Is it time to create a new "James Bond Theme"

[Jamesdude]

Ahh the classic Bond theme, written originaly for Dr No by Monty Norman.

But lately ive been thinking that it has been long overdue for the Bond franchise to have a new theme music, i cant be the only Bond fan that thinks the classic theme has gotten stale this time around, i even rolled my eyes when the theme began playing in Skyfall during the Aston Martin scenes.

[Omega]

Craig movies seem to only use it to say see he's bond now ! I enjoyed it in the dalton Brosnan movies IMO it's for Craig to have his own theme music something depressing and who ever is bond next can get his own theme closer to the character. Once upon a fine I'd argue Bond theme united all the Bonds keeping them the same yet unique. Craig isn't so I guess go for it


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[Barry Niven]

The classic James Bond theme only sounds stale because the recent comPOSERs have so little imagination or interest in giving it the proper respect it deserves. Unfortunately, it's been that way for close to TWENTY Years now, which makes me more likely to agree with the idea of retiring the theme if it's lost its capacity for excitement (though I'm just as pessimistic that a NEW theme will be any better given the same lack of inspiration available to create one).

To wit, after Michael Kamen's spirited showing in Licence to Kill, Eric Serra had so little regard for using it in Goldeneye that not only was his only attempt a tuneless, mechanical dirge in the Gunbarrel (the absolute WORST time to drop the ball when reviving both the series AND introducing the eagerly-awaited Pierce Brosnan as The New James Bond), an outsider (John Altman) was brought in to punch up the Theme for the Big Tank Chase. And when David Arnold's empty-posturing as the "second-coming of John Barry" came around, all he did IMO was play The James Bond Theme over & over again, only Louder & LOUDER to make everyone know that This Was A James Bond Movie With James Bond Doing James Bond Stuff. As for that Thomas Newman person, his work didn't resonate with me at all on SkyAwful, which made its Oscar Nomination for Best Original Score all the more idiotic (at least it didn't WIN).

So unless the Bond theme is played by John Barry and other actual composers who are all capable of giving it variation and vitality (George Martin, Marvin Hamlisch, even Bill Conti, despite his score for FYEO being much-maligned at the time), I don't see much use in hearing it in another "New Bond" movie ever again if it's just going to be rendered inert or dragged out for nostalgia-pandering.

But not Monty Norman himself, as his version (or more accurately, bit) that's actually heard as part of his horribly outdated and AWFUL score for Dr. No (when Bond beats up the fake Government House driver and stabs the lone guard in the Crab Key swamps with Honey's knife) sounds terrible. Compare that to the "rendition" by the John Barry Orchestra (the Title Credits, when Sean Connery's Bond is introduced, arrives in Jamaica, and just plain strolls around being cool), and I have little doubt who was really responsible for making that unique piece of music come to life.

Then again, I just don't like Monty Norman. Not just for the unfairness of the decision to give HIM sole credit so he could just sit on his ass collecting royalties while John Barry did all the work building up the Legacy of the Bond Movies' distinctive music for 25 Years (with even his attempt at creating his own theme, "007", falling by the wayside with only five movies to feature it: FRWL, TB, YOLT, DAF & MR), but because in every TV interview Norman appeared in to boast about his Proudest Achievement, he comes off as a smug, self-satisfied git throwing his weight around like he's some kind of a Genius when he's really just a HACK who got lucky. So if the Craggy-Bond movies never use The James Bond Theme ever again, then I call that a GOOD thing because it means the "Great" Monty Norman won't get paid his royalties anymore. And then maybe we can all forget about him, too.

[Kristatos]

I think they should go with the original plan and use Underneath the Mango Tree as the James Bond theme.

[Daltonite Toothpaste]

No. For 40 years it was an iconic piece of music, no matter who was Bond, the Bond theme was there. EON need to bring Bond back with the theme, so that's when the next actor is cast then...

[Count_Lippe]

Regarding the score for Dr No, a piece of that was also used in FRWL actually when the boats chasing 007 and Tanya blew up, not bad that piece of music though.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do8uiNlNq84[/video]

[Barry Niven]

I don't agree. I think it sounds just as bad (and worse, DATED) as the bit I mentioned before. If anything, it validates my belief that Monty Norman's abilities were so limited and weak that if that bit is ALL he could come up with on his own for his contribution in "writing" the James Bond Theme, then John Barry was the True Talent to have completed the Theme as a whole. And then make it sound different and vibrant each time he did a variation of it for his other 11 Bond scores, while adding MANY memorable and worthy themes of his own.

And just to stick it to that douchebag Norman, when THE James Bond Theme was reprised for the last of the 1960's Bond movies to heighten the excitement level of key action scenes (Little Nellie vs. the SPECTRE helicopters in YOLT, the Piz Gloria Attack in OHMSS), it was Barry's "performance" that was used simply because it was the most recognizable and just plain BETTER. It's as simple as that.

[Kristatos]

When Idris Elba becomes Bond, he might want to bring some of his choons with him

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MON1I22DEEo[/video]

[Count_Lippe]

Monty Norman at a younger age, he looks a bit slimy.

[Kristatos]

He was from Swindon?

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[Dr. No]

I like the Bond theme problem is Arnold when he used it poured it on. DAD it was used for every other moment (it seemed). The theme is important as a signature sound the older Bond music was interesting better composed. Not a knock any of the new composers they are doing teh job in the new century meeting the expectations of the audience they are making it for. IMO its not as good not that they are not capable of matching the Bond greats.

[dirtybenny]

I was listening to the DR. NO soundtrack this weekend wan was reminded how rich and full this song can be when performed by a full orchestra as Berry did for the early movies. It has become flat and uninspiring recently much like the films themselves that is when the actually put it in the movie at all.

On the subject of new Bond theme I think the theme for On Her Majesty's Secret Service was supposed to be a new theme as it was heavily used in action sequences in that movie with the "Bond Theme" only used once when Lazenby was sliding on the ice firing his machine gun during the assault on Piz Gloria.

[Jamesdude]

I was listening to the DR. NO soundtrack this weekend wan was reminded how rich and full this song can be when performed by a full orchestra as Berry did for the early movies. It has become flat and uninspiring recently much like the films themselves that is when the actually put it in the movie at all.

On the subject of new Bond theme I think the theme for On Her Majesty's Secret Service was supposed to be a new theme as it was heavily used in action sequences in that movie with the "Bond Theme" only used once when Lazenby was sliding on the ice firing his machine gun during the assault on Piz Gloria.

You may be right because Barry reused the OHMSS theme as a base for the score in A View To a Kill.

[commander0077again]

Have to put a strong vote that when John Barry touched the music, it became something else. To focus on the actual Bond theme, it's simply a classic rift that hasn't been touched in the history of cinema for an adventure hero's theme (or any other film theme). To have a new theme would be like re-inventing the wheel. The probability of another composer creating a more timeless theme must be 1 in 10^2000 or so! Paul McCartney's LALD opening chords would make a nice theme, though (it was featured in Shrek, btw), simple and dramatic. While the present 'Bond' films are no longer worthy of the name, the theme should be put on ice until they bring back the real Bond. Then we can get excited again when he walks onscreen and says, "the name's Bond ...."

[commander0077again]

PS, Let and Let Die opening chords are reminiscent of the Bond theme.