Season 4 is here! Charlie Clouser (the Saw series, Nine Inch Nails) joins the show to kick-off the latest season. Charlie and I talk about not just his score for the latest Saw film – Saw X – but his work throughout the series, including the famous and essential “Hello Zepp” themes found in each film. Near the end, Charlie indulges me on my personal curiosity regarding the surprising number of 90s and early 2000s industrial musicians that have found their way into the film and scoring worlds, expanding it to cover the desire for filmmakers to bring in musicians on the fringes of music. During this, he hypes up a number of great composers and scores, something I absolutely love to see!
Charlie’s score for Saw X surprised me given the amount of melody, seemingly broader palette, and sheer variety throughout. It isn’t necessarily surprising, given his fixation on finding the perfect array of sounds to bring onto each project – hand-picking them from his seemingly-bottomless well of sounds collected over the last 40 years. But there’s also an extreme level of technical precision on these scores, with endless tempo changes so that the film and its characters seem to be constantly moving to the rhythm of his score.
Saw X is currently in theaters, while Charlie’s score, as well as many of his other scores, is available digitally on all major platforms.
Have a listen to our conversation below or wherever you get your podcasts (including Spotify and Apple Podcasts). Enjoying these interviews? Show the love by subscribing and leaving a rating or review!
About Saw X
“John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back. The most chilling installment of the SAW franchise yet explores the untold chapter of Jigsaw’s most personal game. Set between the events of SAW I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer – only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, John returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through a series of ingenious and terrifying traps.” – from the Saw X official website.
