In a unique weekly podcast, Edith Bowman sits down with a variety of film directors, actors, producers and composers to talk about the music that inspired them and how they use music in their films, from their current release to key moments in their career. The music chosen by our guests is woven into the interview and used alongside clips from their films. https://twitter.com/soundtrackinguk https://www.facebook.com/Soundtrackingwithedithbowman/ https://play.spotify.com/user/soundtrackingwithedithbowman https://itunes.apple.com/gb/playlist/soundtracking-with-edith-bowman-episode-132-mary-j-blige/pl.u-6mo4l9mhpzG6x
Alfonso Cuaron & Finneas O'Connel on Disclaimer (Soundtracking Everyman Film Club Live)
We have another of our Soundtracking Everyman Film Clubs for you in our latest episode, as Alfonso Cuaron and Finneas O'Connell joined Edith in front of an audience to discuss Alfsoso's new series for Apple TV, Disclaimer. Starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline, Disclaimer tells the story of a famed documentarian who discovers she's a prominent character in a novel that reveals a secret from her past she has tried to keep hidden. Finneas provided the score having befriended Alfonso in a Milan nightclub while on tour with his sister, Billie Elish.
10/21/2024 • 41 minutes, 39 seconds
Hildur Guðnadóttir On Her Score For Joker: Folie A Deux
Our latest episode of Soundtracking sees a welcome return for friend of the show, Hildur Guðnadóttir. Hildur joins Edith to discuss her stunning score for Joker Folie A Deux, following Joaquin Phoenix's recent turn in which we focussed more on the musical numbers.
10/14/2024 • 51 minutes, 31 seconds
Josh Greenbaum On The Music Of Will & Harper
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Josh Greenbaum, director of the beautiful Netflix documentary, Will & Harper. The film follows friends of 30 years Will Ferrell and Harper Steele as they take a road trip across America, following Harper's transition to a woman in 2022.
10/7/2024 • 31 minutes, 39 seconds
Joaquin Phoenix On The Music Of Joker: Folie à Deux
We have Hollywood royalty in the house for this bonus episode of Soundtracking, as none other than Joaquin Phoenix joins Edith to discuss his breathtaking performance in Joker: Folie a Deux. Joaquin stars alongside Lady Gaga, who plays Joker obsessive and love of his life, Harley Quinn, and also excels in her role.
10/4/2024 • 28 minutes, 31 seconds
Megan Park On The Music Of My Old Ass
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Megan Park, writer and director of whipcrack smart comedy, My Old Ass. We don't want to say too much about the plot, but it basically involves an 18 year old girl meeting her older self having taken magic mushrooms, forcing her to reassess where she's at in life in the most profound of ways. Megan has delivered not only an exceedingly moving film, but also and exceedingly funny one.
9/30/2024 • 36 minutes, 24 seconds
Saoirse Ronan, Papa Essiedu, Nora Fingscheidt & Amy Liptrot on The Music Of The Outrun
We have an absolute guest bonanza on our latest guest on Soundtracking to celebrate the release of The Outrun, which is a quite stunning adaptation of Amy Liptrot's bestselling memoir about her recovery from alcoholism on her home islands of Orkney. As well as speaking to Amy & director Nora Fingscheidt, Edith is also joined by the film's star Saoirse Ronan TWICE - once on her own and once with co-star Papa Essiedu. The Outrun boasts a magnificent score by Jan Miserre and John Gurtler - of which you'll hear plenty.
9/27/2024 • 54 minutes, 51 seconds
Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley & Coralie Fargeat Discuss The Substance (Live)
We have another Everyman Soundtracking Film Club for you, as Coralie Fargeat, Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore join me in front of a live audience to discuss Coralie's new film, The Substance. The Substance tells the story of fading celebrity, Elizabeth Sparkle, who decides to use a black market drug that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself - unknowingly giving her horrifying side effects.
9/23/2024 • 38 minutes, 16 seconds
Charlie Covell & Jeff Goldblum On The Music of KAOS
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Charlie Covell & Jeff Goldblum - respectively creator and star of the Netflix show KAOS. Also featuring the likes of Stephen Dillane and Billie Piper, KAO is a bold, darkly comedic contemporary retelling of Greek mythology - with a fabulous soundtrack on score by Isabella Summers.
9/16/2024 • 29 minutes, 58 seconds
Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough & Kate Solomon Discuss The Music Of Lee
What a treat we have for you in this bonus episode of Soundtracking, as Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough and producer Kate Solomon join me to discuss their new film, Lee. Starring Winslet in the title role, Lee tells the extraordinary story of Lee Miller, who made the unlikely transition from muse model to a war photojournalist chronicling the horrors of World War 2 for Vogue magazine.
9/13/2024 • 33 minutes, 38 seconds
Iain Softley & Don Was On The Music Of Backbeat
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are director Iain Softley and musician Don Was, who joined me earlier this year to discuss the 40th Anniversary of Backbeat. Starring Stephen Dorf, Iain Hart and Sheryl Lee, Backbeat charts the early days of The Beatles and their pre-fame Hamburg days, focussing on primarily focussing on bassist Stuart Sutcliffe's relationship with John Lennon and photographer Astrid Kirchherr. Backbeat features no original Beatles songs, but rather tracks they performed during their live shows in Hamburg, Don produced these and also wrote the score.
9/9/2024 • 46 minutes, 37 seconds
Greg Kwedar & Bryce Dessner On The Music Of Sing Sing
After Zoe Kravitz and producers Tiffany Persons and Garret Levitz discussed Zoe's debut feature Blink Twice in our previous episode, we have another bumper edition of Soundtracking for you this time round, as first Greg Kwedar and then composer Bryce Dessner join Edith to discuss their collaboration on Greg's beautiful, moving and important film, Sing Sing. Based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at the world famous Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison, the film centers on a group of inmates involved in the creation of theatrical stage shows. It stars professional actors Colman Domingo, alongside many real-life former prisoners who were themselves alumni of the program during their incarceration
9/2/2024 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
Zoe Kravitz, Tiffany Persons & Garret Levitz On The Music Of Blink Twice
We have a double bill on Soundtracking this week - or rather a triple bill - as first Zoe Kravitz and then producers Tiffany Persons and Garret Levitz join Edith to discuss Zoe's directorial debut, Blink Twice, which she also co-wrote. Blink Twice tells the story of Frida, who gets invited to a tech billionaire's private island in what appears to be a dream vacation. But when strange things start to happen, she must figure out what's really going on in order to survive.
8/27/2024 • 45 minutes, 5 seconds
Composer Martin Phipps On The Music Of The Crown & Napoleon
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is composer Martin Phipps. Among Martin's credits are Ridley Scott's Napoleon and four seasons of The Crown. Martin joined The Crown in season three, which follows the life and early reign of Queen Elizabeth, and his music played a hugely important part in the subsequent development of the show.
8/19/2024 • 47 minutes, 40 seconds
Paul Feig On The Music Of Jackpot!
Our latest guest in this bonus episode is Paul Feig, who returns to Soundtracking to discuss his latest film, Jackpot!, which is streaming now on Prime Video. Starring Awkwafina and John Cena, Jackpot! is a black comedy caper set in the near future, where winners of a huge lottery only get to keep their billions if they avoid being killed by anyone who wants to have a crack at them by sundown. Despite the dark premise, this is very much fast-paced, gag-driven slapstick fare in which both the protagonists shine.
8/16/2024 • 40 minutes, 38 seconds
Doug Liman On The Music Of The Instigators
We have a returning guest on our latest episode of Soundtracking, as Doug Liman joins Edith to discuss The Instigators, which is streaming now on Apple TV. Boasting a stellar cast including Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau and Alfred Molina, The Instigators sees two thieves go on the run in the wake of a botched robbery in the company of one of their therapists.
8/12/2024 • 35 minutes, 12 seconds
Logan Nelson On The Music Of Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes & The Morning Show
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Logan Nelson, who joins us to discuss his work on Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes. The Lost Tapes uses her archives and newly found audio to allow Taylor to narrate her own story, interspersing photos, video footage and iconic moments for her film. Logan's score has not yet been released, so we're very grateful to him for sharing a couple of his cues with us.
8/6/2024 • 33 minutes, 2 seconds
Rapman On The Music Of Supacell
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Andrew Onwubolu, better known as Rapman, the creator, writer and director of the smash Netflix hit, Supacell. Set in modern-day South London, the series is about a group of five ordinary black people, unified by family history of sickle cell disease, unexpectedly developing superpowers and being pursued by a secret organisation who intends to control them.
7/30/2024 • 28 minutes, 39 seconds
Emma Corrin Talks Music
We have a bonus episode of Soundtracking today, brought to you by our very good friends at BMW, marking the release of Deadpool & Wolverine. For the past 6 years, BMW have worked incredibly closely with British GQ magazine to help celebrate heroic figures who shape society, culminating in the wonderful GQ Heroes summit, which happens once a year in the Oxfordshire countryside. It’s a few days where the world's most interesting and inspiring minds, game-changers and radical creatives come together to share big ideas with a very small and intimate group of people. We were extremely honoured to be asked back this year - not only to listen to legends of the entertainment industry, design icons, activists and so much more, but also catch up with the trailblazing talent that is Emma Corrin. Emma can be seen playing the role of Cassandra Nova in Deadpool & Wolverine, which is on general release now. Emma is someone who uses her platform as a voice for so many, in turn giving people the strength to find a voice of their own. This was all the more special for Edith as she was lucky to have conducted their first ever interview, months before anyone had seen them play the role that catapulted them onto television screens around the world - a young Princess Diana in the Crown.
7/26/2024 • 34 minutes, 43 seconds
Erica Tremblay Talks Fancy Dance
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Erica Tremblay, co-writer and director of Fancy Dance, which is streaming now on Apple TV. Fancy Dance tells the story of Jax - who has cared for her niece, Roki, on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma since the disappearance of her sister. Every spare minute Jax has goes into finding her missing sister as she helps Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow.
7/22/2024 • 22 minutes, 42 seconds
Lee Isaac Chung On The Music Of Twisters
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the delightful Lee Isaac Chung, who joins us to discuss his magnificent summer blockbuster, Twisters. A loose sequel to the 1996 film, it stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as a former storm chaser drawn back to the wide-open plains of Oklahoma as multiple weather systems dangerously converge. Twisters is scored by Benjamin Wallfisch - but also features plenty of great country music.
7/19/2024 • 27 minutes, 19 seconds
Josh Margolin & Nick Chuba On The Music Of Thelma
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are writer/director Josh Margolin and composer Nick Chuba, who joined forces on Josh's new film Thelma. Thelma tells the story of a 93-year-old grandmother who loses $10,000 to a con artist on the phone. With help from a friend and his motorized scooter, she embarks on a treacherous journey across Los Angeles to reclaim what was taken from her. Nick's score has echoes of the Ocean's movies, and evokes the spirit of action films from the 60s and 70s with its jazzy sensibility. As always, you'll hear extracts of it throughout the chat.
7/15/2024 • 34 minutes, 27 seconds
Walter Murch On The Conversation, Apocalypse Now & The Godfather Trilogy
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is something of a cinematic polymath - a writer, director, editor and sound designer - the latter being a job description he basically coined. Walter Murch joined Edith to discuss the 50th anniversary of The Conversation, which has been re-released in selected cinemas so you can enjoy it in all its glory on the big screen. Walter took care of the sound and editing on that for starters! We also unpack (some of) the rest of his long and fruitful relationship with Francis Ford Coppola, which also encompasses Apocalypse Now and the Godfather Trilogy.
7/8/2024 • 37 minutes, 6 seconds
Andrew Scott Live At The Everyman Soundtracking Film Club
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is actor Andrew Scott, who joined Edith in front of an audience as part of our Everyman Soundtracking Film Club to discuss the critically-lauded Netflix series, Ripley. Shot in black and white, it's a dark, brooding and beautiful retelling of Patricia Highsmith's classic novel The Talented Mr Ripley - in which Andrew delivers a performance as the titular antihero described by the Guardian newspaper as 'absolutely spellbinding'.
7/1/2024 • 54 minutes, 40 seconds
Episode 439: Music Supervisor Maggie Phillips Discusses Her Career
Our guest today is music supervisor extraordinaire Maggie Phillips, who has an incredible list of credits including Normal People, Moonlight, Shogun, The Handmaid's Tale, Mr Robot, Fargo and The Great. I absolutely loved talking to Maggie - and also her dog, who seemed keen to join what was an absolutely fascinating conversation.
6/24/2024 • 42 minutes, 18 seconds
Writer/director Jeff Nichols On The Music Of The Bikeriders
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the wonderful Jeff Nicholls, who joins us to discuss his brilliant new film, The Bikeriders. Inspired by a book of the same name by photo-journalist Danny Lyon, it tells the story of The Vandals MC, a motorcycle club from Illinois in the 60s, and features a fantastic cast including Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy. By Jeff's reckoning, The Bikeriders showcases over 30 needle-drops, so plenty to discuss.
6/17/2024 • 50 minutes, 48 seconds
Richard Linklater On The Music Of Hit Man
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is someone for whom music has had a hugely important role to play in his films. Richard Linklater joined Edith to discuss Hit Man, which is streaming right now on Netflix. Based on a true story, it follows a psychology professor and undercover police contractor who also poses as a hitman. We know: the truth is indeed often stranger than fiction.
6/10/2024 • 35 minutes, 51 seconds
Jerry Bruckheimer & Joachim Rønning Discuss Young Woman And The Sea
We have a bonus episode for you today, which is an Everyman Soundtracking Live with Jerry Bruckheimer and Joachim Ronning - who joined me live on stage to discuss their wonderful movie Young Woman And The Sea. Starring Daisy Ridley, it tells the story of Trudy Ederie who became the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926, but has since been largely forgotten. Until now, that is!
6/8/2024 • 30 minutes, 23 seconds
Editor Joe Walker Discusses Dune
Edith has been wanting to get our latest guest on Soundtracking for some time, not least because of his wonderful collaborations with the likes of Steve McQueen and Denis Villeneuve. And it's his relationship with the latter that we are focussing on with editor-extraordinaire Joe Walker today, with Dune 2 now available to watch on home entertainment formats.
6/5/2024 • 40 minutes, 3 seconds
Abi Morgan & Lucy Forbes On The Music Of Eric
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Abi Morgan and Lucy Forbes - respectively the writer and the director of the quite extraordinary Eric, which is available to watch right now on Netflix. To try to describe this series in a couple of sentences would be to do it an injustice, but very broadly speaking it involves a man who believes he can find his missing son with the help of a giant puppet called Eric.
5/31/2024 • 51 minutes, 1 second
Amelia Warner On The Music Of Young Woman And The Sea
Our latest episode of Soundtracking sees a welcome return to the podcast for composer Amelia Warner, who has provided the score for Young Woman And The Sea. Based on a true story, Young Woman And The Sea stars Daisy Ridley as swimmer Trudy Ederie, the first woman to swim the English Channel way back in 1926. Amelia's score hasn't been released yet, so she very kindly provided us with a couple of her cues by way of illustration.
5/27/2024 • 41 minutes, 9 seconds
A Furiosa Special In Partnership With BMW With George Miller & Junkie XL [CONTAINS SPOILERS]
Brought to you in association with BMW, Edith is joined by composer Tom Holkenborg - aka Junkie XL - post red carpet premiere in Cannes, and by director George Miller in London to discuss the music and making of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
5/20/2024 • 59 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 431: Anna Calvi On The Music Of Peaky Blinders
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the musician, style icon and all-round delight, Anna Calvi, who joins Edith to discuss her score for seasons five and six of Peaky Blinders. Anna's music is such a key component to the culmination of the much-loved show, and hearing her talk about her creative process in soundtracking it is utterly captivating. And, thanks to our good friends at Domino Records, we've got a vinyl copy of Anna's score to seasons 5 & 6 to give away. Hurrah! All the details are on our social channels (see below) ...
Twitter: twitter.com/soundtrackinguk
Instagram: instagram.com/soundtrackinguk/
Website: edithbowman.com
5/13/2024 • 34 minutes, 1 second
Episode 430: [CONTAINS MAJOR SPOLIERS] Rose Glass On The Music Of Love Lies Bleeding
We have another one of our live Everyman Soundtracking shows for you today, recorded with Rose Glass, director and co-writer of Love Lies Bleeding. Starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Jena Malone, Dave Franco, and Ed Harris, its plot follows the relationship between a reclusive gym manager, who is part of a crime family, and an ambitious bodybuilder in 1989 smalltown America. Love Lies Bleeding is scored by friend of the show Clint Mansell
5/6/2024 • 49 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 429: David Leitch, Kelly McCormick & Drew Pearce On The Music Of The Fall Guy
We have a bit of a Fall Guy special for you today, as director David Leitch, producer Kelly McCormick and writer Drew Pearce join Edith to discuss their brilliant film. Starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, it tells the story of a stuntman working on his ex-girlfriend's directorial debut, who gets ensnared in a conspiracy surrounding the film's lead actor. First up are David and Kelly, followed by Drew
5/3/2024 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 428: Luca Guadagnino On The Music Of Challengers
It's a welcome return to Soundtracking for Luca Guadagnino, who joined Edith from Los Angeles to discuss his latest movie, Challengers. The story - in very broad terms - follows a professional tennis champion who plots a comeback with the help of his wife - a former prodigy who retired after an injury - as he goes up against another player who also happens to be his former best friend and wife's former lover. Challengers is scored by our old friends Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and we'll begin with their title cue ...
4/29/2024 • 31 minutes, 2 seconds
Zack Snyder On The Music Of Rebel Moon & Watchmen
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is director Zack Snyder, joining Edith to discuss Part Two of Rebel Moon - entitled The Scargiver - which you can watch on Netflix now. Following on from the first installment of the saga, it sees our heroine Kora and a band of warriors defend their homeland, Veldt, against the tyrannical Motherworld. Both film are scored by friend of the podcast, Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL.
4/22/2024 • 38 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 426: Sam Taylor-Johnson, Giles Martin & Iain Cooke On Back To Black
A couple of weeks after we.brought you Dev Patel and Jordan Peele talking Monkey Man, we're delighted to say we have another live Soundtracking Everyman Film Club for you. Today it's the turn of director Sam Taylor Johnson, producer Giles Martin and Music Supervisor Iain Cooke to discuss Sam's Amy Winehouse biopic, Back To Black. Starring Marissa Abela in the lead role, it predominantly charts the influence of Amy's family, her early years in the music industry and her troubled relationship with Blake Fielder Civil, encompassing her triumph at the 2008 Grammys, at which she won 5 awards including Best Album. Sam, Giles and Ian joined Edith in front of an audience at The Screen On The Green in Islington, north London.
4/15/2024 • 52 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode 425: Alex Garland On The Music Of Civil War
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Alex Garland, joining Edith to discuss his latest film as a writer / director, Civil War, scored by our old pals Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow. The narrative follows a group of journalists who travel across the United States during a rapidly escalating second American Civil War, with Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Nick Offerman among the cast. It also features some tremendous needle-drops, as discussed by Edith and Alex
4/7/2024 • 29 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 424: Dev Patel & Jordan Peele Talk Monkey Man Live At Everyman Screen On The Green
Our latest guests are Dev Patel and Jordan Peele, who joined Edith for the first Soundtracking Everyman Film Club of 2024 to discuss Dev's debut feature, Monkey Man, recorded live at Screen On The Green in north London. As well as writing and producing the film (with a little help from Jordan), Dev also directed - on what was, as you'll hear, an extremely challenging shoot. Monkey Man is ostensibly a revenge thriller, drawing from the rich tradition of classic kung-fu movies. But peel back the layers and you'll find so much more - not least razorsharp socio-political commentary.
4/1/2024 • 40 minutes, 1 second
Episode 423: Neo Sora On The Music Of Opus & His Dad Ryuichi Sakamoto
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Neo Sora, son of Ryuichi Sakamoto and director of a final gift to the Japanese composer's fans, Opus. Recorded in late 2022, with just Ryuichi and a Yamaha grand, Opus sees him perform his most haunting, and delicate melodies in equally haunting and delicate black and white. It is a wonderfully tender, meditative and moving film, which we recommend you all to go and see.
3/25/2024 • 33 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 422: Issa Lopez On The Music Of True Detective: Night Country
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Issa Lopez, creator, writer and director of True Detective: Night Country, which is available to watch in its entirety on Sky and Now TV - in the UK at any rate. Starring Jodie Foster & Kali Reis, it's set in a remote Alaskan town during a winter spell of perpetual darkness, and follows an investigation into the mysterious disappearance of eight men at a research station. The visuals are stunning ... the performances are stunning ... the music is stunning. As well as boasting a suitably chilling score by Vince Pope, it also features a range of incredible needle drops and a title track by none other than Billie Elish.
3/18/2024 • 38 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 421: Max Richter On The Music Of Spaceman
Our guest this week is Max Richter - composer extraordinaire who has provided the music for Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan's new film, Spaceman. Directed by Johan Renck, it tells the story of a Czech astronaut sent to the end of the solar system who encounters a creature that helps sort out his issues back on earth. We love having Max on the podcast, so brilliant is he at articulating the intricacies of composing a score. Enjoy!
3/11/2024 • 42 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 420: Denis Villeneuve & Hans Zimmer On The Music Of Dune: Part Two
What a treat we have for you today, as Denis Villeneuve & Hans Zimmer join me to discuss Dune 2. Denis and Hans were on cracking form as they discussed their second outing together adapting a book they both loved as children.
3/4/2024 • 38 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 419: Thea Sharrock On The Music Of Wicked Little Letters
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is director Thea Sharrock, who joins me to discuss her hilarious new film, Wicked Little Letters. Based on a true story, Wicked Little Letters stars Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley, and sees the residents of Littlehampton start receiving missives filled with profanity, prompting a group of the town's women to investigate. It's scored with her usual aplomb by Isobel Waller-Bridge.
2/26/2024 • 36 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 318: Fernando Meirelles & Ed Cortes On The Music Of City Of God
We have a bonus episode for you, as director Fernando Meirelles and composer Ed Cortes join me to discuss the 21st Anniversary of City Of God. This is a film that was hugely important to Edith in her journey as a film fan - as she, like many other people, had never seen anything quite like it when it hit cinemas. In addition to Fernando's visual flair, Ed's score (which he put together with Antonio Pinto) is outstanding and super-cool.
2/19/2024 • 31 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 417: Laura Karpman On The Music Of American Fiction
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is composer Laura Karpman, who joined Edith to discuss her Oscar nominated score for American Fiction. Written and directed by first-timer Cord Jefferson (who picked up a BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay), it follows a frustrated novelist-professor who writes an outlandish satire of stereotypical 'black' books, only for it to be mistaken by the liberal elite for serious literature.
2/19/2024 • 34 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 416: Martin Scorsese Discusses A Life In Film & Music
We have finally netted one of our white whales on Soundtracking, as after literally years of trying, Edith finally managed to get an opportunity to sit down with the one and only Martin Scorsese. Martin joins us to discuss Killers Of The Flower Moon, which is available to watch right now on Apple TV - though we ended up covering so much more than that - including Taxi Driver, Casino, Raging Bull, Mean Streets and The Last Waltz ... Mean Streets to
2/12/2024 • 43 minutes
Episode 415: Matthew Vaughn, Gary Barlow, Lorne Balfe, Giles Martin & Stuart Price Discuss The Music Of Argylle
We have a very special bonus episode of Soundtracking for you today, as Matthew Vaughn, Lorne Balfe, Giles Martin, Gary Barlow and Stuart Price join Edith to discuss the music of Argylle. As you'll hear, each made very specific contributions to the film, but channelled the spirit of collaboration to provide score, original songs and that new Beatles track!
2/9/2024 • 43 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 414: Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone & Jerskin Fendrix On The Music Of Poor Things
We have a Poor Things double-header for you today, as first Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone join me to discuss their collaboration on the film, before their composer Jerskin Fendrix. As well as producing the film, Emma stars as Bella Baxter, a young woman in Victorian London , who is resurrected by a scientist following her suicide and embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery. It's the first time Yorgos has used a composer in the conventional sense, and also the first time Jerskin has written for film.
2/5/2024 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 412: Andrew Haigh & Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch On The Music Of All Of Us Strangers
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are writer / director Andrew Haigh and composer Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch, who joined Edith to discuss their work on Andrew's film, All Of Us Strangers. We don't want to say to much about it if you haven't seen it yet, but it stars Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell and Claire Foy, and tells the story of a lonely gay man who mysteriously meets his parents on visiting his childhood home, despite the fact they died in a car crash when he was a young boy.
1/29/2024 • 46 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 412: Jamie Childs & James Drummond On The Music Of Jackdaw
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are childhood friends Jamie Childs and James Drummond, who joined Edith to discuss Jamie's debut feature as a writer / director, Jackdaw. Set in Hartlepool, it follows an eventful night in the life of former motocross champion and army veteran, Jack, whose decision to take a job from a criminal results in all kinds of mayhem. Jamie enlisted James, who has a background in the music industry, as music supervisor, while the score is provided by Deadly Avenger & Si Begg.
1/26/2024 • 53 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 412: Daniel Kaluuya On The Music Of The Kitchen
The last time we had our latest guest on the podcast, he was up for an EE BAFTA Rising Star award, which he duly won. How far Daniel Kaluuya has come since then? although, to be fair, he was quite some distance down the road alread. Now Daniel joins Edith to discuss his debut as a writer/director, The Kitchen. Music for the film is provided by Labrinth and Alex Baranowski, to whom we owe huge gratitude for providing us with as-yet unreleased cues of a Sunday morning, when he should have been reading the paper and eating croissants. Thank you, Alex!
1/22/2024 • 36 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 411: Alexander Payne On The Music Of The Holdovers
Our latest guest on this bonus episode of Soundtracking is Alexander Payne, who joined me to discuss his new film, The Holdovers. Set in the early 1970s, it stars Paul Giamatti as a strict teacher at a New England boarding school, who is forced to chaperone a handful of students with nowhere to go on Christmas break.
1/19/2024 • 29 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 310: Jodie Comer Talks Music
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the wonderful Jodie Comer, who joined Edith to discuss her role in Mahalia Belo's new film, The End We Start From. Based on the book by Megan Hunter, it tells the story of a mother and her baby who flee London after an ecological crisis, and sees Jodie star alongside the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Katherine Waterstone and Mark Strong. They also talk about the music moments in Killing Eve, Free Guy & her stage play, Prima Facie.
1/15/2024 • 37 minutes, 8 seconds
Epsiode 409: George Clooney & Callum Turner On The Music Of The Boys In The Boat
2024 is rolling on in fine style here on Soundtracking - after Sofia Coppola kicked it off - as director George Clooney and his leading man Callum Turner join Edith to discuss The Boys In The Boat. Based on a true story, The Boys In The Boat is a classic sporting underdog tale, with the narrative charting a rowing crew from the University of Washington on their journey to the Berlin Olympics in 1936. It's scored by previous guest on the podcast, the genuinely great Alexandre Desplat
1/8/2024 • 37 minutes, 37 seconds
Episode 408: Sofia Coppola On The Music Of Priscilla (Live)
Our first guest of 2024 is the wonderful Sofia Coppola, who joined us for a Soundtracking Everyman Film Club in front of a live audience to discuss her latest film, Priscilla. Based on her Priscilla's memoir, Elvis & Me, this tells the story of her complex relationship with the iconic musician.
1/1/2024 • 40 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 407: Taika Waititi On The Music Of Next Goal Wins
Our gift to you this Christmas morning is Taika Waititi talking about his new film, Next Goal Wins.Based on a true story, Next Goal Wins stars Michael Fassbender as a coach charged with turning around the fortunes of the American Samoan national football team, widely regarded as one of the weakest in the world.
12/25/2023 • 40 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 406: Michael Mann On The Music Of Ferrari
Our latest Christmas present of a guest for you here on Soundtracking is the legendary Michael Mann, who joins Edith to discuss his biopic Ferrari, which follows the personal and professional struggles of Ferrari founder Enzo during the summer of 1957. Starring Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz, it has all the visceral thrills and visual thrust that you'd expect of a Michael Mann film about very fast cars, but also real emotional punch, particularly in the performances of Adam and Penelope as Enzo and his wife, Laura. Ferrari is scored by friend of the show Daniel Pemberton - who provided the music in around about a week!
12/21/2023 • 27 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 405: Bradley Cooper & Carey Mulligan On The Music Of Maestro
Without wishing to sound unduly self-congratulatory, it is slightly mind-boggling to us that one week Edith gets to introduce Sam Esmail and Julia Roberts to you on the podcast, and the next Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan. Bradley and Carey joined us to discuss Maestro, which Bradley co-wrote and directed and focuses on the relationship between Leonard Bernstein and his wife, Felicia Montealegre.
12/18/2023 • 34 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode 404: Paul King, Neil Hannon & Joby Talbot On The Music Of Wonka
It's a Wonka special for you today, as writer director Paul King, songwriter Neil Hannon and composer Joby Talbot join Edith to discuss their origin story of the eccentric chocolate maker, who is brilliantly played by Timothée Chalamet. It's a beautiful, all-singing, all-dancing spectacular, with all the characteristic charm of Paul's work, and with fine contributions from Neil and Joby.
12/11/2023 • 57 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 403: Sam Esmail & Julia Roberts
We can't quite believe I'm saying this, but our latest guests on this bonus episode of Soundtracking are Sam Esmail and ... Julia Roberts! We had a lovely wee chat about the music in their new movie, Leave The World Behind, which you can watch right now on Netflix. A deeply unsettling psychological thriller, it tells the story of a family whose holiday on Long Island is interrupted by two mysterious strangers bringing news of an imminent blackout.
12/8/2023 • 32 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 402: David Holmes On His New Album, Work For The Screen & Sinead O'Connor
Last week we had Mark Ronson, and this week it's the turn of another great producer, musician, and crate digger to join Edith on Soundtracking. David Holmes is back with new music in the shape of his album that sees him collaborate with Raven Violet. As as well as talking about that, we discuss his score and music supervision work for film and TV for the likes of Steven Soderbegh, and also his experience of producing Sinead O'Connor's final work, which has yet to be released. As you can see, we also got to meet his dog, Maisie ...
12/4/2023 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 401: Jon Batiste, Suleika Jaouad & Matthew Heineman Discuss American Symphony (Live)
We're bringing you another of our Soundtracking Everyman Film Clubs today, recorded live following a screening of American Symphony in London. Edith was joined by married couple Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad and documentary maker Matthew Heineman to discuss their film, which chronicles a year in Jon and Suleika's life as he goes about creating the symphony of the title in the face of her potentially terminal leukemia diagnosis.
11/30/2023 • 37 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 400: Mark Ronson On His Music For Barbie
400! 400! We have reached 400 episodes. Holy cow. How did we do that. And what better way to celebrate it than with Mark Ronson - one of the greatest music producers in the world and now a composer of score. Mark joined me after I messaged him out of the blue to discuss his music for Barbie. What a legend. With no compulsion from a PR company, Mark gave Edith, and by proxy you, half an hour of his time to talk about Greta Gerwigs's brilliant film.
11/27/2023 • 47 minutes, 37 seconds
Episode 399: Todd Haynes On The Music Of May December
It's another bonus episode of Soundtracking during this particularly busy time, as Todd Haynes returns to the podcast for a fourth time to discuss his film, May December. A deliciously dark and unsettling drama, with lashings of beautifully observed comedy, May December tells the story of an actress who travels to meet and study the life of the controversial woman she is set to play in a film, with Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore exquisite in the leading roles. Interestingly, Marcelo Zarvos's music is a reworking of Michel Legrand's score for the 1971 film, The Go-Between.
11/23/2023 • 32 minutes, 21 seconds
Episode 398: Emerald Fennell (Live) & Anthony Willis On The Music Of Saltburn [CONTAINS SPOILERS]
We are very excited to be bringing you the first of a series which we hope will be a long-running addition to the podcast - namely the Soundtracking Everyman Film Club. This new project will see Edith get together with people who bring you a film ... their film ... and have a wee natter about it before or after a screening, and then share conversation with everyone who couldn't be in the room on that day in pod form. On this occasion, it's Emerald Fennell talking about the music of Saltburn, which is incredibly important to the movie's narrative drive, and an element, as you'll discover, she thinks an enormous amount about. As a bonus, Edith also caught up with her composer Anthony Willis, in an interview you'll get to hear after the conversation with Emerald.
11/20/2023 • 1 hour, 45 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 397: Composer Patrick Jonsson On His Score For Scrapper
We recently had Charlotte Regan on the podcast to discuss her brilliant debut feature, Scrapper, and we're following up on that episode with her composer Patrick Jonsson. Scrapper tells the story of 12-year-old Georgie and her estranged father Jason, who comes into her life for the first time after her mother dies. Told very much from Georgie's perspective, the music had to communicate her innocence and wonder - and also the childlike way in which she is dealing with her grief.
11/13/2023 • 43 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 396: Molly Manning Walker And James Jacob Talk 'How To Have Sex' AND Kitty Green On The Royal Hotel
We have a double-header on our latest episode of Soundtracking - so busy are we at the moment. First up are writer/director Molly Manning Walker and songwriter, producer, DJ and composer James Jacob - who goes by the professional soubriquet of Jakwob. They join Edith to discuss Molly's powerful and important debut feature, How To Have Sex, which has already scooped a major award at Cannes. How To Have Sex deals with that very particular rite of passage for girls of a certain age, as three young female friends travel to Crete in search of sun, sand and, possibly, you know what ...
We also have writer / director Kitty Green to talk about her psychological thriller, The Royal Hotel, which sees two backpackers land jobs in a remote Australian bar, with events uncoiling thereafter in a truly gripping and suspenseful fashion.
11/6/2023 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 5 seconds
Episode 395: A Music Of Top Gun: Maverick Special With Eddie Hamilton & Cecile Tournesac
We are taking a deep dive into the music of Top Gun: Maverick in this bonus episode of Soundtracking, as editor Eddie Hamilton and music editor Cecile Tournesac join Edith to discuss their work on the film. Needless to say, this conversation features plenty of spoilers, but it's not one you'll want to listen to unless you've seen the film, so wonderfully granular is the detail they go into. They give us the stories behind the original songs, the needle-drops, the score and the sound design - and also serve up a rather lovely easter egg for you to look out for next time you watch the movie. Trust us when we say it is a BRILLIANT chat.
11/3/2023 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 394: Talking Heads On The Music Of Stop Making Sense
We can't quite believe our luck to have David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, and Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads to discuss the remastered re-release of their seminal concert film, Stop Making Sense. These guys are so lovely and humble and, of course, groundbreaking and brilliant, it really is a pleasure to bring you the interview - with a little taster of the live recordings from Jonathan Demme's film thrown in for good measure.
10/30/2023 • 36 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 393: Garth Davis On The Music Of Foe
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Garth Davis, who makes a welcome return to discuss his psychological sci-fi thriller, Foe. Based on the book by Iain Reid, it stars Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal as a couple whose life is turned upside down when a stranger arrives at their farm to tell them one of them will be sent to a space station, while the other will be left in the company of a robot. Unusually, Foe is scored by 3 composers, so find out right here what Garth had in mind with that decision ...
10/23/2023 • 37 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 392: Philip Barantini, Aaron May & David Ridley On The Music Of Boiling Point (Contains Spoilers)
It's three for the price of one this week, as Edith is joined by writer / director Philip Barantini and composers Aaron May & David Ridley to discuss their collaboration of Phil's BBC television spinoff of his film, Boiling Point. Featuring many of the original cast, the episodic format allows Philip and his co-writers to flesh out the characters, as you can see by checking out the whole season on the BBC iPlayer right now.
10/16/2023 • 46 minutes, 50 seconds
Episode 390: Jordan Dykstra On The Music Of 20 Days In Mariupol
Our latest guest on Soundtracking has scored one of films that has most profoundly affected Edith in recent years, such is the gravity of the subject matter. 20 Days in Mariupol is genuinely harrowing, but also genuinely necessary and important documentary, charting in quite heart-wronching fashion the besieging of the Ukrainian city during the Russian invasion. Jordan Dykstra composed the music for the film, and we're thrilled he took the time to talk to us.
10/9/2023 • 37 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 390: John Carney On The Music Of Flora And Son
As Edith has noted before, our latest guest on Soundtracking has effectively created his own genre of naturalistic musical cinema, in which the songs featured feel organically rooted in the landscape of the narrative. John Carney is the man who brought us Once and Sing Street - and now blesses us with Flora And Son, which you can watch on Apple TV and in selected cinemas. It tells the story of a mum struggling to deal with her rebellious son, whose fortunes start to change after she rescues a beat-up guitar from a skip. John enlisted the help of Gary Clark of Danny Wilson fame for the original songs and the score, and you'll hear examples of his music throughout the conversation.
10/4/2023 • 37 minutes, 13 seconds
Episode 389: Gareth Edwards On The Music Of The Creator (Contains Spoilers)
Our latest guest on Soundtracking was also one of our very earliest, when he joined me to discuss his brilliant contribution to the Star Wars franchise, Rogue One. And Gareth is back with The Creator - which he wrote and directed, and is a quite simply extraordinary addition to the sci-fci canon. It's hard to tell you too much about it, aside from the fact that it puts a hugely compassionate twist on the classic battle between humans and machines and artificial intelligence. Oh yes, and it's scored by our old friend Hans Zimmer ...
10/2/2023 • 43 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 388: Prasanna Puwanarajah and Niall Lawlor On The Music Of Ballywalter
We continue to celebrate independent film on Soundtracking this week in the company of Prasanna Puwanarajah and Niall Lawlor - respectively director and composer of Ballywalter, a bittersweet comedy set in the Northern Irish village, which counts among its stars Seána Kerslake and Patrick Kielty
9/25/2023 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 387: Hildur Guðnadóttir On The Music Of A Haunting In Venice
She's back, with that infectious laugh of hers, and we couldn't be more delighted. Hildur Guðnadóttir is one of my very favourite composers of film music, and she joins me to discuss Kenneth Branagh's latest take on Agatha Christie, A Haunting In Venice. Darker and more claustrophobic than the previous two Poirot mysteries he directed and starred in, A Haunting In Venice sees the Belgian detective investigate a murder while attending a Halloween seance at a palazzo in the floating city.
