Surrogates (Soundtrack) by Richard Marvin - Reviewed

No Substitute for Mostow and Marvin
Review By Helen San

SURROGATES (2009) stars Bruce Willis as a die-hard cop. No surprise there. But there's a twist: he's a young Bruce Willis mannequin remotely controlled by the current aging Bruce Willis lying in a high-tech reclining chair. In that futuristic world, everyone has an ageless, beautiful model of themselves (called surrogates) interacting with each other, while their real, imperfect selves are hidden behind electronic circuitry and closed bedroom doors. Though the movie has car chases, foot chases, fights, and murders, SURROGATES is at heart a social commentary about the avatar-happy online community that hides behind usernames and other artificial façades.

Most famous for U-571 and all five seasons of SIX FEET UNDER, RICHARD MARVIN has largely worked in television, scoring such popular series as WITHOUT A TRACE and a long list of TV movies. SURROGATES, directed by long time collaborator Jonathan Mostow, represents his second album release and composer credit for a big budget movie (after U-571). While U-571 (also with director Mostow) was generally well-received as a good listen, it was sometimes criticized for being too derivative of existing scores. This is not an uncommon ill to befall scores whose directors fall too much in love with temp tracks and may not reflect the creative vision of the composer. SURROGATES, then, is MARVIN's second chance to prove he's got the originality and presence for a major motion picture.


Read the full review here

Avatar (Soundtrack) by James Horner - Reviewed

We Hear You.
Review By Christopher Coleman

Without question the movie-event of 2009 was James Cameron's AVATAR. There could have hardly have been any more hype and subsequent expectation placed on this film. Prospective-fans were ready to line up for midnight showings (among whom I count myself) and hammerhead-critics (among whom some would count me) began to circle as the blood of overhype began to fill the waters of the internet. Upon release, new fans were won across the land, while critics returned from the potential feeding-frenzy, quite full, but not in the way they expected. AVATAR is a super-hit and most everyone seems to be happy with it and about it.

No doubt you've read and listened to enough online discussions and podcasts on the film, so I am not going to go in-depth here. Of course, the storyline of AVATAR really doesn't warrant going "in depth," because it is one that any moderate moviegoer will already know quite well. AVATAR's great achievement is in its stunning visuals and ability to deliver character performance-capture like never before. On those items there is no argument; however, comparisons of AVATAR to the impact of a STAR WARS or even THE MATRIX are wildly off course. Cameron's latest visual feast just doesn't operate on the same meta-levels as these predecessors. In the wake of viewing AVATAR, there aren't many deep philosophical questions, posed by the film's plot, being discussed by exiting audiences or kids pretending wielding their invisible weapon in play-battles. Are there any lines we repeat once we've left the theater? Do we whistle or hum any musical themes? No. AVATAR isn't THAT movie. Cameron's technical and photographic achievements in AVATAR are certainly due all the praise, but it's unlikely this film will make an equivalent impact on popular culture and I'm not convinced Cameron had this as a goal to start with anyway.

If I can continue the STAR WARS and THE MATRIX comparison, I'd like to direct us to the point of each film's music. JOHN WILLIAMS' score for STAR WARS can hardly be overstated in terms of it's impact on the film...and later on the culture of the day. A similar thing could be said about DON DAVIS' music for THE MATRIX, albeit to a lesser degree. DAVIS' post-modern epic worked much more subtly, but, make no mistake, when audiences hear those reflecting brass swells, there's no question about what characters, scenes or images come flooding into mind. Both films feature scores that monopolize the genre. Any movie (or game) that adopts such a sound immediately draws comparisons to them. If AVATAR is going to be rightly compared with these classics, then it's score will have to approach such status. For AVATAR, James Cameron hired long-time collaborator, JAMES HORNER, to provide the musical character for his new sci-fi/fantasy. But does the resulting score help the film to become an icon of pop culture or is it transcendent in its own right?

Read the full review here

Star Wars: The Old Republic Composers Revealed!

Remember that incredible trailer for STAR WARS:  THE OLD REPUBLIC?  Of course you do.  It's what the Prequel Trilogy should have been.  Remember Mark Griskey (and Jesse Harlin's) great score to THE FORCE UNLEASHED?  Of course you do.  It was what the Prequel trilogy scores COULD have been.  So who did LucasArts lock down to provide the musical score for their upcoming MMORPG?

