Soundtrack: Kill Bill Vol. 1
Supervisor(s): RZA
Released: 2003
Genre(s): Rock'n'Roll, 1960's, 1970's Score




DOWNLOAD -- Kill Bill Vol. 1

I saw the Kill Bill films back to back at a special screening in Hollywood in 2003. Tarantino spoke in between both films. Its the only time I've ever seen him speak. He was exactly as hilarious and ridiculous as you would think. A total character of himself he obsessed over Uma, he threw excitement out in the crowd on the films that he obsessed with-- his inspirations for both films. One of my favorite moments was talking about his collaboration with the RZA for making the Kill Bill duo. The "Main Title" in Vol. 1 was something the RZA heard in a Vietnamese restaurant in West LA. He was eating dinner and liked it so much that he convinced the restaurant to lend him the actual CD. He called Quentin after dinner and said he "found it".

I found this really cool interview with the RZA. Check out this excerpt:

"It was more of a collaboration. He had an idea and a vision when he wrote the script. I think I was more of somebody that kept it in the guidelines of what he wanted. He was like, here go the eggs, the milk, the cake, the sugar, everything, and I’m going to stir it up. Put this in the oven, watch it, take it out in forty five minutes. Now, am I going to take it out in forty five minutes or am I going to fall asleep? I made sure it got out and if I saw something wrong with it, I fixed it. So when he saw it, he was like, this is cake. ...there was one situation where you see, "Crane and White Lightning", that’s part of the original score, so it’s not really a song. A lot of that stuff is what I use to keep the vibe going between songs. "Crane and White Lightning" is a piece of music that Quentin wanted on the soundtrack, but was originally set for a Metallica track. There’s only one piece of music that I didn’t feel comfortable with when we were done. We lost a sample, I made one Hip Hop beat. I was like I gotta throw one in there. Quentin loved this beat. We rocked with it and it was one of the first things we did. I could've gotten away with it, it was a sample, but so undetectable, so unnoticeable. I wanted to take a chance, but in the movie business you can’t take those kind of chances. I wouldn’t risk nobody else. If it was my movie, I would have taken a chance, but this is Quentin Tarantino’s movie.

Soundtrack: Iam Sam
Composer(s): The Beatles (all Cover Songs)
Released: 2001
Genre(s): Rock'n'Roll, Score



DOWNLOAD -- Iam Sam

Soundtrack: Death Proof
Supervisor(s): Quentin Tarantino
Released: 2007
Genre(s): Funky, Score, Classical, Rock'n'Roll




DOWNLOAD -- Death Proof

A Soundtrack of Soundtracks. From Morricone to Jack Nitzsche, Tarantino compiles another homage of goodies. Only this time, suspense weighs in even heavier.

Soundtrack: Vanilla Sky
Supervisor(s): Cameron Crowe
Released: 2001
Genre(s): Score, Rock'n'Roll, Electronic




DOWNLOAD -- Vanilla Sky

This film hit home for me in so many ways. Whether its all the pop-culture references, the after-life concept of a Radiohead song opening the film, Vanilla Sky is a wonder of story mixed with amazing direction, acting and of course, music! As with most of Cameron's films, he mixes in the "classics" with the "new-classics". In this case its an homage to Dylan and the first notes Sigur Ros got in a major motion picture. Sigur Ros was never the same since their first tour in America and shortly thereafter two songs in this film. But it's not just the music that makes this film nostalgic and a love of mine. It's those moments where Crowe puts in his personal touches (something the original film could never do). It's Townshend's shattered guitar in the apartment, it's the replication of the Positively 4th Street photo or even that scene where the main character faces his own life's dilemma (wouldn't only it be fitting that Sigur Ros is playing?). A wonderful compilation for a wonderful film.

My favorite Cameron Crowe quote in regards Soundtracks:

“Films are just something you have to do, you know, to promote the soundtracks and keep the suits at the studios happy.”

Soundtrack: Oceans 13
Composer(s): David Holmes
Released: 2007
Genre(s): Electronic, Funky, Score




DOWNLOAD -- Oceans 13

The Final Film?

