CONAN THE BARBARIAN – Tyler Bates
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Film music aficionados generally consider the score for the original 1982 version of Conan the Barbarian, written by the late great Basil Poledouris, to be one of the finest scores ever written. While remaking the film itself is, from my point of view, neither here nor there as I thought the original movie was greatly flawed, stepping into Poledouris’s musical shoes was always going to be a daunting task, no matter who the composer is. It turns out that the composer is Tyler Bates, returning to the historical action epic genre that first brought him to prominence – or should that be notoriety? – with 300 back in 2006.
The film, which is based on the sword-and-sorcery pulp stories of Robert E. Howard, is directed by Marcus Nispel and stars Hawaiian actor Jason Momoa in the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger role. The straightforward story follows the adventures of Conan, a vengeful warrior who marauds across the landscape of medieval Hyboria searching for those that murdered his father and slaughtered his village when he was a small boy. Read more…
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK – Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton:
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is a creepy horror movie co-written produced by Guillermo Del Toro, and directed by Troy Nixey. It’s a remake of a 1973 TV movie of the same name, and stars Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce as Alex and Kim, a young couple who have just moved into an old, rambling house, Blackwood Manor, which Alex – an architect – is intending to renovate. However, when Alex’s daughter from a previous relationship, Sally (Bailee Madison) comes to stay, things start to happen in the house in the dead of night. Left alone to investigate the macabre history and dark corners of the estate, Sally begins to hear rasping voices whispering from the basement, who promise her understanding and friendship, who are so very hungry and would like to be set free… Read more…
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON – Steve Jablonsky
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
I didn’t want to write this review. I really didn’t. I saw the first Transformers movie and thought it was a decent enough summer popcorn flick, but then I endured Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and with the terrible acting and the execrable screenplay and the awful direction and the interchangeable fighting robots and the mind-numbing score, I vowed never to suffer through another Transformers-related experience, cinematically or musically. Transformers: Dark of the Moon, however, is one of the biggest box office successes of 2011, and contains one of the best-selling scores of the year, and as such it’s difficult to ignore it completely.
The complicated story concerns a secret crashed spaceship on the moon, the US military searching for the evil Decepticon transformer that still remain in the world, and a plot by those Decepticons to use ancient technology found within the spaceship to enslave humanity. Naturally, the heroic Autobots and their human friend Sam Witwicky team up with the military to save the day – cue massive scenes of chaos, enormous fighting robots, and general death and destruction. Read more…
SUPER 8 – Michael Giacchino
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Super 8 is director J.J. Abrams’ sentimental homage to Steven Spielberg. One part monster movie, one part children’s fantasy, it takes inspiration from films such as E.T. and The Goonies in that it looks at a terrible event from an adult perspective, but filters it through children’s eyes, so that the simple and uncomplicated central truths of that event shine through, especially the ones which the adults cannot see. It’s also a loving tribute to a childhood obsessed with movies, sitting in darkened theaters, munching popcorn, dreaming of making movies one day yourself. Abrams did this, Spielberg did this, and Michael Giacchino did this too.
The film stars Joel Courtney as Joe, a young boy in 1970s small-town America who passed the time making Super 8 films with his friends during their summer vacation. Joe is emotionally distant from his father Jackson (Kyle Chandler), the chief of police in the town, following the death of his mother, but has a crush on Alice (Elle Fanning), the daughter of the man whose heavy drinking indirectly caused his mother’s death. Read more…
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER – Alan Silvestri
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Growing up as I did in the UK, the comic book adventures of Captain America didn’t mean very much to me. I was aware of the character, of course, and vaguely remember seeing the 1990 film starring Matt Salinger, but beyond that my knowledge of the comics, and the hoopla surrounding him was nonexistent. It turns out that he’s actually something of an icon; since his first appearance in print in 1941 – when he was depicted landing a right slug on Hitler’s jaw – he has grown to become a true all-American hero beloved by millions, with a large fan base that endures to this day.
