Variety is reporting that the scores for BLACK SWAN, TRUE GRIT, THE FIGHTER and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT are being disqualified from Oscar consideration.

“Black Swan” and “True Grit” have been deemed ineligible as “scores diluted by the use of tracked themes or other pre-existing music,” according to sources inside the Academy music-branch executive committee.

“The Kids Are All Right” and “The Fighter” are expected to be disqualified as scores “diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs,” another of the Acad’s stringent music rules.

Composer Clint Mansell’s “Black Swan” score, as largely adapted from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” and Carter Burwell’s “True Grit,” as mostly based on 19th-century hymns, are not sufficiently “original,” the committee ruled last week.

“The Kids Are All Right” and “The Fighter” have original scores — “Kids” by Burwell and “Fighter” by Michael Brook — but both films are filled with songs, leaving the scores to play second fiddle much of the time.

Alexandre Desplat’s “The King’s Speech” has been ruled eligible despite some concerns by committee members that key moments of the film feature classical-music excerpts.

Source: Variety

A Centennial Salute to Composer Alex North

Beverly Hills, CA: The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will celebrate the career of Alex North (1910-1991), the 15-time Oscar®-nominated composer, with a centennial salute featuring a screening of THE MISFITS (1961) on Friday, September 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The event also will include film clips and an onstage discussion hosted by journalist and film-music historian Jon Burlingame, with Oscar-nominated composer Laurence Rosenthal, producer Steven North (Alex’s son), and North’s biographer Sanya Henderson.

Between 1951 and 1984, North received 14 Academy Award® nominations for Original Score and 1 for Song. He finally took home an Oscar statuette in 1985 when he was presented with an Honorary Award “in recognition of his brilliant artistry in the creation of memorable music for a host of distinguished motion pictures.”

David Newman conducts “Main Title” from Alex North’s 1963 score CLEOPATRA. Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, September 5, 2010

North’s “brilliant artistry”included his work for A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951), which was the first major score to draw heavily from jazz influences, DEATH OF A SALESMAN (1951) and WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966). His ability to handle epic subject matter led to such assignments as VIVA ZAPATA! (1952), SPARTACUS (1960), CLEOPATRA (1963) and THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY (1965). In 1955 he wrote the now-classic music that was recorded as “Unchained Melody” for the prison movie UNCHAINED.

Here’s a look at John Williams as he conducts “Forest Meeting” and “Main Title” from Alex North’s 1960 score SPARTACUS. Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, August 28, 2010

North’s musical background was unique; born in Pennsylvania, he studied in New York, Moscow and Mexico. He composed music for the New York stage and for such dancers and choreographers as Anna Sokolow, Martha Graham and Agnes de Mille. North was one of the first composers in Hollywood to incorporate contemporary music styles in his film scores. He demonstrated a particular affinity for specifically American subjects, and his music provided the themes for the film adaptations of numerous literary classics by such writers as Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner. Highly respected by his peers, North was an active mentor to the next generation of composers, including Jerry Goldsmith.

Featuring a jazzy and dramatic score by North, John Huston’s complex film THE MISFITS was the last screen appearance for both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. The film follows a sexy divorcee and three aging cowboys who make a living capturing wild horses in the Nevada desert.

The movie also stars Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter and Eli Wallach, one of the Academy’s 2010 Honorary Award recipients. THE MISFITS was directed by Huston and produced by Frank E. Taylor, with a screenplay by Arthur Miller.

Tickets to “A Centennial Salute to Composer Alex North” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets are available for purchase by mail, at the Academy box office (8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or online at www.oscars.org. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved.

The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at the 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills or call (310) 247-3600. 

For more on this and other Academy events, visit their official website at Oscars.org as well as their Facebook page here, or see their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/oscars.

According to producer Frank Marshall over on Twitter:

LAST AIRBENDER will be rated PG…

It was only just yesterday that Paramount (via Marshall on Twitter) moved the film’s release date ahead by one day to Thursday July 1st. The new rating by the MPAA will help M. Night Shyamalan’s film substantially at the box office on the July 4th holiday weekend.  

Attention Firebenders! Visit the film’s Official Site and explore the new featured section for the Fire Nation, loaded with clips and a preview of composer James Newton Howard’s stirring score from the movie. I love the Komodo Rhinos the best! The Fire Nation also has its legion of fans over on Facebook. Check it out.

From Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies, THE LAST AIRBENDER will be in theaters TWO weeks from today on July 1st, 2010!

From YAHOO! Movies comes this video clip where director Harald Zwart and composer James Horner discuss the Asian influence on the movie’s symphonic score from THE KARATE KID.

I’m such a huge fan of James Horner and his film scores. I have ever since sitting in the theater and hearing those loud trumpets come blaring through the screen. Beginning with the music from BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS thru STAR TREK II: WRATH OF KHAN onto ALIENS and finally his Oscar-winning score TITANIC.

Synopsis:

In Columbia Pictures’ remake of the 1984 film, THE KARATE KID, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could’ve been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre’s feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts “the karate kid” on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.

