Martin McDonagh On The Music Of 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri', 'In Bruges' & 'Seven Psychopaths'
With his first two films In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, Martin McDonagh made the transition from world famous playwright to high-class filmmaker seem deceptively straightforward. Such a shift is anything but, of course. But he continues the trend with his latest offering - the jet black comedy drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missourti. Hotly tipped for success this coming awards seas...
49m Jan 05, 2018
49m
Actor Will Poulter On Detroit, Son Of Rambow, The Revenant & More
We are very excited here at Soundtracking that we have teamed up with EE, the headline sponsor of the EE British Academy Film Awards, to create a series of special podcasts over the next few months. In that time, we will explore the minds and experiences of BAFTA talent and we start the partnership this week with past EE Rising Star Award winner, Will Poulter. For one so young, Will has alrea...
33m Dec 22, 2017
33m
Rian Johnson On The Music Of Star Wars & Other Movies
It's hard to think of a more iconic set of musical themes than those so thrillingly imagined by John Williams for Star Wars: A New Hope. 40 years on and that score still sounds as exhilarating as ever. Much then to discuss with Rian Johnson, the man who has written and directed the latest installment of the space opera, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Up until this point, Rian has employed the serv...
38m Dec 18, 2017
38m
Cillian Murphy On The Music Of Peaky Blinders, Dunkirk, Breakfast On Pluto & More
We don't just speak to directors, composers and producers on this show; actors are welcome too. And in Cillian Murphy, we not only have a man at the top of his game but also a genuine enthusiast for the sonic arts. Cillian has shone in a hugely diverse range of films, from blockbusters Dunkirk and The Dark Knight trilogy to indie flicks Disco Pigs and Breakfast on Pluto. He can currently be se...
43m Dec 08, 2017
43m
Producer David Heyman On Tupac, Williams, Potter & Paddington
We've already spoken to one legendary British producer on this show in the shape of Stephen Woolley. Now it's the turn of David Heyman. Like Stephen, David's CV is enviable. As well as producing all the of Harry Potter films and spin-off Fantastic Beasts, he's also the man behind The Light Between Oceans, Testament Of Youth and Gravity among many, many other celebrated movies. And as we'll dis...
46m Dec 01, 2017
46m
Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton On Battle Of The Sexes, Little Miss Sunshine & Music Videos
For the first time in 66 episodes, disaster struck as Edith's original interview with Val and Jon was corrupted. Thankfully, this delightful wife & husband team agreed to do it all over again 24 hours later and boy are we glad they did - so fantastic was their company on both occasions. Val and Jon cut their teeth making music videos, working with the likes of Jane's Addiction, The Red Hot Ch...
49m Nov 24, 2017
49m
Director Paul McGuigan On The Music In His Work
For a small nation, Scotland doesn't half punch hard when it comes to the arts. And like previous guest David Mackenzie, Paul McGuigan is a fine example of a Scottish director doing great things on a global stage. From gritty British crime drama Gangster No 1 to whip-smart Hollywood thriller Lucky Number Slevin, he's proved most versatile - also working on a string of TV hits such as Sherlock. ...
34m Nov 20, 2017
34m
Yorgos Lanthimos On The Music Of 'Dogtooth', 'The Lobster' & 'The Killing Of A Sacred Deer'
Though still a relative newcomer to the cinematic mainstream, Yorgos Lanthimos has already proved himself to be a filmmaker of wild originality and imagination. Following his breakthrough feature Dogtooth, which tells the story of children completely cut off from the outside world by their parents, he brought us The Lobster, a surreal tale about people who are turned into animals if they fail ...
41m Nov 10, 2017
41m
Luca Guadagnino On The Music Of 'Call Me By Your Name', 'A Bigger Splash', Sufjan Stevens, Ryuichi Sakamoto & More
If you like your movies lavish, dreamy and dripping in nostalgia, you could do a lot worse than turn to the work of Italian director Luca Guadagnino. Luca is a filmmaker with a sensitive touch - capable of making the very specific set of circumstances in the stories he tells seem personal and relevant to us all. Music, of course, has proved most useful in achieving this recurring tone - not l...
38m Nov 03, 2017
38m
Andy Serkis On The Music In His Work
It’s always a pleasure to welcome a directorial debutant to Soundtracking – what with their entirely fresh take on the art of source music and score. Not that Andy Serkis is a novice when it comes to cinema. As an actor, he played Gollum in Lord Of The Rings and Caesar in the Planet Of The Apes franchise, with roles in the new Star Wars and Black Panther to come soon. He also brilliantly capt...
