|
After a relatively weak period of a year or two in the international
film music scene, 2009 was overloaded with strong scores by composers of many
nationalities. Much of the best work in this genre continues to come from composers
operating outside of America, though most of these efforts go largely unnoticed in
the mainstream. A well-rounded group of top flight works created a fantastic base
from which to debate the merits of the awards season this year.
Dominating the major awards for 2009 was Michael Giacchino's Up. The small
handful of scores that have won the clean sweep of a Grammy, Golden Globe, BAFTA,
and Oscar are clear classics, and Giacchino managed to accomplish that rare feat
this year. Unfortunately, despite being a fine score and very functional in the
film, Up does not deserve to stand alongside Star Wars and E.T. The
Extra-Terrestrial as an unquestioned classic. Not even Schindler's List
or Titanic joined this elite group, and to see Up, a score not even
afforded a CD release by the usually awards-hawkish Disney, unanimously placed on
the highest pedestal possible is clear evidence of the overwhelming dysfunction in
the processes and habits of those awarding bodies. When the International Film Music
Critics Association also voted Up the top score of the year, the score's
mainstream over-performance was unfortunately confirmed. Giacchino is a top,
ascending talent in the industry, and he has many great scores ahead of him, but
Up is, despite easily residing in the top 10 of 2009, definitely
not the dominant, industry-altering score that all of its award wins
suggest.
Leading in the number of Filmtracks' award nominations in 2009 (with four) is
Christopher Young, whose year was as accomplished as any in his career. Five
composers earned three nominations each, including Dario Marianelli, Debbie Wiseman,
A.R. Rahman, Marcel Barsotti, and Giacchino. James Horner and Alexandre Desplat both
achieved two nominations.
Despite popular notions that James Horner's monumental
Avatar, after its senseless neglect at all of the major awards, would
automatically receive Filmtracks' top nod this year, the race came down to Dario
Marianelli's textured epic Agora and Debbie Wiseman's robust parody
Lesbian Vampire Killers. Sneaking into the final position in the group with
its sense of humor and overachieving heart is A.R. Rahman's Couples
Retreat. The biggest surprise from the ranks of the obscure continues to be
Marcel Barsotti's lovely Pope Joan (Die Päpstin), which competes
favorably with Avatar for third place. Both Marianelli and Wiseman were nominated for
Filmtracks' primary award earlier in the decade, while Horner has won it several times.
The runner-up this year is The Informant! by Marvin Hamlisch, a
surprisingly infectious, snazzy tribute to yesteryear. Rounding out the top ten
are Michael Giacchino's wildly overrated Up, Alexandre Desplat's arguably
inappropriate but still gorgeous The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and John
Ottman's underappreciated Astro Boy.
Despite the accolades showered upon Michael Giacchino for
Up and Star Trek, two other composers enjoyed more prolific years in
terms of balancing quality and quantity. Christopher Young tops the field with not
only his continued mastery of the horror genre, but a solid venture into drama as
well. Collectors of Alexandre Deplat's music were treated to an incredible
magnitude of music consistent to his trademark styles as well.
The strength of 2009 translated directly into a very wide field of
contenders for "best cue" consideration this year, including multiple cues nominated
from some of the best overall works. While James Horner wins for the highlight of
development in his romance and Na'vi culture themes for Avatar, that score's
competitors tended to land multiple cues on this list due to their greater overall
consistency. The notable lesser-known gems of the year include Mychael and Jeff
Danna's tango material from The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, John
Ottman's rousing concert suite from Astro Boy, the stunning beauty of the
conclusion to Christopher Young's Creation, the rowdy force of newcomer James
Peterson's concert suite from The Red Canvas, Clinton Shorter's hybrid
highlight from District 9, and the devastatingly emotional farewell cue from
Marco Beltrami's Knowing.
Coming in a close second his year is Christopher Young's monumental horror opus
"Concerto to Hell" from Drag Me to Hell, a summary of some of the
composer's most impressive trademark sounds in the genre. Despite getting shut out
of Filmtracks' awards this year, Michael Giacchino does need due recognition for his
heartbreaking "Married Life" cue from Up (likely the main reason for his
awards) and the truly haunting, eerie beauty of his Vulcan theme from Star
Trek.
| 
