Memo to the Music Branch of the Academy 2005
By Cary Wong
It's never too early for the music
branch to start weeding out the good scores from the bad in preparation
for this year's Oscar nominations. Like last year, there's no clear
front-runner, but there are many high profile, year-end scores that may
either lead the pack or burst in flames (Alexander, anyone?). However, enough scores are out
and enough buzz has been circulating regarding the remaining high
profile Oscar movies, that one can at least make recommendations. Last
November, my top five yielded one (The Village), my Second Tier yielded two (Finding
Neverland and The Passion of
the Christ), my long-shots yielded
one (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was a surprise over Williams' The
Terminal) and Unknown Quantities
(late year scores) actually only produced one nominee (Lemony
Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events). So, somewhere in this article, you're
likely to find the five eventual nominees.
The Top 5
Brokeback
Mountain (Gustavo Santaolalla) -- Verve Forecast
Cinderella Man (Thomas Newman)
-- Decca
A History of Violence (Howard
Shore) -- New Line
Memoirs of a Geisha (John
Williams) -- Sony Classical
The March of the Penguins
(Alex Wurman) -- Milan
There is only one sure thing in this bunch, and that's Gustavo
Santaolalla's gentle and wistful score to Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain. Not that the
other scores aren't worthy -- there are just other factors. More than
likely, John Williams' score to Geisha
will get nominated just because he's Williams and it's a high profile
film. But Williams' problem is that he had four scores this year, with
one that may even be a higher profile film (Munich). Cinderella Man seemed a lock when
the movie opened this summer, but it was not a box-office success, and
Newman's Jarhead may trump it.
Shore has won twice in this category in the last four years, and that
may hurt his chances here, but Violence
is such a good movie and the unsensationalist score is so unlike his Lord of the Rings scores that he
will still have a good shot. And the sleeper hit of the year has to be Penguins, and Wurman may be the
lucky recipient of an Academy wanting to recognize this movie.
The Second Tier
Capote
(Mychael Danna) -- unreleased
The Constant Gardener (Alberto
Iglesias) -- Higher Octave
Dreamer (John Debney) -- Sony
Classical
Jarhead (Thomas Newman) --
Decca
North Country (Gustavo
Santaolalla) -- Sony
Danna's minimalist-tinged score for Capote
is one of the best of the year, but he has never been nominated and the
film may be perceived as more of an actor's movie. Gardener and North Country will have a shot if
the films get a lot of pre-Oscar awards and buzz. Jarhead will compete with Cinderella Man for the Newman vote
(although Thomas Newman is one of the few composers who have been
nominated in the same year for best score). If Newman really wants a
shot to win the elusive prize, Cinderella
may be the score, apropos to its title. Debney lost last year for his
severe but popular The Passion of
the Christ score, so the music branch may reward him for Dreamers, a critically acclaimed
family film. What may work against him? It's a critically acclaimed
family film. Debney may also have a shot with a showier family film, Zathura.
Long-shots
Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory (Danny Elfman) -- Warner Bros.
The Dying Gaul (Steve Reich)
-- unreleased
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
(Patrick Doyle) -- Warner Bros.
Proof (Stephen Warbeck) --
Varese Sarabande
War of the Worlds (John
Williams) -- Decca
The music branch's welcoming policy for classical music composers may
reward newcomer Steve Reich. But he might be a tad too radical for
their taste. Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory could factor in here, but some voters might
mistakenly think it's a musical, due to the confusing music branch
rules (see below). War of the Worlds
may be an overload of Williams (ditto Revenge
of the Sith, although the branch may want to reward Williams for
creating a mammoth work of art, while keeping his sanity working with
George Lucas). Proof may have
peaked too soon. And while Doyle wrote a rich and fulfilling score for
the latest Harry Potter
installment, it may seem like he's subbing for Williams as opposed to
creating a whole world all his own. This score has the best chance to
make the leap, but a sprinkle of pixie dust couldn't hurt.
Unknown Quantities
The
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
(Harry Gregson-Williams)
King Kong (James Newton Howard)
Munich (John Williams)
The New World (James Horner)
Syriana (Alexandre Desplat)
Just by pedigree alone, Munich
and The New World should make
it to the final five. Replacement scores rarely get an Oscar nod (Troy, The Horse Whisperer, Air Force One) but Howard is well
respected (and he did get one for his replacement score to The Prince of Tides), and if the
movie isn't anywhere near the disaster of Kong's last cinematic outing,
Howard's score may get recognition. Desplat is due for his first
nomination, and with three scores this year, he may sneak in,
especially if Syriana is well
received. And you can never discount an epic film based on a children's
book, so while Narnia should
have a bigger buzz at this point in the game, it may surprise us yet.
Songs
"According to Plan" -- Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
"Hustle and Flow (It Ain't Over)" -- Hustle
& Flow
"The Maker Makes" -- Brokeback
Mountain
"There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway" -- The Producers
"Wonka's Welcome Song" -- Charlie and
the Chocolate Factory
Danny Elfman wrote great scores for two inventive Tim Burton movies,
but the music branch might consider them to be musicals (Elfman was
burned by the musical rule with Chicago),
although by official rules, these scores should be eligible. Just to be
safe in this weak year for movie songs, I would, if I was Elfman, have
Celine Dion or Annie Lennox do a cover of one of the Corpse Bride songs as soon as
possible. The frontrunner right now is Rufus Wainwright's crooning love
song for the gay cowboys of Brokeback
Mountain, although some of the Gustavo Santaolalla-penned songs
may make the cut as well. Mel Brooks wrote a new song for The Producers just to be eligible
for this award, and he will at least get a nomination. With Eminem's
win a few years back, being a rap song will not count you out for at
least a nomination, and while the title song from Hustle & Flow is the least
integral to the movie, I don't think the Academy will want to have song
titles like "Whoop That Trick" or "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" on
the final ballot.
MailBag@filmscoremonthly.com
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