Blair Mowat is a talented and versatile composer who has penned well over two-hundred scores for film, theatre and television, with clients ranging from The English National Ballet and The Royal Shakespeare Company to the likes of BBC, SKY & ITV.
He is a BAFTA nominated, award-winning composer with over 15-years’ experience, and is consistently in high demand. His work includes Class, an acclaimed 8-part Doctor Who spin-off series on BBC One, ITV’s international hit show McDonald & Dodds and SKY’s The Amazing Mr Blunden.
He composed the score to Russell T Davies’s latest drama Nolly, starring Helena Bonham Carter, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award in 2024. That collaboration then led on to Men Up, a film Russell exec-produced, airing on BBC1 shortly afterwards. Doctor Jekyll, a new Hammer Horror film starring Eddie Izzard was released theatrically in cinemas in late 2023, with many praising the film’s bold and musical score. Blair also provided the music for Black Dog – which after featuring in BFI’s Cannes GREAT8 Showcase, is set for a theatrical release in 2024 through Vertigo Releasing. Other recent projects include thriller After The Flood, a new six-part show on ITV1 and Britbox from the producers of Happy Valley.
Classically trained from an early age, Blair has a BA (Hons) in Music from Durham University and an MA in Composition for Film and Television from Bristol University. In 2012 he was nominated for a Creative Scotland Award for ‘Best New Talent’ in the Scottish arts. As a musical arranger he has worked on shows including Doctor Who and David Attenborough’s Life Stories. Blair is a full voting member of BAFTA and frequently judges awards such as The Ivors and BIFAs.
McDonald & Dodds and The Amazing Mr Blunden were double-nominated for ‘Best Original TV Score’ and ‘Best Opening Titles’ in the Music & Sound Awards, with Nolly also picking up a nomination for Best Original TV Score in 2023. In early 2024 Nolly won ‘Best Soundtrack’, at the World Entertainment Awards in Los Angeles, securing its reputation as one of the most critically successful TV scores of that year.
BLAIR MOWAT.
How did you become involved with Dr Jekyll?
I had an existing relationship with the director Joe Stephenson. He’d asked on Facebook for a composer recommendation 10 years ago and several people mentioned me so he got in touch and the rest is history! Our first project was The Happy Prince read by Stephen Fry for Sky Arts. When he told me he was doing a new Hammer Horror film I couldn’t resist!
When you first saw the movie did you begin to formulate ideas about the score straight away, or did you watch it a few times before you started to think of the style etc that the music should have?
We first started out talking about a more serious score with greater subtly. However, Joe came to the realisation that the film was working best when it leant in to the bigger bolder stuff – a little self-knowing and fun. That’s when I was given permission to ‘turn things up to 11’ and really go for it! I wanted to take some inspiration from the old Hammer films like spelling out the name in the main theme, but that homage was combined with more modern scoring techniques, so it didn’t just feel like pastiche.
Did the director Joe Stephenson have any specific ideas about what style or sound he wanted for the film, and was the movie temp tracked at all?
Once he knew he wanted something brash and gothic, Joe was the one who was keen on bringing in a choir element – that was a lot of fun to work with. He definitely wanted it to be orchestral but was never too prescriptive and very open to the idea of using synths and more modern textures too.
What I really love about Joe is he’s very trusting as a director. We spent over 8 hours talking about the film in spotting sessions together at his place in London but after that he really allowed me to go off and discover the themes and sound of the score myself. We did have some temp tracks which was a mixture of stuff he and I had chosen, but the edit was always changing and without a music editor on board the temp was pretty ‘loose’ so I had a lot of freedom.
How much music did you compose for the movie, and is all the score on the soundtrack release?
I’m not sure of the exact number of minutes, but I’d guess around 65 minutes. There are missing cues on the soundtrack release as I felt the album should be as listenable as possible and run together nicely. Some of the more incidental cues didn’t make the cut as they work well in the film but are less engaging for a stand alone listen.
The soundtrack is released on digital platforms, did you compile the music for the release, and will there be a compact disc release at all?
I did indeed compile the soundtrack and in regards to a physical release, I’ve had some interest from companies in releasing a vinyl, which has been my main focus. In regards to a CD release it’s entirely possible but I’ve been too busy recently to have time to consider that – so maybe in the future! It’d be fun to maybe do a CD release with some bonus tracks that didn’t make it on the digital release.
It’s a Hammer production, which is always good to see, were you aware of the Hammer scores for the Gothic horrors such as Dracula and Frankenstein etc, when asked to write the score for Dr. Jekyll?
I was quite aware of them as I had a wonderful education from Mark Gatiss who lent me his Hammer Horror DVDs when we did a Radio 4 project together called The Unquenchable Thirst of Dracula. That was an unmade Hammer Horror script set in India which was meant to feature Christopher Lee. We did a 90-minute Radio version for it and my music was often inspired by James Bernard’s work for films like Dracula to achieve a more authentic feel for what the film might have sounded like, if it had ever been made.
It’s a powerful score right from the opening track, and one that contains real thematic properties, which is unusual for horror movies these days, many have drone like soundtracks, it’s a mix of symphonic and choral what size orchestra did you have for the score and where was it recorded?
