"When I am through with you..."

I finally got round to watching the last series of "Damages" - the massively under-rated and over-looked tv show that is more than yer average legal drama. In fact, it's not about court-rooms and Judges bellowing "over-ruled!". It's a complicated, intriguing, who-dunnit/who will be alive at the end of it-crime thriller.

"Damages" is one of the best television dramas. Ever. The writing and the characters have been fantastic since the first series, with each series improving on the last. I'll be honest, I found the first series hard to get a grip on, with it's flash forwards and drip-drip-drip of information. The show's creators were as controlling and revelling in the mind-games as much as it's main character, Patty Hewes. 'Damages' draws the viewer into the game - you're always looking for the angle on the character's motives.

Pretty much says it all.

What really fascinated and gripped me with this series is the way practically every scene had a really juicy under-current of sub-text and double-meaning (and not in a jarring, nod-nod-wink-wink kind of way, either.). As a viewer you were never quite certain what was true or false, which I guess was the whole point of the entire series.

The series was also peppered throughout with some brilliant casting - Glenn Close was simply perfect as Patty, probably one of the coldest, emotionally complex characters ever written.But Close adds that extra, pure drop of basest evil known to man with just her eyes (I'm sure she's lovely in real life, but in this show she always looks like she's about to eat you alive. Whole.). Rose Byrne also does a fantastic job with Ellen, a role that could easily be portrayed as simpering and naive. She's so morally correct that you're just waiting for her to derail and transform into a younger version of Patty.

Not yer normal, zany Martin Short...

The rest of the casting was genius - Ted Danson, Martin Short, and John Goodman all played brilliantly against type, while Dylan Baker in Series 4 had the role of his career so far. William Sadler, Lily Tomlin, Tom Noonan, Tate Donovan, William Hurt, Zeljko Ivanek... to name a few; all playing complicated characters.

Just another day in court...

So if you've never seen it or only watched the first series, WATCH. ALL. OF. IT. 

Meantime...

"Charlie says 'always tell your mummy before you go off somewhere'..."

Last weekend, I visited the London Film and Comic Convention (2014) for the first time. Excessive heat and crowds aside, it was great to finally meet the likes of Bernard Cribbins. I'm a fan from his Wombling days and Jackanory; my five year old daughter loves him for his CBeebies show "Old Jack' s Boat". In fact, Bernard personally invited us along to see his CBeebies show at The Proms next weekend - hurrah!

Bernard even kindly dotted his 'i' in his own belly button.

 Also present were Stan Lee (on his last Euro tour - he's 91!), Games of Thrones stars Lena Headey and Kirstian Nairn, Star Wars veterans Billy Dee Williams, Carrie Fisher, Kenny Baker, Dave Prowse; Starship Troopers Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer; George Romero, Michael Madsen, Paul McGann, John Hurt, Jenna Coleman, and "Airplane"'s Ted Stryker himself, Robert Hays. (To name a few)

The legend that is Robert Hays.

Whilst trying to escape Earl's Court, I saw a rather unique bit of Cosplay, which struck a chord with me. Literally on the previous day, I have read a blog talking about an 'internet-created urban ghost story' about a character called 'Slenderman'. Yes, I now know it's been around for a few years now - I'm knocking on forty so technically I'm an old git, so ex-cuuuuuuuuse me.

My immediate reaction to seeing 'Slenderman' was: "It's that freaky suited guy from 'Sapphire and Steel'!". The episode in question - Assignment 4: The Man Without a Face did exactly what it said on the tin - it featured an ominous figure who, lo and behold, didn't have a face.

Spot the difference... Oh MY GAWD...

This character became so ingrained in my psyche - scarred, if you will - as a 6 year old watching a show which probably shouldn't have been airing at the time it did. But then again, that was the early 80's. The stuff of nightmares. BBC kid's drama "The Enchanted Castle" came complete with people with paper-plate faces. PAPER PLATE FACES.

The age of 'Armchair Thriller' (which, according to my research, was repeated at 1.30pm weekdays: WHAT?!), whose opening credits were bad enough in itself - but then had some creepy, faceless Nun hiding in the loft. (What was it back then with faceless entities?!) But that seemed to be par for the course in those days: The end credits of 'Star Trek', and to a lesser extent Scooby Doo... kids love to be scared, right?

Oh my Gawd...

Whilst on one of my first trips on the underground (departing from Fairlop), I recall standing beside the poster for 'The Shining', which ol' sweaty-faced madman Jacky Boy gurning through a splintered door. To a six year old, the poster for 'An American Werewolf in London', which was a simply, classic profile-ish pose of a ruddy great toothy, snarling werewolf was horrendous to behold. Speaking of which, there used to be a film review show (ITV, I think, possibly presented by Nicky Horne?), which was on at lunchtime. They showed a clip from 'American Werewolf' (the Tottenham Ct. Rd tube station bit). Lunchtime. Werewolf. Didn't expect to see THAT.

OH MY GAWD... I  can assure you this is not in the least bit amusing...

