Filmography/Reviews | Recommendations | Biography

Arnold performing Bond in concert, 1999

"I like to go out and take very long walks, or drive for hours and empty my head. Things just start popping into my mind without me thinking about it. Most of the things I've thought of which have been any good have come when I've been having a shower or just walking up the street."
-- David Arnold in 1997

British composer David Arnold is an artist whose talents stretch to nearly every realm of the music industry. His music, as well as the albums he has produced, have been heard by more people than most film music collectors realize. Arnold's sudden influence in the film music industry came early in his career (1994-1996), when he scored such large-scale orchestral efforts as Stargate, Last of the Dogmen, and Independence Day. Across the United States, Arnold's finale for Independence Day is still used in countless fireworks displays each year. He also was identified by long-time James Bond composer John Barry as the rightful heir to the throne of the Bond soundtracks franchise, and Arnold burst into the series with his popular score for Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997. He has continued with more entries in the Bond series since then, but his scores of grand magnificence have declined in favor of smaller-scale projects closer to his musical roots.

Arnold's career after 2000 has been defined by his techno-influenced urban grooves for Shaft, Baby Boy, Changing Lanes, and 2 Fast 2 Furious. For the former electronica artist, the huge orchestral scores of his mid-career were the aberration, with Arnold incorporating orchestral elements only as accompaniment to his electronic inclinations in recent years. His list of credits as a record producer is lengthy, and he works with a wide variety of artists (across several genres) to arrange recordings in between his feature film scoring assignments. His vast popularity has caused him to turn down several major scoring opportunities, including Air Force One, G.I. Jane, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, and Alien Resurrection. His career hasn't been without road bumps, however, losing such projects as Cutthroat Island, Judge Dredd, The 6th Day, and The Patriot. Arnold has joined the fight against illegal MP3 downloads on the Internet as well, arguing for better regulation of the medium.