We had 10 brass players, around 30 strings players, a few wind players and a 30-piece choir. It’s actually on the smaller side of an orchestra though we did double track or overdub the string players to achieve a bigger sound in many places. If we’d had more budget then I think we’d have gone bigger, but I’m still really proud of the final sound. The old Hammer Horror films were often working with a limited budget so it did feel quite appropriate. We used two orchestras; that idea was inspired by the duality of Jekyll and Hyde. IN the end we recorded with both the Budapest Art Orchestra and The Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
Did you conduct the score, or do you prefer to observe and supervise from the control room?
I was in Los Angeles when writing the score so all the sessions were done remotely from my studio there (sometimes at very painful hours like 3am till 8am!) I do sometimes conduct but these days I prefer to be in the booth and hear what is coming out of the speakers. I do that because that’s what the audience will ultimately hear when the film is released.#
Orchestration is something I like to ask about, do you do your own orchestrations, or is this sometimes not always possible?
Everything is very prescriptively laid out in my projects so all the divisi, over dubs, various string lines etc are there, with modulations indicating dynamics and sometimes notes in the markers. But then when it comes to putting the dots on the page I didn’t have time on this project so I worked with a few orchestrators to get it over the line. I check all the parts and will change dynamics etc and give feedback – I feel that gives me a very similar result to if I were to do it myself. In the end it’s often about speed as there’s never enough time!
What’s next for you another Hammer?
I really enjoyed working on a Hammer Horror project and I’m a big fan of genre filmmaking in general. I was fortunate enough to be nominated for a BAFTA recently for my work on the TV show Nolly, and that’s brought about a lot of interesting discussions – so I’m talking to various directors and producers now about what’s next for me. I’m excited that Hammer Horror are back making films again and I do hope I’m able to do another one in the future as they’re tremendous fun!
I cant believe we have reached supplement ninety nine. This month is a packed one, so lets dive into the soundtracks shall we.
Mark Korven’s score for The First Omen is out now on digital platforms and are you in for a treat if you love the creepy and the chilling, the music is just so atmospheric and downright affecting. On listening to the score, I have to say I felt decidedly uncomfortable, the composer has created a soundtrack that is eerie, effective and purveys a sense of the uneasy and the virulent. He also has fashioned music that is celestial and calming. It is a work that is like the proverbial rollercoaster ride, there are so many highs, lows, and turns that is perfectly conveyed by the music, the composer gifting us a wonderfully twisted and malevolent score. I recommend that you take a listen to this innovative and inventive work, which is performed by orchestra, choir and numerous sounds, it is a refreshing approach to the Omen franchise, and although Korven does not quote directly from past Omen scores within the central soundtrack he does at times evoke the dark and unsettling Latin choruses of Jerry Goldsmith, that is more evident in the final cue which is his own arrangement of Ave Santani.
MARK KORVEN.
I love the darkness and the sinister style and sound of the score, with half heard whispers and driving percussive elements and unusual instrumentation. This is in my opinion an accomplished and brilliantly conceived soundtrack.
There are a few interesting scores around now, which is always a good sign that film music is alive and well, but I have to add that for every good score there is probably four or five that are not so good, and with synthetic elements increasing in movie scores its does at times become a bit of an uphill struggle listening to new material. Sebastien Romero, is a composer who I found interesting, his score for Witte Wieven, is available now on digital platforms, the composer utilises, electronic and conventional instrumentation to realise a style and sound that I found attractive in this particular case, the composer who is from the Netherlands, also weaves female wordless vocals into the score.
The sound achieved is otherworldly and apprehensive. Which underlines and supports the storyline perfectly, directed by Didier Konings, the movie is a atmospheric tale set in a medieval Dutch village, where it focuses upon a young woman who finds herself caught between her faith, fanatic townsfolk and dark forces that are waiting in the woods. The score is understated at times, but always interesting because of the instrumentation mostly.
The composer creates unease and a chilling persona via his score and adds much to an already disturbing tale. I recommend that you take a listen, it’s on digital platforms.
New to Netflix is romantic fantasy drama, Fabbricante di Lacrime –The Tearsmith. Sometimes our greatest fear is accepting that someone can honestly love us for who we are. Nica and Rigel are ready to find it out together. Within, the walls of the Grave, the orphanage where Nica grew up, a legend has always been told: that of the maker of tears, a mysterious craftsman, guilty of crafting all the fears and anxieties that inhabit the hearts of men. But at seventeen years old, the time has come for Nica to leave fairy tales behind. Her biggest dream is about to come true. Mr and Mrs Milligan have started the adoption process and are ready to give her the family she has always wanted. In her new home, however,
Nica is not alone. Along with her, Rigel, a restless and mysterious orphan, the last person in the world Nica would want as an adoptive brother, is also taken from the Grave. Rigel is intelligent, smart, plays the piano like an enchanting demon and has a beauty that can enchant, but his angelic appearance conceals a dark nature. Even though Nica and Rigel are united by a common past of pain and hardship, living together seems impossible, but kindness and anger are two different ways of fighting pain to stay alive and to conceal the emotions that devastate their hearts, becoming for each other that tears-maker of legend. To the maker of tears, you cannot lie: and they will have to find the courage to accept that desperate force that attracts them towards each other called love.
