Hans Zimmer, Dream Within A Dream

For all of those that don’t know who Hans Zimmer is, he started off as a member of the pop group The Bugles (with their hit single “Video Killed the Radio Star”), wrote a million epic as f*** soundtracks including The Lion King (1994, I thought Elton John wrote it too!), Gladiator (2000), The Dark Knight (2008), and Inception (2010), and is an all around a bad ass with multiple Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and Grammies.

Using themes to signify characters and plot twists is a tradition passed down from the oldest Greek Choruses, to musicals, to movies (I dare you to pay attention to the interaction between the sound track, editing, and plot line next time you watch a movie!).  But especially with modern films, themes have become simple, breathtaking sweeps of musical breadth that assist the storyteller.  And if you honestly think about it, none do so better than “Half Remembered Dream” from the movie Inception.

This theme is first introduced to the audience early in the movie, but even then we get a general sense that it will pop up whenever Mal is due to arrive.  Just look at Mr. Saito dream in the beginning or Dom Cobb’s own dream during the infamous elevator sequence.  With this simple grouping of 4 notes, Hans Zimmer conveys the deeply troubled and complicated past between Cobb and his wifey…way before the audience fully understands it.

When the finale hits within Limbo, Dom reveals how he knew inception was possible and why his violent projection of Mal has been haunting his dreams. This is the first time the audience hears the theme with a complete understanding of their relationship and what those haunting notes actually mean. I seriously get chills just thinking about it. And in this moment, Hans Zimmer and Christopher Nolan created one of the most emotional pairings of cinematography and music that this bass slapping fanboy has ever heard.

Typical movie goers don’t usually place too much focus or thought on the film’s score…well, except for fanboys, because we’re just that damn cool!  But I think just about everyone can agree that Hans Zimmer’s work on Inception stands as one of the best soundtracks in musical history…and yes, I’m challenging Dane Ingham to write a Contrarian Fanboy about why it sucks.  Come at me bro!

What’d you think? Agree?  Think I’m full of it?  Sound off in the comments below.