From animated dupstep to sci-minded minimalism, we present the year’s best musical backbones.
The 15 best film scores of 2014
Posted by Matt Patches · 10:48 am · December 29th, 2014
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Exclusive: 'Birdman' composer says Oscar DQ doesn’t make mathematical sense
Posted by Matt Patches · 6:51 pm · December 22nd, 2014
Antonio Sanchez’s “Birdman” score, composed of improvised drumming, stands out from the crowd this awards season. So far, that the Academy disqualified it from contention. Why? The composer gives us the scoop.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Final predictions for Best Cinematography, Makeup, Score, Song and Visual Effects
Posted by gerardkennedy · 12:16 pm · January 9th, 2014
Here we go again. A week from today, the nominees for the 86th annual Academy Awards will be announced. Here at Tech Support, we’ve analyzed each of the 10 crafts categories, and interviewed several of the contenders. It’s now a waiting game with final calls to be made. Today, we take a final look at the fields of cinematography, music, makeup and hairstyling and visual effects.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: John Williams, Arcade Fire and Hans Zimmer (x2) duke it out for Best Original Score
Posted by gerardkennedy · 9:32 pm · December 12th, 2013
Earlier today the list of eligible original score contenders was revealed by the Academy, so consider it great timing as we focus on the category today in our final craft category analysis of the season.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
From 'All is Lost' to 'The Wolverine,' 114 films vying for the Best Original Score Oscar
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:49 pm · December 12th, 2013
The Academy today revealed the 114 films in contention for the Best Original Score Oscar. All the widely predicted contenders are present, but don’t look for “Frozen,” “Nebraska” or “The Lone Ranger.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Hans Zimmer to receive Classic BRIT Award
Posted by Guy Lodge · 9:25 am · August 14th, 2013
Also, an FYC plea for his ‘Lone Ranger’ score.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Academy announces concert event for original score and song Oscar nominees
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:21 pm · July 10th, 2013
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that this year’s Oscar-nominated original scores and songs will be featured in a live concert on Thursday, February 27, three days before the 2014 Academy Awards ceremony.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Thomas Newman on 'Skyfall' and the everyday challenges of a film composer
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:05 am · February 16th, 2013
Film music composer Thomas Newman landed his 11th Oscar nomination to date last month, for his original contributions to “Skyfall.” It’s the latest in a long line of Academy mentions both in the song and score categories for two decades. But despite the strong showing, Newman has yet to wrangle one of the trophies for himself.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscar Guide 2013: Best Music – Original Score
Posted by gerardkennedy · 2:21 pm · February 4th, 2013
Best Original Score, are you ever predictable. This year’s nominees are not diverse in terms of being films not cited in other categories – Best Picture nominees took three of the spots, while the other two contenders are from films that have nine nominations between them. Also predictably, only one first-time nominee is in the mix. Diversity was nonetheless made up for in the nationalities of the composers (four countries represented) and the locales of the nominated films – the nominees are set on three different continents and the movies’ themes resulted in Russian, Indian and Persian influences, among others, on the music.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: 'Lincoln,' 'Life of Pi' and 'Anna Karenina' lead the race for Best Original Score
Posted by gerardkennedy · 11:58 am · December 13th, 2012
As always, international flavor abounds.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Roundup: Good and bad news for Desplat in the Oscar race
Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:00 am · December 12th, 2012
Also: R.I.P. Ravi Shankar, and why film culture lives on
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'The Mission' tops Variety composers' poll of the all-time greatest film scores
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:56 pm · November 14th, 2012
40 composers, from Michael Giacchino to Cliff Martinez, were surveyed.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Tinker Tailor' composer Alberto Iglesias takes top honors at World Soundtrack Awards
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:44 am · October 22nd, 2012
The Spaniard beats out such rivals as John Williams and Alexandre Desplat.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscar Guide 2011: Best Music (Original Score)
Posted by gerardkennedy · 8:17 am · February 7th, 2012
While the music branch’s choices (or lack thereof) in Best Original Song could be considered shocking, the opposite was true about their final five in Best Original Score. Three of the titles are Best Picture nominees, the branch’s favorite composer of all time is double-nominated yet again and all but one of the finalists have been nominated previously.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Drive,' 'A Better Life' and 'Attack the Block' among scores not eligible for Oscar this year
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 5:03 pm · December 22nd, 2011
The Academy has announced a list of 97 film scores eligible for consideration in the Best Original Score category this year. Typically, it’s this announcement that brings the bad news of this or that score either not being submitted or being ruled ineligible for whatever reason.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: John Williams charges back to lead the field of Best Original Score hopefuls
Posted by gerardkennedy · 8:07 am · November 24th, 2011
In this week’s installment of Tech Support, we turn our gaze toward Best Original Score. Those in the hunt include John Williams, Alexandre Desplat, Howard Shore and Alberto Iglesias.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Hans Zimmer bows out of this year's Oscar race
Posted by Guy Lodge · 9:56 am · October 23rd, 2011
Nine-time Oscar nominee Hans Zimmer has opted to sit out this year’s Best Original Score race by refusing to personally enter any of his 2011 scores for consideration — including “Rango” and “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Alexandre Desplat tapped for 'Extremely Loud'
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:47 pm · October 21st, 2011
Alexandre Desplat is one of the hardest working quality composers in the industry. And he’s just been announced as “quietly” working on the score for one of the season’s most anticipated contenders: Stephen Daldry’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
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