This new version of the Captain America story – the last of the series of Avengers prequels that also includes Thor, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk – stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, an ambitious and brave wannabe soldier in 1940s America who is continually turned down for military service due to his scrawny build. After impressing scientist Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) with his determination, Rogers is selected to take part in a top-secret science experiment that intends to breed a genetically enhanced battalion of super soldiers that will help turn the fortunes of World War II in the favor of the Allies. Read more…
LE BON PLAISIR – Georges Delerue
MOVIE MUSIC UK CLASSICS
Original Review by Craig Lysy
This suspense film directed by Francis Girod is based on Françoise Giroud’s novel, which explores the tale of a the French president (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who is informed after several years of the existence of a illegitimate son born from an extramarital affair with his former mistress Claire (Catherine Deneuve). To conceal the damaging news he conspires to use the secret service to cover up any kind of proof likely to tarnish his reputation.
What is most interesting is how this movie parallels actual historical events. When the film was released, Francois Mitterrand was the newly elected President of France. Unknown to the public at the time was that he had sired an illegitimate child whose existence was kept hidden up to around the time of his death. Many journalists knew of this “state secret” and it is reasonable to consider that perhaps so did the makers of this film. In the final analysis this film may be no more than pure coincidence, but we must admit that the parallels are striking. Read more…
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART II – Alexandre Desplat
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Fifteen years after J.K. Rowling first introduced the world to Harry Potter, the saga has finally ended. The interim has seen the publication of seven books and the release of eight films about the life and adventures of the eponymous boy wizard, culminating in this film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the second installment of the series’ epic finale. It’s been a long journey for both Rowling and her teenage protagonist – the books have become some of the most successful literary works of the last 100 years, the films have grossed a combined $2.3 billion at the US box office alone – but at the end of it all, Harry Potter will likely remain one of the most beloved series of novels and films for many generations to come. Read more…
PRIEST – Christopher Young
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
You always know where you stand with a Christopher Young horror score. Throughout his career, going all the way back to Hellraiser in 1987 and continuing on through scores like Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Bless the Child and Drag Me to Hell, horror movies with religious overtones have defined the majority of his best work, brought him the most fans, and earned him the most acclaim. Although he is enormously accomplished at writing in literally dozens of styles, from the smooth jazz of scores like Rounders to the soaring orchestral beauty of scores like Murder in the First, his work in this genre remains the cornerstone of his writing, and Priest is yet another outstanding example of why he remains one of the best in the business as this kind of thing. Read more…
THE TREE OF LIFE – Alexandre Desplat
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Terrence Malick is a most unusual director. Unlike most of his contemporaries, he seems wholly unconcerned with narrative, plot, and incisive dialogue, and instead seems completely obsessed with visual beauty. He’s like a painter, but instead of using canvas, he uses film, and his subjects move and speak. His films are deep, intimate ruminations on life, love, nature, and the human condition, full of existential narration and long, lingering shots of Mother Nature at work. His latest film, The Tree of Life, is only the fifth theatrical film of his entire career, following on from Badlands in 1973, Days of Heaven in 1978, The Thin Red Line in 1998 and The New World in 2005. It stars Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain and Fiona Shaw, and follows the life of a twelve year old boy from American Midwest named Jack, whose world view is shaped both by his optimistic and idealistic mother, and by his pessimistic father, and who must make a choice on how to live his life in an ever-changing, confusing world. Read more…
GUY DE MAUPASSANT – Georges Delerue
MOVIE MUSIC UK CLASSICS
Original Review by Craig Lysy
This film presents a fictionalized biography of Guy de Maupassant, a popular 19th-century French writer, considered one of the fathers of the modern short story. Director Michael Drach explores his dying days, as he suffers and finally succumbs to the unforgiving ravages of syphilis. We observe a series of flashbacks that bring his life into full view – a vision that is viewed through the lens of his unremitting passion for sexual encounters. Amidst this flowing montage of vignettes are highlights that feature important literary figures in his life; his mother, his lesbian friend Gisele d’Estoc, and various other players. Regretfully we must bear witness to his descent into madness as all the stories of his life swirl together as the unstayable scythe of death approaches. Read more…
