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Babylon (soundtrack)

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Babylon (Music from the Motion Picture)
Film score by
Justin Hurwitz
ReleasedDecember 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
Recorded2019–2022
StudioCapitol Studios, United Recording, Sony, Ferber
Genre
Length1:37:15
LabelInterscope
ProducerJustin Hurwitz
Justin Hurwitz chronology
First Man
(2018) 		Babylon
(2022)
Singles from Babylon (Music from the Motion Picture)
  1. "Call Me Manny"
    Released: November 11, 2022
  2. "Voodoo Mama"
    Released: November 11, 2022

Babylon (Music from the Motion Picture) is the score album to the 2022 film of the same name directed by Damien Chazelle. The original music composed by Justin Hurwitz, Chazelle's frequent collaborator, which is set for release on December 9, 2022 by Interscope Records, two weeks ahead of the film's release on December 23, features 48 tracks running over an hour. Two of the tracks "Call Me Manny" and "Voodoo Mama" were released on November 11.

Background

[edit]

The film marked the fifth project in the collaboration of Chazelle and Hurwitz together, after Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), Whiplash (2014), La La Land (2016) and First Man (2018). Hurwitz nearly worked on Babylon for three years to create a "unique musical universe" that is believable enough for the 1920s, but also "a far cry from the quaint jazz of the period",[1] which was a "challenge" for the composer.[2][3] He created a "fresh concoction that matched the wild, hedonistic world of the film",[1][4] by using jazz band instruments in more contemporary ways, drawing inspiration from rock and roll, and modern dance music.[5][6] The soundtrack also includes pieces scored for a "manic" 100-piece orchestra recorded in Los Angeles, as well as other cues scores with circus sounds. Hurwitz said that "a huge part of scoring process was to find unique musicians to bring it to life" and credited musicians Sean Jones, Dontae Winslow, Ludovic Louis, Jacob Scesney, and Leo Pellegrino for their contribution to the score.[7][8]

The score was published by Interscope Records which released Hurwitz's Academy Award-winning soundtrack for La La Land. Interscope officially announced the album on November 10, 2022 and its pre-orders of the soundtrack, set for December 9 release.[7] The following day, two songs—"Call Me Manny" and "Voodoo Mama" were released for preview.[9] "Call Me Manny" plays during the furor over Manny's (Diego Calva) latest gig, while "Voodoo Mama" is played as Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) "takes over the dance floor at the party" when the film starts.[1] The track underscored the film's trailer that released on September.[10][11]

Promotion

[edit]

Babylon Jazz Night at Delilah event was held at Delilah in West Hollywood, California on December 11, 2022, hosted by Paramount Pictures, Interscope and Los Angeles-based The h.wood Group, to promote the film. The event featured an orchestra band led by Hurwitz, the cast members, along with a dance party with the guests. H.wood also provides on-theme décor and atmosphere to "reflect the backdrop reflective of the vibes and aesthetic of the roaring 20s and old Hollywood through a modern lens".[12]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Welcome"4:00
2."Manny and Nellie's Theme"0:53
3."King of the Circus"2:28
4."Jub Jub"0:56
5."Coke Room"2:31
6."My Girl's Pussy"2:29
7."Miss Idaho"0:55
8."Voodoo Mama"3:59
9."Gold Coast Rhythm (Wallach Party)"1:41
10."Ain’t Life Grand"1:38
11."Babylon"0:30
12."Morning"2:00
13."Kinescope Ragtime Piano"0:35
14."Kinescope Erhu (Orientally Yours)"1:28
15."Kinescope Carnival Music"0:49
16."Kinescope Organ Music"0:45
17."Night on Bald Mountain"2:08
18."Herman's Hustle"2:02
19."Gold Coast Sunset"2:00
20."Champagne"2:55
21."Wild Child"3:03
22."New York"2:02
23."See You Back in LA"0:48
24."Red Devil"1:56
25."I Want a Man"2:02
26."Orientally Yours"2:11
27."Gimme"1:32
28."Singin' in the Rain"1:22
29."Pharoah John"0:39
30."Meet Miss LaRoy"0:39
31."Call Me Manny"3:37
32."Hearst Party"6:41
33."Damascus Thump"2:10
34."All Figured Out"0:55
35."Nea Smyrni"2:03
36."Waikele Tango"3:38
37."Toad"2:01
38."Blockhouse"2:10
39."Jack's Party Band"1:34
40."Gold Coast Rhythm (Jack’s Party)"1:42
41."Levántate"0:34
42."Señor Avocado"2:23
43."Heyo"3:00
44."Gold Coast Rhythm (Juan Bonilla)"2:56
45."Te Amo Nellie"1:31
46."Gold Coast Rhythm (Sidney's Solo)"2:47
47."Manny and Nellie’s Theme (Reprise)"0:45
48."Finale"3:51
Total length:1:37:15