9/18/2023 • 48 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 386: Charlotte Regan On The Music Of Scrapper
Continuing our recent theme of featuring low-budget British films on Soundtracking, our latest guest is Charlotte Regan, writer and director of the superb Scrapper. Featuring a remarkable central performance by 11-year-old Lola Campbell, Scrapper tells the story of Georgia, who is forced to confront a new domestic reality when, among other things, her estranged father turns up out of nowhere. The film is scored by Patrick Jonsson, who was kind enough to share some of his as yet unreleased cues for us.
9/11/2023 • 47 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 385: Ryan Hendrick On The Music Of Mercy Falls
For the second week running, we're celebrating a low budget British film. Last week, writer/director Neil Maskell and composer Andy Pettitt joined me to discuss Neil's Klokkenluider, while this week Ryan Hendrick is here to discuss his horror thriller, Mercy Falls. Set in the Scottish Highlands, it sees a group of friends head off in search of a long lost cabin, only for tragedy to strike and carnage to ensue. Mercy Falls is scored by Stephen Wright, and Ryan was very kind to furnish us with a couple of his yet unreleased cues.
9/4/2023 • 42 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 384: Neil Maskell & Andy Pettitt On The Music Of Klokkenluider
Director Neil Maskell & Andy Pettitt of Shortwave Set fame join Edith to discuss Neil's writer / director debut, Klokkenluider, which also saw Andy make his first foray into writing screen music. It's a cracking chat with two pals who are simply thrilled to have collaborated on a film together.
8/29/2023 • 40 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 383: Matthew Metcalfe & MIsha Glenny Talk Billion Dollar Heist
We have something slightly different for you on our latest episode of Soundtracking, as I'm joined by producer Matthew Metcalfe and journalist and organised and cyber crime expert Misha Glenny, author of McMafia and Dark Market. They joined me separately to discuss Billion Dollar Heist, a documentary about one of the most daring cyber heists of all time - the Bangladeshi Central Bank Theft
8/23/2023 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 52 seconds
Episode 382: Paul Saunderson On His Score For Earth
Our latest episode of Soundtracking is with composer Paul Saunderson, who has scored the BBC documentary Earth, which is available to watch now on the BBC iPlayer. Hosted by the wonderful Chris Packham, the show explores some of the most significant moments in our planet's history, from asteroid bombardments to extreme changes in climate to the collision of continents, using groundbreaking science and effects. The fact there are informed recreations of seismic events in the past affords Paul plenty of scope to push the sonic envelope - almost as if he were scoring a science fiction film rather than a traditional documentary. The results are magnificent.
8/14/2023 • 43 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 381: Ludwig Göransson Talks Oppenheimer
What a joy to welcome Ludwig Göransson back for a fourth time to reflect upon the incredible music he provided to Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer. And in person, too!
8/7/2023 • 47 minutes
Episode 380: Kathryn Ferguson On Sinéad O'Connor
In a change to our billed interview with Ludwig Göransson, we're putting out Edith's chat with Kathryn Ferguson. Kathryn directed the Sinéad O'Connor documentary, Nothing Compares, which very specifically concentrates on the tumultuous period in her life between 1987 and 1993, during which she became a global sensation, but also the victim of a character assassination in the media, having spoken out against abuse in the Catholic church. In a cruel twist of fate, Kathryn and Edith spoke just three days before Sinéad passed away, but - with Kathryn's blessing - we thought it timely that we share the story of the beautiful, powerful and illuminating film.
8/1/2023 • 38 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 379: Christopher Nolan On The Music Of Oppenheimer
Recorded before the SAG strike began, our latest guest on Soundtracking is the legend that is Christopher Nolan. Criminally, it's the first opportunity Edith has had to speak to him on the podcast, so it was an absolute joy to welcome him on to discuss Oppenheimer, which sees him reunited with our good friend, Ludwig Göransson.
7/24/2023 • 34 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 378: Greta Gerwig On The Music Of Barbie
In an interview recorded before the actors strike began, Greta Gerwig returns to Soundtracking for a third time, to discuss the music of her extraordinary take on Barbie, which is witty, funny, smart and cerebral. Among the many points for discussion are Mark Ronson's involvement, who has a key hand to play in both the score and frankly incredible soundtrack.
7/18/2023 • 37 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 377: Cécile Tournesac & Eddie Hamilton
Our guests today are Cécile Tournesac and Eddie Hamilton, who are respectively the music editor and editor of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (Part I), directed by our old friend Christopher McQuaurrie, and scored by our even older friend, Lorne Balfe.
7/14/2023 • 50 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 376: James Mangold On The Music Of Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny
We love James Mangold, so it is a joy to welcome him back to Soundtracking to discuss the final instalment of the Indy saga, and, of course, the unsurpassable John Williams.
7/3/2023 • 43 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 375: Charlie Brooker On The Music Of Black Mirror
As promised, we have a bonus episode of Soundtracking for you this week, as the brilliant Charlie Brooker joins me to discuss the inimitable Black Mirror. All 6 episodes of the new season are available to watch on Netflix now, and do not disappoint. Music is a central part of the show, from the needle drops to the composers he's employed, including friends of the show Daniel Pemberton, Max Richter & Clint Mansell.
6/27/2023 • 37 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 374: Wes Anderson On The Music Of Asteroid City
Bit of a legend alert for you now, as we welcome the genius that is Wes Anderson to Soundtracking. Wes's latest offering is quite difficult to describe in a few words. But suffice to say it is laugh-out-loud funny in parts, incredibly moving in others, features a terrific ensemble cast, and once again sees him work with composer Alexandre Desplat and our Jarvis Cocker.
6/26/2023 • 32 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 373: Lesley Mackie & Gary Carpenter On The Wicker Man
We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Wicker Man this week in the company of Lesley Mackie and Gary Carpenter. Lesley appeared as Daisy, while Gary was the film's associate music director, who helped assemble the band Magnet, who performed the songs composed by Paul Giovanni.
6/19/2023 • 36 minutes, 49 seconds
Episode 372: Daniel Pemberton On Music Of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
It's a welcome return to Soundtracking to our very good friend, the composer Daniel Pemberton, who has provided the score for the simply sensational Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. We'll hear plenty of Daniel's music from the film throughout the conversation, as well of fascinating insights into the process of making the score and the movie.
6/12/2023 • 50 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 371: Riley Keough & Gina Gammell Talk War Pony
Our latest episode of Soundtracking sees us joined by two great friends who scooped the Camera d'Or at Cannes last year for best first feature Riley Keough and Gina Gammell co-wrote, produced and directed War Pony, which tells the overlapping stories of two boys on the Pine Ridge Reservation - brilliantly played by Jojo Bapteise Whiting and Ladainian Crazy Thunder - and comes out in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on Friday.
6/7/2023 • 20 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 370: Composer Atli Örvarsson On His Music For Silo
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the Icelandic composer, Atli Örvarsson, who has provide the score for the brilliant Apple TV show, Silo. With a cast led by the ever-excellent Rebecca Ferguson, the show is set in a dystopian future in which a community exists in a silo hundreds of stories beneath the ground. We also talk Eurovision, The Simpsons, and why Iceland is such a prolific producer of outstanding musicians.
5/30/2023 • 36 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode 369: Rob Marshall & Alan Menken On The Music Of The Little Mermaid
We have not one but two guests on our latest episode of Soundtracking, in the shape of Rob Marshall and Alan Menken. Rob has reimagined the 1989 Disney classic, The Little Mermaid, in live action, while composer Alan Menken provided music for both. Edith sat down with Rob and Alan separately to dive deep into the score and songs.
5/23/2023 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 368: Este Haim & Ariel Marx On The Music Of A Small Light
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are two very talented women who have worked together on the music for A Small Light - the brilliantly-told story of Miep Gies, who helped Anne Frank's family and other Jewish refugees into hiding during World War 2. Ariel Marx provided the score, while Este Haim worked on contemporary reversionings of songs from the era with the likes of Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen, and her sister Danielle.
5/16/2023 • 37 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 367: Will Lovelace & Dylan Southern On The Music Of Meet Me In The Bathroom
Our latest episode of Soundtracking is with Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern, who are the directors of Meet Me In The Bathroom. Based on Lizzy Goodman's book of the same name, the film tells the story of the rebirth of the New York rock scene at the turn of the Millennium, and features incredible documentary footage of bands like The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, LCD Soundsystem and The M<odly Peaches.
We have 3 guests for you in our latest episode, discussing an extraordinary journey which saw the acclaimed English National Ballet's production of Creature transformed into a film during lockdown. Choreographed by Akram Khan with music from Vincenzo Lamagna, Creature is inspired by Georg Büchner’s expressionist classic Woyzeck, and has echoes of Frankenstein too.
Now, our good friend Asif Kapadia has brought the original stage performance to our screens in spectacular style, aided by Vincenzo and editor Sylvie Landra
5/1/2023 • 50 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode 365: Rachel Weisz & Alice Birch On The Music Of Dead Ringers
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Rachel Weisz and Alice Birch, who together are instrumental in bringing us the TV remake of David Croneburg's classic chiller, Dead Ringers. As well as reprising the Jeremy Irons role as the central twins, Rachel also produced the show, while Alice developed the concept for Amazon Prime and was a driving force behind the script. Here they discuss some of their musical choices and decisions.
4/24/2023 • 34 minutes, 40 seconds
Episode 364: Composers Gustavo Santaolalla & David Fleming On The Music Of The Last Of Us
It's been one of the TV events of the year, and we're delighted to be celebrating its success with two of the composers who worked on it. Based on the 2013 video game, The Last Of Us tells the story of Ellie and Joel as they navigate a post-apocalyptic world in which a mass fungal outbreak has caused humanity to collapse, with the infected turned into bloodthirsty Zombie-like creatures. The game was scored by Gustavo Santaolalla, who returns to work alongside David Fleming on the HBO show - which you can watch on Sky and Now TV.
4/18/2023 • 1 hour, 33 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 363: Diego Luna On Talks Andor
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the actor and director, Diego Luna. Diego is, of course, the star of Andor, which you can watch now on Disney +. If you haven't seen season one yet, you need to change that right now so you're ready for season 2, which is currently in production. Hurrah! Here Diego discusses Nicholas Britell's score, the brilliance of showrunner Tony Gilroy, and why he believes his has been so popular with audiences and critics.
4/10/2023 • 42 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 362: John Boyega On Breaking
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the very lovely, very charming and very brilliant actor, John Boyega. John can currently be seen in Breaking on home entertainment formats - a heist drama based on true events in which a financially stricken veteran threatens to blow up a bank unless he receives a payment he is owed from his time in the Marines. Such a treat to have him along, we hope you enjoy.
4/3/2023 • 26 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 361: Chad Stahelski & Keanu Reeves On The Music Of John Wick: Chapter 4
It's a welcome return to Soundtracking to Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves to discuss their work together on John Wick: Chapter 4. The pair have clearly had huge amounts of fun making this - and all - the John Wick films, and their passion for and dedication to building Wick-World is plain for all to see on screen. It's a great chat, which we very much hope you enjoy!
3/27/2023 • 38 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 360: Director Raine Allen-Miller on Rye Lane
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the super-smart, super-likeable and super-exciting young talent, Raine Allen-Miller - whose directorial debut feature Rye Lane brims with charm, wit, energy and panache. Set in Peckham and Brixton, it tells the story of Yas and Dom - two twenty-somethings who meet in the wake of their respective breakups and bond over the course of an exceedingly eventful day. Rye Lane is scored by the wonderful producer and composer Kwes - and we must say a big thanks to everyone at Warp Records for providing us with his as yet unreleased cues.
Website: edithbowman.com
Email: [email protected]
Social Handle: @SoundtrackingUK
3/20/2023 • 39 minutes, 49 seconds
Episode 359: Composer Rachel Portman DIscusses Her Career
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is composer Rachel Portman. Rachel has just released an album of her film music re-versioned and performed by her called Beyond The Screen - Film Works On Piano, and it is a very lovely thing indeed.
The other reason we wanted to put out the interview this week is that Rachel was the first ever woman to collect an Oscar for composing - for Emma, back in 1996.
Congratulations to all this year's winners!
3/13/2023 • 39 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 358: Jon Favreau On The Music Of The Mandalorian
358 episodes in, and the man who kicked it all off for Soundtracking returns for a third time. Jon Favreau was the very first guest Edith recorded for the podcast - for which we're forever grateful - and here he is again to discuss The Mandalorian, the brilliant show he created for Disney +. Season 3 is streaming weekly now.
3/6/2023 • 31 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 357: Peyton Reed On The Music Of Ant-Man & Wasp: Quantumania
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Peyton Reed, director of Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania.
The third instalment of the series, it follows our eponymous heroes as they explore the magnificently realised Quantum realm, encountering all kinds of fantastical creature on the way
As with the previous two films, Quantumania is scored by Christophe Beck
2/27/2023 • 35 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 356: Son Lux On The Music Of Everything Everywhere All At Once
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Ryan Lott, Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang, who come together under the banner of Son Lux.
And under that banner, they provided the music for Daniels Kwan and Scheinert's mind-bending multiverse romp, Everything Everywhere All At Once. The score had to mirror the complexity of the narrative without confusing matters further. No mean feat, but one they manage to pull off with some considerable panache.
2/21/2023 • 42 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode 355: Ben Caron On The Music Of Sharper
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Ben Caron a director who cut his teeth on TV shows such as The Crown and Andor, and has now directed his first film for Apple TV.
It's called Sharper, and it is a twisty-turny tale where nothing is quite as it seems, which stars Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan and John Lythgow, and is scored by our old friend Clint Mansell.
2/20/2023 • 57 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 354: Gina Prince-Bythewood On The Music Of The Woman King
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is writer and director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, who's latest film The Woman King has deservedly been nominated for a ton of awards. Set in 1823, The Woman King tells the story of the Agojie, an all-female warrior unit that defended the West African kingdom of Dahomey from the 17th to 19th Centuries. The film is scored by former guest on this show, Terence Blanchard.
2/13/2023 • 42 minutes, 40 seconds
Episode 353: Darren Aronofsky On The Music Of The Whale
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is someone we've been wanting to get on for a long time - not least because of his collaborations with friend of the show, Clint Mansell.
Darren Aronofsky is a truly original and radical filmmaker, whose latest movie The Whale has seen Brendan Fraser receive widespread acclaim as a reclusive English teacher who is eating himself to death. The Whale is beautifully scored by Rob Simonsen - who has served up a haunting take on the nautical themes that underpin the movie.
2/7/2023 • 30 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 325: Edward Berger & Volker Bertelmann On The Music Of All Quiet On The Western Front
Our latest guests on soundtracking must be pinching themselves, after the film they worked on together land a staggering 9 oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Score
All Quiet On The Western front was adapted and directed by Edward Berger and scored by friend of the show Volker Bertelmann - and the recognition they're receiving is richly deserved. We're thrilled to welcome them to the podcast to talk so revealingly about their work.
2/3/2023 • 45 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 351: Guillermo Del Toro & Alexandre Desplat On The Music Of Pinocchio
The big names just keep on coming to Soundtracking - and today we're over the moon to be joined by Guillermo Del Toro and Alexandre Desplat to discuss their wonderful collaboration on Guillermo's take on Pinocchio, which is streaming now on Netflix.
Set against the backdrop of the emergence of Facism in Italy, this is a bittersweet tale of the challenges of the father-son relationship which has a deeply personal feel to it - and certainly got Edith and her 9-year-old talking about the many profound themes it raises.
As you'd expect, Alexandre's score is magnificent, and there's plenty of that sprinkled throughout the conversation too.
1/30/2023 • 43 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 350: James Cameron On The Music Of Avatar
It's our 350th birthday, and what a way to celebrate it - with another bonus episode in the company of the legend that is James Cameron.
James was on sparkling form as he joined Edith to discuss the music of Avatar: The Way Of Water and the 25th anniversary re-release of Titanic. There's also a bit of a news line in here too, regarding plans for the subsequent films ...
1/27/2023 • 41 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 349: Carter Burwell On His Score For The Banshees Of Inisherin
Fresh off the back of its huge success at the Golden Globes - and multiple BAFTA nominations - we're delighted to welcome The Banshees Of Inisherin composer Carter Burwell back to Soundtracking.
Little did we know when we recorded this interview at the end of last year that the film would win best picture in a musical or comedy AND best screenplay for Martin McDonagh, as well as a best actor gong for Colin Farrell.
Carter was pipped in the Best Score category by our last guest on Soundtracking, Justin Hurwitz, but that takes nothing away from the excellence of his work on the project
1/23/2023 • 40 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 348: Justin Hurwitz & Damien Chazelle On The Music Of Babylon
We have a bonus episode for you today, as two friends of the podcast return (separately, we should say) to discuss their work together on the extraordinary Babylon.
Director Damien Chazelle and composer Justin Hurwitz have worked their magic once again, bringing to life a tale of decadence, depravity, and outrageous excess in 1920s Hollywood.
What we do is share the interview with Justin first, as that goes into great detail about the music; then we'll get an overview from Damien about the score and the movie as a whole.
1/20/2023 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 34 seconds
Episode 347: Cate Blanchett On The Music Of Tár
We've got an incredible run of guests coming up with you over the next fortnight - so much so that we'll be doing a couple of bonus episodes. But what a treat we have to kick off with today.
Cate Blanchett is magnificent in Todd Field's new film, Tár, which charts the downfall of the eponymous composer and conductor, Lydia Tar. We won't say too much more about it, except for the fact that Cate has real musical chops, and puts her heart an soul into her incredible performance, and that it is scored by the wonderful Hildur Guonadottir
1/16/2023 • 30 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 346: Screenwriter David Kajganich On Bones And All
This might be a first for Soundtracking, but if it isn't, it certainly doesn't happen very often. For in speaking to Bones And All script writer David Kajganich, we've now completed the triumvirate of director Luca Guadagnino and composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
David is so insightful about the process, and also how music is fundamentally important to it. It's a fascinating listen.
We're also giving away a pair of tickets to a screening of The Fabelmans in this episode - so have a listen to find out how to win!
1/10/2023 • 38 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 345: Rian Johnson On The Music Of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Having chatted to Daniel Craig on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, we're delighted to share Edith's conversation with Rian Johnson, the writer and director of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Rian is a great lover of music, and we'll hear about his thinking when it came to the sound of this film - both in terms of the needle drops and the score, which was provided by his cousin, Nathan Johnson.
1/2/2023 • 43 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 344: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross Return!
Now, Christmas week is just about to get a whole lot cooler, as we welcome Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to Soundtracking for a second time
Edith LOVES talking to this dynamic duo about film music, and the good news is we have two of their scores to unpack: the first being for Luca Guadagnino's Bones And All and the second for Sam Mendes' Empire Of Light.
12/26/2022 • 50 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 343: Krysty Wilson-Cairns On The Music Of The Good Nurse
If you harbour ambitions to write film scripts, you must listen to this - a very welcome return to the podcast to Krysty Wilson-Cairns, who joins us discuss her truly excellent Netflix vehicle, The Good Nurse.
Starring Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne, The Good Nurse tells the story of Amy Loughren, a night nurse who suspects that her co-worker is the serial killer Charles Cullen.
Perhaps more importantly for our purposes, Krysty offers a truly fascinating insight into the creative workings of the screenwriter.
Merry Christmas, everyone!!!
12/24/2022 • 42 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 342: Daniel Craig Talks Music & Film
Bonus episodes of Soundtracking abound this festive season with so many great film offerings out there - one of which is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
So it is that we welcome Daniel Craig to the podcast to discuss his relationship with music and his role as the returning master detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson's smart comedic mystery - soon to be showing on Netflix
We don't want to say too much about the plot, but suffice to say it has all the humour, twists and turns of the first film, with an incredible ensemble cast including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista.
12/19/2022 • 34 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 341: Alejandro González Iñárritu On The Music Of Bardo
Very excited about our latest guest on Soundtracking - the Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu
Alejandro's latest offering is Bardo: False Chronicle Of A Handful Of Truths - a semi-autobiographical tale that follows a journalist & documentarian who returns to his native country of Mexico and begins having an existential crisis in the form of dreamlike visions.
As well as co-writing and directing the film, Alejandro also collaborated with friend of the pod Bryce Dessner on the score
12/19/2022 • 40 minutes, 32 seconds
Epsiode 340: Frances O'Connor & Abel Korzeniowski On The Music Of Emily
There are so many cracking releases at the moment, we getting as much out to you as we can in something of a festive giveaway. We dropped Michael Giacchino earlier in the week, and now we bring you Frances O'Connor and Abel Korzeniowski, who joined me to discuss Emily. Frances wrote and directed the film, while Abel provided the score. It's a fictionalised version of the life of Emily Bronte, and concentrates on her romantic relationship with the curate William Weightman - there is no evidence that such a relationship ever occurred.
12/13/2022 • 39 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 339: Michael Giacchino on the Music of Werewolf By Night
We are dropping two episodes of Soundtracking for you today - the first being with composer and director, Michael Giacchino
Michael performed both duties for Marvel Studio's Werewolf By Night, which is a sly modern take on the classic monster movies of yesteryear.
That's right. Directed. And scored. What a total dude. One of our favourite ever guests! And that hoodie ...
12/12/2022 • 42 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 338: David Harbour On The Music Of Violent Night
It's always lovely talking to actors on Soundtracking to get their perspective on music, and we have one for you in our latest episode in the shape of Violent Night star, David Harbour.
Violent Night sees David star as a Father Christmas who is anything but the traditional image of cheery, rosy-cheeked, white bearded old man.
David also discusses the distinctive sound of Stranger Things, and his fondness for Counting Crows, which is something of an embarrassment to him when he's hanging out with his cool East Village pals.
12/6/2022 • 29 minutes, 1 second
Episode 337: Tim Burton On The Music Of Wednesday
Last time we had our latest guest on the podcast was when he was kind enough to join Edith for a Soundtracking Live at the BFI on London's South Bank. That was more of a career retrospective; this time, Tim Burton is here to talk about Wednesday, his first foray into making a television series.
As is so often the case with Tim's work, Wednesday is scored by the great Danny Elfman, ably supported by Chris Bacon. There are also a couple of delicious needle-drops up for discussion.
11/28/2022 • 36 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 336: Luca Guadagnino On The Music Of Bones And All
It's a welcome return to Soundtracking for Luca Guadagnino, a writer and director who always talks so eloquently and revealingly about the music in his films.
His latest project is Bones And All. The ensemble cast features Timonthee Chalamet, Taylor Russell and Mark Rylance in what is part horror, part romantic road movie and part period drama.
Bones and All is scored by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor - or A & T as Luca describes them - who will themselves be joining us soon.
11/25/2022 • 53 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 335: Sebastián Lelio & Matthew Herbert On The Music Of The Wonder
Thrilled to have another director / composer combo on Soundtracking this week in the shape of Sebastian Lelio and Matthew Herbert, who have joined forces on the Chilean writer/director's latest film, The Wonder.
Starring Florence Pugh, it follows an English nurse sent to an Irish village in the 1860s to observe a young girl who is seemingly able to survive without eating.
It's an amazing experience, narratively, visually and sonically, so we highly recommnend you dive in.
11/21/2022 • 39 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 334: Charlotte Wells On The Music Of Aftersun
It's one of those episodes of Soundtracking which we love so much, in which Edith gets to pick the brains of an up-and-coming filmmaker who's just beginning their journey in the industry.
Charlotte Wells's debut feature Aftersun is an absolutely beautiful piece of work, telling the story of Sophie as she reflects upon a holiday with her then young father they took together 20 years earlier.
As well as containing countless fantastic needle drops, Aftersun is also expertly scored by Oliver Coates, who very kindly furnished us with cues from his as yet unreleased score. Cheers, Oliver!
11/15/2022 • 42 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 333: Ryan Coogler On The Music Of Wakanda Forever
Bonus episode time with Ryan Coogler, director of the new Black Panther film, Wakanda Forever.
The film's release is obviously hugely bittersweet for all involved with the sad passing of Chadwick Boseman - but, boy, have Ryan and the exceptional cast done his memory proud.
Here he discusses Chadwick's legacy and the tonal influence his death has had on narrative, as well as the excellent soundtrack and Ludwig Goransson's score.
11/12/2022 • 33 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 332: Tony Gilroy On The Music Of Andor
Anyone who knows Edith knows she is a massive fan of what Disney + is doing with Star Wars world-building, from the Mandalorian to Obi Wan Kenobi.
Andor is no exception, taking the franchise in an altogether new direction with its visual palate, narrative pacing and Orwellian undertones.
So it was a genuine thrill to spend a bit of time with show creator, Tony Gilroy, who also co-wrote Rogue One.
Andor is scored by our old friend Nicholas Britell, and you'll hear plenty of his music throughout the conversation.
11/7/2022 • 37 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 331: Mat Whitecross & David Arnold On The Sound Of 007
We're celebrating some of the most iconic film music of all time this week, as Mat Whitecross and David Arnold join Edith to discuss Mat's excellent documentary, The Sound Of 007.
It does exactly what it says on the tin, featuring contributions from many of the key players from the franchise's 60 year history.
10/31/2022 • 52 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 330: Martin McDonagh On The Music Of The Banshees Of Inisherin
It's a welcome return to Soundtracking for our guest this week, as Martin McDonagh joins us to discuss his new movie, The Banshees of Inisherin
Starring Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan, it is set on a small Irish island in the 1920s and tells the story of a musician who suddenly ends his friendship with a lifelong drinking buddy.
The Banshees of Inisherin sees Martin reunited with composer Carter Burwell, and you'll hear plenty of his score throughout the conversation.
10/24/2022 • 41 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 329: Composer Nainita Desai Discusses Her Career
This week's guest is a composer with a huge and varied body of work, who Edith regularly bumps into on the London screening circuit and has been trying to get on Soundtracking for some time.
Nanita DesaI's work includes a remarkable number of TV shows - and films such as The Reason I Jump, For Sama and 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. The insight into the way she goes about her business is utterly fascinating.
10/17/2022 • 45 minutes, 39 seconds
Epsiode 328: David O. Russell On The Music Of Amsterdam
Our guest this week is one of our favourite humans ever to interview - and someone who is in no small part the reason Soundtracking exists.
David O'Russell's is an absolute master when it comes to using music in his films, as evidenced by his latest film Amsterdam, which is scored by our old friend, Daniel Pemberton.
Try stopping Edith and him nattering at your peril!!!
10/10/2022 • 55 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 327: Antonia Campbell-Hughes & Tom Furse On The Music Of It Is In Us All
We're discussing the music of a little gem of an Indie film today called It Is In Us All in the company of its director Antonia Campbell-Hughes and composer Tom Furse of The Horrors fame.
Set in Donegal, It Is In Us All tells the story of Hamish, a Londoner who returns to his ancestral home of Donegal, and is drawn into the world of a boy who nearly kills him in a car crash. You can watch it right now on Curzon home cinema.
Special thanks to Tom, who went to great and inconvenient lengths to provide us with cues from his score. Big ups!
10/5/2022 • 40 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 326: Romain Gavras On The Music Of Athena
We're really excited about our latest guest on Soundtracking, who has made an absolutely sensational film which you can watch right now on Netflix
Romain Gavras's Athena explores, in electrifying fashion, the chaos that erupts in the eponymous French estate in the wake of a brutal killing. It really is jaw-dropping from the very opening scene, which is a work of art as and of itself.
Athena is scored by Gener8ion, which is Romain's collaborative creative project with his friend, Benoit Heitz, aka Serkin, and we'll pepper plenty of the music throughout the conversation.
9/26/2022 • 35 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 325: Composer David Buckley On The Music Of The Sandman
It's been over three decades since the original graphic novel was published, but 2022 is the year that finally sees Neil Gaiman's seminal comic book series The Sandman translated to the screen.
To try and explain the premise and scope of the Netflix fantasy series in a sentence or two would, frankly, be futile - and an insult to the epic dimensions of Neil's imagination, and the work of the team that helped realise his vision for television.
So you'll have to settle for one of said team instead - composer David Buckley - whose score is as complex, nuanced and varied as the narrative itself.
9/20/2022 • 48 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 324: Tom George & Daniel Pemberton On The Music Of See How They Run
It's another of those episodes we enjoy so much on Soundtracking, in which Edith gets to speak to both a director and a composer about a film they've worked on together
On this occasion, it's Tom George and Daniel Pemberton, discussing Daniel's score for Tom's debut feature, See How They Run
Starring Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, Harris Dickinson, and David Oyelowo, See How They Run is a comedy whodunnit set in 50s London, which is in cinemas now.
9/13/2022 • 54 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 323: Composer Howard Shore Discusses His Career
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer with a hugely diverse body of work - ranging from Big and Se7en to Ed Wood and Silence Of The Lambs.
Howard Shore has collaborated with Martin Scorsese on numerous occasions, and famously scored Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies.
He has also provided musical accompaniment to 16 of David Cronenberg's films, including his latest, Crimes Of The Future, which is what he joined Edith to discuss.
9/5/2022 • 45 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 322: Emma Holly Jones & Amelia Warner On The Music Of Mr Malcolm's List
As regular listeners to the podcast know, we love it when we get to speak to directors and their composers at the same time, which is what we're doing with Emma Holly Jones and Amelia Warner in our latest episode.
Emma enlisted Amelia for her debut feature film, Mr Malcolm's List, a period rom-com about two friends who plot revenge on the eponymous suitor for rejecting one of them as a bride.
8/30/2022 • 45 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 321: Composer Benjamin Wallfisch On The Music Of Thirteen Lives & HIs Career
We have a composer for you today who has been on our wish-list for a very long time. Benjamin Wallfisch has built up strong relationships in the industry, perhaps most notably with our old friend Hans Zimmer, with whom he has collaborated on several projects including Blade Runner 2049.
Benjamin's latest outing is on Ron Howard's Thirteen Lives, which tells the miraculous true story of the boys and the football coach who were rescued from a Thai cave having been trapped by flooding.
8/22/2022 • 43 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 320: Jordan Peele On The Music Of Nope
We're such a fan of the movies of our latest guest on Soundtracking, the wonderful Jordan Peele.
Following the critical and commercial success of Get Out and Us, Jordan goes fully widescreen with his sci-fi epic Nope, which sees ranch-owning siblings Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer try to capture footage of an extraterrestrial spacecraft. We shall say no more than that ...
As with Jordan's previous two movies, Nope is scored by Michael Abels, and we share plenty of his music from the film too.
8/15/2022 • 28 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 319: David Leitch & Kelly McCormick On The Music Of Bullet Train
Our latest guests on soundtracking are partners in both a personal and creative sense, whose latest collaboration sees them bring us the utterly wild Bullet Train.
Husband and wife team of director David Leitch and producer Kelly McCormick have a lot of fun with a great cast to tell the story of a motley crew of rogues, who all mysteriously find themselves on the same Japanese train. We're not gonna lie, the results are bonkers - in a very entertaining way.
As well as featuring an array of truly brilliant needle drops, Bullet Train is very deftly scored by Dominic Lewis.
8/8/2022 • 34 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 318: Director Baillie Walsh On The Creation Of ABBA Voyage
Something a little different for you on our latest episode of Soundtracking, as Edith speaks to Baillie Walsh. Baillie is the director of the extraordinary virtual concert, ABBA Voyage, though to call it a virtual concert really doesn't begin to describe quite how spectacular it is. Made in conjunction with the band, it features incredible life sized avatars - or ABBAtars - a mind-blowing light show and sensational live band, and is a full-blown assault on the senses in the best possible way.
As a show, it also raises questions about the future of gigs - and how big tours can be more sustainable.
8/1/2022 • 44 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 317: Charlotte Colbert & Clint Mansell On The Music Of She Will
We love the episodes of Soundtracking where we speak to both the director of the film and their composer, which is exactly what we're doing today
Charlotte Colbert and Clint Mansell have combined to great effect on She Will, Charlotte's unsettling little gem of a movie in which an ageing film star heads to retreat in the Scottish countryside and encounters mysterious forces emerging from the land ...
7/25/2022 • 37 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 316: Barney Douglas, Felix White & Carrie Cracknell On McEnroe & Persuasion
Not one, not two, but three utterly joyous guests for you on this week's episode of Soundtracking, all of whom are interpreting the work of a couple of very different types of genius.
First, we bring you Barney Douglas and Felix White, who have formed a doubles pairing extraordinaire on McEnroe, a documentary which Barney directed and Felix scored about the legendary tennis champ. It's Wimbledon meets Michael Mann's Heat, and they've absolutely aced it.
Then we have a first-time movie director who's been wowing theatre audiences for years - the delightful Carrie Cracknell - on her Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion.
7/18/2022 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 315: Taika Waititi On The Music Of Thor: Love & Thunder
We have such a treat for you this week, as the genius that is - and we don't throw that word around lightly - Taika Waititi returns to Soundtracking to discuss Thor: Love & Thunder.
Expect music from Guns 'n' Roses, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Michael Giacchino and, um, The Muppets, as duetted by Edith and Taika.
7/11/2022 • 40 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 314: Composer Natalie Holt On The Music Of Obi-Wan Kenobi
So thrilled to be welcoming Natalie Holt back to Soundtracking - a composer who's doing great things, most recently in providing the score for Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney +.
Here she tells Edith about adding to the legendary musical landscape of the franchise, and meeting the man who's behind much of it, her idol John Williams.
7/5/2022 • 36 minutes, 52 seconds
Episode 313: Baz Luhrmann On The Music OF Elvis
Our guest this week is visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, who Edith has been a huge fan of for many years. He always takes you on a journey with his storytelling, both visually and through the maverick nature of the way he uses music and sound. You might have even heard last week's guest, Lykke Li, referencing his Romeo & Juliet as a really seminal film for her.
His latest film is the glorious, colourful and immersive Elvis, his interpretation of the life of the one and Elvis Presley - The King - who is played perfectly by Austin Butler.
6/27/2022 • 35 minutes, 53 seconds
Episode 312: Lykke Li & Theo Lindquist Discuss Her Audiovisual Album, EYEYE
Our latest guests on Soundtracking have combined to great effect on an audiovisual album that specifically set out to challenge the conventions of the traditional music video.
Lykke Li enlisted the services of experimental filmmaker Theo Lindquist to shoot a series of one minute loops, which accompany the songs on her latest album EYEYE. The results are utterly hypnotic, beautiful and moving - as you can see for yourself online.
6/21/2022 • 44 minutes, 14 seconds
Episode 311: Colin Trevorrow On Michael Giacchino's Score For Jurassic World Dominion
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the man responsible for one of the blockbusting cinematic events of the summer.
Colin Trevorrow has played a part in the last 3 Jurassic movies - World, Fallen Kingdom and now World Dominion, which he co-wrote and directed.
The film is scored by friend of the show Michael Giacchino - and you'll hear plenty of his work throughout.
6/13/2022 • 44 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 310: Anne Dudley Discusses Her Career
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is someone we've been trying to get on for a very long time.
Anne Dudley made her name in Art Of Noise, and has since gone on to score numerous films, including The Full Monty, for which she won an Oscar. She's also collaborated with some of the biggest names in pop music, from Tina Turner and Elton John to George Michael and Liza Minelli.
We also discuss her latest solo album, Crossing The Bar.
6/6/2022 • 46 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 309: Joe Kosinski & Jerry Bruckheimer On The Music Of Top Gun: Maverick
Now, as you're probably aware, Top Gun: Maverick has hit cinemas, a full 36 years after Mav, Goose, Iceman and co. first took to the skies.
And to mark the occasion, we're rather giddy and excited to welcome director Joe Kosinski and the legend that is Jerry Bruckheimer to the podcast to discuss the iconic music of the original and how they retained the spirit of said music in the sequel. Suffice to say, they got a little help on that front from our old friends, Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe ...
5/30/2022 • 41 minutes, 3 seconds
Episode 308: Harry & Rupert Gregson-Williams On The Gilded Age
Our latest guests on soundtracking are not only composers, but also brothers, who between them have built up an extraordinary body of work for both film and television.
Indeed, it's on the small screen that Harry and Rupert Gregson-Williams have joined forces for only the second time, on Julian Fellowes' New York high society drama, The Gilded Age.
We'll talk about that and several of the other projects they've been involved with, including Catch-22 for George Clooney.
5/25/2022 • 49 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 307: Actor Jack Lowden On His Relationship With Music
We have an actor for you this week, who we think is about to go stratospheric. Jack Lowden should be the next James Bond, in Edith's opinion, but in the meantime you can watch him in Dunkirk, England Is Mine, Fighting With My Family, Slow Horses, and, as of this week, Benediction.
He loves his music and also spins a great yarn - all of which makes for a very entertaining listen.
5/16/2022 • 41 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 306: Lucy Bright, Matthew Herbert and Roland Joffé On Ennio Morricone
Something slightly different for you this week, as we reflect on a new documentary about the life of Ennio Morricone in the company of three admirers.
The film is called Ennio, and features contributions from the man himself and the likes of Quentin Tarantino, John Williams, Clint Eastwood and Hans Zimmer, as well as one of of my guests today - director of The Mission, Roland Joffé
Alongside Roland are composer, Matthew Herbert, and music supervisor, Lucy Bright, in what's a really fascinating discussion
5/9/2022 • 42 minutes
Episode 305: Mark Mothersbaugh Discusses His Career
Our latest guest on soundtracking is a musician, artist, cultural icon and film, TV and video game composer - who's been plying his trade for 50-odd years.
Among Mark Mothersbaugh's many credits are Rugrats, Thor Ragnarok, Lego movies and several Wes Anderson films - though you'd be reading this for about half an hour if we were to list every single one of the projects he's been involved with.