44m Oct 27, 2017
44m
Michael Winterbottom On The Music Of 'On The Road', '24 Hour Party People', 'The Trip' And More
Of the many directors we've featured on this show, few can claim to have served up such a diverse body of work as Michael Winterbottom. Michaeal is one of Britain's most inventive and ground-breaking film-makers. From his 1995 debut Butterfly Kiss to controversial love story 9 Songs and gritty docu-drama Road To Guantanamo, he has consistently experimented with subject matter and form - often ...
47m Oct 20, 2017
47m
Tomas Alfredson On The Music Of 'The Snowman', 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' & 'Let The Right One In'
It's high time we had a bit of Nordic Noir on this show, so it's an absolute pleasure to welcome rising Swedish star Tomas Alfredson to Soundtracking. Tomas made his name with Let The Right One In - which was scored by Johan Söderqvist, won numerous awards and was described by legendary critic Roger Ebert as the 'best modern Vampire movie'. He then took charge of the adaptation of John Le Car...
33m Oct 13, 2017
33m
Bonus Clip: Clint Mansell On The Score For 'Loving Vincent'
Following our chat with Clint in episode 52, we had a little snippet left over in which he talked briefly about his score for Loving Vincent. And given that it's out this week, we thought we'd publish it now. The conversation is accompanied by two of his cues from the movie, Marguerite Gachet At The Piano and Wheatfield With Crows.
5m Oct 12, 2017
5m
Denis Villeneuve on Blade Runner 2049, Arrival and Sicario
It's been a while since we can recall such a keenly anticipated cinematic event, or one that has then gone on to exceed all our wildest expectations. But that is what our guest this week Denis Villeneuve has achieved with Bladerunner 2049. We discuss taking on the legacy of Vangelis - plus his trio of films with composer Jóhann Jóhannsson: Prisoners, Sicario and Arrival
41m Oct 08, 2017
41m
Nancy Meyers On The Music Of Home Again, Private Benjamin, Something's Gotta Give & What Women Want
Given how tragically hard we've found it to speak to women on this show, it's a genuine delight to welcome writer, director and producer Nancy Meyers to Soundtracking. Nancy is one of the grand dames of Hollywood. Having earned an Oscar nomination for her original screenplay for Private Benjamin in 1980, she's since been responsible for a string of commercial smashes, including The Parent Trap...
39m Sep 29, 2017
39m
Radiohead's Philip Selway On His Score For 'Let Me Go'
As drummer for one of the world's most successful, respected and critically-acclaimed bands, he's thrilled music-lovers across the planet for a quarter of a century. Now Philip Selway of Radiohead has turned his hand to film scores - taking charge of the music for Polly Steele's debut feature, Let Me Go. Based on the memoir of Helga Schneider, Let Me Go tells the story of a woman who discover...
43m Sep 22, 2017
43m
Stanley Tucci On The Music In His Work
We've had several polymaths on this show, from Jon Favreau to Matt Ross and Warren Beatty - who are as at home in front of the camera as behind it. And Stanley Tucci certaininly falls into that category - an actor, writer and director who's been involved with countless critically acclaimed works of film and television. Stanley's latest project is Final Portrait. Starring the sensational Geoffr...
32m Sep 16, 2017
32m
Benedict Andrews On The Music Of Film, Theatre & Opera
Following a string of seasoned moviemakers such as Luc Besson, Doug Liman and Steven Soderbergh, we bring you a relative novice this week in the shape of Benedict Andrews. At least - a novice in cinematic terms. For Benedict is one of the world's foremost theatre and opera directors, who makes the transition to the screen with psychological thriller Una. Given this is Benedict's first film, m...
30m Sep 08, 2017
30m
Steven Soderbergh On The Music In His Work
When Edith sat down with Steven Soderbergh, he immediately told her he'd been listening to our podcast by way of research. That unsettled her a little bit, but we hope you'll agree his homework served him well - such was the magnificence of his company! As a director, he's renowned for his expert use of both needle-drop and score - with Thomas Newman and Cliff Martinez two of his go-to compose...
46m Sep 01, 2017
46m
Doug Liman On American Made, Swingers, Bourne & Go
From indie classics Swingers and Go to big budget blockbusters The Bourne Identity and Edge Of Tomorrow, Doug Liman is a director who makes a point of thrusting the viewer into the very heart of the action. His musical selections are central to the experience - as evidenced by the Oakenfold track which so memorably accompanied the exhilarating car chase in Bourne, and accompanies Edith's intro...
