Category: Film Music News

Weekly Film Music Roundup (May 29, 2015)

May 29, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Aloha, Andrew Lockington, Barely Lethal, Bruno Coulais, Gemma Bovery, Ilan Eshkeri, Jónsi & Alex, Justin Rice, Mateo Messina, Results, San Andreas, Survivor

Two new movies are opening nationwide this weekend:

Expected to top the weekend box office is the disaster movie San Andreas directed by Brad Peyton and starring Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson and Paul Giamatti. The film’s original music is composed by Andrew Lockington (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters) who previously scored Peyton’s Journey to the Center of the Earth and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. WaterTower Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music, as well as a cover version of California Dreamin’ performed by Sia. Check out our previous article for the full details and to listen to audio clips. Also visit Film Music Magazine and ScreenSlam for interviews with Lockington about his work on the project.

Also opening wide is the romantic comedy Aloha directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams, Emma Stone, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride and Alec Baldwin. Jónsi & Alex have composed the film’s original score. Sony Legacy and Madison Gate Records have released a soundtrack album featuring two tracks by the composers, as well as songs by artists such as Beck, David Crosby, Fleetwood Mac, The Blue Nile, Kurt Vile, Josh Ritter & more. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to to learn more about the Sony Pictures release.

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Elliot Goldenthal Presented with Kilar Award at Krakow Film Music Festival

May 28, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Elliot Goldenthal, Krakow Film Music Festival, Wojciech Kilar Award

Last night, Elliot Goldenthal was presented with the first ever Wojciech Kilar Award during the sold out Polish Music Gala: Scoring4Wajda concert in the ICE Krakow Congress Center at the Krakow Film Music Festival in Krakow, Poland. The Academy Award-winning composer’s longtime companion and entertainer, director Julie Taymor (Frida, Titus, Across the Universe, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) was also in attendance a the event. The Wojciech Kilar Award aims to raise the profile of the late Polish pianist/composer who is known for such scores as The Pianist and Bram Stoker’s Dracula and honors composers whose film work has a vigorous life beyond the screen.

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YouTube Series ‘Studio Time with Junkie XL’ Announced

May 22, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Junkie XL, Tom Holkenborg

Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL is launching a new YouTube tutorial series, Studio Time with Junkie XL. The series will give aspiring composers, producers, and musicians a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a Hollywood composer. The tutorial topics will range from technical advice, such as string and drum arrangements, to programming tips and advice on how to channel your musical influences. The project is an extension of Holkenborg’s previous teaching experience as an associate professor at ARTEZ, the Dutch music conservatorium where he developed and taught a four year music program based on all of the elements of his career.

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Giuseppe Tornatore to Helm Ennio Morricone Documentary

May 22, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Ennio Morricone, Giuseppe Tornatore

Deadline is reporting that director Giuseppe Tornatore is teaming up with Mandragora Group (Beyond The Hills) and Piano B Produzioni for a documentary based on the life and work of legendary film composer Ennio Morricone. The movie is is said to feature interviews and a narrative piece alongside, which will “highlight a side of Morricone that has never been revealed, including key moments, anecdotes, and situations which have been essential steps of the artistic and personal path that Morricone’s life has taken.” Morricone and Tornatore have collaborated on such features as Cinema Paradiso, Malena, Baaria, The Best Offer and The Legend of 1900, for which the composer won a Golden Globe Award, as well as the upcoming The Correspondence starring Jeremy Irons & Olga Kurylenko.

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Weekly Film Music Roundup (May 22, 2015)

May 22, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Aloft, Marc Streitenfeld, Michael Brook, Michael Giacchino, Poltergeist, Takatsugu Muramatsu, Tomorrowland, When Marnie Was There

Two new movies are opening this holiday weekend:

Opening in most theaters is the mystery adventure Tomorrowland directed by Brad Bird and starring George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Judy Greer, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan Michael-Key and Thomas Robinson. The film’s original music is composed by Michael Giacchino (Star Trek, Up, The Incredibles, Lost, Ratatouille). Walt Disney Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score digitally earlier this week and a CD version will be released on June 2. Visit our soundtrack announcement for the full album details. Also visit WWMR’s website for an interview with the composer about his work on the project and Trailer Addict for another interview from the film’s premiere at Disneyland.

