Can I also just say that Michael Giacchino has been set up to do pretty much everything?? I was just pondering how he is rising to greatness along with Zimmer and Williams with his scores for recent blockbusters, including being the first ever to compose for a Star Wars film besides John Williams (which is a heck of a big deal, I have to say here) and now here, for Doctor Strange.
All that to say, the main theme for Doctor Strange is gorgeous. It has a mystical feel to it, but it’s very similar to all the other Avengers’ movies … take the theme songs for Captain America or Iron Man.
Giacchino does very well with having a wide range of tastes and styles. Throughout the movie Doctor Strange, the tune for the main theme was played with a harpsicord solo, which is simply awesome hands down if you ask me. It has a very baroque element to it, and so, the track is rightly named …
Go for Baroque
Throughout the movie, the main chords from the main theme is played quietly, reflectively on a piano with some orchestral background. This certain track, The Hands Dealt, is just that. It’s really a lovely song and is good for laid back listening. Me, I can’t wait for someone to arrange a piano score for this song. Maybe I’ll just have to do it myself, if my hands itch for it enough.
The Hands Dealt
If you’ve seen the movie yet, there’s a certain scene where the Ancient One sends Strange’s astrobody (a state where the soul exists apart from the body) out into … weirdness? in order to prove that the spirit does exist, when Strange denies it to her face. He goes flying around freaky and beautiful landscapes out in space, through nebulous dimensions of space and time, and the audience is sent on a journey of stunning visual effects. The music that goes with this scene, however, is just creepiness. That’s all it is. Creepiness. You don’t pay much attention to the music when you’re watching the movie, but listening to it sitting here by myself, typing this post, just gives me the shivers. It sounds as if someone warped the orchestra, and it disorients my ears.
So here. You’re welcome.
As a quick review on the movie overall, it’s one of the best things that was made. Finally, an Avengers movie that deals with the big questions about time, death, life, the universe, and everything. A movie that gives us a peak behind the scenes at what types of heros are doing with the mystical realm. A movie about magic that coincides with the real world. A tale of surrendering to nature, of not giving up, and seeing that not everything is about you (hi, Sherlock). There were some intense scenes, but lots of humor to lighten it up, which I appreciated immensely. Doctor Strange is an awesome character, and let’s not forget Christine Palmer and Wong. What’s up with Mordo? I’m definitely looking forward to the return of Doctor Strange and as to whether he’s really going to help Thor and Loki find their father and return to Asgard in the next film? (End credit spoiler.) I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
What did you think of the movie, assuming you’ve seen it yet? How would you compare it with other Marvel movies? Your thoughts on the soundtrack? Opinions, comments, you know they’re all appreciated.
Thanks for reading.
Drive safely, everyone.