It pales by comparison to the original and Mr Miyagi’s infamous ”Wax on….wax off.” Rated PG for bullying, martial arts action, violence, and some mild language, THE KARATE KID opens nationwide Friday, June 11th.

Become a Fan on Facebook and Follow on Twitter.

Paramount Pictures has put plans into full gear to get the word out for M. Night Shyamalan’s THE LAST AIRBENDER. As you can see below, producer Frank Marshall recently tweeted about a “massive AIRBENDER domestic and international marketing meeting,” along with a picture.

Hat-tip to LastAirbenderFans for this new, behind-the-scenes featurette featuring a guided tour of the film’s sets from the director himself. It’s an interesting sneak peek at the massive undertaking to build these sets on the East Coast of the U.S. As usual, I love to hear from M. Night. He’s always so enthusiastic for every one of his films.

Become the Avatar over at THE LAST AIRBENDER Facebook game! It’s very much like MafiaWars and Farmville. Have a go at it and learn how to bend the four elements. Invite your friends, engage in battles, and restore balance to the world.

After you’ve mastered the game, head over to rejoice in your new power and download NEW wallpapers from the official site of THE LAST AIRBENDER! While there have a look around at the rest of the site and discover your element.

Finally, on June 29th, Lakeshore Records will be releasing the soundtrack to THE LAST AIRBENDER. For now, you can hear 30 second clips from Shyamalan’s long time collaborator James Newton Howard’s score over at MySpace. Once again Howard has composed another beautiful score. You can preorder the cd at Amazon.

Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Aang (Noah Ringer) discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film THE LAST AIRBENDER is the opening chapter in Aang’s struggle to survive.

From Paramount Pictures, THE LAST AIRBENDER will be in theaters in 3-D July 2.

I’ve been hearing a lot about this soundtrack. The film itself I’m not exactly excited about. I’ve never been a Denzel Washington fan and while I like Gary Oldman, I get the feeling this is going to be another of his indistinct antagonists that, while better performed than most, feels like a rehash of every villain he’s played before. I do enjoy post-apocalyptic film but there doesn’t seem, judging by the media released, to be anything new or exciting about this flick. The main draw seemed, before I’d heard about the score, to be finding out what the deal was with the titular Book.

But, as one of my fellow Movie Geeks was twittering about how good the score was, my  curiosity  was piqued. When I discovered it was composed and produced by none other than Atticus Ross, I became officially excited.

I am listening to it right now and am not the least bit disappointed.

Atticus Ross, a name few of you are familiar with (I imagine), has a history with the Hughes, having scored several episodes of the TOUCHING EVIL TV series and making the music for their segment of NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU. If you know Ross from anything, it’s probably his longtime collaboration with Trent Reznor. Ross is credited on just about every Nine Inch Nails album made, so it can be said that he is as much a part of the industrial music icon as Reznor is. Given this, and the fact that he has worked with just about everybody, from Pink to Korn, it’s exciting to hear that he crafted a soundtrack to something as dark and epic as BOOK OF ELI.

And what a piece of work. What’s most surprising about this music is how very bleeding edge it is. Ross makes no apologies for his fixation on electronics; every song is at least graced by whirring, creeping noises that summon to mind the very images I imagine the film would present visually. It’s not lacking in grace; many of the songs are sweeping, powerful, and moving, but what’s truly impressive is how very deep the compositions are. Layers upon layers of varying samples and instruments all weaved together seamlessly. There’s much to be said for simplicity, but Ross is nothing if not a deft conjurer of appealing and appalling sound so here he brings that to the table in spades.

Listening closer, it is very difficult to grasp just how detailed and unnerving the work here is. Ross is extremely brave, utilizing electronic noise and booming symphonic awe in equal doses. Jonny Greenwood did something close to this in THERE WILL BE BLOOD, but he was constrained by a period setting. In the apocalyptic scenario of BOOK OF ELI, this eerie and haunting soundscape is perfect.

And I get the feeling this is going to end up being a heavily repeated score, because its bravado and intensity really makes it a joy to listen to. It grabs your attention and, unlike what I expected, stands out in a way that I seek in the best film scores. I cannot recommend this score enough. Thanks to Jeremy for bringing it to my attention.

I don’t want to toot my own horn here (who the hell am I kidding), but I have been spouting for years that the British rock band Muse would be the perfect candidate to begin writing scores for movies.   At the very least, and this has been a bone of contention with me for some time, the band should be heavily considered to provide a song for a James Bond entry.   Well, we’re not getting that, but it is looking like Muse will be providing the score for the upcoming CLASH OF THE TITANS remake.

This news was first whispered at back in September, when Muse lead singer Matt Bellamy mentioned on a KROQ show that he would be doing some work on the Louis Leterrier film.   At that time, Bellamy explained his frustration with working for film makers:

They’re difficult to work with…As soon as you go into the Hollywood world, you’re at the bottom of a very big pile.

Now, it appears, if tour schedules align properly, the band will be providing the score for CLASH OF THE TITANS.

CLASH OF THE TITANS is the first interesting offer we’ve had for film work. We’re definitely interested in writing for films at some point when we get a break from being on the road.

Those were Bellamy’s words to UK’s The Daily Star when asked about potential work in the film world.

