As film score fans, the only thing we love more than revising our favorite scores is when a sequel happens and a composer gets to take the themes into new territory. As such, our guest today has expanded not only his own work but many other composers’ efforts. Scan through the site, and you’ll see that we are very fond of Harry Gregson-Williams, and it’s always a treat catching up with him to talk shop.
While any acoustic endeavor might be intimidating, how could one even start thinking about working on a sequel to Gladiator?? It’s a perfect film that resounds to this day, and that goes double for its Oscar-winning score. Well, if you’re Harry, then it can be pretty easy even if he is following up the work of his old boss. Step one: set your goal posts. Step two: kick the hell out of the ball with all the gusto and style you can muster!
Many years have passed (both in the film and in our time) so there’s not a whole lot of continuity or an abundance of returning characters. Perhaps that’s for the better, yet many of the original film’s narrative beats are repeated here with new faces. While this is another story set a long time ago, in an empire far, far away, there is plenty of new musical ground. Gladiator II begins with Lisa Gerrard‘s immortal music playing over some Scott Free style animated paintings that synopsize the main points of the 2000 film.
From a sonic standpoint, this is very much in the vein of Rocky II. After all, you can’t have a Rocky film without “Gonna Fly Now”, and Harry was able to use Lisa Gerrard’s beloved “Now We Are Free” while writing close to 100 minutes of new material between the beginning and end. Harry’s work is compelling and luxurious, but also dangerously delightful. In fact, it’s almost a different experience each time I listen to it.
While you could fill a book with all the literary praise we’ve given Harry over the years, we’ll keep this post sweet. Hit play on this episode of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience. We hope you will be entertained by Harry’s stories, and to those about to listen, we salute you!
From director Ridley Scott, watch the new Official Trailer for #GladiatorII starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger – Only in theatres November 22.
