Marco Beltrami is scoring the upcoming holiday comedy The Night Before (formerly titled X-mas) from director Jonathan Levine, who he previously collaborated with for Warm Bodies.
Miles Hankins, who provided additional music for Fantastic Four, is listed as co-composer.
Less than 2 weeks left and STILL no soundtrack album announced!
And probably with good reason. Most new scores sell poorly. Comedy scores sell miserably. Holiday scores are not good sellers. Put it all together and...
You can sit here and whine on a consistent basis about Beltrami scores not being released or you can put your money where your mouth is, start up your own label, not get digital rights and see just how well cds sell in the year 2015.
Not only his first entry into jazzy/christmassy music... but what A THEME!
Um, this is AWESOME! Thanks for posting (this, and the other clips). I'm really looking forward to the film, but now I'm EXTRA looking forward to a fun soundtrack mixing modern tunes with "classic" Christmas score elements. Sounds fun!
I'll give him an A for effort on the jazzy stuff, but as usual with every score I've heard by him, shortly after hearing the theme, it's gone with the wind. Can't recall a lick of it. I do recall, however, there was nothing remarkable about it.
I caught lots of trailers for this film, while in New York last week, and wild horses could not drag me to see this film...EVER!!!! I'm sure there will be a digital download (or promo) of this score available before long.
I almost don't believe that Kraft-Engel clip is by Beltrami. The beginning is just too... Orchestral.
Beltrami has been known to work with an orchestra from time to time in his scores. I can't think of one offhand, but I am pretty sure this is true. Can anyone confirm this?
I almost don't believe that Kraft-Engel clip is by Beltrami. The beginning is just too... Orchestral.
Beltrami has been known to work with an orchestra from time to time in his scores. I can't think of one offhand, but I am pretty sure this is true. Can anyone confirm this?
Sarcasm aside, it's not that he doesn't use an orchestra regularly, it's more that, given his large body of work, I can only think of a few scores that really ENGAGE the orchestra in a meaningful, full-blooded fashion: Mimic, David and Lisa, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, parts of Hellboy and a few others. He's really not a "symphonic" guy *first and foremost*, at least not in regards to his musical output over the past fifteen years or so.
Not saying that derogatorily, mind you, just an observation from extensive listening over the years. The florid opening of that "Night Before" cue almost sounds like Robert Folk's "Trapped in Paradise" or Mark Mckenzie's "Blizzard".
it's not that he doesn't use an orchestra regularly, it's more that, given his large body of work, I can only think of a few scores that really ENGAGE the orchestra in a meaningful, full-blooded fashion: Mimic, David and Lisa, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, parts of Hellboy and a few others. He's really not a "symphonic" guy *first and foremost*, at least not in regards to his musical output over the past fifteen years or so.
Well I would say first of all that I disagree in using the word "meaningful" to describe his use of engaging and utilizing the orchestra in his scores, because that's kind of subjective I think and even if it takes a backseat to other colors on his palette for a score, his use of an orchestra can still be very meaningful, even if used in smaller doses. More presence does not always equate more meaningful.
He definitely uses a powerful full orchestra when the assignment calls for it -- and adding to your list I would suggest I am Dina, Knowing, The Seventh Son, The Thing, 1864 and a few others -- but I do think he's very often interested in creative sounds, new unusual soundscapes and ideas that are alternative to traditional orchestral methods, processed acoustics and augmenting the orchestra rather than simply straight ahead "regular orchestra". That's what I love about him, and that's what makes him so much more interesting than someone like Michael Giacchino for example. For me personally, although I very much enjoy a number of Giacchino's scores, the fact that he tends to rely so heavily on a the standard full orchestra for one score after another of his is not my cup of tea. I enjoy his Lost scores and Alias scores more because they are more experimental and varied, and that's also why I enjoy Beltrami's music so much more. Just as an example, taking a detour from what we were talking about in the first place...
Just got out of seeing this. While I know the film won't be for lots of people, my friends and I (all in our 30s) thought it was a ton of fun and laughed our way through it. It's a mixed-up gumbo of different styles, references, and tones, but it all WORKS and makes for a fun, light holiday comedy.
There's actually a fair amount of score, mostly used for "twinkling" sleigh-bell-heavy Christmas-effect. As mentioned earlier in this thread, there's a strong main theme played often and it, surprisingly, gets a full choral rendition with LYRICS! The choral version is used early in the film, but is unfortunately buried under dialogue, so I really hope this gets a digital release so I can listen to it on its own. Good stuff and would easily slide into a Christmas score playlist alongside "Blizzard," "Home Alone," etc.
Movie is hilarious (and I say this as someone who did not want to go see it at all), and the score reminded me of Genero Silvestri. Had forgotten that Marco Beltrami & Friend were to score it. It's just your typical bland Christmas comedy score, with one little action bit that reminded me of Silvestri.
Sounds promissing... too bad there is still no soundtrack album available... but hey! At least we've got 15th reissue of Home alone instead...
Any more comments re the movie and the score?
Cause Home Alone will probably sell a shitload more copies than The Night Before. But who knows maybe it can be released as a digipack or just in a cardboard sleeve. How cool would that be