Personally, I think this is awesome news.   While the music they provide for the film will, surely, be very different from the music they provide on their albums, Muse offers an amazing blend of rock, orchestra, and even a bit of opera into their music.   It’s no surprise they are featured on so many film’s soundtracks.   And, who knows?   This could put them one step closer to finally putting together a Bond song.   Keep your fingers crossed.

I chose my previous two film scores based on both their distinctiveness in both context and content, but also because they had certain weaknesses that, while important to their character, still kept them from being the kind of landmark works that are universally acknowledged as ground-breaking and important. The three scores I’m highlighting this week were chosen specifically for both their widespread popularity and critical success.

Let’s begin with CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. This is a score that many, many people who are even remotely familiar with the film are aware of in terms of importance. Like the other films I’m focusing on here, the music of Crouching Tiger, HIDDEN DRAGON goes hand in hand with the other elements of the movie, but it could be said that, out of the three, this score is the most potent accompaniment. This is mostly because of the movie’s setting; feudal China. The score for CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON was composed by Tan Dun, a Chinese composer who moved to New York City to study modern classical composition, and later worked on the score for the film “DON’T CRY, NANKING”. Unlike the other composers in this group, Dun came from a classical background, and it’s immediately apparent. But what is surprising is how much emphasis Dun placed on his collaborator, world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

In fact, Yo-Yo Ma’s performance is the most prominent element of most of the score. Occasionally, for some of the martial arts sequences, Dun utilizes powerful and exhilarating percussion, but more often than not, the score of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON is a work of beauty and inestimable grace. Yo-Yo Ma produces one of the most vocal and emotional ranges in the work of a solo string musician I’ve ever heard. To say that his playing is affecting would be understatement. In versa Jon Tavener’s work in Children of Men, it is not a light comment to compare the power of both as equal, when Tavener drew from a massive and versatile arsenal of symphonic tropes. Dun and Ma almost never resort to heavy-handed drama, and when they do it’s strictly in the service of the on-screen action. The key appeal of this soundtrack is the virtuoso skill of Ma drawing together all the breath-taking beauty and emotion of the film (no easy feat) into a few mere strings, at the behest of Tan Dun.

The score for THERE WILL BE BLOOD is the polar opposite of the former. A film that sticks its fingers into the open wounds of a man bound to self destruction, only a score as unsettling as this could possibly be worthy of Paul Thomas Anderson’s most ambitious work. And with a fortuitous moment of serendipity, PT Anderson managed to wrangle Radiohead’s guitarist and composer, Jonny Greenwood. Greenwood did score a film prior to THERE WILL BE BLOOD but it was a little known documentary that gave Greenwood free reign to experiment without any real format. Creating music for THERE WILL BE BLOOD was an entirely different beast; this was a period piece based loosely off a novel, and Greenwood would have to meet not only the expectations of the PTA fanbase but that of his own, not to mention make it a relevant and appropriate work of music.

He succeeded with flying colors. The strength of his score for THERE WILL BE BLOOD lies in Greenwood’s purposeful malevolence in rendering the colors and tones of the various pieces comprising the body of the soundtrack. He intended, out and out, to unsettle and violate the conceived expectation of what the period music would sound like. He did use traditional strings and maintained the proper elements through the whole film, but he subverted more often than not, seeking purposefully to disturb the listener with dissonant electronics and tense moods that underlined every scene of the film with a powerful dread or creeping anxiety. It could’ve easily been the score to a powerhouse horror film but instead, it became a great example of how a score can unwrap a film’s true life; one of bleak misanthropy and gritty fatalism.

Last, but not least, is Kevin Shield’s “score” for LOST IN TRANSLATION, Sofia Coppola’s second film after THE VIRGIN SUICIDES. Unlike the soundtrack for THE VIRGIN SUICIDES, which consisted entirely of songs written by various artists, LOST IN TRANSLATION’s score was composed by Kevin Shields, he of the critically adored My Bloody Valentine. Much of the music in the film was chosen together by Coppola and Shields, but the pieces Shields wrote for the soundtrack are as appealing and wonderful as any song that appears during the film’s narrative. What’s vital to the sweet taste of the score’s placement alongside the film is how very intimate their relationship is; Sofia is as much to be credited for the music as Shields, and that’s disappointingly rare in the world of film.

What a breath of fresh air it is to hear a whole collection of music that is as much a part of the beating heart of a film as the visuals are; the songs and pieces are probably, out of the entire spectrum of scores presented, the most appealing outside of their original context. It has been said, and it holds true, that the Kevin Shields-created tracks from this soundtrack are the My Bloody Valentine songs that never existed, but that’s not entirely accurate. These are far more enjoyable and accessible than the noise-pop of My Bloody Valentine and, by necessity, they ring a far more potent range of emotion than his former band could marshal (if anything, it echoes the synth wonder of Air, the French band who assembled the music for THE VIRGIN SUICIDES). Of particular note is the end piece, simply titled “Goodbye”. Paired with what I personally consider the most effective and moving endings I’ve seen from a romance film (even succeeding BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN’s heartbreaking tragedy), it struck a powerful broadcast that most of the film’s fans will enthusiastically endorse.

