Lakeshore to Release Tropic Thunder by Theodore Shapiro

Lakeshore Records will release the original score by Theodore Shapiro for TROPIC THUNDER. Once again, like Blades of Glory, Shapiro delivers a surprisingly dramatic score for this over-the-top comedy. Below is the official press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



LAKESHORE RECORDS TO RELEASE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE HILARIOUS FILM TROPIC THUNDER

Soundtrack Features Original Music by Teddy Shapiro

(July 29, 2008- Los Angeles, CA) – Lakeshore Records will release the soundtrack for TROPIC THUNDER, available via iTunes and in stores on August 5. The soundtrack contains original music composed by Theodore “Teddy” Shapiro (Blades of Glory, The Devil Wears Prada).

Teddy Shapiro is a composer for film, television and the concert stage. BBC Music Magazine, in 1997, said of Shapiro, “At 25, he's had performances at Carnegie Hall and on MTV — part of the new group of composers who can work in both places.”

Shapiro received his B.A. in music from Brown University and his Masters from the famed Julliard School of Music. His concert works have been performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York and by the L.A. Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, The Milwaukee Symphony, the NY Chamber Orchestra, and the Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Teddy Shapiro has developed a special knack for composing music for comedy. In 1993 he began scoring for the acclaimed TV series The State. He has also composed for the comedy films Not Another Teen Movie, 13 Going on 30, Fun With Dick And Jane, The Devil Wears Prada, You, Me and Dupree, Idiocracy, and Blades of Glory.

TROPIC THUNDER is an action comedy about a group of self-absorbed actors who set out to make the biggest war film ever. After ballooning costs (and the out of control egos of the pampered cast) threaten to shut down the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast deep into the jungles of Southeast Asia for “increased realism,” where they inadvertently encounter real bad guys. Ben Stiller plays pampered action superstar Tugg Speedman, who is cast in the biggest, most expensive war movie ever produced. He sets out to Southeast Asia with a "Who's Who" of celebrity co-stars --include Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.), an intense, three-time Oscar®-winning actor who decides to go black for the role; Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), star of the popular gross-out comedy franchise "The Fatties"; multi-platinum hip-hop-star-turned-actor Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson); and newcomer Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel).

Dreamworks Pictures present TROPIC THUNDER in theaters on August 15, 2008. TROPIC THUNDER original soundtrack on Lakeshore Records will be available via iTunes and in stores on August 5.

Joel Goldsmith's Stargate: Continuum Available for Pre-Order

Just got this great news from Free Clyde Music - Composer Joel Goldsmith's official site. His latest effort from the Stargate franchise is poised to release in a couple of weeks. You can pre-order yours now! The site contains some great soundclips, so give it a check. The first 100 CDs sold will be autographed too. Below is the official blurbification:

Stargate: Continuum - The Original Soundtrack

Joel Goldsmith's score for Stargate: Continuum is nearly here!
Available for pre-order now and scheduled for release on August 12th,
this epic soundtrack CD will be accompanied by a 24-page full-color booklet that
includes articles by Brad Wright, Robert C. Cooper, Martin Wood, and Joel Goldsmith.
Stargate fans will be inspired by the original artwork designed by
the FreeClyde team and the exclusive photography from the film.

This Limited Edition release is the perfect companion to
the soundtrack for The Ark Of Truth, which was released earlier this year.

Because you are on the FreeClyde mailing list,
your CD will be Signed by Joel if ordered prior to August 12th.

You can reserve your copy today at Joel's website, FreeClyde.com,
by clicking here.

Music in the Extended Clip from STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS

Lucas Animation recently released an extended clip from the upcoming 3-D animated feature film, STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS. The clip runs the better part of 4 minutes and the entire sequence has music score, so it provides a keyhole into what composer KEVIN KINER has done for the new series. The earlier music clips that were used for the official site caused me more than a little concern for what sort of score lay in wait. The music in this clip is substantially better, although it makes zero use of any of John Williams compositions. In fact, if you heard this music outside of its context, you'd likely never guess that it was associated with the Star Wars universe at all. That's not to say that it's bad. Kiner seems to get the orchestra going quite well in this action piece. It has the sort of intensity needed for a battle scene and a couple of heroic moments as well. I am much more interested in hearing the totality of the score now, but I still see a very real possibility of musical-disconnect looming.

Yes the Cartoon Network's CLONE WARS animated series went a new direction musically, but it did occasionally incorporate music from Williams vast library. Perhaps because that short-lived series was so stylistically different from any other Star Wars feature that the musical differences were acceptable. With this new film and series, yet again chronicling the events between Episodes 2 and 3, the music falls much closer to the type of score Williams has provided.