Rest assure, we cover as much ground as we can!
5/2/2022 • 47 minutes, 19 seconds
Episode 304: Robert Eggers On The Music Of The Northman
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a writer / director who made an extremely promising start to his career with acclaimed horrors The Witch and The Lighthouse - both of which Edith loves.
Robert Eggers has followed these up with The Northman, a visceral Viking epic based on the Scandinavian legend of Amleth. The film is scored by Robin Carolan and Sebastian Gainsborough, and you'll hear plenty of their work and more music sprinkled throughout the conversation.
4/26/2022 • 40 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 303: David Newman Talks West Side Story
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a man whose father, Alfred, blazed a trail for film scoring in Hollywood, while his brother, Thomas, has been nominated for 15 Oscars. Oh yes, and his cousin happens to be called Randy, which, when your surname is Newman, means you come from quite the musical dynasty ...
David Newman is also a hugely respected composer, who joined Edith to discuss his work as an adapter and arranger on Steven Spielberg's glorious remake of West Side Story.
4/20/2022 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 302: Composer Anne Nikitin Discusses Her Work
For the second week in a row, we welcome a female composer to Soundtracking, which is a delight, given the underrepresentation of women in the industry.
Anne Nikitin's star is very much on the rise, after she made her big breakthrough working with Bart Layton on The Imposter and American Animals. She has several exciting projects on the go, including the prequel to Dangerous Liaisons.
4/11/2022 • 58 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 301: Pinar Toprak On The Music Of Lost City
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a returning composer who has fast become one of the hardest working and most sought after talents in the business.
Pinar Toprak's latest efforts can be heard on the light hearted jungle romp, The Lost City, but she's also got a number of exciting projects in the pipeline and is fresh from conducting Billie Eilish and Finneas's performance of No Time To Die at the Oscars.
It's an absolute delight to hear her talk about her craft.
4/5/2022 • 39 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 300!!!: Joachim Trier On The Music Of The Worst Person In The World
We're 300! Wow. Thanks so much for all your continued support. It means the world to us and we wouldn't be here without you.
To celebrate, we're joined by a Norwegian writer/director whose wonderful film The Worst Person In The World was up for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category, missing out to the Japanese road movie, Drive My Car.
Joachim Trier has received widespread acclaim for his black-comedy drama, which tells the story of Julie as she tries to navigate the troubled waters of her love life and career.
It has an absolutely brilliant soundtrack, and you'll hear plenty of examples from it.
3/29/2022 • 35 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 299: Craig Roberts On The Music Of The Phantom Of The Open
We have a friend of the show returning to Soundtracking this week in the shape of Craig Roberts - who has directed a British indie film that Edith absolutely loves.
The Phantom of The Open was written by Simon Farnaby, and tells the unlikely true story of Maurice Flitcroft - an excellent hoaxer and terrible golfer who posted the worst ever score recorded at an Open Championship when he contrived to take part in qualifying for the event in 1976. Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins head a strong cast, while the film is scored by another friend of the show, Isobel Waller-Bridge.
3/22/2022 • 43 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 298: Domee Shi & Lindsey Collins On The Music Of Turning Red
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Pixar animator, writer and director, Domee Shi, and producer Lindsey Collins, who's new project together is the wonderful Turning Red.
Streaming now on Disney + Turning Red tells the story of a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian student who transforms into a giant red panda when she gets into a heightened emotional state.
It's scored by our old friend Ludwig Goransson, and you will, of course, hear plenty of his music throughout the conversation.
3/16/2022 • 31 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 297: Paul Thomas Anderson Talks Music
We can't quite believe the run of guests we've had on Soundtracking, what with Andrew Garfield, Dave Grohl and Jonny Greenwood among those who've joined us in recent weeks.
But when it comes to marrying music and film, Paul Thomas Anderson is right up there with Scorsese and Tarantino as a master of the art. His latest movie, Licorice Pizza, is not only a delight to behold, but also chock full of needle drops.
He talks all things music, including his relationship with the aforementioned Mr Greenwood.
3/11/2022 • 46 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 296: Jonny Greenwood On His Film Scores
Legend alert! Our latest guest on Soundtracking is not only the lead guitarist, keyboardist and instrumentalist of one of the greatest bands on planet Earth, but has also transitioned with huge success into the realms of movie scoring.
Jonny Greenwood has formed a formidable partnership with Paul Thomas Anderson since providing the music for There Will Be Blood, and has also worked with Lynne Ramsay, Pablo Larrain and Jane Campion - who are esteemed company indeed. He's also one of the most understated and humble people you could ever wish to meet.
We'll get into his collaborations with all these great filmmakers during the course of the conversation, and sprinkle plenty of his music throughout.
3/7/2022 • 56 minutes, 19 seconds
Episode 295: Andrew Garfield Talks Tick, Tick, Boom
We continue our bumper run of guests on Soundtracking with a man who's up for an Oscar this month in the Best Actor category.
Andrew Garfield delivers a knockout performance as Jonathan Larson in Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical biopic Tick Tick Boom, as you can see for yourself on Netflix. It's always a joy chatting to him, though if you haven't seen the latest Spiderman film, we should say this interview contains a major spoiler.
Amazingly, Andrew has never been required to sing for a project before, not that you'd know it.
3/4/2022 • 41 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 294: Dave Grohl Talks Studio 666
Rock 'n' roll royalty joins Edith for the latest episode of Soundtracking, as Dave Grohl discusses his comedy horror Studio 666 among many other things.
Featuring all six members of The Foo Fighters as themselves, Studio 666 is a pretty bonkers yarn about the band recording an album in an old mansion possessed by evil spirits. As you might imagine, carnage ensues!
2/28/2022 • 36 minutes
Episode 293: Adam McKay On The Music Of Don't Look Up
We're starting a bumper run of Soundtracking episodes in the coming weeks, with two shows a week for the foreseeable future, including conversations with PTA, Dave Grohl & Jonny Greenwood. Eesh!
Today, it's the turn of writer, director, producer and all round legend, Adam McKay. He is FANTASTIC company, and we have an absolute ball discussing the music in his latest film, Don't Look Up, which is scored by our dear friend, Nicholas Britell.
Enjoy!
2/25/2022 • 47 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 292: Bryce Dessner & Joe Wright On The Music Of Cyrano
It's another double-header for you, with two returning guests to Soundtracking. First up, it's Bryce Dessner from the National, who composed the score and music for Cyrano with his brother, Aaron. Then it's the man who directed this latest interpretation of the classic tale, Joe Wright, who is always a joy to speak to.
2/22/2022 • 1 hour, 23 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 291: Ariana DeBose On West Side Story
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is an actress, singer and dancer who dazzled us all in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of West Side Story.
Ariana DeBose's performance as Anita has already seen her win a Golden Globe - and she's also been nominated for an Oscar and Bafta among many other accolades.
It was an absolute delight to catch up with her - Ariana really is a thoroughly sparky and likeable character.
2/15/2022 • 32 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 290: Maggie Gyllenhaal & Dickon Hinchliffe On The Music Of The Lost Daughter
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are actor and now writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal and composer Dickon Hinchliffe, who join us to discuss their collaboration on The Lost Daughter.
Available on Netflix, The Lost Daughter stars Olivia Coleman, Dakota Johnson and Jessie Buckly, and is - among many other things - a genuinely powerful meditation on the trials and tribulations of motherhood. We absolutely love it - and can guarantee music lovers will LOVE this conversation.
2/7/2022 • 45 minutes, 4 seconds
Episode 289: Garth Jennings On Bono & The Music Of Sing 2
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a friend of the show, returning to discuss his sequel to a massive family favourite in households across the globe - not least Edith's.
Garth Jennings found a winning formula with his joyous animation, Sing, and has thankfully managed to recreate it with Sing 2. In addition to an all-star cast reprising their roles from the first film, Garth also managed to persuade none other than Bono to play a reclusive rock star and allow him to rework some classic U2 songs. He shares a couple of lovely anecdotes about that too ...
1/31/2022 • 38 minutes
Episode 288: Sir Kenneth Branagh On The Music Of Van Morrison & Belfast
We have a proper legend for you on our latest episode of Soundtracking in the shape of the great Sir Kenneth Branagh, who also happens to be one of the loveliest people you could ever wish to interview.
Edith caught up with him a few months back to discuss Belfast, a coming-of-age comedy drama and beautiful ode to his hometown, which he both wrote and directed. It really is a very special movie, and we highly recommend getting to your local cinema to see it if you feel safe doing so.
Apart from anything else, you'll get to hear loads of classic Van Morrison tunes - with Van also having scored the film.
1/25/2022 • 28 minutes, 3 seconds
Episode 287: Composer Carter Burwell On The Music Of The Coens & His Career
Our latest guest is a composer who's perhaps best known for his work with the Coen Brothers, though he's collaborated with plenty of other great filmmakers too.
Carter Burwell was something of a punk rocker before landing the gig to score Joel and Ethan's first feature, Blood Simple. He's since provided the music for virtually all of their films - including the latest, The Tragedy Of Macbeth.
1/17/2022 • 50 minutes, 39 seconds
Episode 286: Composer Nicholas Britell On The Music Of Don't Look Up & Succession
Our latest episode sees the welcome return of Nicholas Britell - with us on this occasion to discuss his score for Adam McKay's Don't Look Up.
Heading up the extraordinary cast are Leonardo Di Caprio and Jennifer Lawrence as astronomers attempting to warn mankind about an approaching comet that will destroy civilization.
It's fair to say the film has strongly divided opinions, but Edithfor one really enjoyed it - and Nicholas's score is great too.
1/10/2022 • 45 minutes, 50 seconds
Episode 285: Will & Arthur Sharpe On The Music Of The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain
Our first guests of 2022 are two brothers who've formed a formidable creative partnership since being given the opportunity to shine.
Will and Arthur Sharpe have taken on directorial and compositional duties on several joint-projects, with The Electrical Life of Louis Wain their latest collaboration. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy, the biopic tells the story of the eccentric artist of the title, who had a particular - and many would say peculiar - affiliation with cats ...
While Will co-wrote and directed the film, Arthur provided the music, and as always you'll hear plenty of it throughout the conversation.
1/1/2022 • 54 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 284: Julia Ducournau On The Music Of Titane & Raw
Edith's latest guest on Soundtracking is without doubt one of the most exciting fresh talents at work in the industry today. Julia Ducournau burst into the popular consciousness with Raw, and follows it up with the equally scintillating Titane, which won the Palme d'Or
We don't want to tell you too much about it, as it defies a fleeting summary. Suffice to say it absolutely blew us away, and we highly advise you to go and see it at your local cinema if you feel safe doing so.
The film is scored by Jim Williams, who's worked extensively with our old friend Ben Wheatley, and you'll hear plenty of his music throughout the conversation.
12/28/2021 • 32 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 283: Peter Straughan On The Music Of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a screenwriter who's proved extremely adept at adaptations of books, including The Men Who Stare At Goats, The Snowman, The Goldfinch and - the main reason we have him with us on this episode - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the film of which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Peter Straughan was a delight to spend a little time with as we explored the ways music informs the writing of a script.
12/21/2021 • 41 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 282: Steven Spielberg On His Love Of Music & Score
Our latest guest on Soundtracking needs no introduction, other than to say we are absolutely over-the-moon to welcome Steven Spielberg to the podcast to discuss his jaw-dropping adaptation of West Side Story.
We'd have loved to have got a few more minutes with him, if we're honest, but anyone who follows us on social media will know there's potentially some exciting news on that front ...
And Edith did manage to tease out a few of his favourite scores, how he met John Williams, and the process behind the score for Jaws among many other things.
12/13/2021 • 39 minutes, 10 seconds
Epsiode 281: Paolo Sorrentino On The Music In His Films
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is an Italian filmmaker Edith absolutely adores, who's brought us 20th century classics The Consequences Of Love and The Great Beauty among his many offerings.
His latest movie is also his most personal, the semi-autobiographical The Hand Of God, which you can watch on Netflix from December 15th and is in selected cinemas now.
He's an absolute hoot - enjoy.
12/6/2021 • 37 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 280: Composer James Newton Howard Discusses His Career
Edith's latest guest on Soundtracking is another giant of film music composition, who she was lucky enough to catch up with at Abbey Road Studios as he was recording his work on the latest Fantastic Beasts movie.
James Newton Howard has scored well over 100 films across all genres, including The Fugitive, Pretty Woman, The Sixth Sense, Prince Of Tides, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, My Best Friend's Wedding and a couple of Nolan's Batmans for good measure.
We could listen to him - and his music - all day.
11/30/2021 • 56 minutes, 14 seconds
Episode 279: Jared Leto Talks Film Music
Who doesn't watch their own films? Well, our latest guest for one - a hugely versatile actor and musician most presently to be seen as Paolo in Ridley Scott's House Of Gucci.
Jared Leto first gained recognition in My So Called Life, went on to form 30 Seconds To Mars with his brother, Shannon, and has also landed numerous notable cinematic roles, including The Joker in Suicide Squad and Niander Wallace in Blade Runner 2049. He absolutely loves scores too - and you'll find out which ones in particular during the conversation.
11/26/2021 • 31 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode 278: Reggie Yates On The Music Of Pirates
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a very dear friend of Edith's who we're delighted to say has done an absolutely superb job with his feature film debut.
The friend in question is writer / director Reggie Yates, and the film is Pirates. Starring Elliot Edusah, Jordan Peters and Reda Elazouar, Pirates tells the story of 3 young friends trying to get into a club night on New Year's Eve in 1999. It's worth watching for the garage music alone, though there's plenty more to enjoy besides.
11/22/2021 • 55 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 277: Lin-Manuel Miranda On The Music Of Encanto, Tick Tick Boom & Hamilton
Our latest guest on soundtracking is the actor, songwriter, playwright, producer, rapper and now feature film director, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Not fair, really, is it?!
Lin-Manuel is perhaps most well known for writing the script, music and lyrics for Hamilton, which has been a global phenomenon since its Broadway premiere in 2015. He's since done all manner of wonderful things, including the songs for Moana. At the moment, you can hear his music in Disney's Encanto and see his directorial Tick Tick Boom on Netflix, about the life of composer Jonathan Larson (who brought us Rent)
11/19/2021 • 43 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 276: Carrie Brownstein & St Vincent On The Music Of The Nowhere Inn
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are two friends who've come together to create something quite unlike anything I've ever seen.
The Nowhere Inn sees Carrie Brownstein and Annie Clark - aka St Vincent - play themselves in what appears to be a documentary about St Vincent's life as a musician. However, the film is entirely scripted, and in fact transforms into what one critic describes as a Lynchian nightmare smeared in lipstick.
Annie also scored the movie, and we have to say it's an absolutely wonderful compilation of tunes - which more than stands alone as an album.
11/15/2021 • 30 minutes, 39 seconds
Episode 275: Pablo Larraín On Jonny Greenwood's Score For Spencer
Our latest guest in this bumper run on Soundtracking is the Chilean director, Pablo Larraín, who's brought us many gems including Tony Manero and Jackie.
Pablo's latest film is Spencer, which tells the story of Princess Diana's decision to end her marriage to Charles. Kristen Stewart is brilliant in the lead role, and gets able support from Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins and Sean Harris.
And as if that weren't enough to whet your whistle, Spencer is scored by Jonny Greenwood
11/13/2021 • 51 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode 274: Chloé Zhao On The Music Of Eternals
Our latest guest on Soundtracking returns to the podcast to discuss a very different film than the one she spoke about previously.
Chloe Zhao quite rightly landed critical acclaim and awards aplenty for Nomadland at the start of the year - and now ends it by co-writing and directing Eternals for Marvel Studios. Starring Gemma Chan, Barry Keoghan, Kit Harrington, Selma Hayek and Angelina Jolie to name but a few, Eternals tells the story of alien immortals who have been sent to earth to protect the human race from their evil counterparts, The Deviants.
11/8/2021 • 24 minutes, 3 seconds
Episode 273: Hans Zimmer On His Music For Dune & No Time To Die
Our latest guest has undoubtedly had more mentions on this podcast than anyone else by quite some distance - and now we finally have him in person.
Hans Zimmer has scored in excess of 150 films and been instrumental in developing the careers of numerous composers, including Lorne Balfe and Harry Gregson-Williams. He's worked with just about everyone who's anyone in the film business, and joins us today to discuss his two latest blockbusters, Dune and No Time To Die.
11/4/2021 • 54 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 272: Edgar Wright & Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Our latest guests on this bumper run on Soundtracking are Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns, who have formed a fine screenwriting partnership on Edgar's latest film, Last Night In Soho.
We're not going to tell you what it's about, as it really is one of those movies that benefits from seeing with next-to-no prior knowledge. What we will tell you is that it stars Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp and the late Dame Diana Rigg in her final performance, has a fabulous 60s soundtrack, and is scored by our old friend Steven Price.
11/1/2021 • 42 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 271: Alexandre Desplat On The Music Of The French Dispatch & Other Movies
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer we've been trying to pin down since day one of the podcast, back in 2016.
Alexandre Desplat is a true giant of the film scoring business, having been nominated for numerous Oscars and winning one for his work on Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel and one for the The Shape Of Water. And if you were in any doubt as to his credentials, he's worked with the likes of - in no particular order - George Clooney, Stephen Frears, Greta Gerwig, David Fincher, Terrence Mallick, Nora Ephron, Roman Polanski and Ben Affleck.
But it's to discuss his latest collaboration with Wes that Alexandre joins us today - the typically idiosyncratic The French Dispatch. As always, his music beautifully compliments the quirky visuals, humour and narrative presented to us by everyone's favourite offbeat director.
10/28/2021 • 49 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode 270: Denis Villeneuve On The Music Of Dune
We're really excited about our latest episode of Soundtracking, seeing as it does the return of Denis Villeneuve.
The French-Canadian director joins Edith to discuss his adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic Dune - which boasts a stellar cast including Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin and many, many more.
Dune is scored by Hans Zimmer, who we're thrilled to announce is going to be a guest on the podcast in the next couple of weeks too. Happy days!
10/25/2021 • 39 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 269: Todd Haynes On The Music Of The Velvet Underground
Our latest guest on Soundtracking has been on twice before, and returns for a third time to discuss his documentary about one of the most influential bands of all time.
The Velvet Underground is Todd Hayne's idiosyncratic love letter to the visionary punk-rockers, featuring beautiful footage and contributions from founding members John Cale and Maureen Tucker, among others. It's available on Apple TV and selected cinemas, and is a treat whether you're a fan of the band or not.
10/18/2021 • 36 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 268: Soundtracking Live With Sir Michael Palin
This latest episode of Soundtracking is another live outing for the podcast, with a man who we've no doubt is thoroughly sick and tired of being described as a national treasure.
But, let's be honest, he is ...
Sir Michael Palin's CV is simply too long to run through - but we all know and love him from Monty Python, the accompanying films and his truly wonderful travelogues for the BBC.
Michael was kind enough to venture out of the safety and comfort of his home to join me and a live audience at the Widescreen festival at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, which we recorded just for you ...
10/11/2021 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode 267: David Lowery & Daniel Hart On The Music Of The Green Knight
We have two guests for you this week, who have formed a hugely close and productive creative partnership over the course of a number of films.
David Lowery is returning for his third visit to the podcast, while composer Daniel Hart is making his debut having been discussed at length on several previous occasions.
David and Daniel are with us to discuss The Green Knight, David's adaptation of the 14th century poem, Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. In keeping with the source material, Daniel's score draws on medieval musical idioms, but is also infused with many contemporary twists. As always, you'll hear plenty of it throughout the conversation ...
10/2/2021 • 52 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 265: Stuart Braithwaite & Barry Burns On Mogwai's Work In Film & TV
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are members of a band I hugely admire, who have done plenty sterling work on film and television in addition to their studio albums.
Stuart Braithwaite and Barry Burns are half of Mogwai, whose screen work includes The Returned, Atomic, Zidane, The Fountain, Before The Flood and ZeroZeroZero. Their latest album, meanwhile, is As The Love Continues, which reached number one in the UK charts and was also nominated for a Mercury Prize.
9/27/2021 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 264: Screenwriter Jack Thorne Discusses His Career
This week's episode of Soundtracking sees us joined by a fantastically gifted and humble screenwriter, whose work includes Skins, This is England 86, 88 & 90, His Dark Materials, The Eddy and Enola Holmes,
Jack Thorne's latest offering is Help, a show which Edith absolutely loved and is available on All 4 now. Starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham, Help tells the story of Sarah, a care home worker who looks after Tony, a man beset by Alzheimer's far to young - as if there's ever a good time. It's an exceedingly powerful piece of storytelling - and a profound, moving and poignant reflection on some of the serious questions raised about British society's priorities in the wake of the pandemic.
9/19/2021 • 45 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 263: Phyllida Lloyd On The Music Of Herself
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a producer and director who has worked extensively in theatre and film, most famously (in cinematic terms, at least) on Mamma Mia and The Iron Lady, which saw Meryl Streep win an Oscar for best actress.
Phyllida Lloyd's latest offering is Herself. Written by and starring Clare Dunne, Herself tells the story of Sandra - a struggling single mum who decides to build her own home when the housing authority refuses to offer her one. In doing so, she rediscovers herself with the help of a kindly community, only for her abusive ex-husband to return to haunt her ...
The film is scored by former guest on this show Natalie Holt, and we must say thank you to her for sending us her unreleased music from the film.
9/11/2021 • 39 minutes, 49 seconds
Episode 262: Lorne Balfe & Cate Shortland On The Music Of Black Widow
We've been wanting to put out this latest episode of Soundtracking for some time now, featuring as it does two people who were instrumental in bringing us Black Widow.
First up is our old pal Lorne Balfe, returning to the podcast for a third time to discuss his excellent score for the film. Then we'll bring you a chat Edith had with director Cate Shortland, who's put a very distinctive spin on the story of Natasha Romanov.
If you haven't seen it, it is still showing in a few cinemas, but is also available on Disney+ to customers with Premier access, and coming out on blu-ray and DVD on 13th September. It's cracking fun, and both Lorne and Cate have brought plenty new to the MCU table.
9/6/2021 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 261: Composer Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch On Her Score For Censor
Our latest guest is a composer who has been on the podcast before, but is appearing by herself for the first time.
Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch joined me, Carly Paradis and Amelia Warner for a very special Soundtracking Live at the BFI back in June 2019. In this episode, she's here to discuss her work on Censor, a smart, scary British horror which is out in cinemas now. Directed by Prano Bailey-Bond and starring Niamh Algar, the film tells the story of Enid, a video nasty censor who links a particularly disturbing movie with the disappearance of her sister.
It is beautifully scored by Emilie - at once acknowledging the classic video nasties of the 70s and 80s while having its own distinctive voice. And the good news is, it's soon to be released on vinyl by our good pals at Invada Records. Hurrah!
8/28/2021 • 52 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 260: Ferdinando Cito Filomarino On The Music Of Beckett & Ryuichi Sakamoto
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is an Italian screenwriter and director who is absolutely charming company - and super-talented to boot.
Ferdinando Cito Filomarino - or Ferdy for short! - has collaborated multiple times with former guest on this show, Luca Guadagnino, and also brought us a couple of feature films of his own. The latest of these is Beckett, which you can watch now on Netflix.
Starring John David Washington and Alicia Vikander, Beckett tells the story of a tourist who becomes the subject of a manhunt following an accident while holidaying in Greece. Excitingly, Ferdy's film is scored by none other than Ryuichi Sakamoto - who provides a typically layered soundscape. As always, we'll pepper plenty of his music throughout the conversation.
8/20/2021 • 45 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 259: Composer Tyler Bates Discusses His Career
Our latest guest on soundtracking is an artist whose name has featured numerous times on Soundtracking, such is his stock in the world of film composition.
Tyler Bates is the former lead guitarist for Marilyn Manson - but has, since the early 2000s, focussed the majority of his attention on movie scoring, working on projects like John Wick, Guardians Of The Galaxy and Watchmen.
His latest offering is Dark Nights: Death Metal, a companion piece to the hugely successful series of comics and graphic novels by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. As ever, we'll hear examples of Tyler's music throughout the conversation.
8/13/2021 • 53 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 258: Ben Wheatley & Andy Starke On The Music Of In The Earth
We're 5 years old this week - hurrah!!! - and to celebrate our birthday, we thought we thought we'd go back to where it all began by speaking to Ben Wheatley, who appeared in the very first episode of Soundtracking and returns (appropriately enough) for a fifth time.
Ben joined us with his longtime producer Andy Starke to discuss their film In The Earth, which was made in lockdown with all the considerable difficulties that brought.
Set during a deadly global pandemic, In The Earth tells the story of a scientist and a park scout who embark on a mission to find a renegade botanist, conducting research into plant life deep in the woods. Much hallucinogenic mayhem ensues, referencing everything from Hammer horror to Hansel and Gretel and Dr Who, not to mention Ben's previous work.
In The Earth is scored by our old friend Clint Mansell - who even rigged up his house plants to create sounds that feature in the music. Wonderful stuff ...
8/6/2021 • 47 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 257: Edgar Wright & The Sparks Brothers
It's a triple header on this week's Soundtracking, as Edith is joined first by Edgar Wright to discuss his first foray into documentary filmmaking - The Sparks Brothers - and then by Russell and Ron themselves - the groundbreaking duo who've been smashing the mould for half a century.
As well as getting the lowdown on his doc from Edgar, Russell and Ron, we also find out about Annette, the screen musical written by the brothers, which stars Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard and was directed by Leos Carax.
Then, of course, there's the odd anthem to feast your ears on!
7/31/2021 • 1 hour, 18 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 256: Kate Herron & Natalie Holt On The Music Of Loki (BIG SPOILERS ALERT!!!)
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are a couple of young ladies who wowed Kevin Feige and his team at Marvel to collaborate on the studio's latest offering on Disney+. No mean feat, given the history of the franchise, and we couldn't be happier for them that they smashed it out of the park.
Director Kate Herron and composer Natalie Holt combined to magnificent effect on Loki, the mind-bending take on the Norse god of mischief, as played by recent guest on this podcast, Tom Hiddleston.
We talk Easter eggs, the theremin, Tom's pissed singing and much, much more in this thoroughly enjoyable conversation.
7/24/2021 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 255: Dominik Scherrer On His Music For The Serpent
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer who provided the music for one of the water-cooler TV series of 2021.
We are, in case you're wondering, talking about The Serpent, for which Dominik Scherrer has delivered a properly brilliant soundscape. Based true events, The Serpent tells the story of serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who murdered young tourists in Thailand between 1975 and 2000.
As well as Dominik's score, the show also features loads and loads of needle-drops from the era, so you might get to hear a little bit of Serge Gainsbourg if you're lucky ...
7/17/2021 • 39 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 254: Nick Broomfield On The Music Of Last Man Standing
Our guest on this week's Soundtracking is a documentary maker returning to the podcast for a third time.
Nick Broomfield is always splendid company, and joins us once more to discuss his new film, Last Man Standing - a companion piece to Tupac & Biggie, which he made back in 2002 about the murders of the eponymous rappers. Here, he delves deeper into the role Death Row Records impresario Suge Knight played in their deaths - and speaks to more of the characters who were central to this extraordinary narrative.
Last Man Standing is scored by Nick's regular collaborator, Nick Laird-Clowes, who was kind enough to furnish us with a few cues.
7/10/2021 • 42 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 253: Tom Hiddleston Talks Music
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is not only someone Edith's known for a very long time, but also someone who's been a great supporter of this podcast since day one.
Tom Hiddleston is currently tearing up the screen as Loki on Disney +. It's a brilliant vehicle for one of Marvel's most enduring characters and a welcome return after - ahem, spoiler alert - what happened in Avengers: Infinity War.
As well as discussing Natalie Holt's sonically adventurous score for the series, we also dive deep into Tom's passion for music and soundtracks, and discover the song he sang at his drama school audition.
We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
7/2/2021 • 42 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 252: Harry Macqueen & Keaton Henson On The Music Of Supernova
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are actor, writer and director Harry Macqueen and musician Keaton Henson, who makes his first foray into film scoring for Harry's deeply moving road movie, Supernova.
Starring Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth, Supernova tells the story of a gay couple who travel to the Lake District - after Stanley's character Tusker has been diagnosed with early onset dementia.
Given he's a film score newbie, Keaton has done a magnificent job with the music. And there are plenty of classy needle-drops too, including tracks by Dalton, Bowie and Waits.
Enjoy!
6/25/2021 • 49 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 251: John Krasinski & Marco Beltrami On The Music Of A Quiet Place
It's becoming a bit of a thing, here on Soundtracking, having two guests for the price of one. But Edith is really pleased to welcome John Krasinski and Marco Beltrami to the podcast, given that A Quiet Place Part II was the first film she went to see in the cinema after the most recent lockdown.
Written and directed by John, and scored by Marco, the film tells the story of a family forced to navigate a world inhabited by blind aliens with heightened hearing. Best not make much noise, it's safe to say!
6/19/2021 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 250: Florian Zeller Discusses The Father
Edith spoke to our latest guest on Soundtracking in the midst of our very first lockdown - not only when we were considerably more uncertain about things than we are today, but also before we knew what an extraordinary impact his film was going to have on lovers of cinema.
Since chatting to Florian Zeller, his directorial debut The Father has had all manner of critical acclaim and recognition, including the award for best adapted screenplay (from Florian's own play) and best actor for Anthony Hopkins at this year's Oscars.
Now we're not going to lie, there's not a huge amount of music in The Father, so we don't talk about it at great length, instead focussing on the very skillful way he tells a very challenging story. And we're also going to suggest that if you haven't seen it yet, DON'T LISTEN, because it really is one of those films best watched with as little foreknowledge as possible, and he gives a fair few trade secrets away.
6/11/2021 • 30 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 248: Craig Gillespie & Emma Stone On The Music Of Cruella
It's another double header for you on this week's Soundtracking, with a director and one of his leading ladies joining me to discuss their spin on one of Disney's most iconic villains.
Craig Gillespie and Emma Stone have, quite simply, created a fabulous Cruella De Vil. Effectively a prequel to the original animated classic, Cruella also stars Emma Thompson and Mark Strong among many other fine actors, and tells the story of Estella Miller, a fashion designer making her way in 1970s punk London who eventually becomes the titular baddie.
As well as featuring over 50 songs, the film is scored by our dear friend Nicholas Britell, who complimented the deluge of needle drops with what he told us was his first rock-driven score.
6/4/2021 • 40 minutes, 21 seconds
Episode 247: Junkie XL On The Music Of Justice League & Godzilla Vs Kong
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer returning for a second visit, having scored pretty much every blockbuster to hit our screens in recent weeks.
The work of Tom Holkenborg - or Junkie XL, if you prefer - can currently be heard in the epic Snyder Cut of Justice League, Godzilla vs Kong, and the riotous Netflix Zombie heist flick Army Of The Dead, which hadn't been released at time of recording.
He was on BRILLIANT form - so we hope you enjoy the chat and, of course, his music as much as we do.
5/28/2021 • 55 minutes, 45 seconds
Episode 247: Nicholas Britell On The Music Of The Underground Railroad
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is one our our faves - a supremely talented composer and all-round top fella, returning to the podcast for a third time.
As ever, Nicholas Britell's services are in high demand - and he's been keeping pretty busy during the pandemic and beyond Not only has he scored Barry Jenkins's new Amazon Prime series, The Underground Railroad, but he's also penned the music for Cruella and the forthcoming season 3 of Succession among other things.
As always, you'll hear plenty of Nicholas's music sprinkled throughout, illustrating the discussion.
5/21/2021 • 48 minutes, 19 seconds
Episode 246: Julie Taymor & Elliot Goldenthal On The Music Of The Glorias
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are writer / director Julie Taymor and her partner both romantically and creatively, the composer Elliot Goldenthal.
Julia and Elliot joined Edith to discuss The Glorias, a remarkable film about the life of journalist and political activist, Gloria Steinem, with different actors playing her in the various phases of her life. It's a device that allows Julie all manner of scope for narrative fun and games, and elicits fine performances from leading ladies Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Lulu Wilson and Ryan Kiera Armstrong.
They also reflect upon Elliot's Oscar-winning score for Frida, which Julie directed.
5/15/2021 • 45 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode 245: Amelia Warner On The Music Of Wild Mountain Thyme
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a rare thing in this business: a female composer.
Huzzah!
Amelia Warner is relatively new to the game, but is definitely making waves, having provided the scores for Mary Shelley and the brilliant BBC short, Leading Lady Parts.
Her latest offering is Wild Mountain Thyme. Written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, Wild Mountain Thyme is a comedic family drama set in Ireland starring Amelia's husband Jamie Dornan, Emily Blunt and Mad Men's Jon Hamm.
Her score beautifully combines sweeping orchestration and traditional Irish music tropes, and you'll hear plenty of it throughout the course of the interview.
5/7/2021 • 43 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 244: Dustin O'Halloran & Volker Bertelmann On The Music Of Ammonite
Our guests on this latest episode of Soundtracking are successful musicians in their own right who - not for the first time - have teamed up to deliver a stunning movie score.
Dustin O'Halloran and Volker Bertelmann first worked together on Garth Edwards's Lion. They've since brought us the music to The Old Guard, The Art Of Racing In The Rain, A Christmas Carol and, most recently, Francis Lee's Ammonite - which is available digitally but will also have a selected cinema release in the UK from 17th May.
They are properly lovely fellas, and exceedingly talented to boot. Enjoy!
5/1/2021 • 36 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 243: Emerald Fennell & Carey Mulligan On The Music Of Promising Young Woman
Our guests on this week's Soundtracking are a couple of ladies eyeing success at the Academy Awards on Sunday evening.
Emerald Fennell and Carey Mulligan have combined to great effect on the former's directorial debut, Promising Young Woman, which she also wrote. Nominated for 5 Oscars - including best picture, director and actor - Promising Young Woman tells the story of Cassie, a med school dropout seeking to avenge the death of her best friend, who was a victim of rape.
By turns extremely funny, dark, and provocative, it also has a banging soundtrack and a fine score by Anthony Willis.
4/23/2021 • 32 minutes, 3 seconds
Episode 242: Kevin Macdonald & Chloe Zhao
We've cheated a bit this week - as one of our guests doesn't really talk about music at all. But given her film Nomadland has just won a sackful of BAFTAs and is nominated for six Oscars too, we thought we'd cut Chloe Zhao a little slack.
To be honest, Edith just wanted to share the interview with you, so much does she love the film - which stars Frances McDormand as a woman who becomes 'houseless' and travels America following the death of her husband.
We're also joined by Kevin Macdonald to discuss his new movie, The Mauritanian. Starring Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahman and Benedict Cumberbatch, The Mauritanian is based on the 2015 memoir Guantánamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was held for fourteen years without charge in Guantanamo. It's scored by relative newcomer, Tom Hodge, and you'll hear examples of his music throughout the conversation.
4/17/2021 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 27 seconds
Episode 241: Riz Ahmed & Darius & Abe Marder On Sound Of Metal
We don't just have one guest for you on our latest episode of Soundtracking - or even two. No, it's a 'three-for' this week, as we explore the wonder that is Sound of Metal.
Nominated for six Oscars and four BAFTAs, including shouts from both for the extraordinary Riz Ahmed as best actor, Sound of Metal tells the story of a drummer, Ruben, who is going deaf - with all the emotional trauma that entails.
And Riz is one of our three guests, alongside director and co-writer, Darius Marder, who's in the hunt for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards, among other accolades. We'll hear separately from Darius's brother, Abe, who not only co-wrote the script, but also had the tricky job of articulating Ruben's descent into silence sonically as a composer on the movie.
We also have to thank Abe for furnishing us with his yet-to-be-released music from the film, and Matthew at Nonesuch Records, who gave us the all clear to use it.
Sound of Metal is available to watch on Amazon Prime from 12th April, and is coming to cinemas on 17th May.
4/9/2021 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 240: Emile Mosseri On The Music Of Minari
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is composer Emile Mosseri, who has deservedly been Oscar nominated for his score to the quite beautiful Minari.
Written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung, Minari tells the semi-autobiographical story of South Korean immigrants trying to make a new life in rural America during the 1980s. It's available to watch as of today via the Altitude Film website - so you can find out for yourself why it's earned six - yes six - Academy Award nominations.
4/2/2021 • 41 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 239: Henry Jackman On The Music Of Cherry & Falcon And The Winter Soldier
Our latest episode of Soundtracking sees us joined by an incredibly prolific composer, who currently has a couple of very exciting projects for you to feast your ears on.
Henry Jackman's latest work can be heard on Apple TV's Russo brothers film, Cherry, and Falcon And The Winter Soldier, which is streaming weekly on Disney +
He's an absolute joy, and even tinkles the ivories throughout the course of the interview.
3/27/2021 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 238: Erran Baron Cohen On The Music Of Borat (CONTAINS SPOILERS)
Did you know that the person who scores Sacha Baron Cohen's film is, in fact, his brother Erran? Well done if you did; if not, that's your new fact for the day right there.
Erran is our guest on this latest episode of Soundtracking - with us primarily to talk about Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which has just picked up a couple of Golden Globes, has been nominated for Oscars and BAFTAs, and is available to watch right now on Amazon Prime.
We also have to thank Erran for servicing us with cues from the film, given that, for reasons unknown, his score is as yet commercially unavailable.
3/19/2021 • 55 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 237: Steve McQueen & Dennis Bovell On The Music Of The Small Axe Anthology
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a writer and director returning for a second sitting, who has made five outstanding films for the BBC about London's West Indian community.
Steve McQueen's Small Axe anthology is a series of historical dramas spanning from the late 60s to early 80s - from the story of the legendary Mangrove restaurant to Red, White and Blue, which stars John Boyega as Leroy Logan, the man who founded the Black Police Association.