These three scores are what I personally would label as objectively possible as “The Best Of The Decade”, but that’s keeping in mind my own slight bias. With that, I’m ending my reign of attempted objectivity. I love and appreciate all three of the aforementioned soundtracks, but they are not as personally meaningful as the next five, and the fact is that I’m simply not talented or patient enough to craft an entire list of ten films I could objectively rate and be satisfied with. Instead, I’ll be highlighting my personal favorites and explaining why they, above all, make my five favorite film scores of the past decade. Still, a reminder; these past five films are what I focus on as being, objectively, the best films scores of the past decade. The next five are my own personal picks.

This week marks the beginning of a series of columns in which I’m putting forth what I personally consider to be the best film scores of the past decade (2000-2009). It was not an easy task; I locked myself away for the better part of November and listened to all the film scores I felt were worthy, and many I didn’t. I fielded suggestions from random strangers, close friends, and many people in between. The list I ended up with was pared down via some necessary filters. I disqualified musicals and soundtracks that consisted of songs from various artists. This brought up an interesting nuance; if a film score consisted of many songs written by a single artist, did it qualify? I chose to consider it only if those songs were composed specifically for the film because while we don’t traditionally think of film scores this way, that is really what they consist of; individual themes that could still be thought of as individual songs.

In this way I ended up with a manageable list which I then considered first by my familiarity with the score, then by merit, and finally by personal taste (a deciding factor for two of the picks). I chose not to create a list of numerical value since I felt all the scores I’d left were incomparable to each other. Some of them of which I have never seen the film itself and several scores that I feel may possibly seem more impacting because of the film in which they existed. I did not take this into account because of the synergistic effect of music in film; when a film is particularly good and enhances the music, the music seems to be better as a consequence, and it becomes difficult to identify whether either elements are weaker. So forgive me if you feel some of my choices are influenced by my experience with the films themselves. I’d like to think it’s an understandable error.

Let’s begin with CHILDREN OF MEN. I’m listening to it now. I’ve never seen the film, just trailers. I purchased the soundtrack after hearing “Song of the Angel” on Last.fm and being impressed by the heavy, evocative, and spiritual mood it evoked. The whole soundtrack is similarly intense. A warning; many of the pieces are operatic and, if you’ve never developed a taste for opera and the accompanying singing, you’ll want to steer clear. But if you’re adventurous, this is where to start. A brooding and epic tone rings throughout, thanks to the beautiful and virtually unbeatable talent of composer Sir John Tavener. But, more than anything, this is a classical, symphonic soundtrack with tasteful opera passages. Like the film itself, it is both bleak and inspiring. When I say this, I am evaluating it among the many dozens of other symphonic scores it competed with but nothing compares to the power of Sir Tavener’s tragic summoning of a powerful performance.

Here’s a bit of trivial but interesting information about the score; it was composed not to the film itself but to the screenplay. I don’t know how it translates to the screen but the score stands as a fantastic set of music to simply listen to, and I feel that may be a consequence of Tavener’s methods. A triptych that is the core of the soundtrack consists of existing opera pieces recorded by Sir Tavener and he handles them with grace and power, adding them to the film’s arsenal of haunting melancholia. The standout is “Mother and Child”, a choral piece that is heartbreaking in its vast sound until the song’s climax, which I won’t ruin by trying to describe in words.

Again, I warn anyone who chooses to listen to this after reading my presentation; it is not a film score for the average listener. Tavener is a spiritually broad musician who chose to reflect his Orthodox Christian roots in this soundtrack, so it is perhaps a bit reverential; the tempo is achingly slow and there is almost no percussion. But when I listen to the music, it brings only the grandest of images to mind.

I’m genuinely wondering how many of you have seen BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. I imagine it’s a disappointingly small number.The film’s plot did focus on a homosexual relationship and its consequences but if you think that’s what the movie was about, then you should sit down and watch it. The music is a great way to represent the film; it’s composed by an Argentinian named Gustavo Santaolalla. Gustavo had work in films prior via 21 Grams and the wonderful Motorcycle Diaries but it wasn’t until his work with Brokeback Mountain that he was recognized for his contributions. The strains of his homeland constantly woven into everything he wrote, his music for Brokeback echoed if not amplified the natural beauty of the film’s setting. The film was a romance and Gustavo’s score did not dwell on the unfortunate circumstance of this romance but wholeheartedly embraced the love on screen and, to my surprise, was more hopeful than woeful. Many of the songs on the soundtrack featuring vocalists from different arenas of music but Santaolalla’s artistry never faltered, producing some of the most memorable tunes of the era.

Of course, this is a film set in a rustic country, and it reflects this. Consequently, I have a hard time persuading anyone to listen to it, but the folk and country tones are potent rather than opportunistic; without them, the music would be absent of the underlying, muted yearning that aches with every note. It’s not necessarily happy and the music can be just as soothing for a bad mood, but it never dwells entirely on sappiness or angst. Much of the soundtrack available for purchase consists of other musicians either presenting their own works intended for the film or performing music with Santaolalla. I’d like to see an actual score and if any film suffers from the lack of interest that should be given to the score itself (versus music played by other artists), it’s this one. I would love to experience the score alone as it is presented in the film, in extended format.

