2022 has been a thrilling year for cinematic experiences, and one of the most exciting times we’ve had was with David Leitch’s Bullet Train. Federico and I were excited about it when we discussed our most anticipated films, but man did it deliver! Films these days tend to pander and not stray too far from sequel/prequel territory and it’s so good to get an original IP like this (and I bet the book is even better!). It’s just a fun time in the theater. What was thrilling enough to watch on screen only marginally outshines the auditory journey on this white-knuckle actioner starring Brad Pitt. Composer Dominic Lewis has a…
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Interview…Elliott Wheeler on Baz Luhrmann, Austin Butler and the Music of ‘Elvis’
Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis hit theaters last month and as far as biopics go, it was one for the ages. In fact, you can’t have a film about “The King” without going over-the-top theatrically, stylistically or musically. It’s one of the best films we’ve seen in a while. Moreover, it should continue to prove that going back to the theater is anything but mundane – it is an event! The film finds Luhrmann reuniting with long time-collaborator, Elliot Wheeler, to help bring Elvis Aaron Presley’s music to the modern masses. After developing a shorthand with Luhrmann on The Great Gatsby and The Get Down, Wheeler returns with a unique dual role as both composer and executive…
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Interview…Joseph Trapanese on Chamber Music, Cellos, and Choir in ‘Spiderhead’
One of the busiest film musicians out there has to be Joseph Trapanese. Let’s call him “Joe.” Joe is a composer. These days, Joe is happy. In fact, he’s very, very happy. And why wouldn’t he be? He’s one of the most sought-after magic makers and has a brilliant track record working on huge films with megastar directors. In Netflix’s Spiderhead, Joe reunites with director Joseph Kosinski (with whom he previously worked on TRON: Legacy, Oblivion, and Only The Brave). Aside from working closely with his good friend Joe K – we’ll call him “other Joe” – Mr. Trapanese had the unique opportunity to get away from the music that…
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Interview…Jasha Klebe on the Freedom and Found Sounds of ‘Queer As Folk’
Jasha Klebe is a composer known for emotive melodies and impactful scores. Most notably, Jasha co-scored the BAFTA and Emmy nominated music of BBC’s Planet Earth II, alongside Hans Zimmer and Jacob Shea. He additionally provided music to the follow up series, Blue Planet II, as well as wrote the Emmy nominated music of National Geographic’s Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes. Jasha also composed the score to Netflix’s 2015 Oscar-nominated documentary, Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom and National Geographic’s, Diana: In Her Own Words. Jasha began his musical career at the age of 5, singing at his Grandparents’ opera house, Cinnabar Theater, in Petaluma, CA. He studied classical piano…
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Interview…Composer Frederik Wiedmann on DC Superheroes, John Barry and the Sound of Animation
Emmy-award winning Frederik Wiedmann is one of the most diverse and cultivated composers working in motion pictures today. With over 140 titles to his name in all realms and genres, Wiedmann has established himself as insightful artist with an enduring passion for storytelling. Wiedmann has been inspired by film composition since he first heard John Barry’s score to Dances With Wolves at the age of 12. Wiedmann is the composer behind the hit Disney Junior show Miles from Tomorrowland, as well as the critically acclaimed Netflix animated fantasy series The Dragon Prince, which is from the writers of the popular series Avatar: The Last Airbender. He’s also written music to…
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Interview…Jake Kaufman on DuckTales, Shovel Knight and Chip Tune Magnificence
Sometimes, life can be tough, a struggle, or worse. Some might even say that life is like a hurricane. How we weather the storm depends on the individual, but to get centered I like movies, music and some video games. On that note, running this site allows us to speak to all manner of people who make the things we love, and that includes video game music. So enter one massively talented and passionate composer, Jake Kaufman. When we say he’s good, we mean it. He’s really good, and to use some ’80s vernacular, he’s gnarly! Jake has written/produced superb music for multiple genres and two massively successful video game…
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Interview…Composer Jon Ekstrand on the Sound of ‘Morbius’
Jon Ekstrand is a Stockholm based Swedish film composer and artist. He began his career under the mentorship of acclaimed sound designer Owe Svensson, where he sharpened his skills at understanding the power of sound and its dramaturgic importance in helping a story realize its potential. In 1998, whilst attending Stockholm Film School, Ekstrand met Director Daniel Espinosa, in which the two formed a tight creative relationship which continues to this day. Ekstrand and Espinosa have collaborated on seven films, including the hit trilogy Easy Money as well as Hollywood Studio Films Child 44, Life, and the Marvel film Morbius starring Jared Leto. The hybrid soundtrack is part synth, part…
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Interview…Composer Steve Mazzaro on the Quirky and Charming Score to ’Army of Thieves’
Every few years, some piece of pop culture jumps up, grabs hold of us and just won’t let go. In this case, it was the unassuming prequel to Zach Snyder’s Army of the Dead. Considering they both deal with zombies, perhaps the surprise (and parallel) was quite funny, even serendipitous. What really comes alive in this heist film, which are usually fun by nature, is the music. At times, it is white-hot to match the energy (and calamity) fueling this team of discarded dorks. Other times, it is somber and anguished as these characters wear their emotions on their sleeves. Further, the sound pulsing through the speakers is so unexpected…
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Interview…Composer Kevin Kiner on the Emotion and Intellectual Authenticity to ‘Peacemaker’
There are heroes. There are villains. And then there’s Peacemaker…Fresh from his explosive role in last year’s hit film The Suicide Squad, and from the brilliantly twisted mind of James Gunn, comes PEACEMAKER – a new series achieving peace on HBO Max at any cost starting January 13. The DC spinoff series is written and directed by James Gunn, and the show explores the continuing story of the character that John Cena reprises in the aftermath of Gunn’s 2021 film. The colorful patriot is a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost. And like the titular character, seasoned composer Kevin Kiner doesn’t care how many ear drums he has to kill to give us great music. This…
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Interview…Composer Don Davis Shares Stories Plugging Into ‘The Matrix’
In a world of remakes and reboots, one property we thought we’d never see expanded or revisited was the universe of The Matrix. It was, and still is, a landmark film, one that raised the bar for filmmakers and the industry as a whole. A triple-kick of story, visuals and action, The Matrix was a high watermark for cinema. As the series expanded, the arcs of the three leads finished in a less than satisfying (or deserving) way, yet it still seemed the most logical and inescapable end. Fate? Perhaps. The third film culminates in an uneasy truce between humans and machines (and between programs themselves). More importantly it’s not…
