Oscar Talk: Music

The music branch of the Academy continues to be fun, if only because attempts to predict what they’ll do become more and more exasperating as the years go by. But, here goes.

        

ORIGINAL SONG

I’d say that the race is between “I See the Light” and “Coming Home” when it comes to actual merit, with the slight edge going to the former. The music branch has a thing for well produced duets, it’s difficult to deny that with all its issues Tangled does know when to place its songs.

NOMINEES: “Coming Home” from Country Strong / “I See the Light” from Tangled / “If I Rise” from 127 Hours / “We Belong Together” from Toy Story III Prediction “I See the Light” Alternate “We Belong Together”

But, then, multiple nominee 127 Hours has such obvious spoiler potential, I wonder if Rahman is headed to a third Oscar, and if they like duets they like pain and heartbreak and inspirational tosh just as much – so, I wouldn’t be shocked if Rahman takes it here, still I'm putting Newman as my alternate because he lost last year and because I have a feeling they're going to want to reward Toy Story III as much as they could (barring the screenplay and picture category), so why not choose it over Tangled, since it's more loved animated film. (Not that I think it even deserves to be nominated, but I digress...)

ORIGINAL SCORE

Is it insularity on the part of AMPAS, or is it just coincidence that three of the 2008 nominees are back to battle it out (the winner included). Naturally, I assume that this is the chance for voters to write that egregious wrong and reward Alexandre Desplat. True, it’s an all-round good set of nominees – but they can’t continue to snub Desplat after robbing him in 2008 and 2009, right? But, then, there’s Zimmer’s VERY intrusive work in Inception and we know that voters like their music loud.

NOMINEES: How to Train Your Dragon (John Powell) / Inception (Hans Zimmer) / The King’s Speech (Alexandre Desplat) / 127 Hours (A. R. Rahman) / The Social Network (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Prediction: The King’s Speech Alternate: Inception

      

Then, there’s the more subtle work on The Social Network which I don’t think has much upset potential – but is still not one that I should rule out completely. I’m sticking with Desplat, for now, though. It’s about time they reward the music branch’s most ubiquitous composer of the moment.

Oscar Talk: The Score and The Song

Original Score
Though my interest in current music has waned, I’m still a general fan of music. So, I’m one of those people that these categories aren’t extraneous. A list has recently been published – the 77 original scores eligible for the category. The obvious problem with predicting this category is that many precursors don’t feature them, so you’re sort of going in blind. I often wonder how voters judge the category, because the increasing propensity of high profile films getting a sort of de facto nod here is disturbing. At the moment Hans Zimmer’s work on Inception is being touted as the frontrunner. I’m neither here nor there on his work in the film, but that’s pretty much a shoo-in for a nom, as is Alexandre Desplat. Truly, Desplat should have been Oscar-ed by now, he has three films up The King’s Speech, The Ghost Writer and Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows. His work on The Ghost Writer is excellent, but I suppose the pedigree of The King’s Speech makes it a more likely contender. I’m still surprised the Globes snubbed Portman’s work in Never Let Me Go, but that film has become continually forgotten. Still, Portman’s probably the most noted female composer so I’ll assume she’ll get some love there. Then there, Rahman’s work on 127 Hours has been noted by a few precursor groups and he is a defending champion in the category, so he’s a safe bet too. I think The Social Network is a fine example of best picture support turning a film into a veritable contender in all categories but it does have a fine score, and whatever the reason for its appearance on a number of list it’s nice to see it there.

127 Hours / Inception / The King’s Speech / Never Let Me Go / The Social Network

I’m not sure if he didn’t submit, or if it was deemed ineligible – whatever the case Dario Marianelli’s score Agora is not on the list of commentating scores. I’d love for the voters to get a little less insular since there are a number of competing scores that deserve a look. Anton Sanko’s work in Rabbit Hole and perhaps Jan A. P. Kaczmarek’s Get Low could emerge as a contender. Danny Elfman’s Alice in Wonderland is a potential contender, but I still don’t have faith in that particular projection.

Original Song

I’m predicting three songs for the original song race, because it’s kind of obvious that the Academy has little interest in this category. And I suppose, in a race it’d be the one that’s most extraneous but I don’t think the category’s that incidental. In case you don’t know how it works, the 41 songs are seen on a continuing loop and ranked on a scale of 1-10. Then, the songs that have an accumulative average of 8.25 are nominated. If no songs get above that score, none are nominated – if 1 song gets above that the next two are nominated and if more than 5 get nominated, the highest five are nominated (obviously). It’s kind of obvious that this category isn’t really a priority.

