The Playlist

Cannes Review: 'Only God Forgives' Stretches Refn's Neon-Noir Style Over Too Little Oedipal, Amoral Substance

By Jessica Kiang
|
May 22, 2013 6:48 AM
|
74 Comments

Festivals

With the weight of expectation behind it, Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Only God Forgives” was never going to be able to deliver the same neon blue jolt of surprise that thrilled through the 2011 Cannes crowd at the first screening of “Drive.” But the audience in attendance today was prepped and primed, and practically salivating, for something that looked a little like “Drive 2” -- reuniting Refn with star Ryan Gosling in a similarly taciturn role, and also with that reflective black and fizzing blue/red aesthetic that’s as heady and addictive as a drug to the director’s fans (of whom we number ourselves, of course).

More:

Full Details For Cliff Martinez's 'Only God Forgives' Soundtrack

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
May 6, 2013 4:20 PM
|
14 Comments

News

In less than two weeks, Ryan Gosling will once again walk mutely on screen in a Nicolas Winding Refn film, and probably beat the shit out of someone. We can't wait, but until then, the countdown to the Cannes Film Festival continues and today brings with it the full soundtrack details for the movie.

More:

Exclusive: Listen To 3 Tracks From Cliff Martinez's Score For Robert Redford's 'The Company You Keep'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
March 21, 2013 2:41 PM
|
2 Comments

News

There are few composers working today who are as exciting as Cliff Martinez. And while he's been at it for over two decades, it's the past few years that have really seen him establishing his own unique corner in the industry. With electronically tinged work that can be throbbing, propulsive, alienating, captivating and more, he's earned the attention of filmmakers as wide ranging as Steven Soderbergh (a frequent collaborator), Nicolas Winding Refn and Harmony Korine (he powers up the helmer's debauchery odyssey "Spring Breakers"). But his latest effort is for one of cinema's most enduring icons: Robert Redford.

More:

Listen: Songs By Skrillex & Cliff Martinez From 'Spring Breakers' Plus Stream The Entire Soundtrack

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
March 9, 2013 1:28 PM
|
3 Comments

News

You can practically feel it, winter is nearing an end and spring is just around the corner. This weekend clocks jump forward, the weather is getting warmer and the snow is beginning to give way to pavement. But Harmony Korine and co. aren't waiting for Mother Nature to play nice. In a couple of weeks the babe and bikini-filled "Spring Breakers" will come crashing into theaters, and now you can get a bit of an aural preview.

More:

Soundtrack For 'Arbitrage' Includes Score By Cliff Martinez, Songs By Bjork, Billie Holiday & More

By Drew Taylor
|
September 2, 2012 11:41 AM
|
3 Comments

News

If it's one thing we love, it's a great Richard Gere performance. After mistakenly labeling 2002 "The Year of Gere" (due to three fine performances in "The Mothman Prophecies," "Unfaithful," and "Chicago"), it looks like this year might actually live up to our really stupid title. Gere stars in "Arbitrage," where he plays a troubled hedge fund magnate, in a performance many are calling a career-best. And soundtrack details have just emerged for the soundtrack companion album, which features the original score by "Drive"/"Contagion" composer Cliff Martinez and a handful of previously released songs from the likes of Bjork, You Say Party!, Stan Getz, Billie Holiday and Robi Botos.

More:

'Drive' & 'Contagion' Composer Cliff Martinez Co-Scoring Harmony Korine's 'Spring Breakers' With Skrillex

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
July 6, 2012 5:35 PM
|
2 Comments

News

"Just when we think Korine was out of twists, he's come with another one, so we wonder what's coming next," we wrote at the end of our last update about "Spring Breakers," which was recently revealed to have electronic dance music guy Skrillex providing some music for the movie, with celebrated music supervisor Randall Poster (the Wes Anderson movies) also taking part. And as we expected, another surprise, with a big musical name now also throwing his weight in there as well.

More:

First Look At The Pink Vinyl & Picture Disc LP Options For The 'Drive' Soundtrack Reissue

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
April 2, 2012 11:24 AM
|
6 Comments

News

If you thought owning Driver's badass jacket was the ultimate way to show your fandom for Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive," some upcoming slabs of wax will have you reaching for your wallet once more.

More:

Cliff Martinez Scoring Robert Redford's 'The Company You Keep'; Details On Clint Mansell's 'Last Night' Soundtrack Release & More

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
February 16, 2012 1:19 PM
|
0 Comments

News

A few bits of soundtrack/score news to catch up on, so let's get right to it, shall we? First up, Cliff Martinez -- who knocked everyone's socks off last year with this scores for "Drive" and "Contagion" -- is kicking of 2012 in a big way. He's already tuned up the forthcoming "Arbitrage" starring Richard Gere, and re-teamed with Nicolas Winding Refn for "Only God Forgives." Now he's been nabbed by Robert Redford to bring his upcoming drama "The Company You Keep" to musical life.

More:

'Drive' Composer Cliff Martinez Reteams With Nicolas Winding Refn To Score 'Only God Forgives'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
January 17, 2012 4:15 PM
|
4 Comments

News

Nicolas Winding Refn, currently riding high on BAFTA nods for "Drive" and a Best Director award from Cannes, is not changing the creative formula too much for his next outing, "Only God Forgives." He's re-upped with his bro for life, Ryan Gosling, who takes the lead in the movie and this afternoon it's been confirmed that Cliff Martinez will be back to provide the score.

More:

Cliff Martinez Got His Big Break In Film Scoring From 'Pee Wee's Playhouse'

By Mark Zhuravsky
|
October 9, 2011 5:00 AM
|
3 Comments

'Contagion' & 'Drive' Composer Talks Working With Soderbergh, Nicolas Winding Refn & Possibly Working On 'Only God Forgives'When we last sat down with composer Cliff Martinez, the Matthew McConaughey-starring "Lincoln Lawyer" was his last work, and the film, and score, were both warmly received. Mr. Martinez, familiar to fans of Steven Soderbergh for scoring several outstanding films in the director's filmography, including his standout score for "Solaris", was generous enough to sit down with us again - with two very well received films now in theaters (Soderbergh's "Contagion" and Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive"), we talked about his first foray into composing, meeting Soderbergh, and just what is going with Refn's project "Only God Forgives."1. His first composing gig was doing music for "Pee Wee's Playhouse", the TV show.Already fascinated with music technology in the early 80s, former Red Hot Chilli Peppers drummer Martinez's brush with what would become a cornerstone of his composing career was seemingly fated. "I was recording the first Chili Peppers album and the producer, Andy Gill, walked into the room with a Lynn drum machine and he said 'Cliff, why don’t you check this out, maybe you’d like to program a few beats,'" says Martinez. "And I felt like I was holding in my hands the device that was going to replace me and all drummers, and from that moment I was turning into a dinosaur and I had to evolve or die."

More: