Covering the crossroads of music and film.
Entries tagged “film scores”
Mark Ruffalo, Orlando Bloom film scored by Montreal psyche band
By Brandon Kim on 09/28/2009
Filed under: The Intersection
Actor Mark Ruffalo ("You Can Count on Me," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Zodiac") has turned to directing with an intriguing film called "Sympathy for Delicious." The film stars Ruffalo himself, Laura Linney, Juliette Lewis, and Orlando Bloom as a rockstar named The Stain. If that's not strange enough, actor Christopher Thornton wrote the screenplay and plays the role of the paralyzed, DJ Delicious, who "gets more than he bargained for when he seeks out the world of faith healing." Thornton is actually paralyzed in real life. (The Besnard Lakes. Photo by Chris Gergley) Canadian rockers, The Besnard Lakes,... MORE »
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Intimate Enemies, Alexandre Desplat, Florent Siri.
By Brandon Kim on 09/03/2009
Filed under: Reel to Reel
I was a bit salty when I discovered that the working title I'd been using for a story had been taken already by director Florent Siri, but this French film, "Intimate Enemies" is not about my ex-girlfriend. Instead it is concerned with Algeria's fight for Independence. A kind of French "Platoon." Like Vietnam, France's war with Algeria is national baggage that is a never ending source of grief, reconciliation, and introspective war films. Check out "The Battle of Algiers" and "Indigenes" (foolishly retitled "Days of Glory" for it's '07 US release) for more on this dark chapter of history. Man,... MORE »
The Swell Season, "Make art, make art!"
By Brandon Kim on 09/02/2009
Filed under: The Intersection
The Swell Season are Glen Hansard (from Irish band, The Frames) and Marketa Irglova (a classically trained Czech pianist and vocalist). They entered the spotlight last year with two Grammy nominations and an Oscar win for Best Original Song, "Falling Slowly." That win was for the indie film, "Once," for which Hansard and Irglova also composed the score along with the original soundtrack work. They played the film's two lead characters too! (The Swell Season's, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova). If you missed their Oscar speech/debacle you missed the feel good moment of the season. Thanks to the Academy you... MORE »
Alien and Ridley together again, sans Ripley or Goldsmith
By Brandon Kim on 08/03/2009
Filed under: Reel to Reel
It might be a bit early to declare with certainty that Ripley will not be in the planned "Alien" prequel, that Ridley Scott's returning to direct after sitting out the last three films. Studios often devise ways of bringing characters back to sci-i franchises that are not born yet, or who've already died - look no further than Ripley in "Alien: Resurrection." But it's probably safe to say that a 59 year old Sigorney Weaver would not return to the series into a time frame earlier than her first role (back in 1979). Clearly, the great Jerry Goldsmith, now deceased,... MORE »
Moon, Duncan Jones, Clint Mansell, Horrible Loneliness
By Brandon Kim on 07/17/2009
Filed under: Reel to Reel
You've surely heard by now that "Moon" director Duncan Jones is David Bowie's son, and I don't expect the news articles with clever Bowie song titles to stop, since his follow-up feature "Mute" has already been announced. There may be a reprise cameo of the Sam Rockwell role in what Jones described as his "love letter to Blade Runner." More on that bold, incredible statement here, and don't miss IFC's recent interview with Jones here on the site. Some would probably scoff if Jones had used a Bowie song in "Moon," but I for one would not have ruled out... MORE »
Conquest of Paradise
By Brandon Kim on 07/06/2009
Filed under: The refrain
The cabin of the outdated 757 grew dark as we passed through storm clouds on our descent into Jamaican airspace. Everything on the decrepit air ship began to creak and moan. The cathode ray tube screens from the 80's anchored to the ceiling shook with either Howie Mandel or colored static, it didn't make much difference. My stomach dropped into my balls, then tried to leave my body through my throat. I tried to focus on a point on the ceiling that wasn't in motion and noticed it was so antique it actually had a patina. A woman up in... MORE »
British Sea Power re-score 1934 film
By Brandon Kim on 06/30/2009
Filed under: The Intersection
"Man of Aran" is an early documentary film by Robert J. Flaherty depicting the rough, sea-sprayed life on the Aran Islands, "wastes of rock... without trees... without soil" off the western coast of Ireland. Flaherty had already won acclaim for his even earlier, 1922 documentary "Nanook of the North," considered an important milestone in filmmaking. Chances are good you've not seen either of them unless you went to film school, but the latter is as much a part of vernacular as "Birth of a Nation." I'd never seen "Man of Aran" until recently. The excuse was that it's been re-released... MORE »
DJ Spooky
By Brandon Kim on 06/24/2009
Filed under: The Intersection