The romantic yet apprehensive sounding score is by composer Andrea Farri, it is a soundtrack that has to it a lilting and melancholy sound, with strings and piano underlined and supported by electronic instrumentation, the composer also includes two very different sounding vocals one being a slow and rather poignant ballad the other is a hard and fast rock track, both are performed by Valentina Costanzo, who’s distinct raspy vocals bring much to the proceedings.
Available now on Spotify (of course other digital platforms are available).
The new Apple TV ten-episode series Palm Royale focuses upon an ambitious woman who schemes to secure her seat at America’s most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society circa 1969.
The score is by Jeff Toyne, and I recommend that you check the soundtrack out, it has that typical late 1960’s vibe the composer mixing luxurious sounding strings, with vibrant upbeat jazz infused interludes.
Brass, percussion, bossa nova, samba and tango beats all feature alongside more romantically inspired compositions, there is a nice vibe to this soundtrack, the composer realising a sound and style that I think we all miss, it’s a fusion of easy listening, big band, lounge, and moody sounding instrumental tracks that were so popular five decades ago. Sophisticated, classy, and well worth a listen.
From Mano Animation Studios and director Usman Riaz comes The Glassworker, a hand drawn animated feature film set in a location loosely inspired by Pakistan, A young Vincent and his father Tomas run the finest glass workshop in the country and find their lives upended by an impending war in which they want no part. The arrival in their town of an army colonel and his young, talented, violinist daughter, Alliz, shakes their reality and tests the relationship between father and son. The love that develops between Vincent and Alliz is challenged constantly by the differing views of their fathers. It is a time when patriotism and social standing are considered more important than free thought and artistic pursuits. It is a time when love is just not relevant.
This stunning animated movie features the voices of Art Malik, Sacha Dhawan, Anjli Mohindra, and Tony Jayawardene. The score is by Carmine di Florio and the director of the movie Usman Riaz, and what a beautiful score it is, in many ways it has a certain sound that can be likened to that of Joe Hisaishi, piano and strings are the central instrumentation, with solo violin and solo piano performances standing out throughout the soundtrack.
The score also contains darker elements that are effective and rousing martial pieces.
This is a score that I know you will love, the tender thematic nuances are highly emotive and haunting, the delicate piano performances being heartwarming and poignant, available now on digital platforms. Don’t miss this one.
The HBO show The Regime is screening now, the mini-series is drawing a lot attention, and not just for the on-screen antics, Kate Winslet stars in the limited series as the Chancellor of an unnamed Central European nation that is unravelling behind the palace walls. The enjoyable and superb soundtrack is the work of two top notch composers, Alexandre Desplat, and Alex Heffes, I just love the orchestration and the instrumentation on this score, bith composers contributing brilliantly entertaining pieces,
if I were to say I cannot pick a highlight track iits because the entire score is just great. There is comedy, drama, action, martial sound and mysterious interludes, all of which go to make a fantastic sounding score. I listened to it twice over and then went back for more of the same, its unusual these days to be able to put a soundtrack on the player or on the pc without skipping a track here and there,
I can honestly say that this was not the case with The Regime, it is outstanding. Available on all digital platforms.
As is Back to Black which features superbly emotion filled score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, the film is about the life of the artist Amy Winehouse and is a celebration of the most iconic – and much missed – homegrown star of the 21st century. It tells the extraordinary tale of Amy. Painting a vivid, vibrant picture of the Camden streets she called home and capturing the struggles of global fame, the movie honours Amy’s artistry, wit, and honesty, as well as trying to understand her demons.
This is an unflinching look at the modern celebrity machine and a powerful tribute to a once-in-a-generation talent. The film has been scored with much sensitively by the two composers, it’s a rather subdued work, but has so many beautiful and affecting pieces within the soundtrack, the first track which is entitled The Opening is a delicate and fragile sounding piece, which is brief but attention grabbing, the composers utilising chimes as in wind chime effects that are laced with piano and joined by a touching sweet sounding flute performance, this segues into track two At the Taxi,
in which the light wind chime effect is continued as is the piano performance of three notes, then from out of the background comes a haunting female solo voice which is wordless and haunting. The remainder of the score follows a similar path it being wispy and effective, the composers adding little sounds and understated motifs throughout, and the re-occurring use of a ghost like female voice, which is attractive but at the same time can be somewhat uncomfortable, there is another side to the score, that becomes darker and more unsettling as in the tracks Sort Yourselves Out and Holloway Prison,
I recommend that you go take a listen to this score, I would not be surprised if this is not in next year’s Awards nominations. Also try and catch the movie which is an insightful piece of cinema that investigates the life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood that leads to the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.
Dragon’s Domain records has released another volume in their Golden Age series with three more classic original scores by musical masters of the genre. The Golden Age of Science Fiction volume three, includes selections from Cat Women of the Moon (1953) which is an early work by composer Elmer Bernstein.
Released on September 3rd, 1953, the film shares a plot that is not unlike a movie released just five months earlier, Abbott and Costello go to Mars, and takes place in an alien society that is led by beautiful women who seduce visiting Earth astronauts. A scenario that became standard over the years in science-fiction films. The movie stretched its limited budget with costumes and lunar background paintings which were recycled from Destination Moon a film that was released three years earlier. And it also used the spaceship interior set from Project Moonbase, which hit cinemas just one day after Cat Women of the Moon.
