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CC: In regards to
BATMAN BEGINS you've
mentioned that you two
split the music up by
having you, Hans,
write the "dark"
material, and you,
James, write the
"elegant" material.
Did you divide the
work up similarly for
THE DARK KNIGHT or did
you spread or mix your
efforts out this time?
HANS ZIMMER: Well its
darker and more
elegant this time. How
about that? Actually,
I think we are more
extreme this time.
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD: I
think we integrated
even less.
HANS ZIMMER: What
became an
interestingly
stylistic thing is,
for example, the music
for the Joker. He is a
very uncompromising
character and so he
has very
uncompromising music.
I think some people
will not call it
music.
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD: I
think some people will
be irritated by it.
HANS ZIMMER:
Interestingly, this is
supposed to be a
Hollywood,
Summer-blockbuster,
but I think the music
is nothing like that.
It's way out there in
places. Take, for
instance, the
harshness or
perversion of the
Joker's music and then
have that collide with
the beauty of the
Harvey Dent character.
I think that is what
makes it interesting.
The good thing is that
I did not write Harvey
Dent. It's very much
James' creation. I
just stayed in the
darkness of the Joker
character. It's
amazing dealing with a
character who is
completely fearless.
CC: Now that you
mention the Joker's
theme, you've been
quoted as saying that
you had written a
two-note motif for
him, but somehow it
didn't quite work. Why
didn't it work and
what did you end up
doing?
HANS ZIMMER: I pretty
much got it down to
one note. That was
really the mission
from the beginning.
All iconic ideas are
usually based on only
a few elements. It
just takes a very long
time to figure out how
to do it. I've always
had the idea in my
head but I just didn't
know how to do it. I
tortured a lot of
musicians because it
was all about
performance, tone, and
sound. I think I spent
3 months on the one
note. I played it
for James first and then
played it to Chris
(Nolan).
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD:
It knocked my socks
off! I have to say
that it really made me
jealous when I heard
it. You'll understand
when you hear it.
CC: I'm looking
forward to hearing it. Well our time is
running short here, so
let me ask you just a
couple of final questions.
First, was there any
thought at any time,
that THE DARK KNIGHT
would be scored alone
by either one of you?
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD:
Let me just jump in
and say that Hans
could easily have done
this on his own.
HANS ZIMMER: Not
without my friend! But
let me ask you this,
James, "Was I right in
having both of us do
it?"
JAMES NEWTON NOWARD:
Oh yes. You were
right. No doubt about
it.
CC: If there is a
third film, can we
expect you both to
come back and score
it?
HANS ZIMMER: Only if
Chris Nolan is writing
it with his brother
and directing it.
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD:
Yes...in that case, I
think we'd jump right
in again.
HANS ZIMMER: You have
to realize that you
are talking to the
composers who are a
part of a team: the
actors, the editors,
the cinematographer.
You know, what would
we do without all of
these people?
CC: With your two
names as a part of
that team, it
certainly adds to the
already great
anticipation for THE
DARK KNIGHT. I, and
countless others, are
certainly looking
forward to the film
and hearing your
collaborative
score....and
especially "the note."
Thank you so much for
the interview today.
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