In this edition of Spotlight On... I'm jumping right into Legendary & Warner Bros' MonsterVerse. This shared universe film series has big composers and even bigger monsters.
Godzilla (2014)
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Desplat is probably not the composer you think of for a big budget monster score. Naturally he uses large amounts of biting brass and pounding percussion. Themes are a bit subdued, but accessible. Japanese drums, flute and electric violin help define the setting in the aggressive score. (Just listen to: Godzilla!, The Power Plant, Let Them Fight)
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Music by Henry Jackman
Filling in the gaps between the 1970s songs, Jackman combined the large orchestra with synth effects, choir and electric guitars. We get major themes for Monarch and Kong and motifs for other characters and creatures. Even with the action writing similar to other large franchises he's worked on, Jackman lets loose with the chugging string ostinatos, booming horn of doom and pounding jungle drums. (Just listen to: Project Monarch, Kong the Destroyer, Grey Fox, Battle for Skull Island)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Music by Bear McCreary
More monsters--more themes. McCreary went back to the past and (for the first time in this series) expertly used the original Godzilla and Mothra themes. He created new themes for Rodan and Ghidorah which all get musically pitted against each other. All the action beats are there as well as the massive orchestra, choir and prominent percussion. The epic scope is also thanks to the chanting, throat singing and unique instrumentation. (Just listen to: Godzilla Main Title, Rise of Ghidorah, Goodbye Old Friend, Battle in Boston)
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Music by Tom Holkenborg
For the big monster fight, Holkenborg establishes new themes for the main Titans. Much of the loud score is dominated by rumbling brass, relentless percussion, distorted guitars and electronic elements that blend with the film's soundscape. Amid the destruction, Kong's theme is used pensively to emphasize his relationship with Jia. (Just listen to: Skull Island (Kong Theme), Hollow Earth, Hong Kong)
Look for others franchises in my Spotlight On series:
Harry Potter, Batman, James Bond, Star Trek, Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men, Spider-Man, Superman, Transformers, Planet of the Apes, The Hunger Games, The Fast and the Furious, Mission Impossible, Rambo, The Terminator
1 Comments
The battle of the monsters between Godzilla and King Kong is awesome. So, I think Akira Ifukube was an legendary Japanese film composer and he had a collaboration with the legendary Japanese film director Ishiro Honda. From my point of view, Akira Ifukube composed the original Japanese monster movie "Godzilla" in 1954. That was amazing. I think Akira Ifukube and Ishiro Honda were friends and collaborators. From my point of view, we have the French film composer Alexandre Desplat who composed the music from the new monster movie "Godzilla" in 2014, we have the British film composer Henry Jackman who composed the music from the new monster movie "Kong: Skull Island" in 2017, we have the American film composer Bear McCreary who composed the music from the new monster movie "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" in 2019 and we have the Dutch film composer Tom Holkenborg who composed the music from the new monster movie "Godzilla vs. Kong" in 2021. That sounds an idea with Alexandre Desplat, Henry Jackman, Bear McCreary and Tom Holkenborg.
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