As you'd expect, the music is exquisite - not least because of the input of the legend that is Dennis Bovell, who makes a guest appearance on the pod to talk about his classic, Silly Games.
3/12/2021 • 57 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 236: Actor Jamie Dornan Talks Music
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is an actor, model and musician who established himself in the mainstream with his chilling performance as serial killer Paul Spector in critically acclaimed drama, The Fall.
Jamie Dornan has since landed a string of leading roles, including the part of Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades series and Nick in Untogether, which was written and directed by former guest on this show, Emma Forrest.
His latest outing sees him appear alongside Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo in the madcap comedy Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar, which, we can assure you, is an absolute hoot.
He also stepped in at the very last minute, for which we're eternally grateful!
3/5/2021 • 36 minutes, 52 seconds
Episode 235: Edoardo Ponti On The Music Of The Life Ahead
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is truly born into cinematic royalty. Writer / director Edoardo Ponti is the son of Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti, who produced Dr Zhivago among many, many other films.
Edoardo's latest project is The Life Ahead, which stars his mother as a former prostitute who forms an unlikely bond with a Senegalese street kid. You can watch it on Netflix now, and we highly recommend you take the time.
Edoardo brims with enthusiasm, and has a mischievous sense of humour, making this a jolly entertaining listen indeed.
2/26/2021 • 44 minutes, 39 seconds
Episode 234: George C Wolfe On The Music Of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is American playwright and film and theatre director, George C Wolfe.
Now it's with a certain sadness we welcome George to the show, as his latest offering Ma Rainey's Black Bottom also happens to be Chadwick's last performance before his passing. But what a performance it is, as he and Viola Davis put on a virtuoso show as the eponymous blues singer and the trumpeter in her band.
It's available to watch on Netflix now - so you can see for yourself why it landed numerous award nominations and received widespread critical acclaim.
2/19/2021 • 37 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 233: Composer Ilan Eshkeri Reflects On His Career
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer whose name has been mentioned on countless occasions on this podcast, such has been his productivity across the diverse world of screen music
Ilan Eshkeri has worked on numerous films, TV shows and video games - the latest of which is the quite simply breathtaking Ghost Of Tsushima for the PS4. He's also scored four documentaries for David Attenborough, including A Perfect Planet, which you can watch on the BBC iPlayer right now.
He's also built up several strong creative partnerships over the years with the likes of Matthew Vaughn, Ralph Fiennes and Mat Whitecross.
2/12/2021 • 45 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 232: Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and On The Music Of WandaVision & Frozen
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are a husband and wife duo responsible for some of the most memorable original tracks to feature on our screens in recent times.
For Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez are the couple who wrote the songs in Frozen and Coco, winning Oscars for standouts Let It Go And Remember Mer respectively.
Now they have contributed theme tunes to episodes of the quite extraordinary WandaVision, which is streaming now on Disney +. Set in the Marvel Comic Universe, WandaVision takes place after the events in Avengers: Endgame, and sees Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprise their roles from the film series.
Beyond that, it's quite hard to explain what's going on, so you'll just have to investigate for yourselves!
2/5/2021 • 29 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 231: Zeina Durra & Nascuy Linares on The Music Of Luxor
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are a duo who've combined to great effect on the haunting drama and character study, Luxor.
As we'll hear, writer / director Zeina Durra contacted Venezuelan composer Nascuy Linares somewhat out of the blue to score her film, which tells the story of an aid worker who heads to Egypt to escape the horrors of the civil war in Syria, and runs into an old flame while she's there. Andrea Riseborough's performance in the lead role is something to behold, as are the locations and cinematography, so do check all of the above out on home entertainment formats as and when you get a second.
Originally, Zeina didn't want any incidental music at all, which perhaps informed the ambient, stripped-back aesthetic of Nascuy's score. But he's done a beautiful job from beginning to end - capturing both a mood and a sense of place.
1/29/2021 • 37 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 230: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross On Mank, Soul & Other Things!
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are a duo Edith's been chasing since we started this podcast, so it's an absolute thrill to finally lure them on.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross burst onto the film-composing scene with their score for David Fincher's The Social Network, for which they won an Oscar in 2010. The trio have since joined forces on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Gone Girl.
Trent and Atticus's most recent work can be heard on Fincher's Mank and Pete Docter's Soul, which you can watch right now on Netflix and Disney + respectively.
The two films couldn't be more different and had wildly contrasting musical requirements - which is testimony to the range of their talents.
1/22/2021 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 229: Composer Murray Gold Discusses His Career
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer who's been nominated for a BAFTA on no fewer than five occasions for his sterling output for television.
Murray Gold is perhaps best-known for his work on Doctor Who, which saw him continue a long-time partnership with top screenwriter, Russell T Davies. The pair first joined forces on Queer as Folk, and have since collaborated on numerous critically celebrated shows such as Years And Years and A Very English Scandal.
Their latest project is It's A Sin, which premiers on Channel 4 here in the UK on January 22nd. A tale of extreme highs and ghastly lows, it recounts the story of five 18-year-olds who move to London in the early 80s and have their lives turned upside down by the AIDS crisis.
The legend that is Frank Oz also gets a more than honorary mention!
1/15/2021 • 51 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 228: Composer Adam Janota Bzowski Discusses Saint Maud
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a first time film composer who's smashed his debut score right out of the park.
Adam Janota Bzowski has a background in both music and sound design, and has expertly married the two arts with his work on Rose Glass's Saint Maud. Garnering widespread critical acclaim, Saint Maud defies categorization, but broadly tells the story of a hospice nurse who becomes obsessed with a former patient in her care, believing she must save her soul. It's available on home entertainment formats from 1st February, and we suggest you pop a note in your diary for that - as it really is that good.
Adam's score compliments the unsettling atmosphere of the narrative, script and visuals perfectly - and is an incredibly accomplished first foray into the business.
1/8/2021 • 37 minutes, 40 seconds
Episode 227: Pete Docter & Tessa Thompson
Merry New Year, everybody! To see it in, it's another double-header for you.
First up, a true legend of recent cinema. Pete Docter is the Chief Creative Officer at Pixar. As well as winning Oscars as the director of Inside Out and Up, he was one of the main reasons we have Toy Story and has played some sort of hand in pretty much every movie to have come out of the studio.
His latest project is the hugely ambitious Soul, which he both wrote and directed. Streaming now on Disney +, the story follows a music teacher voiced by Jamie Foxx, who seeks to reunite his soul and his body after they are accidentally separated, just before his big break as a jazz musician.
Then we have Tessa Thompson talking about Sylvie's Love, another film to have jazz at its very core. Set in 50s Harlem, it's a classic romance between Tess's character, with ambitions of her own, and a saxophonist that beautifully evokes the spirit of the age. It's available to watch now on Amazon Prime.
1/1/2021 • 45 minutes, 27 seconds
Episode 226: Andy Burrows
We have one of Edith's dear old friends on this festive episode of Soundtracking - the one and only Andy Burrows
As well as teaming up with Edith's fella Tom in their Smith & Burrows guise, Andy drummed with Razorlight, is Ricky Gervais's go-to guy, and scored Snowman & The Snowdog with Ilan Eshkeri. He and Edith discuss all of this and more.
Hope you enjoy, merry Christmas everybody!
12/25/2020 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 4 seconds
Episode 225: Bruce Springsteen & Thom Zimny On Letter To You
We're very excited about our latest episode of Soundtracking, which sees a welcome return to the podcast for the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, and his longtime collaborator Thom Zimny.
The pair joined Edith during lockdown to discuss Bruce's new album, Letter To You, and Thom's gorgeous accompanying film of the same name. Letter To You saw Bruce reunite with the E-Street Band for the first time since 2014, and was recorded over 5 days at his home studio under Thom's watchful eye. Like Western Stars before it, it interweaves music, archive and the meditations of its protagonist to genuinely profound effect.
We highly recommend checking it out on Apple TV now.
12/18/2020 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 17 seconds
Episode 224: Michael Price On Life & Music
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer we've been wanting to get on for absolutely ages.
Michael Price has worked on a huge range of projects for film and television, including Dracula, Horrid Henry, Hot Fuzz, Band Of Brothers and, of course, Sherlock - for which he won an Emmy with David Arnold. He's also music edited some incredible movies, from Lord Of The Rings to Love Actually and Children Of Men
His most recent film score is for Eternal Beauty. Eternal Beauty saw him team up with recent guest on this show Craig Roberts, after they first collaborated on Just Jim.
We don't talk about music in as much detail, but don't worry, we'll get him back in 2021 and get granular. Michael doesn't know that yet, but still ...
12/12/2020 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 9 seconds
Episode 223: Alan Ball and Viggo Mortensen
Christmas continues to come early on Soundtracking, as once again we have two guests for you instead of one.
First up, a bit of a legend in our mind, given that he scripted both American Beauty and Six Feet Under. Alan Ball has now written and directed a little gem of a movie in the shape of Uncle Frank, which you can watch on Amazon Prime. Starting Paul Bettany and Sophia Lillas, Uncle Frank tells the story of a gay man forced to confront his past on a road trip with his niece, and has all the wit and nuance of Alan's previous stellar work.
Then, perhaps even more impressively on a certain level, Edith is joined by Viggo Mortensen, who not only wrote and directed, but also starred in, and composed the score for, Falling - his first film behind the camera. A long time in the making, Falling sees Lance Henriksen play the homophobic Willis, who is forced to move in with his gay son when he starts to exhibit signs of dementia. Falling has a cinematic release, but you can also watch it at home. Head to modernfilms.com/falling to find out how.
12/5/2020 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 222: Sofia Coppola & Alison Brie
It's all about girl power on this latest episode of Soundtracking, with not one but two women at the very top of their game.
First up is Sofia Coppola, returning to the podcast to discuss her new film, On The Rocks, which she both wrote and directed. Starring Rashida Jones and Bill Murray, it tells the story of Laura, a mum having doubts about her marriage whose charming yet cynical father, Felix, suggests her husband may be having an affair. It's streaming on Apple TV now, and sees both leads on fine, fine form.
Then Edith is joined by Alison Brie. Best known for her roles in Mad Men, Community and Glow, Alison has now directed an episode of Marvel 616. Marvel 616 is a series of 8 documentaries about everyday folk who are in some way connected to the universe of the comics. We'll let her explain further during the interview, but you can find out what it's all about for yourselves on Disney+
Enjoy!
11/27/2020 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 221: Ben Frost & Radha Blank Talk Music
As promised, we've another double-header for you on this latest episode of Soundtracking, as we span the globe with an Australian and an American.
First up is Ben Frost - a composer of extraordinary versatility. We spent much of the time discussing his scores for the mind-bending German Netflix sci-fi / thriller / mystery / time-travel drama Dark. His work on all three seasons is available to buy right now at invada.co.uk - so get ordering online at the first opportunity.
Then we bring you Radha Blank discussing The 40-Year-Old Version - a film she wrote, directed and stars in. Blurring the lines between reality and fiction, it tells the story of, you guessed it, Radha, a down-on-her luck playwright moving between the worlds of theatre and hip-hop.
11/20/2020 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode 220: Ludwig Göransson On The Mandalorian and Bassam Tariq On Mogul Mowgli
It's two for the price of one on our latest episode of Soundtracking, as we bring you a superb composer and splendid writer/director.
First up is our old friend Ludwig Goransson, here to talk specifically about season two of the Mandalorian - which is streaming now on Disney +, one episode at a time.
Then we bring you Bassam Tariq on Mogul Mowgli, which had a theatrical release before the second lockdown, and is now available to watch on the BFI Player and Curzon Home Cinema. More details are available here: https://www.mogulmowgli.co.uk/
Starring former guest on this show, Riz Ahmed, It's such a startlingly original piece of filmmaking, we really wanted to give it a little bit of love. Hence the bonus guest!
Enjoy!
11/13/2020 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 5 seconds
Episode 218: Composer Steven Price Discusses His Career
Our latest guest is a composer whose work you'll almost certainly know and love. As you'll hear, Steven Price took the scenic route into full blown film scoring with Attack The Block in 2011, after many years on the periphery of the business. His patience has been well rewarded - he went on to win an Oscar for Gravity, and has also worked on World's End, Baby Driver, Suicide Squad and The Aeronauts among many other things.
Steven joined Edith to discuss a couple of new projects he's done for Netflix, which you can watch right now: Glen Keane's beautiful animation, Over The Moon, and David Attenborough's A Life On Our Planet. Both very different, but both extremely moving in their own way - in no small part thanks to Steven's music.
11/6/2020 • 54 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode 218: Nick Frost Live At The London Podcast Festival
We're really thrilled to be able to bring you this latest episode of Soundtracking, as it's the first thing we've done in front of a live audience post-lockdown.
As part of the London Podcast Festival, Edith was joined by the one and only Nick Frost before a small, socially distanced gathering at King's Place to discuss all manner of things, including his new Amazon show Truth Seekers, a comedy-horror about a team of paranormal investigators.
We're hugely grateful to Nick for making the effort - and he was on predictably fine form. Thanks also to everyone who made the effort to be there in person or join us online. We really do appreciate it!
10/30/2020 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode 217: Ben Wheatley On Clint Mansell's Score For Rebecca
We've got a proper friend of the show on this latest episode of Soundtracking, as Ben Wheatley returns for his fourth - yes, fourth - sitting.
Our first ever guest, he previously joined us to discuss High Rise, Free Fire and Happy New Year, Colin Burstead. This time round he's here to talk about his take on Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca, from a screenplay by Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse. If you haven't seen it yet, you can watch it right now on Netflix.
Rebecca sees Ben reunited with composer Clint Mansell, who also provided the scores for High Rise and Colin.
10/23/2020 • 42 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 216: Melissa Parmenter On Composition & Production
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Melissa Parmenter. Not only has Melissa worked alongside the great Michael Winterbottom for many years as a producer, she's also a composer who scored The Killer Inside Me and Genova. In addition, she's released the Scandinavia EP and a new album, Messapica.
We talk to Melissa about her creative process, and how she balances her time between making films and TV shows like The Trip and making music.
10/17/2020 • 47 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 215: Ian Bonhôte & Peter Ettedgui On The Music of Rising Phoenix & McQueen
Edith's latest guests on Soundtracking are a couple of documentary makers whose work she absolutely loves.
She first met Ian Bonhôte & Peter Ettedgui following the release of their debut feature, McQueen, based on the life of British fashion designer, Lee Alexander McQueen. Now Ian and Peter have turned their attentions to paralympians with Rising Phoenix, which is streaming on Netflix now.
Scored by our old friend Daniel Pemberton, Rising Phoenix plays like a superhero movie, a device that really hits the mark.
The three of them also discuss Michael Nyman, who allowed Ian and Peter to use his music for McQueen.
10/9/2020 • 52 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode 214: Craig Roberts On The Music Of Eternal Beauty
Our latest guest on Soundtracking first came to Edith's attention with his barnstorming lead performance in Richard Ayoade's coming-of-age drama, Submarine.
Craig Roberts has since broadened his horizons and turned his attention to writing and directing - first with Just Jim and now the wonderful Eternal Beauty. Starring Sally Hawkins, Eternal Beauty tells the story of Jane, a young woman suffering from depression and schizophrenia in 80s suburbia following the trauma of being stood up at the altar. It's an audacious bit of filmmaking - dealing with the difficult subject mental illness with remarkable deftness of touch.
The movie is scored by Michael Price, who has been incredibly helpful in supplying us with his music - so thank you Michael, we'll get you on soon.
10/2/2020 • 47 minutes, 14 seconds
Episode 213: Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil Shares His Love Of Film Music
Our guest on this latest episode of Soundtracking is a world-famous frontman with a genuine passion for score.
SImon Neil is a guitarist and lead vocalist for Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro - whose most recent album A Celebration Of Endings went straight to the top of the UK album charts.
But as you're about to hear, he really does know his stuff when it comes to movie music too. Man, do we cover a lot of ground!
He also scored Jamie Adams' wee gem of a film, Balance, Not Symmetry, and hopes to do more scoring in the future.
9/26/2020 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 212: Ewan McGregor On The Music Of Long Way Up & His Films
Our guest on this latest episode of Edith's screen music podcast Soundtracking is an actor known for his roles in Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, Velvet Goldmine, Little Voice, Brassed Off, Star Wars and ... well, the list goes on and on and on.
Ewan McGregor's latest project sees him reunited with his good friend Charley Boorman for Long Way Up. Available now on Apple TV, Long Way Up accompanies the pair as they attempt to motorcycle all the way from the bottom of Latin America to Los Angeles - on electric Harley Davidsons! It really is a wild and hilarious adventure - and Edith is absolutely loving it.
The show features some brilliant tunes too, from familiar rock and pop to songs specific to the countries through which Ewan and Charlie travel. We also find out the unlikely band that he had in his headphones under his helmet ...
9/18/2020 • 30 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 211: Harry Gregson-Williams On The Music Of Mulan & His Career
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a hugely entertaining composer who has worked on tens and tens of movies, TV shows and video games.
Among Harry Gregson-Williams's many credits are an apprenticeship under Hans Zimmer, a long-term working relationship with the Scott brothers, the Shrek series, and an unlikely collaboration with Trey Parker and Matt Stone on Team America. The story behind how that came to pass is hilarious, by the way.
His latest project is the live action animation remake of Disney's Mulan, which is based on classic Chinese folklore and tells the story of a girl disguised as a man who becomes a great warrior. And you can watch it on Disney + right now!
9/11/2020 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 50 seconds
Episode 210: Ludwig Göransson On The Music Of TENET, Black Panther & Childish Gambino
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer I've been trying to pin down for yonks - so often has his name been mentioned on the podcast.
Ludwig Göransson is best known for his work with Childish Gambino, Ryan Coogler, on Disney's The Mandalorian and most recently the Christopher Nolan blockbuster TENET. And for all the wrong reasons, it's fitting that we speak to him now, given he won an Oscar for his score to Black Panther.
Edith recorded this interview before we learned the tragic news about Chadwick Boseman, who died of cancer last week aged just 44. But given Ludwig's connection to the film, it seemed only right we paid tribute to its star. Thus you'll also hear an extract from Episode 77, in which Marvel executive producer Nate Moore recalled a lovely story about how Chadwick was cast in the film.
Then, of course, there is the usual smattering of Ludwig's music at relevant points throughout the conversation.
9/4/2020 • 59 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode 209: Tim Roth Discusses The Music That's Featured In His Career
We love a good actor on this podcast, and we have a seriously good one for you in our latest episode in the shape of Tim Roth.
Tim's credits are too numerous to list, but he can currently be seen in the thoroughly gripping pulp crime drama Tin Star on Sky.
He's also worked with Quentin Tarantino on several occasions, and had the honour of meeting Ennio Morricone too.
Edith takes a deep dive into his career and the music that's featured in it along the way.
8/28/2020 • 59 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode 208: Glen Ballard On The Music Of The Eddy & His Career
You may not know Glen Ballard, but you do know Glen Ballard. For Glen is a songwriter, lyricist and producer who's worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Anastacia and Alanis Morissette - with whom he co-wrote Jagged Little Pill to great critical acclaim and commercial success.
His latest project sees him team up with Damian Chazelle (among others) for The Eddy, which centres on a jazz club in contemporary Paris. Not only was the Netflix series Glen's brainchild, but he also wrote all of the songs for it with composer and pianist, Randy Kerber.
As well as playing plenty of music from the show, Edith also drops a couple of classics from his illustrious career.
8/22/2020 • 45 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 207: Terence Blanchard On The Music Of Da 5 Bloods, Perry Mason & Spike Lee
We have a proper legend for you on our latest episode of Soundtracking in the shape of virtuoso trumpeter and composer, Terence Blanchard.
A well-established jazz musician in his own right, Terence was given a break scoring Jungle Fever by Spike Lee, for whom he's subsequently become the 'go-to' guy. Malcolm X and The BlacKkKlansman are just a couple of the movies they've joined forces on.
Their latest collaboration is Da 5 Bloods, which you can watch now on Netflix. He's also just provided the music for HBO's Perry Mason - with the score for that available via our good friends at Water Tower Music.
As ever, we'll sprinkle plenty of Terence's music throughout the conversation, so sit back and enjoy.
8/14/2020 • 51 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 206: Pixar's Dan Scanlon (And His Dog) On The Music Of Onward
One of the things that helped Edith and her family no end during lockdown was having access to the entire Pixar back catalogue through Disney Plus. She and her two boys watched virtually all of the movies and shorts again for the umpteenth time, so it was a real joy for us to welcome to the animator, writer and director Dan Scanlon to Soundtracking.
Dan joined Pixar in 2001, and worked on Cars and Toy Story 3 as a story artist before directing Monsters University. His latest work was the deeply personal suburban fantasy, Onward. Based on his own experience of losing his father, Onward tells the story of two elf brothers who go in search of an artefact that will temporarily bring their deceased dad back to life. It's both visually and emotionally beautiful, and if you haven't seen it already, watch it now!
The film is scored by Mychael and Jeff Danna, and we'll hear plenty of their work throughout the conversation, as well as that of Pixar stalwarts Randy Newman and Michael Giacchino.
8/7/2020 • 38 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 205: Jessica Swale On The Music Of Summerland
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is an award-winning playwright and theatre director, now turning her hand to cinema.
Jessica Swale's first play Blue Stockings premiered at Shakespeare's Globe in 2013. She went on to win an Olivier Award for Nell Gwynn in 2016, a comedy initially starring Gugu Mabatha-Raw - and then Gemma Arterton when it transferred to the West End.
Fittingly, both women take leading roles in Jessica's debut feature, Summerland. Spanning half a century, Summerland tells the story of Alice, a reclusive writer who is forced to take on a young evacuee called Frank during World War II, totally against her wishes.
It's a genuinely moving tale, complimented beautifully by Volker Bertelmann's music - aka Hauschka. Speaking of which, we'd like to say a huge thanks to Jess Barry at Lionsgate - and indeed the filmmakers - for providing us with his score, given that it's yet to be commercially released.
7/31/2020 • 45 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 204: Rob Delaney On The Music Of Catastrophe & Other Things ...
We are eternally grateful to our latest guest on Soundtracking - who ended up speaking to Edith twice for the podcast following a computer malfunction.
But that's the kind of guy Rob Delaney is. Best known for bringing us the multi-award winning Catastrophe with Sharon Horgan, Rob is an actor, comedian and writer of formidable talent - who's appeared in a whole host of films including Bombshell, Deadpool 2 and the forthcoming Home Alone reboot.
Rob's also a huge music lover, which is why our good friends at Invada Records invited him to put together one of their celebrity playlists.
We also discuss his love of the music in Alex Garland's Devs and The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, among many other things.
7/24/2020 • 59 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 203: Amma Asante Discusses Her Career
Edith's guest on our latest Soundtracking is a truly inspirational actor, writer and director, whose credits include Belle, A United Kingdom, Where Hands Touch and Mrs America.
Amma Asante's big break came in Grange Hill, in a role that saw her invited to the White House by Nancy Reagan as part of the Just Say No anti-drugs campaign. She subsequently wrote for television before making her first feature in 2004, A Way Of Life.
We hear about the music that's featured in Amma's work, and also her trip to Washington and the after-party thrown for her by none other than Prince.
7/17/2020 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 11 seconds
Episode 202: Composer Patrick Doyle On The Music Of Artemis Fowl & His Spectacular Career
Edith's guest on this latest episode of her film music podcast Soundtracking is a composer who's worked with the likes of Kenneth Branagh, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, Brian De Palma, Robert Altman and Ang Lee.
It's fair to say Patrick Doyle has compiled quite the CV since writing his first movie score at the end of the 1970s. His latest project sees him collaborate with Branagh for a 10th time on Disney's adaptation of Artemis Fowl.
They also discuss his work on Sense & Sensibility, Brave, Carlito's Way and Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes.
7/10/2020 • 53 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 201: David Dobkin On The Music Of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga
Edith has a lot to thank her latest guest on Soundtracking, who cheered her up no end during lockdown with his gloriously batty new comedy, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga.
David Dobkin is a writer and director who brought us Shanghai Knights, The Wedding Crashers and The Judge, as well as numerous music videos for the likes of 2Pac and Maroon 5.
This latest endeavour stars Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan and Dan Stevens - and tells the story of an unlikely Icelandic pop duo who get the chance to represent their country at Eurovision.
We absolutely loved it, and you can see why on Netflix right now.
7/3/2020 • 58 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 200: Pinar Toprak On The Music Of Captain Marvel & Fortnite
We can barely believe we're uttering these these words, but welcome to the 200th episode of Soundtracking. 200! That's a lot of great guests, stories, creative insights and - perhaps most importantly - music from the world of film and television.
And we're delighted to be celebrating our birthday with a brilliant female composer, given that it's still an industry dominated by men.
Pinar Toprak is a Turkish American musician, best known for her work on smash video game Fortnite and Captain Marvel. She joined me from her home in the US to discuss all manner of things, from the CD that inspired her to pursue a career in film scoring to the industrious way in which she landed the Captain Marvel gig.
6/26/2020 • 42 minutes, 4 seconds
Episode 199: Simon Bird & Stuart Murdoch On The Music Of Days Of The Bagnold Summer
We have another Soundtracking Live for you this week, recording at the Glasgow Film Festival back in February before lockdown came into effect.
Edith's guests were Simon Bird and Stuart Murdoch, discussing their collaboration on Simon's gorgeous directorial debut The Days Of The Bagnold Summer, for which Belle & Sebastian provided the music.
Starring Monica Dolan and Earl Cave (son of Nick), Days of The Bagnold Summer is based on a graphic novel by Joff Winterhart, and tells the story of a single mother and her 15 year-old son as they navigate the stresses and strains of a school summer holiday in each other's company. It's a beautiful piece of work, and you can watch it now on home entertainment formats.
As we'll hear, Belle & Sebastian furnished Simon with loads and loads of music, some of which had lyrics, some of which did not - instead serving as more traditional instrumental score. You can listen to the album in full via Matador records.
6/19/2020 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 198: Judd Apatow In Isolation On The Music Of The King Of Staten Island
We've a real Hollywood heavyweight for you on our latest lockdown episode of Soundtracking in the shape of Judd Apatow.
Judd is a director, writer and producer who's had a hand in some of the funniest films of the last 20 years, including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Bridesmaids and Anchorman. His TV credits include Freaks And Geeks, Crashing and Girls, which is some list.
Judd's latest project is The King Of Staten Island. It's a semi-biographical take on the life of Pete Davidson, who lost his firefighter father to 9/11. Pete takes the lead role a young man who must get his life together after his mum starts dating a new guy, who is also a firefighter like his deceased dad.
And the great news is, you can watch it NOW on home entertainment formats.
6/12/2020 • 30 minutes, 34 seconds
Episode 197: Jakob Dylan & Andrew Slater On Echo In The Canyon
We have a real treat for music aficionados this week, as Edith is joined by Andrew Slater and Jakob Dylan to discuss their brilliant documentary, Echo In The Canyon.
The film celebrates the popular music that came out of L.A.’s Laurel Canyon in the mid-60s as The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, and The Mamas and the Papas cemented the California Sound. Andrew and Jakob explore the interplay between these artists in a string of informal interviews with many of the key players, and discover how interconnected the creative process became during this now legendary period.
Jakob also covered a number of classics from the era with contemporary artists - including Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, Beck and Josh Homme.
6/6/2020 • 43 minutes, 4 seconds
Episode 196: Nisha Ganatra On The Music Of The High Note
Our guest on this latest lockdown episode of Soundtracking is a director, writer, producer and actor, who has worked on a wide range of projects including Late Night, Mr Robot and Girls, and won a Golden Globe for the TV series, Transparent.
Nisha Ganatra's latest film is The High Note, which is out on home entertainment formats now. Starring Diana Ross' daughter, Tracee Ellis Ross, Dakota Johnson, Kelvin Harrison Jr and Ice Cube, it tells the story of a PA to a famous singer who wants to become a producer.
As well as a load of classic needle drops, The High Note features plenty of original tunes too, mostly sung by Tracee.
We also hear score from the films of Jane Campion, Hildur Guðnadóttir and Ang Lee.
5/29/2020 • 43 minutes, 9 seconds
Episode 195: Composers Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein On The Music Of Stranger Things
The term cult following is bandied about a lot, but when it comes Stranger Things, it's certainly one that applies. Fans simply love the Netflix show - what with its blend of mystery, horror, science fiction, supernatural weirdness and childhood innocence, not to mention lashings of 80s nostalgia.
So it was a real joy to speak to series composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, who've channelled the old-skool electronic spirit of their band
S U R V I V E into three seasons-worth of score - all released through Lakeshore and Invada records.
5/22/2020 • 53 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode 194: Nitin Sawhney In Lockdown!
Our latest guest on Lockdown Soundtracking is the wonderful Nitin Sawhney. It's hard to know where to begin when it comes to summarising his career, so diverse has it been. Suffice to say, he's made considerable contributions to just about every single creative art-form, from film, TV and video game scores to theatre, poetry and dance.
As well as his own illustrious history as a recording artist, he's also collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music business, including Sir Paul McCartney, Sting, Anoushka Shankar, A.R. Rahman and many, many more.
So perhaps the best place to start is with his latest single from the album Immigrants, due out in September.
5/15/2020 • 50 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 193: Geoff Barrow & Redg Weeks On Their Label, Invada Records
It's a very special episode for score lovers this week, as Edith is joined by Geoff Barrow and Redg Weeks from Invada Records.
With its impeccable roster of composers, Invada's back catalogue has featured more times on our podcast than we can count. Among the artists they've worked with who we've spoken to - Cliff Martinez, Mica Levi, Blanck Mass, Warren Ellis and, of course, Clint Mansell. They've also been incredibly supportive of what we do, so it really was a treat chatting with them both remotely.
In addition to his celebrated band work, Geoff collaborates with another former guest on this show, Ben Salisbury, on film and TV scores. And he's teamed up with Ben and Bristol outfit The Insects for his most recent project, Alex Garland's mind-bending tech-noir series, Devs.
As always, there's plenty of music to enjoy.
5/9/2020 • 1 hour, 30 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 192: Ricky Gervais On The Music Of After Life In Lockdown!
Our guest on this latest lockdown episode of Soundtracking requires very little introduction.
We all know what a talented chap Ricky Gervais is - whether writing, acting or directing.
And he's put all of these skills to good use for After Life, now in its second season on Netflix. For those of you who don't know, After Life tells the story of Tony, whose world is turned upside down after his wife dies from breast cancer, and features a brilliant ensemble cast including Ashley Jensen, Penelope Wilton, Jo Hartley and Joe Wilkinson.
The music is pitch-perfect and wide-ranging too, from the needle-drops to Andy Burrows' score. Expect music from Hammock, Lionel Richie, The Carpenters, David Bowie and Bill Withers!
5/1/2020 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 3 seconds
Episode 191: Lenny Abrahamson On The Music Of Normal People
As quarantine continues, it's a welcome return to Soundtracking for Lenny, who joined us back in episode 107 from the BFI to discuss The Little Stranger.
Lenny's most recent project is Hulu's adaptation of Sally Rooney's fantastic novel, Normal People, which will be available in full via the BBC iPlayer from April 27th.
Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal, it's a beautifully pitched coming-of-age tale that tells the story of Marianne and Connell as they navigate a relationship during their school and university years.
As well as featuring loads of cracking needle-drops, Normal People is scored by Lenny's longtime collaborator, Stephen Rennicks.
4/24/2020 • 41 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 190: Nick Rowland & Blanck Mass In Isolation
We have two guests for you on this latest episode of Soundtracking in the shape of director Nick Rowland and musician Benjamin Power - aka Blanck Mass.
The pair have collaborated on Nick's debut feature, Calm With Horses, a visceral crime drama set in the wild west of Ireland starring Cosmo Jarvis and Barry Keoghan. It is a remarkably accomplished piece of film making, which also marks Ben's first extended foray into the world of scoring. As an album, it very much stands up in its own right too.
4/17/2020 • 57 minutes, 55 seconds
Episode 189: Riz Ahmed, Isolating In Style
Our guest on the latest lockdown Soundtracking is a hugely gifted writer, actor, activist and rapper - and, it turns out, properly top bloke too.
Riz Ahmed cut his teeth on independent films such Shifty and Four Lions, but has also had major parts in blockbusters like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
He joined Edith to discuss a whole range of subjects - not least a new short he's made with Aneil Karia called The Long Goodbye. It's available on Youtube, and is well worth 12 minutes of your time. Indeed, we suggest you watch it before listening, as we'll be discussing it in detail shortly.
4/10/2020 • 1 hour, 4 seconds
Episode 188: Composer Isobel Waller-Bridge In Isolation From Her Kitchen
Our guest on this week's Soundtracking was due to be joining Edith for a live show at the Bridport Film Festival in a couple of weeks time - but you know what sadly put an end to that.
Not to be defeated, we're delighted to say that composer Isobel Waller-Bridge joined us from her home via the miracles of technology to discuss many of the brilliant projects she's been involved with.
As well as providing the score for Autumn De Wilde's Emma, Isobel has also done fabulous work on Vita and Virginia, Black Mirror, Vanity Fair and Fleabag, which saw her collaborate with sister Phoebe.
4/3/2020 • 59 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode 187: Warren Ellis, Self-Isolating In Paris!
Our guest on the latest episode of Soundtracking has probably been mentioned almost as many times on this podcast as John Williams and Hans Zimmer.
Warren Ellis is a multi-instrumentalist musician and composer who is a member of Dirty Three, Grinderman and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, and has also written several film scores with Nick in addition to his own projects.
Warren was kind enough to join Edith while in isolation at his Paris studio to talk about his career and, well, this strange and worrying crisis humanity finds itself in right now.
It was a joy to speak to him - we really hope you have as much fun listening to it as we did making it.
3/27/2020 • 1 hour, 19 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 186: Jed Kurzel On The Music Of True History Of The Kelly Gang
Our guest on the latest episode of Soundtracking is an Australian composer who has worked for a wide-range of critically acclaimed directors, including Sir Ridley Scott.
Jed Kurzel's latest project is True History Of The Kelly Gang, which sees him continue his long-standing partnership with brother Justin - a previous interviewee on this show. The pair worked together on Snowtown, Macbeth and Assassin's Creed, while Jed also provided the score for Jennifer Kent's The Babadook, John Maclean's Slow West and, of course, Sir Ridley's Alien Covenant
3/20/2020 • 56 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 185: Philippa Lowthorpe On The Music Of Misbehaviour
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is the wonderful Philippa Lowthorpe, a director with an award-winning track record in film and television, with credits including Call The Midwife, Swallows & Amazons, The Crown and Three Girls.
Her latest film is Misbehaviour. Featuring a fantastic cast, the narrative follows events surrounding the 1970 Miss World Contest, which not only saw the first black competitor crowned but also the stage flour-bombed by women's liberation activists during the event. Suffice to say, host Bob Hope was not amused, and we highly recommend you google the footage if you haven't seen it already.
The score, meanwhile, was provided by former guest on this show, Dickon Hinchliffe.
3/13/2020 • 48 minutes, 40 seconds
Episode 184: Sharon Horgan On The Music Of Military Wives & Catastrophe
Our guest on this week's Soundtracking is an actor, writer and producer perhaps most famous for bringing us the sensational comedy drama, Catastrophe, which she created with co-star Rob Delaney.
Now Sharon Horgan takes a lead role in Military Wives. Based on the well-documented true story, Military Wives tells the story of a group of women who form a choir while their husbands are away in Afghanistan.
Directed by Peter Cattaneo of Full Monty fame, the film obviously features plenty of singing, with the tune selection having a pleasingly 80s twist. There's also an original number by Guy Chambers and Robbie Williams and a cracking score by our good pal Lorne Balfe - who was kind enough to send us a couple of his unreleased cues for you to enjoy. Cheers Lorne!
3/6/2020 • 49 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 183: Todd Haynes On The Music Of Dark Waters
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is returning for a second visit to discuss a film that had an instant and lasting impact on us, and has set critics purring - with one boldly describing it as 'the perfect movie'.
Dark Waters sees the delightful Todd Haynes direct Mark Rufallo as real-life lawyer Robert Billot, taking on American chemical giant DuPont on behalf of plaintiffs in West Virginia. Though Todd draws inspiration from classic conspiracy thrillers such as All The Presidents Men, he is ultimately more interested in his characters - the victims - and how their lives are quietly devastated by cynical forces way beyond their control.
As well as featuring plenty of country music as source, Dark Waters is beautifully scored by Marcelo Zarvos
2/29/2020 • 39 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 182: Emma Tillinger Koskoff On The Music Of Joker And Martin Scorsese
It has been a very good twelve months or so for our latest guest on Soundtracking - producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff.
In addition to her work the well-received Uncut Gems and The Souvenir, Emma has also had mainstream success with Joker and The Irishman, which saw her continue a longstanding partnership with Martin Scorsese. It's been a fruitful relationship, including their genuine labour of love, Silence.
2/21/2020 • 47 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode 181: Johnny Flynn On The Music Of Emma
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a supremely versatile actor and musician, who has released several albums and taken numerous critically acclaimed roles on stage and screen.
Johnny Flynn can currently be seen in Autumn De Wilde's adaptation of Emma, which stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Nighy and Josh O'Connor. Like Johnny, Autumn has strong connections to the music industry, having worked with the likes of Elliot Smith and Death Cab For Cutie in her guise as photographer and video director.
The pair bonded over a love of folk, which is one of the reasons she asked him to write a song for the film.
2/16/2020 • 43 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 180: Soundtracking LIVE at the BFI With Tim Burton
We're bringing you another Soundtracking Live this week, recorded at London's BFI shortly before Christmas with the one and only Tim Burton.
We had an absolutely cracking night in front of a full house, chatting about his longtime partnership with Danny Elfman and playing clips from Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorands, Batman Returns, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
As such, you'll need to use your imagination a wee bit in this episode - but the scenes we went for are so memorable and iconic, it shouldn't prove too problematic.
Besides, they are of course all beautifully scored - so if nothing else you can enjoy Danny's work.
2/7/2020 • 49 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 179: Marielle Heller On The Music Of A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood
Edith's guest on this week's Soundtracking is a writer, actor and director behind a trio of films we hugely admire.
Marielle Heller first came to our attention with her razopr-sharp comedy-drama, Diary Of A Teenage Girl. She followed that up with Can You Ever Forgive Me?, which won a slew of awards and saw Melissa McCarthy and Richard E Grant nominated for Oscars.
Now Marielle brings us A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, a drama inspired by Fred Rogers, a beloved American children's entertainer, musician & puppeteer - played in the film by Tom Hanks.
Fred is most famous for the show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood - so it seemed only fitting, given that we're a film music podcast, that we began with Mr Hanks's version of Mr Rogers' theme ...
2/1/2020 • 37 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 178: Kevin Smith On The Music of Jay, Silent Bob and Pretty Much Everything ...
Our latest guest on Soundtracking could not be more suited to a podcast about film music, what with him being so knowledgable and passionate about both artistic forms.
Kevin Smith burst onto the indie scene with his 1994 lo-fi slacker classic Clerks, which he shot for around $28,000 only to see it receive widespread critical acclaim and gross $3 million. It also introduced the world to Jay and Silent Bob, who have featured in many of his subsequent movies - getting their latest outing in Jay & Silent Bob Reboot. It's riotous good fun, whether you're familiar with their history or not.
A prolific podcaster himself, Kevin is bloody cracking company, with stories to tell about the music in pretty much all of his work, including a corker about Fleetwood Mac.
One of our faves, ever!
1/24/2020 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 177: Bruce Springsteen & Thom Zimny On The Music Of Western Stars
It's been a very good week for Soundtracking, with our little film music podcast nominated for two gongs at the UK's premier audio industry awards, the ARIAs.
And who better to celebrate with than one of the biggest names in the music business, Bruce Springsteen.
Bruce joined Edith following the premier of Western Stars, the film he co-directed with his long-time collaborator, Thom Zimny, who also took to the stage.
Western Stars is a cinematic interpretation of his album of the same name, and features live performances in his barn, interviews, home video footage and Bruce's meditations.
1/18/2020 • 45 minutes, 55 seconds
Episode 176: Sam Mendes On The Music Of 1917
It's been a jolly good week for our latest guest on Soundtracking, whose new film 1917 has just landed him a couple of gongs for best film and director at the Golden Globes and several BAFTA nominations.
We are, of course, talking about Sam Mendes, who joined Edith for a chat at London's Imperial War Museum towards the end of last year.
In case you don't know, 1917 tells the story of two soldiers in World War I charged with delivering a critical message to fellow troops, and is based on an firsthand account told to Sam by his grandfather.
Remarkably, the action is shot to appear like one continuous two-hour take. The fact that he pulls it off in such convincing fashion is thanks in no small part to the efforts of legendary cinematographer, Roger Deakins.
The score, meanwhile, is provided by Thomas Newman, who also worked with Sam on American Beauty and his Bond films.
1/10/2020 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 175: Taika Waititi & Brian Welsh On The Music Of Jojo Rabbit and Beats
Happy New Year one and all, and welcome to the very first episode of Edith's film music podcast Soundtracking of 2020. Here's to the next decade of cinema and song!
To celebrate, we've got not one but two guests for you, with two very different coming-of-age tales about young friendship and rebellion. Both, however, have tremendous warmth at their very core.
First up is writer, director and actor Taika Waititi, who's new film Jojo Rabbit tells the story of a boy obsessed by Nazism who discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in the attic. Oh yes, and whose imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler ...
Then we speak to Brian Welsh about his wonderful celebration of 90s dance culture Beats, which stars Christian Ortega and Lorn McDonald as two pals gearing up for their first outdoor rave. As you'd expect, the soundtrack is an absolute banger.
1/3/2020 • 1 hour, 20 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 174: Greta Gerwig On The Music Of Little Women
Our guest on the very last episode of Soundtracking of the decade is Greta Gerwig, returning to the show to discuss her second outing as a writer/director, Little Women.
It's the eighth film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic 1868 novel and boasts a staggering cast - including Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet and Meryl Streep.
The score, meanwhile, is provided by Alexandre Desplat - and we will of course sprinkle plenty of his music throughout the conversation.
12/28/2019 • 33 minutes, 19 seconds
Episode 173: Bryce Dessner on The Two Popes and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely On Avengers
We have a treat for you on our latest episode of Soundtracking, what with it being Christmas and all, with not one guest but three!
First up is the delightful Bryce Dessner of The National, who has scored the Netflix film The Two Popes, starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as the eponymous pontiffs, Benedict and Francis. As usual, you'll hear plenty of Bryce's music during the course of the conversation.
Then there's something for all you Avengers fans with a very entertaining turn from Infinity War and Endgame writers, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Now, if we're honest, we don't talk about music at length - but they're such good fun we wanted to share the interview with you anyway.
12/20/2019 • 1 hour, 33 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 172: Noah Baumbach On The Music Of Marriage Story
Our guest on this week's Soundtracking is a writer/director we've long admired, from his Oscar nominated The Squid And The Whale to Frances Ha and Mistress America.
Now Noah Baumbach brings us Marriage Story, a hugely acclaimed tale of a couple (played by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson) going through a horrible divorce. Available to watch now on Netflix, Marriage Story is scored by none other than Randy Newman - and there's of course plenty of his music to enjoy in this episode.
12/13/2019 • 47 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 171: Edward Norton On The Music Of Motherless Brooklyn
We're very excited about our latest episode of Soundtracking, which sees Edith joined by a supremely gifted actor, Edward Norton. Well, we say actor, but he's a little bit more than that, having written, produced and directed his latest project, the neo-noir Motherless Brooklyn.
Based on a novel by Jonathan Lethem, Motherless Brooklyn tells the story of Lionel Essrog, a private investigator with Tourette's syndrome trying to solve the murder of his mentor.
The film serves up a sonic feast - from our Daniel Pemberton's wonky jazz-infused score to an original song by Thom Yorke featuring Flea and a considerable contribution from virtuoso horn player, Wynton Marsalis.
We should say it also contains spoilers - but for Chinatown rather than Edward's own film!
12/6/2019 • 49 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 170: Todd Phillips On The Music Of Joker
One of our favourite films of the year has undoubtedly been Joker. We've already spoken to composer Hildur Guðnadóttir about her score for the movie, and now it's an utter delight to welcome director Todd Phillips back to Soundtracking for a second sitting.
There was much to discuss, from Hildur's stunning contributions to the influence of Charlie Chaplin and the thorny issue of why he used a Gary Glitter cue.
We also have tracks from Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Durante.
11/29/2019 • 49 minutes, 21 seconds
Episode 169: Paul Feig On The Music Of Last Christmas & Bridesmaids
Our guest on this week's soundtracking is something of a protofeminist in Hollywood terms, in that he makes it his mission to put strong, charismatic women at the very centre of his narratives.
Paul Feig made his name with Bridesmaids in 2011 - a much loved comedy starring Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne and Mellisa McCarthy that has more than stood the test of time. 8 years later he's back with another female-led offering, Last Christmas, which was written by (and features) Emma Thompson and sees Emilia Clarke take the lead.
Scored by Paul's regular collaborator Theodore Shapiro, Last Christmas is held together musically by a string of George Michael classics, both of whose work you'll hear plenty of ...
11/22/2019 • 49 minutes, 39 seconds
Episode 168: Anton Corbijn On The Music Of Depeche Mode & Joy Division
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is something of a demigod when it comes to the realms of music and film.
Anton Corbijn is a Dutch photographer, music video director and filmmaker who has snapped anyone who's anyone in the music industry, including Bob Dylan, Bjork, Bruce Springsteen and Miles Davies. Indeed, it was he who took those iconic pictures of Joy Division in the subway tunnel, beginning a relationship which ultimately led to him bringing us the Ian Curtis biopic, Control.
Anton has also had a long-standing relationship with U2 and Depeche Mode, and it is Depeche Mode's final concert of their Global Spirit tour that is the subject of his latest project - the documentary, Spirits In The Forest, which places a specific focus on six of the band's fans.
Depeche Mode: SPIRITS in the Forest is in cinemas for one night only worldwide on 21 November. Find your closest screening at spiritsintheforest.com
11/15/2019 • 34 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 167: David Michod On The Music Of The King
It's a welcome return for David Michod to our latest episode of Soundtracking, in which the Australian director talks us through the music for his latest film, The King.
The King is available on Netflix now, and is loosely based on on William Shakespeare's plays relating to Henry V.
In putting the movie together, David turned to a couple of friends of this show: co-writer and actor Joel Edgerton and composer Nicholas Britell. It's an intentionally otherworldly score, and, as ever, you'll hear plenty of it throughout the course of the conversation.
11/8/2019 • 41 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 166: Actor Sam Riley On Joy Division & Other Things
Our guest on this latest episode of Soundtracking is an actor who made his name portraying one of the most iconic frontmen ever to have graced a stage.
Sam Riley's performance as Ian Curtis of Joy Division in Control was, quite simply, stunning - and perhaps informed by his own experiences of playing in his own band, 10,000 Things. As you'll discover, Sam is not only a great lover of music, but also absolutely cracking company.
He can currently be seen appearing in Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil alongside Angelina Jolie.
11/2/2019 • 45 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode 165: Mica Levi On The Music Of Monos, Under The Skin & Jackie
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is someone we've been wanting to get on the podcast for a very long time - as have many of you, judging by the feedback we receive on social media.
Mica Levi, also known by her stage name Micachu, is a classically trained composer who came to the attention of the film world in 2014 with her debut score for Jonathan Glazer's Under The Skin.
Not only did Mica's work on her next film, Jackie, gain an Oscar nomination, but it also garnered vocal praise from none other than Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Now she's teamed up with Alejandro Landes for Monos, a deeply unsettling movie in which eight children with guns watch over a hostage and a cow on a faraway mountaintop.
10/25/2019 • 36 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 164: Composers Michael Giacchino and David Arnold
It's another double-whammy on our latest episode of Soundtracking - this time in the shape of two composers of world-wide repute.
Michael Giacchino cut his teeth on video games, before turning his attentions to film and television, with a host of award-winning scores for films such as The Incredibles, Up, Rogue One and Star Trek.
David Arnold, meanwhile, is a much-loved British artist who's been making screen music for nigh-on three decades - with Zoolander, Tomorrow Never Dies and Sherlock among his many credits.
Edith caught up with them ahead of a very special evening at London's Royal Albert Hall called Settling The Score, in which they played some of their greatest hits, for want of a better expression.
10/18/2019 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 17 seconds
Episode 163: Hildur Guðnadóttir & Dolly Wells
It's a double-whammy on our latest episode of Soundtracking, as we bring you two extremely talented ladies charting very different courses in the world of cinema.
First up is Hildur Gudnadottir. Well known to fans of this podcast - on which she has featured by proxy many, many times - Hildur has gained broader and much deserved recognition for her work on Joker - Todd Phillips's origin story about the eponymous super-villain that has proved hugely popular among movie fans and critics alike. If you haven't seen it yet, Joaquin Phoenix's performance is astonishing, as is Hildur's suitably disturbing score.
Then we have Dolly Wells, a much-loved British comedy actor who has just made her directorial debut with Good Posture. She and I have more of a chat about her career in television and film than the usual focus on music, but she's an utter delight, so we really wanted to share it anyway.
10/11/2019 • 1 hour, 26 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 162: John Crowley On The Music Of The Goldfinch (CONTAINS SPOILERS)
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is John Crowley, the Irish film and theatre director who previously brought us critical successes Intermission, Boy A and Brooklyn.
His new offering is The Goldfinch. Based on Donna Tart's novel of the same name, the narrative centres on Theo, a young man who takes a painting from a museum after his mother dies in a terrorist attack.
While the cinematography is provided by undisputed master of the art, Roger Deakins, John went for a relative novice in Trevor Gureckis for the score. As ever, you'll hear plenty of Trevor's work throughout the conversation.
10/4/2019 • 36 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 161: Composer Matthew Herbert On His Work In Film & TV
Edith's guest on the latest episode of Soundtracking is a composer who has been pushing sonic boundaries for three decades.
As well as releasing numerous albums and EPs under various monikers, Matthew Herbert has also scored a diverse range of films, including three for Chilean director Sebastian Lelio.
The word is overused, but we reckon he's a true visionary.
He now has television credits to his name too, with his latest project Temple currently available on Sky and Now TV.
As always, you'll hear plenty of Matthew's work throughout the conversation.
9/27/2019 • 50 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 160: Cillian Murphy & Anthony Byrne On The Music Of Peaky Blinders
If you haven’t been addicted to Peaky Blinders since it first aired in 2013, then you need to get yourself off to the BBC iPlayer at once and start catching up. All episodes are currently available for varying degrees of time, and we highly recommend you get involved before it's too late.
Directed by Anthony Byrne, the latest season sees Cillian Murphy return as Tommy Shelby, head of the eponymous gang vying for underworld supremacy in inter-war Birmingham.
And we're delighted to say that both Anthony and Cillian are with us on Soundtracking to discuss the show’s extraordinary music - which dares to put contemporary alternative artists against the period backdrop. As such, some of the lyrics are quite fruity!
We should mention Edith spoke to them not only before Season 5 screened, but before Anthony had even finished editing it.
We should also mention we had a few problems with Edith's mic during the recording, which we’ve dealt with as best we can. Thankfully, though, the lads sound fine, which is all that really matters.
9/20/2019 • 46 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode 159: Andy Muschietti On The Music Of IT (CONTAINS SPOILERS)
There can be few cinematic genres that benefit more from the power of score than horror.
And it IT and IT: Chapter 2, writer / director Andy Muschietti and his composer Benjamin Wallfisch have nailed it.
Reflecting the shape-shifting abilities of Pennywise The Clown, Benjamin has produced a soundscape which Andy describes as 'bendy' - that switches in an instant from the safe and dreamy to something altogether more dark and twisted.
As well as discussing the score at length, Andy also talks us through some of the needle drops he used, including tracks by The Cure and The Cult.
9/13/2019 • 43 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 158: Composer Alan Silvestri Reflects Upon His Career
We have the miracle of social media to thank for our latest episode of Soundtracking, after Edith reached out to the one and only Alan Silvestri on Twitter. And, gentleman that he is, he very kindly invited her to meet up with him on a recent visit to London.
Alan is responsible for some of Hollywood's most memorable scores and themes, from Back To The Future and Forrest Gump to Castaway and The Avengers. In recent times, his longstanding relationship with Robert Zemeckis is perhaps only matched by that of Steven Spielberg and John Williams.
As if that weren't enough, he also wrote most of the music for the classic TV show, Chips ...
9/6/2019 • 56 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 157: Sam & Aaron Taylor-Johnson On The Music Of A Million Little Pieces
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are husband and wife duo Aaron and Sam Taylor-Johnson, who have joined forces on a number of levels to bring us A Million Little Pieces.
An adaptation of James Frey's book of the same name, it's based on the author's experiences in rehab as he attempted to recover from alcohol and drug addiction. Despite the well-documented controversies surrounding the veracity of some of James's account, there's no denying it's power as a study of what it's like to hit rock bottom.
Sam and Aaron wrote the script together, before Sam got behind the camera and Aaron in front of it to take the lead role. They also worked as producers on the film.
The score, meanwhile, is provided by Atticus Ross - a frequent collaborator with Trent Reznor.
8/30/2019 • 51 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 156: Pedro Almodovar On The Music In Pain & Glory And Other Work
Something of a first on our latest episode of Soundtracking, as we're not only joined by a world-class director, but also his world-class translator.
To be fair, Pedro Almodovar's English is certainly better than Edith's Spanish, but we are eternally grateful to the lovely Maria for stepping in when he occasionally reverted to his mother tongue.
Pedro's latest film is Pain And Glory - a semi-autobiographical tale in which he draws on his own experiences to explore the life of Salvador Mallo, a director in decline.
Pain And Glory reunites Pedro with a number of longtime collaborators, including leading man Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz and composer Alberto Iglesias.
As well as plenty of Alberto's music, we also feature cues by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ennio Morricone and Grace Jones.
8/23/2019 • 51 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 155: Quentin Tarantino On The Music Of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
What better way to start the fourth year of our film music podcast Soundtracking than with one of the undisputed kings of the art, Quentin Tarantino.
His new movie Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is everything you'd hope for when it comes to the deployment of pop cues, and also features score by the likes of Bernard Herrmann and Maurice Jarre.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie among many others, Once Upon A Time is set in 1969 Los Angeles, where an ageing television actor and his stunt double navigate the changing Hollywood film industry. It blends fiction with real events - most notably the murder of Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson family.
8/16/2019 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode 154: Soundtracking At Three! Best Of The Year
This week marked the third birthday of our film music podcast Soundtracking - which is a milestone we’re very proud to have reached.
That we’re still going is thanks in no small part to you, and of course the guests who take half an hour out of their busy schedules to talk to me about their passion for all things sonic.
To mark the occasion, we’ve drawn together some of our favourite moments from the past year, which has featured many huge names from the world of cinema and television.
Among the voices you’ll hear are Bradley Cooper, M.I.A., Peter Jackson, M Night Shyamalan, Thelma Schoonmaker, Barry Jenkins, Jordan Peele, Cliff Martinez, Keanu Reeves & Danny Boyle - with some fabulous cues to boot.
8/9/2019 • 2 hours, 26 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 153: Max Richter Live At The BFI
Our latest episode of Soundtracking has been some time in the making - so busy is the composer in question. But, boy, was it worth the wait.
Max Richter is a name that's come up on numerous occasions on our film music podcast, with Joe Wright, Denis Villeneuve, Yann Demange and John Ridley among those who have either enlisted his services or used his original compositions in their work.
So we were truly humbled when Max agreed to join us on stage at London's BFI for one of our live events recorded in front of an audience.
Though we barely scratched the surface of his extraordinary back catalogue in the hour or so we had with him, we still covered a lot of ground, including his contributions to Waltz With Bashir, Mary Queen Of Scots, White Boy Rick, Black Mirror and Arrival.
8/2/2019 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 152: Nick Broomfield On Leonard Cohen
Our latest guest on Soundtracking makes a very welcome return to the show, having given us something of a retrospective on his astounding career back in episode 45.
Nick Broomfield is multi-award winning documentary maker who, among many other subjects, has made several films about musicians - including Kurt & Courtney, Biggie & Tupac and, most recently, Whitney Houston.
Continuing the theme, Marianne and Leonard: Words Of Love, is an intimate meditation on the relationship between Leonard Cohen and his Norwegian muse, Marianne Ihlen. It's a deeply personal project for Nick, who met Marianne during a visit to the Greek island of Hydra when he was 20, and also encountered Leonard on the LA party scene.
As with Whitney, Marianne and Leonard is scored by Nick Laird-Clowes , who consciously borrowed heavily from Cohen's musical lexicon to create a coherent sonic backdrop to the narrative.
We are also extremely grateful to (composer) Nick for providing us with several of his yet-to-be released cues from the movie
7/27/2019 • 33 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 151: Jon Favreau On The Music Of The Lion King
Back in 2016, Jon Favreau was kind enough to be the very first person we recorded for our film music podcast, Soundtracking. 151 episodes later, and Jon returns to discuss his flabbergasting remake of Disney's much-loved Oscar-winning musical, The Lion King - a mind-boggling photorealistic animation starring Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner, and Beyoncé.
As with the 1994 version, this new film is scored by our old friend Hans Zimmer, with Elton John returning to rework his compositions from the original alongside South African composer, producer and singer Lebo M. Pharrell Williams also produced five of the tracks.
7/19/2019 • 38 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 150: Screenwriter & Director Emma Forrest On The Music Of Untogether
Edith's latest guest on Soundtracking is one seriously multi-talented lady.
Emma Forrest is a journalist, novelist and screenwriter - who has now added directing to her CV with her drama, Untogether.
Starring Lola and Jemima Kirke, Jamie Dornan, Billy Crystal and Emma's former husband Ben Mendelsohn, Untogether tells the story of two sisters in the throes of relationships that are challenging for very different reasons. Music plays a key part in setting the tone, with one specific track by Primal Scream inspiring the whole film.
The film is scored by Robin Foster. And it's with Robin's track Hercules Climbs The White Mountain that we begin, since this was the piece he played to Emma that provided the basis for the entire soundscape of the movie ...
7/12/2019 • 41 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 148: Yann Demange On The Music Of White Boy Rick & '71
Our guest on this week's Soundtracking is the extremely talented and likeable director Yann Demange. Having made his name with TV shows such as Dead Set and Top Boy, Yann moved into cinema with '71, a critically acclaimed drama about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. '71 is scored by David Holmes, who was also instrumental in helping Yann pick the music for his second feature, White Boy Rick.
Based on an incredible true story, White Boy Rick stars Richie Merritt as Richard Wershe Jr., who became the youngest FBI informant ever at the age of 14 in the 1980s.
The film is scored by wonderful Max Richter - who you'll be able to hear on this podcast soon - and also features a banging set of tunes from the 70s and 80s.
6/28/2019 • 42 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 147: Legendary Composer Cliff Martinez On His Career
We couldn't be more excited about our latest episode of Soundtracking, recorded with the one and only Cliff Martinez at his beautiful home & studio in Topanga Canyon, California.
Cliff's name has come up on countless occasions since we started this podcast - not least in the company of Steven Soderbergh, Nicolas Winding Refn, Todd Phillips and Drew Pearce, all of whom have employed the expert services of the former Red Hot Chilli Pepper to score their movies.
We'll hear plenty more about all of these fine gentleman - and get the inside line on Cliff's work on films such as Sex, Lies and Videotape, Drive, Only God Forgives, War Dogs and Hotel Artemis.
6/22/2019 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 146: Asif Kapadia On Diego Maradona
As with the lunar landing and assassination of JFK, there are a fair few folk who can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when Diego Maradona punched the ball into Peter Shilton's net, sending Argentina on their way to victory in the quarter final of the 1986 World.
So it's no surprise, over three decades later, that someone has decided to tell the story of this enigmatic sporting superstar. And that someone is our old friend Asif Kapadia, returning to Soundtracking to discuss his revealing biopic, Diego Maradona.
Having previously explored the lives of troubled geniuses Ayrton Senna and Amy Winehouse, Asif has once again cast a forensic eye across a mind-bendingly brilliant yet undoubtedly flawed individual - with the key difference in this instance being that his subject is still alive.
The results are utterly captivating.
As with both Senna and Amy, Asif turned to Brazilian composer Antonio Pinto for the score. And, as ever, you'll hear plenty of Antonio's work throughout the course of the conversation, as well as a killer disco-tinged boomer from Todd Terje ...
6/14/2019 • 39 minutes, 40 seconds
Episode 145: Composers Carly Paradis, Amelia Warner & Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch Live At The BFI
Three inspirational women are the stars of our latest episode of Soundtracking, Edith's weekly screen music podcast, as we bring you another of our live events recorded at London's British Film Institute.
Carly Paradis, Amelia Warner and Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch are all making big waves in the world of film composition - which, let's be honest, is (like the rest of the business) rather male dominated. So is was an absolute pleasure to get them on stage together in front of an audience to appreciate and celebrate their work.
Though this was recorded quite a few months ago, we've held it back because, on June 12th in London, a new concert event celebrating the work of female composers in film & media will take place at EartH in Hackney, in which all three will feature.
More information on that event can be found here.
6/7/2019 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 4 seconds
Episode 144: Olivia Wilde, Dexter Fletcher & Giles Martin
It's three for the price of one on the latest episode of Soundtracking.
First up is actress, producer and now director, Olivia Wilde, who makes her debut behind the camera with Booksmart.
A coming-of-age comedy/drama starring Kaitlyn Dever and Beanind Feldstein, it boasts a killer soundtrack and a super-cool score by Dan The Automater.
As if that weren't enough, we then welcome director Dexter Fletcher and composer Giles Martin, who join forces to fabulous effect on the Elton John musical biopic, Rocketman. Starring Taron Egerton in the lead role and Jamie Bell as Elton's longtime collaborater, Bernie Taupin, the film features all the classics, reworked for the purposes of the narrative by Giles.
But we begin with Olivia - who we can assure you knows and loves her music. As we mentioned, she's used a number of great needle-drops in Booksmart, including tracks by LCD Soundsystem, Lizzo and Anderson Paak. Dan the Automator, meanwhile, compliments her choices with his score, which more than passes as a standalone work of beats, breaks and dreamy electronica ...
5/31/2019 • 1 hour, 22 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 143: The Return Of Guy Ritchie & The Music Of Aladdin
It's a welcome return for Guy Ritchie to Soundtracking, Edith's weekly film music podcast. And it's also a welcome return for Aladdin, making his first big screen appearance since 1992 in Guy's live action remake of DIsney's animated classic.
In this visually stunning reboot, Will Smith is charged with filling Robin Williams's considerable boots as Genie, with Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott playing Aladdin and Jasmin respectively.
As with the animation, this latest incarnation is scored by Alan Menken, who won an Oscar and Golden Globe for the original. And in addition to a new number called Speechless, it features plenty of familiar tunes, including the classics Arabian Nights, One Jump Ahead and Friend Like Me.
5/24/2019 • 33 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode 142: Keanu Reeves & Chad Stahelski On The Music Of John Wick & The Matrix
We are truly in the company of cinematic royalty on the latest episode of Soundracking, as Keanu Reeves joins John Wick director Chad Stahelski to discuss chapter 3 of the hugely enjoyable franchise.
Theirs was very much a partnership forged during the filming of The Matrix trilogy - on which Chad worked as both a stuntman and stunt co-ordinator. When Keanu received the script for Wick, he invited Chad on board, who in turn enlisted the services of composers Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard.
They provided the scores for all three movies, and as ever you'll hear plenty of their work sprinkled throughout the conversation - as well as a couple of classic needle drops from The Matrix.
5/17/2019 • 41 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 141: Director Dome Karukoski On Thomas Newman's Score For Tolkien
We have a treat for you on our latest episode of Soundtracking, not just in the shape of our guest but also the quite magnificent score that accompanies his new film.
For director Dome Karukoski wisely enlisted the services of the incomparable Thomas Newman for Tolkein, a biopic on the life of The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings author. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney, and Derek Jacobi, Tolkein charts the writer's formative years, as his creativity, friendships and love affair with Edith Bratt are put to the test by the outbreak of World War I.
As ever, you'll hear plenty of Thomas's music throughout the conversation, as well as examples of Hildur Guðnadóttir & Lasse Enersen's work on one of Dome's previous movies, Tom Of Finland.
5/10/2019 • 49 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 140: The Return Of The Russo Brothers
After 22 films featuring a legion of heroes and villains, it is the end (of sorts) for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Avengers: Endgame is the culmination of an epic undertaking on the part of Marvel Studios, and delivers thrills, laughs, spectacular set pieces and one or two tears.
We've done our best to avoid spoilers, but if you haven't seen Endgame or indeed Infinity War, you might want to wait before diving in to this latest episode of Soundtracking.
As with Infinity War, Endgame directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, with the score provided by Alan Silvestri. And in the fine tradition of the Marvel movies, we've got a rather large bonus at the end of our conversation in the shape of our first interview with the Russo brothers, to save you searching for it on the internet. It really is worth revisiting.
5/3/2019 • 1 hour, 32 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode 139: Legendary Composer George Fenton on Dangerous Liaisons, Gandhi, Blue Planet & More
What links Gandhi, Dangerous Liaisons, Groundhog Day, My Name Is Joe, The Fisher King and You've Got Mail?
The answer is composer George Fenton, who scored all of these films as well as a hundred-odd more! He also provided the music for several big budget BBC wildlife documentaries, including as The Trials Of Life and Blue Planet and Planet Earth.
So we are indeed in esteemed company on our latest episode of Soundtracking, the original podcast about screen music.
We caught up with George at his wonderful home on the release of Red Joan, a British spy drama starring Sophie Cookson and Judi Dench. As usual, you'll hear George's work from this and other movies throughout the conversation, as well his experiences of collaborating with Stephen Frears, Terry Gilliam, Ken Loach, Nora Ephron and Sir Richard Attenborough.
4/26/2019 • 1 hour, 11 seconds
Episode 138: Producer & Engineer Jake Jackson Discusses A Multitude Of Scores
Our guest on this week's Soundtracking is not necessarily a name you'll be familiar with. But as a movie fan, you'll certainly know the music he has had a key hand in.
For in his 20 years at Air Studios, Jake Jackson has produced and engineered an extraordinary number of magnificent scores. As well as being Nick Cave and Warren Ellis's go-to guy, he has also worked on Gladiator, Pete's Dragon and Under the Skin among many other well-known films. Indeed, his work has featured on at least 20 episodes of this podcast, which is why we were so keen to get him on.
4/19/2019 • 49 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 137: Tom Harper, Nicole Taylor & Jessie Buckley On The Music Of Wild Rose
It's three for the price of one in our latest episode of Soundtracking, as director Tom Harper, writer Nicole Taylor and actress Jessie Buckley join me to discuss their new film, Wild Rose.
Set in Glasgow, Wild Rose tells the story of Rose-Lyne Harlan, a troubled working class mother of two who dreams of becoming a country star in Nashville. With strong support from Julie Walters and Sophie Okonedo, it's a moving, bittersweet affair, that never goes in quite the direction you're expecting. It also features plenty of music - some of which you'll recognise and some of which is totally original.
Indeed, with the help of their music guru Jack Arnold, Nicole and Jessie wrote several of the songs that appear in the movie.
4/12/2019 • 47 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 136: Soundtracking Live At The BFI With Andy Serkis & Nitin Sawhney
Our latest episode of Soundtracking is another live event, recorded at the British Film Institute in London with writer, director & actor Andy Serkis and musician Nitin Sawhney.
The pair have collaborated on several occasions, most recently on Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle, Andy's performance capture reimagining of The Jungle Book. It's available to watch now via Netflix, and if you haven't seen it already we highly recommend it. Nitin also provided the score for Breathe - Andy's directorial debut.
As alway's, you'll hear plenty of music from both films during the conversation and plenty more besides.
4/5/2019 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 135: Eli Roth On His Favourite Scores
You wait months for a guest to talk with authority about scary movies, then two come along at once. Following Jordan Peele's fine turn in our previous episode, we're delighted to welcome Eli Roth to the show this time round.
Eli is a writer, director, actor and producer who came to prominence with films such as Cabin Fever and Hostel. While much of his work is not for the faint hearted, his latest project, The House With A Clock In Its Walls, follows the great Spielberg tradition of frightening family fun.
Eli is also an encyclopaedia when it comes to score - to the point at which we couldn't source half of the music he refers to. But no matter: as you'll hear, he delivers quite the lesson nonetheless ...
3/29/2019 • 58 minutes, 3 seconds
Episode 134: Jordan Peele On The Music Of Get Out & Us
We haven't featured as much horror as we'd like on Soundtracking, so it really is a great thrill for us to welcome the man of the moment in that particular field, Jordan Peele.
Having forged a hugely successful career as a comedian and actor, Jordan won an Oscar and numerous other accolades for his debut feature, Get Out, which blended traditional genre tropes with social observation to create something altogether fresh.
Now he follows it up with the equally brilliant Us, in which a family is confronted by a group of doppelgängers. Both films were scored by Michael Abels, who had never previously worked on a movie until Jordan came along.
We'll hear plenty of Michael's work, as well as some of the truly brilliant needle drops that are used across the Get Out and Us.
3/22/2019 • 55 minutes, 52 seconds
Episode 133: Simon Amstell & James Righton On The Music Of Benjamin
Two extremely talented gentlemen join us for our latest episode of Soundtracking, better known for their work in fields other than cinema.
But in Benjamin, writer / director Simon Amstell and composer James Righton of Klaxons fame have collaborated on a film that is tender, moving and also very funny.
Starring Colin Morgan and Phénix Brossard, Benjamin tells the story of a filmmaker who is forced to confront life's big questions as he embarks on a relationship with a charismatic young musician.
As ever, you'll hear plenty of James' score, as well as an insight into Simon's CD soundtrack collection ...
3/15/2019 • 58 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 132: Mary J Blige On Her Career As A Singer & Actress
There is a fine tradition of female singers who have made the successful transition to cinema - from Barbara Streisand and Queen Latifah to Diana Ross and Lady Gaga. And we can certainly include R&B goddess Mary J Blige on that list.
Having sold over 80 million records, Mary has a string of impressive acting credits to her name too. She played Malcom X's widow Dr Betty Shabazz in Betty and Coretta, and was nominated for an Oscar for performance as matriarch Florence Jackson in the deeply moving period drama, Mudbound.
Mary is equally at home at the less-serious end of the entertainment spectrum, as demonstrated by her turns in Rock Of Ages and The Umbrella Academy, which is available now on Netflix.
We should say that we had some terrible static interference on the recording of this interview, which we genuinely think may have been caused by Mary's earrings! We've tried to clean it up as best we can, but do forgive us as and when the quality occasionally dips below our usual high standards …
Head to Itunes and search for our playlist for this episode, to listen to every track that is featured on the show, in the order we play it. Alternatively, cut and paste the following link:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/playlist/soundtracking-with-edith-bowman-episode-132-mary-j-blige/pl.u-6mo4l9mhpzG6x
3/8/2019 • 34 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 131: Editor Thelma Schoonmaker On The Music Of Scorsese
Genius though he is, Martin Scorsese would be the first to admit the enormous debt of gratitude he owes to one Thelma Schoonmaker.
For Thelma is the woman who has edited over 20 of his movies, from Raging Bull and Casino to Gangs Of New York and The Departed. So it's truly an honour to welcome her to Soundtracking, the weekly screen music podcast. As you'd hope, she has some great stories to share with us.
Thelma was married to the late Michael Powell, one half of the legendary partnership Powell and Pressburger. Their work influenced Martin hugely - and indeed it was he who introduced Thelma to her would-be husband.
You'll hear plenty of music from their films, as well as some of the more memorable cues to feature in Martin's back catalogue. There are a few notable clips to enjoy, too ...
3/1/2019 • 54 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 130: Composer Nicholas Britell On The Music Of If Beale Street Could Talk, VICE and Battle Of The Sexes
If the release of If Beale Street Could Talk gave us a much needed excuse to get Barry Jenkins onto our screen music podcast, Soundtracking, then it also provided the perfect opportunity to invite his composer Nicholas Britell back for a second time.
Nicholas's turn in episode 46 was a delight, illuminating the nuances of his Oscar-nominated score for Moonlight in ways that were quite beyond anything we'd imagined.
His work on Beale Street is equally layered, encapsulating with its mournful strings and wistful horns the old adage that the course of true love never runs smooth. It is, from start to finish, gut-wrenchingly beautiful, and has quite rightly seen him nominated by the Academy again. At the time of recording, we don't know if he landed the gong, but he'd certainly make a worthy winner.
We also discuss his work on Adam McKay's Vice too - a film with a mere 8 Oscar nominations - and Battle Of The Sexes, which was directed by former guests on this show, Valerie Farris and Jonathan Dayton.
2/22/2019 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 129: Joe Cornish On The Music Of The Kid Who Would Be King, John Williams & More
It's been the best part of eight years since Joe Cornish released his directorial debut Attack The Block. And in our humble opinion, his follow up The Kid Who Would Be King has been well worth the wait.
That's not to say Joe hasn't been busy, co-writing the Adventures Of Tintin with Edgar Wright, Stephen Spielberg and Peter Jackson, and Ant Man with Edgar and Paul Rudd, among others.
But it's great to have him back at the helm. Based on an idea Joe originally had as a twelve year old, The Kid Who Would Be King tells the story of a young boy who finds King Arthur's legendary sword Excalibur, and must then use it to stop the mythical enchantress Morgana from destroying the world.
The film is scored by Electric Wave Bureau, a collective comprising Damon Albarn, his wife Suzi Winstanley, Michael Smith and Nelson De Freitas, and you'll hear plenty of their work sprinkled throughout the conversation.
There's also music by John Williams, Led Zeppelin, Prefab Sprout and, er, Bucks Fizz ...
2/18/2019 • 1 hour, 29 seconds
Episode 128: Joel Edgerton On The Music Of Boy Erased & The Gift
We have another polymath for you in the latest episode of Soundtracking - this time in the shape of Australian actor, writer and director Joel Edgerton.
Joel's latest project is Boy Erased - in which he admirably deploys all three of these skills. Based on a memoir by Garrard Conley, the film stars Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Troye Sivan, and tells the story of the son of devout Baptist parents who is forced to take part in a gay conversion therapy program.
Boy Erased is scored by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, who also collaborated with Joel on his directorial debut, The Gift. At Joel's behest, it's a nuanced affair, hinting at the darker themes of the movie without ever over-stating them. They also make great use of choral voices.
We should mention that Joel and Edith discuss a key plot detail during the course of the interview, so if you're planning to see the film, you might want to hold fire before listening to this ...
2/11/2019 • 50 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 127: Barry Jenkins On The Music Of Moonlight & If Beale Street Could Talk
Ever since meeting him prior to the release of Moonlight, Edith has been longing to get Barry Jenkins onto Soundtracking. So it's an absolute pleasure to welcome him along ahead of the UK opening of his latest movie - the magnificent If Beale Street Could Talk.
Based on the novel by James Baldwin, it tells the story of a young African-American woman who seeks to clear the name of her imprisoned lover before the birth of their child.
If Beale Street Could Talk has recieved three Oscar nominations including Best Adapted Screenplay for Barry and Best Original Score for his composer and former guest on this show, Nicholas Britell.
At Barry's request, Nick's score leans heavily on jazz tropes. We also discuss his excellent taste in needle-drops, from Nina Simone to Al Green and Barbara Lewis.