Reception

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Critical response

[edit]

The first two preview tracks, "Call Me Manny" and "Voodoo Mama" were reviewed by Rolling Stone's Jon Blistein who mentioned it as "pulsating blasts of hot jazz stuffed with thundering drums and boozy horns".[9] At the special screening of the film, press critics praised Hurwitz's score, with Jeff Nelson calling it as "one hell of a wall of sound".[13][14]

Music critic Jonathan Broxton wrote "while Justin Hurwitz’s music enhances the magnificent extravagance of that life and that time, it makes sure it doesn’t overlook the pain and the pathos either."[15] Filmtracks.com reviewed "the soundtrack for Babylon is smart dysfunction by design, Hurwitz opting for insanity as a method of enhancing the overstimulating nature of the movie. The 97-minute album is an amusing but ultimately exhausting and defeating experience. It's the kind of work that makes you laugh and shake your head while vowing never to revisit it again."[16]

In August 2023, IndieWire ranked the film's score at number 15 on its list of "The 40 Best Movie Scores of the 21st Century," writing "Filled with booming trumpets and epic saxophone solos, it’s a truly epic score, perfectly fitting the changing world of ’20s and ’30s Los Angeles perfectly. But it’s the way the score builds upon its motifs and elements from song to song, that makes its special."[17]

Industry reactions

[edit]

The film received attention from industry members in the 2023 award season, highlighting the possiblities of award nominations at major ceremonies.[18] Hurwitz's score has been highlighted by critics from various publications,[19][20] as the possible contender for the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 95th Academy Awards,[21][22] with Paul Sheehan of GoldDerby analysing that the score has been the leading contenders for that category.[23] Aside Academy Awards, the score will also be a major contender for the 80th Golden Globe Awards, highlighted by Variety's Clayton Davis.[24] It would later win the Best Original Score category.[25]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result
Chicago Film Critics Association[26] December 14, 2022 Best Original Score Justin Hurwitz Won
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association[27] December 18, 2022 Best Score Nominated
Florida Film Critics Circle[28] December 22, 2022 Best Score Won
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle[29] January 9, 2023 Best Original Score Nominated
Austin Film Critics Association[30] January 10, 2023 Best Score Won
Golden Globe Awards[31] January 10, 2023 Best Original Score Won
Georgia Film Critics Association[32] January 13, 2023 Best Original Score Runner-up
Critics' Choice Movie Awards[33] January 15, 2023 Best Score Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society[34] January 17, 2023 Best Original Score Won
Hollywood Critics Association Creative Arts Awards[35] February 17, 2023 Best Score Won
Houston Film Critics Society[36] February 18, 2023 Best Original Score Nominated
British Academy Film Awards[37] February 19, 2023 Best Original Score Nominated
Satellite Awards[38] March 3, 2023 Best Original Score Won
Academy Awards March 12, 2023 Best Original Score Nominated