SOUL SURFER – Marco Beltrami
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Soul Surfer tells the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a champion youth surfer from Hawaii who, while out on an early morning surf with her best friend, had her life forever changed when her left arm was bitten off by a tiger shark – she was just 13 years old at the time. Despite suffering this horrific injury and hovering close to death, Bethany recovered enough to be able to return to competitive surfing just months later with only one arm, and went on to win the National Scholastic Surfing Association National Championships in 2005. The film, which is directed by Sean McNamara, stars Anna Sophia Robb as Hamilton, features Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt and Carrie Underwood in supporting roles, and has a superb and highly original score by the versatile Marco Beltrami. Read more…
THOR – Patrick Doyle
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
An epic comic book action-fantasy based on Norse mythology. Kenneth Branagh in the director’s chair. Patrick Doyle providing the score. For film music fans Thor was a mouth watering prospect that promised to be one of the most exciting and adventurous scores of the year. The film stars Chris Hemsworth as the eponymous hero, who is cast out of the Norse god stronghold Asgard after disobeying his father, King Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Arriving on Earth, and no longer able to channel the power of his hammer Mjolnir, Thor teams up with scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) in an effort to reclaim his power and return to Asgard in time to stop his duplicitous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) from overthrowing Odin. The film, which also features Stellan Skarsgård, Colm Feore and Samuel L. Jackson, is part of the Marvel Avengers series of movies which includes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and the upcoming Captain America, and will culminate in a combined Avengers movie slated for 2012. Read more…
FIRST KNIGHT – Jerry Goldsmith
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
First Knight is a retelling of the classic legendary tale “The Knight of the Cart” first penned in the late 12th century by Chrétien de Troyes. Screenwriter William Nicholson stripped the tale of its magic and mythos of the Grail quest, instead focusing his lens on an intimate exploration of the passions, foibles and tragedy borne of intimate human relationships. Sean Connery succeeds in providing a sympathy and gravitas to the role of King Arthur with solid performances provided by Richard Gere as Lancelot, Julia Ormond as Guinevere and Ben Cross as the evil villain Malagant. The film was a critical failure but achieved commercial success taking in 134 million, more than sufficient to cover its 55 million production costs. Read more…
Movie Music UK presents the Greatest Scores of the Twentieth Century
A new series by Craig Lysy
As part of Movie Music UK’s tradition of innovation, I have decided launch a new series charting the Greatest Scores of the Twentieth Century. I had always wanted to undertake this daunting challenge, and after 35 years of procrastination, finally summoned up the resolve and courage necessary to bring it to fruition. So, every Monday, over the course of the next several years, I will list my choices for the Greatest Scores of the Twentieth Century, initially in reverse chronological order, but thereafter with a little more leeway in terms of timing.
In regards to rankings, I was not successful after numerous attempts to listen them in order of merit. Ranking these scores would seem to be an exercise in futility, so instead, I have chosen with this series to take you on a journey through time. I will relate to you why I believe each score merits inclusion, and my hope is to provide an insightful and enjoyable journey.
I believe simplicity of criteria was needed to be successful. Firstly, the score must have achieved a masterful synergy with the story’s imagery, characters, setting and narrative, which served to elevate the film. Secondly, the score must have provided an exceptional and memorable listening experience within both film context and as a CD/MP3. Finally, the score must have made an indelible and lasting impression due to its creativity, innovation, sophistication, or thematic beauty.
I freely admit that this is but one man’s opinion, that I like everyone has certain biases, and that these manifest in my choices. But we must be authentic, and true to ourselves. So I offer my voice to the chorus of voices that have preceded me, and hope to achieve some degree of consonance.
All the best!
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COMMENT LES SÉDUIRE/1001 WAYS TO LOVE – François de Roubaix
Original Review by Craig Lysy
This CD is a compilation of music from three films directed by Jean-Claude Roy and scored by François de Roubaix. Roy and de Roubaix became good friends during the French-Algerian War circa 1958 and worked together several times during their careers prior to the composer’s untimely death in a diving accident off the island of Tenerife in 1975, when the composer was just 36 years old. The films covered here are Les Strip-Teaseuses (or, to give it it’s full title, Strip-Teaseuses Ou Ces Femmes Que L’on Croit Faciles) from 1964, Les Combinards from 1966 and Comment les Séduire from 1968. Read more…