h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I love this music too. Of course, it's important to remember that it was done before 'Pirates' and hence 'Pirates' copied 'Gladiator'.

Although of course all Hans Zimmer scores sound exceedingly similar - he's even worse than John Williams. Not sure whether he or Michael Kamen is/was the more repetitive though. 'Pirates' may not tecnically be Hans Zimmer, but he's executive thingy on it, I seem to remember.

Anyway, in 'Pirates' there's one little background tune of a few notes which is 'identical' to one from 'Gladiator'.

I haven't heard 'Iron Mask' (I think) so can't comment.

Yes, "Man in the Iron Mask" came first, then "Gladiator", then "Pirates". Glad somebody else likes the music

You're right - Hans Zimmer does sound the same almost all the time, although I'm not sure if he's worse than John Williams or not. In any case, you're right about "Pirates", I think he produced it and he's also thanked by Badelt. And Badelt helped with "Gladiator".

"Iron Mask" is great and I recommend it. The guy who composed it hasn't really done all that much else, but the soundtrack is fantastic and quite different from the other two (although still similar...plus he thanks one or two of them, also composed a little for "Pirates", is thanked in the "Gladiator" one...)

Huge conspiracy!

Actually, I've since found out that Hans Zimmer is the head of a music factory thing, though I'm not sure about its name. Apparently, rather than employing a specific composer, film producers can just go to the factory and some of the group will work on it, either together or individually. Problem is, a lot of them are not exactly the most original of people. Also, often a lot of them will do little bits, and so you get completely mixed up scores with hundreds of themes and styles, like in "Man on Fire".

Now that's interesting...they just randomly generate and re-use stuff...odd. I didn't know that. Of course, not all producers would do that, right? I didn't particularly notice the music in "Man on Fire" actually, although it was cool how they used the Debussy, it seemed well-timed.

I think "Pirates" is "overproduced by Hans Zimmer" which sounds like it would have been better if he had done less work.

Don't forget the stampede scene in The Lion King, which predates both Gladiator and Pirates.

I still think one of the Lion King songs ripped off West Side Story anyway.

Which one?

I don't know either very well, but I always thought "I want to be in America" (? - something like that) sounds suspiciously like parts of "Just can't wait to be king".

I wouldn't have thought so. The most defining feature of "America" is its interesting strong rhythm or triplets and duplets: oom cha cha, oom cha cha, oom cha, oom cha, oom cha. This is completely absent from "I just can't wait".

From a musical point of view, both Lion King and West Side Story are worth getting to know.

There are just a few notes though that sound very similar, with similar rhythm as well.