I chose to begin the countdown with these two film scores because, even though I love them just as much as the rest of my selections, I also feel that they are the most conventional and possibly the most difficult for the average listener to immediately appreciate (some will be turned off by the operatic nature of CHILDREN OF MEN and others repulsed by the countrified leanings of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN). But I’m giving them the above paragraphs not just because I personally enjoy listening to them but because, from a somewhat objective view, I feel they are quality scores that stand out among the droves of similar soundtracks composed in the past ten years.

Ennio Morricone turned 81 last Tuesday, and more than a few people celebrated his brilliant career spanning decades. Reading up on the famous composer, I discovered that he began as a jazz musician writing and arranging pop music for RCA’s branch in Italy. This makes sense but also came as an immense surprise to me because he is so known as a composer. Morricone’s success is in part due to his versatility and accessibility, but what I feel makes Morricone a true master is the legendary passion which he embraces in his role as both film score composer and (more importantly) a musician bringing imagination to life.

My first encounter with Morricone was with DePalma’s THE UNTOUCHABLES. His work on that film is a perfect example of Morricone’s admirable ability in style and concept. His experience with other genres of films were likely helpful in devising a proper score for the film, but more than anything, the music accompanying DePalma’s intense gangster flick felt as natural as any music created by a composer who had worked in that genre before (Ennio had scored only one crime film prior, 1973’s REVOLVER/BLOOD IN THE STREETS). Where Morricone’s style had been heavily influenced by his Italian roots, THE UNTOUCHABLES required a distinct atmosphere evocative of the film’s Prohibition-era setting. Morricone delivered a score not only brilliantly capable but one earning him a Grammy nomination and his second Oscar nomination (the previous being for the Dust Bowl drama DAYS OF HEAVEN)

However, as much as I adore Morricone’s later work, my admiration for his talent derives almost entirely from a series of films he did in the early 1970s when he and the brilliant Sergio Leone were working separately. An up-and-coming director named Dario Argento was due to helm THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, a remake of the little known 1958 suspense film SCREAMING MIMI. I don’t know the exact details surrounding the unholy pairing of Argento and Morricone, but it is my favorite combination of director and composer I’ve ever witnessed. The fact that it is a ultra violent suspense film with a predictable plot and at best tolerable acting makes it clear just how intensely powerful the combination is. I cannot elaborate here on the score itself; I can’t do justice to the hair-raising crescendos and awesome depth of its wildly imaginative power. It must be heard.

The incredible success of THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE brought Argento a volume of international praise unheard from a debut European director working in the typically trashy suspense/horror genre, no less. Outside of Argento’s arduous filmcraft, it was Morricone’s mystical new reinvention buoying the film’s atmosphere. Matching, scene for scene, the surreal and stylistic imagery Morricone delved into the realms of aural witchcraft and came back with a score that, unlike his previous pieces, worked even better when experienced outside the film itself. To note that until this point, the only thing Morricone had scored remotely similar was DANGER: DIABOLIK the year prior. My suspicion is after Morricone produced a largely successful score for the famously absurd DANGER: DIABOLIK, Morricone was recommended to Argento by that film’s director and Argento’s mentor, Mario Bava. DANGER: DIABOLIK was an odd choice for Morricone, and I imagine Ennio may have been a fan of the popular Italian comic book which the film was based on.

The pairing of Argento and Morricone was brought together again for Argento’s next film, THE CAT O’ NINE TAILS, and while this film was not as critically acclaimed as Argento’s debut, Morricone’s score stood out as another intense work building on the themes explored in THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE. I did not expect this. My assumption was that Morricone’s work on the first film was an experimental fluke and he would return to a more conventional, orthodox style serving the films suspenseful structure rather than acting as its own individual work of art intertwined with the visual half of the medium. I could not have been more wrong and consider myself lucky I watched the Animal Trilogy back to back because taking them in that way heightened my appreciation of the astounding art on display.

Morricone’s work during this period was so experimental and progressive that much of it is better experienced outside the visual medium and I would recommend listening to the music before watching to emphasize how keenly important and distinct the musical element is in these films. It could even be said that the musician may have been better off producing what he was making outside of the film industry entirely during this time, thereby removing whatever impediments the films themselves might have presented. What wouldn’t I give to hear Morricone’s take on the progressive music in Italy occurring at the time (the group “Magma” was paralleling Morricone’s explorations in that era and would have been an ideal fit for his incomparable compositions).

I found Morricone’s third collaboration with Argento was both their most challenging and most rewarding even though it also highlighted their shifting attitudes and what would mark the end of this era in Morricone’s career. At this point, the two artists had very different ideas of what belonged in the film and what did not. While the director’s vision was becoming more and more abstract, the composer sought a narrative element, some of his pieces from the film acting more as cues than active elements of the entire film’s presentation. It became obvious where the two men were headed; Argento would later helm another trilogy, this time consisting of surreal, phantasmagorical horror that used the colorful, synthesizer-laden music of Goblin, while Morricone turned away from the horror and suspense genre entirely to focus on crime and drama. The compromise found in the score of this film, FOUR FLIES ON GRAY VELVET, was not as bombastic as what was created for the two films prior, but thanks to Argento’s guidance, it was a success that summoned chills and ethereal elements as vital as anything from CAT O’ NINE TAILS or THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE.