2/4/2019 • 52 minutes, 34 seconds
Episode 126: Dean Deblois On The Music Of The How To Train Your Dragon Trilogy
When the opportunity to interview the Canadian writer, director and animator Dean Deblois presented itself, we just had to say yes, even though our schedule is choc-a-block.
For alongside Chris Sanders, Dean is the man behind the How To Train Your Dragon trilogy - a series of films that have brought Edith and her two boys an immense amount of joy. They're also responsible for Lilo And Stich, another big hit in the Bowman household.
The final installment of the trilogy is called Hidden World. Scored by John Powell (with a little help from Jonsi of Icelandic band Sigur Ros), it brings to a conclusion the story of Hiccup the Viking and his dragon, Toothless. The animation is mind-blowing, and beautifully compliments a narrative that's both wildly thrilling and deeply moving.
As always, we'll be interspersing relevant music with the conversation, including the Jonsi tracks that feature on the end credits of the first two films - Sticks & Stones and Where No One Goes.
2/1/2019 • 37 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 125: M. Night Shyamalan On The Music Of Unbreakable, Split, Glass & The Sixth Sense
18 years after he brought us the lo-fi superhero thriller Unbreakable - and a mere 3 since the surprise sequel Split - M Night Shyamalan finally completes his so-called Eastrail 177 trilogy with Glass.
All the key players from the pervious films return, led by Bruce Willis's blue collar vigilante and Samuel L Jackson and James McEvoy's super-villains. Much of the action takes place in the mental institution where the trio are incarcerated and probed by Sarah Paulson's sceptical psychiatrist.
Glass is scored by West Dylan Thordson, who also provided the music for Split. It's an edgy, minimalist affair - with the ambient gloom and agitated strings reminiscent of Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow's incredible work on Alex Garland's Annihilation (see episode 85!)
And it's with West's cue Backfire that we begin, as Night reflects upon the history of a trilogy nearly two decades in the making.
We should say that if you haven't seen Split and intend to do so anytime soon, you might want to wait before listening to this, though it wouldn't be the end of the world ...
1/28/2019 • 51 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 124: Producer Elizabeth Karlsen On The Music Of Colette, Parting Glances, Little Voice & More
You may not be familiar with her name, but you will certainly know her films. For Elizabeth Karlsen has produced a whole host of cinematic gems - including The Crying Game, Little Voice, Made In Dagenham, Great Expectations and Carol. And having spoken to her husband Stephen Woolley on this show previously, it's a pleasure to welcome her to Soundtracking, Edith's weekly podcast about screen music.
Indeed, such has their lasting influence been that they are to receive The Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema at the 2019 BAFTA Film Awards.
Elizabeth's latest project is Colette. Staring Keira Knightly and Dominic West, Colette tells the true story of a French woman whose husband exploits her creative talents by persuading her to write under his name. The success of the ensuing series of novels brings them both considerable fame, though she soon becomes frustrated that she cannot take the credit she deserves.
Colette is scored by Thomas Adès, and it is with his title track from the movie that we begin our interview. You'll also hear music from Bronski Beat, Frank Sinatra and Minnie Riperton among others.
We should add that there's a fair bit of choice language in this episode - not least from the mouth of Sir Michael Caine …
1/21/2019 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 9 seconds
Episode 123: Jon S Baird On The Music Of Stan And Ollie & Filth
Two episodes of Soundtracking in 2019 - two five-star films. Following Yorgos Lanthimos's appearance to discuss his subversive period drama The Favourite, Jon S Baird joins us for our latest show to talk us through the music in his much-vaunted Laurel & Hardy biopic, Stan & Ollie.
Starring Steve Coogan and John C Reilly, Stan & Ollie tells the story of their theatre tour of the British Isles many years after the peak of their fame. By turns funny and moving, it brims with charm, innocence and wit. The central performances are utterly convincing, and beautifully complimented by Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda as the comedy duo's wives.
Having worked with Clint Mansell on Filth, Jon employed the services of composer Rolfe Kent for the score, whose previous work includes Sideways and Up In The Air - not to mention Dexter. And, as always you'll hear plenty of Rolfe's work sprinkled throughout the conversation, even though his cues from the film have yet to be commercially released.
But where else could we begin that with his take on Dance Of The Cuckoos - the unmistakable Laurel & Hardy theme ...
1/14/2019 • 58 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 122: Yorgos Lanthimos On The Music Of The Favourite
Our latest episode of Soundtracking couldn't be better timed, what with Olivia Coleman having just landed a Golden Globe for her performance as Queen Anne in The Favourite. If you haven't heard it already, her acceptance speech is particularly amusing - and will most likely be one of several she has to deliver during this awards season.
Telling the story of two ambitious women (played by Rachel Weisz & Emma Stone) competing for Anne's affection, The Favourite is directed by our old friend Yorgos Lanthimos. And we're delighted to say he returns to the show to discuss the sonic intricacies of his brilliant film.
As you may recall if you listened to his previous outing, Yorgos has never hired a composer, preferring instead to source existing compositions. That said, he's most happy to profess extreme gratitude to his sound designer Johnnie Burn - as, in fact, are we. For Johnny not only provided us with a couple of specific cues from the movie, but also pointed us in the direction of a lovely video which reveals how he and his team went about soundscaping the drama.
You can find that video in full at Soundworkscollection.com - though we've dropped a bit of it into our conversation here too.
1/7/2019 • 39 minutes, 56 seconds
EE Rising Star Award Special: Letitia Wright, Cynthia Erivo & Jessie Buckley On Music & Their Careers
Happy New Year, one and all, and welcome to this bonus episode of Soundtracking, as we kick off 2019 by celebrating the nominees for the EE Rising Star Award at February's British Academy Film Awards.
Now in its 14th year, the EE Rising Star Award is the only category at the ceremony voted for by the public. Previous winners include Tom Holland, James McAvoy, Eva Green, Tom Hardy, Kristen Stewart, John Boyega and last year’s winner, Daniel Kaluuya
So how are the nominees chosen? Well, a panel of industry experts and enthusiasts gather at BAFTA HQ to discuss potential candidates. And Edith is one of them!
And so to the shortlist, presented in alphabetical order in the time honoured tradition: the nominees are Jessie Buckley, Cynthia Erivo, Barry Keoghan, Lakeith Stanfield & Letitia Wright.
All you have to do to vote online for your favourite is head to ee.co.uk/BAFTA now! The winner will be revealed at the EE British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 10th February.
To give you a flavour of the competition, we're delighted to say we're joined by the three female nominees, who reflect upon their careers and genuine passion for music. As you'll hear, all of them can sing for starters ...
1/4/2019 • 1 hour, 22 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 121: Robert Zemeckis On The Music Of Welcome To Marwen, Back To The Future, Forrest Gump & More
Robert Zemeckis is an absolute legend. From Back To The Future to Polar Express and Forrest Gump, he makes the kind of movies you can watch over and over again.
So it's a great honour to welcome him to Soundtracking for our very last show of 2018.
Robert's collaborator-in-chief is composer Alan Silvestri, who has scored every one of his films since Romancing The Stone, which came out in 1984\. And yes, we will be playing the theme from that, as well as a couple of classic tunes from Forrest Gump and plenty more besides.
But we begin with their latest project, Welcome To Marwen. Starring Steve Carrell, it's based on a documentary about artist Mark Hogencamp, who in 2000 was brutally attacked by five men after he told them he was a cross-dresser.
Following nine days in a coma, Mark suffered brain damage that left him little memory of his previous life. By way of therapy, he built a model World War II–era Belgian town in his yard and populated it with dolls representing himself, his friends, and even his attackers.
Mark called the town Merwencol, and this episode begins with Alan's cue of the same name.
12/31/2018 • 43 minutes, 34 seconds
Epiosde 120: Director Rob Marshall On The Music Of Mary Poppins Returns
54 years after she first lit up the lives of the Banks family - not to mention cinema-goers the world over - everyone's favourite nanny is back.
Mary Poppins Returns sees Emily Blunt in the title role, reunited with the household in the wake of a tragedy three decades after events of the original.
It's directed by Rob Marshall, and we're delighted to say that Rob is our guest on this festive edition of Soundtracking - the weekly podcast about film and television music.
Remaining true to the spirit and tone of the 1964 movie, Mary Poppins Returns is a love letter to London, Walt Disney, animation and, of course, classic silver screen musicals.
The score and songs were composed by Marc Shaiman, with lyrics from fellow Broadway legend Scott Wittman, and we also reflect at length upon the Sherman brothers' classics of the original.
12/24/2018 • 48 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 119: Peter Jackson & Philippa Boyens On The Music Of Mortal Engines & Lord Of The Rings
Epic is a word oft-applied to cinema, but rarely can it have been more appropriately used than to describe the work of Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens. For along with writing partner Fran Walsh, it is they that brought us both the Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies, not to mention King Kong.
Their latest project is the equally ambitious Mortal Engines, which they wrote and produced. Based on the novel of the same name by Philip Reeve, Mortal Engines is based on the mind-boggling premise that cities of the future have been mounted on wheels and motorised in order that they can hunt and prey upon each other.
The film's score is provided by Tom Holkenborg, also known as Junkie XL, a previous guest on this show. There's plenty of his work to enjoy in this episode, as well of that of Howard Shore, who worked on The Lord Of The Rings & Hobbit movies.
12/17/2018 • 39 minutes, 49 seconds
Soundtracking Special In Association With Fender: Guitar Music At The Movies With Kle Savidge & Daniel Pemberton
In recent weeks, we've been asking for suggestions for your favourite example of guitar-playing in film with a view to winning a Fender from their new Player Series range.
As you might imagine, we've been inundated - receiving shouts for everything from Morricone to The Blues Brothers and Wayne's World.
For this bonus episode, we invited composer Daniel Pemberton and music supervisor Kle Savidge to judge the winning entries. Hopefully, you'll appreciate the magnificent trio of cues & scores which came out of the hat.
Thanks to Fender for providing guitars from their Player Series range to our competition winners.
12/12/2018 • 24 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 118: Director David Lowery On The Music Of The Old Man & The Gun
It's with a slightly heavy heart that we welcome you to our latest episode, given that the film we're discussing is almost certainly the great Robert Redford's last. That film is The Old Man And The Gun, and the writer / director behind it is David Lowery.
David first appeared on the show in August 2017, where we covered A Ghost Story, Pete's Dragon and Ain't Them Bodies Saints among many other things.
So here the focus is very much on his latest project. Based on a true story, it stars Robert as gentleman bank robber Forest Tucker, Sissy Spacek as the woman he falls for, and Casey Affleck as the rookie cop pursuing him. To a person, the acting is electrifying.
Tom Waits also has a role, which gives us an excuse to play one of our favourite tracks of his, What's He Building?. You'll also hear music by Jackson C. Frank, The Kinks, Scott Walker and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy.
The score, meanwhile, is provided by Daniel Hart, who is David's regular collaborator. At Daniel's suggestion, the pair settled on jazz for the sonic backdrop - and we give you a taster of that too.
12/10/2018 • 39 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 117: Christopher McQuarrie & Lorne Balfe On The Music Of Mission Impossible: Fallout (Contains Mild Spoilers)
If you want a masterclass in how to score an action movie, you've come to the right place. Because in this episode, director Christopher McQuarrie and composer Lorne Balfe talk us through their stellar work on the genuinely brilliant Mission Impossible: Fallout.
As you'll hear, Chris and Lorne are, quite simply, tremendous company. We cover a lot of ground too - from the intricacies of scoring a chase sequence to reworking one of the most famous themes ever.
Indeed, one of the obvious challenges faced by Lorne was how to marry Lalo Schifrin's iconic work on the TV series with Christopher's requirements for his very contemporary take on the franchise. Our opening cue Kashmir is an example of how he did it - featuring as it does Lorne's interpretation of Lalo's classic 'Plot' & 'Mission' themes.
There's also plenty more of the score to enjoy and some great anecdotes about cinematic folklore.
Be warned, while there are no major spoilers, Chris and Lorne do go into the narrative in some detail, so you might wish to wait to listen if you prefer to watch films 'blind'.
12/3/2018 • 1 hour, 23 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 116: David Mackenzie On The Music Of Outlaw King (Contains Spoilers)
Over 100 episodes have passed since writer / director David Mackenzie first joined us on Soundtracking.
On that occasion, we talked about his critically acclaimed thriller, Hell Or High Water, and much of his back catalogue.
He returns to discuss Outlaw King, a passion project about Robert The Bruce which is available to watch now on Netflix.
As well as a score by Tony Doogan (on which David is credited), Outlaw King features plenty of traditional Celtic and ecclesiastical music - which was sourced by music supervisor Jim Sutherland.
You'll hear plenty of both throughout this episode.
We should point out that if you don't know the story of Robert The Bruce, David goes into it at length during this conversation, which obviously provides much of the narrative content for his movie.
11/26/2018 • 41 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 115: David Yates & David Heyman On The Music Of The Crimes Of Grindelwald
Our latest episode of Soundtracking comes off the back of a very special day Edith spent at Abbey Road Studios in London as the score for JK Rowling's Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Gindelwald was being recorded.
She was there as the guest of director David Yates and producer David Heyman, both of whom join us this week to discuss what she heard and saw - and how James Newton Howard's stunning compositions compliment the action on screen.
It's their second appearance each, having been on by themselves before, so do check out both those episodes once you're done with this one.
11/19/2018 • 35 minutes, 19 seconds
Episode 114: Director Steve McQueen On The Music Of Widows, Shame & Sade
Our latest episode of Soundtracking in association with the White Company marks the first appearance for a man Edith has long admired.
Steve McQueen is a British writer, director and producer. who had critical big-screen success with Hunger and Shame before scooping an Academy Award for 12 Years A Slave.
His latest project is the ensemble heist thriller Widows. Based on the 1983 ITV series of the same name, The plot follows a group of women who attempt a heist in order to pay back a crime boss after their ne'er-do-well husbands are killed on a botched job.
It's scored by Hans Zimmer, and also features a sumptuous Nina Simone track and brand new material by Sade, which is always cause for celebration.
We also discuss David Bowie, Liza Minnelli, Glenn Gould and much more besides.
11/12/2018 • 40 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 113: The Return Of Ben Wheatley & Clint Mansell
Our latest episode of Soundtracking in association with The White Company sees a return for a third time of two of our faves.
Writer / director Ben Wheatley's made his debut on our very first show, while composer Clint Mansell walked us through his back catalogue in our 52nd outing - including his magnificent work on Ben's adaptation of the JG Ballard novel, High Rise.
Ben then returned to talk about the jazz-funk score for Free Fire, with Clint joining Duncan Jones in Los Angeles to discuss Duncan's future-noir thriller, Mute. That conversation was an awful lot of fun - and well worth checking out if you haven't already.
Now, at last, we've managed to get Ben and Clint in the same room to tell all about their latest collaboration, Happy New Year, Colin Burstead.
Very loosely based on the Shakespeare play, Coriolanus, it tells the story of Colin, who hires a lavish country manor for his extended family to celebrate New Year. But as we all know, family gatherings over the festive season rarely pass without one or two cataclysmic moments, and Colin's wee party is no exception ...
11/5/2018 • 45 minutes, 45 seconds
Episode 112: Soundracking Live With Irvine Welsh At Festival No 6
It's another Soundtracking Live this week - this time recorded a month or so back at Festival No 6 in the weird and wonderful village of Portmerion, north Wales.
Our guest that day was a novelist, playwright and occasional director of shorts, who well and truly thrust himself into the pop cultural consciousness with Trainspotting, and Danny Boyle's subsequent film adaptation of the same name.
We are, of course, talking about Irvine Welsh.
Irvine was on fine form - discussing everything from his unlikely love of musicals and rom coms to the directors and composers who've inspired him as both a writer and a great fan of cinema. It all seemed to go down well with a packed audience, which made a very long round-trip more than worthwhile.
Expect music from from Oliver, Boogie Nights, Pulp Fiction and more ...
10/29/2018 • 56 minutes, 39 seconds
Episode 111: Sacha Gervasi Returns For My Dinner with Hervé
Our latest episode of Soundtracking sees a return for the supremely entertaining writer, director and producer Sacha Gervasi, who joined us a couple of months back to discuss his career to date. We held some of that interview back to coincide with the realease of his latest movie, My Dinner with Hervé.
Starring Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan, My Dinner With Hervé recounts the later days of actor Hervé Villechaize, best known for his roles in smash TV show Fantasy Island and The Man With The Golden Gun, in which he played Nick Nack. As you'll hear, it's a deeply personal endeavour for Sacha, who, almost by chance, got to know Hervé well shortly before he commited suicide.
Given My Dinner With Hervé was 25 years in the making, Sacha talks at length about his own relationship with Herve and why he felt he owed it to him to get project off the ground. We think it's a tale worth telling. So, before we get to the music, we're going to share this incredible backstory with you, interspersed with extracts from composer David Norland's score.
10/22/2018 • 39 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 110: Damien Chazelle On The Music Of First Man
Since last joining us on Soundtracking, it’s fair to say Damien Chazelle has done alright for himself - becoming the youngest ever winner in the Best Director category at the Oscars for La La Land.
His latest offering is First Man. Starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, the narrative explores the years leading up to and including the 1969 Apollo 11 Mission to the moon, with the focus very much on the emotional challenges faced by Neil Armstrong and his family.
It's another giant leap for Damien, who seems pathologically incapable of making a bad movie. We discussed Whiplash and La La Land at length during our first conversation, so the focus is very much on how he and composer Justin Hurwitz went about creating a soundscape to transcend earth and space for this project.
10/15/2018 • 38 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 109: Bradley Cooper On Lady Gaga & A Star Is Born
As if it weren't enough writing, producing, directing and starring in a movie, you'd surely have the right to feel pretty smug if said movie got rave reviews across the board too.
Well, that's exactly what's happened with Bradley Cooper and A Star Is Born - though he was anything but smug when he joined Edith to discuss his achievements in our latest episode of Soundtracking. If anything, one gets the impression he's genuinely stunned and humbled by how well his work has been received.
A remake of the 1937 film of the same name, it stars Bradly and Stefani Germanotta (better known as Lady Gaga), and follows a hard-drinking musician who discovers and falls in love with a young singer.
It marks the third remake of the 1937 original, which was adapted into a 1954 musical starring Judy Garland and James Mason and then remade as a 1976 rock musical with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.
And, just as Lady G proves to quite the actor, so it turns out Bradley has a really rather unexpectedly brilliant singing voice …
10/8/2018 • 35 minutes, 27 seconds
Episode 108: M.I.A. Discusses Her Music & The New Documentary About Her Life
We very much like welcoming musicians to Soundtracking, so we were incredibly excited to learn about a documentary on the life of superstar Sri Lankan / British rapper M.I.A. - not least because Edith has been a huge fan since her days at BBC Radio 1.
Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. was directed by her longtime friend Steve Loveridge, and follows 22 years in her life - including her rise to fame and her perspective on the controversies sparked over her music, public appearances and political activism. It has been incredibly well-received, and won a special jury award at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
Obviously, you'll hear plenty of M.I.A.'s work throughout the conversation, and also find out about some her musical and cinematic influences.
10/1/2018 • 45 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 107: Soundtracking Live At The BFI With The Creative Team Behind The Little Stranger (Contains Spoilers)
The latest episode of Soundtracking finds us out and about once more, this time at the British Film Institute on London's South Bank.
And it's a truly stellar cast.
Director Lenny Abrahamson, composer Stephen Rennicks, editor Nathan Nugent and producer Gail Egan joined Edith in front of an audience to discuss the music of their latest film, The Little Stranger.
Based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Waters, the plot follows a doctor who visits an old house his mother used to work at, only to discover it may hold a dark secret.
As you'll hear, there's a bit more talking and a bit less music than we usually serve up, but what the gang has to say makes for essential listening if you have even the the remotest interest in film-making.
Now one of the reasons it was such a joy speaking to Lenny, Stephen, Nathan and Gail is that they brought along all sorts of exclusive clips to share with us, including alternative beginnings and rough cuts from The Little Stranger.
Obviously you won't be able to see these clips, but we've included the audio anyway to give you a sense of how much thought the team puts into every single frame. The guys also set up each clip in detail to give you a sense of what's going on.
Hopefully, your imagination will do the rest.
9/24/2018 • 1 hour, 26 minutes, 13 seconds
Episode 106: Bart Layton On The Music Of American Animals (Contains Mild Spoilers)
Our latest edition of Soundtracking features British writer / director Bart Layton.
Bart won widespread critical acclaim for his debut The Imposter, a documentary about the case of the French conman Frédéric Bourdin, who impersonated a Texas boy who disappeared at the age of 13 in 1994.
His new film is also inspired by an extraordinary true story about a group of ordinary everyday guys who plan to steal the most expensive book in America. Unlike The Imposter, though, it's predominantly a work of 'based on real events' fiction, with great performances by all of the actors in the central roles.
It also features a banging soundtrack and excellent score by Anne Nikitin.
9/14/2018 • 52 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 105: Composer Dickon Hinchliffe On The Music Of Yardie, Leave No Trace, Peaky Blinders, Locke, Project Nim & More
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer who cut his teeth as a founder member of Tindersticks, with whom he wrote orchestral arrangements, recorded numerous albums and toured worldwide.
Dickon Hinchliffe then turned his hand to scoring films when French director Claire Denis asked the band to write the music for her film Nénette et Boni.
Dickon hasn't looked back since, providing the sonic backdrop to films as diverse as Winter's Bone, Project Nim and Leave No Trace.
His latest project is Idris Elba's directorial debut, Yardie, which required compositions that complimented not only the narrative but also the fabulous soundtrack.
9/11/2018 • 48 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 104: Marc Forster On The Music Of Christopher Robin, Bond & More
Our latest guest may be German, but he's clearly something of an Anglophile, having made a Bond film, the Peter Pan inspired Finding Neverland, and now a new take on the British cultural institution that is Winnie The Pooh.
Perhaps most importantly, Marc Forster is a total audiophile too!
Marc's Christopher Robin is a delightful live-action addition to the Disney franchise, with Ewan McGregor in the leading role and Jim Cummings, Toby Jones and Sophie Okonedo among those providing the animal voices.
It also features 3 original tunes by Richard Sherman, the legendary Disney songwriter.
Christopher Robin is dedicated to composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, who had already started scoring the film when he passed away so unexpectedly at the age of 48\. So, at the eleventh hour, Jon Brion and Geoff Zanelli stepped in. You'll hear plenty of their exceptional work throughout the conversation, as well as tracks by Spoon, Muse, Chris Cornell, Wreckless Eric and more.
8/31/2018 • 55 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 103: Ol Parker On The Music Of Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again
Providing a sequel for one of the highest grossing and most loved live-action musicals of all-time is a terrifying challenge by any reckoning, so we think you might be surprised how humble and down to earth the man that was charged with doing so is.
Ol Parker wrote and directed Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and has done a fine job too. As well as managing an all-star cast including Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Cher, he also had the not insignificant problem of melding all those iconic songs with the wonderful Anne Dudley's score. Thankfully, Benny and Bjorn from ABBA were on hand to help …
The reason we're coming to you a little later than normal is because Anne and Mamma Mia music supervisor Becky Bentham have been moving heaven and earth to provide us with exclusive cues from the film. So as well as plenty of sing-along classics, you'll be hearing Anne's score too.
8/26/2018 • 55 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode 102: Sacha Gervasi On The Music Of Anvil, Danny Elfman & More
Our latest guest is another of those 'annoying' multi-talented sorts, who's written, directed and produced a whole host of movies to widespread acclaim.
Sacha Gervasi's first film was The Big Tease, which he co-wrote with Craig Ferguson. He went on to pen The Terminal, made into a film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks. That's some feat.
He also directed the brilliant rockumentary Anvil, which tells the deeply personal story of a heavy metal band who've been plugging away for 30 years.
And it's with Anvil that we began. If you're unfamiliar with their work, it's pure Spinal Tap, only real …
8/17/2018 • 58 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 101: Paddy Considine On Nick Cave, Punk, Horror Movies & The Music In His Work
And so to episode 101 of Soundtracking, the weekly podcast about screen music. And we're delighted to say the person who joins us for the first step of our journey towards 200 is the multi-talented Paddy Considine.
As well as starring in a wide variety of critical & commercial successes, Paddy wrote and directed the award-winning Tyrannosaur, and also fronts his own band, Riding The Low.
Now he brings us Journeyman. Scored by Harry Escott and featuring music by Nick Cave and Guided By Voices, Journeyman tells the story of a boxer who survives a coma following a brutal fight - with devastating consequences for both himself and his loved ones.
It really is an incredibly powerful and moving drama - with knockout performances by Paddy and Jodie Whittaker in the lead roles. Not that the process of bringing it the screen was easy - as you'll hear during the course of a remarkably candid conversation.
8/10/2018 • 55 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 100 (!!!): Best Of Soundtracking
Back in 2016, we had the idea of making a podcast dedicated to screen music. We had no clue whether we'd get the guests, whether they'd have anything to say, whether it'd get repetitive - or even whether you'd listen.
Roll forward 2 years, and here we are at Soundtracking celebrating our 100th episode.
It's a milestone we're incredibly proud to have reached, and to mark the occasion we've compiled a selection of our favourite moments from our first hundred episodes. The diversity of what you'll hear shows what infinite variety there is to the fine art of film and teleivision music - which is exactly why you won't be getting rid of us just yet.
Among those featured in this Who's Who of showbusiness are Jon Favreau, Nicolas Winding Refn, Ron Howard, Edgar Wright, Danny Boyle, Sofia Coppola, Justin Hurwitz, Greta Gerwig, Duncan Jones and Clint Mansell.
Enjoy!
8/8/2018 • 2 hours, 58 minutes
Episode 99: Soundtracking Live With Top Playwright & Screenwriter Abi Morgan
It's a slightly different edition of Soundtracking this week, as we bring you another of our live events, this time recorded at the Moët Summer House weekend in London in June.
Edith's guest was the brilliant playwright and screenwriter Abi Morgan, whose work includes movies Iron Lady and Shame and TV dramas The Hour, River and The Split.
We're bringing this one to you in two parts, because as well as talking about music, we also spoke at length about her craft. And while it doesn't quite fit with our usual brief, we thought we should share what Abi had to say about that too, as she provides great insights into the process of writing for the screen.
7/30/2018 • 44 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 98: Drew Pearce On Hotel Artemis and Cliff Martinez
It's a very special episode of Soundtracking for Edith this week, as we welcome first-time director Drew Pearce to the show.
Edith and Drew have known each other for nearly 20 years, during which time he's co-written Iron Man 3 and provided the story for Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
His debut feature as a director is Hotel Artemis, which is set in the near future and tells the story of a nurse who runs a hospital for criminals. Despite being new to the directing game, Drew has assembled a quite incredible cast - headed up by Jodie Foster in her first major acting role for 5 years. Jeff Goldblum, Sofia Boutella and Sterling K Brown are among those providing support.
He also managed to persuade composer Cliff Martinez to score the movie, and we get plenty of insights into how the great man operates.
7/20/2018 • 48 minutes, 27 seconds
Episode 97: Brad Bird On The Music Of Incredibles 2, Pixar & Disney
Not for the first time on this show we're joined by Pixar royalty, which is, frankly, a joy.
Following Edith's chat about Coco with Lee Unkrich & Darla Anderson back in episode 75, we're delighted to welcome writer, director, animator, voice-actor & double Oscar winner Brad Bird - who has just served up another masterclass in movie-making with Incredibles 2.
Like Coco, Incredibles 2 is scored by Michael Giacchino, who also worked with Brad on the first film. We also talk about Iron Giant, find out about his introduction to Disney, and discover some of his favourite scores.
7/16/2018 • 43 minutes, 9 seconds
Episode 96: Kevin Macdonald On The Music Of Whitney, Marley, Last King Of Scotland & More
Our guest this week is an Oscar winning Scottish director, equally at home in the realms of fact and fiction.
Kevin Macdonald won his academy award for One Day in September, but has also won widespread critical acclaim for films such as Marley, The Last King Of Scotland, How I Live Now and State Of Play. He's collaborated with some tremendous composers along the way, including Jon Hopkins and Alex Heffes - of which more later.
But we begin with his latest project Whitney, a gut-wrenching documentary about the ill-fated singer, featuring candid interviews with those closest to her, as well as plenty of her music.
We also hope it provides aspiring filmmakers with a fascinating insight into his processes.
7/6/2018 • 47 minutes, 49 seconds
Episode 95: Writer / Director Clio Barnard
We know we bang on about it here on Soundracking, but it really is hard to get women on the programme, such is the male dominance of the industry. But every now and again, our efforts succeed, in this case with the suprememly talented writer/ director, Clio Barnard.
Clio's latest film is Dark River. Starring Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley, and Sean Bean, it tells the story of a woman who returns home after a 15 year absence in order to claim the tenancy of her father's farm.
Boasting a new song by PJ Harvey, Dark River is scored by Harry Escott, who has worked with Clio on all three of her features, starting with her debut Arbor.
We should say that this episode features a MAJOR SPOILER relating to her second movie, The Selfish Giant.
7/2/2018 • 34 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 94: Director JA Bayona On The Music Of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
It's been a year that's seen one or two massive cinematic events, but you can always count on dinosaurs to make a few very loud noises too.
Already the 7th highest grossing film of 2018, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is the work of Spanish director JA Bayona, who returns to Soundtracking for a second sitting. You can, of course, listen to our previous conversation with Signor Bayona via edithbowman.com.
Scored by Michael Giacchino, Fallen Kingdom is part adventure story, part haunted house thriller, with the two elements posing very different challenges for both director & composer. Then, of course, there was John Williams' classic Jurassic Park theme to consider. For reasons we'll discover, JA and Michael deployed it sparingly, though it does feature in familiar form at the very end of the film ...
6/22/2018 • 36 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 93: Composer Daniel Pemberton on Ocean's 8, Molly's Game, King Arthur & More
You can't describe yourself as a podcast about film music without talking to the occasional composer. And we've be joined by a fair few of the best - from Clint Mansell, Justin Hurwitz and Nicholas Brittell to Geoff Barrow, Ben Salisbury and Philip Selway.
Without exception, each has cast the projects they've been involved with in a new light and given us exclusive insights into the subtleties of their craft.
So we're delighted to finally bring you Daniel Pemberton, in a piece recorded a few months back in his London studio.
Daniel is hot property right now. Having worked with Ridley Scott, Guy Ritchie, Danny Boyle and Aaron Sorkin, he's now provided the score for Ocean's 8, which is out around the globe already but in the UK on Monday 18th June. We'll hear examples of his compositions for all these world-class directors throughout the conversation, as well as some cracking stories.
6/15/2018 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 11 seconds
92: Episode 92: The Return Of Ron Howard
As if we needed an excuse to invite Ron Howard back to Soundtracking, the fact he's directed the latest installment in the Star Wars franchise is a pretty good one.
Solo: A Stars Wars Story speaks for itself, telling the backstory of one of cinema's most lovable rogues. And as with all the movies, music plays an integral part - as central to the experience as the narrative, characterisation and special effects.
In this instance, John Powell provided a score which takes things in a new sonic direction. Nevertheless, he had the blessing of John Williams, who also composed a brand new theme for Han ...
6/1/2018 • 39 minutes, 3 seconds
91: Episode 91: Hugh Grant
We all know Hugh Grant, from his floppy haired romantic performances, dad dancing down the stairs at No 10 Downing Street and most recently high kicking his was in pink prison Lycra in Paddington 2\.
There is much more than meets the eye with Hugh, particularly when it comes to music and specifically in projects he’s involved in as a producer. He very clearly appreciates and understands the power of music, both for him as an actor but also in how it should be carefully crafted into a film.
Currently starring in the BBC Drama A Very English Scandal as the British Liberal Party leader, Jeremy Thorpe, who in 1979 was accused of the attempted murder of his gay ex-lover. It is directed by the award winning Stephen Frears and written by the fabulous Russell T Davis who brought on board his regular collaborator, composer Murray Gold. In this episode you will hear Murrays work for the show along with some familiar pieces of music from Hughs back catalogue. Not least the memorable work done by Badly Drawn Boy for About A Boy.
5/25/2018 • 41 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 90: Armando Iannucci On Classical Music, The Death Of Stalin, Alan Partridge & More
Our latest guest is a giant of British comedy, whose unerring originality, wit and satirical brilliance have long since earned him global recognition.
Armando Iannucci's CV is enviable, with credits including The Day Today, Alan Partridge, The Thick Of It, In The Loop and Veep (for which he won two Emmys).
His latest project is The Death Of Stalin, a so-called comedy of terrors about the power struggles which followed the passing of the eponymous dictator in 1953\. The film is available on home entertainment formats now, and we strongly recommend you check it out if you haven't already.
Musically, The Death Of Stalin allowed Armando to indulge his passion for classical music, with the likes of Shostakovich providing sonic inspiration for Christopher Willis's excellent score.
You'll hear plenty of extracts from that, as well as the actual recording of a Mozart piano concerto that may very well have been a matter of life and death.
5/18/2018 • 44 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode 89: Composer David Arnold & Lyricist Don Black On The Music Of James Bond
Our latest episode of Soundtracking is a celebration of all things 007, following an event recorded at the London Film Museum with David Arnold and Don Black.
The pair have Bond in their blood. Don has provided lyrics for some of the most memorable title tunes, while David has scored 5 of the movies - including The World Is Not Enough, Tomorrow Never Dies and Casino Royale. You'll hear plenty of examples of their work, alongside that of the great John Barry, whose themes and score is so inextricably linked to the success of the franchise.
We should say that due to circumstances beyond our control, the sound is pretty poor in places, so many apologies for that. But the music, of course, is of the very highest quality ...
5/16/2018 • 49 minutes, 1 second
Episode 88: The Russo Brothers On The Music Of Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America, Community & More
In what is surely one of the biggest cinematic events of all time, let alone the year, Avengers: Infinity War hit screens around the globe last week, breaking records galore and garnering widespread critical acclaim to boot.
So it's with great excitement that we welcome the directors Anthony and Joe Russo to Soundtracking.
Boasting a stellar ensemble cast, Infinity War sees numerous characters from the Marvel Universe join forces to prevent intergalactic despot Thanos from destroying, well, everything.
Don't worry, though, there are no further spoilers here, not least because Edith was only allowed to see 20 minutes of the film at the time of recording the interview.
What we do have for you is Anthony and Joe talking about Alan Silvestri's score, their love of needle-drop, Henry Jackman's work on Captain America, the genius that is Mark Mothersbaugh, David Schwartz's screwball approach to the music in Arrested Development and reflections upon Community, which saw the brothers collaborate with Ludwig Göransson.
5/4/2018 • 58 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 87: Writer Director Garth Jennings On Sing, Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy & Son Of Rambow
Without wishing to sound sycophantic, it's hard to imagine a more humble talent that Garth Jennings.
During this episode, he and Edith discuss many of his extraordinary creative endeavours - though on hearing the conversation you'd be forgiven for thinking he'd had next to nothing to do with any of them at all.
Don't be fooled.
Having founded production company Hammer & Tongs with Dominic Leung and Nick Goldsmith in 1993, Garth has been instrumental in a string of iconic music videos and also written and directed Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, Son of Rambow and most recently Sing.
Oh yes, he's penned a children's book too.
Expect music from composer Joby Talbot, Blur, Fatboy Slim, Betty Wright and more.
4/30/2018 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 43 seconds
Episode 86: Actor John Simm on Joy Division, New Order, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Stone Roses & More
It's been a while since we had any acting talent on the show, so it gives us great pleasure to welcome the wonderful John Simm to Soundtracking.
John has appeared in many great productions on stage and screen. He is perhaps best known for his roles in Life on Mars as Sam Tyler and Doctor Who as The Master, with recent appearances in Collateral on the BBC and Trauma on ITV.
His films include Wonderland, Human Traffic, and 24 Hour Party People - and we'll obviously be featuring tracks from all of these projects throughout the conversation. He's also an accomplished musician, with plenty more about his exploits on that front featuring too.
4/20/2018 • 41 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 85: Alex Garland, Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury (Contains Spoilers)
It's another very special Soundtracking this week as we take you to the Everyman Cinema in Hampstead, where director Alex Garland and his composers Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury came together for a Q&A following an exclusive screening of Annihilation.
As you may know, the film hasn't had a cinematic release outside the US. You can, however, watch Annihilation on Netflix, and it's well worth your time if you haven't seen it already. Unusually for us, there a couple of spoilers in this episode too, which is all the more reason to check the movie out.
Before Alex joined everyone on stage, Edith caught up with Geoff and Ben in the bar to discuss their other work, specifically on Ex Machina and Ben Wheatley's Free Fire.
Their first score together was for Dredd. At least, it would have been had the studio not decided it wasn't suitable for the film. Thankfully, they shared their efforts anyway under the guise of Drokk. And it's with a spot of Drokk that we began - which basically means you're in for a real treat.
4/13/2018 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 84: Director Todd Haynes On The Music Of Wonderstruck, I'm Not There, Carol & Far From Heaven
This week's episode has been a long-time coming. We reckon Edith spoke to director Todd Haynes just before Christmas - after his latest film Wonderstruck received a 3 minute standing ovation at last year's Cannes film festival - and we've been desperate to share our chat ever since.
Well, the moment has come, as Wonderstruck finally gets an official UK release - though you may already have been lucky enough to see it on Amazon.
Based on the bestselling novel by Brian Selznick, who also wrote the screenplay, Wonderstruck intertwines two stories set 50 years apart about children Rose and Ben, both of whom are on quests to find their parents. In a novel twist, Rose's story plays out as a black and white silent movie, which presented various challenges for composer Carter Burwell.
As well of plenty of examples of Carter's score, you'll also hear music from Thom Yorke, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday and more.