“If I Rise” from 127 Hours / “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” from Burlesque / “I See the Light” from Tangled /

                     

I like Christina’s work in “Bound to You” but I don’t see two songs from Burlesque taking off. “Coming Home” from Country Song and “We Belong Together” from Toy Story III would be two I’d add if the number went to five.

                

Do you have any significant affinity to cinematic music this past year? Or do you agree with the extraneousness of the music branch?

Decade in Review: Music of the Night

Somewhere along the line I fizzled out on this series, but it's April and as I said I'm doing the exorcism...so here goes. I like music, actually I used to be obsessed with it (more than books and film, gasp). Not so much anymore, though. I'm probably one of the few who love the music categories at the Oscars though. I've taken a look back over the decade of the pieces of film music that really moved me this past decade.

THE SCORES - I linked to youtube clips of each piece, and embedded my three favourites
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings [Shore] It's as epic as it needs to be and always so moving, especially the bits in the Shire. listen
      
The Hours [Glass] His use of the wood instruments is startlingly good, the music is just as important as the editing in the joining the lvies of our three women. listen
      
Cold Mountain [Yared] From the opening note he gets me hooked. Not as lovely as his work on The English Patient, but still excellent. listen
     
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King [Shore] I find it even better than the first two, it's not as made up of refrains as The Two Towers and it's darker than the first. listen
    
Finding Neverland [Kaczmareck] It's a shame has hasn't done anything notable since. listen    

Pride & Prejudice [Marianelli] I always assumed that actual classical music was being played. The pieces at the ball are particularly jaunty and fun. listen
    
Atonement [Marianelli]

As soon as that typewriter started clicking I knew I was on to something especial...and I was.
     

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [Desplat]

This particular entry "Mr Gateau" is my favourite portion of the score, but it's all excellent. What a snub that was.
     
Bright Star [Bradshaw]

What an excellent debut for a newcomer. It's not abundant, but it's excellent.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox [Desplat] listen

It's so different from his good work on Button and Cheri. The music is almost its own character, throroughly original and inventive.
      
THE SONGS - I linked to youtube clips of each piece, and embedded my three favourites, and another...

"Come What May" from Moulin Rouge! listen

The snub heard around the world...this was due to the always weird rules of the Oscar's music branch.  Moulin Rouge!'s love duet is so lovely and it's so nice hearing Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman harmonise. Isn't it?
        
"May It Be" from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings  listen

Enya is a talented singer, and her vocalising is major part of why this track is always so haunting. It sets the perfect tone for the trilogy.

"I Move On" from Chicago


I liked this song fine when I heard it play over the credits with Roxie and Velma hoping to "move on", but it was when a pregnant Catherine Zeta Jones and Queen Latifah performed it at the Oscars that I realised the beauty of this number. Ebb and Kander know a thing or two about excellence, and this song is just that.
     
"Scarlet Tide" from Cold Mountain


Alison Krauss is a talented singer and her ballads for Cold Mountain are lovely. This song easily stands out as my favourite film number of the decade. It's eerie how much the words have to do with the plot for the film...just lovely.
   
"Into the West" from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King listen

Annie Lennox's number for the trilogy features as a good companion piece for "May It Be". I won't lie, I shed a tear as the credits starting rolling at the cinema and this tune started playing. For shame.

"Learn to Be Lonely" from The Phantom of the Opera


Even though I actively loathe Andrew Lloyd Webber, hearing Beyonce sing this at the Oscars (remember tha year?) made me realise that the man has his moments. The ballad is simple, but in no way pedestrian and it fits so perfectly with the life of The Phantom. It's not my favourite of the ten, but it really is an excellent performance from Ms. Knowles.

      

"Falling Slowly" from Once listen
Who doesn't at least like this? Just beautiful.      

"So Close" from Enchanted listen

This stood out as my favourite of the enchanted numbers. It doesn't really do that much in context of the film, but it's a good song nonetheless.
      
"Once In A Lifetime" from Cadillac Records listen

2008 was a travesty in terms of the song category, they snubbed Springsteen and they snubbed this good piece from Cadillac Records, an underappreciated film. I'm still not sure how it ties to the film's plot (which is probably why it was not nominated), but it really is something special - says me.
     
"Smoke Without A Fire" from An Education 


It's so clear that the film was written with Jenny Mellor in mind when you listen to the lyrics, and Duffy's unique voice makes it all the more moving with no schmaltz.
   
Well, you know my taste in films...but what are your thoughts on my musical tastes? Which score remain in your memories from this past decade, which songs can't you stop humming?