There isn’t a lot of noise out there on the upcoming third collaboration with David Fincher and Reznor/Ross, the composers who won the Oscar for The Social Network. Their second collaboration, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is even more ambitious than their Oscar-winning score though just as great. The Academy, as we know, gets a little nervous when you step too far outside the box. Composers nominate composers and it’s a fairly incestuous little group, like many of the other crafts categories. They have their own superstars, like John Williams. This is one of the categories where you can look at the name and know they’re mostly headed for a nomination. The popular ones are of late include the king, John Williams, with 5 wins and 44 nominations. But also Hans Zimmer, Gustavo Sataolalla, James Horner, Thomas Newman, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, Danny Elfman, etc. That Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross not only crashed that exclusive club but also won with The Social Network is unusual. That they couldn’t quite cozy up to Dragon Tattoo is not surprising, if you’ve ever listened to that unbelievable score, one that ought to be considered among the greatest. It is so memorable, so strange, so unique – no one makes music like that in film.
The score to the Social Network, like the film itself, is a perfect thing. I spend many afternoons listening to it start to finish. I find it’s the best music to put on for inspiration if you have to write something or finish something. You can listen to the score and know exactly what scene, sometimes what lines are being said during a particular point. It is the hum, the drumbeat, the essential throughline to a perfect film.
The score for Dragon Tattoo is, to me, a masterpiece. It is as disturbing and unpredictable as the film and wildly different from The Social Network. To me, the score has captured Lisbeth’s complex inner world – her wildness, her self-control, her occasional craziness and the way she sort of weaves in and out of society, half-noticed, half-ignored.
When Trent Reznor took the stage at the Hollywood Bowl a while back with Nine Inch Nails it was an opportunity to see Reznor as the rock star — okay, Rock God — he is known as “out there” in the world. His work with Nine Inch Nails isn’t as far off from his composing as one might think. He moves fluidly through both forms, a musician through and through. As the frontman for Nine Inch Nails more is expected of him and he more than delivers. Under the warm Hollywood night sky Nine Inch Nails electrified the crowd that leapt to its feet and didn’t stop standing until the lights came up and the show was over.
Reznor took the stage before the crowd figured out what was going on for Copy of A (I did not record this video fwiw)
At first, it’s been said, Trent Reznor was not sure about whether or not to do Gone Girl — it didn’t really speak to him until he saw a screening of the film. Whatever Fincher delivers on screen was disturbing enough that he felt a connection. Why they are so good together, in my opinion, is that they do not shy away from darkness. If you have not yet gotten a copy of Hesitation Marks you should. The way Reznor is evolving as a rock musician is different from his work as a composer but each are, in my humble opinion, fascinating.
Music in film generally aids or enhance the emotional experience. Usually. It is put there to fill up empty spaces or to help the viewer indulge or luxuriate in the moment. But sometimes it is itself a character in film, as it is with John Williams’ score for Jaws, or Peter Gabriel’s score for The Last Temptation of Christ. Or certainly Phillip Glass. I would also have to add Bob Dylan on Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. I guess it’s because these composers, with the exception of Williams, also work in other arenas than composing. Their work in film stands apart. John Williams is such a great composer that any time he’s on a film you know it. Immediately. The same could now be said, quite easily, of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. They were always an outside the box choice for an outside the box director. No matter what becomes of Gone Girl, that music, which I haven’t yet heard, I know will endure.
I feel lucky to be alive at a time when Reznor is making music with Nine Inch Nails and composing film. In decades to come some might be envious of those of us who lived through it. Gone Girl opens to the NY Film Fest in a couple of weeks and we’ll get our first taste of what the new Reznor/Ross score is going to be like. I’m sure, like the other two, it will be part of my permanent collection.
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It’s pretty obvious to me why The Social Network won and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo wasn’t even nominated. TSN may not have received the award had it been the decision of the music branch alone. The Academy entire responded to that score, whereas the more traditional-skewing music branch would probably have picked a different choice. So Dragon Tattoo might have won too had it been nominated; the difference in the love between the two films’ scores within said branch may well not have been so large.
Good call @Benutty. Loved that music.
Now listening to TGWTDT…
Yo, Sasha, I’m really happy for Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, and I’m gonna let you finish, but Dan Romer had one of the best film scores of all time with Beasts of the Southern Wild.
Quick question. How come no one is pushing Kim Dickens for best supporting actress? “Treme” alone should have gotten her some Emmys.
I too listen to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross regularly. And you are right Sasha {like you need my endorsement} that both scores are different. TGWTDT is fresher as I have not listened to it a thousand times like I have TSN – and so I am still getting something new from it now and then. Which is great! Here’s one of my personal favorites from Nine Inch Nails:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dneRJ6NCKQ
@Paul S
Not sure I agree with everything you said. But sure, a Best Picture nomination can add weight to other categories. And you have to ask if this category like others, regardless of being warranted, can be something of a consolation? More preferably for me, they can reward a score they actually like {that might happen to be a Best Picture nominee}, rather than just choosing the same movie all the way down the ballot a la The English Patient, Slumdog Millionaire, Titanic, The Return of the King, Gravity – again not saying some of those are not deserved wins. There does, though, seem to be a little more thought in wins like Life Is Beautiful, Babel, Atonement, Finding Neverland, Up. And even more so with Frida, or The Red Violin. Remember that win? I do. Thomas Newman definitely does.