Also opening wide is the horror thriller Poltergeist directed by Gil Kenan, produced by Sam Raimi and starring Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jared Harris and Jane Adams. Marc Streitenfeld (Prometheus, American Gangster, The Grey, Robin Hood) has composed the film’s original music. Sony Classical has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score earlier this week. Check out our previous news article for the full album details. Also visit Variety for an interview with Streitenfeld about his work on the film.

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Video Highlights From 2015 BMI Film & TV Awards

May 18, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 1 comment

Tags: Alexandre Desplat, BMI Film & TV Awards, Chris Montan

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) has published a number of video clips from the organization’s 2015 BMI Film & TV Awards gala, which was held last week at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Check out the acceptance speech of this year’s recipient of the BMI Icon Award, Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The King’s Speech, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Queen, Godzilla), as well as the speech of President of Walt Disney Music, Chris Montan who was honored with the BMI Classic Contribution Award.

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Composer Jed Kurzel to Direct ‘Ivan Lendl Never Learnt to Volley’

May 18, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Ivan Lendl Never Learnt to Volley, Jed Kurzel, Justin Kurzel

Composer Jed Kurzel is set to make his directorial debut with the upcoming sports comedy drama Ivan Lendl Never Learnt to Volley. The film will star Denis Menochet as a man whose fanatical desire to see his son become a tennis champion comes at any cost. The composer’s brother Justin Kurzel (Macbeth, The Snowtown Murders) is producing the project with Anna McLeish & Sarah Shaw (Partisan, Shopping). Apart from scoring his brother’s features, Jed Kurzel has also composed the music for such films as The Babadook, Son of a Gun and Slow West, which is currently playing in theaters.

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Robert Drasnin (1927 – 2015)

May 15, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 1 comment

Tags: Robert Drasnin

Variety is reporting that Robert Drasnin passed away this past Wednesday at age 87. The composer is best known for scoring numerous TV show episodes between the 1950s and 1980s, including Mission: Impossible, The Twilight Zone, Hawaii Five-0, Lost in Space, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., I Spy, The Wild Wild West, Mannix, Cannon, The Streets of San Francisco, Police Story and CHiPs. His feature film credits include the 1970 thriller The Kremlin Letter directed by John Huston, the 1973 horror thriller The Candy Snatchers and 1966 western Ride in the Whirlwind starring Jack Nicholson. He also composed the music for numerous TV movies and served as a director of music for CBS Television from 1977 to 1991.

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Weekly Film Music Roundup (May 15, 2015)

May 15, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Two new movies are opening nationwide this weekend:

Opening in most theaters is the action movie Mad Max: Fury Road directed by George Miller and starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nathan Jones, Zoë Kravitz, Riley Keough, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Abbey Lee and Courtney Eaton. Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL) has composed the film’s original music. WaterTower Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music earlier this week. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to listen to audio clips. For recent interviews with Holkenborg about his work on the film, visit Film Music Magazine, Hitfix, Entertainment Weekly and Film.Music.Media.

Also opening wide is the musical comedy sequel Pitch Perfect 2 directed by Elizabeth Banks and starring Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Alexis Knapp, Adam DeVine and Hailee Steinfeld. The film’s original score is composed by Mark Mothersbaugh (The Lego Movie, Hotel Transylvania, 21 Jump Street). Universal Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the songs from the film, including the original track Flashlight written by Jessie J, as well as a track from Mothersbaugh’s score this past Tuesday. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the film.

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Alexandre Desplat Honored at BMI Film & TV Awards

May 14, 2015 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Alexandre Desplat, BMI, BMI Film & TV Awards, BMI Icon Award, Chris Montan

Last night, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), held its annual Film & TV Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Alexandre Desplat was honored with the Icon Award, which is bestowed on composers who have made significant contributions to the realm of film and television music. The composer who received his first Academy Award earlier this year for Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel and whose other scoring credits include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Godzilla, The Girl with the Pearl Earring, Zero Dark Thirty and The Tree of Life was presented the award by the night’s hosts, BMI Vice President, Film/TV Relations, Doreen Ringer-Ross and BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill. Several of Desplat’s regular collaborators congratulated him via a tribute video, including Stephen Frears (Philomena, The Queen, Tamara Drewe), Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech), Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game) and Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom, The Fantastic Mr. Fox).

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