Over the last year, Junkie XL aka Tom Holkenborg has quickly risen to the top of the Hollywood film music scene. Just within the last eight months, the composer had his first three major Hollywood features released in theaters, including last summer’s thriller Paranoia starring Liam Hemsworth, Harrison Ford & Gary Oldman and this month’s two top-grossing movies at the domestic box office, 300: Rise of an Empire and Divergent; and he is currently in the process of composing the music for another high profile production to come out in 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road. Growing up in Holland in a family of multi-instrumentalists, the composer was in his teens when the first samplers became available to the general public in the early 80s. “That was the time period where I really got my feet wet with electronic music and I knew from that point on what my future would be,” the composer says.
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‘The Double’ Soundtrack Details
Milan Records will release a soundtrack album for Richard Ayoade’s indie comedy The Double. The album features the film’s original music composed by Andrew Hewitt who previously collaborated with the director on 2010’s Submarine. Also included are the songs from the film by Japanese artists Kyu Sakamoto and Jacky Yoshikawa & His Blue Comets, as well as Danny & The Islanders. The soundtrack will be released in the UK on April 4, 2014 and in the U.S. on May 6, 2014. To pre-order the CD, visit Amazon. The Double stars Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Noah Taylor, Yasmin Paige, Cathy Moriarty, Phyllis Somerville and James Fox. The comedy is based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novella of the same title about an insignificant man who is driven to near breakdown by the appearance of his doppelganger. The movie premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival and has been picked up by Magnolia Pictures for a release in select theaters and on VOD on May 9.
‘Better Living Through Chemistry’ Soundtrack Announced
Lakeshore Records will release a soundtrack album for the indie comedic thriller Better Living Through Chemistry. The album features the film’s original music composed by Andrew Feltenstein and John Nau (Casa De Mi Padre, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues). The soundtrack will be released digitally on April 15, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Check out audio clips after the jump. Better Living Through Chemistry is written and directed by Geoff Moore & David Posamentier and stars Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Michelle Monaghan, Norbert Leo Butz, Ben Schwartz, Ken Howard, Ray Liotta and Jane Fonda. The comedy follows a small-town pharmacist whose eventful life is turned inside out when a chance encounter with a lonely trophy wife turns into a walk on the wild side.
‘The Quiet Ones’ Soundtrack Details
Varese Sarabande has announced a soundtrack album for the supernatural horror thriller The Quiet Ones. The album features the film’s original score composed and performed by Lucas Vidal (Fast & Furious 6, The Raven, The Cold Light of Day). Also included are the songs Cum On Feel The Noize by Slade and Telegram Sam by T.Rex, as well as three original Radio Caroline jingles from the 70s. The soundtrack will be released on April 22, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. The Quiet Ones is directed by John Pogue and stars Jared Harris, Sam Claflin, Erin Richards, Rory Fleck-Byrne and Olivia Cooke. The Hammer Films production follows a University professor who uses controversial methods and leads his students to take part in creating a Poltergeist from negative human energy. The soundtrack will be released nationwide on April 25, 2014 by Lionsgate.
Andrew Feltenstein & John Nau to Score Matt Piedmont’s ‘King Dork’
Andrew Feltenstein and John Nau will be reuniting with director Matt Piedmont on the upcoming comedy King Dork. The film is based on the 2006 novel of the same title by Frank Portman, which follows two best friends who bond over their shared love of classic rock and roll, which helps them cope with the agony of getting through high school in 1987. No casting deals have been announced yet. D.V. DeVincentis (High Fidelity, Grosse Pointe Blank) is adapting the material for the screen. Will Ferrell & Adam McKay (Talladega Nights, The Other Guys) and Kevin Messick & Chris Henchy (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters) are producing the project for Gary Sanchez Productions.
‘Boys of Abu Ghraib’ Soundtrack Released
Wishing Well Pictures has released a soundtrack album for the thriller Boys of Abu Ghraib. The soundtrack features the film’s original score composed by Dan Marocco (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), as well as the original song Remember Me written the composer and performed by Patrick Josep. Also included are other songs from the film by The Broken Vibe, Audio Conduit, Mike 13 and Noyola. The album is now available to download on Amazon. Audio clips are embedded after the jump. The Boys of Abu Ghraib is written and directed by Luke Moran who also stars in the film alongside Omid Abtahi, John Heard, Michael Welch, Elijah Kelley, John Robinson, Sara Paxton, Scott Patterson and Sean Astin. The movie follows a soldier from small town America to Iraq’s most infamous prison, Abu Ghraib, where he’s tasked with guarding the Army’s highest priority detainees.
Fernando Velazquez to Score Brett Ratner’s ‘Hercules’
Fernando Velazquez has been tapped to compose the music for the upcoming action adventure Hercules. The film is directed by Brett Ratner and stars Dwayne Johnson in the title role alongside Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Mullan, Rufus Sewell, John Hurt, Rebecca Ferguson, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Aksel Hennie and Reece Ritchie. The movie based on the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars is a revisionist take on the classic myth set in a grounded world where the supernatural does not exist. Ryan Condal and Evan Spiliotopoulos have written the screenplay. Ratner is also producing the project with Beau Flynn (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters) and Barry Levine (Oblivion).
Jeff Russo Scoring Starz’s ‘Power’
Jeff Russo is composing the score for the upcoming Starz original series Power. The show is created by Courtney Kemp Agboh (The Good Wife) and stars Omari Hardwick, Lela Loren, Naturi Naughton and Joseph Sikora. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has been cast in a reocurring role and also serves as an executive producer. Victor Garber and Sonya Walger have also recently joined the cast. The drama follows a wealthy New York City nightclub owner who is living a double life. When he is not in the club, he is the kingpin of the most lucrative drug network in New York for a very high-level clientele. Agboh is also executive producing the CBS Television production with Mark Canton (300, Immortals, 300: Rise of an Empire), Randall Emmett (End of Watch, Lone Survivor) and David Knoller (Big Love, Carnivàle). The first season of eight episodes is set to premiere this summer on Starz.
‘Keep On Keepin’ On’ to Feature Music by Dave Grusin & Justin Kauflin
Pianist Justin Kauflin and Dave Grusin have composed the original score for the upcoming documentary Keep On Keepin’ On. The film is helmed by Australian director Alan Hicks who spent four years following the mentorship between jazz-legend Clark Terry and Kauflin, a blind piano prodigy, during a pivotal moment in each of their lives. Academy Award nominee Quincy Jones (The Color Purple) is producing the project with Paula DuPre’ Pesmen (The Cove, Chasing Ice). Keep On Keepin’ On is set to premiere next month at the Tribeca Film Festival. After the premiere screening, there will be a special post-film performance by pianist Justin Kauflin, four-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Dianne Reeves and Roy Hargrove on trumpet with Quincy Jones in attendance.
‘Oculus’ Soundtrack Details
Varese Sarabande will release a soundtrack album for the horror thriller Oculus. The album features the film’s original score composed by The Newton Brothers (Detachment, Pawn Shop Chronicles, Life of Crime). Also included are two remixes by the composers and Paul Oakenfold. The soundtrack will be released digitally on April 8. A CD version is set to be released on April 15 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Oculus is directed by Mike Flanagan and stars Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Rory Cochrane, Annalise Basso and Katee Sackhoff. The movie centers on a murder that left two siblings orphans with authorities charging the brother while his sister believed that the true culprit was a haunted antique mirror. The thriller produced by Jason Blum (Insidious, Paranormal Activity) premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival and will be released nationwide on April 11 by Relativity Media.