Music from Robot Monster is also in the line up the movie was released eight weeks after the original Invaders from Mars, shares a similar theme of an alien invasion as seen through a young boy’s dream.
Filmed for a fraction of budget of Invaders from Mars, at an estimated cost of $16,000, Robot Monster made a sizable profit, grossing just over $1 million. Elmer Bernstein was also the composer on this movie and his score used only an eight-piece ensemble, yet his theme for the character of Ro-Man is very robust, effective, and memorable.
Finally, we are treated to music from Devil Girl from Mars, the film which was filmed in UK, was produced by American brothers Edward and Harry Danzinger. Their prolific output during the 1950s and 1960s was due to a belief that nothing should be wasted, especially pre-booked studio space. They would frequently commission a script to take advantage of standing sets when a production managed wrap up early. Which left the brothers with studio space reserved and paid for in advance. The score was composed by Edwin Astley, who had started writing music for the Danzinger Brothers in 1953, before becoming known worldwide for his memorable work in many British ITC TV series that were popular all over the world. This is an interesting and historic addition to the Dragons Domain catalogue, well worth having.
Documentaries as we know are becoming ever more popular and so too are the scores for these insightful and informative films and series. A series that is currently on Netflix is the four episode Our Living World which offers the viewers a look on, above, under and below the oceans and rivers of the earth. Across its thin green-blue veneer, the Earth pulsates with life. Building on astonishing scientific revelations and featuring stunning footage of the planet’s incredible natural networks.
Narrated by Cate Blanchett, the series has a music score by Pinar Toprak. This is an outstanding soundtrack, a melodious trip through so many worlds that study the rich and vibrant wildlife on our beautiful planet, it’s a documentary that I enjoyed immensely, and whilst watching I was conscious of just how much the score enhanced and ingratiated the images on screen. Performed by a fusion of symphonic and synthetic instrumentation, the composer adds colours, depth and tantalising textures to each episode and every scenario.
Take a listen its on digital platforms now and is an enriching and rewarding listening experience.
Music Box Records present a new album dedicated to Alexei Aigui, which includes a selection of his best film scores composed between 2005 and 2023. The recording will be available to buy from April 15th, and it is a great way to acquaint yourself with the music of this composer.
Alexei Aigui was born in Moscow in 1971. Classically trained, he studied the violin before becoming interested in conducting and composition. It is through his experiences and collaboration in relation to alternative rock and free jazz that he founded the Ensemble 4’33” in 1994. Alexei Aigui is credited with the scoring of over seventy movies. Most notably for La Vérité by director Hirokazu Kore-Eda, I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck, Cherchez Hortense by Pascal Bonitzer and Country of the Deaf by Valeriy Todorovskiy.
This new compilation displays the talent and versatility Aigui as a film music composer due to his eclectic choices in cinema: and his ability to adapt to each genre. The Adventures of Chuck and Huck, Domovoy, First Oscar, I’m on Rewind!, Our Little Secret, The Wedding Chest, The Anger, and Happy End. All varying genres and subject matters but the composer on each occasion rises to the challenge and creates music that is supportive and entertaining. The compact disc has a running time of over an hour and fifteen minutes.
Well worth investigating. Also, there is on Spotify a specially curated list of the composers best scores, which is also a great way of familiarising oneself with his music for film. The composers full score from the horror movie Domovoy is also available on digital platforms.
Music Box will also release in collaboration with EMI Music Publishing France, an expanded and remastered version, of Philippe de Broca’s film Le Roi de Cœur (1966) music composed and conducted by Georges Delerue. After the huge success of The Man from Rio (1964) and the half-hearted Tribulations of aChinese Man in China (1965), Philippe de Broca decided to temporarily abandon the field of large-scale adventure comedy. Together with Daniel Boulanger and Marcel Dalio, he wrote the screenplay for the film The King of Hearts, a delicate and tragic farce set in the twilight of the First World War. The film brings together a prestigious cast: Alan Bates, Geneviève Bujold, Micheline Presle, Jean-Claude Brialy, Julien Guiomar, Pierre Brasseur, Adolfo Celi, Françoise Christophe and Michel Serrault. The film was the eighth collaboration between Philippe de Broca and Georges Delerue, the movie offering the composer the opportunity to write a new theme built on a three-beat rhythm: La valse tordue. The film’s sometimes dissonant main theme is fully developed in its piano version of the theme of Return to the Asylum. For La valse tordue (Overture), Georges Delerue built a long orchestral development allowing him to gradually put in place the main thematic elements of his score. The carnival like theme of Joie de vivre is also built on a three-beat rhythm. Played by trumpets and tuba in its main version, it returns more intimately, with piano and flute for the film’s finale. The military context led the composer to write several dynamic and triumphant marches to characterize the forces involved. In contrast, Georges Delerue’s music for Le Roi de Cœur is sometimes dissonant and fragile, and then segues into moods that are at times joyful and sad. This poignant score is filled with colours and textures that that the composer painted with, that are filled with poetic and melodic personas, this is a score that many hold in high regard and is also thought of as one of the composer’s greatest soundtracks. The new edition has been completely remastered from the recording sessions and offers previously unreleased tracks compared to the previous CD edition of Varèse Sarabande released in 2004.
