As I sit down to consider the “best” of scores from 2018, I have some music from Morricone’s CINEMA PARADISO (1988) playing in the background from a new remastered release on Quartet Records. Earlier I had just finished a new recording of Herrmann’s THE BRIDE WORE BLACK (1968). In both cases, it was just a reminder that individual voices like these have been hampered by the way we think of how music is used in film these days. Marc Shaiman’s MARY POPPINS RETURNS is a case in point with its intentional connections to late 1960s styles to connect with a beloved film. Quite a long way from the days of MISERY or CITY SLICKERS, but well worth realizing that we have to wait perhaps a bit longer for some of the many newer composers to gain a distinctive style
and voice.
As with last year, I decided to split my choices across new scores from 2018, and 5 older scores that were graced with remasterings or new releases. First then, here are five scores worth revisiting from 2018...
LOST IN SPACE (TV) – Christopher Lennertz
Last year, Netflix revealed its new reboot of Irwin Allen’s classic LOST IN SPACE. There have been a few tweaks to characters (the mother is the scientist here, Dr. Smith is also a woman—and far more self-serving and mean) to reflect a more “contemporary” vibe. Christopher Lennertz has provided music for some high profile projects, but it may be that this one will gain him even more. He has crafted his own main title thread that manages to beautifully integrate John Williams’ theme for the series’ third season. That little allusion works quite well to what will give way to Lennertz’s own sweeping thematic development throughout the rest of the season. There are great action sequences and many lyrical and reflective moments that make this an enviable score.
MARY POPPINS RETURNS – Marc Shaiman
On many levels, this particular film seems so anachronistic. The look of the film, hearkening back to the mattes used in the original MARY POPPINS, is one of the many ways that helps to move the viewer right into the magical expectations. The sheer sight of its title characters is equally moving. There is that nostalgic sense that does tend to hang over the film that still has a sort of naïve view to how the world works. Yet, it remains one of the most enjoyable times one might have spent in the theater last year. The score also works to provide a style that hearkens back to 1960/1970 movie musicals. The one difference though is that the singing tends to be more forward in the sound picture, recorded slightly differently than in the past. That works very well. The underscore helps move things along, most brilliantly in the animated segments. While it is hard to beat the Sherman Brothers’ classic songs, the ones here work quite well. “A Conversation” is brilliant with the way it moves into the touching song. “Can You Imagine That” captures some of the older film’s style as does “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” (though that particular sequence seems to be working really hard to make us forget the chimney sweeps of MARY POPPINS). And “Nowhere to Go But Up” also helps elate us at the end. The music has that sense of Broadway about it throughout and the way the songs are integrated here makes it even more so a modern approach that works for the most part.
A few other scores also caught my attention this year:
Roque Banos continues to be our modern Herrmann in superb scores like THE COMMUTER.
Newcomer Alexandra Harwood provided a very charming score for
THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL SOCIETY.
Daniel Pemberton stretched himself for the invigorating
and contemporary styles employed
in SPIDERMAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE.
Early in the year, Laurent Eyquem impressed with the score for NOSTALGIA.
There was even a little nod to classic giallo scoring when Fabio Frizzi returned to score
PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLES REICH.
Best Vintage Score Releases:
IVAN THE TERRIBLE (1944/58) – Sergei Prokofiev (Capriccio)
Frank Strobel continued to explore classic, less traditional (perhaps) scores with this excellent two-disc set of music for Sergei Eisenstein’s massive, two-part biographical and historical drama. Prokofiev’s music never sounded so great and we get to hear the cues back in film order. Part One’s music tends to feature some of the more extensive underscoring with the second part having more succinct moments. The sound is stunning, the performances equally so.
THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING (1989) – Chuck Cirino
(Dragon’s Domain Records)
When one thinks about how many horror scores are often created using state-of-the-art equipment, it is nothing short of a marvel to realize how much work went in to getting electronics to do what you wanted in the earlier days of the art. The score here blends synth, MIDI and keyboards. Cirino even had some brass players come over to his home to record some sections in his bedroom! That said, the textures and themes that appear in the score make this one of the composer’s better efforts and the release is an excellent example of the painstaking work required for composer’s working on the lower-budget end of the industry. The film itself is one of the campy, guilty pleasures and no doubt the score’s availability should please fans all around.
THE VALLEY OF THE GWANGI (1969) – Jerome Moross (Intrada)
Apart from his music for THE BIG COUNTRY (1958), Jerome Moross tends to get overlooked. His film score output was just around a dozen scores with most of the 1960s being spent providing music for television westerns. That led to this great B-movie that featured the capture of a T-Rex that would become an attraction at a circus. The film was one of those classic Harryhausen matinee features that popped up on television from time to time in the 1970s. Moross’s score has some excellent melding of both action and western music styles and even some circus source music. It may be a little score (about 40-minutes) but Moross’ fans should have roared their approval for this release.
Also significant from last year was a late release of one of Bernard Herrmann’s final scores, THE BRIDE WORE BLACK (1968) on Quartet Records. This is a new re-recording conducted by composer Fernando Velazquez. It is also worth noting that John Williams’ fans finally got an expanded release of DRACULA (1979). Thomas Newman’s THE MAN WITH ONE RED SHOE (1985) was an important release giving us a peak at the composer’s comedy scoring before the even more quirky days to come. As the year came to a close, La-La Land announced a HARRY POTTER collection that would present nearly 8 hours of music from the first three films in that series scored by John Williams. Certainly it was a must have for lovers of that music. THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN ends up being the score that stands out stylistically in the bunch. Varese also made available a stunning collection of Rachel Portman’s scores for Jin Henson's THE STORYTELLER.
Best Compilation Releases
Play It Again, Marvin! 
– Marvin Hamlisch (Varese Sarabande)
Recorded with the Kalamazoo Symphony, this live recording is a testament to the abilities of Marvin Hamlisch. There were certainly spurts throughout his life that brought him various moments of popularity. He was often touring the orchestra circuit with various performances from his Broadway and popular film scores and songs. This album pulls together some great highlights from throughout his career.
Carter Burwell: Music For Film (1990-2017) – Carter Burwell (Silva Records)
The Ghent Film Music Festival’s annual survey of film music by a single composer focused on Carter Burwell. Here are a ton of Coen Brothers film themes, many that brought Burwell to greater attention. It moves through a number of fine scores, many among the composer’s finest including some that have been included in past “Best of the Year” highlights (CAROL, GOODBYE, CHRISTOPHER ROBIN). These are continuing to be among the best of the year for film music compilations focusing especially on a single composer.
HEREDITARY – Colin Stetson
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK – Nicholas Britell 
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