This is another entry in my Complete Score Breakdown Series, focusing on the complete scores to films that have had abbreviated previous releases or have gone unreleased.
Today we are looking at The Fourth Kind (2009) by Atli Orvarsson.
Atli Orvarsson’s score to the 2009 film The Fourth Kind is a personal favorite of mine, so this Complete Score Breakdown may primarily serve as a pet project, although I know there are a few fans of the score lurking about out there. Stand proud, brethren! We know this score is awesome! Let me first get it out of the way by saying that there are some very harsh, dissonant, cacophonous moments of the score (and on CD) that I could do without; they are unpleasant to listen to and are not what I like about this score. Otherwise, this score is, in my opinion, Orvarsson’s second finest hour (his finest hour being the genuinely perfect The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones).
The Fourth Kind features some absolutely gorgeous and haunting themes, so beautifully written and rendered, so impressively orchestrated or programmed, and they weave throughout the score taking on many different emotions – tragedy, melancholy, determination, fear, heartbreak. Occasionally a female voice gives wings to Orvarsson’s themes and the score just becomes magic. There is also some ultra creepy ambient score for the extraterrestrials in the film, often sparsely written, with single percussion hits and eerie scraping noises…really creative stuff that gets under your skin, but in a strangely inviting way. You want to listen to it, you’re not turned off by it, you’re intrigued by it.
At any rate, the existing CD runs 39 and ½ minutes. I rewatched the film and learned that there are 20 and ½ minutes of unreleased score to be found, resulting in a total complete score of 61min 05sec.
A few notes…the CD track “Intruder Hypnosis” features an alternate film version in the movie. The CD track “Abduction” is split up into two cue segments in the film (broken up and renamed into separate cues by me in the Complete Score Cue Titles section but identified) as is the CD track “Introduction / Flight to Nome”.
I’m not expecting this CD to get an expansion anytime soon, if ever (unfortunately). I know Orvarsson is not a popular composer by any means, even if he is my pick for one of the most underrated film composers working today. This CSB was mainly to share the complete score information for others like myself who would be curious and to satisfy my own curiosity about the missing tunes.
CURRENT CD RELEASE RUNTIME: 39min 30sec COMPLETE SCORE RUNTIME (AS HEARD IN FILM) + CD VERSION OF “INTRUDER HYPNOSIS”: 61min 05sec
UNRELEASED SCORE RUNTIME: 20min 35sec
Complete Score Cue Titles and Cue Times (unreleased cues named by me for the sake of identification):
+ – previously unreleased (or includes previously unreleased material)
1. Introduction (1:20) – (Pt. 1 of CD track “Introduction / Flight to Nome”) 2. Abby’s Hypnosis (1:20) + 3. Flight to Nome (2:00) – (Pt. 2 of CD track “Introduction / Flight to Nome”) 4. It Was Watching Me (2:29) + 5. Ashley (2:10) 6. Can You Accept It? (0:48) + 7. The Owl (2:53) 8. Tommy Goes Under (3:02) + 9. Can’t Talk Now (1:10) + 10. Completely Surreal (3:55) 11. Visting Abel (0:57) + 12. Intruder Hypnosis (3:01) + – (alternate film version of CD track “Intruder Hypnosis”) 13. They’re Not From Here (2:45) 14. The Tape (1:43) + 15. That’s Not Me… (0:30) + 16. Night In Question (1:42) + 17. Awolowa (3:46) 18. Sumerian History (0:57) + 19. The Fourth Kind (2:35) 20. Pack Your Bags (1:35) + 21. Police Interviews (1:34) + 22. Missing Child (1:50) – (Pt. 1 of CD track “Abduction”) 23. Torn Apart (4:25) 24. Possession (2:05) – (Pt. 2 of CD track “Abduction”) 25. Northern Lights Pt. 1 (4:00) 26. Conclusion (2:30)
Current CD Release Track Titles and Track Times:
1. Introduction / Flight to Nome (3:07) 2. Intruder Hypnosis (2:45) – (CD version) 3. Ashley (1:40) 4. The Owl (2:53) 5. Completely Surreal (3:58) 6. They’re Not from Here (2:47) 7. Awolowa (3:58) 8. The Fourth Kind (2:47) 9. Torn Apart (4:30) 10. Abduction (4:28) 11. Northern Lights (4:00) 12. Conclusion (2:42)
I get "This video is not available" when I click on both links to view on YouTube (and trying to play them on here). If they work for you, maybe it is a country-specific issue (in which case, the YouTube page should state the reason for the error).
Anyway, I agree, it is indeed a great score, and I have several by this composer which are very good too (although I didn't much like Hansel & Gretel).
A shame an expansion is unlikely due to lack of popularity. I guess if you're a more recent composer you don't get such widespread recognition on here until you've been churning them out long enough to build up a following.
