"Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamonds in the Desert" is a documentary about a film score concert, primarily featuring footage and sound from a live performance in Dubai, along with some separately shot scenes and interviews with Hans Zimmer and friends, which are mostly awkward small talk that might have been better without.
I watched it in a Dolby theater; the sound was decent, but it probably would have been more explosive live. Most of the film scores were rearranged, adding rock and electronic reverb, which might be more suitable for a live setting. The video mainly focuses on the musicians' performances, with some performances being relatively exaggerated and others featuring light and shadow effects from the performance venue. The two-and-a-half-hour experience was mainly an auditory feast, with average visual effects and lacking the classic movie visuals I had expected.
One of the most memorable scores was from "The Lion King," a piece Hans Zimmer dedicated to his father. Previously, I might have focused more on the plot while watching the movie, but this time I could still feel the composer's emotions for his father. This arrangement had relatively fewer percussion and electronic elements, primarily expressing through strings, with the violin indeed being more suited to convey intimate feelings.
Another classic score is from "Inception" and "Interstellar." One of these films expresses deep inner emotions, while the other conveys the eternal nature of love through time and space. Some electronic music adds a sci-fi feel, while brass and percussion enhance the impact, with unique melodies highlighting complex emotions.
Other scores that most people might prefer include those from "Dune," "Batman: Dark Knight," "Pirates of the Caribbean," and "Gladiator." These are all suitable for grand scenes, and the rearranged, stronger, and faster percussion makes the scenes feel more shocking and majestic, along with unique sounds representing the distinctiveness of specific regions. These scores sound great on their own, but when played together, due to similar rearrangement techniques, they can feel a bit repetitive after a while.
As for a few other scores, I might not have had special feelings because I haven't seen the corresponding films. Hans Zimmer has probably composed hundreds of film scores, and most of those selected this time should be the highlights, though some music that certain people enjoy may not have been included. For fans of these films and music, watching this documentary in a theater is still a great value; most people don't have the opportunity to attend live performances, and the prices for live shows are often unaffordable for many. The price of a Dolby theater ticket is likely comparable to a meal, which most people can manage. Such concert or stage play films may become more common in the future, and finding a theater with good audiovisual effects can actually allow one to experience much of the atmosphere and effects of a live performance, which is likely to be an expanded use case for cinemas in the future.