TV : Sci-Fi : HD : English One of the best episodes of the modern era. Frightening, complicated, and emotionally resonant, this well-paced episode felt like it came straight out of some of the best eras of Classic Doctor Who. Except for one thing: the score. Watching this episode, we felt that Murray Gold's ham-fisted score was totally at odds with what was being seen on screen. Unwilling to settle for such a rare gem of an episode being compromised by such a letdown of a score, we took matters into our own hands, stripped the music away, and re-did it ourselves. We also made a couple of minor tweaks and edits to improve the flow and atmosphere of this excellent episode.
We hope that you enjoy this glimpse into what modern Doctor Who could be.
EDIT: Based on some of the comments, it seems that people are expecting this to have been redone in the style of some of the weaker eras of the classic series. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is not a Keff McCulloch 1987-style rescore. This was rescored by fans of the classic series, yes, but fans who recognize the brilliance of the classic series and see how that vision could appropriately extend into the modern era. None of us is suggesting that we air 1987 Doctor Who as is today. Instead, we are suggesting that the new series be treated with the same seriousness and maturity that the classic series was always treated with. That is what we have attempted to reflect in the score. For those of you wondering, the score is almost entirely orchestral. It is done in a very modern style, but without the over-the-top in-your-face stylings of Murray Gold. This is a score that allows the episode to lead. The score complements what is going on on screen, not the other way around. The episode is allowed to tell the story itself; the score is merely there to provide a mood. Our goal was simply to avoid the "rammed down your throat" drowning of emotion that Murray Gold was prone to; nothing more. This was not scored as a '70s or '80s style episode. This was very much scored as a modern piece of television, but without the bombastic "clatter" and "bash boom wallop" that Murray Gold so often wants to inject.
NOTE: To download a smaller, lower-quality version of this torrent, go here: http://www.demonoid.me/files/details/2752333/
I love Murray Gold's music just fine, thanks. At least it's not the score to The Sea Devils or just about anything out of the '80s (now that's something I wouldn't be heartbroken over removing). Be thankful! You'll find new appreciation for Murray Gold if you actually listen to Classic Who's "musical scoring" (I really, really hate the synthy/Casio keyboard crap). The '60s stuff at least evokes a bit of a horror mood on occasion (I'd rather listen to all 23 versions of The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon on repeat until I die rather than listen to the above soundtracks all the way through).
This makes me want to revel in Vale Decem. Murray Gold has done wonders with bringing epic orchestral musicality to the show. Few shows have *this* much elaborate scoring.
The God Complex actually had possibly the most memorable score of series 6, if only for that STUNNING music timing moment with the clown. That whole scene had one of my favorite bits of Gold's music that he's ever done. And The Life And Death of Amy Pond (along with The Sad Man With A Box/You And Me, Amy) is one of the best bits of music that came out of series 5 and greatly added to the end of The God Complex.
I have to disagree with nileqt87, Murray Gold's score was the worst thing about this episode. Some of the scenes with the Gold score just let the mood down, with comedy-esque music when we're supposed to be feeling scared. This version definitely creeps me out a lot more and makes the episode feel a lot more foreboding and atmospheric.
To be honest, I didn't think much of this episode on the whole - hell, my favourite bit was the mention of the Nimon!!!!
Gold's music is fine on the whole - in fact some of it is downright beautiful and although I agree with some of what nileqt87 says about the classic series (the Sea Devils in particular), I have to say that I like most of the 80's incidental scores until 1987 when it became a hideous jazz synth mess - which to be honest fitted in with the tone of the series at that point (i.e.bloody awful).
Based on some of the comments, it seems that people are expecting this to have been redone in the style of some of the weaker eras of the classic series. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is not a Keff McCulloch 1987-style rescore. This was rescored by fans of the classic series, yes, but fans who recognize the brilliance of the classic series and see how that vision could appropriately extend into the modern era. None of us is suggesting that we air 1987 Doctor Who as is today. Instead, we are suggesting that the new series be treated with the same seriousness and maturity that the classic series was always treated with. That is what we have attempted to reflect in the score. For those of you wondering, the score is almost entirely orchestral. It is done in a very modern style, but without the over-the-top in-your-face stylings of Murray Gold. This is a score that allows the episode to lead. The score complements what is going on on screen, not the other way around. The episode is allowed to tell the story itself; the score is merely there to provide a mood. Our goal was simply to avoid the "rammed down your throat" drowning of emotion that Murray Gold was prone to; nothing more. This was not scored as a '70s or '80s style episode. This was very much scored as a modern piece of television, but without the bombastic "clatter" and "bash boom wallop" that Murray Gold so often wants to inject.