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Desowitz, Bill (November 16, 2022). "How Damien Chazelle's Orgiastic Hollywood 'Babylon' Could Shake Up the Oscar Craft Races". IndieWire. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  2. ^ Cramer, Alex (November 19, 2022). "'Babylon' Team Finds Just The Right Notes To Set Tone For Damien Chazelle's Movie About Hollywood's Decadent 1920s – Contenders L.A." Deadline. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  3. ^ Burlingame, Jon (December 9, 2022). "How 'Babylon' Composer Justin Hurwitz's Score Helped to Create the Film's 'Unhinged, Hedonistic World'". Variety. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  4. ^ "'Babylon' composer says he was influenced by house music for the film's score: 'We didn't care about being true to the '20s'". Business Insider. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  5. ^ Greiving, Tim (January 3, 2023). "How the score is the driving element behind 'Babylon,' 'a musical without being a musical'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  6. ^ December 25, Lauren Huff; EST, 2022 at 09:00 AM. "'Babylon' composer on 'La La Land' comparisons and why he steered clear of 1920s jazz". EW.com. Retrieved January 20, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b Schube, Will (November 11, 2022). "Soundtrack For Damien Chazelle's 'Babylon' Set To Be Released". uDiscover Music. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  8. ^ Hemphill, Jim (December 12, 2022). "Justin Hurwitz's Music Brings Order to the Chaos of 'Babylon'". IndieWire. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Blistein, Jon (November 11, 2022). "The First Songs From the 'Babylon' Score Sound as Wild as Damien Chazelle's Next Film Looks". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  10. ^ Mendelson, Scott. "First 'Babylon' Trailer Is Filled With Sex, Drugs And Oscar Hopes". Forbes. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  11. ^ Guy, Zoe (September 13, 2022). "Babylon Trailer: Margot Robbie Snorts the Paramount Logo". Vulture. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  12. ^ Schube, Will (November 30, 2022). "'Babylon'-Inspired Night Of Jazz Set For December 11 In LA". uDiscover Music. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  13. ^ Jeff Nelson [@SirJeffNelson] (November 15, 2022). "#Babylon/#BabylonMovie is a daring Hollywood epic that utterly shocks the senses. Margot Robbie and Diego Calva give huge performances. Damien Chazelle incorporates his signature musicality and movement throughout. Justin Hurwitz's score is one hell of a wall of sound" (Tweet). Retrieved December 5, 2022 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ "'Babylon' review: Critics deliver mixed verdict on the Damien Chazelle film starring Margot Robbie". Lifestyle Asia India. November 18, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  15. ^ "BABYLON – Justin Hurwitz". MOVIE MUSIC UK. January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  16. ^ "Filmtracks: Babylon (Justin Hurwitz)". www.filmtracks.com. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  17. ^ "The 40 Best Movie Scores of the 21st Century". August 10, 2023.
  18. ^ Davis, Clayton (November 15, 2022). "'Babylon' Brings Cocaine-Fueled Orgies, Elephant Feces and Blackface to the Oscar Race". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  19. ^ Burlingame, Jon (December 4, 2022). "In Oscar Music Race, Familiar and Fresh Faces Seek Score Nominations". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  20. ^ Desowitz, Bill (October 3, 2022). "Oscars 2023: Best Original Score Predictions". IndieWire. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  21. ^ Verhoeven, Beatrice (November 15, 2022). "Hildur Gudnadóttir, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Among Film Composers Who Could Earn Double Oscar Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  22. ^ Grein, Paul (November 18, 2022). "Could Taylor Swift & Doja Cat Earn Oscar Nominations in 2023?". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  23. ^ Sheehan, Paul (November 1, 2022). "2023 Oscars: Best Original Score Predictions". GoldDerby. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  24. ^ Davis, Clayton (November 4, 2022). "2023 Golden Globes Predictions (Film) – Julia Roberts, Harry Styles and 'Don't Worry Darling' Among Buzzy Names and Films In Contention". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  25. ^ Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (January 10, 2023). "'The Fabelmans,' 'The Banshees of Inisherin' Win Big at Revamped Golden Globes (Complete Winners List)". Variety. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  26. ^ Tallerico, Brian (December 12, 2022). "Everything Everywhere All at Once Leads Chicago Film Critics Nominations". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  27. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 11, 2022). "The 2022 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". NextBestPicture. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  28. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 14, 2022). "The 2022 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  29. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 6, 2023). "The 2022 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  30. ^ "2022 Austin Film Critics Association Award Nominations". Austin Film Critics Association. January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  31. ^ Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (December 12, 2022). "Golden Globes 2023: Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  32. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 7, 2023). "2022 Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA) nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  33. ^ Verhoeven, Beatrice (December 14, 2022). "Everything Everywhere All At Once Leads 2023 Critics Choice Awards Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  34. ^ ""Everything Everywhere All At Once" Leads the 2022 Seattle Film Critics Society Nominations". Seattle Film Critics Society. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  35. ^ Moye, Clarence (December 8, 2022). "'Everything, Everywhere,' 'Top Gun' Lead Inaugural HCA Creative Arts Awards Nominations". Awards Daily. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  36. ^ Darling, Cary (January 10, 2023). "'Everything Everywhere,' 'Banshees of Inisherin' top list of Houston critics' nominations". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  37. ^ Ntim, Zac (January 19, 2023). "BAFTA Film Awards Nominations: 'All Quiet On The Western Front,' 'Banshees Of Inisherin' & 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Lead — The Complete List". Deadline. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  38. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 8, 2022). "'Top Gun: Maverick' leads International Press Academy's 27th Satellite Awards nominations". Awards Watch. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
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