27m Aug 26, 2017
27m
Clint Mansell On His Scores For High Rise, Moon, Requiem For A Dream & More
It's fair to say Soundtracking might not exist without Clint. That's because the genesis of the idea formed when Edith saw him performing his film scores at the Largo in Los Angeles back in 2012. And 5 years later, here we all are! After his band Pop Will Eat Itself disbanded in 1996, Clint was introduced to the business when Darren Aronofsky asked him to score Pi. The pair have collaborated ...
49m Aug 18, 2017
49m
Writer & Director David Lowery On The Music In His Work
From short film Pioneer to romantic crime drama Ain't Them Bodies Saints and Disney epic Pete's Dragon, David Lowery has made a habit of examining the nature of identity, family and relationships from altogether sideways perspectives. It's an approach that's served him well - and one he uses to great effect again in his latest offering, A Ghost Story. A Ghost Story stars Casey Affleck as the ...
39m Aug 11, 2017
39m
Sarah Bridge On The Art Of Music Supervision
This weekend mark's our first birthday, and it occurred to us that we've been rather remiss in our formative year in not having featured a music supervisor. So we decided to put that right by speaking to Sarah Bridge, who came highly recommended by one of our previous guests, the Oscar winning John Ridley. As well collaborating with John on Sky Atlantic's TV series Guerrilla, Sarah has worked ...
35m Aug 04, 2017
35m
Luc Besson On The Music Of Valerian, The Big Blue, Leon & Nikita
When it comes to stylish movie-making, you can generally rely on the French. And one man with Gallic flair in abundance is Luc Besson. The genial Parisian has been involved in over 100 films as either a writer, producer or director - including much loved cult classics Nikita, The Big Blue and Leon. His latest project is CGI sci-fi epic Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, a sumptuous v...
31m Jul 28, 2017
31m
Sofia Coppola On The Music Of The Beguiled, Lost In Translation And The Virgin Suicides
When we originally conceived the idea of a show about film music, one of the first names on our guest wishlist was Sofia Coppola. And we finally got our girl - with the supremely gifted writer / director joining Edith on the release of The Beguiled, which won her the Palme D'Or at Cannes. Sofia's pedigree is impeccable. Few directors in the history of cinema have used music more effectively th...
35m Jul 15, 2017
35m
Edgar Wright On The Music Of Baby Driver
He's back! Having joined us to reflect upon his career to date in Episode 34, Edgar Wright returns to concentrate on his latest project Baby Driver, which has received widespread critical acclaim as it wows cinema-goers around the world. The film tells the story of young getaway driver Baby, who uses music to calm his nerves in the face of chronic tinnitus. As such, he's listening to his iPod ...
50m Jun 30, 2017
50m
Composer Nicholas Britell on The Music Of Moonlight, 12 Years A Slave & Vangelis
One of the surprise cinematic hits of 2016 was the heart-wrenching coming-of-age drama Moonlight, which of course won Best Picture at this year's Oscars in unforgettable circumstances. Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, Moonlight presents 3 stages in the life of the main character Chiron as he struggles to deal with his sexuality and challenging social circumstances. It was beautifully sc...
40m Jun 23, 2017
40m
Nick Broomfield On Whitney Houston, Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love
There have been many great documentary makers over the years, but of those at work today one of the undoubted bosses is Nick Broomfield. Often controversial, always challenging, Nick has covered myriad subjects - from serial killer Aileen Wuornos and Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss to Afrikaner nationalist Eugene Terre Blanche. He's perhaps best known for Kurt & Courtney, an incendiary investiga...
41m Jun 20, 2017
41m
Alice Lowe On The Weird & Wonderful Sounds Of Prevenge, Delia Derbyshire and David Lynch
Edith's latest guest is an unassuming delight - still early in her career but surely destined for great things (of which she's already achieved a fair few). Alice Lowe is actor, writer and now director, who has appeared in a host of critically acclaimed TV shows and films - including Ben Wheatley's Sightseers, which she co-wrote. Her mainstream directorial debut Prevenge is a black comedy abo...
35m Jun 13, 2017
35m
Director David Michod On The Music Of War Machine, Animal Kingdom & The Rover
One hardly needs an excuse to discuss the work of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, but it's always good to have one anyway. Australian director David Michod has employed the services of the ever-reliable duo for his latest project War Machine, which is exclusively available to watch on Netflix. It is a staggering score, of which you can hear plenty during Edith's conversation with David. They also...