A new series on Apple Tv has started to stream, Franklin which stars Michael Douglas in the title role (Benjamin Franklin) is scored by Jay Wadley, who has incorporated modern instrumentation as in electronic components with a more conventional line up, the mix I have to say works very well, both mediums complimenting and supporting each other throughout.
The composer has I think successfully penned a thematic and wonderfully gracious sounding work for the series. I was impressed by the subtle but effective nuances that Wadley fashioned, the music is affecting and also greatly supportive to the series, the composer not only colouring and adding depth and atmosphere to the narrative, but at the same time realising a score that in the main is also entertaining as stand-alone music, as in the cues And Love, and Odette’s Honour, which are lilting and mesmerising melodies, performed on piano with supporting strings. Of course, there are cues that are apprehensive and even verge on the edge of being atonal, but this is film music and quality film music too.
The score also includes various action cues as in March of the Insurgents, that has a baroque sound and style to it and the driving and exhilarating Horseback Chase.
This is a soundtrack that oozes emotion and is overflowing with poignancy, but at the same time purveys a mood that is somewhat dark. Available now on digital platforms, it was a surprising delight and a highlight of the recent releases.
Staying with TV and the series Urbino Crime-Death in the Palazzo, which is available now on digital platforms, the excellent score is the work of Marcel Barsotti, and it’s one of the most entertaining collection of themes that I have heard in a while. The TV mini-series aired back in 2016 originally, and I am pleased that the music is now available for all to enjoy. At times it’s a jaunty sounding work, filled with musical full stops and commas that punctuate the storyline perfectly.
There is a particularly attractive piece that opens the recording, with accordion and a tango of sorts background, which after the introduction has vocals by Alberto Laurito, in many ways the style that is employed within the score does remind me slightly of the sound achieved by composers such as Luis Bacalov in his score for Il Postino, and Morricone on Malena, but there is also an originality and a comedic and mysterious air present in the work, which is the innovative and attractive style that is the individual musical fingerprint of Marcel Barsotti.
The soundtrack boasts twenty-three tacks and has a running time of nearly an hour, this is a wonderfully enjoyable listening experience, which is overflowing with a variation of styles and sounds. Well worth a listen.
Another taster track from In the Land of Saints and Sinners has been made available on digital platforms, Over the Ocean, is a short but sweet Irish flavoured piece, for strings, piano and cello that tugs at the heartstrings and conveys a warmth and emotion that becomes haunting.
A score that I missed when it was released was Visions which has a steamy, sensual and noir sounding soundtrack by French composer Philippe Rombi.
The music for this thriller could easily be by the likes of Bernard Herrmann or Jerry Goldsmith, as there is a style and overall sound to it that contains all the ingredients to be music from a film noir or a murder mystery from the 1960’s or 1980’s. The composer fashions tense but seductively thematic compositions throughout to support and enhance the intriguing plot and accompany the narrative.
The soundtrack was released on compact disc last year by French soundtrack specialist Music Box records and is also available on digital platforms. Performed by symphony orchestra, and choral elements, which are bolstered and augmented by electronic instrumentation, it’s a wonderfully rich and captivating work, that tantalises and draws the listener in. Highly recommended.
The new eight-episode series from Amazon Prime entitled Fallout is set in a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants, and bandits.
The score is by Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi and in my opinion it is excellent, the composer again realising effective music to enhance and become an integral part of the storyline. The music at times creating the atmospherics and then elevating the action and scenarios to a new level. There is an abundance of styles within the work the composer effectively underlining and adding depth to each scene. Available on digital platforms now.
Belgravia the next chapter, is the sequel to the original series as written by Julian Fellowes, the music is by John Lunn who also scored the first series, as well as scoring the other Fellowes success Downton Abbey, and this is where I kind of lost interest in the score. For me it is nothing more than a variation on the music for Downton, as there in my opinion is nothing new here whatsoever, yes, the music is nice, its quite lush, romantic, and thematic, but is it different enough from the composers work on Downton to stand out? The answer is no not really. Available now on digital platforms, its nice but its not original.
The Jack in the Box Rises, is the third movie in the series of horrors about a blood thirsty jack in the box which delights in causing mayhem, and carnage. Composer Christoph Allerstorfer returns once again to add musical accompaniment to the macabre and bloodletting, with a score that I think is probably the best thus far, I say thus far as we all know there is bound to be a fourth and even a fifth movie on the horizon. This score is more accomplished for me, the composer adding a hefty choral presence and underlining the action with driving strings, booming percussion, and sinewy sounding instrumentation to add chills and foreboding to the proceedings.
This is one of the best horror soundtracks so far this year, and in many ways evokes the stye of the great Christopher Young. Allerstorfer employs grand sounding set symphonic pieces to add weight and drama along the way. As displayed in the cues Blood Moon, Scythe Seeing and Un-Hinched. Available now on digital platforms.
