Nobody Does It Better (1998 TV, James Bond Documentary) - John Barry, David Arnold

[@sash9249]

John Barry is, was and will always be a legend. He defined modern spy music for generations of cinema. David Arnold was actually suggested by Barry to take over as composer for Bond and did a fine job. Towards the end of his run Arnold really captured the spirit, romance and cinematic quality that John gave them. And there are some damn fine tunes there. Casino Royale in particular had an amazing Barry-esque score.

[@gkgyver]

John Barry didn't just create Bond, he created a whole genre.

[@agm9525]

His music is old fashioned, khaled hammad is better than him. Khaled hammad is the best film composer of all time. His music is advanced. Check him out

[@gkgyver]

@@agm9525 Sit down, punk.

[@michaelbarlow7777]

Critics don't realize that to say that a composer's music is "old-fashioned" is in reality actually a compliment because that music from earlier eras in music history is so vastly superior to absolute trash, so-called "music" of today! A lot of modern "music fans" are totally clueless as to what actually constitutes great, memorable music!

[@patzumbrunn]

John Barry is and stays one of my biggest influences and one of my biggest hero. Thanx a lot for your work 🫶🏻🙌🏻

[@crazycatfish183]

Barry was a genius, completely set the style and helped elevate the music which stands the test of time. He should have joint credit for the Bond theme imo because he turned something very forgettable and pretty unusable into something iconic. He also did plenty of other iconic scores like Zulu, Out of Africa, Born Free, Midnight Cowboy, Dances with Wolves plus all his bond themes. Just listening to the latest Eilish soundtrack and it couldnt exist without all the work Barry did in establishing the sound.

[@remuso287]

@ 3:50 nuf said. The idea from Norman had nothing to do with the end result.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

@@remuso287 No, not "nuf said." The main melody of the James Bond Theme can clearly be heard in Norman's idea. He knew enough to recognize that the Indian style of the song he wrote was wrong for Bond, so he split the notes of the melody, which gave him the main riff of the theme. Stop trying to discredit Monty. He even considers John Barry's arrangement the definitive version of the theme.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

It's not "forgettable" or "unusable." First of all, it's a catchy song that does a good job of summarizing the plot of A House for Mr. Biswas. Even I sing the lyrics while listening to the James Bond Theme from time to time. Second, Monty Norman recognized that the Indian style of the song would be wrong for Bond, so he split the notes of the melody and got the main riff of the theme. He was able to adapt the song to what the movie required, so it wasn't "unusable." And third, Norman considers John Barry's arrangement to be the definitive version of the theme.

[@taroman7100]

I get lost in his eyes. He is eternal.

[@nigelwilliams9307]

Norman is irrelevant.

[@sombojoe]

When I was a teenager cable TV first came out and I saw The Spy Who Loved Me 27 times!

[@taroman7100]

It's my favorite too! Barbara Bach, so gorgeous. The locations were spectacular.

[@2wheelspy]

I remember watching this when it came out 1998. Can’t believe it’s over 20 years now. Great moonraker cover.

[@martinhumble]

Thanks John Barry for all the work on Bond. Nobody does it better! He was involved in the theme songs, and wrote most of the film scores for the orchestra. You can really hear the difference between the writers demos and the end result post-Barry. He really keeps the tone of the many films together. I guess McCartney decided most over the great theme song for the dated Live and let die, but was a major part in others. Some favourites are the massively underrated OHMSS - both the instrumental and the fantastic All the time in the world - Armstrong's last recording.... Then, patriculary, Diamonds are forever - though not even Bassey could save that film... Then Goldfinger, For your eyes only (Under Arnold though), The living daylights ( Scandinavians can't fail 🇳🇴,☺️) - though Barry had to fight for improving the song. License to kill (to kill!), and (yes) A view to a kill - in which Barry gave in to letting Duran Duran keep a note he disliked. My only letdown was that ABBA 🇸🇪wasn't brought in and replaced the forgettable All time high - plus that we could have heard a demo of the sooth Moonraker with Sinatra - as originally planned. Then after Barry, Arnold (sounding it's era, but competent) and Kamen came the bad ones, except 1999. IMO offcourse... Regarding the overall orchestrected themes the haunting You only live twice, OHMSS and A view to a kill ("Stacey meets Bond" f.e) are favourites of mine. Sure, orchestrected overall themes were kept after Dalton, and in the very good Bassey-inspired GoldenEye theme song. But Barry incorporated the songs into an arch which makes his scores more timeless than the later ones. Doing something"new" often gets old the year after. Great films ( not counting 71-74), great and really great actors and actresses (Diana Rigg❤️). And.... The music. Well Barry's anyway... May I press you a cucumber sandwich? high.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

