Listening To: The Land Before Time (1988)

Let me start by saying that while I have fond nostalgic memories of the first Land Before Time film, I wouldn't rank it with my favorite animated films. It's pretty good, but not great. However! Something this film really has going for it is that fantastic James Horner score. My roommate and I were on the hunt for a not-ludicrously-expensive copy of the soundtrack (it's out of print) and I was so excited when he finally got it (and burned a copy for me, obviously). The score really elevates the film. You can listen to it and remember all that emotion you felt as a kid when you first saw this film - the heartbreak, the fear, the laughs - without having to actually dig up your VHS and watch those goofy dinosaurs running around saying things like "Green food!" and "Sharptooth!" Although, if you want to do that too you're more than welcome.

Give a listen!

Listening To: Under the Skin (2013)

Like a lot of fellow cinephiles, I loved Under the Skin. It was original, strange, and had a mesmerizing performance by Scarlett Johansson. This film has a lot going for it, and my favorite thing about it, hands down, is the score by Mica Levi.

A film with science-fiction elements needs an interesting score. Too many sci-fi films resort to standard sounding music, but an unsettling and unconventional film like Under the Skin needs an equally unsettling and unconventional score. I was absolutely hooked. It gave me the creeps, in a good way. It has a simple theme, both screechy and dreamlike, repeated, everything else stripped away, and it's effective as hell. In a film with almost no dialogue, the score complements the visuals to create a real masterpiece.

Listening To: The Double Life of Veronique (1991)

In this film about two women living mirrored, distant-yet-connected lives, music was a key ingredient. Both women have a passion for music, and it plays a vital role in their lives and their fates. Composer Zbigniew Preisner created a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to this unusual and unforgettable film, perfectly setting the tone for unease and wonder. Being a practically lifelong pianist, I tend to focus on the music when watching a film for the first time, and the first thing I did after watching this was track down sheet music to this gorgeous score. I couldn't get enough. The soundtrack is hard to find, but you can listen to individual tracks on YouTube (desktop only, unfortunately). It's well worth looking up if you're looking for something melancholy and lovely to kick off your weekend.

Listening To: Pride and Prejudice (2005)

I wrote a gushy love letter to this movie a few years ago, but I wanted to write a little something about the beautiful score by Dario Marianelli.

I'm a sucker for a pretty film score. The kind that you shut your eyes to fully appreciate, the kind that soothes the senses and gives you the feeling of floating among the notes. From the dreamy piano to the upbeat dancing music to the rhythmic drums of the soldiers marching into town, every note is pitch perfect, transporting the listener into a time long past. The film itself gives you time to really appreciate the score, whether it be during an intimate dance, or while Elizabeth Bennet stands wordlessly on a cliff, the wind blowing around her and the music taking center stage. It's a wonderful listen and I recommend it.

Listening to Edward Scissorhands

It's been a little while since I invited our readers to revisit a particular film's score, but this one is very near and dear to my heart and I thought it was worth a shout-out. Edward Scissorhands (AKA the patron saint of angsty teens everywhere) is such a profoundly sad and wonderful character, and his tale is perfected captured by the music of Danny Elfman. Yes, the team of Tim Burton and Danny Elfman at this point is easily parodied, but when it works it works. This is a fairy tale, and the music takes you to that world of pastel houses, hedge animals, crazy hairdos, and Edward. The track below is my personal favorite, used in the scene where Edward is carving an ice sculpture and the girl he loves is dancing...

Enjoy.

Listening to: Jaws (1975)

I love the theme from Jaws. It's one of the first John Williams scores to become instantly iconic and recognizable (is there anyone who *doesn't* know this music?) and foreshadowed the great career ahead of this amazing composer. His scores helped elevate films to greatness. In Jaws, just about everything went wrong. The shark was originally supposed to make multiple appearances in the film, but it kept malfunctioning. They had to go with the mere suggestion of the shark's presence, and that made the film so much better. All you need is a slight ripple in the water, or a POV shot underwater, combined with that music, and the imagination runs wild. Those two notes are like a heartbeat. Your pulse. Blood in the water. And the shark is coming. Not since those shrieking violins during the shower scene in Psycho has a relatively simple theme evoked such terror.

Take a listen...it never fails to give me goosebumps!

 
Maybe you want to rethink that trip to the beach this weekend...?

Listening to Chocolat (2000)

I wrote about this film almost a year ago (you can read it here), and hesitated to write about the soundtrack because I already sang its praises. But I thought I'd do it again anyways!

I love film scores that immediately place you into the context and mood of the film. Rachel Portman did an amazing job of taking you to that quiet, quaint, and uptight little French town. The music is unassuming, modest. Nothing ruffles this town's feathers...until everything does.

When the gypsies arrive in town, they are armed with guitars and robust and energetic music. The soundtrack includes the oh-so-amazing "Minor Swing" Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, and yes, Johnny Depp performs some of the amazing songs on the soundtrack as well. It just makes you want to get up and dance!

One of my favorite musical moments is the use of Erik Satie's "Gnossienne No. 1" in the scene where they are telling the story of their ancestors and the magical properties of the chocolate they sell. Being a pianist myself, I've always been fond of Satie's Trois Gnossiennes and the surreal mood of the pieces. They're mysterious, very free in tempo, and definitely set the sensual tone in this scene.

Below is a very sexy version of "Caravan" from the film soundtrack...enjoy!

Listening to A Little Princess (1995)

I can't believe I haven't given this one a proper write-up yet, as it's one of my favorite films ever! But today I'm just inviting you to take a listen to the score, with original music by Patrick Doyle.

The film is about a little girl raised in India, who is sent to a boarding school in New York during World War I. The score naturally is inspired by the sounds of India (such as sitar) as well as the prim and proper world of her boarding school, and when you hear the music you immediately get the feeling of being in two worlds.

The whole soundtrack is beautiful, but there's a special place in my heart for the song "Kindle My Heart". It's so youthful and spiritual, and I admit to getting a little misty when I hear it. I love it so much, in fact, that at my wedding I walked down the aisle to a piano rendition of the song.





I can't wait to hear Patrick Doyle's upcoming score for Pixar's Brave! In the meantime, we have his previous film scores to enjoy. Happy listening!

Listening to E.T. (1982)

I thought I'd start a regular feature on Cinema Nerds to briefly take a look at some memorable (aka my favorite :P) film scores. I'm no music critic by any means, and can't (and don't want to) point out different instruments or forms or any of that. I merely want to invite you to stop and listen. Today's score is that of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), original music by John Williams.

John Williams is the man. He's been nominated for 45 (45!!) Academy Awards and he's famous for a reason. This is probably not the first nor will it be the last time I gush about his work. I know in some circles he's overrated, but I'm a big fan, I can't help it!

E.T. isn't necessarily my favorite film, but there's something so gorgeous and iconic about this score. It lifts you up, and if you've seen the film, just listening to it makes you picture bicycles soaring over the trees. For me personally, just listening to this music reminds me why I love film so much.