The first two scores were released onto compact disc by Howlin Wolf records, I am hoping that the same label will also release this third instalment. Check them all out on digital platforms and enjoy a rollercoaster of a musical ride.
The new Netflix production Rebel Moon-Part Two the Stargiver, will begin streaming on April 19th. I must admit I was not a fan of the first movie, it was one of those movies that they seemed to fit all the good bits in the trailer, and when I sat to watch it soon became restless. Yes, I will be watching part two, but probably more for the music than the actual story.
Music is again by Junkie xl, who did an admirable job on part one and has also done a great score for the sequel, I don’t often say this about composers who are linked to Hans Zimmer but Junkie XL or Tom Holkenborg has created an epic sounding soundtrack, in fact I am looking forward to seeing the film simply because I want to see how he music works and interacts with the narrative and the images. The score is available now on the usual digital outlets.
Operación Barrio Inglés, (Operation English Quarter) is an eight-episode Spanish drama series, with music by Pablo Cerventas, the music is mysterious and vibrant, the composer utilising symphonic and electronic instrumentation to realise a tense but thematic work, there is a real sense of apprehension and tension within the work, the composer relying on strings, underlying synthetic sounds, percussion and piano to purvey taught and shadowy moods. The score is digitally available now. Recommended.
The storyline for the movie Flaminia revolves around a world where appearance is everything, Flaminia De Angelis is finally close to reaching the top of the social ladder and freeing her whole family from their new-money stigma by marrying credits not contractual Alberto, the son of the French ambassador. But, when everything is ready for the big day, her half-sister shows up like a loose cannon, entirely out of the blue. Ludovica suffers from Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and her family keeps her away due to her erratic and uncontrollable behaviour.
Now that she is here, Flaminia has only one question going through her mind: is she going to ruin her life or rather improve it? An interesting movie which was released on April 11th, music is by Fabio Frizzi, who we normally associate with the horror genre, but on this occasion the composer has written a delightful and haunting soundtrack, that is subdued, intimate and emotive.
The score utilises soft sounding strings, solo violin, classical guitar, woods, and a light and airy style that is warm and affecting. A change for the composer, but it’s a work that shows how versatile Frizzi is, as he delivers a gracious and poignant soundtrack. Available on digital platforms such as Spotify.
New from Netflix is the documentary What Jennifer Did. The near ninety-minute film tells the story of when Jennifer Pan called 911 to report that her parents have been shot, and how she becomes the primary focus of a captivating criminal case.
Its gripping stuff and the score by Nanita Desai effectively support’s and underlines the narrative as it unfolds to create atmospheres and moods throughout. The music entwines itself with the scenarios and revelations on screen to give these an even greater impact, the music gives the support the film requires but is never overpowering or intrusive. Available now.
A three track EP has been made available digitally of music from the fantasy short film Visions of the Storm, which tells the story of an Elf and a Man who join forces to travel through an orc-infested forest so that they can deliver an important message.
The powerful score is by Murat Nagoev, and although it is a synthesised work, there are several powerful themes included in this seven-minute soundtrack. The composer fashioning driving and fearsome sounding action cues, that would not be out of place in any blockbuster. Take a listen.
The Hopeful begins aboard a steamship sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in 1874, widower John Andrews delights the restless minds of his two children with a tale of courage, hope, war, and true love that begins with the end of the world. William Miller’s faith is in ruins. After miraculously surviving a fierce battle in the War of 1812, Miller questions why God spared him. His search for wisdom leads to an astonishing prophecy-the world is going to end. The Hopeful unfolds as a story of a man burdened with the knowledge of Christ’s return. Miller’s message resonates with some-even as it is scorned by others. When a young woman named Ellen Harmon listens to one of his sermons she is transformed. And through her witness, the message begins to take hold. Her preaching grows beyond prophecy and develops into a more holistic vision of how Christians should live and worship. We see blossoming the seeds of a new global movement of faith-the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Hopeful is the true story of a community whose lives were transformed as they learn what it means to truly wait for Jesus. This sweeping drama, set in 19th-century New England, invites audiences of all ages to imagine how hope can change the world. The score which is released on digital platforms by Movie Score Media is a charming one, not only is it melodic and thematic, but also has to it wonderfully lush sound that composers Blake Robinson and Michael Price create and expand upon as the score develops and moves forward. The music is ingratiating and grandiose in places, the symphonic sound being augmented by the use of solo performances and the distinctive vocal performances of Jonas Myrin, it is a soundtrack that I am confident will be enjoyed by many, as it is rich in melodic content and has to it a sweeping romantic epic sound that one just cannot resist. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS –https://moviescoremedia.com/newsite/catalogue/the-hopeful-blake-robinson/
The Original Score composed by Robin Schlochtermeier for Call me Kate, the feature docu-drama directed by Lorna Tucker telling the story of Katherine Hepburn. Is available now on the likes of Spotify and Apple music via Silva Screen UK.
The film depicts her spirit and determination, exploring her story using her own words, through a combination of hours of previously hidden and intimate audio tapes, video, and photographic archive. Hepburn was nominated for twelve Academy Awards, winning a record four for Best Actress. Her life and career were defined by stunning highs and crushing personal lows, but she also remained in control of her own story, and her distinctive defiance and enduring talent make her an icon to generations of women today.
As she herself said: “I never realised until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.” It’s a documentary for the outcasts, the misfits, the girls and boys uncomfortable in their own skin, who do not conform with traditional expectations.Robin Schlochtermeier is an award-winning composer for film, television, and commercials. His debut solo album, “Spectral”, is out now on Denovali Records.
He won the award for Best Music for his original score for the psychological thriller Retreat at the British Independent Film Festival. His score for Call me Kate, is melodious and wonderfully gracious, the composer turning to strings, woods, and brass to create a soundtrack that is beautiful, emotional, and mesmerising.
As you know I sometimes like to look back at various releases, so I thought I would recollect a handful in this edition of soundtrack supplement. Starting with The Oscar a 1966 movie, that starred several high-profile actors at the time of the movie’s release, the cast such names as Joseph Cotton, Ernest Borgnine Stephen Boyd, Elke Sommer, Jill St John, Milton Berle, Elenor Parker, and Tony Bennet who also sang the title song, Maybe September.
The score was composed by Percy Faith, who maybe we do not readily associate with writing too many film scores but think of him more as an easy listening artist, because he recorded so many albums of evergreen favourites and covers of film themes with his orchestra on the CBS label, the most well-known probably being The Theme from a Summer Place which was written by Max Steiner. I am surprised that the soundtrack for The Oscar did not receive an official CD or digital release, although some cues from the score are available on the likes of you tube. There was a CD release on the collectables label, but its origins and official status are somewhat sketchy as it is credited to three labels? The score was originally released in 1966 on a CBS LP record, and I always remember it being in the record racks as I flicked through the soundtrack section in the stores. But it was one of those soundtracks that was always in the rack, never seeming to sell. On listening to the score again recently, I can see why maybe at the time soundtrack collectors were not that interested as it is a collection of light and easy-going compositions. But saying that I must admit that I did find it very entertaining when I revisited the work recently.
The composer creating a rich and luxurious sound that we associate with the world of tinsel town. Lilting and haunting themes being the order of the day, with lavish sounding strings setting the stage for most of the score, the composer adding jaunty little dance numbers and instrumental versions of the main title song throughout and basing his thematic work upon these. In many ways it does have the sound that we normally think of when discussing the likes of Mancini, Bacharach, Hefti and artists such as these. In fact, there are little hints of a style employed by Sid Ramin in his later score for Stiletto in 1969 if you would like a comparison.
The opening track which is the Main Title is like the opening to the Oscar ceremony or at least as it used to be, I think I would describe it as travelogue music or typical show tune material, which midway through alters direction becoming a Peyton Place type piece, but this romantic style soon reverts into show tune mode bringing the track to its shimmering conclusion.
Then we have Laurel’s Dance, which is a bossa nova influenced cue, with muted brass and pizzicato strings, that are underlined by vibrant percussion and those easy listening loungey sounding strings that I am sure Les Baxter would have been proud of, that are laced with soft samba beats. The score is overflowing with pleasant and uncomplicated cues, which are jazz orientated, the composer turning to clarinet, sax trumpet and even a harpsichord sound at times, think Lalo Schifrin meets Mancini and there it is. So, a score that is easy on the ear and something to put on in the background that is entertaining. Worth taking a trip to you tube to have a listen.
Three other older scores that I enjoy are all the work of esteemed composer Alex North. His work on The Dead is a little different from what we are used to from the composer, the music being more subdued and intimate and of course having a distinct Irish influence. The film was directed by John Huston and based upon the story by James Joyce. It was very much a family affair with Angelica Huston starring and the screenplay being the work of the director’s son Tony.
The score was released on Varese Sarabande, on both LP record and CD in 1987, with North’s score for Journey into Fear also featuring on the release.
Varese Sarabande also released The Last Butterfly, in 1991. Again, it was available on LP and CD, it is a beautiful score by North who wrote a emotive and haunting work to accompany the storyline. Stage mime Antoine Moreau (Tom Courtenay) is compelled by the Gestapo to put on a performance for the children of Terezin, a “model” concentration camp, to convince the Red Cross observers that the camp is truly what it seems. Reluctant at first, Moreau slowly learns the true nature of the camp, including the meaning of the “transports” on which people leave. With a world-class orchestra (made up of people interned in the camp) and a cast of children, Moreau stages a show to end all shows. North’s emotive and poignant score perfectly enhances and elevates the storyline and is an important component within the movie, at times I am reminded of the music of Charlie Chaplin as Limelight and Smile, as North creates a heartwarming and heartbreaking score.
North’s music for Prizzi’s Honour too is worth mentioning. Although if you wanted to hear the music you had to watch the movie, as the soundtrack never came out.
Released in 1985 the movie starred Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Turner and Robert Loggia. Charley Partanna (Nicholson) is a hit-man who works for the Prizzi’s, one of the richest crime syndicate families in the country. Unbeknown to Charley, the Prizzi’s just hired Irene Walker, a free-lance killer, to eliminate someone who double-crossed them. When Irene and Charley fall in love their jobs become complicated. As it becomes impossible when each is given a contract that neither can go through with. A brilliant comedy/drama with a score to match that is at times slightly tongue in cheek.
