Life-long musician and composer Stuart Michael Thomas has amassed over 100 feature film and television credits during his time in Hollywood including international blockbusters such as Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, Iron Man 3, and The Dark Knight. He was also one of the featured guitarists on Top Gun: Maverick. Imagine getting to shred out that theme for the world to enjoy. Yeah, that’s just one of Stuart’s many super cool stories about his “day job” working on these sensational projects.
Over his 20-year career he’s developed a unique and versatile style blending elements of Classical orchestration with modern techniques resulting in a sound that is both timeless and contemporary and has made him a sought-after collaborator of some of the most respected composers in Hollywood. His ability to create music that perfectly complements the visuals and enhances the emotional impact of a film has made him a valuable asset for a wide range of film genres.
From 2005 to 2012 he worked with 9-time Oscar Nominee James Newton Howard, and has been honored to work alongside prominent artists like Elton John, Josh Groban, and producer Rick Rubin. Since 2012 he’s collaborated with some of our favorite composers and friends of GoSeeTalk like Brian Tyler, Christopher Lennertz, Rupert Gregson-Williams, Chris Bacon, and most recently with Lorne Balfe.
We got a chance to check out Sean Ellis‘ upcoming film, The Cut, and were enthralled by the story. Ellis’ direction/cinematography are astounding but the one-two punch of composers Stuart Michael Thomas and Lorne Balfe truly bring you into this tale of obsession, hunger (both literal and figurative) and a nearly impossible task set against a ticking clock. It’s quite the narrative pressure cooker, so it’s a good thing that Ellis had music haymakers hot off the M: I franchise. This was a mission they were glad to accept.
While it’s a tough ask to tell a tale about boxing without any boxing in it, that is the point of the story. The Cut goes deep into the personal drive and trauma that a fighter (in this case Orlando Bloom‘s nameless “Boxer”) goes. He’s willing to lose everything, even if includes hurting himself and those he cares about. It’s a gripping story, and not an easy one at that. As his world spirals out of control, he stays afloat with the mantra that the “body is nothing but a tool...” and the mind “is where the fight happens.“
So, understandably, the score is not a triumphant sort of sound palette. This is a gritty, hard-hitting tale (similar to say Requiem For A Dream) that dances between reality and delusion. At times, it can be moving and energetic, but the rest of the runtime sports a soundscape of loss and anguish. Thomas and Balfe went the distance with Ellis to create something that firmly sucks you into this world. While this takes place in a square circle, the duo really knocked it out of the park. Enjoy our chat with Stuart on this episode of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience. Ding, ding!
After a career-ending defeat, a former champion trains for redemption – but as obsession takes hold and reality unravels, he may be spiraling into something far more terrifying. The film stars Orlando Bloom, Caitríona Balfe and John Turturro.
The Cut will be released in theaters in the UK and on Paramount+ in the US on September 5.
