The score composed by Dario Marianelli for the film "A Boy Called Christmas" will be released tomorrow friday 26th of november on digital platforms.
I had the chance to watch the film already on Netflix and just say that the orchestrations by Dario and his collaborator Geoff Alexander are amazing. You can get the essence of both Williams and Elfman kind of Christmas sound, but there is a lot of Marianelli all around, and Shostakovich too, to say just some refferences that come to my mind.
Aunt Ruth's Arrival (01:35) The Story Begins (02:13) Lumi's Fairytale (01:12) A Mouse and a Kingdom (02:21) The King's Big Ask (01:39) Aunt Carlotta (02:19) The Map in the Hat (02:50) Blitzen (03:13) Elfhelm, the City of the Elves (03:18) The Resitance Party (01:15) Mother Vodol is not Amused (04:13) The Pixie and the Troll (03:04) Escape from Elfhelm (03:34) Nicholas Finds his Father (03:45) The Precipice (02:39) Little Kip is Back Home (01:45) Celebrations (02:30) Nicholas' Big Idea (03:01) The Reinfield Standoff (04:31) Presents Giving (02:40) It's Christmas! (02:17) Last Fireworks (02:05)
I've never quite gotten fully into Dario Marianelli's music, apart from bits in ATONEMENT and THE BROTHERS GRIMM. There's something that holds me back from being fully invested. This sounds okay, but is a tad generic and missing that magic sparkle to me.
The emotional wallop of the string elegy and the voices of the soldiers singing as they march to their (probable) deaths is just overwhelming. It's as good as anything by Ennio Morricone, who it somewhat vibes in its musicality.
Of course. Everyone agrees that he was brilliant up untill the early 2010s. ATONEMENT, SALMON FISHING, JANE EYRE, you name it. But since then, he hasn't wowed me one single time. I don't know what's going on with him -- whether it's the industry or whatever. But I hope to see the return of the great Marianelli one day (A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS wasn't that, sadly).