Now, I'm basing this opinion off of this single clip, which I know is a dangerous thing to do, but let me continue on why this could be problem. There are some specific moments in this clip where I'd fully expect to hear something familar like "the force theme" or the Trade Federation theme, but neither was to be heard. In one moment, a completely new, heroic motif is played over Anakin Skywalker...and my attention was duly drawn to it. I should be thinking (or feeling) "Ok...here goes Anakin!" Instead, I'm thinking, "What? No Force theme?"

I suppose for the younger generations out there, the classic Star Wars motifs are not so important, but for those who grew up with the original trilogy, I can say that to a large degree Star Wars IS it's music. If this clip indicates what I think it might, then I could have a hard time watching this film or series without being painfully distracted by the music. Certain actions and situations in the Star Wars universe have been defined over 30 years. It will not be easy to displace this.

My guess would be that somewhere within, there is an occasional quote of familiar music, but if there wasn't in a scene like this...then all bets are off. I do I hope I am wrong.

Well, check out the clip for yourself. What do you think about Kevin Kiner's music?

Check out the clip here.

Yahoo! Music is Shutting Down

After a scant 3 year run as the brand, Y! Music (Yahoo! Music), is going bye-bye come September 2008. It will be "merging" with the long, long, long in the tooth services of Rhapsody.

Here is an excerpt from Y! Music's official email:


Greetings,

The Yahoo! Music Store, along with the ability to purchase and download single songs and albums, will no longer be available as of September 30, 2008.

Songs and albums that were purchased through the Yahoo! Music Unlimited Store are protected by a digital rights management system that requires a valid license key before they can be played on your computer.

After the Store closes, Yahoo! will no longer be able to support the retrieval of license keys for music purchased from Yahoo! Music Unlimited, and Yahoo! will no longer be able to authorize song playback on additional computers.

After September 30, 2008, you will not be able to transfer songs to unauthorized computers or re-license these songs after changing operating systems. Please note that your purchased tracks will generally continue to play on your existing authorized computers unless there is a change to the computer's operating system.

For any user who purchased tracks through Yahoo! Music Unlimited, we highly recommend that you back up the purchased tracks to an audio CD before the closing of the Store on September 30, 2008. Backing up your music to an audio CD will allow you to copy the music back to your computer again if the license keys for your original music files cannot be retrieved.

For further information on the closing of the Yahoo! Music Store, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions or contact Customer Care.

Stay tuned! While the Yahoo! Music Unlimited Store will no longer be available, Yahoo! Music has partnered with Rhapsody so you can still purchase your favorite tracks. Plus, Yahoo! Music will continue to offer users a complete online music experience with the largest collection of music videos, Internet radio, exclusive artist features, music news, and more!

Thank you for using Yahoo! Music.

The Yahoo! Music team

Hancock (Soundtrack) by John Powell - Review

And then there is Hancock
Review by Christopher Coleman


There has certainly been no shortage of hero and superhero films this Summer...and good ones at that. The main marketing tack of Will Smith's latest July 4th extravaganza sought to distinguish this film from your ordinary, run-of-the-mill heroes (Indiana Jones perhaps?) and superheroes (Iron Man, Hulk, Batman?). These clever guys chose some interesting words to close their tag line, "...and then there is Hancock." I doubt it was their intent, but that is the phrase that has lingered in my brain since listening to the score and seeing the film.

Just what is HANCOCK? A superhero film? A comedy/action film? It's hard to say exactly. In the film, the question at hand is, "Just WHO is Hancock?" He appears to be a super-do-gooder with the standard set of superpowers: speed, flight, super-strength, virtual indestructibility, but the brotha has a few issues too. He's an arrogant drunk lacking even a modicum of manners. He intends to help out society, but usually leaves a wake of inadvertent destruction that negates any good he may have done. He's a superhero with amnesia; an identity crisis and has seemingly given up on finding out who he is and more importantly "why" he is. And it may well have gone on that way, but he meets struggling public relations agent, Ray (Jason Bateman) and his girlfriend, Mary (Charlize Theron) and destiny moves its hand. It becomes Ray's mission to transform Hancock into the hero he was meant to be - one the people of Los Angeles will love and appreciate. The new question becomes whether or not Hancock will be able to make the sacrifices and changes necessary and eventually come to understand who he is...and how Mary factors into his life as well. The premise for the film is certainly interesting, but the whole package is a bit difficult to classify. It has many of the elements of a classic, Summer-superhero-film, but it seems the intent of the director was to stand those elements on their ear a bit. There is a comedic edge - a fairly adult comedic edge, an uncomfortable and telegraphed plot twist, and then a predictable resolution. Hero flicks, I get. Superhero films? No problem, but then there's HANCOCK and I'm just a little puzzled.

