In a unique weekly podcast, Edith Bowman sits down with a variety of film directors, actors, producers and composers to talk about the music that inspired them and how they use music in their films, from their current release to key moments in their career. The music chosen by our guests is woven into the interview and used alongside clips from their films.
Episode 272: Edgar Wright & Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Nov 01, 2021
Show notes
Our latest guests on this bumper run on Soundtracking are Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns, who have formed a fine screenwriting partnership on Edgar's latest film, Last Night In Soho. We're not going to tell you what it's about, as it really is one of those movies that benefits from seeing with next-to-no prior knowledge. What we will tell you is that it stars Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp and the late Dame Diana Rigg in her final performance, has a fabulous 60s soundtrack, and is scored by our old friend Steven Price.
Episode 271: Alexandre Desplat On The Music Of The French Dispatch & Other Movies
Oct 28, 2021
Show notes
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a composer we've been trying to pin down since day one of the podcast, back in 2016. Alexandre Desplat is a true giant of the film scoring business, having been nominated for numerous Oscars and winning one for his work on Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel and one for the The Shape Of Water. And if you were in any doubt as to his credentials, he's worked with the likes of - in no particular order - George Clooney, Stephen Frears, Greta Gerwig, David Fincher, Terrence Mallick, Nora Ephron, Roman Polanski and Ben Affleck. But it's to discuss his latest collaboration with Wes that Alexandre joins us today - the typically idiosyncratic The French Dispatch. As always, his music beautifully compliments the quirky visuals, humour and narrative presented to us by everyone's favourite offbeat director.
Episode 270: Denis Villeneuve On The Music Of Dune
Oct 25, 2021
Show notes
We're really excited about our latest episode of Soundtracking, seeing as it does the return of Denis Villeneuve. The French-Canadian director joins Edith to discuss his adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic Dune - which boasts a stellar cast including Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin and many, many more. Dune is scored by Hans Zimmer, who we're thrilled to announce is going to be a guest on the podcast in the next couple of weeks too. Happy days!
Episode 269: Todd Haynes On The Music Of The Velvet Underground
Oct 18, 2021
Show notes
Our latest guest on Soundtracking has been on twice before, and returns for a third time to discuss his documentary about one of the most influential bands of all time.
The Velvet Underground is Todd Hayne's idiosyncratic love letter to the visionary punk-rockers, featuring beautiful footage and contributions from founding members John Cale and Maureen Tucker, among others. It's available on Apple TV and selected cinemas, and is a treat whether you're a fan of the band or not.
Episode 268: Soundtracking Live With Sir Michael Palin
Oct 11, 2021
Show notes
This latest episode of Soundtracking is another live outing for the podcast, with a man who we've no doubt is thoroughly sick and tired of being described as a national treasure. But, let's be honest, he is ...
Sir Michael Palin's CV is simply too long to run through - but we all know and love him from Monty Python, the accompanying films and his truly wonderful travelogues for the BBC.
Michael was kind enough to venture out of the safety and comfort of his home to join me and a live audience at the Widescreen festival at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, which we recorded just for you ...
Episode 267: David Lowery & Daniel Hart On The Music Of The Green Knight
Oct 02, 2021
Show notes
We have two guests for you this week, who have formed a hugely close and productive creative partnership over the course of a number of films. David Lowery is returning for his third visit to the podcast, while composer Daniel Hart is making his debut having been discussed at length on several previous occasions. David and Daniel are with us to discuss The Green Knight, David's adaptation of the 14th century poem, Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. In keeping with the source material, Daniel's score draws on medieval musical idioms, but is also infused with many contemporary twists. As always, you'll hear plenty of it throughout the conversation ...
Episode 265: Stuart Braithwaite & Barry Burns On Mogwai's Work In Film & TV
Sep 27, 2021
Show notes
Our latest guests on Soundtracking are members of a band I hugely admire, who have done plenty sterling work on film and television in addition to their studio albums. Stuart Braithwaite and Barry Burns are half of Mogwai, whose screen work includes The Returned, Atomic, Zidane, The Fountain, Before The Flood and ZeroZeroZero. Their latest album, meanwhile, is As The Love Continues, which reached number one in the UK charts and was also nominated for a Mercury Prize.
Episode 264: Screenwriter Jack Thorne Discusses His Career
Sep 19, 2021
Show notes
This week's episode of Soundtracking sees us joined by a fantastically gifted and humble screenwriter, whose work includes Skins, This is England 86, 88 & 90, His Dark Materials, The Eddy and Enola Holmes,
Jack Thorne's latest offering is Help, a show which Edith absolutely loved and is available on All 4 now. Starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham, Help tells the story of Sarah, a care home worker who looks after Tony, a man beset by Alzheimer's far to young - as if there's ever a good time. It's an exceedingly powerful piece of storytelling - and a profound, moving and poignant reflection on some of the serious questions raised about British society's priorities in the wake of the pandemic.
Episode 263: Phyllida Lloyd On The Music Of Herself
Sep 11, 2021
Show notes
Our latest guest on Soundtracking is a producer and director who has worked extensively in theatre and film, most famously (in cinematic terms, at least) on Mamma Mia and The Iron Lady, which saw Meryl Streep win an Oscar for best actress.
Phyllida Lloyd's latest offering is Herself. Written by and starring Clare Dunne, Herself tells the story of Sandra - a struggling single mum who decides to build her own home when the housing authority refuses to offer her one. In doing so, she rediscovers herself with the help of a kindly community, only for her abusive ex-husband to return to haunt her ...
The film is scored by former guest on this show Natalie Holt, and we must say thank you to her for sending us her unreleased music from the film.
Episode 262: Lorne Balfe & Cate Shortland On The Music Of Black Widow
Sep 06, 2021
Show notes
We've been wanting to put out this latest episode of Soundtracking for some time now, featuring as it does two people who were instrumental in bringing us Black Widow. First up is our old pal Lorne Balfe, returning to the podcast for a third time to discuss his excellent score for the film. Then we'll bring you a chat Edith had with director Cate Shortland, who's put a very distinctive spin on the story of Natasha Romanov. If you haven't seen it, it is still showing in a few cinemas, but is also available on Disney+ to customers with Premier access, and coming out on blu-ray and DVD on 13th September. It's cracking fun, and both Lorne and Cate have brought plenty new to the MCU table.