I'm afraid to say that I hated almost every note of this score.
Incredibly generic, predictable, phoned-in nonsense that anyone could have programmed (not written, I'd be amazed if all of five minutes of music in this film required anything to be 'written down' at all). (trimmed post)
I appreciate you posting as it seems we have similar tastes in scores. No need in adding my own input as I only made it through a few short tracks before deciding to pass.
Of course, of course.
I should clarify my above comments that this isn't a reflection on the film itself (which I am very excited to see) nor even necessarily Beltrami (I'll defend MIMIC, HELLBOY, DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK and DAVID AND LISA until the cows come home) but rather my voicing frustration that a high-concept, intriguing horror film should be allowed an equally original, intriguing and "non-traditional" approach instead of generic, obvious stingers and droning.
At least when David Julyan did that in THE DESCENT, he paid the musical journey off at the end with a spectacularly emotional, cathartic finale cue that made the previous journey feel earned and rewarded and elevated the film's final moments with an almost mythic sense of grandeur (SPOILERS in the below clip for anyone who hasn't seen that film):
I think Roque Banos in EVIL DEAD/FRAGILES/THE MACHINIST etc. mode would have been a much more inspired choice for this film.
The film is a pretty good example of sustained tension and suspense. You're on edge almost all of the time, once the consequences of making a sound have been shown. Like Joan, I responded to the family, so the peril was much more keenly felt. I was reminded of early episodes of THE WALKING DEAD and some M Night Shyamalan films (SIGNS, THE VILLAGE) in the style, feel and execution of many scenes. Like some of M.N.S films, the logic doesn't stack up once you ponder it afterwards (I don't want to discuss them too much just yet, as it's early days for the film), but during the initial 90 minutes, just thrown in, the film certainly delivers in the thrills department. The score did it's job overall, offering a mix of Spiegel Im Spiegel variations and the usual sound design suspense stuff. I also noticed a Goldsmith riff (THE EDGE? DEEP RISING?) in the 2 note monster association score. But I'd never listen to it on it's own. Good, tense, suspenseful film-making overall, as long as you don't overthink things.
I feel this is one of the toughest genres to bring new scoring life to a film. It really has all been done before. I think it was necessary for the "non-quiet parts" of the film to be scored to a degree to help to establish a connection to the family. Perhaps there was too much score, but as a composer myself, I wouldn't relish trying to score this film. And of course the spotting choices would have as much to do with Krasinski as Beltrami. I think in the end the score does a decent job of supporting the film.
So does anyone know if this can be obtained as a pressed CD at this point? The Amazon listing I'd pre-ordered long ago is sitting there defunct now. Another one cropped up and is CD-R only. I'm not seeing it at Amazon UK. I love this new process of trying to weed through these garbage CD presentations!
The film is a pretty good example of sustained tension and suspense. You're on edge almost all of the time, once the consequences of making a sound have been shown. Like Joan, I responded to the family, so the peril was much more keenly felt. I was reminded of early episodes of THE WALKING DEAD and some M Night Shyamalan films (SIGNS, THE VILLAGE) in the style, feel and execution of many scenes. Like some of M.N.S films, the logic doesn't stack up once you ponder it afterwards (I don't want to discuss them too much just yet, as it's early days for the film), but during the initial 90 minutes, just thrown in, the film certainly delivers in the thrills department. The score did it's job overall, offering a mix of Spiegel Im Spiegel variations and the usual sound design suspense stuff. I also noticed a Goldsmith riff (THE EDGE? DEEP RISING?) in the 2 note monster association score. But I'd never listen to it on it's own. Good, tense, suspenseful film-making overall, as long as you don't overthink things.
Right. For the first two thirds I was thinking "this is the best film of the year". Then the plot holes and cliches knocked it down to just "a superb horror film". ( i.e you don't ask that horror films be realistic or logical, but you do ask it of thrillers/dramas) Reminds one of MIMIC> brm
I watched it first in a theater. Sound and silence are fully realized in a theater.
I watched it last week on DVD and still loved the movie. I noted a lot more small details that I missed upon first viewing. For me at this point in time, it is still the best movie I've seen in 2018.
I actually loved the score for this movie! Specially the emotional cues.
The one in the beginning called "A Quiet Family" is amazing! But I wish they'd released the movie version instead of the one on the album. The off-key piano kinda ruins it a bit for me, lol! But it's amazing in the movie!