Score: A Film Music Documentary (2017)

I enjoyed the background and interviews, but wanted more. I can't believe John Carpenter was not included. I am not sure if he is being slighted by Hollywood for doing his own thing, but he deserved to be included. Another slight was the recently deceased Johann Johannsson. Johann was one of the most innovative modern film composers and will be deeply missed. I also wished they would have revisited the guy with the Piano in the valley to see what he did with that unique set up.

I figured this'd be a study of film music with breadth and depth, but it was largely a silly parade of people spouting film music frippery, interwoven with clips and so forth. Subjective takes on the effect this or that bit of film music had on a cavalcade of talking heads is NOT worth sitting through.Yes, every now and then there's something of objective value, so I give the flick a few stars.If you have some musical knowledge or are interesting in backstories of film-scorers experiences, look elsewhere.

In 1989, I remember entering my local movie theater to watch Tim Burton's "Batman" -- a film I was eager to see due to my nerd-like obsession with this comic-book hero. What I didn't expect was to be consumed with the film's dark and edgy score, composed by Danny Elfman. While kids were lining up to get the Batman action figures, t-shirts, and other items stamped with the iconic Batman symbol, I was at my local music store purchasing the soundtrack on cassette. I was mesmerized by Elfman's score. It invigorated an intense sense of imagination and allowed me to think clearly; it calmed my insecurities as a awkward adolescent. Hell, I had to go back and purchase another cassette because I wore-out the first one I bought. From that point on, I didn't watch movies; I listened. I judged all films by their scores. If the music didn't give me the chills and move my imagination, then I wasn't interested. And I can easily name the films that left me with an urgency to buy the soundtrack on cassette, and later on CD. James Horner's "Glory," John Barry's "Dances With Wolves," Basil Poledouris' "The Hunt For Red October," Ennio Morricone's "The Mission," Randy Newman's "The Natural," Jerry Goldsmith's "Hoosiers," Elliot Goldenthal's "Interview with the Vampire" and anything produced by John Williams--all were scores I had playing on repeat throughout my younger years. And later in my adult years, I was heavily influenced by the scores composed by Hans Zimmer, John Debney, Ramin Djawadi, Marc Streitenfeld, Tom Holkenborg, Bear McCreary, and many others. I was obsessed. Still am. In fact, I'm listening to Hans Zimmer's "Gladiator" score while writing this review. And just yesterday, I couldn't hold back my excitement to listen to Zimmer's latest film score: "Blade Runner 2049." I haven't even seen this in the theaters yet, if that tells you anything.Why does all this matter? When watching "SCORE: A Film Music Documentary," I find myself enthused about movie-making again--the craft... the core of what it takes to be an artist. This documentary allows me to see inside the mind of the film score composer. And at the age when I first started listening to film scores, I was heavily influenced by guys like Danny Elfman, James Horner and John Williams--while my friends had Madonna, Bon Jovi, and other pop artists. But I could feel those emotions again, while watching this documentary. It made me feel young again. New. Creative. Watching SCORE was therapeutic for me. It was familiar but invigoratingly fresh. And I was able to once again appreciate what it meant to listen to a film, rather than just watch. Thanks to the film's director and writer, Matt Schrader, and his entire crew for making this work of art. It's allowed me to break through the mundane and wake my child-like imagination to be creative and true to myself.

I first became interested in SCORE after seeing it on Kickstarter and becoming a backer. As more and more clips came out my level of excitement grew as well, having grown up in a family where my brothers and I were classically trained and in Youth Symphonies it was pure joy to be able to learn more about the music from our favorite movies/scores which we had performed. There's nothing like standing on stage performing with your friends playing one of your favorite pieces from a movie. That feeling came back last night sitting in a NYC movie theater with other backers, fans, music lovers, and watching our some of the greatest composers talk about those pieces or learning why they made a decision and how a simple adding of an instrument or technique could change the tone of a piece. I couldn't be more proud to be a backer for this movie and more grateful to it's team of creators for all they accomplished by making this film. I look forward to the great things ahead of this film!