Thompson on Hollywood

Immersed in Movies: Ren Klyce Talks Sound and Subways for Fincher's 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'

Features

For David Fincher, the sounds of silence are equally as disturbing as loud noises. This is clearly evident in sound designer Ren Klyce's Oscar-nominated work for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Indeed, the underlying soundscape is a freezing, unsettling horror that perfectly complements the disturbing, graphic imagery.

By Bill Desowitz
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February 22, 2012 1:29 PM
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First Listen: Interscope Releases Original Soundtrack for Madonna's 'W.E. '

News

"W.E." the period romance co-written and directed by Madonna, was originally rumored to be a musical about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Though a time-jumping romantic drama resulted instead, Interscope is highlighting the music from the motion picture in a soundtrack release on January 31st.

By Maggie Lange
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January 26, 2012 10:41 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Soaking Up the Tweedy Atmospherics of 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'

Awards

The BAFTA-nominated "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" is all about atmosphere. Not only in conveying the lies, betrayal, and silences of the Cold War spy game back in the '70s, but also in the look of gritty, rain-sodden, strip-lighted London of the period.

By Bill Desowitz
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January 20, 2012 11:25 AM
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Golden Globe Nominee Abel Korzeniowski Talks Madonna, 'W.E.,' Score

Awards

One of my favorite movie scores of the season is Abel Korzeniowski's haunting work for Madonna's "W.E."

By Bill Desowitz
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January 11, 2012 3:08 PM
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Kim Novak Protests Use of 'Vertigo' Score in 'The Artist'--Hazanavicius Explains Why He Used Herrmann Score

Awards

I have spoken to a number of people who are not thrilled with the way that Michel Hazanavicius and composer Ludovic Bource used Bernard Herrmann's signature "Vertigo" score at the climax of "The Artist." I had wondered if this reaction could lead to Bource not landing an Oscar nomination from the Academy music branch.

By Anne Thompson
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January 9, 2012 12:49 PM
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Academy Names 97 Original Scores for Oscar Contention; Newman Lands Four Eligible Scores to Desplat's Three

Awards

Ninety-seven original scores are eligible to compete for the Oscar. Now the music branch will vote for the films that will make the top five to be announced nominations morning on January 24. The Academy deems eligible scores that are substantially original. Thomas Newman edged out Alexandre Desplat with four eligible films to three, while as expected, John Williams has two films, Spielberg's "War Horse" and "The Adventures of Tintin." Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross are likely to to earn a nomination for David Fincher's "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."

By Anne Thompson
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December 22, 2011 8:44 PM
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Alexandre Desplat Scores Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Among Many Other Films

French composer Alexandre Desplat is having a busy 2011. He's racing to finish the score for one of several still-unfinished year-end releases, Stephen Daldry's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, over the next few weeks. (The composer took over from Nico Muhly, who scored Daldry's The Reader.) Of course, music is always the last contribution to any movie, figuring in the final mix.

By Anne Thompson
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October 23, 2011 4:54 AM
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Composer Rolfe Kent Joins Production Team behind Coens' Gambit, Starring Firth & Diaz

Gambit, from the Coen brothers' screenplay update of the original 1966 film (with Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine), is currently in post-production in London. The star-packed film-- Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman, Sir Tom Courtenay, Stanley Tucci and Cloris Leachman-- directed by Michael Hoffman now boasts composer Rolfe Kent (Up in the Air, Sideways).

By Sophia Savage
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October 18, 2011 2:52 AM
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In The Tree of Life, Malick's Experimentation Gets Under the Skin

With the debate about its Oscar chances heating up and the film now available on DVD and Blu-ray, Matt Brennan’s “Now and Then” column this week revisits Terrence Malick’s Palme d’Or-winning The Tree of Life. The Tree of Life marks director Terrence Malick’s fifth feature in the 38 years since his debut, Badlands. It’s an output that might seem thin at first glance: Woody Allen, in the same period, directed 40 (!) films, some of which (Annie Hall, Husbands and Wives) deserve to be saddled with the word “classic.” But Mailck’s genius — and, watching The Tree of Life again, I think that’s a fair word to use — can’t be seen in traditional terms. Owing more to the 1920s “cinépoems” of Man Ray, Fernand Léger, and Joris Ivens than to Hollywood narrative films, The Tree of Life, whatever failings it may have, reconfirms just how beautiful and emotionally compelling experimental filmmaking can be.

By Matt Brennan
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October 17, 2011 6:46 AM
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My Week in New York: Hugo, War Horse, Turin Horse, Parties, Marilyn, Book of Mormon

Monday night's mystery screening of Martin Scorsese's work-in-progress 3-D Hugo (featurette below) marks my last screening at this year's New York Film Festival. The reason that the movie was shown without completed effects or a final score (by Howard Shore) is that it's a cinephile's dream, and the NYFF audience couldn't have been a more receptive crowd. While the movie should work with families over the Thanksgiving holiday, and producer Graham King (nervously pacing in the rear of the theater as ushers passed out 3-D glasses) assured me that they wouldn't have shown the film if the movie wasn't going to finish on time, Paramount wanted to build buzz for the film via the festival and this was the only way to do it.