It was my intent with this article to highlight this trilogy, dubbed the “Animal Trilogy” by film enthusiasts, as a great example of why Morricone is such a valuable treasure. Rarely do modern composers step out of their comfort zones and almost never do they succeed as immensely as Morricone did. Much has been said of the composer’s famous works in the Spaghetti Western genre and his later era music so highly praised by the Academy. And when those most familiar with Argento think of his music, they recall the lurid tones of Goblin. But step outside the musics presence in the film, take it into the context of Morricone’s career, compare it to the ouvre of most modern film composers, and these three scores stand as a great example of his immense talent in bringing to life the imagination of both the imagined world of the films he scores and, perhaps more importantly, the depths of his own creative realm.

I’m including here a link to the Amazon page where you can purchase the Trilogy set that includes most of the really great passages and pieces, though what I’d really like to see is complete scores from each film. Either way, I also suggest purchasing the Trilogy and watching them back to back.

Yes, it’s lame, and I apologize to you die-hard “My Heart Will Go On” fans out there.   It was released today by Atlantic Records that James Horner’s score for AVATAR would be hitting CD shelves on December 15th.   With this announcement came word that not only would the soundtrack be filled with Horner’s score, but it will also be including an original song, “I See You,” performed by Leona Lewis.

For those of you who don’t know who that is (I had to look it up myself), she is a multi-platinum and three-time Grammy nominated R&B singer songwriter.   The song, which, honestly, should have been written about seven years ago for that little-seen Stallone vehicle, EYE SEE YOU, is also being co-produced by Horner and Simon Franglen, both of whom did producing work on TITANIC’s Academy Award winning song.   A companion music video is currently being produced for “I See You.”

Personally, this sounds like a lame attempt at trying to get an Academy Award.   Like Adam Lambert doing a song for 2012 or Josh Groban doing the song at the end of TROY, “I See You” already feels out of place.   In fact, about the only time a song over the end credits of a big sci-fi/fantasy film like this has worked was when Aerosmith didn’t want to close their eyes for ARMAGEDDON.

What do you think?   Is “I See You” just an unnecessary attempt to pick up a Best Original Song Oscar?   Is there any way the song fits in well with the movie?   What are your favorite end-credit songs?   Let us know by commenting below!

AVATAR hits theaters on December 16th.

Quick, what’s the scariest horror film score out there?  I’m sure a couple of no-brainers came to mind, and a few of you probably thought of something wholly original.  Thanks to the Cinemagic channel on Sirius XM, we have an official list to choose from.  There are a few shocking inclusions, and a couple of omissions, one that I, myself, deem glaring.

See for yourself:

