Mark Mothersbaugh has composed the score for the upcoming comedy Beatriz at Dinner. The film is directed by Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl, Youth in Revolt, Cedar Rapids) and stars Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Chloe Sevigny, Connie Britton, Jay Duplass, Nina Arianda, Amy Landecker and John Early. The movie centers on the relationship between an immigrant from a poor town in Mexico who has drawn on her innate kindness to build a career as a health practitioner and a cutthroat, self-satisfied billionaire who meet at a dinner party. Mike White (School of Rock, Orange County, Nacho Libre) wrote the screenplay.
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2017 BAFTA Nominations Announced
The British Academy of Film and Television has announced the nominations for the 2017 Orange British Academy Film Awards. The winners will be announced at the Orange British Academy Film Awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London on Sunday, February 12. For a full list of nominations, click here.
Here are the nominations in the ‘Original Music’ category:
Arrival – Johann Johannsson
Jackie – Mica Levi
La La Land – Justin Hurwitz
Michael Giacchino’s ‘Sky High’ Score to Be Released
Intrada Records has announced the world premiere release of the original score for Walt Disney Pictures’ 2005 superhero movie Sky High directed by Mike Mitchell and starring Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Kurt Russell. The album features the film’s original music composed by Academy Award winner Michael Giacchino (Up, Star Trek, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Ratatouille, The Incredibles, Lost). The soundtrack is now available to order on the label’s official website, where you can also listen to audio samples. Sky High is now available on VOD, DVD and Blu-ray.
Top Original Film Scores of 2016
Film Music Reporter’s Top 10 Original Scores of 2016 (in alphabetical order):
Following their acclaimed work on Prisoners and Sicario, Johann Johannsson and director Denis Villeneuve collaborated for a third time on the sci-fi drama Arrival, resulting in arguably the most original score for a major studio release this year. Using processed electronics in combination with manipulated vocals and orchestra, the composer created an otherworldly sound that gives the movie a unique feel. Johansson’s score is available on Deutsche Grammophon. (Standout tracks on soundtrack album: Heptapod B, Kangaru, Arrival).
Another director/composer relationship that produced yet another memorable work is Steven Spielberg’s and John Williams‘ 28th collaboration on The BFG. The composer wrote a purely orchestral score with some of his most playful writing in years for the underrated movie and proved once again that he is still at the top of his game when it comes to orchestration and thematic writing. Williams’ music is available on Walt Disney Records. (Standout tracks: Finale, Sophie and the BFG).
Fernando Velazquez to Score ‘Marrowbone’
Fernando Velazquez has been tapped to score the upcoming psychological thriller Marrowbone. The film marks the directorial debut of writer Sergio G. Sanchez (The Orphanage, The Impossible, Palm Trees in the Snow) and stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Mia Goth, George Mackay and Charlie Heaton. The movie revolves around four children who hide from the world after their mother’s death on a farm that holds a terrible secret. Sanchez also wrote the screenplay. J.A. Bayona is producing the project with Alvaro Augustin (Pan’s Labyrinth, Agora), Belen Atienza and Ghislain Barros.
Justin Hurwitz Wins Golden Globes for ‘La La Land’
Justin Hurwitz has received the Golden Globe Awards in the Original Score category for Damien Chazelle’s La La Land. He also won a second award for the song City of Stars from the movie musical and shared the honor with lyricists Justin Paul & Benj Pasek. Check out the acceptance speeches after the jump. The other composers nominated in the Best Original Score category were Johann Johannson (Arrival), Dustin O’Halloran & Hauschka (Lion), Nicholas Britell (Moonlight) and Hans Zimmer, Pharrell Williams & Benjamin Wallfisch (Hidden Figures).
Weekly TV Music Roundup (January 8, 2017)
(Premiering on Tuesday, January 10, is the FX mini-series Taboo created by Steven Knight and starring Tom Hardy, Oona Chaplin, David Hayman, Michael Kelly, Franka Potente and Jonathan Pryce. Max Richter (The Leftovers, Waltz with Bashir, Miss Sloane, Disconnect, Testament of Youth) has composed the original music for the 8-parter. Check out our previous news article and the official show website to learn more about the series, which follows an adventurer who returns to Britain from Africa along with 14 stolen diamonds to seek vengeance after the death of his father and will air Tuesday nights on FX.
Premiering on Thursday, January 12, is the Crackle original movie Mad Families directed by Fred Wolf and starring Charlie Sheen, Leah Remini, Finesse Mitchell, Juan Gabriel Pareja, Charlotte McKinney, Naya Rivera, Chris Mulkey, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish, Clint Howard, Chanel Iman, Barry Shabaka Henley, Efren Ramirez and Danny Mora. The film’s original music is composed by J. Peter Robinson (Cocktail, Wayne’s World, The World’s Fastest Indian, The Bank Job). Check out our scoring assignment announcement to learn more about the comedy.
Dan Romer Scoring William H. Macy’s ‘Krystal’
Dan Romer has composed the music for the upcoming comedy drama Krystal. The film is directed by William H. Macy who also stars in the film alongside Grant Gustin, Nick Robinson, Felicity Huffman, T.I., Kathy Bates, Rosario Dawson and John Leguizamo. The movie follows a young man living a sheltered life develops a crush on a stripper and joins her Alcoholics Anonymous group just so he can be in the same room with her. Will Aldis (Avenging Angelo) wrote the screenplay. Rachel Winter (Dallas Buyers Club) and Dan Keston (Stealing Cars, Norman) are producing the project.
Weekly Film Music Roundup (January 6, 2017)
Apart from the nationwide expansions of Hidden Figures and A Monster Calls, the only one new movie is opening nationwide this weekend is the action horror sequel Underworld: Blood Wars directed by Anna Foerster and starring Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Trent Garrett, Tobias Menzies, Lara Pulver, Clementine Nicholson, Bradley James and Charles Dance. The film’s original music is composed by Michael Wandmacher (My Bloody Valentine, Drive Angry, Piranha 3D, The Goldbergs). Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as an original song by Melissa. Click here for the full album details and visit Film Music Magazine for a recent interview with Wandmacher about his work on the project.
Opening in select theaters and on VOD is the thriller Arsenal directed by Steven C. Miller and starring Adrian Grenier, John Cusack, Johnathon Schaech and Nicolas Cage. The film’s original music is composed by Ryan Franks and Scott Nickoley (Hell & Back, TripTank). No word on a soundtrack release. Check out our previous news article to learn more about the film, which follows a Philadelphia businessman whose deadbeat brother is kidnapped for a large ransom. The thriller is being released by Lionsgate Premiere.
Atari Teenage Riot’s Alec Empire’s ‘Volt’ Soundtrack to Be Released
Dependent will release a soundtrack album for the German sci-fi thriller Volt. The album features the film’s original music composed by Atari Teenage Riot member Alec Empire. The soundtrack will be released in various formats on February 3, 2017 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Volt is written and directed by Tarek Ehlail and stars Benno Fürmann, Sascha Alexander Gersak, Ayo Ogunmakin, Anna Bederke and Surho Sugaipov. The movie is set in not-too-distant future and follows a German cop who accidentally kills a French refugee and starts up a relationship with the sister of the man he killed and winds up between the fronts.