Category: Film Music News

Weekly Film Music Roundup (November 7, 2014)

November 7, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: A Merry Friggin' Christmas, Anton Sanko, Big Hero 6, Elsa & Fred, Hanan Townshend, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, Interstellar, Jessabelle, Johann Johannsson, Jorge Magaz, Ludwig Göransson, Luis Bacalov, Mr. Pip, Open WIndows, The Better Angels, The Theory of Everything

Two new movies are opening this weekend:

Already playing in select theaters since this past Wednesday and opening nationwide today is the sci-fi drama Interstellar directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine. The film’s original music is composed by Hans Zimmer (Inception, The Dark Knight, The Lion King, Gladiator). WaterTower Music will release a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music in two different editions on November 18. Check out our previous news article for the full album details. Also visit Huffington Post, Crave Online, Hitfix and Film Music Society for interviews with Zimmer about his work on the project.

Also opening wide is Walt Disney Animation Studios’ feature Big Hero 6 directed by Don Hall & Chris Williams and featuring the voices of Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, T.J. Miller, Jaime Chung, Damon Wayans, Jr., Genesis Rodriguez, James Cromwell, Maya Rudolph Daniel Henney and Alan Tudyk. Henry Jackman (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Wreck-It-Ralph, X-Men: First Class) has composed the film’s original music. Walt Disney Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as the original song Immortals by Fall Out Boy. Click here for the full album details. Also visit YouTube for a video from the music recording sessions and click here for a video interview with Jackman.

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Weekly Film Music Roundup (October 31, 2014)

October 31, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Before I Go to Sleep, Charlie Clouser, David Wingo, Edward Shearmur, Horns, James Newton Howard, Nightcrawler, Private Peaceful, Rachel Portman, Rob, Saw, The Great Invisible

Opening in most theaters this weekend is the thriller Nightcrawler written and directed by Dan Gilroy and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton and Riz Ahmed. The film’s original music is composed by James Newton Howard (The Hunger Games, Maleficent, The Sixth Sense, King Kong). Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music earlier this month. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the Open Road Films release and click here to listen to audio clips.

Also opening wide is the psychological thriller Before I Go to Sleep written and directed by Rowan Joffe, produced by Ridley Scott and starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong and Anne-Marie Duff. Edward Shearmur (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Reign of Fire, Johnny English, Charlie’s Angels) has composed the film’s original music. No soundtrack album has been announced yet. Before I Go to Sleep follows a woman who wakes up every day with no memory as the result of a traumatic accident in her past. The thriller is being released by Clarius Entertainment. To learn more about the film, visit the official movie website.

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Ian Fraser (1933-2014)

October 31, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Ian Fraser

Ian Fraser has passed away at age 81 this morning at his home in Los Angeles. The music director and arranger received a total of 32 Emmy Award nominations, more than any other musician in television history. He won the award 11 times, most recently in 1993 for his music direction for the 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala. He received an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for adapting the song score for 1970’s Scrooge starring Albert Finney. His musical director credits include a number of Christmas in Washington TV specials, the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special, numerous TV Academy’s Hall of Fame ceremonies, the SAG 50th Anniversary Celebration, Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas and America Salutes Richard Rodgers.

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Alexandre Desplat Named Film Composer of the Year at World Soundtrack Awards 2014

October 25, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 1 comment

Tags: Alexandre Desplat, Daniel Pemberton, Michelino Bisceglia, Pharrell Williams, World Soundtrack Awards

Alexandre Desplat was chosen as Film Composer of the Year 2014 at the World Soundtrack Awards 2012, tonight’s closing event of the 41st Ghent Film Festival. Desplat also received an award for his score for Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel in the Best Original Film Score of the Year category. Desplat also composed the music for such films as Gareth Edward’s Godzilla, George Clooney’s The Monuments Men and Stephen Frears’ Philomena over the past year. The composer previously was named Film Composer of the Year in 2007, 2009 and 2011. In the Discovery of the Year category, Daniel Pemberton was awarded for his work over the last year, which included his scores for Ridley Scott’s The Counselor and the comedy Cuban Fury. In the Best Original Song category, Pharrell Williams was honored for his Oscar-nominated song Happy from Despicable Me 2.

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Weekly Film Music Roundup (October 24, 2014)

October 24, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Two new movies are opening nationwide this weekend:

Opening in most theaters is the horror thriller Ouija directed by Stiles White, produced by Michael Bay & Jason Blum and starring Olivia Cooke, Daren Kagasoff, Douglas Smith, Bianca Santos and Ana Coto. The film’s original music is composed by Anton Sanko (The Possession, Rabbit Hole, Big Love). Back Lot Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score digitally earlier this week. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to listen to audio clips.

