With the recent surge in popularity of Mad Max and the release of Thirst, I find myself curious about this Australian composer. He seems capable of writing in both a melodic vein and a more modernist style, and I'd like to explore more of his work. Which of his scores do you recommend checking out? Thanks!
His score to Cloak and Dagger is very good, on the melodic end of things with some action scoring. It is for a not very well known movie, so it does not get that much attention, but the Intrada release from a few years ago is a nice release. The child themes in there are pretty poignant, and not a bad movie besides.
With the recent surge in popularity of Mad Max and the release of Thirst, I find myself curious about this Australian composer. He seems capable of writing in both a melodic vein and a more modernist style, and I'd like to explore more of his work. Which of his scores do you recommend checking out? Thanks!
I've been a follower of Brian May's film music since the early 1980s. Since his soundtracks have been with me for over 30 years, I personally find it depressing how so few FSM members/collectors are unfamiliar with his albums. I feel folks should already have familiarized themselves with composers from the past without the need of a current spark from a new movie or a recent re-issue.
At the risk of sounding like a loop on repeat, here's my May faves which I've typed a number of times before in previous threads (here & elsewhere).
Thirst
Harlequin
Patrick
Mad Max
Survivor
Snapshot (aka "The Day After Holloween")
My preferences hover between 1978 and 1981/'82 (prior to Mad Max 2). May's scores from the late 1980s & early 1990s have never truly recaptured his spirited peak period when he first became associated with genre movies before he got assignments from Hollywood.
I feel folks should already have familiarized themselves with composers from the past without the need of a current spark from a new movie or a recent re-issue.
Why? I didn't grow up with the movies he scored, so how should I have spontaneously been aware of him? I learn of new (to me) composers by context -- I hear something they did, or learn that they influenced someone I'm familiar with -- and then investigate from there.
Yes, it's a fun horror score, very playful. My favorite score of Brian May is "Thirst". I got to know his music through Freddy's Dead which is an underrated score in the franchise. I was a tad disappointed with his Turkey Shoot score which got released recently, but for the most part I like his frantic and at times bombastic scoring style. It might not be the most memorable film music, but hardly a dull moment and you get the feeling that this man liked to write film music.
I enjoy Freddy's Dead (the film itself) for its flamboyant stupidity, but the film uses rock songs to the point where the score isn't given much of a chance to do anything with itself. I ask about Dr Giggles as I really love the film itself, and am curious as to what the score is like as an experience.