I would possibly attribute this show as to why I became interested in films. I went to the cinema a lot as a child, but it was probably that moment which sparked the "What happens next?" part of my brain, and has never really let go of that.

Next up: Disney's "The Black Hole". DIS-NEYS. Might as well have been John Carpenter's Black Hole, with Anthony Perkins being diced to bits by now legendary "cool robot" Maximillian. (As for that obscure ending depicting a vision of hell - WHAT. THE.). Speaking of John Carpenter, I recall being dragged along with my parents to visit their friends. Whilst my older brothers and their friends kids watching 'Halloween' in the front room, I had to sit out on the stairs on my own, huffing that "it's not fair, I'm bored" etc. Should've kept my mouth shut. I was eventually granted entry into the living room, with 3 minutes of the film left to go. And we all know how THAT particular movie ends. (Did I mention I was probably about five or six?)

Blatant imagery such as that, of course you're going to be scared witless. But then brain-searing imagery can come from the least expected places. Those public information adverts from the Seventies. They're supposed to be helping, right? Those were the days of short, sharp shocks so you learn your lessons quickly and don't forget. Blimey.

Oh my gawd!

"Blimey". There's a word that doesn't even come close when describing the daddy of 'em all: "Threads". Without a doubt THE MOST horrific piece of television ever created. I literally cried for months. The most realistic actualisation of a nuclear attack. A television drama that every sane political leader should be forced to watch. Having shared pub-counselling sessions with friends of a similar age, they all had their memories - The most similar being teachers playing a video of 'Threads' in the classroom, with pupils crying.

OH. MY. GAWD.

Now, you're probably thinking by now that I had a completely traumatic childhood, where were my parents, and it's a wonder why I haven't been carted off long before. I hasten to add, for balance, that it wasn't all scarring - there were obviously happier memories (scrabbles around, trying to think of them....). But, as if often the case, the one's that stick with you are the one's that affected you.

And what sticks in the brain - be it something scary you saw as a kid, or suffering a real-life trauma etc. - doesn't have to define us, but it can shape our lives. Eventually I watched 'American Werewolf', and it sparked my interest in special effects - my original career of choice (had I been any good at it!). To dissect what I  had seen and remove it from it's context, I had to understand HOW they did that - so I found out. And it's amazing, and I have nothing but admiration for the talent it takes to create these effects.

Anyway, so I'm walking (well, shuffling shoulder-to-shoulder) out of Earl's Court 2 and passing by Mr. Slenderman, there was a distinct recollection of seeing a familiar face (well, lack of). But not one I care to reconnect with.

"Put the bunny back in the box..."

Whilst watching 'Megamind' the other day with my daughter, I realised how similar it is to another movie released in the same year - 'Despicable Me'. Both about a super-villain who learns that life is more fulfilling being good.

No soft toys were harmed during the making of this movie. Apart from this one.

Certainly, movies seem to frequently churn out the same idea at the same time

'Volcano' vs. 'Dante's Peak'.

'Armageddon' vs. 'Deep Impact'. 

'Antz' vs. ' A Bug's Life'.

'Dawn of the Dead' vs. '28 Days Later...'.

'Tuurner and Hooch' vs. 'K-9'

'Mirror Mirror' vs. 'Snow White and the Huntsman'

'Red Planet' vs. 'Mission to Mars' 

'Infamous' vs. 'Capote'

'Tombstone' vs. 'Wyatt Earp'

'The Truman Show' vs. 'Ed TV'

'The Prestige' vs. 'The Illusionist'

'Olympus Has Fallen' vs. 'White House Down'

Even low-budget 'Deepstar Six' went up against 'Leviathan' (and the grandpappy of 'Underwater Movies' The Abyss'). Patrick Bergin starred as 'Robin Hood'. Less than a year later, Kevin Costner took his turn to much more success. And not forgetting the bumper year of 1988 - otherwise known as THE YEAR OF THE BODYSWAP! *deep breath* Big, 18 Again, Vice Versa, Like Father Like Son...  Occasionally, the similarities aren't always immediately obvious. Indonesian actioner 'The Raid' and the sci-fi 'Dredd' both share a VERY similar story of a cop trapped inside a high-rise with everyone out to kill him.

Bang goes your good idea...

Most of the aforementioned could be defined as 'high concept' movies. Some reflect the culture or mood of the times, some are probably down to competing studios/producers trying to out-do a rival, and I dare say most are pure coincidence. Because, as we all know, ideas don't get ripped off. Most of the time.

In 2007, I wrote a pilot episode for a television drama series called 'Remnants' (originally labelled more pretentiously as 'Sunshine in the Gloom', which kind of captured the hazy, melancholy, sun-setting on mankind/ calm-before-the-storm nature of the story. 'Remnants' was more 'Threads'-like, I figured.). A sort of 'Twin Peaks'-meets Aussie soap 'Neighbours', so-called as it centred on people left behind. Or left over.