4/6/2018 • 47 minutes, 45 seconds
Episode 83: Composer Lorne Balfe On Soundtracking Live! At The British Film Institute
Before Lynne Ramsay, there was composer Lorne Balfe. For Lorne was the very first guest on Soundtracking Live, as part of the British Film Institute's Big Thrill Season back in November.
We then went on to speak to Lynne at the Glasgow Film Festival, with Alex Garland, Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury to come soon following a great chat we had after a special screening of Annihilation at the Everyman cinema in Hampstead, London.
The list of films Lorne has worked upon is mighty impressive, from Dunkirk and The Lego Batman Movie to Ghost In The Shell and Geostorm. He's also produced excellent work for television, with Genius and The Crown among his credits.
4/3/2018 • 53 minutes, 55 seconds
Episode 82: Garth Davis On The Music Of Mary Magdalene, Lion & Jóhann Jóhannsson
Almost by definition, anyone who listens to this show will have been deeply saddened by the recent death of composer Jóhann Jóhannsson. Well, the moment has come for us to pay our little tribute, as we talk to director Garth Davis about Mary Magdalene, the last film Jóhann worked on.
In this episode, Garth discusses Mary, his previous film Lion, and of course Jóhann, who teamed up with fellow Icelander Hildur Guðnadóttir for his final score.
On another note, if you're an EE customer, we have some exciting news for you, as EE are offering 2 free tickets to see Call Me By Your Name at selected Vue and Odeon cinemas across the UK.
The screening is taking place on the 26th March as part of the Our Screen initiative – with each customer getting 2 tickets using the code: EEBAFTA2018\. You can choose your cinema and get tickets a ourscreen.com/eebafta.
3/23/2018 • 40 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode 81: Director Roar Uthaug & Composer Junkie XL On The Music Of Tomb Raider
Having brought you Lynne Ramsay in conversation from the Glasgow Film Festival in our previous episode, we're on location once again here on Soundtracking in partnership with the EE BAFTAs, this time at London's world-famous AIR studios.
For that's where Edith caught up with Junkie XL - aka Tom Holkenborg - on the day he recorded the string parts of his score for Tomb Raider.
Tomb Raider is directed by Norwegian Roar Uthaug, and we're delighted to say Edith caught up with him separately to discuss what he asked of his composer, the tone he wanted for the film and K.Flay's excellent end credit track, Run For Your Life. There's also a sonic treat for old-skool gamers before we're done too.
But where else could we begin than with Tom in the control room at AIR …
3/16/2018 • 46 minutes, 3 seconds
Episode 80: Director Lynne Ramsay At Soundtracking Live At The Glasgow Film Festival
Something slightly different on Soundtracking in partnership with the EE BAFTAs this week, as we bring you an edited version of Soundtracking Live with Lynne Ramsay at the Glasgow Film Festival.
Lynne is one of Edith's favourite directors, so it really was an honour to welcome her on stage in front of a very appreciative live audience.
Her latest film You Were Never Really Here has garnered 5 star review after 5 star review. It stars Joaquin Phoenix and is scored by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood.
We'll hear plenty of Jonny's work throughout the course of the conversation, as well as cues from We Need To Talk About Kevin, Movern Caller and Ratcatcher
3/9/2018 • 55 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 79: Director Duncan Jones And Composer Clint Mansell Discuss The Music Of Mute And Moon
We have a treat for you on this week's episode of Soundtracking in partnership with the EE BAFTAs, as Duncan and Clint join Edith from LA
If not a match made in heaven, then it was certainly a match made on Moon. For that was their first collaboration. Such was the success of that film it seemed inevitable the pair would re-unite - and so it is they us to discuss their latest project together - the Netflix Original film, Mute.
Co-written and directed by Duncan, Mute tells the story of a mute bartender searching for his girlfriend, who mysteriously disappears in a near-future Berlin. It was an incredibly personal film for him, given the time he spent in the city with his father, David Bowie, during the 1970s.
During the interview, we discuss the thoughts and processes behind Clint's score, Duncan's needle-drops and the more general sonic tone he was aiming for. We also explore Moon in detail too.
3/2/2018 • 47 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 78: Greta Gerwig On The Music Of Lady Bird
We're not gonna lie, Greta Gerwig is one of Edith's favourite actors, so all objectivity has gone out of the window during this week's episode of Soundtracking in partnership with the EE BAFTAs.
In fairness, everyone seems to agree her directorial debut Lady Bird (which she also wrote) is a triumph. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf and Timothee Chalomet, it charts the turbulent relationship of the eponymous teenager and her mother - with the narrative by turns irreverent, hilarious, brutally honest and deeply moving.
The score is provided by Jon Brion, who has that uncanny ability to blend traditional orchestration with a tone that's modern and offbeat.
The soundtrack, meanwhile, is an absolute gem, featuring the likes of The Monkees, John Cale, Justin Timberlake and Reel Big Fish. While it would have been tempting to include super-cool records - for want of a better expression - Greta instead went for songs that her characters would have been listening to at the turn of the Millennium.
2/23/2018 • 36 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 77: Ryan Coogler & Marvel's Nate Moore On The Music Of Black Panther, Kendrick Lamar & Ludwig Göransson
As anyone who's paid attention to Edith talking film over the years knows, she's a big fan of how Marvel Studios have transposed their comic book universe to the big screen. So it gives us great pleasure here at Soundtracking in partnership with the EE BAFTAs to report that the latest addition to the canon, Black Panther, is a rip-roaring success.
And it gives us even greater pleasure to welcome writer / director Ryan Coogler and Executive Producer Nate Moore to the programme.
You'd have to go a long way to find a more suitable movie for us to discuss.
For starters, there's the accompanying album, 'Black Panther: Music From And Inspired By ...', which was masterminded by Kendrick Lamar and features the likes of Anderson Paak, James Blake, SZA and Vince Staples.
Then there's the wildly inventive and original score courtesy of Ryan's friend and longtime collaborator, Ludwig Göransson, who also worked with him on Fruitvale Station and Creed. It was a real labour of love for Ludwig, who spent a considerable amount of time in Africa working with local musicians to capture authentic instrumentation, tone and rhythm.
And as you'll hear, it was time very well spent ...
2/18/2018 • 51 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 76: Asif Kapadia on The Music Of Mindhunter, Amy and Senna
Another week, another Oscar winner chats to Soundtracking in partnership with the EE BAFTAs.
These days, the quality and quantity of original programming on streaming services is quite astounding - with A-list talent delivering high-class drama time and time again.
One of Netflix's standout series of 2017 was Mindhunter. Overseen by David Fincher, it tells the story of how the FBI's profiling unit came into being in the 1970s. By turns dark, funny, moving, cool and brutal, it also makes great use of contemporary pop & rock.
So it's with great pleasure that we welcome Asif Kapadia to the show, who directed two episodes of the first season.
Asif has won numerous awards for The Warrior, Senna and Amy, with the latter scooping the Oscar for Best Documentary. There will, of course, be plenty of examples of Amy Winehouse's music throughout the course of the conversation, as well as composer Antonio Pinto's work on both Amy and Senna.
2/9/2018 • 47 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode 75: Lee Unkrich & Darla Anderson On The Music Of Pixar
We have more exponents of world-class animation in our latest episode of Soundtracking in partnership with the EE BAFTAs, this time from Disney Pixar.
Having just spoken to Nick Park, we're delighted to be joined by two key figures from the studios - writer / director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla Anderson.
Having previously joined forces for Toy Story 3, Lee and Darla's latest project is the wonderful Coco.
Coco follows 12-year old Mexican, Miguel, a would-be musician who is accidentally transported to the land of the dead, where he seeks the help of his great-great grandfather to return to his family in the land of the living.
Like so many of Pixar's previous offerings, it has gone down a storm with both critics and audiences - with a 97 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and gross worldwide takings of $700 million to date.
Music is central to the narrative. As well as original compositions performed by the characters, there's a rich score from Pixar stalwart Michael Giacchino. You'll hear plenty of Michael's work throughout the conversation, not to mention pieces by Thomas Newman, Randy Newman and more.
2/2/2018 • 47 minutes, 27 seconds
Episode 74: Nick Park On The Music Of Early Man, Wallace & Gromit And Peter Gabriel
Edith's latest episode of Soundtracking in partnership with the EE BAFTAs is with a man who's won a fair few in his time: the one and only Nick Park.
As well as national treasures Wallace and Gromit, he and Aardman Animations have also brought us Creature Comforts, Shaun The Sheep, Chicken Run and now full-length feature Early Man.
Starring Eddie Redmayne, Masie Williams, Tom Hiddlestone and Timothy Spall among many other great actors, Early Man is a prehistoric underdog yarn fizzing with all the wit and charm we so associate with Nick's previous offerings. The score arrives courtesy of Harry Gregson-Williams and Tom Howe, and there are also contemporary source cues by Kaiser Chiefs, New Hope Club and The Vamps.
Don't forget, we're also encouraging you to vote for the EE Rising Star award at the 2018 BAFTAs, so head to ee.co.uk/bafta to do just that ...
1/26/2018 • 40 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 73: Joe Wright On The Music Of Darkest Hour, Nils Frahm, Max Richter & David Bowie
Despite being a thoroughly humble and unassuming sort, Joe Wright has led quite the life. From drinking in the pub as a youngster with Kathy Burke to creating live visuals for The Chemical Brothers, he's long held ties to key players in British culture. Not that he's become a director of great repute on anything other than merit - as evidenced by his latest movie, Darkest Hour.
Telling the story of Winston Churchill's early days as Prime Minister during World War II, Darkest Hour revolves around an extraordinary central performance from Gary Oldman, which has already landed him a Golden Globe. But the brilliance of this film is about so much more than that - thanks in no small part to Joe's all-encompassing vision.
Darkest Hour is up for a whopping nine awards at the EE BAFTAs. As well as Gary's inevitable nomination, these include Best Film and, appropriately enough for our purposes, Best Music for Dario Marianelli.
On Joe's instruction, Dario's score was inspired by the modernist movement of the 50s and 60s, and specifically a more recent work called Hammers by contemporary German composer Nils Frahm.
1/19/2018 • 36 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 72: EE BAFTA Rising Star Award Special
In a very special bumper edition of Soundtracking, Edith is joined by all five of the nominees for the EE BAFTA Rising Star award.
They are, in no particular order, Daniel Kaluuya, Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalamet, Tessa Thompson and Josh O'Connor.
As well as getting to know about them as actors and individuals, we'll also be interspersing score and source music from their films in the usual way, and finding out about their diverse sonic tastes.
Accordingly, you'll hear music by Giggs, Frank Ocean, Keaton Henson, Alt-J, Psychedelic Furs, Sufjan Stevens, Talking Heads, Korn, Max Richter and many more.
This award is voted for by the public, so head to ee.co.uk/bafta to get involved.
1/12/2018 • 1 hour, 31 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode 71: Martin McDonagh On The Music Of 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri', 'In Bruges' & 'Seven Psychopaths'
With his first two films In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, Martin McDonagh made the transition from world famous playwright to high-class filmmaker seem deceptively straightforward.
Such a shift is anything but, of course. But he continues the trend with his latest offering - the jet black comedy drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missourti.
Hotly tipped for success this coming awards season, it tells the story of a woman in the eponymous town who lays down a challenge to local police to take greater action over the unsolved murder of her daughter. Among its many delights are barnstorming central performances from Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson.
Three Billboards is scored by Carter Burwell, who has collaborated on all three of his feature films. Their partnership is a dream come true for Martin, who fell in love with his work on the Coen brothers' Blood Simple as a teenager ...
1/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 3 seconds
Episode 70: Actor Will Poulter On Detroit, Son Of Rambow, The Revenant & More
We are very excited here at Soundtracking that we have teamed up with EE, the headline sponsor of the EE British Academy Film Awards, to create a series of special podcasts over the next few months.
In that time, we will explore the minds and experiences of BAFTA talent and we start the partnership this week with past EE Rising Star Award winner, Will Poulter.
For one so young, Will has already built up a mighty impressive CV. Having made his breakthrough in Son Of Rambow back in 2007, the 24-year-old has since had significant roles in Maze Runner, We're The Millers, War Machine and The Revenant.
His most recent outing was in Detroit, in which he plays a racist and sadistic police officer involved in a shocking case of brutality during the city's 1967 race riots. It's a performance of stunning depth and maturity - and one that may yet see him nominated for an Oscar.
All of these films are interesting from a musical perspective too - from the 80s Rambow soundtrack to Cave / Ellis vehicle War Machine and The Revenant, which was score by Ryuicho Sakomoto, Alva Noto and Bryce Dessner from The National.
We'll also hear music from The Cure, Ben E King, Tracy Chapman and Toto.
12/22/2017 • 33 minutes, 14 seconds
Episode 69: Rian Johnson On The Music Of Star Wars & Other Movies
It's hard to think of a more iconic set of musical themes than those so thrillingly imagined by John Williams for Star Wars: A New Hope. 40 years on and that score still sounds as exhilarating as ever.
Much then to discuss with Rian Johnson, the man who has written and directed the latest installment of the space opera, Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Up until this point, Rian has employed the services of his cousin Nathan to score his movies. And as we'll hear, he's done a fine job, from the DIY noir of Brick to the rich orchestration in The Brothers Bloom and layered synths of Looper.
But when it came to the Star Wars: Last Jedi it could only be John, who delivered a suite retaining all the classic themes that we so associate with the saga while having very much its own identity ...
12/18/2017 • 38 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 68: Cillian Murphy On The Music Of Peaky Blinders, Dunkirk, Breakfast On Pluto & More
We don't just speak to directors, composers and producers on this show; actors are welcome too. And in Cillian Murphy, we not only have a man at the top of his game but also a genuine enthusiast for the sonic arts.
Cillian has shone in a hugely diverse range of films, from blockbusters Dunkirk and The Dark Knight trilogy to indie flicks Disco Pigs and Breakfast on Pluto. He can currently be seen in BBC gangster epic Peaky Blinders, back for a fourth season having garnered an enormous fan-base and widespread critical acclaim.
If you haven't seen Peaky, one has to wonder what you've been doing with your time. In a nutshell, Cillian stars as Tommy, the leader of the eponymous gang who are fighting for underworld supremacy in post World War I Birmingham.
Among the show's many delights is the use of contemporary music as a counterpoise to the narrative, from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis (whose track Martha's Dream is playing now) to PJ Harvey, Savages, David Bowie and The White Stripes.
You'll hear examples of all of these artists throughout the conversation - starting with Mr Cave and his Red Right Hand - a track that has become synonymous with the show ...
12/8/2017 • 42 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode 67: Producer David Heyman On Tupac, Williams, Potter & Paddington
We've already spoken to one legendary British producer on this show in the shape of Stephen Woolley. Now it's the turn of David Heyman.
Like Stephen, David's CV is enviable. As well as producing all the of Harry Potter films and spin-off Fantastic Beasts, he's also the man behind The Light Between Oceans, Testament Of Youth and Gravity among many, many other celebrated movies. And as we'll discover, music very much falls under his remit.
The list of composers David has worked with is mighty impressive, from John Williams and James Newton Howard to Steven Price, Max Richter and Dario Marianelli, who scored his latest project, the delightful Paddington 2.
Perhaps surprisingly, David loves hip-hop, which informed his first movie as a producer, Juice, the 1992 thriller starring late rapper Tupac Shakur. And given that we kick off by playing tracks and a clip from the film, we should warn you that there's inevitably a fair bit of choice language in this episode ...
12/1/2017 • 46 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 66: Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton On Battle Of The Sexes, Little Miss Sunshine & Music Videos
For the first time in 66 episodes, disaster struck as Edith's original interview with Val and Jon was corrupted.
Thankfully, this delightful wife & husband team agreed to do it all over again 24 hours later and boy are we glad they did - so fantastic was their company on both occasions.
Val and Jon cut their teeth making music videos, working with the likes of Jane's Addiction, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins.
They moved into feature films with the wonderful Little Miss Sunshine, which was scored by Davotchka and Mychael Danna and showcased tunes by Sufjan Stevens and Rick James.
Their latest offering is Battle Of The Sexes. Starring Emma Stone and Steve Carrell, the plot is loosely based on the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
As well as including tracks from Elton John, Tommy James & The Shondells and a Sarah Bareilles original - the movie is scored by our old friend Nicholas Britell.
You'll hear examples of all of these artists during the conversation.
11/24/2017 • 49 minutes, 4 seconds
Episode 65: Director Paul McGuigan On The Music In His Work
For a small nation, Scotland doesn't half punch hard when it comes to the arts. And like previous guest David Mackenzie, Paul McGuigan is a fine example of a Scottish director doing great things on a global stage. From gritty British crime drama Gangster No 1 to whip-smart Hollywood thriller Lucky Number Slevin, he's proved most versatile - also working on a string of TV hits such as Sherlock.
Paul's latest film is Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool. Based on the memoir by Peter Turner, it tells the story of his relationship with screen goddess Gloria Grahame while she was living in the city. Scored by Paul's friend J Ralph, it also features tracks by Elton John, A Taste Of Honey, Jose Feliciano and and an original composition from the one and only Elvis Costello. You will, of course, hear examples of all of these artists throughout the conversation - as well as David Ruskin's delightful love them for The Bad & The Beautiful, for which Gloria won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1952.
11/20/2017 • 33 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 64: Yorgos Lanthimos On The Music Of 'Dogtooth', 'The Lobster' & 'The Killing Of A Sacred Deer'
Though still a relative newcomer to the cinematic mainstream, Yorgos Lanthimos has already proved himself to be a filmmaker of wild originality and imagination.
Following his breakthrough feature Dogtooth, which tells the story of children completely cut off from the outside world by their parents, he brought us The Lobster, a surreal tale about people who are turned into animals if they fail to find love.
His latest offering is psychological revenge thriller, The Killing Of A Sacred Deer. Starring Barry Keoghan, Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman, it follows a family forced into making a torturous decision having seemingly been cursed. Unsettling, unpredictable and gripping, it landed the best screenplay award at this year's Cannes.
Though Yorgos hasn't worked with a composer on any of his films to date, the classical pieces he uses in The Lobster and Deer often serve a similar purpose. While the former features the work of Beethoven, Stravinsky, Strauss and Britten, the latter has a much more experimental palate - full of agitated strings and alarming tonal shifts.
You'll hear plenty examples of this throughout the course of the conversation, as well as tracks by Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue and Radiohead (for whom Yorgos directed a short video).
11/10/2017 • 41 minutes
Episode 63: Luca Guadagnino On The Music Of 'Call Me By Your Name', 'A Bigger Splash', Sufjan Stevens, Ryuichi Sakamoto & More
If you like your movies lavish, dreamy and dripping in nostalgia, you could do a lot worse than turn to the work of Italian director Luca Guadagnino.
Luca is a filmmaker with a sensitive touch - capable of making the very specific set of circumstances in the stories he tells seem personal and relevant to us all.
Music, of course, has proved most useful in achieving this recurring tone - not least in A Bigger Splash, which starred Tilda Swinton as a world-fmaous rockstar and Ralph Feinnes as a larger-than-life record producer.
His latest offering is Call Me By Your Name. Set in Italy, the film chronicles the relationship between 17-year-old Elio Perlman and his father's American student, Oliver, who spends a heady summer living with the family in 1983.
Suffice to say Edith is not alone in loving it, with critics already bigging-up its chances come awards season.
Luca tends not to use conventional composers in his work - though Sufjan Stevens has written two original cues for Call Me By Your Name. Instead, for the most part, he relies on source music. And given that the character of Elio is a pianist, Luca sprinkled the narrative with piano compositions by the likes of John Adams and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
You'll also hear music from The Psychedelic Furs, Rolling Stones, Captain Beefheart and Goblin throughout the course of the conversation.
11/3/2017 • 37 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 62: Andy Serkis On The Music In His Work
It’s always a pleasure to welcome a directorial debutant to Soundtracking – what with their entirely fresh take on the art of source music and score.
Not that Andy Serkis is a novice when it comes to cinema. As an actor, he played Gollum in Lord Of The Rings and Caesar in the Planet Of The Apes franchise, with roles in the new Star Wars and Black Panther to come soon.
He also brilliantly captured the essence of troubled troubadour Ian Dury in Sex & Drugs & Rock N Roll, which was directed by our good friend Mat Whitecross. Indeed it’s thanks to Mat you’ll get to hear Andy’s version of My Old Man from the film – after his editor Marc dug out a copy for us.
Andy’s first major foray behind the camera is Breathe. Starring Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, Breathe tells the story of Robin Cavendish, who was given three months to live after being paralysed from the neck down by polio at the age of 28. He became a pioneering advocate for the disabled and travelled the world with his wife, Diana Blacker, in the hope of transforming the lives of others like him. Since Robin's son Jonathan is Andy's partner at their production and motion capture company, Imaginarium, he had a deeply personal connection to the narrative. This extended to the music, which was composed by his friend, Nitin Sawhney.
Now while this is Andy's first job in charge of an actual feature film, he previously directed the cutaway scenes for video game, Heavenly Sword. And who did he get to score that? None other than Nitin, of course ...
10/27/2017 • 43 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 61: Michael Winterbottom On The Music Of 'On The Road', '24 Hour Party People', 'The Trip' And More
Of the many directors we've featured on this show, few can claim to have served up such a diverse body of work as Michael Winterbottom.
Michaeal is one of Britain's most inventive and ground-breaking film-makers. From his 1995 debut Butterfly Kiss to controversial love story 9 Songs and gritty docu-drama Road To Guantanamo, he has consistently experimented with subject matter and form - often to critically-acclaimed & award-winning effect,
There can be no finer example of his talents than bittersweet comedy The Trip - which starred Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon and was described by Richard Curtis as one of the greatest television programmes of all time.
Rather like The Trip, his latest project On The Road blurs the line between fact and fiction. Ostensibly a documentary about a real tour by the band Wolf Alice, the narrative revolves around a relationship between two members of the crew, played by actors Leah Harvey and James McArdle.
Though he tends to use source music over score, Michael has worked with composer Michael Nyman on several occasions,
Plenty about Mr Nyman during the conversation, as well as music by The Sex Pistols, Richard Strauss, Happy Mondays, Joy Division, Elbow and The Super Furry Animals.
This episode is brought to you by Casper Mattresses and Tide Bank. Details of special offers available to you can be heard at the start of the programme.
10/20/2017 • 46 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 60: Tomas Alfredson On The Music Of 'The Snowman', 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' & 'Let The Right One In'
It's high time we had a bit of Nordic Noir on this show, so it's an absolute pleasure to welcome rising Swedish star Tomas Alfredson to Soundtracking.
Tomas made his name with Let The Right One In - which was scored by Johan Söderqvist, won numerous awards and was described by legendary critic Roger Ebert as the 'best modern Vampire movie'.
He then took charge of the adaptation of John Le Carre's classic novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, for which he employed the services of Spanish composer Alberto Iglesias.
Now he brings us another project based on a book in the shape of The Snowman, Jo Nesbo's dark, disturbing and thrilling international bestseller. Starring Michael Fassbender, Rebeccca Ferguson and Charlotte Gainsbourg. the film is scored by the ever reliable Marco Beltrami.
Since the score is not commercially available yet, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our friends at Back Lot Music for sending us all the cues in advance. You can get hold of them yourself in a week or so, but meantime you'll hear plenty of examples as Tomas deconstructs Marco's work in fascinating detail ...
10/13/2017 • 33 minutes, 20 seconds
Bonus Clip: Clint Mansell On The Score For 'Loving Vincent'
Following our chat with Clint in episode 52, we had a little snippet left over in which he talked briefly about his score for Loving Vincent. And given that it's out this week, we thought we'd publish it now.
The conversation is accompanied by two of his cues from the movie, Marguerite Gachet At The Piano and Wheatfield With Crows.
10/12/2017 • 5 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 59: Denis Villeneuve on Blade Runner 2049, Arrival and Sicario
It's been a while since we can recall such a keenly anticipated cinematic event, or one that has then gone on to exceed all our wildest expectations. But that is what our guest this week Denis Villeneuve has achieved with Bladerunner 2049.
We discuss taking on the legacy of Vangelis - plus his trio of films with composer Jóhann Jóhannsson: Prisoners, Sicario and Arrival
10/8/2017 • 41 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 58: Nancy Meyers On The Music Of Home Again, Private Benjamin, Something's Gotta Give & What Women Want
Given how tragically hard we've found it to speak to women on this show, it's a genuine delight to welcome writer, director and producer Nancy Meyers to Soundtracking.
Nancy is one of the grand dames of Hollywood. Having earned an Oscar nomination for her original screenplay for Private Benjamin in 1980, she's since been responsible for a string of commercial smashes, including The Parent Trap, Something's Gotta Give and The Holiday.
Indeed, her second film as director, What Women Want, was at one stage the most successful film ever directed by a woman, taking in $183 million in the United States alone.
Her latest project is Home Again, for which she assumed the role of producer for her daughter Hallie. The film is scored by John Debney, who features prominently in the Jon Favreau episode too.
What with being one of the undoubted queens of the Rom-Com, Nancy has worked with several legendary composers over the years - from Bill Conti and Alan Silvestri to the inimitable Hans Zimmer.
You'll hear plenty of their work throughout the conversation, but where else could we begin than with Carole King?
9/29/2017 • 39 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 57: Radiohead's Philip Selway On His Score For 'Let Me Go'
As drummer for one of the world's most successful, respected and critically-acclaimed bands, he's thrilled music-lovers across the planet for a quarter of a century.
Now Philip Selway of Radiohead has turned his hand to film scores - taking charge of the music for Polly Steele's debut feature, Let Me Go.
Based on the memoir of Helga Schneider, Let Me Go tells the story of a woman who discovers her mother had strong ties with the Nazis many years after she was abandoned by her as a child. It features four incredibly strong and well-drawn female characters - which inspired Philip's compositions in all sorts of fascinating ways.
Philip is the first of our guests who spends most of his time being a rock-star - albeit a particularly humble and unassuming one. As such, he and Edith not only explore the specifics of his score for Let Me Go, but also the different creative challenges it posed to those he encounters in his day job.
9/22/2017 • 43 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 56: Stanley Tucci On The Music In His Work
We've had several polymaths on this show, from Jon Favreau to Matt Ross and Warren Beatty - who are as at home in front of the camera as behind it. And Stanley Tucci certaininly falls into that category - an actor, writer and director who's been involved with countless critically acclaimed works of film and television.
Stanley's latest project is Final Portrait. Starring the sensational Geoffrey Rush and Armie Hammer, it's based on the true story of the time American journalist James Lord sat for world-renowned artist, Alberto Giacometti. Critics agree it's a charming delight - as do we!
Given the 1960s Parisian setting, there were plenty of opportunities to play around with the idiomatic French music of the era. But Stanley was keen to avoid cliche, complimenting the familiar sounds of accordions and chanteuses with Evan Lurie's whimsical score. You'll hear plenty of examples of music from the film, as well as bits and bobs from Stanley's other films.
9/16/2017 • 32 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 55: Benedict Andrews On The Music Of Film, Theatre & Opera
Following a string of seasoned moviemakers such as Luc Besson, Doug Liman and Steven Soderbergh, we bring you a relative novice this week in the shape of Benedict Andrews. At least - a novice in cinematic terms.
For Benedict is one of the world's foremost theatre and opera directors, who makes the transition to the screen with psychological thriller Una.
Given this is Benedict's first film, much of the conversation focuses on the differences between the mediums in which he's worked. It also gives us an opportunity to play you examples of music from his stage productions, including extracts from Alex Baranowski's smoky, cinematic score for Streetcar Named Desire, which starred Gillian Anderson.
But there's plenty to discuss when it come to Una too. Starring the ever excellent Rooney Mara and Ben Mendelsohn, the narrative centres on a woman confronting an older man about a illicit sexual relationship which took place in their past. The film is scored by Benedict's friend Jed Kurzel, whose work we discussed at length during a previous show with Jed's brother, Justin.
Jed has developed a reputation as a composer of serious weight, as evidence by the fact he and the London Contemporary Orchestra recently provided the music for Ridley Scott's Alien Covenant. Hardly surprising, then, that Benedict turned to his old mate on taking the plunge from stage to screen ...
9/8/2017 • 29 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 54: Steven Soderbergh On The Music In His Work
When Edith sat down with Steven Soderbergh, he immediately told her he'd been listening to our podcast by way of research. That unsettled her a little bit, but we hope you'll agree his homework served him well - such was the magnificence of his company!
As a director, he's renowned for his expert use of both needle-drop and score - with Thomas Newman and Cliff Martinez two of his go-to composers.
His latest project Logan Lucky sees him reunited with David Holmes, with whom he struck up a most fruitful relationship on Out Of Sight and the Ocean films. And it's with Logan Lucky we began - and David's Original Score Medley that features on the soundtrack to the film ...
9/1/2017 • 46 minutes
Episode 53: Doug Liman On American Made, Swingers, Bourne & Go
From indie classics Swingers and Go to big budget blockbusters The Bourne Identity and Edge Of Tomorrow, Doug Liman is a director who makes a point of thrusting the viewer into the very heart of the action.
His musical selections are central to the experience - as evidenced by the Oakenfold track which so memorably accompanied the exhilarating car chase in Bourne, and accompanies Edith's intro.
Doug's latest film is American Made. It's based on the life of Barry Seal, a commercial pilot who became a drug smuggler in the 1980s and was recruited later on by the DEA to provide intelligence.
The film is scored by Christophe Beck, who has very kindly sent us a couple of his cues from the film to exclusively feature in this episode. They're not available anywhere yet, so MASSIVE thanks to him. But as well as Christophe's original compositions, American Made also features a rip-roaring array of needle-drops from the 70s and 80s, including tracks by George Harrison, Talking Heads and the one which opens up the conversation - A Fifth Of Beethoven by Walter Murphy
8/26/2017 • 26 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 52: Clint Mansell On His Scores For High Rise, Moon, Requiem For A Dream & More
It's fair to say Soundtracking might not exist without Clint. That's because the genesis of the idea formed when Edith saw him performing his film scores at the Largo in Los Angeles back in 2012.
And 5 years later, here we all are!
After his band Pop Will Eat Itself disbanded in 1996, Clint was introduced to the business when Darren Aronofsky asked him to score Pi. The pair have collaborated several times since - as part of total body of work comprising around 50 films.
During the course of the conversation, you'll hear extended extracts of Clint's work on High Rise, Moon, Pi, Black Swan and Requiem For A Dream. But we begin in the iconic venue in which this interview took place - Air Studios in London - with the main theme from the very first score he recorded there ...
8/18/2017 • 48 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 51: Writer & Director David Lowery On The Music In His Work
From short film Pioneer to romantic crime drama Ain't Them Bodies Saints and Disney epic Pete's Dragon, David Lowery has made a habit of examining the nature of identity, family and relationships from altogether sideways perspectives.
It's an approach that's served him well - and one he uses to great effect again in his latest offering, A Ghost Story.
A Ghost Story stars Casey Affleck as the spirit of a recently deceased man who remains in the house he shared with his wife, played by Rooney Mara. It's scored by Daniel Hart, who David has worked with on many occasions. Daniel's compositions for the film stemmed from a song he wrote for his band, Dark Rooms, and you'll hear plenty of it during the course of the conversation.
Edith and David also discuss the music which inspired him as an aspiring director, and also what it's like to work with the great Robert Redford.
8/11/2017 • 39 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 50: Sarah Bridge On The Art Of Music Supervision
This weekend mark's our first birthday, and it occurred to us that we've been rather remiss in our formative year in not having featured a music supervisor. So we decided to put that right by speaking to Sarah Bridge, who came highly recommended by one of our previous guests, the Oscar winning John Ridley.
As well collaborating with John on Sky Atlantic's TV series Guerrilla, Sarah has worked on a host of critically acclaimed productions including X + Y, The Sense Of An Ending and The Theory Of Everything. The latter was scored by one of her idols, Jóhann Jóhannsson.
This episode features examples of his score, not to mention music by Max Richter, Femi Kuti, Keaton Henson and Irma Thomas.
But we began by learning about the myriad facets to Sarah's role in the movie-making process.
8/4/2017 • 35 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 49: Luc Besson On The Music Of Valerian, The Big Blue, Leon & Nikita
When it comes to stylish movie-making, you can generally rely on the French. And one man with Gallic flair in abundance is Luc Besson.
The genial Parisian has been involved in over 100 films as either a writer, producer or director - including much loved cult classics Nikita, The Big Blue and Leon. His latest project is CGI sci-fi epic Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, a sumptuous visual feast based on the comics he loved as a kid.
Much of Luc's work has been scored by his longtime friend Eric Serra, of which more in a moment. But in the case of Valerian, he turned to Alexandre Desplat, just to shake things up a little bit ...
7/28/2017 • 30 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 48: Sofia Coppola On The Music Of The Beguiled, Lost In Translation And The Virgin Suicides
When we originally conceived the idea of a show about film music, one of the first names on our guest wishlist was Sofia Coppola. And we finally got our girl - with the supremely gifted writer / director joining Edith on the release of The Beguiled, which won her the Palme D'Or at Cannes.
Sofia's pedigree is impeccable. Few directors in the history of cinema have used music more effectively than her father - who instilled in her from a young age a deep understanding of its potential.
This has been reflected in her own work - from the anachronistic punk tracks she deployed in period drama Marie Antoinette to the dreamy electronica that so perfectly fitted the mood of Lost In Translation. Playing now from that film is Alone in Kyoto by Air, who would later provide the score for The Virgin Suicides.
She's also married to Thomas Mars form Phoenix, who composed what little score there is for The Beguiled.
7/15/2017 • 35 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 47: Edgar Wright On The Music Of Baby Driver
He's back! Having joined us to reflect upon his career to date in Episode 34, Edgar Wright returns to concentrate on his latest project Baby Driver, which has received widespread critical acclaim as it wows cinema-goers around the world.
The film tells the story of young getaway driver Baby, who uses music to calm his nerves in the face of chronic tinnitus. As such, he's listening to his iPod throughout much of the narrative. It's an audacious premise which - while posing technical challenges - also gave Edgar the opportunity to share a wealth of sonic gems from his record collection.
With 35 tunes in Baby Driver, there's certainly plenty to discuss - from the specific Jon Spencer track that inspired the movie 20 years ago to the structural delights of Barry White, Queen and Focus.
It also features a personal favourite of Edith's, which seemed as good a place as any to start the conversation ...
6/30/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 46: Composer Nicholas Britell on The Music Of Moonlight, 12 Years A Slave & Vangelis
One of the surprise cinematic hits of 2016 was the heart-wrenching coming-of-age drama Moonlight, which of course won Best Picture at this year's Oscars in unforgettable circumstances.
Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, Moonlight presents 3 stages in the life of the main character Chiron as he struggles to deal with his sexuality and challenging social circumstances.
It was beautifully scored by Nicholas Britell, who we're delighted to say is Edith's latest guest on Soundtracking - a weekly podcast about screen music.
On the face of it, Nicholas's compositions follow orchestral conventions. Scratch beneath the surface, however, and one discovers all sorts of sonic tricks - including a technique borrowed from hip-hop called Chopped & Screwed, in which the original piece of music is slowed down, bent and overlaid to create something that sounds altogether different.
Plenty, then, for Edith and Nicholas to discuss ...
6/23/2017 • 39 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 45: Nick Broomfield On Whitney Houston, Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love
There have been many great documentary makers over the years, but of those at work today one of the undoubted bosses is Nick Broomfield.
Often controversial, always challenging, Nick has covered myriad subjects - from serial killer Aileen Wuornos and Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss to Afrikaner nationalist Eugene Terre Blanche.
He's perhaps best known for Kurt & Courtney, an incendiary investigation into the events surrounding Cobain's death - which Love was none too happy about. We do, of course, hear plenty more about that during the conversation.
Now normally, we play relevant musical extracts throughout the entirety of the conversation, but given the nature of Nick's work, it's a more conventional interview on this occasion.
But there's still plenty of music to discuss - not least because his latest project Whitney: Can I Be Me is all about Whitney Houston, who was found dead in a hotel room in 2012.
Made in collaboration with filmmaker Rudi Dolezal, Can I Be Me is scored by Nick Laird-Clowse (pron: Close), so it's his cues you hear we discuss Nick's thoughts on the troubled superstar.
6/20/2017 • 41 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 44: Alice Lowe On The Weird & Wonderful Sounds Of Prevenge, Delia Derbyshire and David Lynch
Edith's latest guest is an unassuming delight - still early in her career but surely destined for great things (of which she's already achieved a fair few).
Alice Lowe is actor, writer and now director, who has appeared in a host of critically acclaimed TV shows and films - including Ben Wheatley's Sightseers, which she co-wrote.
Her mainstream directorial debut Prevenge is a black comedy about a pregnant woman who believes she is receiving murderous instruction from her unborn child.
Alice enlisted electronic duo Toydrum to compose the score for the movie - with the pair delivering a suitably unsettling suite that reflects protagonist Ruth's psychopathic urges.
We also hear about her love of Delia Derbyshire, David Lynch and the one and only
Nik Kershaw.
6/13/2017 • 34 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 43: Director David Michod On The Music Of War Machine, Animal Kingdom & The Rover
One hardly needs an excuse to discuss the work of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, but it's always good to have one anyway.
Australian director David Michod has employed the services of the ever-reliable duo for his latest project War Machine, which is exclusively available to watch on Netflix.
It is a staggering score, of which you can hear plenty during Edith's conversation with David. They also discuss Antony Partos's contributions to Animal Kingdom and The Rover, which are equally magnificent.
6/2/2017 • 34 minutes, 37 seconds
Episode 42: Guy Ritchie On The Music Of King Arthur, Snatch & The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Whatever you think about the Guy Ritchie canon, it's hard to dispute his flair for combining the visual with the sonic. From Lock, Stock ... and Snatch to Sherlock Holmes and The Man From UNCLE, the musical elements of his films often drive the narrative - through his ingenious use of needle-drops and bold score. Indeed, when it comes to the latter, he's collaborated with the great Hans Zimmer on more than one occasion, of which more during the conversation.
