Film Music Report

Santa Barbara, CA (filmmusicreport.com) May 27, 2009 — Film Music Review by Alexandra Lederman, writer for Film Music Report.  Alexendra’s first review for Film Music Report discusses music score, background music and soundtrack from her favorite all-time film – Baz Lurhman’s “Romeo + Juliet”.  

FILM MUSIC REVIEW – Romeo + Juliet 
by Alexandra Lederman

My all time favorite film, this means I can actually watch this film every single day and never grow tired of it, is Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo + Juliet. Not only is this the most incredible remake of the one and only William Shakespeare’s ultimate love story, but the music completely ties Lurhmann’s vision of past to present. Lurhmann successfully recreated a contemporary version of Romeo and Juliet with the use of visuals, i.e. his cheeky engraving of guns and rifles with the words “dagger” and “sword”. But it is the music that completes the contemporary theme. The sound designer (the conceptual chief of designing and creating a film’s soundtrack) for Romeo + Juliet is Gareth Vanderhope. Gareth has also worked on The Quite American (2002), Moulin Rouge! (2001), Dark City (1998), and Never Tell Me Never (1998)- just to name a few.

The reason why Romeo + Juliet’s soundtrack has made a major impact on me is a result of the use of contemporary, indie/alternative/innovative music. I think that Vanderhope succeeded with his selection of music because he stayed true to the contemporary setting of the film. He used music by artists who were not very well known in 1996. The artists whose music was featured in the film are no longer unknown, and still make major impacts on the music industry and on music lovers.

The Soundtrack: (artist, song)

Garbage, “#1 Crush”
Everclear, “Local God”
Gavin Friday, “Angel”
One Inch Punch, “Pretty Piece of Flesh”
“Kissing You” (love theme from Romeo + Juliet)
Butthole Surfers, “Whatever (I had a Dream)”
The Cardigans, “Lovefool”
Kym Mazelle, “Young Hearts Run Free”<
Quidon Traver, “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)”
Mundy, “To You I Bestow”
Radiohead, “Talk Show Host”
Stina Nordenstam, “Little Star”
The Wannadies, “You and Me Song”
Craig Armstrong (composed by), “Introduction to Romeo”

Every single song is perfectly placed in terms of complementing the visuals of the film. The emotions and loss of self while watching Romeo + Juliet is something no other film has evoked from me.  I forget that I am here in reality, instead I am fully transported into the films settings. I claim this film has the best soundtrack because when only listening the music, I once again lose myself in reality and fully transport back into the film, no need for visual stimulation.

Shakespeare is one of the most incredible writers known to man kind. But while reading the play I did not fall in love the way Juliet and Romeo did, I never felt pure hatred towards another man, or the deepest sorrow at the lose of a friend. Baz Lurhmann’s audio and visual interpretation of this classical play invoked pure love, blind disgust and extensive despair from my very non-emotional self.

Alexandra Lederman is a Film Music Writer/Editor for Film Music Report.  Film Music Report is the official source of news and information from Music for Film and Television.

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