FILM IS DEAD. The mantra that accompanied the dawn of the digital projection age. But was it true? When film maker and projectionist Rob Murphy began filming what he thought was the end of the film era something unforeseen had already begun to happen. From deep within the projectionist underground a phoenix was arising. Projected film was making a comeback and as Rob and his film crazed colleagues scrambled to equip their cinema for the 70mm release of ‘The Hateful8’ they had inadvertently become part of it. What started out as the documentation of something ending was now witness to its rebirth. ‘Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey’ is a new feature length documentary filmed across Australia, the U.S and U.K featuring interviews with the well-known champions of projected film as well as the lesser-known characters from behind the scenes. This is the synopsis as written by the director of the movie Rob Murphy for the new documentary.
As with all documentaries music plays an important part, and in recent years music in documentary film has become something that is seen as an important and integral part of the production. The score for Splice Here; A Projected Odyssey is the work of two composers, Brett Aplin (Ms Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries, The Bureau of Magical Things) and Burkhard Dallwitz (The Truman Show, The Way Back, The Secret River). It’s a score that will wow you from the start, a work of quality filled with rich thematic pieces and literally dripping in emotive and affecting compositions. T
here are at times definite John Barry-esque moments that shines through, with sweeping string performances creating sensitive yet powerful themes. Although there is the odd nod here and there to the likes of John Barry and even little nuances and quirks of orchestration that could be associated with the style of James Horner, it is a score that also posse’s a great amount of originality, the music being haunting, attractive, and beautiful.
The score is overflowing with intensely melodic passages and graceful and delicately subtle tone poems, that purvey a sense of fragility, these are are performed at times on solo piano that timidly tugs at one’s heartstrings. The composers employ melancholy sounding strings, to great effect throughout, and employ horns which seem to be conveying a faraway and lonely sound. They fuse both strings and brass together to fashion wonderfully melodious sounds that really do touch your soul and make your heart flutter. In short, it’s a soundtrack that I recommend to you without reservation. Available now on digital platforms.
MOVIE MUSIC INTERNATIONAL. (MMI) . 