Score is the result of many years’ effort. Matt Schrader has been building a library of conversations with film composers, which he has compiled in a book and a two-disc DVD set. I find it remarkable that from this mountain of material he has been able to craft such a cohesive and fascinating film. (Full disclosure: I am one of his interviewees, but I had nothing to do with his editorial judgment.)
A primer on the history of the subject is provided by several “talking heads” including such experts as Jon Burlingame and Richard Kraft. For the modern era, almost everyone you would want to see and hear from is represented, from Hans Zimmer to Danny Elfman. (There is also great archival footage of John Williams working with Steven Spielberg.) Schrader doesn’t miss a beat (pun intended): his eloquent subjects include Randy Newman, Alexandre Desplat, Thomas Newman, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, John Debney, and Marco Beltrami.
What’s more, Schrader takes us inside several scoring sessions, in London and Los Angeles. These are usually off-limits to camera crews and it is genuinely exciting to get a taste of what it’s like for the conductors, composers and musicians who participate in them.
I would recommend Score: A Film Music Documentary to any and every film buff. It has already opened in Manhattan at the Quad Cinema and begins its Los Angeles run today at the Arclight Sherman Oaks. To learn more, click HERE
