A reaction to recent films and a score
Over the past few weeks I’ve seen some remarkable films. One rockumentary, Heima and two indie drama / thrillers, No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood. I’ve also been listening to the soundtrack for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, which was composed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis of the Bad Seeds. The films combined with the audio effects of Cave and Ellis’s masterpiece has caused a deep sense of joy, remorse and sorrow for humanity as a whole.
But I’m not one to see the negative side of things, unlike Mr. Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis’ character in There Will Be Blood). The pure feeling I get when watching the films or listening to the soundtrack, whether it be of remorse or joy, is a true testament to their creators.
In Heima, the film was more than just about the music of Sigur Ros it was about the comfort of being home with friends and family.
In No Country For Old Men we come face to face with a psychotic killer who can’t understand why people think he doesn’t need to kill them when in his mind it was so perfectly clear why they must be killed - to get out of his way.
In There Will Be Blood we also come face to face with a psycho but in this case he’s not as blunt at first about his killer instincts. At first, the audience sees him as a tough guy on top but underneath the tough shell is a kind soul who cares for his son and their future. But in the end, we find out that is all untrue and the reality is something so grotesque and so vulgar that it’s almost impossible to comprehend his thought process. I’m still trying to get that final scene out of my head. To make the audience go from laughing to sheer fright at what just happened is not only a testament to the writers themselves but also to the power of Daniel Day Lewis. So far, this was the best piece of acting I’ve seen in 2008 and that’s a tough thing to say after seeing the breakout performance of Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men.
And finally, the score written by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. When I first got the press kit for the soundtrack, the bio reads, “Cave and Ellis have delivered a soundtrack that retains its captivating power, even without the benefit of the film’s imagery.” After popping it in for the first spin, I was immediately drawn in by the flow of the piano keys, the slow burn of the violin, the rhythmic lines of the cello. I had seen previews and clips of the movie and that was enough for me to be able to visualize every time I listened to this soundtrack the flow of the movie itself.
I’ve never owned a Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds album before and those that are big fans may find it hilarious that my introduction came in the form of a movie soundtrack. But let me tell you, this soundtrack stands very strong on it’s own and I highly recommend those that enjoy listening to classical music or for those just in need of some time to think, grab this one. It is a guaranteed forty four minutes of both aural and imaginative pleasure.
Stream a couple audio clips from the soundtrack to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert For:
“Move On”
“Cowgirl”
Watch the previews for all four films:
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Heima
Read the reviews and find out where they are playing near your town at RottenTomatoes.com
And if you live in Boston, make sure you check out the new indie film website, www.antiplex.com. It was created by the same guys that put tourfilter together.
And make sure to check out the new Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds album, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! , to be released on Mute Records on March 3rd in the U.K. and on April 8th on Anti in the U.S. Visit their official website, www.nickcaveandthebadseeds.com, and listen to the title track.
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Great post! Though I admit I mostly skimmed for fear of spoilers. Consider this de.licio.us’d for when I’ve seen all the movies. And thanks for the songs. I’m glad to know Nick Cave had a hand in the compositions. Hope all is well!
Hey Mandy, long time indeed. Not really any spoilers in this post. Just needed to get some thoughts out on the blog as the last two movies I saw, No Country and Blood, were really intense and was causing some serious brain malfunctions.