Sections of the soundtrack as in the main and end titles are available on you tube, I can find no album release of the score even now in the days of let’s release everything. Maybe because the soundtrack contained several classical tracks by the likes of Puccini, which North took his cue from for the end titles music. North’s music is once again sublime and displays just how much of a Master he was.
I wonder at times why certain soundtracks have never made it to an official CD release, Krakatoa East of Java by Frank De Vol. Custer of the West by Bernardo Segal, and Murderers Row by Lalo Schifrin are good examples. All great scores, all released on LP back in the day, but nothing on a legitimate CD.
The Schifrin is however available on digital platforms, which is rather strange, and all are on you tube from either LP or other sources.
Then there are scores that should have had a release and never did get one on any format, such as The300 Spartans by Manos Hajidakis, this is a great epic soundtrack, and apart from the odd suite which is a re-recording on several compilations there is nothing available. Would it be worth re-recording the entire score, probably not, so it’s a case again of watching the movie to listen to the score. But it’s a great movie so I don’t mind. I must confess that the movie was and remains a favourite of mine, based on a factual event where a small group of brave and fearless Spartan warriors spearheaded a small Greek army to defend the country from the invading Persian hordes.
Of course, being a Hollywood/UK production the movie did have certain scenarios that probably did not happen, and these fleshed out a story that would have just been about a battle that took place, at Thermopylae. The film was made with the co-operation of the Greek government who agreed to let filming take place in the village of Perachora. The film which was shot in Cinerama was originally to be entitled The Lion of Sparta. It starred American actor Richard Egan in the role of the Spartan King Leonidas, who attempted to persuade the Spartans to allow him to commit his full army to the fight, but the Spartan government would not allow this because of a religious festival. Leonidas decided that he must go and promised the Greeks that he would stand with them, but he could only take his own personal bodyguard of three hundred troops who were not bound by the constrictions of the government. The remainder of the cast was impressive, with Sir Ralph Richardson, David Farrar, and Diane Baker all creating memorable performances.
MANOS HAJIDAKIS.
Directed by Rudolph Mate, it is a action-packed movie, and one that is still to this day shown regularly on TV and also available on DVD. It was a story of the underdog, 300 against 5 Million. But against the odds the 300 managed to hold the hordes and give Greece a chance to muster its forces. Many critics at the time of the film’s release saw in The 300 Spartans, situations and scenarios that were comparable with the Cold War with Russia and its then Warsaw pact allies, the Greeks representing the freedom and democracy of the free world (the West) and the advancing Persians representing the Eastern aggressors who were spurred on and supported by their Masters in the Kremlin (nothing changes much does it).
The score was fully symphonic, with the composer utilising all the Epic movie musical trademarks, such as fanfares, driving battle themes, strident and patriotic marches and lush and lavishly pitted romantic interludes. Adding to this various Greek ethnic sounding instrumentation, and several Persian or Asian flavoured dance cues for the scenes within the Persian camp. The one track on the score that stands out for me aside from the central march theme, is the piece that accompanies the Spartans as they move towards the Persian ranks, Hajidakis adding a flourish of sinewy and edgy sounding strings to accompany the Spartan long spears as they are aimed at their foe, it is one of those moments in film where the music and the images and actions work perfectly in unison, to create a special moment that we all remember. The rousing theme which accompanies the Spartan warriors as they march to do battle is prominent throughout the movie, with Hajidakis arranging and orchestrating the piece differently to underline and enhance the many scenarios and situations.
Silva Screen records did re-record a version of the theme, but the entire score has as far as I am aware never been issued in any format. So somewhere I am sure in the depths of the 20the Century Fox archive lies a tape marked, The 300 Spartans, whether that is in the UK the USA or even Greece I do not know, but for a classic score such as this not to be released is sacrilege. If you have not heard the score, then please try and get the DVD, it is so much better than the later produced 300.
Another score by Hajidakis that did get a release was Blue a western that starred Terence Stamp and Karl Malden. Originally released on LP by Dot records back in 1968, I have always thought that this was a particularly interesting work Hadjidakis. The movie was made very much in the same vein as The Magnificent Seven and contained traces and nods to the raw and violent stylisation of the Spaghetti western genre. The score is an unusual one and contains a haunting central theme which is first heard in the opening cue, ‘The River’, and is reprised throughout the work in cues such as ‘Nocturne’, ‘Scherzo’ and ‘Blue and Joanne Near the River’.
As well as the lighter interludes, the score contains an equal amount of action and dramatic moments, as in the infectious and nerve jangling ‘The Mexicans in The Village’ and the driving and intense sounding ‘Preparation of The Villagers’. Hadjidakis utilises the guitar solos of Laurindo Almeida to great effect and the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra play their hearts out. I also think that the composers use of cimbalom in several of the cues is particularly effective.
In fact, the orchestration or instrumentation on the score is highly original throughout and the composer realizes great dramatic and romantic heights by combining instruments that are not ordinarily used on the scores for westerns. Thankfully the soundtrack did receive a compact disc release but only in Greece, it is also available on digital platforms, although I must admit that the sound quality is not the best, compared with the CD and original LP release. However, it is worth checking out. That’s it for now see you next time…..
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