You Know You're Only In It 'Cause It's Hot Right Now: October 2012

Okay, so the "few weeks" of college-work-overload that I mentioned in my most recent post turned into about a month... But now it's the half-term holiday, I finally have time to blog! As promised in my last blog post, here's a review of my top five TV/film soundtracks of all time...

Picking the right music is instrumental (excuse the pun!) in making or breaking a piece of film. A mediocre film or TV programme can be made an amazing one with the help of a spectacular soundtrack. However, all of the fantastic acting, scriptwriting and visual work in the world can be completely destroyed by a piece of terrible atmospheric music. My top five soundtracks of all time are all from highly acclaimed TV shows and films, and I think it's fair to say that these programmes and movies would be nothing without their truly fantastic accompanying music.

Poster © Warner Bros. France

#1 - 'The Artist'

'The Artist', as a silent, feature-length film, relies heavily on its music to create a captivating atmosphere and maintain a 21st century audience's attention. Its soundtrack is, as a result, a true masterpiece. Ludovic Bource's orchestral score drifts back and forth from tense and dark, to brash and heroic, to playful and comical, as the mood of the film shifts with each scene. The music makes the viewer want to weep with tearful emotion in one scene, then makes the audience grin and laugh in the next - Bource truly has the audience's emotions in the palm of his hand. The soundtrack to 'The Artist' is exciting, emotive and above all entertaining to listen to - everything that you could possibly want from a film score!

Recommended listening: 'Waltz for Peppy'

#2 - 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'

Title card © Granada Television

Granada Television's adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 'Sherlock Holmes' stories have been celebrated around the world for decades, and the soundtrack alone gives an indication of the quality of the series. Patrick Gowers evidently took his job as a composer very seriously when working on the show - all 42 episodes of the series have a slightly different opening theme (the music itself is the same, but it has been recorded in 42 variations, each reflecting the mood of its particular episode), and on top of this Gowers has composed countless pieces of incidental music. From the tear-jerking piece 'The Death of Sherlock Holmes', to the patriotic and triumphant 'Holmes in Europe', Gowers' music proves that he is an expert in, like Ludovic Bource, manipulating the mood of an audience. His score helps immensely in making sure that every single episode of the series a fantastic adventure.

Recommended listening: 'Baker Street Reunion'

Title card © Hartswood Films Ltd.

#3 - 'Sherlock'

And now for yet more Sherlockian music - this time from the relatively new BBC series. Like the Granada adaptation, this series has been very successfully received both in the UK and around the world. The series is a fast-paced, modern take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, and it has the music to match! Michael Price and David Arnold succeed in consistently keeping up a fast, dramatic and often tense pace and atmosphere throughout both series one and two of the show. They've also composed what is, in my opinion, one of the greatest pieces of opening title music ever created; a piece that sounds both old and new, blending the vintage, Victorian aspects of the original Holmes stories with the modern twist of the BBC drama.

Recommended listening: 'The Game Is On'
 
#4 - 'Tron: Legacy'

Cover art © Walt Disney

Generally, I get bored watching films. Feature-length films are often, in my opinion, simply too long in duration. However, one of the few films that really manages to hold my attention for hours on end is 'Tron: Legacy'. Why? Because on the one hand, the events onscreen are incredibly exciting, and the film is a true visual spectacular. On the other hand, the award-winning soundtrack is simply stunning. The soundtrack to the film is surprisingly the first, and so far only, time that Daft Punk have ventured into the realms of movie score composition, but it's obvious why Disney chose to ask the duo to work on the 'Tron: Legacy'. Daft Punk's superbly crafted electronic (and, in this case, orchestral) music, with their signature catchy hooks and riffs and a newfound sense of emotion and scale, fits the film perfectly and transforms it from a great movie into an absolutely enchanting experience.

Recommended listening: 'Derezzed'

#5 - 'Doctor Who'

Cover art for the latest soundtrack, © Silva Screen Records

And finally, for one of my favourite TV shows of all time and, in turn, one of my favourite soundtracks. What would 'Doctor Who' be without its iconic opening theme tune, or the dramatic, frightening incidental music accompanying Daleks and Cybermen as they invade the Earth (again), or The Doctor's heroic 'I Am The Doctor' theme music playing as he saves the day (again)? 'Doctor Who' soundtracks have got better and better with each series, and as the show prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the importance of its music must never be forgotten. I think that it's safe to say that, without the consistently high standard of soundtrack composition, recording and performance in the series since its debut, it would not be the iconic national treasure that it is today.

Recommended listening: 'This is Gallifrey: Our Childhood, Our Home'

...And there you have it, my top five TV and film soundtracks of all time.What's your favourite soundtrack? Do you agree with my choices, or do you think that I was completely wrong? Leave a comment in the comments' section (...I bet you weren't expecting that! Comments, in the comments' section?!) letting me know what your top five soundtracks are!

Also, stay tuned to the blog, as coming up on 'Superunknown' sometime soon(ish) I'll be posting reviews of Foo Fighters' track 'Everlong (Acoustic)' and Canterbury's album 'Heavy In The Day'.
PsyD*

*And no, I'm not the guy off 'Gangnam Style', before anyone asks...