The Soundtrack Show

Latest Episodes:

Superman: the Music (part III) Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

In part three of our look at Superman the Movie, we examine great musical moments from the film score, starting at the beginning. Multiple versions of Krypton are compared, and we listen to more of the music from Smallville.

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Superman: the Music (part II) Apr 15, 2020

Show notes

We continue our fly-through of Superman (1978) by listening to the love theme from the film score, and discuss a fascinating behind-the-scenes story. Other themes are analyzed and discussed, including a theme for Smallville, Lex Luthor and the March of the Villains, and a theme for the green crystal of Krypton.

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Superman: the Music (part I) Apr 08, 2020

Show notes

John Williams' iconic Superman score is analyzed in context of a 3-part superhero movie: science fiction in the beginning, Americana growing up in Smallville, and a full-blown comic book in Metropolis. The main themes used in Williams' score are analyzed via breaking down these three influences. The history of Superman is discussed, and behind-the-scenes stories of the making of 1978's Superman are revealed.

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Frozen II - An Interview with Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez - Part II Feb 12, 2020

Show notes

We continue our interview with Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, discussing the iterative and very personal nature of songwriting, life stories shared in the writers room, Anna's character arc, and the heart-warming struggle that Kristoff faces when trying to express his feelings. We also discuss the inspiration behind Olaf's song "When I Am Older."

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Frozen II - An Interview with Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez - Part I Feb 05, 2020

Show notes

Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez join us in the studio for a 2-part interview about the songs of Frozen II. They discuss their process of discovering the songs that drive the story, their collaboration with Disney, and share fascinating stories of their iterative songwriting adventures into the unknown.

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Return of the Jedi: the Music (part III) Dec 19, 2019

Show notes

We conclude our listen to Return of the Jedi, and the whole classic Star Wars trilogy, with the Battle of Endor. Themes are discussed, as are moments where music was omitted. We explore more diagetic music with the Ewoks, and compare multiple versions of the film's ending.

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Return of the Jedi: the Music (part II) Dec 11, 2019

Show notes

In part 2 of our analysis, we look at roughly the first half of Return of the Jedi. We discuss each cue, its dramatic effect, and the creative process behind the final presentation. The diagetic, in-world music is also discussed, and we compare the original 1983 music to the changes that were made in the 1997 Special Edition.

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Return of the Jedi: the Music (part I) Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

Return of the Jedi is the third Star Wars score from John Williams, and it transforms his overall musical approach to that of an operatic cycle. We look at how familiar themes from the first film are treated, and we explore and dissect some of the major new themes that greatly enrich the classic trilogy.

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Morricone, "Spaghetti Westerns" and The Man With No Name (Part II) Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

We continue our listen to Morricone's groundbreaking, stylish scores for director Sergio Leone and his "Spaghetti Westerns," including a close examination of For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The cultural impact of these movies is also discussed, and we listen to the clever sound editing and effects that made the soundscape so memorable.

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Morricone, "Spaghetti Westerns" and The Man With No Name (Part I) Nov 20, 2019

Show notes

Ennio Morricone's iconic music for the "Spaghetti Westerns" of Sergio Leone had an enormous impact on western soundtracks... especially the violent and stylish trilogy of films that featured Clint Eastwood as "The Man With No Name." We analyze the trilogy's first film, A Fistful of Dollars, and its unique film score by Morricone. The history of how this film was made is discussed, as is the sound design and post-dubbing that makes the soundtrack of Leone's westerns so unique.

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