Tuesday, January 22, 2008

There Will Be Music.

The score is half the movie.

If you doubt that statement, go see “There Will Be Blood,” and render your verdict.

The music, composed by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, is unlike anything I’ve heard before. Daniel Day Lewis will get the positive reviews, but it’s the music that gets stuck in your head – like a foot ‘tween the train tracks.

I’ve read that this score redefines music in the movies. I’ve also read that it’s a jarring mess that will keep “There Will Be Blood” out of best picture consideration. I land somewhere in the middle.

At times, I just wanted the story to play and not be reminded by the score that the scene was scary or touching or epic. At times, I wanted the music to be less present, to not always be spewing forth over Stranger ranch in the California desert. But mostly I was in awe of experiencing a movie in a way I never had before.

Daniel Day-Lewis puts his whole body into this movie in his best performance ever. But it’s Jonny Greenwood who strikes oil.

10 comments:

PIPER said...

Nice line there on the end.

I've always been a fan of Radiohead, but honestly can't even begin to predict what it sounds like and how it blends with the movie.

I'm excited to see this. Should have seen it yesterday in Phoenix, but went to see something else. You'll hear soon enough what I saw and what I thought of it.

Nayana Anthony said...

I FULLY agree with you on the score. There were certain scenes that would absolutely have felt benign if it weren't for that crazy dissonance drilling into our ears.

Sheamus the... said...

I agree man...the music was great, unique, and at times in your face.

Anonymous said...

i really gotta check this movie out

Anonymous said...

You know, the first time I listened to the score, I was sure I wasn't going to like this, but it got better. After the third time I thought it was a good score, and it does get stuck in the head, especially that annoying "Future Markets" track.

I will see the movie when I get the chance. I hear that the music is better with the movie than without. we'll see...

Joe Baker said...

PTA routinely uses music as a meandering lost character in his films. Remember how wall-to-wall the music was in "Magnolia".. and it worked to smashing success there as well.

Anonymous said...

It's a difficult movie.

I can't say I am completely sold on Greenwood's music, just because it, like everything else in the film, is completely jarring.

However, I think the score is BRAVE, and in a year's worth on non-chances, I like the way this score swaggers.

www.therecshow.com

Dan E. said...

I'm surprised you've never heard anything like it before. I found strains of 2001 floating through my head in sections of the movie. But then again, the bowling alley in the basement reminded me of Richard Nixon, so my perspective may be off just a bit.

Garrett Sorrels said...

The music was different and definetly gives you goosebumps.

PLainview is an evil guy.

Anonymous said...

Lops are one of the top damage classes of dofus kamas, without need of huge buffing. I know vitality is very tempting in kamas, you get after level 100 every time you level. You may be feeling intelligence in cheap kamas. You are going to be getting crab pincers which like dofus gold, depending on which server you are on. buy dofus kamas can help you get a high level in short time.