Also opening wide is the action thriller John Wick directed by Chad Stahelski and starrimb Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, Alfie Allen, John Leguizamo and Willem Dafoe. Tyler Bates (Guardians of the Galaxy, 300, Dawn of the Dead) and Joel J. Richard have composed the film’s original score. Varese Sarabande has released a soundtrack album featuring the composers’ music, as well as additional music by Le Castle Vania and songs perfomed by Ciscandra Nostalghia, KALEIDA, The Candy Shop Boys and M86 & Susie Q. Check out our previous article for the full album details.

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‘Fan Girl’ to Feature Music by All Time Low

October 23, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: All Time Low, Fan Girl

The pop punk band All Time Low is providing the soundtrack for the upcoming teen comedy Fan Girl. The film is directed by Paul Jarrett and stars Kiernan Shipka, Meg Ryan, Scott Adsit, Joshua Boone and Bill Sage. The movie follows a 15-year-old teen who lives for making movies and worshiping her favorite band and comes up with an idea that could bring her two passions together. Gina O’Brien (Once More With Feeling) has written the screenplay. Jarrett is also producing the Rosetta Films, Filament Productions and Literally Films production with Nick Huston and Adam Spielberg.

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Gregg Alexander & Antonio Sanchez to Perform at Hollywood Music in Media Awards

October 22, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 1 comment

Tags: Antonio Sanchez, Gregg Alexander, Hollywood Music in Media Awards

The Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMAs) announced the performers today for the 5th Annual HMMAs. Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter/producer Gregg Alexander will perform the original song Lost Stars from this year’s comedy drama Begin Again, which is performed in the film by Adam Levine and Keira Knightley. It will mark the former New Radicals frontman’s first live performance in 15 years. In addition, Antonio Sanchez will open the awards show with a special drum performance from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Birdman live to a scene from the film. Finally, Gwendolyn Sadford, Brandon Jay and Scott Doherty will perform their original music from Jenji Kohan’s Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black.

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Alan Silvestri to Compose New Music for ‘Back to the Future’ 30th Anniversary Special Presentation

October 21, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Tags: Alan Silvestri, Back to the Future

IMG Artists and the Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency announced a new partnership with Universal Pictures today that will see Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future return to the big screen, accompanied by a live orchestra performing the film’s original score composed by Alan Silvestri (Forrest Gump, The Avengers, Cast Away, Captain America: The First Avenger). The events will coincide with the 30th anniversary of the movie starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Llyod and Lea Thompson. Silvestri will compose roughly 15 minutes of new material as part of the performance tour, which will have its world premiere screening and performance in Lucerne, Switzerland, performed by the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra, in May of 2015.

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‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ to Feature End Credits Song Performed by Billy Boyd

October 19, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 3 comments

Tags: Billy Boyd, The Hobbit, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Actor Billy Boyd and screenwriters/producers Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh have written an original end credits song for Peter Jackson’s upcoming fantasy adventure The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The track entitled The Last Goodbye is also performed by Boyd who played Peregrin “Pippin” Took in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. As previously reported, WaterTower Music will release the soundtrack album for the film, which features the song, as well as the film’s original score composed by Howard Shore. The soundtrack will be released on December 16, 2014 and the 2CD special edition version is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Check back on this page for the full album details.

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Weekly Film Music Roundup (October 17, 2014)

October 17, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News 0 comments

Three new movies are opening wide this weekend:

Expected to top the weekend box office is the action war drama Fury written and directed by David Ayer and starring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal, Jason Isaacs and Scott Eastwood. The film’s original music is composed by Steven Price (Gravity, Attack the Block, The World’s End). Varese Sarabande has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score earlier this week. Click here for the full album details. Also check out The Hollywood Reporter for a video featurette about the music and visit BBC News, Music Times, Hitfix and Go See Talk for more interviews with Price about his work on the film.

Also opening wide is the animated feature The Book of Life directed by Jorge Gutierrez, produced by Guillermo del Toro and featuring the voices of Channing Tatum, Zoë Saldana, Diego Luna, Ice Cube, Ron Perlman, Christina Applegate, Danny Trejo and Cheech Martin. Gustavo Santaolalla (Brokeback Mountain, Babel, August: Osage County) has composed the film’s original score. Sony Masterworks has released a soundtrack album featuring selections from the composer’s music, as well as the songs from the film, including original tracks by performed by Jesse & Joy and La Santa Cecilia. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to listen to audio clips.

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