Calling something "dated" is a detracting and superficial way of pointing out its age, a factor which should not be considered an imperfection. Imagine making a movie in 1973, just to call it "dated" over 40 years later. You're essentially saying that it's too indicative of its time period to be good, which is kooky talk. And no, Live and Let Die is not "dated." Like all other Bond films, it took its plot from the here and now. Not to mention, it started Roger Moore's tenure off with a bang. Shirley Bassey didn't need to save Diamonds Are Forever, because that film is fine as is. All Time High is nowhere near forgettable. "Doing something"new" often gets old the year after." Speak for yourself. That is a superficial criticism that should not be considered an imperfection. Incorporating new (no need to put that word in quotes) elements adds more kick and variety. "Great films ( not counting 71-74)"? That's doing those films a massive disservice. They're fun and perfectly set the tone for the Roger Moore era.

[@bowler8]

End of an era when JB died, no one will ever match him.

[@taroman7100]

I love his eyes. They expose his soul and intelligence.

[@LFOVCF]

They said that a few times before

[@stephenborsbey4350]

some good old photos of john that i havent seen before.

[@robertjordan5653]

If Tom Jones fainted after singing Thunderball...that's the best thing ever!!! LOL...

[@taroman7100]

I never got into Tom Jones he was so cheesy. But I like Thunderball.

[@pikiwiki]

Barry: "I was paid 250 pounds, incidentally."

[@sicboi]

Barry, besides the bombastic scores for action films and the Bond films, produced some of the most moving and romantic scores as well in Dances With Wolves, Indecent Proposal.

[@HaFannyHa]

How about Beat Girl?!?!? That theme is a blast!

[@raadzeki1352]

First song I admired was its unusual.

[@raadzeki1352]

Life short & there is no time

[@raadzeki1352]

There are power instruments. Ro.ance instrument ect

[@intrepidman222]

Geez...how old is Don Black? He still looks like a kid.

[@markthomas8018]

why is David Arnold not an A list movie composer today? I don't understand why he is only doing the occasional TV movie now.

[@GnCFilms]

This was originally on French TV but there's no French speaking and English credits. Does anyone know who made it and why? Thanks for sharing it, though - it was very interesting to see the recording sessions.

[@gkgyver]

After the wide criticism GoldenEye received for it's score, they most likely made this to show they cared about the music.

[@ikklepip]

@@gkgyver Martin Campbell wasn’t impressed with the score either - he mentioned it in a watch along audio commentary on KZbin.

[@Westonelm]

@GavSalkeld Google the following for details---------> Nobody Does It Better: The Music of James Bond (1997) IMDB. (The voice of narrator Emmanuel Jacomy ("Narrateur Emmanuel Jacomy voix française de James Bond") ---->see towards end was added for French viewing just like the title "Les musiques de James Bond" at the start ).

[@annnee6818]

I always wondered about the goldfinger title sequence... couldn't they find a nicer hand?

[@mikeperth1136]

No mention of Vic Flick? !!

[@therealKINDLE]

No. I couldn't. And that's the point really. No one could ever match the integrity of John Barry. People will be humming the melodies of Barry’s Bond Scores for generations. Who remembers Arnolds? He’s a decent composer, sure, Play Dead with Björk is a stunning piece. But why did he not stick with his own style? Now, Thomas Newman will show everyone how it’s done! He will blow us away! Watch! He won't copy anyone. He will change how films are scored again. Like he did with American Beauty.

