When you think of Westerns, and the truly great scores and soundtracks that propelled them into legendary status, there are a staggering number of all-time greats. Much of that credit is thanks to a wide range of composers who have tried their hand in this sacred genre: Elmer Bernstein, Dimitri Tiomkin, and Alfred Newman for starters. Then there are contemporaries like Bruce Broughton, Alan Silvestri, John Barry, Michael Kamen, James Newton Howard, Harry Gregson-Williams and James Horner as well as those just dipping their toe in for a particular film David Newman and Michael Abels. Part of that great pantheon is John Debney who has been around the corral a…
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Interview…Composer John Debney on the Wicked and the Whimsical Worlds of ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ and ‘Luck’
One of our very favorite composers out there is John Debney. A great friend of the site, we’ve spoken to Mr. Debney over the years (including an awesome hour-long discussion about his unparalleled 40+ year career) and just love chatting about film, music and more. John has a true knack for scoring and because of his talents, time, and energy he has helped transform the soundscape of modern film music. Whether it’s a tent pole blockbuster or something more quaint and intimate, John digs deep, gives his all and the feature is so much better for his contributions. He’s also a chameleon; there isn’t one composer we can think of…
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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…John Debney on Holiday Magic and the Spirit of Adventure
John Debney is a composer we’ve admired for years, and were lucky enough to speak with him in 2013 about his work on Bonnie & Clyde. This year, he’s got two projects that give him a fanciful canvas to weave his magic. In Come Away, the fantasy drama directed by Brenda Chapman blends key elements from Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. In this emotional ‘what if?’ story, Debney employs lush strings, tender piano, playful cellos, angelic choral work, even a full Irish band. All of those pieces blend and dance while underscoring the children’s active imaginations or, conversely, can pretty near break your heart…even in the same cue. Yes,…
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Director Matt Schrader and Team Launch SCORE: The Podcast
A few years ago, we got to speak with Matt Schrader while he was in the thick of amassing his one-of-a-kind feature film, SCORE: A Film Music Documentary. While things were a work in progress, Schrader offered up plenty – everything from his love of film scores, the impetus for the doc as well as the staggering number of high-profile artists he had already sat with. Check out that insightful piece here. When the film finally hit theaters (during a very successful run on the film festival circuit and beyond), the doc was ever so much more than discerning, demanding and devout film score fans expected. For all involved, calling…
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Off the Shelf…’The Jungle Book’
Everybody loves The Jungle Book, or, at least, a great deal of people claim to love the 1967 film. Truth is, whether or not you have nostalgic leanings towards it, it’s not that great a picture. Now, faults aside, there are some redeeming and rather endearing qualities. But on the whole, it’s not one of the studio’s best efforts. Further, just because something is old, it doesn’t exactly make it good – take that hilarious “Honest Trailer” for instance which really sends up the film. So now that Disney is on this live-action kick, Jon Favreau has taken the helm of this 2016 adaptation. His undying love for the original aside, this…
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Interview…Film Composer John Debney Contemporizes History with the Music to ‘Bonnie & Clyde’
Combining contemporary sounds, dustbowl folk, and jazz, film composer John Debney captures and compliments the drama and exhilaration in A&E Networks’ Bonnie & Clyde. Debney’s score blends modern electronic elements with classic orchestral sounds evocative of the period to help tell the story of America’s famed and iconic bank-robbing couple, played by Emile Hirsch and Holliday Grainger. The robust soundtrack perfectly underscores Academy Award nominated director Bruce Beresford’s epic TV adaptation. John Debney has a proven ability to create memorable music across a variety of genres, and has garnered a reputation of being remarkably collaborative. He has received numerous accolades for his talents and Debney is the youngest recipient of ASCAP’s prestigious…
