Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 6:26 pm
For my Deep Cut I decided to highlight an often overlooked score by Mark Isham. In fact it was his first film score.
The Album is Film Music and For the purpose of this write up we'll be looking at side 2 of the record which features a 24+ minute suite of music from Carroll Ballard's Never Cry Wolf (Side 1 features music from Mrs. Soffel and The Times of Harvey Milk).
Carroll Ballard took a big chance hiring Isham to work on a film that so completely relies on music. The vast majority of the film focuses it's time with one man in the wilderness studying wolves. So there is little dialogue, a bit of narration, and Isham's score. Ballard's risk was in hiring a composer who had just earlier the same year released his first album (previously he'd only acted as a featured horn player for other artists). As it turns out he made a wise choice. Isham was able to compose an electronic score that not only works beautifully in the film but is a great listen away from the film as well.
For an electronic score it manages to completely avoid sounding artificial. It fits seemlessly into a film that is set entirely in the wilderness, and spends about as much time with wolves as it does with the (very small) human cast. The music is very intimate and reflective, which also is in keeping with the peaceful sense of explorative isolation in the film. The music leans much more to the melodic side of light electronics. While I'm generally not a giant fan of film suites in this case 24 minutes is perfect. It gives you a great representation of the score as a whole.
The album was released by Windham Hill Records and is available for super cheap online. Never Cry Wolf is also a great film. If you've never seen it it's well worth your time.
Here's the complete suite.
https://soundcloud.com/openeyefilms/nev ... suite-mark
I nominate @tonyandrewgiles
The Album is Film Music and For the purpose of this write up we'll be looking at side 2 of the record which features a 24+ minute suite of music from Carroll Ballard's Never Cry Wolf (Side 1 features music from Mrs. Soffel and The Times of Harvey Milk).
Carroll Ballard took a big chance hiring Isham to work on a film that so completely relies on music. The vast majority of the film focuses it's time with one man in the wilderness studying wolves. So there is little dialogue, a bit of narration, and Isham's score. Ballard's risk was in hiring a composer who had just earlier the same year released his first album (previously he'd only acted as a featured horn player for other artists). As it turns out he made a wise choice. Isham was able to compose an electronic score that not only works beautifully in the film but is a great listen away from the film as well.
For an electronic score it manages to completely avoid sounding artificial. It fits seemlessly into a film that is set entirely in the wilderness, and spends about as much time with wolves as it does with the (very small) human cast. The music is very intimate and reflective, which also is in keeping with the peaceful sense of explorative isolation in the film. The music leans much more to the melodic side of light electronics. While I'm generally not a giant fan of film suites in this case 24 minutes is perfect. It gives you a great representation of the score as a whole.
The album was released by Windham Hill Records and is available for super cheap online. Never Cry Wolf is also a great film. If you've never seen it it's well worth your time.
Here's the complete suite.
https://soundcloud.com/openeyefilms/nev ... suite-mark
I nominate @tonyandrewgiles