Halloween John Carpenter 1
Psycho Bernard Herrmann 2
The Shining Wendy Carlos/Assorted 3
Jaws John Williams 4
Alien Jerry Goldsmith 5
Omen, The Jerry Goldsmith 6
Bride of Frankenstein Franz Waxman 7
Thing, The Ennio Morricone 8
Exorcist, The Pendereki 9
Fog, The John Carpenter 10
Rosemary’s Baby Christopher Komeda 11
Hellraiser Christopher Young 12
Friday the 13th Harry Manfredini 13
A Nightmare on Elm Street Charles Bernstein 14
Suspira Goblin 15
Poltergeist Jerry Goldsmith 16
Changeling, The Rick Williams 17
Dawn of the Dead Assorted 18
Haunted Palace, The Ronald Stein 19
Amityville Horror, The Lalo Schifrin 20
Creepshow John Harrison 21
Re-animator Richard Band 22
Hellraiser II: Hellbound Christopher Young 23
Carrie Pino Donaggio 24
Fly, The Howard Shore 24
Dracula Philip Glass 25
Scream Marco Beltrami 26
Saw Charlie Clouser 27
Phantasm Fred Myrow & Malcolm Seagrave 28
Ring, The Hans Zimmer 29
Mummy, The Franz Reizenstein 30
28 Days Later John Murphy 31
Bram Stoker’s Dracula Wojciech Kilar 32
Wicker Man, The Paul Giovanni 33
Creature from the Black Lagoon Assorted 34
Candyman Philip Glass 35
Curse of the Werewolf Benjamin Frankel 36
Night of the Living Dead Assorted 37
Ninth Gate Wojciech Kilar 39
Christine John Carpenter 40
Cape Fear Bernard Herrmann 41
Dracula John Williams 42
Wolf Man, The Hans J. Salter & Frank Skinner 43
Fury, The John Williams 44
Drag Me to Hell Christopher Young 45
Children of the Corn Jonathan Elias 46
Silence of the Lambs Howard Shore 47
Puppet Master Richard Band 48
House on Sorority Row Richard Band 49
Exorcist II, The Ennio Morricone 50
Evil Dead Joseph LoDuca 51
Prince of Darkness John Carpenter 52
Howling, The Pino Donaggio 53
Halloween 3: Season of the… John Carpenter & Alan Howarth 54
Ghost Story Philippe Sarde 55
Nightbreed Danny Elfman 56
Sleepy Hollow Danny Elfman 57
Interview with a Vampire Elliot Goldenthal 58
Seven Howard Shore 59
Sixth Sense, The James Newton Howard 60
Alien 3 Elliot Goldenthal 61
Grudge, The Christopher Young 62
Dawn of the Dead Tyler Bates 63
Evil Dead 2 Joseph LoDuca 64
28 Weeks Later John Murphy 65
From Beyond Richard Band 66
Damien: Omen II Jerry Goldsmith 67
Invasion of the Body Snatchers Denny Zeitlin 68
Haunting, The (original) Humphrey Searle 69
Descent, The David Julyan 70
Hostel Nathan Barr 71
Mephisto Waltz, The Jerry Goldsmith 72
Serpent and the Rainbow, The Brad Fiedel 73
Mimic Marco Beltrami 74
Mist, The Mark Isham 75
Fly II, The Christopher Young 76
Jeepers Creepers Bennett Salvay 77
Let the Right One In Johan Soderqvist 78
Halloween 2 John Carpenter 79
Videodrome Howard Shore 80
Silence of the Lambs Howard Shore 81
Dunwich Horror, The Les Baxter 82
Scars of Dracula James Bernard 83
Cell, The Howard Shore 84
Cabin Fever Nathan Barr 85
Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb Tristam Cary 86
Orca Ennio Morricone 87
Troll Richard Band 88
Funhouse, The John Beal 89
Quatermass and the Pit Tristam Cary 90
Misery Marc Shaiman 91
Trick ‘r Treat Douglas Pipes 92
Pet Sematary Elliot Goldenthal 93
Maniac Jay Chattaway 94
Others, The Alejandro Amenabar 95
Signs (Touchstone) James Newton Howard 96
Frighteners, The Danny Elfman 97
Copycat Christopher Young 98
Event Horizon Michael Kamen (w/Oribital) 99
Altered States John Corigliano 100
Young Frankenstein John Morris 101

Personally, I don’t get HOSTEL being anywhere on this list, and, while the EVENT HORIZON score was somewhat memorable, do we really need Orbital getting any recognition here.  For the glaring  omission, I nominate the score from RAVENOUS by Michael Nyman and Mitch Albarn aka “2D” of the Gorillaz, one of the better “put on and listen to” movie soundtracks in the last ten years.  Granted, it’s not terrifying, but terrifying isn’t exactly what they were going for on this list when they decided to include YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.  And, if you’re going to include JAWS then you have to, at least, consider the score for the ’33 version of KING KONG.

All in all, however, they have all the staples here, and, even if you have a tenth of what’s on this list in your MP3 library, you have quite a playlist for your Halloween party this year.

Thanks to Shock Till You Drop for pointing us the list’s direction.

Upcoming Film Scores is announcing that none other than Daft Punk is pulling score duties on ‘Tron 2′ for Disney.Ă‚   Disney has confirmed the news to the site.

In 2007, the duo released the film ‘Electroma’, a dialogue-free film about two robots who are attempting to grow more human.Ă‚   The soundtrack for that film was made up entirely of music from Daft Punk, but the music was previously recorded.Ă‚   ‘Tron 2′ will be the first full score they the French techno duo has written specifically for a film.

This is pretty sweet news.Ă‚   Daft Punk is an amazing group that puts together some pretty awesome techno music.Ă‚   Also, if you haven’t seen ‘Electroma’, you should check it out.Ă‚   It is definitely a visually compelling piece of work.

Source: Upcoming Film Scores

62,389 posters and production stills later, give or take, and we’re still over a month away from the most anticipated film of 2009. Ă‚  Above you’ll find the “final” poster for the film as presented by Yahoo! Movies.

It’s pretty much the same as the cover for the film’s soundtrack:

…and here’s the cover of the film’s score:

Just because you asked, here’s the soundtrack listing:

Desolation Row – My Chemical Romance

Unforgettable – Nat King Cole

The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Bob Dylan

The Sound of Silence – Simon & Garfunkle

Me & Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin

I’m Your Boogie Man – KC & the Sunshine Band

You’re My Thrill – Billie Holiday

Pruit Igoe & Prophecies – Philip Glass

Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen

All Along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix

Ride of the Valkyries – Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Pirate Jenny – Nina Simone

Brad Fiedel. Ă‚  Marco Beltrami. Ă‚  Danny Elfman. Ă‚  What do they all have in common? Ă‚  They’ve all now scored a ‘Terminator’ film, as it was reported by MTV on Friday that Elfman would be pulling scoring duty on ‘Terminator: Salvation’.

“I just started yesterday,†ť Elfman told MTV News from the red carpet of the Critics’ Choice Awards.

Elfman, who has been nominated for Academy Awards for his scores on ‘Men in Black’, ‘Good Will Hunting’, and ‘Big Fish’, said that he had not yet incorporated the original ‘Terminator’ theme into the score yet. Ă‚  He also explained that there was no mandate for him to do so.