Read the full review here

Music from Mirror's Edge Available

One of the major titles covered at this year's E3 was EA's upcoming MIRROR'S EDGE. The official trailer recently released contains some entrancing music that many have been asking about. The developers have made a "special mix." This mix seems to be a cut and paste job of several different remix versions. They are very short bits added end to end to make the total track length about 1:55. Before you download the mix, you should check out the trailer here. The game looks beautiful and is slated for a late 2008 release.

Check the trailer at the official site here

(The vocals at the conclusion of the trailer certainly have a Imogen Heap vibe!)


Download the remix here.


Despite apparent messages from the developers to the contrary the piece in the trailer does indeed seem to be a remix of SHINE by ALCORUS. You can listen to the original here as provided by IMEEM.

Since the purchasing options of Amazon.com and iTunes seem to be defunct, perhaps DICE has bought the rights for the music outright.

Enjoy!

Free Download - Battlefield: Bad Company Orchestral Theme

In our ongoing quest to get you as much "free and legal" music as possible...we offer you this...

The official website for the hit video game, BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY has recently made one track from the original score by MIKAEL KARLSSON available as a free download. For this title, Karlsson neatly expands on the original Battlefield theme.

You can download it here!


PS - anyone playing this on Xbox 360 yet?

Win THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE Poster

Win the THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE POSTER PRINT
from Moviegoods.com


Tracksounds and Moviegoods are proud to bring you the WHO WANTS TO WIN MEMORABILIA poster contest! You could be ONE of TWO WINNERS of a poster print from the film THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE!


This Contest will run from July 19, 2008 - August 15, 2008


Enter the contest here!

(Wall*E Poster winners will be announced soon!)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Ramping Up

In just about a month, Star Wars will be back in theaters. The official site is ramping things up...slowly providing new tidbits of information about the upcoming feature film and following tv-series.

The updated starwars.com has a new look and offers a new The Clone Wars widget, see below. The widget uses, what appears to be excerpts from Kevin Kiner's upcoming score. What I'm hearing thus far is definitely cause for concern. George Lucas has made it very clear that he is going to continue to do things "his way" whether anyone likes it or not - and it's certainly his right to do so. My feeling is music-minded-star-wars-fans are going to be none-to-thrilled with the new musical direction for the animated franchise.

What did you think of THE DARK KNIGHT score?

Yes...it's late on opening night (or rather early the next morning) for THE DARK KNIGHT and I'm still up catching up on things for the site.

Ok - you've likely dropped your coin and have seen the movie. Now, what do you think of Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's score for the film? Take a couple seconds and give your rating for the score in our latest visitors poll!

Wanted (Soundtrack) by Danny Elfman - Review

It’s the Little Things That Count
Review by Christopher Coleman

The Summer of 2008 seems to be one major-hype-job after another. From IRON MAN to SPEED RACER to PRINCE CASPIAN to INDIANA JONES to THE INCREDIBLE HULK and now to WANTED. Before the fervor of one of these megamovies has even reached its peak, another one is released. The fervor over WANTED, like all of these others, has been built up for months. WANTED has had the unique position of being "that film" that looks like it would end up being something different...something edgy...something to make audiences sit up in their seats and say, "I ain't seen that before!" Director Timur Bekmambetov (of the NIGHT WATCH trilogy fame) was brought on to make the film-adaptation of Mark Millar's graphic novels do just that. Yet another starring role for actor James McAvoy, plus Angelina Jolie, and Morgan Freeman gave WANTED the immediate gravitas needed to get audiences interested in this story early on. Veteran composer DANNY ELFMAN was brought on to add his unique musical voice to this first part of a rumored trilogy.

From the dawning of the first teaser, I already picked up the scent of The Matrix all over this film. Some of the commonalities are no doubt coincidental others perhaps were unavoidable. The cubical-nerd, the sexy hit-woman, the African-American guru? Yes...that's the easy stuff to spot. There are more subtle connections to The Matrix as well. For most movie-goers, it seems that these similarities were no bother...in fact some revel in them. Unfortunately for me, I found myself thinking about those connections and not focusing on the story of WANTED like I should have. Accept for a few choice moments of action, the first half of the film was a surprisingly flat experience. When not thinking about Neo/Wesley, Trinity/Fox, Morpheus/Sloan, I was thinking, "Can this be it? Is this the movie so many are going ape over?" Is this all there is?" Thankfully, as the plot zigs and zags halfway through, the answer is a resounding "No!" Thankfully, in the blink of an eye, the plot gets turned on its ear and suddenly the story achieves escape velocity and leaves the dead-end gravity of the abundance of stylized violence. So how does DANNY ELFMAN's score fair in both the flat-half and the slap-you-in-the-face-pay-attention-half?