The emotionalism is one of Murray Gold's strengths, not a weakness.
I'm a person who happens to like both the Classic and New eras of the show (if anyone recognizes me from Gallifrey Base, you know I'm a broken record on my love for Troughton and Hines--The War Games is my favorite Classic serial).
Music is one part that has definitely improved, however. (I must point out that one of my favorite "music" moments in the Classic series is The Seekers' Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen playing during Two and Jamie's mope fest in the Tricolour in The Evil of the Daleks, pt. 1 after the TARDIS gets stolen--absolutely priceless and now sadly reduced to telesnaps and audio). The most memorable music in the Classic series was usually the stock music (pretty much all that Swinging '60s stuff was stock music) or borrowed music (a fair amount of Classical and Pop music was borrowed--that hasn't changed). For once, Doctor Who has its own music written for the show that's actually memorable and character driven (and not about as musical as the backwards toilet flush Yetis--which is about the level of musicality in some of the "character themes" those composers gave the characters). Space Adventure, The Fish People and Chromophone Band are at least memorable, even if the latter two are the height of absurdity. Carey Blyton and Geoffrey Burgon were about the only two Classic-era composers that attempted to be "musical".
Big Finish now makes me very happy every time it's a Jamie audio and its got glorious bagpipes blasting on it with no apologies. If only the show thought about appropriate "character" music more often (I guess Troughton supplied his own character soundtrack with his recorder playing). Silent movie-esque music is sort of an obvious choice for Troughton and I do think The Seeds of Death's composer at least understood that his running would be watched as comedy scene. Most of the "compositions" were basically tinny mood-setters in the '60s (never intended to be listened to separately) that were trying to make the show all about horror (hence all the pounding heartbeat sounds--and the '60s Cybermen actually seemed to have their own memorable theme) and then got worse and worse until they were absolutely hideous by the '80s. And in the '80s, you actually notice that they're there, unlike the '60s where half the time its about as intrusive as the audio given to the White Void.
And The God Complex was one of the stronger and more memorable examples of music this year. Yes, absurdist comedy in parts (and meant to be so--the episode is quite surreal on purpose) and very emotional in others, as Murray Gold's best scores are.
neleqt87; Overall, emotionalism is not what a musical score is supposed to do unless you are at an opera, where the stage is there to assist the music. A score is supposed to assist, not lead. Unless the show story and pacing is total crap and really needs the help, the score should never do that. I don't dislike Murray at all, just the opposite. But I do know what the audio is supposed to be and that is rarely correct in any productions of the last 30 years, be it TV or movies. Listen to the audio without the video on. If you even notice the music, it was done wrong. It's like Hollywood adding explosions to everything. Not bad in their proper place, but overdone is not at all good. This isn't a problem with Murray alone, either. This is a problem with the audio mix. That out of the way, very interested in the work done here. Any chance of a smaller file of this being upped for those of us with crap connections who would like to check it out?
Can't say I even noticed the music when I saw the episode, the idea of remixing is interesting but 2GB is way too large a download for me just out of idle curiosity. A sample would have been nice, maybe a before and after comparison.
This torrent does raise a few questions though.
How is the music separated from the total sound? Is just the music taken out or do sound effects go with it?
If it IS just the music that can be isolated and taken out, then wouldn't a torrent of just the music be a good idea too?
Non-fans may think "who wants to listen to that?", but there wouldn't be so many soundtrack CDs of Gold's "Who" scores if they weren't VERY popular.
Based on the requests for a smaller torrent, I've uploaded a standard definition SD copy here: http://www.demonoid.me/files/details/2752333/
It's still decently large but it's less than half the size of this torrent.
s1m2010: Thanks very much! We'd love to do more, but a lot of it depends on the quality of the episode and how intrusive the score is. We'd be up for suggestions if there's one you'd particularly like to see!
willfullcookie: Thanks so much; glad you agree.
Maclek: I've uploaded a smaller torrent at the link above. Please check it out if you can. A before and after comparison is something I intend to throw together when I have time (hopefully this weekend). The music was removed by isolating the vocals and sound effects from the 5.1 mix. It is technically possible to get just the music, but considering that I'm not at all a fan of Murray Gold's work, you'll have to look elsewhere for someone to provide that. :)
I think it's perfectly fine to state that you don't like something, if you don't like something. The thing about opinions is that we all have one. And usually, we all have a different opinion than others. I personally wouldn't give two pennies for anything Murray Gold does, but see, that's just one opinion, and it happens to be mine, which, ooh, surprise, surprise I have a right to. LOL!
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Murray Gold has done wonders with bringing epic orchestral musicality to the show. Few shows have *this* much elaborate scoring.