Funnily enough (for me, anyway), I just checked SoundtrackCollector to see how recent he was (2005 is their earliest listing), and I noticed the score for Whiteout by John Frizzell listed, which is another favourite of mine. So I went and checked and didn't realise that Orvarsson has a rejected score for it.
I get "This video is not available" when I click on both links to view on YouTube (and trying to play them on here). If they work for you, maybe it is a country-specific issue (in which case, the YouTube page should state the reason for the error).
Anyway, I agree, it is indeed a great score, and I have several by this composer which are very good too (although I didn't much like Hansel & Gretel).
A shame an expansion is unlikely due to lack of popularity. I guess if you're a more recent composer you don't get such widespread recognition on here until you've been churning them out long enough to build up a following.
Funnily enough (for me, anyway), I just checked SoundtrackCollector to see how recent he was (2005 is their earliest listing), and I noticed the score for Whiteout by John Frizzell listed, which is another favourite of mine. So I went and checked and didn't realise that Orvarsson has a rejected score for it.
Well Thing, not having any trouble here when viewing my thread in seeing or playing the clips.
Glad you dig the score too. Surprised there would be someone else who did, who would speak up so quickly. Such rampant validation and support! Sweet!
Like you, I also didn't like Hansel and Gretel. Too grating and without a core identity, all over the map and unsure of how to carry itself. Unlike the composer's masterpiece, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which sir you simply must check out, and honestly even if no one else gives a sh** it's only a matter of time before I do a CSB on that one because I love the score so much I really need to hear the missing music if nothing else, and I'm curious how much is missing.
I thought Frizzell's Whiteout was decent, but didn't know Orvarsson had a rejected score for it; interesting...
Unlike the composer's masterpiece, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which sir you simply must check out, and honestly even if no one else gives a sh** it's only a matter of time before I do a CSB on that one because I love the score so much I really need to hear the missing music if nothing else, and I'm curious how much is missing.
I do indeed own The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (a most excellent score), and my Orvarsson collection is rounded off with The Eagle, Babylon AD and Colette.
Unlike the composer's masterpiece, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which sir you simply must check out, and honestly even if no one else gives a sh** it's only a matter of time before I do a CSB on that one because I love the score so much I really need to hear the missing music if nothing else, and I'm curious how much is missing.
I do indeed own The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (a most excellent score), and my Orvarsson collection is rounded off with The Eagle, Babylon AD and Colette.
Ah yes, a nice Orvarsson collection. I would add A Single Shot, which I think you would find very interesting. It is very unusual, all orchestral, with some very avante garde orchestra writing that is just so creative and unlike anything he's done. I'm just glad you have Mortal Instuments. Babylon AD is great and is most similar to Fourth Kind I think. Love those vocals.
I didn't like Vantage Point at all, it's too much carbon-copy Remote Control knock-off with no Orvarsson voice. Season of the Witch is pretty good, better than Hansel and Gretel and I think better than The Eagle. I have a hard time getting into The Eagle honestly. I like Evidence very much, but it is all electronic; it is for the same director as The Fourth Kind and shares many of the same sounds as Mortal Instruments (synthetically speaking) so if you like electronic thriller scores, I highly recommend that one, I think it's great. It's kind of like Orvarsson's electronic answer to Se7en, in a way. Finally, his seasons 1 & 2 of Chicago Fire are very good; they are kind of standard TV fare, not a lot of budget for much orchestra, but his talent is able to make them better than average and there are a lot of standout tracks.
Actually, considering he's not a terribly popular composer, for fans of his work like ours, we've been extremely lucky over the past few years to get all of the releases (mostly iTunes, which is fine by me) that we have: A Single Shot, Colette, Chicago Fire(s), Hansel and Gretel, Mortal Instruments, Evidence. I spoke to him recently on Facebook and apparently there is more work in the pipeline, so fingers crossed for something soon...
I haven't really gone digital (apart from ripping my own CDs for my iPod), so not aware of stuff unless it's on CD. I also don't see much discussion on here about digital-only releases, so most of us are still living in the dinosaur age, lol.
I see that Season of the Witch is digital-only, probably why I wasn't aware of it. I wonder how many sales the labels generate from those, seeing as the main soundtrack community on here generally still prefer CDs.
I agree with you about Vantage Point, I got rid of mine as it didn't do anything for me.
I like the Youtube clips you posted. Always thought Orvarsson was a Remote Control hack but this sounds promising and I trust your taste Deputy! I guess I should check out City of Bones...
I like the Youtube clips you posted. Always thought Orvarsson was a Remote Control hack but this sounds promising and I trust your taste Deputy! I guess I should check out City of Bones...
Yavar
Glad you liked those clips! Orvarsson has done a bit of low-quality work, certainly, but he is capable of tremendous work. Thank you for your trust! Yes, and please, do check out The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. I recommend it to everyone.
Here is a thread that sings its praises by not only myself but by others, but I did write up a lengthy post where I speak of its brilliance with reckless abandon...check it out, and please listen to those clips that I posted in that thread as well, they are guaranteed to captivate you my friend!!!