According to an interview with DARTH HATER ( a great blog covering Star Wars:  The Old Republic), Music Supervisor, JESSE HARLIN reveals that, in addition to himself, the composers hired to provide the massive amount of music for the game are: MARK GRISKEY, GORDY HAAB, LENNIE MOORE, WILBERT ROGET, II, and PETER McCONNELL..  Below is an excerpt from Darth Haters' extensive interview with the LucasArt's audio team.


Here's a bit from the extensive interview:

DH: The original score by John Williams became an integral part of Star Wars culture. How did the audio team approach creating new pieces with such iconic shoes to fill?

JH: We’ve assembled a team of composers for The Old Republic who are all well-versed in the language of John Williams. Mark Griskey, whose previous Star Wars work includes both KOTOR II and The Force Unleashed, is returning as our lead composer on the project. Joining him are composers Lennie Moore, Gordy Haab, and Wilbert Roget, II. Lennie comes to us with a diverse background in games, TV, and film. Gordy recently worked with us on Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings and Wilbert wrote new music for the recent DLC levels for The Force Unleashed. In addition, we’ve also hired composer Peter McConnell (Grim Fandango, Brütal Legend) to compose 90 minutes of original cantina music for us. We’re deep in the heart of writing material for the game right now and things are sounding fantastic.

DH: When will we find out about a Star Wars: The Old Republic Official Soundtrack and how can I preorder it?

JH: All of the details are still to be determined but we’ll have more info on that soon!

Good news, eh?  Be sure to check out Darth Hater's extensive interview with the LucasArts audio department.


Check out the full interview here

Gametime 2009 - Interview with Chance Thomas (Avatar: The Game)

Gametime 2009 - Interview: Chance Thomas (Avatar:  The Game)

Recorded December 16, 2009

Published December 19, 2009


Episode Highlights

00:33 - Introduction and Welcome
01:40 - Did you feel "extra" pressure working on Avatar:  The Game?
03:06 - How was James Cameron involved with the game music?
05:00 - Working with James Horner
09:05 - Finding "the sound" for the game.
11:15 - Comparing the game score and the film's score
16:55 - Freedom of the prequel
18:10 - Other 2009 projects:  LDS Church and United Way

Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)

00:05 - Virgin Flight (Avatar: The Game) by Chance Thomas
07:52 - Becoming One of "the People... (Avatar) by James Horner
15:25 - Aerial Combat Acrobatics (Avatar: The Game) by Chance Thomas
17:35 - Mystical Gatherings (Avatar: The Game) by Chance Thomas
24:36 - Virgin Flight (Avatar: The Game) by Chance Thomas

Download the interview here

Check out the full HIGH SCORE! feature here

The Princess and the Frog (Soundtrack) by Randy Newman - Review

A Newman Guarantee

Review by Christopher Coleman

Perhaps you, as I did, thought the age of traditional animation had come and gone. Most likely due to its poor critical reception and lackluster box office results, Disney's last feature release of this type was supposed to be HOME ON THE RANGE (2004). Thankfully, John Lassiter and Ed Catmull of Disney/Pixar had something to say about this. While they would continue to produce state-of-the-art 3D animated features, the 2D animation tradition would not be left to die. The first fruits of that decision is Walt Disney's 40th animated feature, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG. This feature would return Disney to the fairytale spin-off, this time loosely based on the Brothers Grimm's THE FROG PRINCE, but bringing the tale to 19th century, New Orleans.

There could hardly be a better composer for this feature than one RANDY NEWMAN. NEWMAN's association with Disney/Pixar goes back years; all the way to the first four Pixar feature releases: TOY STORY, TOY STORY 2, A BUGS LIFE, AND MONSTERS INC. And though none of these are among my favorite Pixar scores, Newman's trademark lazy-jazz-americana-sound infused a particular character in each movie as well as providing the blossoming 3-D studio with a good measure of audio-branding. In addition to his history with Pixar, NEWMAN also established himself within the world of the musical; among other things, adapting FAUST into a musical of his own. Now, if that wasn't enough, NEWMAN spent a number of his formative years in living Louisinana; something that clearly impacted his musical identity. While reportedly, Alan Menken was set to write the music for the feature and was later replaced, it's hard to imagine that anyone other than RANDY NEWMAN would even be considered.

