Every now and then a film comes along that changes the way we perceive movies. It could be the cinematography; it could be the acting, or it could be the music. Here are 3 modern film scores that changed the art of scoring a film.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
While Charlie Kaufman’s eclectic screenplay and rhetorical style was the drawcard for “Eternal Sunshine”, Jon Brion’s film score is ground-breaking. By balancing the interplay of story and music, Brion’s powerful soundtrack blends tape loops, strings, treated piano and synthetic textures to bring a story of loss and reconciliation.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
When people talk about “There Will Be Blood”, a lot of it revolves around Daniel Day-Lewis’ lead performance. And rightly so because he is incredible in the film. However, Johnny Greenwood’s acclaimed film score does everything right by the film. The score often dictates the mood of each scene, as opposed to reinforcing it. Every discordant sound and rhythm builds tension and animosity. It’s brilliant.
The Revenant (2015)
Composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, the score of “The Revenant” is enormous. While Sakamoto was well-known for his work with electronic music, director Alejandro Inarritu employed Sakamoto to create the musical ambiance for this sweeping historical epic. And he delivered.