Read the full review here

The Dark Knight (Soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard - Review

Smiles in the Dark
Review by Christopher Coleman

Let me tell you how I got this smile on my face...

In 2005, one of DC’s most beloved superheroes was brought back to the big screen by director CHRISTOPHER NOLAN. The Batman franchise had been reinvisioned and reinvigorated by Tim Burton in the late 1980s with BATMAN and then in 1992, with BATMAN RETURNS. While the film franchise went into serious decline after that with the next two Batman films, several animated television series were developed and have seen great success. Batman was still very much alive in our media consciousness. Still, the overwhelmingly positive reactions to Christopher Nolan’s BATMAN BEGINS made it clear that we were ready for a big-screen-Batman again. Three years later, the dark-one is back, flanked again by composers HANS ZIMMER and JAMES NEWTON HOWARD.

THE DARK KNIGHT truly stands out from the crowd this Summer. Despite excellent efforts in both IRON MAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK, director Christopher Nolan pushes his film along the lines of real-worldliness beyond either of these two ... even beyond his own BATMAN BEGINS. This real-world grittiness (enhanced greatly by the sparring use of CG) helps to separate this film from the glut of 2008's Summer movies. In fact, take away the cape and cowl, and poorly applied make-up and this film could almost slip into this year's dramatic Fall line up. Well, maybe I go to far.

Since Batman's revelation, the city of Gotham has changed: the people, the police, and the criminals. Such change is visually reflected, among other ways, in the color palette shift from the golden hues of the first film to cold hues of blue. The mob is under new leadership and have themselves hit hard times, thus opening the way for a new sort of criminal – one not moved by money or simple power. Our hero of the night has to fight the old mob and the new...as well as himself in this new Gotham. Christopher Nolan's sequel is an effective mash-up of mob drama and psycho-thriller that happens to include a caped crusader as its protagonist. As the perilous second act of a hopeful trilogy, Zimmer and Newton Howard follow suit and push and already menacing musical style even further into the darkness.

Read the full review here

Composer Clint Mansell and the Sonus Quartet to perform at Ghent

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Clint Mansell and Sonus Quartet to Perform Cult Director Darren Aronofsky Film Tracks at 35th Annual Ghent International Film Festival

Ghent, Belgium (July 8, 2008) For the 35th edition of the Ghent International Film Festival (October 7th -18th), Clint Mansell and Sonus Quartet will be performing atmospheric tunes from Darren Aronofsky films (Pi, Requiem For A Dream, The Fountain). Like Aronofsky in the film world, Mansell has garnered an immense cult following for his soundtrack work, known for its dark, hypnotic beauty. The concert will be held on October 16th in the theatre hall at the Vooruit.

Clint Mansell started out as the front man for British electronica-punk group Pop Will Eat Itself. He broke into the world of scoring when his friend, director Darren Aronofsky, hired him to write the soundtrack for Pi, his debut feature film. Since then, Mansell has scored Aronofsky’s two other films, Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain. Mansell’s unique sense of style is difficult to pin down, a mix of anything in the minor-key palette available to him, from swelling strings to heavy electric guitar and tribal drums. For his work on The Fountain, he teamed up with Scottish post-rock band Mogwai and Kronos Quartet to produce the most exquisite, powerful soundtrack experience of 2007. Not only did it win him Best Original Soundtrack at the World Soundtrack Awards, but also the Public Choice Award, voted by film music fans from around the world. For his concert in Ghent, Mansell will be bringing a few special guests along: a rock band and Sonus Quartet, a string ensemble. They will be performing Aronofsky film tracks, complete with film clips pulsating in the background.

With its focus on film music, the Ghent International Film Festival has carved out its own unique niche on the international circuit. True to form, the 35th edition has another three music concerts on the menu. On October 15th, Gabriel Yared will be kicking things off with music from Anthony Minghella films (The English Patient, The Talented Mr Ripley), followed by a concert with Darren Aronofsky composer Clint Mansell (The Fountain, Requiem for a Dream) on October 16th. On October 17th , folk rock sensation Kadril will be performing tracks from Brokeback Mountain, Shakespeare in Love, Walk the Line, Barry Lyndon and Black Cat White Cat. It all comes to a close on October 18th with the World Soundtrack Awards ceremony, followed by a concert with Tuur Florizoone (Moscow, Belgium), Oscar winner Dario Marianelli (Atonement) and David Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, the City of Lost Children, Mulholland Drive).