Read the full review here

Welcome to the Team - Helen San

Yes. It's THAT Helen San. Some ten years ago, right around the time this site was founded, the most excellent, CINEMUSIC.NET was founded by Helen. Moving on to other, more important endeavours (like traveling the world and family), she left the site in the capable hands of Ryan Keaveney and stepped away from the online-world of soundtracks.

Well, she's back with her first review EL CID (COMPLETE) by MIKLOS ROZSA, so be sure to give that a read. Once a reviewer, always a reviewer...I say. We are greatly looking forward to further reviews from Helen in the days and weeks to come.

Please join with our little soundtrack fellowship in extending a hearty, "Welcome!" to Helen San (helen AT tracksounds DOT com)

And if you are interested in contributing, you can find out how here.

El Cid (Complete Soundtrack) by Miklos Rozsa Review

Return of The Cid
Review by Helen San

A three time Oscar winner for Best Music (SPELLBOUND, A DOUBLE LIFE, and BEN-HUR), MIKLOS ROZSA (1907 - 1995) is one of the most renown composers of Hollywood's golden age. Trained at the Leipzig Conservatory, ROZSA started out as a classical composer until he found his calling in film music in 1937. ROZSA brought the best of his classical underpinnings to film and enriched the medium with consummate sophistication. Since then, he has composed over 100 film scores, receiving 16 Oscar nominations, including one for EL CID.

If the timeless classic, BEN-HUR, is famous as ROZSA's piece de resistance, then EL CID can be thought of as BEN-HUR's little brother, bearing the same strikingly handsome features (incidentally starring the same lead, Charlton Heston), but holding his own with a distinctive personality and irresistible charm. Only 2 years younger than BEN-HUR (1959), EL CID (1961) has the same epic panorama, but one embellished with Spanish romanticism. In fact, to prepare for EL CID, ROZSA spent a summer in Spain to research Spanish poetry, medieval music, and folk songs, while composing on location. The Spanish influence is prominent and unmistakable, though not as pervasive as that heard in HORNER's THE MASK OF ZORRO.

Read the full review here

Soundcast #11 - The Films and Film Music of Clint Eastwood

Episode #11

The Films and Film Music of Clint Eastwood

Recorded December 11, 2009

Published December 12, 2009

Episode Highlights

00:00 - Opening: "My Mule"

00:36 - Intros and listener feedback

03:16 - How we feel about Clint Eastwood movies and scores

08:05 - Best Clint Eastwood film score?

15:10 - Eastwood's film music philosophy

16:13 - What if Eastwood directed and scored The Road?

17:23 - The types of movies that work with Eastwood's sound.

19:13 - Invictus discussion

35:05 - Favorite African-flavored Scores

40:25 - Final thoughts on Clint Eastwood Films

Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)

02:55 - Unkunqoba - Invictus (K. Eastwood/ M. Stevens)

08:10 - Theme from Mystic River - Mystic River (C. Eastwood)

09:24 - Main Titles - Letters from Iwo Jima (K. Eastwood/ M. Stevens)

10:43 -Theme from Mystic River - Mystic River (C. Eastwood)

12:35 - The Hours - The Hourse (Phillip Glass)

14:53 - Mom's on Call/Late to Trolly - Changeling (C. Eastwood)

17:30 - Blue Morgan (End Credits) - Million Dollar Baby (C. Eastwood)

18:48 - Mandiba's Theme - Invictus (K. Eastwood/ M. Stevens)

22:42 - Hamba Nathi - Invictus (K. Eastwood/ M. Stevens)

24:21 - Ole Ole Ole - Invictus (K. Eastwood/ M. Stevens)

27:45 - Colorblind - Invictus (Overtone)

35:25 - Dry Your Tears, Africa - Amistad (John Williams)

36:30 - Journey - Tears of the Sun (Hans Zimmer)

37:25 - Mother Africa - The Power of One (Hans Zimmer)

38:45 - Main Titles - Endurance (John Powell)

39:10 - Crossroads/ Dawn Raid - Cry Freedom (George Fenton)