His latest movie is King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword. Scored by Daniel Pemberton - who worked on The Man From UNCLE too - it also features British artist Sam Lee. As we'll hear, both rose to Guy's challenge of using the timeless tropes of folk music to create something at once medieval and modern.
Guy is on typically mischievous form & we very much hope you enjoy the banter!
5/26/2017 • 32 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 41: Director John Madden On The Music Of Max Richter, Thomas Newman & Stephen Warbeck
Over the course of the last twenty odd years, British director John Madden has brought us a string of critically acclaimed films which, pleasingly, have tended to do rather well at the box office too. Indeed, Shakespeare in Love not only landed seven Oscars, but also returned a tidy proft of over $250 million.
And as we'll discover, it's John's view that you can't make a good movie without considerable help from a good composer.
In the case of John, score dominates - since the kind of films he's made haven't generally required needle drops. So it is you'll hear extracts of Thomas Newman's score for the Best Exotic Maigold Hotel movies, Stephen Warbeck's work on Mrs Brown and Shakespeare In Love, and Max Richter's haunting suite for his latest film, the political thriller Miss Sloane ...
5/20/2017 • 30 minutes, 44 seconds
Episode 40: Michael Apted on Bond, Belushi & His Latest Film Unlocked
Though we've been lucky enough to speak to a fair few superstars in our relatively short run here on Soundtracking, this might just be the first time we've welcomed a genuine grandee to the programme.
Michael Apted is a writer, producer and actor who's been involved in film and television for well over 50 years. His credits include everything from British soap opera Coronation Street and the revolutionary documentary series Up to critically acclaimed movies such as Gorillas In The Mist and Enigma. He's also had the honour of directing a Bond film, which is no bad thing to have on one's CV. In recognition to his contribution to cinema, he was elected President of the Directors Guild Of America in 2003.
Michael's latest offering is Unlocked, a supremely entertaining thriller starring Noomi Rapace, Orlando Bloom, Toni Collette, Michael Douglas and John Malkovich. That, I think we can all agree, is some cast. And what with it being a genre piece, it provided the perfect opportunity to explore the particular demands he deemed fit to make of composer Stephen Barton for the score ...
5/12/2017 • 36 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 39: James Gunn On His Awesome Mixes From Guardians Of The Galaxy
If anyone knows how to use music to maximum effect on screen it's James Gunn. For James is the man behind both Guardians Of The Galaxy volumes, which are as celebrated for their hugely successful Awesome Mixes as his sharp, fun and witty interpretation of the Marvel franchise.
In the movies, Star Lord Peter Quill listens to mixtapes given to him by his mother, which are laden with music from 1970's Earth. The songs often play during the action on screen, providing energy and drive to the narrative. As well as the joyous array of source cues, there's Tyler Bates' score, which you'll hear extracts from throughout the course of the conversation.
Unfortunately, we weren't afforded as long with James as we'd have liked, so there was barely time to deal with all the tunes in the Guardians films, let alone anything else.
But he's tremendous value and we still managed to cover plenty of ground. We also play loads of the Awesome Mixes, including tracks by the likes of Redbone, The Runaways, Raspberries and Blue Swede ...
5/5/2017 • 31 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 38: Warren Beatty On The Music Of Bonnie & Clyde, Bulworth, Reds And Shampoo
Edith's guest this week requires very little introduction. An actor, writer, director and producer, he appeared in his first film in 1961 and has subsequently been nominated for no fewer than 14 Oscars, winning best director for Reds in 1981.
We are,of course, talking about the legend that is Warren Beatty.
Throughout his career, Warren has demonstrated a passion for source cues in particular - from the bubble-gum pop of Shampoo to the rap that provides the unlikely sonic inspiration for Bulworth. He's also worked with world-renowned composers Stephen Sondheim, Ennio Morricone and Danny Elfman.
Still going strong at 80, his latest project is Rules Don't Apply - which he wrote, directed and also stars in as real-life business tycoon Howard Hughes. Among the cast is Lily Collins, who as aspiring actress Marla Mabrey performs a specially commissioned song during the narrative.
We'll hear a bit of that, but this particular episode begins, as it ends, with the piano maestro that is Errol Garner ..
4/28/2017 • 29 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 37: John Ridley On The Music Of Guerrilla, 12 Years A Slave And Jimi Hendrix
John Ridley describes Idris Elba as a Renaissance man; were he not so humble, he might just as easily apply the expression to himself. An Oscar-winning screenwriter for the magnificent 12 Years A Slave, he's also a dab hand at directing, producing, novel-writing and (believe it or not) stand-up comedy.
He's ferociously thoughtful, considered and intelligent too, so our latest offering is as much about sociology and politics as sound.
John's latest project is Guerrilla, made by the ever-reliable Showtime and available in full via Sky Atlantic. Staring Idris, Frieda Pinto and Babou Ceesay, it focusses on the little-known story of the British Black Panther movement in 1970s London. In addition to some rare contemporary grooves from that, you'll hear extracts from Hanz Zimmer's score for 12 Years A Slave, Waddy Watchel's bespoke arrangements for the Jimi Hendrix biopic All Is By My Side, and a spot of Carter Burwell's work on 3 Kings (which John scripted).
But in putting this episode together, we owe a special debt of gratitude to his music supervisor on Guerrilla, Sarah Bridge. Not only did Sarah provide us with hard-to-find source tracks by Britain's first ever all-black rock group Noir, she also delivered examples from Max Richter's score - including Love Song, the piece that plays under Edith's introduction.
Perhaps most excitingly, though, she's given us an exclusive recording of Femi Kuti's track Look Around, which he actually performed live for a club scene that features in the narrative ...
4/21/2017 • 35 minutes, 50 seconds
Episode 36: The Return Of Mr Wheatley!
It's back to where it all began, with Edith's second crack at British director, Ben Wheatley. This time round they're focusing on Ben's new film Free Fire, a super-stylish action comedy which he co-wrote with his wife and longtime creative partner, Amy Jump.
Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Free Fire is scored by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury, who took sonic inspiration from David Shire's exceptional work on The Taking Of Pelham 123.
You'll hear plenty from both musical suites, as well as tracks by Lalo Schifrin, The Nerves, Creedence Clearwater Revival and John Denver.
As before, Ben is tremendous value, as we very much hope you'll agree.
4/7/2017 • 36 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 35: Stephen Woolley On The Music Of Stoned, Absolute Beginners, Interview With The Vampire & The Crying Game
Good grief, does this fine gentleman have a few stories to tell. Whether discussing Tony Hancock with David Bowie or royally pissing off Harvey Weinstein, British producer Stephen Woolley has been there, done that, and bought the (band) T-shirt.
Stephen is perhaps best known for his work with Neil Jordan on films such as Interview With The Vampire, The Company Of Wolves, Michael Collins and the Oscar-winning Crying Game. He also directed the Brian Jones biopic Stoned and executive-produced Backbeat - which focused on fifth Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe.
If you need any further evidence of his credentials for Soundtracking, he's variously secured the services of David Bowie, Jerry Dammers, Dusty Springfield, Boy George and the Pet Shop Boys for movies he's produced. You'll hear songs from all of these artists woven into the conversation - as well as extracts from Carl Davis' theme for Scandal, Anne Dudley's work on The Crying Game and Rachel Portman's score for Stephen's latest film, Their Finest.
But our story begins in punk London - the city where Stephen's love of music and film germinated ...
4/1/2017 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode 34: An Edgar Wright Musical Retrospective
Like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Danny Boyle, Edgar Wright is one of those filmmakers who's become synonymous with an expert use of music in his work.
As well as having collaborated with composers such as Nigel Godrich, Steven Price and David Arnold, he's also deployed source cues to maximum effect in every single one of his projects - from offbeat comedy classic Spaced to the ridiculously entertaining Cornetto Trilogy.
It's thus an absolute delight to welcome him to Soundtracking - a weekly podcast in which directors, writers, actors and musicians discuss the sounds of the screen.
Edgar's new film Baby Driver recently premiered at South By Southwest in Texas to great acclaim, but we'll invite him back to talk more about that in June when it gets a general release. Suffice to say, the soundtrack features in excess of 35 songs ...
In the meantime, we're going to reflect upon a CV that includes Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz, World's End and Scott Pilgrim - not to mention Spaced - the wonderfully postmodern TV show with which he made his name ...
3/24/2017 • 57 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 33: Bill Condon On The Music Of Beauty And The Beast, Dreamgirls & Chicago
When Jon Favreau joined Edith to discuss his remake of The Jungle Book, he revealed that the aspect of the film he was most preoccupied with was the music.
Our latest guest Bill Condon says much the same thing about his retelling of a more recent Disney classic, Beauty And The Beast.
In Bill's case, it was a potential deal-breaker: he only agreed to direct the project on the condition that the man who composed the original score came on board. That man is Alan Menken, whose Oscar-winning themes for the 1991 animation reverberate loud and clear throughout this live action reboot.
We also discuss his work with pre-eminent composer, Carter Burwell, who has collaborated with Bill on several occasions
3/18/2017 • 38 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 32: Jordan Vogt-Roberts On The Music Of Kong, Vietnam & The Kings Of Summer
The mighty Kong has traveled a long way since we first saw him batting away aeroplanes atop the Empire State Building to the melodramatic strains of the great Max Steiner.
CGI now rules when it comes to Monster Movies, just as Marcel Delgado's model of the giant ape did the New York skyline back in 1933.
But some things in cinema never change - including the way music is used to set an identifiable tone for narrative.
In the case of Kong: Skull Island, young American director Jordan Vogt-Roberts has sought to introduce the familiar sonic stylings of the Vietnam War to the traditional thrills and spills of the matinee creature feature - with most entertaining results.
During the course of his conversation with Edith you'll hear plenty of musical nods to Apocalypse Now and Good Morning Vietnam - and also discover which Rolling Stones track provided the inspiration for Henry Jackman's score.
They also reflect upon Jordan's previous film, The Kings Of Summer, with extracts from composer Ryan Miller's wonderful experimental soundscape underlaying the discussion.
But the show begins on Skull Island, where Samuel L Jackson and his men go about their business to the pounding beats of Creedence Clearwater Revival, David Bowie and Black Sabbath ...
3/10/2017 • 38 minutes, 52 seconds
Episode 31: James Mangold On The Music Of Logan, Cop Land & Johnny Cash
If one could embody charm, it might very well take the form of James Mangold - an open, warm and intelligent man who also happens to have a proven track record in delivering quite tremendous movies.
His latest offering is Logan - a dark, violent and spandex-free addition to the X-Men franchise, which sees Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in the throes of existential crises. Critics love it - in part due to the director's offbeat take on a sometimes formulaic genre. And as we'll discover, offbeat is a word which applies equally to Marco Beltrami's score ...
While James doesn't entirely accept the claim himself, his films have been described as eclectic. He's certainly tackled a rich variety of subject matter - from Cop Land to Girl Interrupted and the Oscar-winning Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line - with scores and soundtracks to boot.
Enjoy!
3/3/2017 • 40 minutes, 13 seconds
Episode 30: Gore Verbinski On The Music Of Pirates Of The Caribbean, Rango & The Cure For Wellness
Another week, another Academy Award winner - this time in the shape of Tennessee director Gore Verbinski.
Gore secured the Oscar for Rango – a firm family favourite in Edith's house - and has also notched up a string of box office smashes, from Mouse Hunt and The Mexican to The Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy.
As you’d expect from someone ranked as the 10th highest grossing director in the world, he’s also collaborated with some mighty fine composers.
On which note, Gore is not the first of our guests to have developed a productive relationship with Hans Zimmer. As well as scoring several of his movies, Hans also offers regular advice on who to hire when he’s not available. Indeed, this applies to Gore’s latest film - the psychological horror A Cure For Wellness.
Based on his own nighhtmares, it stars Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs and Mia Goth and tells the story of a young American executive who is sent to a mysterious rehabilitation center in the Swiss Alps. As is typical of the genre, music and sound design play a key role in building tension – with the cornerstone of Ben Wallfisch’s excellent score a creepy lullaby that’s reprised in various forms throughout the film …
2/25/2017 • 39 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 29: Ang Lee On The Music Of 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' And Other Movies
As Ron Howard observed in one of our previous episodes, Ang Lee is a filmmaker with a quite extraordinary range. He followed the majestic Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with comic book joyride Hulk - before bringing us Brokeback Mountain, Lust Caution and The Life Of Pi.
Such a diverse array of subject matter has very different musical requirements, with Tan Dun, Mychael Danna, Danny Elfman and Alexandre Desplat among the composers he’s worked with.
And these collaborations are exactly what we’re here to discuss on Soundtracking – a weekly podcast about screen music with Edith.
Ang’s latest movie is Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. Starring young British actor Joe Alwynn in the title role, it tells the story of a soldier returning from Iraq who’s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
From the point of view of score, the narrative posed a new set of challenges for the Taiwanese director - given that much of the action unfolds in a sports stadium …
2/17/2017 • 37 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode 28: Director Mike Mills On The Music Of 20th Century Women, Beginners & The Punk Revolution
Over the years, there's been many a filmmaker in possession of a sensational record collection. We've spoken to a few on this show - from Andrea Arnold and Richard Linklater to Nicolas Winding Refn and Danny Boyle. But just because you have impeccable taste, doesn't mean you can successfully translate it to the screen.
Thankfully, writer / director Mike Mills knows how to enhance a story with sound - as evidenced by his latest movie, 20th Century Women. Set in 1979, it tells the story of a mother who enlists her bohemian friends to help raise her son, and is part-based on his own childhood.
Music is central to both the development of narrative and character - with the artists featured all close to Mike's heart. Each selection is inspired by personal experience, from offerings by Siouxsie And The Banshees through The Buzzcocks to Black Flag. Indeed, when it comes to Talking Heads, he even bought the T-Shirt (well, his sister did anyway) ...
There are SO many great tunes in here, you'd be a fool to miss it.
2/10/2017 • 46 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 27: Jeff Nichols On The Music Of Loving, Midnight Special & Mud, Among Other Films
When you’ve made 5 movies that average over 90 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s fair to say you’re doing something right in the eyes of the discerning film fan.
Writer / director Jeff Nichols has done just that. From his debut Shotgun Stories to Take Shelter, Mud and Midnight Special, he’s proved himself to be a master craftsmen, capable of breathing life into an incredibly diverse range of subjects.
His latest offering Loving is no exception. Starring Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga, it tells the true story of the landmark US court case Loving versus Virginia, which challenged the state laws prohibiting inter-racial marriage.
As with all my guests, music is a central feature of Jeff’s work. From the scores provided by his go-to composer David Wingo to the considered placement of pop favourites from his youth, he has more than met the contrasting sonic demands presented by the narratives he’s brought us.
2/3/2017 • 42 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 26: Danny Boyle On The Music Of Trainspotting And Other Films
From the very opening sequence of Danny Boyle's debut Shallow Grave - in which the viewer zooms through the streets of Edinburgh to the dark pounding beats of Leftfield - it was clear we were dealing with a filmmaker of great visual flair who understood a thing or two about music too.
As if proof were needed, he followed Shallow Grave with Trainspotting and that set of songs - which rank it alongside the likes of Pulp FIction and Lock, Stock ... as one of the defining pop soundtracks of the 1990's.
Two decades on and Danny is still blazing a trail. Renton, Sick Boy, Begbie and Spud back - alongside Iggy, Blondie, and one or two artists for the 'T2' generation.
In the case of Danny, there's simply too much ground to cover in one show. So, for the time being at least, we focus on his various collaborations with John Murphy, AR Rahman and Rick Smith and Karl Hyde from Underworld - who, of course, had a big musical hand to play in both Trainspotting films ...
1/27/2017 • 42 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 25: Composer Justin Hurwitz on La La Land, Whiplash And The Musicals Of Yesteryear
As double-bills go on a show such as this, it’s hard to imagine a more relevant combo than the director and composer of La La Land - the film that’s causing quite the song and dance the world over.
In our previous episode we had the pleasure of talking to director Damien Chazelle about his musical masterpiece; this time round, it’s all about his composer and great friend, Justin Hurwitz.
If you’re new to the show, the format is simple. Each week, Edith speaks to key figures from the world of cinema about the music in their work, with relevant examples of the cues we discuss woven into the discussion.
So it is you'll be hearing extracts from Justin’s compositions for Guy And Madeline On A Park Bench, Whiplash and La La Land, all of which he scored for Damien.
The pair met in their Freshman year at Harvard, forming a band called Chester French who went on to have considerable success after they went their own way to make movies. But Chester French’s loss has been our gain, with Whiplash and La La Land in particular earning near-universal acclaim – not to mention awards and nominations aplenty …
1/20/2017 • 46 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 24: Damien Chazelle On The Music Of La La Land And Whiplash
If you've had the pleasure of watching Damien Chazelle's breakthrough feature Whiplash, you'll know it's a hard act it is to follow. But follow it he has with La La Land, an utterly beguiling 21st century musical set in the city of angels.
Having just landed 7 Golden Globes - including Best Screenplay and actress and actor awards for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling - it's now been nominated for 11 Baftas.
In the case of both Whiplash and La La Land, the music is provided by Damien's old college roommate Justin Hurwitz, who I'm delighted to say joins me next week. You’ll hear plenty of examples from both scores, as well as a spot of West Side Story and Singing In The Rain.
1/13/2017 • 31 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 23: John Michael McDonagh On The Music In War On Everyone, The Guard And Calvary
Edith's guest this week is fast establishing a reputation as a filmmaker of wit, originality and imaginative flair. In his short career as a writer / director, John Michael McDonagh has brought us 3 features, all of which have been characterised by taut narrative, black comedy and whip-crack dialogue.
First up was The Guard, starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, which is officially the most financially successful Irish independent movie of all time. Then came Calvary, a darkly humorous drama about a priest tormented by his community.
Now he’s crossed the Atlantic with War On Everyone, another twisted comedy in which Alexander Skarsgård and Michael Peña play a pair of tearaway New Mexico cops.
John’s heartfelt passion for music is reflected in the wide variety of artists he’s used in his work. During the course of our conversation, you’ll hear tunes from The Clash, The Fun Loving Criminals, REM, M.O.P and John Denver, among many, many others.
We’ll also discuss his collaborations on score with Calexico, Patrick Cassidy and Lorne Balfe.
1/6/2017 • 46 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode 22: JA Bayona On The Music Of A Monster Calls, The Impossible And The Orphanage
Edith's first guest of 2017 is Juan Antonio Bayona - or JA for short - which we hope you'll agree seems a most excellent way to start the New Year.
Since 2007, the Spanish director has made three critically acclaimed movies - all of which have had, in very different ways, children at the centre of the narrative.
First came his superior horror flick The Orphanage, followed by The Impossible, which is about a family caught up in the 2004 tsunami and was inspired by true events.
Now he brings us A Monster Calls. Based on the award winning fantasy novel by Patrick Ness, it tells the story of a boy who comes to terms with the terminal illness of his mother with the help of a humanoid tree. It stars Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Lewis MacDougall and Liam Neeson, and is an incredibly powerful cinematic experience.
As with all JA's films, A Monster Calls is scored by Fernando Velazquez, while his foray into television with Penny Dreadful saw him collaborate with Polish composer, Abel Korzeniowski. You can expect plenty of extracts from both musicians' work, as well as pieces from George Delarue and Elmer Bernstein among others.
1/1/2017 • 37 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 21: Justin Kurzel On The Music Of Assassin's Creed, Macbeth & Snowtown
In days gone by, it might have been considered a backward step to go from adapting Shakespeare to adapting a video game. Not anymore – with this week’s guest Justin Kurzel having done just that.
Following his hugely well-received take on Macbeth, the Australian director has now turned his attention to Assassin’s Creed - a movie based on the video game franchise that has sold well over 100 million copies worldwide. Both projects are scored by his brother Jed, and both star one of the actors of the moment, Michael Fassbender.
In the 21st Century, our brief here on Soundtracking applies as much to games as it does to film. Not only is the Assassin’s Creed series fully scored by the likes of Jesper Kyd and Winifred Phillips, but one of the trailers features a cover of Everybody Wants To Rule The World by New Zealand vocal sensation, Lorde. They’re more than just hackathons, too - with big ideas about morality, science, history and fate driving the narrative.
Plenty, then, for Justin to draw inspiration from when transforming the games into a cinematic experience …
12/23/2016 • 37 minutes, 21 seconds
Episode 20: Gareth Edwards On The Music Of Rogue One, Star Wars, Monsters and Godzilla
In cinematic terms, it may very well just be the greatest story ever told. With its ground-breaking special effects, unforgettable cast of characters and universal themes, the original Star Wars trilogy has inspired and delighted film goers ever since A New Hope blew everyone away in 1977.
Among those to have felt its force is Gareth Edwards - the man charged with directing the latest addition to the franchise, Rogue One.
And it goes without saying that music is central to the impact of George Lucas’s masterpiece – as are the iconic sound effects. John Williams’s score is one of the most famous ever written, while we all mimicked the noise of a Tie-Fighter or lightsaber when we played with the toys as kids. Gareth was only too aware of this sonic legacy, and reveals how he and composer Michael Giacchino acknowledged it in Rogue One.
We’ll also explore his collaborations with Jon Hopkins and Alexandre Desplat on Monsters and Godzilla respectively, with plenty of examples from both scores woven into the conversation.
12/16/2016 • 37 minutes, 56 seconds
Episode 19: Sean Ellis Reveals All About The Music In His Films, Including Metro Manila And Anthropoid
Having earned an Oscar nomination for his short film Cashback in 2004, British director Sean Ellis has since caught the eye with a stylistic approach that is urgent, visceral, and intense. With the help of composers Guy Farley and Robin Foster, he's delivered soundscapes to match.
Following its run at the Oscar, Sean developed Cashback into a full-length feature before bringing us Anglo-French horror The Broken, both of which were scored by Guy.
Then came the Philippine-set crime drama Metro Manila, which won numerous awards. His latest project is Anthropoid, which tells the true story of an unlikely assassination attempt on Hitler's second in command Reinhard Heydric - the so-called Butcher of Prague
For these two most recent ventures, Sean predominantly collaborated with Robin, who we must thank profusely for his assistance in putting this episode together. Apart from anything else, we'd have struggled to identify the specific Bartok violin sonata that features in a key scene in Anthropoid without him!
Interestingly, though, that sonata is one of the few cues in the film that's relevant to 1940s Prague, with Sean and Robin instead settling on a dark electronic score to evoke the all-pervasive atmosphere of paranoia that came with the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia ...
12/9/2016 • 35 minutes, 14 seconds
Episode 18: Writer, Producer And Director James Bobin On The Music Of Alice, The Muppets And Flight Of The Conchords
You have to go a long way to find someone who doesn't like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and the gang - or Alice of Wonderland fame, for that matter.
With this in mind, it's a great pleasure to welcome James Bobin into the Soundtracking family. Not only has James directed two Muppet movies and steered Alice on a recent outing through the Looking Glass, he's played a very significant hand in a couple more pop-cultural institutions too.
For having helped Sasha Baron Cohen create Ali G, Borat and Bruno, he then teamed up with Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie to bring the wonderful musical comedy Flight Of The Conchords to our screens. Indeed, Bret subsequently lent his expertise to both of James' Muppet movies. We'll be playing plenty of tunes from these films throughout the course of the conversation, as well as some classic Conchords.
We also have the joys of hearing excerpts of Danny Elfman’s majestic score for Alice Through The Looking Glass - and a Strauss polka that was all the rage in the 1870s.
12/2/2016 • 35 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 17: Director David Yates Talks About The Music Of Harry Potter And Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
When you're invited to direct a movie adaptation involving one of the most-loved literary creations the world has ever known, you can be pretty certain you won't get a second chance if you mess it up.
Thankfully, that's not a fate that befell David Yates. Not only did David take charge of the last four Harry Potter films, he was also asked to make JK Rowling's official spin-off Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which has been greeted with hugely positive reviews.
With the budgets attached to the Potter franchise, it is of course possible to secure the services of the best composers in the world. David has taken full advantage of this privilege, variously employing Nicholas Hooper, Alexandre Desplat and James Newton Howard. He also collaborated with Rupert Gregson-WIlliams on The Legend Of Tarzan.
You'll hear plenty of their work throughout the conversation, as well as that of John Williams - who provided scores for the first three Potters. We also find out a little bit about his earlier work, and get a blast of Mongolian throat music, which he used to great effect in his BAFTA nominated short film, Rank.
11/25/2016 • 32 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 16: Christopher Guest On The Music Of Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind and Mascots
Routinely cited as one of the funniest movies of all-time, This Is Spinal Tap is much imitated, oft-quoted, and as fresh now as it was when it first appeared in 1984. If you haven't seen it, you must buy it immediately.
Directed by Rob Reiner, it takes the form of documentary following a shambolic heavy metal band as they tour North America. Though the band is, of course, fictional, their songs are very real, and very funny.
One of the men behind both these songs and the razor-sharp script is writer, actor, director and musician Christopher Guest.
As we'll discover, Christopher's musical background stood him in good stead for Tap, and also A Mighty Wind, his affectionate parody of the folk world. His latest directorial project is Mascots, in which he appears alongside Parker Posey, Jane Lynch, Chris O'Dowd and Ed Begley Junior among many others.
As with all his films, there's no traditional score - with the tunes the mascots perform to provided by CJ Vanston. But he is a fan of film music, and in particular the quirky orchestrations of Italian legend, Nino Rota.
Expect plenty of music from Tap, The Folksmen and Mascots, as well as the odd trip-down-memory-lane clip too.
11/18/2016 • 30 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 15: Mat Whitecross On Oasis, Ian Dury, Coldplay And The Music In His Films
As subject matter goes, it doesn't get much more rock and roll than Joy Division, New Order, The Happy Mondays, Ian Dury, The Stone Roses, Coldplay and Oasis. But, in one way or another, all these artists have featured in the work of British director Mat Whitecross.
As we'll discover, Mat got his big break from Michael Winterbottom while working as a runner on the set 24 Hour Party People, which tells the story of Tony Wilson and Factory Records. The pair went on to direct Road To Gauntanomo together, before he flew solo on the Ian Dury biopic Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll and Stone Roses-inspired comedy, Spike Island.
Coldplay are among his illustrious list of music video clients, while he's also worked with composer Ilan Eshkeri and Tim Wheeler of Ash on more than one project. Indeed, Ilan and Tim have very kindly supplied us with some of their favourite compositions for their film and TV work with Mat, which you'll hear throughout the show.
And as if you needed more, there are excerpts from Rael Jones' score for Mat's Oasis documentary Supersonic too, amid the more familiar fare served up by the band themselves.
11/11/2016 • 47 minutes, 4 seconds
Episode 14: Derek Cianfrance On The Music In Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond The Pines And The Light Between Oceans
In his relatively short career, writer and director Derek Cianfrance has produced a body of work that has not only been critically lauded, but also wildly contrasting in its sonic demands.
For Blue Valentine, his celebrated breakthrough feature, he collaborated with American folk-rockers Grizzly Bear, who provided him with a dreamy hybrid of source music and score. He then worked with Mike Patton of Faith No More, Mr Bungle and Fantomas on The Place Beyond The Pines, before securing the services of composer Alexandre Desplat for his latest film, The Light Between Oceans.
Each project had very different musical requirements, which Derek outlines in fascinating detail here. He's a great raconteur, too - with splendid anecdotes about his lifelong obsession with Mike Patton and the sneaky way he got Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams to sing and dance for him in Blue Valentine.
Expect plenty of Alexandre's score for The Light Between Oceans, Mike Patton's diverse back catalogue, Grizzly Bear and, of course, the dulcet tones of Mr Gosling!
11/4/2016 • 48 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 13: Nicolas Winding Refn on the Music in Drive, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon
Few filmmakers at work today can claim to have more visual flair than Nicolas Winding Refn. From his debut thriller Pusher to Drive, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon, he has always served up a feast for the eyes.
Invariably his themes are downright dark and sleazy - with tech-noir soundscapes and cinematography enhancing the mood. Whether using source music or score, the Danish director is most accomplished when it comes to sonic dressing.
Nicolas has enjoyed a particularly fruitful relationship with composer Cliff Martinez. We'll hear plenty more about that during the course of the interview, as well as excepts of score from the movies on which they've collaborated.
Nicolas also gives us a fascinating insight into how he deploys music to induce a profound emotional response from his cast, and also reveals what he considers to be the Holy Grail of score.
10/28/2016 • 35 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 12: Director Ron Howard on the Music in His Films
From child star to Academy Award winning director, Ron Howard has always made it his business to entertain.
And entertain us he has - from A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13 and Frost / Nixon to his most recent offerings - the Beatles documentary Eight Days A Week and Dan Brown thriller Inferno.
But whereas Edith's previous guest Andrea Arnold prefers to accompany her films with source music, Ron is a particular fan of score, and has, accordingly, collaborated with some of the finest cinematic composers of recent times, including James Horner, Thomas Newman, John Williams and Hans Zimmer. We'll hear plenty more about the director's admiration for that venerable bunch during the course of our conversation, as well as excerpts from the work they produced for his movies.
Ron also reflects on his time as an actor, and has a most amusing anecdote about Michael Jackson!
10/21/2016 • 44 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode 11: Oscar winning director Andrea Arnold talks American Honey
Andrea Arnold announced herself to the film world by winning an Oscar for her short film Wasp in 2005. Since then her releases Red Road, Fish Tank and American Honey have all won the Jury Prize at Cannes.
The latter is her latest offering - a road trip following a 'Mag Crew' as they party their way across the American Midwest selling magazine subscriptions door-to-door - listening to plenty of phat beats.
Hip-hop is the sonic hearbeat of the film, with the sub-genre of Trap particularly prevalent. Originating in Atlanta in the 1990s, Trap music is dark, aggressive and lyrically challenging. We feature plenty of uncensored examples from the soundtrack during this episode.
Don't forget you can check out the playlist to the show on Spotify.
https://play.spotify.com/user/soundtrackingwithedithbowman
Next week: Ron Howard!
10/14/2016 • 30 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 10: Director Tate Taylor on Danny Elfman, Thomas Newman, James Brown and The Girl On The Train
In his brief directorial career, Tate Taylor has brought us three very different films requiring three very different soundscapes.
First up was his Oscar-nominated Civil Rights drama The Help, set in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, in 1962. It is a deeply personal film for Tate and awash with the music of the time - including Ray Charles, Mavis Staples and Johnny Cash. It also saw him collaborate with Thomas Newman for the first time on the score.
Then came the James Brown biopic Get On Up - with track after glorious track from The Godfather of Soul. Produced my Mick Jagger and again scored by Thomas, it was built around an incredible performance by Chadwick Boseman in the lead role.
Now we have his take on Paula Hawkins' international bestseller The Girl On The Train – a psychological thriller featuring suitably claustrophobic sonic undertones. Danny Elfman provides those in spades, and you'll hear plenty of his score in this episode.
We also get the story behind Thomas's score for The Help, and of course have the opportunity to play lots and lots of James Brown.
10/7/2016 • 36 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 9: Thea Sharrock on her career in the theatre, and now her debut feature film Me Before You, scored by the legendary Craig Armstrong (Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge, Love Actually)
Thea Sharrock was brought up on The Ramones. She cut her directorial teeth in theatre, becoming the youngest ever artistic director at a British theatre when she took over at the Southwark Playhouse at the tender age of 24.
She went on to direct Happy Now? at the National Theatre, before taking Equus to New York in 2008 - with Daniel Radcliffe making his Broadway debut. In 2009, she directed a production of As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe. In 2010, she directed Keira Knightley and Damian Lewis in The Misanthrope, then Benedict Cumberbatch in the Olivier-winning revival of After the Dance – before moving to TV with Tom Hiddlestone's Henry V for the BBC. This was beautifully scored by Adrian Johnston - whose work features prominently in this episode.
Her debut feature film Me Before You is a romantic drama starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, with a soundtrack featuring Ed Sheeran, Max Jury, Jack Garratt and The 1975 - and a score by the legendary Craig Armstrong (Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge, Love Actually). Again, there's plenty of Craig's music to enjoy here.
9/30/2016 • 27 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 8: Richard Linklater on the Music in Dazed And Confused, School Of Rock, Everybody Wants Some!! and Other Films
It's a safe bet that any writer / director who borrows song titles to name his own films is something of an audiophile. Richard Linklater is unquestionably one of these. From Dazed and Confused To Boyhood and the so-called 'Before' Trilogy, the amiable Texan has forged a career making movies with a very specific sense of time and place - accompanied by soundtracks that appropriately underscore the mood he's attempting to create.
His latest film continues this trend. Set in a fictional US college in 1980, Everybody Wants Some!! offers up a stonking array of contemporary tunes - from Donna Summer and Jermain Jackson to Blondie and The Sugarhill Gang. As with so much of his back catalogue, it's also very funny and beautifully observed.
By his own admission he prefers source cues to score - though he’s not averse to orchestration when the situation demands - as it did, for instance, in A Scanner Darkly. But it's rock 'n' roll where his heart lies, so expect music from Steppenwolf, The Hives, The Flaming Lips and Aerosmith. You can check out the playlist in full via edithbowman.com too.
9/23/2016 • 34 minutes, 1 second
Episode 7: David Mackenzie On The Music In Hell Or High Water, Hallam Foe, Starred Up And Other Films
Though it’s impossible to pigeonhole the 9 feature films David Mackenzie has directed, there’s one thing they have in common: his obvious passion for music.
Having enlisted Scottish band The Pastels to provide the soundtrack for his debut The Last Great Wilderness, he’s since collaborated with luminaries such as David Byrne and Max Richter. Indie label Domino Records provided all the songs for Hallam Foe, while David’s romantic comedy You Instead was shot over 5 crazy days at the T In The Park festival in Scotland.
His latest film Hell Or High Water continues this fine musical tradition - scored as it is by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.
So expect to be taken on a musical journey, with tracks from Townes Van Zandt, Waylon Jennings, Franz Ferdinand and The Bill Wells Trio among many others.
9/16/2016 • 31 minutes, 50 seconds
Episode 6: Matt Ross About The Music Of Captain Fantastic and other movies
Actor, writer and now director of Captain Fantastic starring Viggo Mortensen, Matt Ross takes Edith on a musical journey encompassing bagpipes, German experimentalism and Bulgarian folk – not to mention Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Guns N Roses.
To hear all the music from the show in full, check out our spotify playlist - https://play.spotify.com/user/soundtrackingwithedithbowman and please subscribe to the show on itunes. You can find out what else Edith is up to at www.edithbowman.com and follow her on twitter @edibow
9/9/2016 • 36 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 5: Jon Favreau on the music of The Jungle Book, Swingers, Chef and other movies
In the latest episode of Soundtracking, writer, actor, director and all-round good guy Jon Favreau joins Edith to discuss how he uses music in his films.
From the big-band beats of Swingers to the Latin and R&B infused rhythms of Chef, Jon has always displayed a knack for using sound to perfectly compliment his visuals. This is no bad thing in the context of his remake of The Jungle Book, what with its formidable musical legacy. As well as George Bruns' majestic score, it also features a series of unforgettable showstoppers by longtime Disney collaborators the Sherman brothers. Good job he had Bill Murray and Christopher Walken to help out!
Expect tracks from artists as diverse as AC/DC, Buddy Holly, The Chips, Roberto Roena and Louis Prima.
9/2/2016 • 34 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 4: Todd Phillips on the music in War Dogs, The Hangover and other films
On the release of his latest film War Dogs, writer and director Todd Phillips discusses the use of music in his movies, which reflects his love of everything from Black Flag to Billy Joel, Pink Floyd to Gram Parsons.
8/26/2016 • 26 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 3: Todd Solondz talks Wiener Dog and other movies
Todd Solondz won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for his debut feature Welcome To The Dollhouse. He followed it up with Happiness, which explored themes including rape, paedophilia, murder and suicide. Upon the release of his latest venture, the dark comedy Wiener Dog, Todd talks to Edith about musical collaborations with Nina Persson and Devendra Banhart, plus his love of Mary Poppins, The Carnival of the Animals and Barry Manilow.
To hear all the music from the show in full, check out our spotify playlist - https://open.spotify.com/user/1175379738/playlist/1FCSL0ZsctbasEza3kyeMb and please subscribe to the show on itunes. You can find out what else Edith is up to at www.edithbowman.com and follow her on twitter @edibow
Next week, Todd Phillips - the man behind the Hangover trilogy, whose new film War Dogs is based on the extraordinary true story of two highly unlikely arms dealers.
8/19/2016 • 27 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 2: David Ayer talks Suicide Squad and other movies
Edith chats to US film director David Ayer about the incredible range of music in his movies...from Fury and Training Day, up to his latest release, the hugely anticipated Suicide Squad.
To hear all the music from the show in full, check out our spotify playlist - and please subscribe to the show on itunes. You can find out what else Edith is up to at www.edithbowman.com and follow her on twitter @edibow
Next week: the man behind Happiness and Wiener Dog, Todd Solondz
8/12/2016 • 20 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 1: Ben Wheatley: The acclaimed British film director of High Rise
For our inaugural episode, Edith chats to British film director Ben Wheatley about the way he uses music in his movies. Ben made his name co-writing and directing the indie horror Kill List, before cementing his reputation with Sightseers and A Field In England. He has now taken on the considerable challenge of realising the dystopian visions of novelist JG Ballard in High Rise …
Edith finds out about Ben's broad music tastes, which are reflected in his work – from his love of German experimentalists to the more pop-driven sounds Soft Cell and Frankie Goes To Hollywood.
To hear all the music from the show in full, check out our spotify playlist - and please subscribe to the show on itunes. You can find out what else Edith is up to at www.edithbowman.com and follow her on twitter @edibow
Next week: David Ayer, the man behind Training Day and Fury, whose latest project is a big-budget adaptation of the cult comic Suicide Squad.