“I think if it comes up and it seems appropriate, we will [use it],†ť Elman said. “And if it doesn’t, we [won't]. I never really know what to expect when I begin other than just kind of get into it and have fun. Especially a movie like ‘T4′ – just have fun. So that’s what I intend to do.†ť

It was also reported last month that the ‘Terminator: Salvation’ soundtrack would include an original song by the film’s co-star, Common.

What do you think? Ă‚  Is Elfman a good choice for the ‘Terminator: Salvation’ score? Ă‚  Should the original ‘Terminator’ theme be included? Ă‚  Does this seem less and less like a ‘Terminator’ film with each passing day? Ă‚  Let us know by commenting below!

Source: MTV

About a month ago, we brought you the news that the musical score for ‘The Dark Knight’ had been disqualified by the Academy Awards, because there were too many names listed as composers for the film on the music cue sheet. Ă‚  Variety reported on Monday that Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, the two main composers on the film, are back in contention.

The Music Branch Executive Committee of the Academy has reversed its Nov. 10 decision declaring their score for ‘The Dark Knight’Ă‚  ineligible for the 2008 Academy Awards. Ă‚  After reviewing information submitted by the affected parties, the committee concluded that two, Zimmer and Howard, were responsible for the score’s authorship.

Neither nomination ballots nor lists of eligible scores had been distributed so there is no impact on the actual voting process.

What do you think? Ă‚  Will ‘The Dark Knight’ get an Oscar nomination for music anyway? Ă‚  What other films do you think had the best score this year? Ă‚  Let us know by commenting below!

Source: Variety

The executive committee of the Academy music branch (all 2 of them?) have decided to disqualify the score for ‘The Dark Knight’ from Academy Award competition.Ă‚   The reasoning?Ă‚   Too many chefs in the kitchen.Ă‚   Apparently, five names were listed as composers on the music cue sheet, the official studio document that specifies every piece of music in the film.

Composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard collaborated on the music, but, evidently, multiple names were listed on the cue sheet as a way to financially reward parts of the music team.Ă‚   This cue sheet is used by performing-rights societies in order to disperse royalties.Ă‚   Zimmer; Howard; music editor, Alex Gibson; ambient music designer, Mel Wesson; and composer, Lorne Balfe all signed an affidavit stating that the score was primarily the work of Zimmer and Howard.

That wasn’t enough to dissuade the committee from disqualifying the film’s score.Ă‚   Documentation was supplied to the committee stating that more than 60%, but less than 70%, of ‘The Dark Knight’s score was credited to Zimmer and Howard.

Just for your information, here are the rules for eligibility for Best Musical Score:

B.Ă‚   ELIGIBILITY

1.Ă‚   The work must be specifically created for the eligible feature-length motion picture.

2.Ă‚   The work must be the result of a creative interaction between the filmmaker(s) and the composer(s) or songwriter(s) who have been engaged to work directly on the film.

3.Ă‚   The measure of the work’s qualification shall be its effectiveness, craftsmanship, creative substance and relevance to the dramatic whole.

4.Ă‚   The work must be recorded for use in the film prior to any other usage, including public performance or exploitation through any media whatsoever.

5.Ă‚   Only the principal composer(s) or songwriter(s) responsible for the conception and execution of the work as a whole shall be eligible for an award.Ă‚   This expressly excludes from eligibility all of the following:

a)Ă‚   supervisors

b)Ă‚   partial contributors (e.g., any writer not responsible for the overall design of the work)

c)Ă‚   contributors working on speculation

d)Ă‚   scores diluted by the use of tracked themes or other pre-existing music

e)Ă‚   scores diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs

f)Ă‚   scores assembled from the music of more than one composer.

6.Ă‚   No more than two statuettes will normally be given in the Original Song category.Ă‚   A third statuette may be awarded when there are three essentially equal contributors to a song.

7. The Executive Committee shall resolve all rules interpretations and all questions of eligibility.

8. It is within the sole and confidential discretion of the Board of Governors to determine what awards, if any, shall be given.

So, what do you think about this ruling?Ă‚   Let us know below!

Source: Variety

As we told you back in AugustĂ‚  when the nominations were first released, the World Soundtrack AwardsĂ‚  is the supreme international film music event of the year. On Saturday night, the closing concert and ceremony was attended by all the winning composers.

Ă‚  Tonight the World Soundtrack Academy announced the winners of the World Soundtrack Awards 2008, the closing event of the 35th Ghent International Film Festival. The 8th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards was once again a highlight for film music professionals and fans. James Newton Howard was chosen as Film Composer of the Year 2008, Dario Marianelli took home the award for Best Original Score of the Year (Atonement). Marc Streitenfeld was the Academy’s new discovery with his score for American Gangster and Angelo Badalamenti was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award given by Marianne Faithfull.

FILM COMPOSER OF THE YEAR
presented in respect of the body of work in the year 2008
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD: CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR, MICHAEL CLAYTON, I AM LEGEND

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE OF THE YEAR 2008
ATONEMENT BY DARIO MARIANELLI

See the rest of the winners here.