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John Swihart (Blue Man Group) Scores Youth in Revolt

AWARD WINNING COMPOSER JOHN SWIHART

BRINGS HIS YOUTHFUL ANGST TO YOUTH IN REVOLT

Soundtrack album available on Lakeshore Records

Hollywood, CA – Award-winning composer JOHN SWIHART whose career is on a stellar trajectory since scoring “Napolean Dynamite” five years ago scores “Youth in Revolt.” He has successfully traversed the musical landscape from performer with the Blue Man Group to scoring numerous films and TV series. Swihart’s signature “indie” musical style to Napolean Dynamite is still mimicked today by numerous composers. The film is distributed by The Weinstein Company and will be released January 8, 2010. Soundtrack available January 5 on Lakeshore Records.

Youth in Revolt stars Michael Cera (Superbad, Juno) and is directed by Miguel Arteta. The coming-of-age comedy puts a fresh stamp on a tale of adolescent obsession and rebellion. Based on the acclaimed novel by C.D. Payne, YOUTH IN REVOLT is the story of Nick Twisp (Cera) —an affable teen with a taste for the finer things in life, who falls hopelessly in love with the beautiful, free-spirited Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday) while on a family vacation. Nick abandons his dull, predictable life and develops a rebellious alter ego: Francois.

John Swihart began his musical training at the age of four studying piano; by eight, he added the saxophone, followed by guitar studies at Indiana University --- while still in high school. He then continued his formal musical training of composition, production and engineering at Boston’s prestigious’ Berklee College of Music.

After college, Swihart toured with a variety of bands and performed in musical theater in Boston, New York and Los Angeles; simultaneously, he composed for Boston advertising clients and scored student films for Emerson undergrads. When Blue Man Group opened a Vegas show, Swihart was recruited to be a musician in the Grammy nominated ensemble. A year later, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue film composing. His fifth film score as a composer was Napoleon Dynamite and he has since scored over 40 films. John Swihart’s other film & TV credits include “New in Town,” “Employee of the Month,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Greek.”

Pre-order Youth in Revolt

Invictus (Soundtrack) by Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens - Review

Musical Misalignment

Review by Christopher Coleman

With the coming of December, award season is "for your consideration" season is upon us and that has come to mean some sort of entry from director Clint Eastwood. 2009's apparent submission from prolific director/producer is INVICTUS. The evocative title of Eastwood's latest project comes from a poetic work of William Ernest Henley who, penned his powerful and moving words in the wake of the loss of his foot due to tuberculosis back in 1875. The word is Latin for "unconquered."

INVICTUS stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, newly elected president of the Republic of South Africa and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, captain of South Africa's national rugby team. It is Henley's poem, that serves as a key source of strength for both men in their respective pursuits: one to win a world cup, the other to utilize that win to unite his historically fragmented nation. INVICTUS sets before us the potent combination of two of Hollywood's finest actors, one of its most celebrated directors, and a story that focuses on one of recent history's most memorable times; making it a virtual shoe-in for a gaggle of nominations and awards...or is it?

As Mandela has to deal with racial tensions among his own staff, Pienaar must deal with the task of motivating his team to, at the request of Mandela, win the seemingly unwinnable - the 1995 World Cup, hosted in South Africa. The general story arc is laid out clearly enough but the actual execution is as flat as the pitch of a rugby field. Morgan Freeman's portrayal of Mandela may garner him a few nominations, but INVICTUS doesn't offer enough personal exploration of neither Mandela or Pienaar to cause the audience to emotionally invest in them. Eastwood wouldn't have been the first to utilize the musical score to inject some much needed life into a film that is otherwise dull, but he fails to do this. Despite a loose-handful of engaging moments from composers Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens, the numerous vocal pieces included do little to help in this regard...and, in fact, hurt the film further.

Read the full review here

Win Everybody's Fine (Soundtrack) by Dario Marianelli

Yes. We're a little late with our latest Caption Contest, but don't worry, EVERYBODY'S FINE. Here's your chance to win composer DARIO MARIANELLI's bittersweet score for this a-typical, family, Christmas flick.

Simply lay down your three best caption entries for the image above. Just what Robert Deniro be saying to sweet, little Drew Barrymore? We have no idea. We're looking to you to give us a good holiday laugh.

