Skip to content

SCORE: A FILM MUSIC DOCUMENTARY

Written By:

Luke Spafford
score

Not too long ago, the criminally underrated and rarely watched BBC4 showed a three-part documentary about film music. Charting the evolution of film score (or devolution, depending on your point of view) the three-parter was a little rushed and a little trite. A limited budget meant only snatches of music and access to the world’s best composer’s mate, rather than the maestros themselves. Often, a piano riff tinkled by the very talented musician/presenter was as far as you got, leaving the imagination to fill in the blanks where the soaring violas and melancholic cellos should be. A worthwhile programme but nothing next to Score.

The film opens with a tour around Marco Beltrami’s backyard. Perhaps not that inspiring, until you clap eyes on one of the coolest pianos strung up on gods earth in a breath-taking backdrop. Before we even start on how the film sounds, it fair to say it looks incredible. The archive pieces have been polished to within an inch of their life and the transfers of the film clips themselves look better than on their native Blu-ray.

The sound mix, as you would hope, is pin-sharp. After a first viewing, this reviewer gave it another listen by turning off the screen and really tuning in.

The difference between budgets here gets you pretty much every living composer of stature talking to the camera and sharing their art. Zimmer, Elfman, Desplat, Jones and Newman are all here. Hell, even Moby turns up, but then so does the bloke who scored Transformers. There’s no stinting on Directors either, Cameron trots out his usual lines, but there is some great archive of Williams playing Spielberg the ET theme for the first time.

A section of the film based on how some of the composers ‘collect’ sounds is enthralling, but it is their collection of bizarre instruments that proves all the more intriguing. This is all weaved in amongst a stroll through the history of film music and it is perhaps here that the film falters a little as it leans a little too close to the greatest hits rather than digging into the deep cuts. There’s no anecdotal piece here that the average fan won’t have heard before and the film sheds no new light on the subject nor does it lift the lid on any behind the scenes scandal. What it does do is spend time on technique and most importantly what it is to lend emotional heft to a scene that a director and editor can’t do by themselves.

Whilst the film assumes its audience isn’t stupid, it doesn’t stray into hard-core audiophile territory either and it is all the stronger for it. This is an absolute must for fans of the medium and hey, they also do a lovely set of movie tie-in leggings too.

SCORE: A FILM MUSIC DOCUMENTARY / CERT: E / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: MATT SCHRADER / STARRING: HANS ZIMMER, DANNY ELFMAN, JOHN WILLIAMS, TRENT REZNER, JAMES CAMERON / RELEASE DATE: APRIL 2ND

Luke Spafford

You May Also Like...

black widow star scarlett johansson in talks to lead new universal jurassic world film

Scarlett Johansson In Talks To Join JURASSIC WORLD Film

Another MCU star appears to be taking up the reins for Universal’s new Jurassic World movie: two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson is reportedly in talks to lead the franchise that
Read More

Exclusive Reveal! Titan Comics to Deliver Prehistoric Hysterics in First 2 DUMB DINOS Collection

Titan Comics have exclusively revealed to STARBURST that they’re gearing up to publish the first-ever collection of the hilarious cult digital comic strip 2 Dumb Dinos, and we’re not the
Read More

New Dates For Lovecraftian Key of Dreams

Key of Dreams has announced new spaces for its titular immersive luxury horror event. The critically acclaimed company is known for its overnight experiences that dunk you into a strange
Read More

FAB Café to Host Free Film Screening of New Indie Comedy SECRETS OF A WALLABY BOY

We’re well known for our championing of truly independent filmmakers here at STARBURST, so it’s doubly exciting to be writing about one of our own! After joining the crew in
Read More
colin farrell returns as oswald cobblepot in the penguin series trailer

Colin Farrell Returns In THE PENGUIN Trailer

Colin Farrell returns as Gotham City’s answer to Tony Soprano in the first trailer for Max series The Penguin, which spins out of the world of the 2022 DC film
Read More
michael keaton as beetlejuice in beetlejuice 2 trailer

First Look At Jenna Ortega In BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE Trailer

Almost 40 years down the road, the infamous bio-exorcist finally returns in the first trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 cult classic film. Jenna Ortega (Wednesday,
Read More