Welcome back to Scoring for Films with Vito Lo Re and Fabrizio Campanelli. So, today "What's Underneath" resumes with an idea we pulled out of the hat, and that we called "The Maestri's Challenge." Exactly, because we are often asked: "Which composer you like?" or "Vito, what was the best soundtrack you heard last year?" And obviously, disaster strikes immediately, mental blackout, like... Because you've listened to 200 of them! And the brain goes blank... So, we don’t necessarily choose our favorite composers, but something very close. These are composers we consider highly significant, with great depth, and maybe not widely known.
So we combined cinema with football. We’re Italian... We created a sort of soundtrack dream team. We’re playing a 5-a-side football match... So, I will choose 5, and he will choose 5. And if this thing keeps going, we’ll make more episodes.
And let’s see who wins this challenge. Another rule we set: we only chose living composers. Let’s start! The first composer I choose is Canadian, and one of my absolute favorites: Howard Shore. He can switch from a full orchestral score to something more electronic or pop... Just think about what he did with "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Departed"—two completely different scores...
So, what are you picking for him? The Lord of the Rings?... No, I would have expected that—it won an Oscar... In my opinion, it’s even better than The Lord of the Rings, but it didn’t get an Oscar nomination: "The Silence of the Lambs" 1991, a masterpiece, immortal; immortal also for the qualities of this composer. You immediately play an ace! And at this point, I can only try to counter with another Canadian, perhaps not as well-known, but very talented, who has also composed scores that have remained in people's memory even if he may not be that famous.
But he knows how to play well, he knows how to stop Shore’s attacks, and above all, being Canadian, he knows his weak points... And I bring out Michael Danna. I really love Michael Danna, he's solid... and with remarkable flashes of creativity, including the piece The Winner Is, which is part of the score for Little Miss Sunshine. Okay, now I put my goalkeeper in the team. And I had no doubts about the goalkeeper— John Williams Because he gives a sense of security...
Long arms... Not the fastest, but he covers the goal well! And above all, having never had a rejected score in his long career... he always saves the result! Obviously, choosing ONE piece by John Williams was a tough task. We considered Star Wars, but we decided to go for something less obvious...
So I chose the Main Theme from Catch Me If You Can. You picked a heavyweight player and I – to score against John Williams’ goal – I have no choice but to place an equally heavyweight striker... Hans Zimmer a player who has scored many goals in his career! The Gladiator?... No. The Da Vinci Code?...
Driving Miss Daisy?... No, I chose "Leaving Wallbrook" from Rain Man. A great soundtrack, which if I’m not mistaken was his first Oscar nomination... in 1989, and perhaps today not even that well-known. Because this game we’re playing is exactly about this; it’s too easy to go for... we went looking for something beautiful, interesting...
but not so famous... I continue with my diamond formation. After Howard Shore, I pick his almost-namesake Newton Howard. He is truly one of my favorite composers, definitely in my top 3! forward propulsion, but also with great defensive skills many minutes of composition endured without even blinking an eye... 90, 100-minute full orchestral soundtracks written in 3 weeks...
he's the runner every team would want! I chose from the soundtrack of "The Village" Noah Visits, which is one of my favorites, with Hilary Hahn, amazing! Like all great soloists, she makes it seem easy something that is not easy... with that beautiful sound... all light, all ethereal... fantastic!
So, Newton Howard, needs a strong choice and so I throw in the European fantasy from France with Philippe Rombi from "Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis," the track "Générique début" Philippe Rombi is a composer with tremendous fantasy, with sparkling invention, able to bring about the breaking of patterns that can pierce through John Williams' net. I need now a central player someone very strong someone who must run a lot, and so for this role for me the right person is Bill Conti. A player with great experience, whose famous "Gonna fly now" we listen to. Sorry?... It's this one! Okay, Rocky!
No one knows that the track title is actually "Gonna fly now"... Well guys, with Bill Conti's experience I also need someone who knows a lot: I'm staying in France and bringing in Gabriel Yared I have a love for France... but he's actually half-French... he has a long experience, with so many wonderful soundtracks, but I’m bringing from the soundtrack of the film "Betty Blue" the track "C'est le vent Betty" which I first heard as a child in a commercial soundtrack and after hearing it I decided to start composing soundtracks! So for me, Yared is always a composer to look up to. I’m at my fifth and final player and for the forward position, I chose a young composer who, in my opinion, has hit two or three remarkable successes my forward is Carlos Rafael Rivera it's a bit obvious, but I chose the main title from "The Queen's Gambit." I also loved that soundtrack so much besides the series, which made millions of people play chess at this point I need a goalkeeper who reflects the Italian tradition of goalkeepers, and so I’m bringing in Dario Marianelli There are several soundtracks that have a wonderful inventiveness, an international way of approaching the writing but in this case we hear "Briony" from the Oscar-winning soundtrack "Atonement" with which Marianelli made himself known to the world with the award that every composer dreams of...
Both teams are on the field, who will win the challenge? Let us know! I’m sure my team will win! I’m not sure about that, you know why? You’ve chosen 5 amazing composers but mine have also a stronger name, in my opinion... Listen to the tracks and then comment on which team will win.
See you next time!