http://skishua.blogspot.com/2009/01/word-about-best-original-score-oscar.html
Say all you want about Slumdog Millionaire, but you can't deny that A.R.
Rahman's score is the best of the year. Just look at the guy! What about
that picture doesn't scream "EPIC WIN"? Danny Boyle's Indian hyperscape would
fall flat
without all those diverse drummings and and yelpings, not to mention
that tear-yanking Latika theme. Somehow, unlike what I've heard of
Thomas Newman's Revolutionary Road score, Rahman's instrumentation manages to
be at least somewhat subtle,
becoming an essential part of the film's fabric, rather than calling
attention to itself through excessive swells of strings. (Admittedly, I
haven't seen Revolutionary Road yet, but I've heard the soundtrack, and
this critique seems to be a consensus.)
Newman's scoring of Wall-E,
however, was as equally masterful as Rahman's. It's a shame they can't
give dual Oscars, because this score gives an essential symphonic
theming to characters and locations, a classic technique I haven't seen
done enough or well since Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings opus. Hans Zimmer
(the Peter Travers of film scoring) teamed with James Newton Howard for a
decent score to the Dark Knight. Alexandre Desplat did a lovely but
unremarkable suite for Benjamin Button, and Danny Elfman was responsible for
the lovely and understated music behind Milk.
Any scores that stood out this year for you? Is anyone a total die-hard for
this category, or is this more Academy fluff?