IFC's Aaron Hillis recently spoke with DJ Spooky (aka Paul D. Miller) about his film project "Rebirth of a Nation" which is his scored, cut up, and remixed interpretation of D.W. Griffith's notorious 1915 film, "Birth of a Nation." I haven't seen it yet but I like this past quote about it from Margo Jefferson in the New York Times: "Silent film scores were grandiloquent, meant to heighten what we saw on screen. Mr. Miller's score, by contrast, deflects our responses, then alters them. A hip-hop drum beat pulses. (It sounds African and urban American.) A wash of industrial sound... MORE »
Hollywood's Greatest Year: 1939
By Brandon Kim on 06/19/2009
Filed under: Reel to Reel, The refrain
The Academy's celebratory event for "Hollywood's Greatest Year" caught my attention 'cause I couldn't believe they were more jaded about Hollywood than I am. 1939 was the shit huh? What do these imperious folk think about the past 70 years of Hollywood pictures? I'd probably pick 1982 if I had to grab a year outta the air, I mean just look at it: "Bladerunner" "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" "Poltergeist" "Star Trek: The Wrath Of Kahn" "An Officer and a Gentleman" "First Blood" "Gandhi" "Conan The Barbarian" ...even "Tootsie" What a tough year. But anyway the Academy says its 1939, and when... MORE »
Coppola and Golijov
By Brandon Kim on 06/10/2009
Filed under: Reel to Reel
Francis Ford Coppola's new film, "Tetro" is about two brothers and their domineering Father, an orchestra conductor. It's the first original screenplay he's written since 1974's "The Conversation" and is apparently quite personal. Personal in that it's drawn somewhat from his own life and his father who was also a conductor. But the rivalry and dysfunction is all fiction. He told the NY Times, "Granted that classical music was part of my life, but my father was a wonderful and talented man who didn't get his break in life until much later and was nothing like the monster portrayed here."... MORE »
Music Supervisor: Tracy McKnight
By Brandon Kim on 06/07/2009
Filed under: Introductions, The Intersection
Tracy McKnight was not aware of the job of music supervisor when she set out to find her way in the world. She thought she'd eventually work in fashion or cosmetics, perhaps something she dreamed of at 30,000 feet while working as flight attendant. Instead, she landed a job at a NY recording studio as the night manager during college and it set her on a career path in the music industry. The thrill is still evident in her voice when she talks about it. (Left: Lisa P. first struts on screen to the Rolling Stones in "Adventureland," Miramax films)... MORE »
Nice score Sherlock
By Brandon Kim on 06/05/2009
Filed under: Reel to Reel
Once a pioneer in fusing cutting edge electronics with traditional orchestrations, composer Hans Zimmer, sits comfortably among the top hotshot Hollywood go-to guys. His roster of blockbuster scores include the films, "Rain Man," "Days of Thunder," "The Lion King," "Batman Begins," "The Da Vinci Code" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." The problem is, his scores just sound like bloated old turds hitting a wet diaper now. (Left: Jude Law, Robert Downey Jr., and Rachel McAdams in "Sherlock Holmes") It wouldn't be a stretch to pin blame on Hans Zimmer for the formulaic sound of most big budget... MORE »
The Dø
By Brandon Kim on 05/26/2009
Filed under: The Intersection
This European duo might not normally get my attention but they met working on a French film soundtrack in 2004, and after a few more collaborations decided to form The Do together. They're also absurdly attractive. In the interest of pointing out synchronicity whenever it occurs, no matter how minor, the film they met on was "Empire of the Wolves," by director Chris Nahon who I was just reading about (regarding his new film "Blood: The Last Vampire") when this Paris/Helsinki twosome came across my desk. Maybe we'll all meet in a bar in Morocco in 5 years and fall... MORE »
"The Road" : Nick Cave, blow my mind.
By Brandon Kim on 05/20/2009
Filed under: Reel to Reel, The Intersection
It seems this much delayed mystery picture by director John Hillcoat has a firm release date of October 16th (latest by the Weinstein Company anyway), and a trailer surfaced last week that on first viewing looks and sounds very promising. (Left: Viggo as The Man, in John Hillcoat's "The Road.") The cast is incredible, and includes: Viggo Mortensen (swordsman, nude fighter, brought back the cleft chin) Charlize Theron (prettier when ugly?) Robert Duvall Guy Pearce Garret Dillahunt ("Deadwood" multi-role villain, "well that's one fer you Wiald Biell!") Molly Parker (also from "Deadwood") Michael K. Williams ("The Wire's" badass, unforgettable Omar)... MORE »
Mama take this badge off of me
By Brandon Kim on 05/13/2009
Filed under: The Intersection
All the hubbub about Bob Dylan lately has inspired me to listen to a bunch of his records, something I don't normally do. I have some favorite Dylan songs and give props but, I've never been a big fan. You see, I had the unfortunate experience of having some friends and acquaintances who just loved him so much they purposefully left little behind for me. I'm sure there's some parallel in your life. Allow me to indulge in this illustrative tale. There was one guy in particular who aggressively hoarded Dylan to himself. The kind of guy who hosts a... MORE »
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