High Score: Version 2.0 Launched - The New Era of Video Game Music

New reviews, interviews, and streaming music!

August 2, 2008

I am starting off this update to HIGH SCORE talking about one of the video game world's most important locations - LucasArts Entertainment, which recently relocated from Marin county, California to San Francisco's Presidio (virtually the only spot in California not engulfed in the smoke of uncountable Summer fires). This incredible campus is also home to the effects company, INDUSTRIAL LIGHT AND MAGIC and a portion of LUCASFILM LIMITED. I start here because, if you haven't started talking about their next game release, THE FORCE UNLEASHED, you will. For some of you, this groundbreaking game's score will also be a popular topic.

Back in July, my gracious host for an afternoon's lunch and tour of just a small segment of "Lucas-Land" was Vice president of Sales for LucasArts, Mary Bihr. Props and costumes from the Lucas empire adorn the foyer (the only place photos are allowed) and within the halls and offices are gobs of original conceptual art pieces and models from countless ILM projects. Echoing off of the paintings, models, and sculptures was positive buzz over the recent worldwide launch of the new Indiana Jones Lego video game. Having just spent the day previous at "The Ranch," where the other half of LucasFilm remains located, as well as SKYWALKER SOUND, and seeing original props from the Indiana Jones franchise like "the fedora," "the whip," and newly added "Crystal Skull," I have to admit that I felt a little Indiana Jones buzz myself.

There, at Skywalker Sound, I met up with composer MARK GRISKEY where he recorded his score for THE FORCE UNLEASHED. Visiting the incredible scoring stage, it was bewildering to think that THE FORCE UNLEASHED was the first LucasArts video game to have its score recorded there! In the mixing room, I met Dann Thompson, audio engineer who mixed Mark Griskey's THE KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC: THE SITH LORDS score. While still in the mixing suite, I briefly met the Director of Recording and Scoring, Leslie Ann Jones, who worked on THE FORCE UNLEASHED with Griskey.

"LucasLand" is indeed "Disneyland" for the film and game geek in all of us. (Ok...in me, then.) A large portion of this update to HIGH SCORE revolves around the release of THE FORCE UNLEASHED. You'll find a full review of the promo soundtrack as well as an exclusive interview with MARK GRISKEY. In addition you'll find full reviews of KEVIN RIEPL's HUXLEY and WINIFRED PHILLIP's SPEED RACER: THE VIDEO GAME. Finally, we've added two new SCOREFRONT profiles: COLIN O'MALLEY and DUANE DECKER, both of whom have a number of significant video game projects under their belts. And don't miss the new music above from titles such as: PRINCE CASPIAN (Mark Griskey), SUPERMAN RETURNS (Colin O'Malley), HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC V (Paul Anthony Romero).

"Upgrade" yourself to High Score (Ver. 2.0) here!

Speed Racer (Soundtrack) by Michael Giacchino - Review

Giacchino, Go!
Review by Christopher Coleman

SPEED RACER, the score, is nothing like what I expected, and just about everything I dared not to hope for. Ah those tricky, tricky, Wachowski's. A complete modernization of the franchise was not what they had in mind at all. It was certainly modernized in terms of the visuals. Being a cross between DICK TRACY and SPY KIDS, the film felt more like watching an extended video game cut-scene than a live-action feature. With hyper-real colors, disconcerting editing and non-stop screen wipes, the film found at least some grounding in MICHAEL GIACCHINO's predominantly acoustic score. Thankfully, for this SPEED RACER revival, Giacchino pays due homage to NOBUYOSHI KOSHIBE's original themes from the 1960's television series, delivering a full-throttled, retro-score.

Read the full review here + 3 soundclips

New Speed Racer Trailer

"Speed Racer, slow down!" ...thus ends this latest trailer for the upcoming SPEED RACER remake.

Many of you know of my general disdain for what the teaser trailer presented to us - essentially a non-interactive video game, but this latest trailer provides the tiniest bit of hope that there might be something positive to take away from the whole thing. What exactly? I'm not sure yet...perhaps its because I heard the classic "chonk chonk chonk chonk" sound effect or got a glimpse of what looks like the Mammoth car (from the classic animated series)...or because Matthew Fox's Racer X impression is pretty freakin' good. Something caused my hate to go into remission for a moment.

Don't get me wrong...I still hate most of the casting choices. Other than Racer X and Speed, none of these actors feel right to me, especially Christina Ricci (that's just a gawd-awful choice). Those of you who grew up with the original cartoon probably feel similarly.

In terms of the music...yes...lots of hyper-tempo, electronica stuff, but there is also an interesting, heroic, little fanfare about 1/3 of the way into the trailer. Haven't identified it yet, so if you know what it is, feel free to post a comment.


Check the new trailer in HD here

Speed Racer Trailer

Well, here he comes. You probably have known for sometime that the Wachowski Brothers were re-imagining this popular 70s cartoon. Look - Speed Racer was a childhood hero of mine and so when it was first announced that The Wachowski Brothers were making of movie out of it, I was torn. I thought it was inevitable. Someone would remake it and so I had some hope that the Wachowski's would do the original justice. On the other hand, that is one of those iconic shows that I just wish Hollywood would keep there grubs off of.

So - the first trailer is out now. As I'm still getting over the casting announced months ago, I now have to up my meds after watching the trailer. Aside from Matthew Fox's impression of the "coolest race car driver ever," Racer X - I'm not so thrilled with what the trailer contains. Oh yes. At least they threw in one or two actual Asians - Hiroyuki Sanada? Nice!

The trailer music is certainly nothing most score-folk are going to flip over - that housie-trancie-electronica and the hyper-real visuals make it seem as though The W's wanted this to go straight to HD DVD or something. Then there's that "new" car for Speed found later in the trailer. Since there is a "6" on the side of it... well, let's hope for the best for ye old Mach 5.

It's early yet folks, but my hopes are fading fast...

You can check the trailer here