[@agm9525]

I know somebody does it better, Russian Composer Khaled hammad. He is the best film composer of all time

[@raadzeki1352]

Surly u used non thetic conciousness

[@raadzeki1352]

Who am I to disagree

[@raadzeki1352]

Fux method to melody composition

[@raadzeki1352]

U expect mi to talk No o 00 I expect u 2 mort

[@raadzeki1352]

Franco Arab. Music

[@7707777]

not much about james bond,and i don't like covers of songs that has been done a 1000 times

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

It has everything to with James Bond, and don't say that you "don't like covers of songs that has been done a 1000 times." Surely, one of those 1000 must be to your liking. As evidenced in the documentary, David Arnold has reimagined Bond songs in creative ways.

[@annnee6818]

I don't like any of Bassey's title songs... there I said it.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

Your hot take is completely unwarranted and unwelcome and you have no respect for the gold standard of Bond songs whatsoever... there I said it.

[@taroman7100]

This is guy IS awful! How did he rate the session?

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

Far from “awful.”

[@raadzeki1352]

Sterio amp

[@therealKINDLE]

Barry is Hilarious! He's got such a pair of balls but talks sense! He invented the most iconic sound in Film history. Arnold just copied him, & took no real risks. What a waste though.. There's a few short words from the master who made Bond as popular as it is. The rest is arnold taking credit for covers that would fail even on the X factor.

[@intrepidman222]

George Martin: "Always, they had a good score." Yeah, Sir George, EXCEPT WHEN YOU RUINED IT. I mean, LALD was a crap movie anyway, and Sir George's music WAS interesting, but just like the movie itself had VERY LITTLE TO DO ABOUT BOND. It's as if Sir George just didn't understand what he was doing.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

No, Sir George didn't "ruin" it. He made such a varied, funky, soulful, passionate score rife with different themes, leitmotifs, and musical genres. It just screams, "Bond is ready for the 70's." In fact, I dare say it's the best soundtrack of the series. His music was and still IS interesting, and to say both the score and the movie "had VERY LITTLE TO DO ABOUT BOND" is ridiculous. Sir George incorporates the James Bond Theme throughout the score in clever ways, peppers Paul McCartney's title song into the action scenes, and overall takes what was previously established about Bond scores and added his own spin to it while mixing in more contemporary elements. After all, Live and Let Die marked the debut of a new Bond, so it makes sense that they had new sound to go with it, so Martin perfectly understood what he was doing. And it's by no means "a crap movie" that has "VERY LITTLE TO DO ABOUT BOND." You have to understand that at the time, it was believed Bond wouldn't be able to survive the more liberated 70's without Sean Connery, so they were looking to reinvent the character. The film was released during the height of the blaxploitation era, and many blaxploitation archetypes and clichés are depicted in the film, including derogatory racial epithets ("honky"), black gangsters, and pimpmobiles. It departs from the former plots of the James Bond films about megalomaniac super-villains, and instead focuses on drug trafficking, a common theme of blaxploitation films of the period. It is set in African-American cultural centres such as Harlem and New Orleans, as well as the Caribbean Islands. It was also the first James Bond film featuring an African-American Bond girl romantically involved with 007, Rosie Carver, who was played by Gloria Hendry. This effort proved to be successful and started Roger Moore's tenure as Bond off with a bang. To say that the movie "had VERY LITTLE TO DO ABOUT BOND" is completely missing the point.

[@Niftified]

Tis true. Goldeneye's music is more memorable than Arnold's. He has ruined the Bond films for me by being bland and unmemorable.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

If he "ruined" them for you, then you were never enjoying them to begin with.

[@jakemay637]

Everyone has an opinion, but to subtly insist that one's viewpoint is the end and be all ---! Eg, I like that Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan were gentlemen and great ambassadors for the Bond brand.

[@intrepidman222]

I agree with those who think David Arnold's music is overrated, if not plain crap. The music in "Skyfall" by Thomas Newman was better (still not in John Barry's league) but better than Arnold's crap music.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

David Arnold's music is not "overrated" or "plain crap." In fact, it's a lot closer to John Barry's league than Thomas Newman's music. And how neither Barry nor Arnold won a single Oscar for their Bond scores but Newman did is beyond me.

[@jambler15]

​@@imfsresidentotaku9699 Agreed. John Barry will always be the best for me. But David Arnold is second....no one else is close. Arnold's 1st two Bond movie scores are incredible....Newman's two are a big step down (plus he basically recycled key bits of his Skyfall music in Spectre).