Enter the Caption Contest here

Reprise Records to Release The Book of Eli (Soundtrack) by Atticus Ross

REPRISE RECORDS TO RELEASE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK TO FEATURE FILM BOOK OF ELI ON JANUARY 12th, 2010

Soundtrack to Post-Apocalyptic Drama Features Original Score by Nine Inch Nails Collaborator Atticus Ross

December 7, 2009 — Burbank, CA — Reprise Records will release the original motion picture soundtrack to the Hughes Brothers-directed feature film Book Of Eli on January 12th, 2010 — three days before the film hits theaters nationwide on January 15th, 2010.

The Book of Eli Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features an original score by composer/musician/producer Atticus Ross, marking his third collaboration with the Hughes Brothers and his first feature film score. Ross’ music is a unique hybrid score of electronic and organic elements; writing with his wife (Claudia Sarne) and brother (Leopold Ross), the basic tracks were recorded at his studio in Los Angeles before departing to London where it was finished in Abbey Road Studios with a full 80 piece orchestra.Ross’ other film credits include co-writing and producing “Go All the Way (Into the Twilight),” the Perry Ferrell single for the hit film Twilight, the score for the Allen Hughes’ vignette for the film New York, I Love You, as well as the music to the Hughes Brothers TV show 'Touching Evil" . Ross has also incorporated his musical style into collaborations and productions of such major artists as NIN (the albums With Teeth, Year Zero, The Slip, and the Grammy-nominated Ghosts), Jane's Addiction, and Korn.

The Book of Eli stars Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, and Gary Oldman in a post-apocalyptic tale in which a lone man, Eli (Washington), fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind. The soundtrack will be released in four configurations: standard CD, a digital version available through all digital service providers, and a special exclusive iTunes edition that will feature a remixed track by Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio). A vinyl version will be released in February. Book of Eli is being distributed domestically by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The track-listing for The Book of Eli Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Panoramic

Outland

The Journey

Amen

The Convoy

Solara

Violated

Safe

Human

Meant to be Shared

The Passenger

Den of Vice

Gattling

Blind Faith

Convoy

Destruct

Movement

Carnegie's Demise

The Purpose

Pre-order from Amazon.com

Soundcast #10 - Avatar Expectations and Hans Zimmer's Modern Warfare 2

Episode #10

Avatar Expectations and Hans Zimmer's Modern Warfare 2

Recorded December 4, 2009

Published December 6, 2009

Episode Highlights

00:30 - Opening - Tom's book, Marius' TV pilot score

04:45 - Moon, A Serious Man, Dragon Age: Origin, The Road, Inglorius Basterds

14:50 - Avatar Expectations

27:16 - Modern Warfare 2 and Hans Zimmer

Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)

15:13 Avatar Trailer clip includes music by James Horner.

19:50 End Credits - Abyss (Alan Silvestri)

26:37 Modern Warfare 2 trailer clip

28:19 We'll be Dead in Ten - Modern Warfare (Gregson-Williams/ Barton)

Download the episode here

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The Hills Run Red (Soundtrack) by Frederik Wiedmann - Review

The Hills Run Red With The Sound of Music

Review by Marius Masalar

I’ll admit that I went into THE HILLS RUN RED thinking I was in for another aural assault of rumbling synths, wailing dissonances, and uncomfortable things done to innocent instruments. It turns out that I was actually very close to having my expectations fulfilled, as director Dave Parker admits in the liner notes that he initially wanted a typical atonal soundscape for a score. Then he met composer FREDERIK WIEDMANN, whose skills at producing evocative, melodic scores changed his mind. So instead, we get an unexpectedly lush and melodic score, with a degree of sensitivity and orchestrational creativity that rivals the best of Christopher Young’s work.

Instead of relying purely on noise to resolve the tension and horror necessary for this score, Wiedmann creates an uneasy sense by employing an atypical ensemble to perform his score: one including dulcimers, string drums, a profusion of woodwind instruments, and a viola section that’s larger than the string section. The resulting shifted balance establishes the mood without needing to resort to cheaper tactics. It also does a fine job of indirectly addressing the film’s premise of vengeful rednecks and the creepy protector figure of Babyface without being too blatant or stereotypical about it.

Read the full review here