Film to me… (3 of 4)

Okay so we’ve got to my favourite section! 85% of my playlists are songs heard in films and TV shows, and with each new rewatch of a film, I find new things I love about them. I have one main playlist, and I swear I’m adding about 5 or 6 new tracks every week.

I’m going to try and rein myself in here, but I will probably fail miserably...

***

Section 3: Soundtrack and Craft

1 - How important is a film score to you?

To me, you may as well ask if lungs are important for breathing. Music gives a tone to the scene, and helps pulse the emotion throughout the film. Sometimes I use the music as a form of escape in itself, and I don’t even need to be watching the film to be able to do that. They stick with me for way longer than those credits roll, and I’m constantly revisiting old tracks I’ve not heard in a while, or even new old ones that I hadn’t even heard yet.

This year my aim is to watch new films that I wouldn’t necessarily call my norm, and quite a lot of those are old classics, and musical composition back then was different to how we have it now. Music has become a lot more electronic, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I think sometimes an old school soundtrack is refreshing.

I could honestly go on forever about how much soundtracks mean to me, but I think I’ll leave it there…

2 - Which composer elevates a film instantly for you?

I mean there is one main answer, and that is Hans Zimmer. If I know he’s attached to a project, the anticipation heightens for me. There are so many of my favourite films that include a Hans Zimmer soundtrack, and I take every opportunity I can get to hear them. The first soundtrack I truly connected with was Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and I had no idea it was Hans Zimmer until a few years after that. The music speaks for the horse, as he only has internal monologue, and he purveys that sense and change in emotion so well. Paired with the epic voice of Bryan Adams in that, it was ahead of time, and still remains one of my faves to this day.

But I do love other composers as well. Hans is SO GOOD at the epicness of things, but obviously there are films that his music won’t suit. I’ve recently listened to a lot of Max Richter (Hamnet), Stephen Rennicks (I Swear and Normal People) and Anthony Willis (Wuthering Heights) and honestly, I could lose myself just as easily.

The emotional gut punch that Max Richter brings to Hamnet is soul destroying, in such a great way, and I think that soundtrack will stick with me for a very long time. Again with Stephen Rennicks, probably not a very well known composer, but he has some really impactful stuff. The scene in I Swear, where John is in a library for the first time with his Tourette’s, the quietness of the music whilst he’s in that space almost sounds like relief, and the scene is basically the first time he’s finally getting that relief after years of his tics. Then Anthony Willis, again having only heard the music from Saltburn and Wuthering Heights, he captures the tenderness of those slow moments so well, that you can’t help but get pulled in.

Film scores are so much more popular these days, and Hans is a huge part of that, so that's why he's my answer. However the soundtrack world is expanding, and I can't wait to experience even more over the next few years!

3 - What’s one soundtrack moment that gives you chills every time?

I was thinking about this in the car the other day with my sister, and it’s hard to think of one on the spot. For me there are just quite a few.

The first one I thought of, as it came on in the car, is Forth Eorlingas, which is in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. (Okay, even typing this I just got chills, so this is definitely the one.)

The levels to that track are insane; the Rohan soldiers charging out of the gate down the causeway, then Aragorn looks to the East and sees Gandalf on his own, saying “Theoden King stands alone” only for Eomer to pull up alongside him saying “Not alone”. The music then swells and builds as the Rohirrim gallop down the hill, and then when the sunlight comes out behind them, down that sheer cliff, blinding the Uruks, that powerful voice comes through and knocks us all sideways. If you're a Lord of the Rings fan like me, you'll know what I mean!

Constant chills. Yeah that’s definitely the one!!!! If you want to give it a listen, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/HG9NwkLY9sg?si=2o4CL9cg3drG4cvd

4 - Do you notice cinematography and lighting, or are you story first?

I think it very much depends on the film. Obviously I won’t notice too much of the cinematography or lighting if it’s a comedy where that kind of thing is potentially irrelevant (maybe it’s not to true fans!!!) but I am for the right ones.

I watch the big ones more than once, mainly because I want to just watch the film first and immerse myself, then in my second, third or even fourth watches, I’ll focus on the other stuff. So I think I’d say I’m story first. The first watch is always story first.

5 - What’s one film-making detail most people overlook?

Honestly, I think it’s the music. Soundtrack is coming into its own now, which I am SO ABSOLUTELY here for, but some people are only just realising how much a piece of a music in a film makes a difference. The big soundtrack names are all up there still, but I love that so many smaller composers are now coming out of the woodwork.

Best soundtrack of last year for me was Superman. According to my Spotify Wrapped last year, I was in the top 0.01% of David Fleming’s listeners last year. I loved it because there was such a MASSIVE throwback to Superman’s original music roots, done by the epic John Williams, but then also that new edge to it. If you’re listening to it without the film, you can tell exactly what’s happening at each point of the track, and that is a soundtrack doing its job ladies and gentlemen!

Mic drop!

***

I'm really enjoying answering these! But I only have one left after this... and its onto Favourites and Taste. Catch you in the next one!