Best Film Scores of 2017
I’ve decided to start visiting years past, from before I actively listened to film music, and come up with retrospective best-of lists. Not only is it a good way to revisit missed classics and get a feel for the year […]
Tron: Legacy – Daft Punk (2010)
In 2010 electronic music icons Daft Punk made their first (and to date, only) foray into film scoring with Tron: Legacy. On paper the pairing makes complete sense: the electronic legends with a space age aesthetic would bring to life […]
The Lodge – Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (2020)
The Lodge is an interesting experiment between silence and music. It builds fear and tension through a sparing use of Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans’ chaotic and discordant score. The vast majority of The Lodge is entirely without music. The […]
Green Book – Kris Bowers (2018)
Green Book begs the question: is there anything composer Kris Bowers can’t do? The film follows classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley’s (played by Mahershala Ali) 1962 tour across the deep south and heavily features musical performances by Shirley alone […]
Pan’s Labyrinth – Javier Navarrete (2006)
Pan’s Labyrinth takes place across two slowly converging worlds: one of reality and one of fantasy. Composer Javier Navarrete’s score gives a unique identity to each, while simultaneously tying them together with a shared theme. The film’s “reality” – Francoist […]
The Fog – John Carpenter (1980)
While John Carpenter is most often known for using synth, many of his earliest film scores were remarkably piano-driven, such as The Fog. To be clear, The Fog does have plenty of synth, but it isn’t the driving force behind […]
Best Film Scores of March 2020
Despite the current pandemic largely shutting down theaters and film releases, quite a few excellent scores released in March. While I cover several in-depth, score to the bottom of the page for a list of a whole lot more! Drone, […]
Parasite – Jung Jae Il (2019) – Film Score Review
It is no secret that Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite focuses upon class inequality, tension, and mobility. Composer Jung Jae Il’s supremely elegant score embodies this struggle. The early moments of the score are rather sparse, largely consisting of Jung introducing […]
10 Best Pandemic Film Scores
To do something a bit topical, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best pandemic film scores of all time. However, the list is quite fluid with several of the scores on the final list able to swap positions on […]
Monos – Mica Levi (2019)
With Monos, Mica Levi has further established themselves as the foremost contemporary experimental film composer, using dissonance and unconventional instrumentation and composition to build tension and unease. The score’s most striking music is also its most jarring. Sounds akin to […]
Interview with Room8
2019 has been a great year for electronic duo Room8, releasing their long-awaited debut album Transduction and their score for the dark drama Cuck. Room8 was kind enough to answer a few questions, ranging from the release of Transduction, their […]
Jason and the Argonauts – Bernard Herrmann (1963)
Despite the surprisingly short runtime of Jason and the Argonauts, it’s filled with everything a Hollywood epic needs – grand scope, love, betrayal, and triumph. Composer Bernard Herrmann follows suit, as his score matches every pivotal moment and tonal shift. […]