35m Jun 02, 2017
35m
Guy Ritchie On The Music Of King Arthur, Snatch & The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Whatever you think about the Guy Ritchie canon, it's hard to dispute his flair for combining the visual with the sonic. From Lock, Stock ... and Snatch to Sherlock Holmes and The Man From UNCLE, the musical elements of his films often drive the narrative - through his ingenious use of needle-drops and bold score. Indeed, when it comes to the latter, he's collaborated with the great Hans Zimmer ...
33m May 26, 2017
33m
Director John Madden On The Music Of Max Richter, Thomas Newman & Stephen Warbeck
Over the course of the last twenty odd years, British director John Madden has brought us a string of critically acclaimed films which, pleasingly, have tended to do rather well at the box office too. Indeed, Shakespeare in Love not only landed seven Oscars, but also returned a tidy proft of over $250 million. And as we'll discover, it's John's view that you can't make a good movie without con...
31m May 20, 2017
31m
Michael Apted on Bond, Belushi & His Latest Film Unlocked
Though we've been lucky enough to speak to a fair few superstars in our relatively short run here on Soundtracking, this might just be the first time we've welcomed a genuine grandee to the programme. Michael Apted is a writer, producer and actor who's been involved in film and television for well over 50 years. His credits include everything from British soap opera Coronation Street and the r...
36m May 12, 2017
36m
James Gunn On His Awesome Mixes From Guardians Of The Galaxy
If anyone knows how to use music to maximum effect on screen it's James Gunn. For James is the man behind both Guardians Of The Galaxy volumes, which are as celebrated for their hugely successful Awesome Mixes as his sharp, fun and witty interpretation of the Marvel franchise. In the movies, Star Lord Peter Quill listens to mixtapes given to him by his mother, which are laden with music from 1...
31m May 05, 2017
31m
Warren Beatty On The Music Of Bonnie & Clyde, Bulworth, Reds And Shampoo
Edith's guest this week requires very little introduction. An actor, writer, director and producer, he appeared in his first film in 1961 and has subsequently been nominated for no fewer than 14 Oscars, winning best director for Reds in 1981. We are,of course, talking about the legend that is Warren Beatty. Throughout his career, Warren has demonstrated a passion for source cues in particular...
29m Apr 28, 2017
29m
John Ridley On The Music Of Guerrilla, 12 Years A Slave And Jimi Hendrix
John Ridley describes Idris Elba as a Renaissance man; were he not so humble, he might just as easily apply the expression to himself. An Oscar-winning screenwriter for the magnificent 12 Years A Slave, he's also a dab hand at directing, producing, novel-writing and (believe it or not) stand-up comedy. He's ferociously thoughtful, considered and intelligent too, so our latest offering is as mu...
36m Apr 21, 2017
36m
The Return Of Mr Wheatley!
It's back to where it all began, with Edith's second crack at British director, Ben Wheatley. This time round they're focusing on Ben's new film Free Fire, a super-stylish action comedy which he co-wrote with his wife and longtime creative partner, Amy Jump. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Free Fire is scored by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury, who took sonic inspiration from David Shire...
37m Apr 07, 2017
37m
Stephen Woolley On The Music Of Stoned, Absolute Beginners, Interview With The Vampire & The Crying Game
Good grief, does this fine gentleman have a few stories to tell. Whether discussing Tony Hancock with David Bowie or royally pissing off Harvey Weinstein, British producer Stephen Woolley has been there, done that, and bought the (band) T-shirt. Stephen is perhaps best known for his work with Neil Jordan on films such as Interview With The Vampire, The Company Of Wolves, Michael Collins and th...
1hr 3m Apr 01, 2017
1hr 3m
An Edgar Wright Musical Retrospective
Like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Danny Boyle, Edgar Wright is one of those filmmakers who's become synonymous with an expert use of music in his work. As well as having collaborated with composers such as Nigel Godrich, Steven Price and David Arnold, he's also deployed source cues to maximum effect in every single one of his projects - from offbeat comedy classic Spaced to the ridic...
57m Mar 24, 2017
57m
Episode 33: Bill Condon On The Music Of Beauty And The Beast, Dreamgirls & Chicago
When Jon Favreau joined Edith to discuss his remake of The Jungle Book, he revealed that the aspect of the film he was most preoccupied with was the music. Our latest guest Bill Condon says much the same thing about his retelling of a more recent Disney classic, Beauty And The Beast. In Bill's case, it was a potential deal-breaker: he only agreed to direct the project on the condition that th...