Concert tickets available from Fnac: www.fnac.be - 0900 00 600 (€0.45/min) and www.vooruit.be

For more information, go to www.filmfestival.be .

Visiting the Lucas Empire

In making one of my regular excursions back to California, I will be privileged to visit both LucasFilm/ Skywalker Sound and the new home of LucasArts (on the Presidio in San Francisco). Having been to "the ranch" once before, I can say it is a creative environment like no other. With THE CLONE WARS and THE FORCE UNLEASHED on the horizon, there should be a ton of activity; making these two days insanely cool. Want to come along? My plan is to send updates about the visit via Twitter - provided Twitter is functioning, that is.

Follow me on Twitter here!

And Lo...The Dark Knight is Upon Us

He has been lurking in the shadows of viral web sites and teasers and trailers and bootlegged soundclips, but he is just about here... The Bat-man. Below you find the official press release regarding the multi-release of THE DARK NIGHT soundtrack by HANS ZIMMER and JAMES NEWTON HOWARD. Included will be the standard soundtrack, a special limited edition, an LP, and now, a digital download version (MP3).

And Lo... you can check out four officially released soundclips here.



For immediate release: July 2, 2008

HANS ZIMMER AND JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
TO PERFORM LIVE AT
THE DARK KNIGHT PREMIERE

In-Store Soundtrack Signings Set For New York and Los Angeles

Burbank, CA: - Two of the world’s most renowned composers, Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, will be performing together live for the first time, on stage at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square IMAX Theater prior to the world premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Dark Knight on Monday, July 14, at 7pm.

These two world-class, award-winning composers teamed for the second time to create the score for this highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster Batman Begins, which they scored in 2005.

Zimmer and Howard will be signing copies of the soundtrack at Virgin Megastores in New York on Tuesday, July 15, in Times Square at 7pm, and in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 16, at Hollywood and Highland, also at 7pm.

The soundtrack for The Dark Knight will be released on Warner Bros. Records on
July 15 prior to the film’s nationwide opening on July 18.

Warner Bros. Records will release four different configurations of the soundtrack for The Dark Knight: a standard jewel case CD, a 2 LP set of heavy-weight 180 gram vinyl version, a special edition digipack, and a collector’s edition with special artwork to come after release.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Christopher Nolan film, The Dark Knight, starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman. Nolan directed the film from a screenplay written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Charles Roven, Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan are the producers, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers. The Dark Knight is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane. The Dark Knight will be distributed worldwide in theatres and IMAX by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film has been rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of violence and some menace.”

www.thedarkknight.com
http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/thedarkknight/

# # #

Official Soundtrack Site for THE DARK KNIGHT

For quite some time I've been hoping to score some official clips or tracks from Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's latest effort - THE DARK KNIGHT that I could share with you. Alas there have been a handful of leaks of the music already... and now the official soundtrack site has been launched.

This offers clips from four tracks and I'd guess give us a solid glimpse as to what to expect from the score as a whole. Looks like there will be four releases: CD, limited edition CD, digital download, and LP.

You can check out the official THE DARK KNIGHT SOUNDTRACK here.

New Starwars.com and Clone Wars Site...with score?

It's been quite a few years since Lucas and Co. updated their official website. Well over the July 4th weekend, they did just that. Nothing as dynamic as THE FORCE UNLEASHED site, but a measured improvement. Included in the update is the section for the upcoming CLONE WARS film and television series. In that section, it appears as though they are utilizing music from either the film (by Kevin Kiner) or the TV series. In any event, it isn't what I'd call traditional Star-wars-music by any stretch of the imagination. You can check it out at the link below. So, if this proves to be the official score of either the film or tv series...what do you think of it???

Check out the STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS site here

Caption Contest Finalists Announced (Wall-E)

Thanks to all of you who entered last month's Caption Contest!

Below are the three finalists for the WALL*E Soundtrack by Thomas Newman. The final winner will be announced soon.



This summer, the last man on earth... is not a man. I Am Wall-E
(FunnyGirl33)

When the Autobots left earth, they forgot just one thing. The cube.
(FunnyGirl33)


"I knew these 'Gigli' soundtrack CDs would come in handy someday!"
(ramen99)





Enter to win the HANCOCK Soundtrack by John Powell in the new Caption contest

New Interview: Composer Harry Gregson-Williams

Just after the release of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN, composer Harry Gregson-Williams shares about his return to Narnia, his feelings about moving on from the franchise, what he's doing with up-and-coming-composers like David Buckley and Stephen Barton at his Wavecrest Studios, and his upcoming projects which include X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Check out the full interview here!