Sam Smith Spectre

Last October I got to go to San Francisco to see a preview screening of the James Bond movie, Spectre. It was one of my favorite Bond films in the last few years, and it was fun to see the movie a few weeks before it was in the theaters, best of all, the theme song Writing’s On The Wall was performed by Sam Smith, one of my favorite performers. The melody fits the haunting, mysterious tone of the film, but Smith does not like singing the song because he says the pitch is too high.

If you listen to the lyrics, it is obvious that they were written specifically for Bond. It may stretch his range, but it’s a great song. Its not surprising that the song won the Golden Globe this year. In an interview last week, Sam Smith said he was sitting in a coffee shop having coffee with his mum when he got the call saying he had been nominated for the Oscar. His response was “Feeling very overwhelmed and just can’t believe it. Better pick out a gown.” Not bad for a guy who is only 23.

To see his video of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jzDnsjYv9A

John Williams and Star Wars

I hope that by now many of you have seen the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens. I've gone to see it twice (seriously, if you haven't seen it yet–go.), and I thought I would share some of my thoughts on the score. Having grown up with Star Wars, I will fully admit that the first time I saw the new movie I wasn't paying attention to anything beyond continuing to breathe. However, by the second viewing, some of the details do start to sink in. The score for these movies has long been one of the highlights of these movies for me ("Duel of the Fates" is probably the only redeeming moment in all of The Phantom Menace). John Williams wrote most of the music for all six Star Wars movies up until now, and episode seven does not disappoint. From the moment the iconic main title opens (subtly changed but still very much Star Wars) to the end credits, the music keeps you on the edge of your seat. Williams has carefully recycled some of the old themes at key moments throughout the film (which I won't share–spoilers!), but has also written a good amount of new music. The new characters that we are introduced to get their own themes, which are as refreshing as the characters themselves (the main character is a woman! we have people of color! yay!).

Not too shabby for a guy who is celebrating his 84th birthday in February, eh? Of course, it's worth noting Williams had some help. Lin Manuel Miranda, the man behind the music of Hamilton contributed the new "cantina" music, which is predictably wonderful.
An incomplete version of the score can be found for free on YouTube as well as several music streaming services, but for the full effect, you really need to see the movie.

And, for those of you who aren't up-to-date on your Star Wars, here's a quick way to catch up AND make your eyes bleed (fun for the whole family): https://youtu.be/oBQVvEMc-VQ