Marvel Studios Trying To Create Consistent Motifs Across Its Superhero Film Scores
The Hollywood Reporter(viaThe Playlist) has a fascinating feature on the challenges and pleasures of creating a film score for a summer blockbuster. Longtime listeners will know that I am afilm score junkie, so this piece was right up my alley and I’d strongly suggest you check it out if you are too. Of particular interest is how they are trying to make the film scores connect, not only fromIron MantoIron Man 2, but also fromIron Man 2to the newCaptain Americafilm. And withThe Avengersfilm on the way too, who knows how they’ll be able to weave everything together?
The original score toIron Manwas written byRamin Djwadi. I found it quite competent, but completely unremarkable. Here’s a clip that features the theme; see if you agree:
ComposerJohn Debneywas brought on to write music for the second film, and he commented on trying to infuse his own style while retaining the spirit of the first film’s score: “It’s quite different from the first score, but it retains a lot of the same cool elements…There’s a lot of guitar in it, but most of it is couched with the orchestra, so we never lose sight of that whole thing.” DirectorJon Favreauwas quite complimentary of Debney’s capabilities (as directors typically are in these types of pieces):
What Debney brings to the table is how to write music around that (the sound effects), so you’re not competing…Understanding what range to use, what tones to use, and how to time it so you’re reinforcing the effects and you’re not muddying things up and the music can be played at a high level without competing with the sound effects — he’s pretty masterful at that.
The film’s score will feature the guitar stylings of Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, and the film’s final soundtrack will have songs by AC/DC.
Interestingly, Favreau and Debney also used the music ofDick Sherman, a wildly talented composer who’s been responsible for music in films such asThe Jungle Book, The Sword in the Stone, andMary Poppins. According to Favreau, “We brought him onboard and had him write a song for the Stark Expo, which in our movie lore has been going on since the ’30s, much like the World’s Fair.” This melody was then incorporated into theIron Man 2score as the theme for Tony Stark’s father, Howard Stark. According to THR, “the tune’s origins will likely be revealed in the newCaptain Americafilm, set in World War II.“The Playlistcites rumors that Howard Stark will play a major part in Captain America’s origin story, so motifs you hear inIron Man 2may be heard throughout Marvel’s films for quite sometime.
Check outthe full articlefor more details. I was amused by Trevor Rabin’s comments about his upcomingSorcerer’s Apprenticescore, and his attempts to pay homage tothe original Paul Dukas piece.