38m Mar 18, 2017
38m
Episode 32: Jordan Vogt-Roberts On The Music Of Kong, Vietnam & The Kings Of Summer
The mighty Kong has traveled a long way since we first saw him batting away aeroplanes atop the Empire State Building to the melodramatic strains of the great Max Steiner. CGI now rules when it comes to Monster Movies, just as Marcel Delgado's model of the giant ape did the New York skyline back in 1933. But some things in cinema never change - including the way music is used to set an identi...
39m Mar 10, 2017
39m
Episode 31: James Mangold On The Music Of Logan, Cop Land & Johnny Cash
If one could embody charm, it might very well take the form of James Mangold - an open, warm and intelligent man who also happens to have a proven track record in delivering quite tremendous movies. His latest offering is Logan - a dark, violent and spandex-free addition to the X-Men franchise, which sees Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in the throes of existential crises. Critics love it - in part d...
40m Mar 03, 2017
40m
Episode 30: Gore Verbinski On The Music Of Pirates Of The Caribbean, Rango & The Cure For Wellness
Another week, another Academy Award winner - this time in the shape of Tennessee director Gore Verbinski. Gore secured the Oscar for Rango – a firm family favourite in Edith's house - and has also notched up a string of box office smashes, from Mouse Hunt and The Mexican to The Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy. As you’d expect from someone ranked as the 10th highest grossing director in the w...
40m Feb 25, 2017
40m
Episode 29: Ang Lee On The Music Of 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' And Other Movies
As Ron Howard observed in one of our previous episodes, Ang Lee is a filmmaker with a quite extraordinary range. He followed the majestic Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with comic book joyride Hulk - before bringing us Brokeback Mountain, Lust Caution and The Life Of Pi. Such a diverse array of subject matter has very different musical requirements, with Tan Dun, Mychael Danna, D...
38m Feb 17, 2017
38m
Episode 28: Director Mike Mills On The Music Of 20th Century Women, Beginners & The Punk Revolution
Over the years, there's been many a filmmaker in possession of a sensational record collection. We've spoken to a few on this show - from Andrea Arnold and Richard Linklater to Nicolas Winding Refn and Danny Boyle. But just because you have impeccable taste, doesn't mean you can successfully translate it to the screen. Thankfully, writer / director Mike Mills knows how to enhance a story with ...
47m Feb 10, 2017
47m
Episode 27: Jeff Nichols On The Music Of Loving, Midnight Special & Mud, Among Other Films
When you’ve made 5 movies that average over 90 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s fair to say you’re doing something right in the eyes of the discerning film fan. Writer / director Jeff Nichols has done just that. From his debut Shotgun Stories to Take Shelter, Mud and Midnight Special, he’s proved himself to be a master craftsmen, capable of breathing life into an incredibly diverse range of s...
42m Feb 03, 2017
42m
Episode 26: Danny Boyle On The Music Of Trainspotting And Other Films
From the very opening sequence of Danny Boyle's debut Shallow Grave - in which the viewer zooms through the streets of Edinburgh to the dark pounding beats of Leftfield - it was clear we were dealing with a filmmaker of great visual flair who understood a thing or two about music too. As if proof were needed, he followed Shallow Grave with Trainspotting and that set of songs - which rank it al...
42m Jan 27, 2017
42m
Episode 25: Composer Justin Hurwitz on La La Land, Whiplash And The Musicals Of Yesteryear
As double-bills go on a show such as this, it’s hard to imagine a more relevant combo than the director and composer of La La Land - the film that’s causing quite the song and dance the world over. In our previous episode we had the pleasure of talking to director Damien Chazelle about his musical masterpiece; this time round, it’s all about his composer and great friend, Justin Hurwitz. If y...
46m Jan 20, 2017
46m
Episode 24: Damien Chazelle On The Music Of La La Land And Whiplash
If you've had the pleasure of watching Damien Chazelle's breakthrough feature Whiplash, you'll know it's a hard act it is to follow. But follow it he has with La La Land, an utterly beguiling 21st century musical set in the city of angels. Having just landed 7 Golden Globes - including Best Screenplay and actress and actor awards for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling - it's now been nominated for 11...
32m Jan 13, 2017
32m
Episode 23: John Michael McDonagh On The Music In War On Everyone, The Guard And Calvary
Edith's guest this week is fast establishing a reputation as a filmmaker of wit, originality and imaginative flair. In his short career as a writer / director, John Michael McDonagh has brought us 3 features, all of which have been characterised by taut narrative, black comedy and whip-crack dialogue. First up was The Guard, starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, which is officially the mos...
46m Jan 06, 2017
46m