@CIRKUS
I disagree The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo suffered because of its material. In fact the movie does not really suffer at all. Apart from where the Academy voted that year. As for Rosamund Pike, her character is so implanted in people’s minds {and hearts?} now that her spiritual and physical presence may be enough to tick boxes once they see the whole performance in the flesh. Not to say you are wrong, I am always fascinated by these early source opinions, and I have no sources of my own.
“he ranked it right next to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”
Since TGWTDT is my second favorite Fincher movie, that’s all the more reason to look forward to Gone Girl, then.
Ok, here we go. First, I am a fan of NIN and Trent Reznor in general. I did think their score for The Social Network rightfully won the Oscar. At first nothing on Hesitation Marks stood out to me, but now I love it. It sinks it’s way into your subconscious and becomes perfect background music which is exactly what a score is…background music. Now onto Gone Girl. Let me preface this by saying I am a huge fan of David Fincher as well, one of, if not the best director working today. His films rank as follows: Fight Club, Se7en, Zodiac, The Social Network…all four star films and I’ll stop there. Why, because that’s where the top tier stops. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is a very competent, gorgeous, well made film, BUT suffers from it’s source material. No matter how pretty you dress up a mediocre story, it’s still a mediocre story at the end of the day. This is why I fear Gone Girl will be a similar package. The trailers look stupendous, as did Girl With Dragon Tattoo, but as one who read the book (and liked it for the most part) I can’t see it reaching the heights of the few thriller/mysteries that have an impact on the Academy, namely Silence of the Lambs. I mean before that film, most films of the genre didn’t make it past Saturday night Cinemax lineup. Now Se7en didn’t get any love from the Academy not Zodiac either (both deserving IMO) so I wonder what will make this any different. For instance, the film Prisoners was released this time last year and was a very pretty, competent film as well. It had a high ranking on both Rottentomotoes and IMBD, was overlong and featured great cinematography. And in the end, that was all it was nominated for. I think the same will go for Gone Girl. I talked with a source that has seen the film and even though he liked it a lot, he ranked it under those four Fincher classics I previously mentioned. In fact, he ranked it right next to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. He said the acting was credible but no one stood out. Nothing flashy, so all you who were banking on Rosomond Pike want want to change your bets. So there goes acting. Writing? I serious doubt in a field with so many adapted screenplays (Inherhent Vice, Unbroken, The Theory of Everything, Grand Budepest Hotel, American Sniper etc) that the first time screenplay writer who also wrote the book, scores a nomination. So what about Director? Again, a very tough race. Probably the tightest. Fincher has been nomed a few times and hasn’t won, but those were for more serious films. Not a pulpy twisty thriller. Picture? Maybe it can sneak in if the field goes to 9 or 10, but then what can it win? Well my source who has seen it puts the best bet on Score, surprise surprise. He also said it could nab a cinematography nom which is also a standard for Ficher films and like with Prisoners last year, I could call just from the beautiful trailers. So that’s what I’m putting my money on. 2 maybe 3 noms. We should have a better idea after it screens, but also remember it also has to sustain over 4 months of buzz until the nominations all the while great looking films are slated to be released every weekend. Now me and Ryan Adams already have a bet going on how many noms it does get, but ever since this film was put in the front runner pile sight unseen, I’ve had my doubts.
Have to disagree wit PaulS. Oscar used to love rousing Williams-esque scores, but in the last decade has been moving towards more evocative scores, and two of the best were The Social Network and Brokeback Mtn, regardless of what one thought of the films.
Reznor/Ross will dazzle again with Gone Girl, I’m sure.
Just a note – I think most of Peter Gabriel’s score from Last Temptation was adapted material from 9 or 10 countries (another reason to bring back the category). I collected some of the original artists back in the late 80’s. He gets huge marks for 1)finding it and 2) mixing it into the film. I can’t imagine the film without his score.
Their score for the The Social Network won because the film was a Best Picture contender. It had a lot of support, which was bad news for a film like How to Train Your Dragon, which had a better score, but did not have strong support outside of the animated category. It’s the same reason why the Brokeback Mountain score won against Memoirs of a Geisha. Had the Social Network and Brokeback Mountain not been the masterpieces that they were, I don’t think their respective scores would have won Best Score. Those scores probably would not have even been nominated.
As for Ross and Reznor’s win being unusual, I am not too sure about that. The Academy likes to nominate the usual suspects, but when a first time nominee gets nominated, they still have a chance of winning (so long as their movie is a BP contender, of course). Just look at the most recent winners: Steven Price, Mychael Dana, and Ludovic Bource.
Can’t believe that it’s hardly more than a week until we hear early word on this. Hopefully, it’ll be everything I expect it to be.
“Gone Girl opens to the NY Film Fest in a couple of weeks”
Couple of weeks ? Nononononono. Nine days (September 26, Friday Next Week) … but who is counting 🙂
(So many great scenes and lines in the book, I hope my favorites will make it to the movie.)