As a teenage DJ from Belfast who tinkered with the odd flux of "ambient" music in the early 90's, David Holmes didn't seem like the "go-to-guy" for what became a trio of films for Steven Soderbergh. The funk-driven, hammond-blasting, hustle-production value of Holmes scoring seems fitting for Soderburg's caper-cool-guy flicks. However, it was actually an introduction from Danny DeVito that landed David Holmes his first gig scoring Soderburg's other dude-centric flick Out of Sight.

FROM "indieLondon":
What was the biggest challenge of the Ocean’s 13 soundtrack? David Holmes: It was quite difficult because we were going back to Vegas and we didn’t want to replicate what I’d done on Ocean’s 11. I guess 13 is an amalgamation of 11 and 12 but with a very live sound. I wanted it to sound like a band was playing constantly. I wanted it to be very tight, to sound modern yet with some swing to it, and I wanted to use a lot of different instruments this time.

Soundtrack: Oceans 12
Composer(s): David Holmes
Released: 2004
Genre(s): Electronic, Funky, Score




DOWNLOAD -- Oceans 12

The Final Film?

As a teenage DJ from Belfast who tinkered with the odd flux of "ambient" music in the early 90's, David Holmes didn't seem like the "go-to-guy" for what became a trio of films for Steven Soderbergh. The funk-driven, hammond-blasting, hustle-production value of Holmes scoring seems fitting for Soderburg's caper-cool-guy flicks. However, it was actually an introduction from Danny DeVito that landed David Holmes his first gig scoring Soderburg's other dude-centric flick Out of Sight.

FROM "indieLondon":
Q. What’s it like working with Steven Soderbergh?
David Holmes: It’s amazing. He’s so laid back, very direct and yet very open minded and very down to earth. He treats you with respect, he listens to you and lets you create and enjoy yourself – and that fills you with confidence. I think he creates an atmosphere for you to work in that he’d like to work in himself. He understands the process of working on something so big, so the last thing he wants to do is put you under pressure because he knows what that’s like. We have a very one to one relationship and it’s a joy.

Soundtrack: Oceans 11
Composer(s): David Holmes
Released: 2001
Genre(s): Electronic, Funky, Score




DOWNLOAD -- Oceans 11

As a teenage DJ from Belfast who tinkered with the odd flux of "ambient" music in the early 90's, David Holmes didn't seem like the "go-to-guy" for what became a trio of films for Steven Soderbergh. The funk-driven, hammond-blasting, hustle-production value of Holmes scoring seems fitting for Soderburg's caper-cool-guy flicks. However, it was actually an introduction from Danny DeVito that landed David Holmes his first gig scoring Soderburg's other dude-centric flick Out of Sight.

FROM "indieLondon":
Q. What’s it like working with Steven Soderbergh?
David Holmes: It’s amazing. He’s so laidback, very direct and yet very open minded and very down to earth. He treats you with respect, he listens to you and lets you create and enjoy yourself – and that fills you with confidence. I think he creates an atmosphere for you to work in that he’d like to work in himself. He understands the process of working on something so big, so the last thing he wants to do is put you under pressure because he knows what that’s like. We have a very one to one relationship and it’s a joy.
And you first got together for the soundtrack for Out Of Sight, after Danny DeVito recommended you…
David Holmes: Well, it was actually Jersey Films. Steven was looking for something new for the soundtrack and so I went and met with him and then went to a screening of the film. After watching the movie, I had very strong ideas about what I wanted to do and he responded very positively to them. He was no different back them to what he’s like now. He’s still really laidback and if he thinks it’s a good idea, he’ll tell you and that gives you confidence and freedom.

Soundtrack: Marie Antoinette
Supervisor(s): Brian Reitzell
Year: 2006
Genre(s): new wave and post rock

DOWNLOAD -- Marie Antoinette Disc 1
DOWNLOAD -- Marie Antoinette Disc 2

Following two amazing soundtracks for Lost in Translation and The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola again enlisted Brian Reitzell to compile another wonderful audible palette. This record spans two discs and stretches further than any of her other films. 1980s New Wave and post-punk artists such as New Order, The Cure, and Bow Wow Wow represent the music that accounts for the bulk of the soundtrack. Coppola's choice of modern music for use in the film's soundtrack is unusual, as the film itself is set in 18th century France. The soundtrack also contains several period baroque pieces, including works by Antonio Vivaldi, Jean-Philippe Rameau and Domenico Scarlatti.