Which brings us nicely to 'The Leftovers', A new series created by 'Lost's Damon Lindelof.

Shoe-fans count down the days 'til the rapture...

"Revolves around mysterious disappearances, world-wide, and specifically follows a group of people who are left behind in the suburban community of Mapleton. They must begin to rebuild their lives after the loss of more than 100 people." IMDB.

When I read about this a year or so ago, my initial reaction was 'Oh. POO.' (Or words to that effect). Nobody likes to spend ages working on something, only to be pipped to the post. And let's face it - I'm not exactly Damon Lindelof. But then again, the notion of 'the rapture' isn't exactly new. It's been around for an age. It's in the the bible, after all (For the benefit of the two late-comers at the back of the room.)

There have also been many books written on the subject - The 'Left Behind' series of Christian novels, which were made into not-very-good movies, and now remade again into a Nicolas Cage movie (due for release in Oct 2014).

So it's time to put my script back in the box, seal it up, and wait ten years or so. See where things are at, maybe give it another whirl at some point. The same ideas happen. Zeitgeist. Nothing can really be learned from it, only to have the belief in your own project. I've not seen 'The Leftovers', and whilst themes and possibly even scenes will be similar, I know mine will be different overall - which is, apparently, a common argument/problem with writers.

Is that a reason to hang on to the script? Should I just burn it and, like that ruddy song says, 'Let It Go'? I've only ever killed two scripts - literally threw them away (back in 1994. And yes, they were THAT BAD.). Whilst I have a lot of love and passion for 'Remnants', for now it will be my mutant monster child that lives in the loft.That, one day, will be released unto the world. In the time betwixt, I will be thinking about it...

Not exactly subtle, but good advice.

I'll leave you a brief idea of what I would have done with the idea...

'Remnants' Synopsis:

Remnants opens with a car on a long journey, meandering down country lanes, eventually arriving at a cul-de-sac in an upper-middle class suburb. It's there that the car ceases to stop, ploughing through a hedge, mowing down an old lady gardener and smashing through the front of a house. Neighbours rush to the scene, only to find no driver and an unconscious woman strapped in the back seat.

The tension cranks up as a mob of parents descend on a primary school, demanding to know where their children are. Terrified teachers inside find themselves under siege, bewildered at the sudden disappearance of every child.

Unborn babies vanish. A supermarket manager has to defend his superstore from panicked looters.
A Priest leading a bible course finds he is the only one left in his church, which also finds itself under siege from those desperate to repent. A burgeoning affair is cut short when an unmanned tractor ploughs into a car, leaving the couple stranded on foot. Motorways are crippled by numerous accidents. Planes have dropped out of the sky, devastating cities. Families are torn apart by lost loved ones.

Many theories are thrown around: Aliens. The End Times. A science experiment gone wrong. Make-shift authorities have to quash lawlessness. A curfew is implemented. Some characters begin to share the same visions and dreams of demons, whilst others are attacked by an alien presence. Deception creeps into play from all corners. The community raises a new council leader in the form of a likeable every-man, who doesn't want the job but realises that he is the most capable - if only to keep the power out of the hands of those who would abuse it.

Out of the chaos and uncertainty, new friendships and romances are born, while others seize the opportunity to level up old scores. The show centres on how life in a small community tries to get back on track when there aren't any answers to the events that have changed everybody's lives. The story focuses on the 'peace' and 'normality' that follows - the quiet before the ultimate storm, in which each person will have to choose a side.

Series one looked at how civilisation gets back on it's feet, whilst series two was set a year later, charting the downturn...

The calm before the storm...

"The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses..."

I recently "celebrated" my 39th birthday - what better opportunity to look back and wonder where all the time went! More to the point, it's the looming FOUR-O next year, which will no doubt bring upon all sorts of weeping and wailing on here in a year's time.

So where did all the time go? Well, after having a poke around through the many, many (Commandant Lassard style) folders containing many, many script documents, it transpires that a LOT of the 90's was spent writing. I probably write a little less now (due to, well, having a life) - But I also spend more time working on a single script. In the 90's, it was a factory - a seemingly endless conveyor belt. Couldn't churn it out quick enough. But was it any good? Erm... Well...

Miles Raymond:It tastes like the back of an L.A. school bus. 

Now they probably didn't de-stem, hoping for some semblance of concentration, 

crushed it up with leaves and mice, and then wound up with 

this rancid tar and turpentine bullshit. 

Jack: Tastes pretty good to me.

In my defence: In the early 90's, there wasn't the internet. Now, advice is everywhere - not all of it great (or at least put across in an encouraging tone). But there is plenty of brilliant, practical advice. It is now incredibly easy to create a professionally formatted script now - which was half the battle in the 90's.

A lot of my 'early scripts' were a product of my age. I hadn't lived much, and I was incredibly influenced by whatever tv or movies I was in love with: Translation - Nyeeerrrd. For example, my first attempt at writing a screenplay was a comedy "Aliens" rip-off - replaced 'Aliens' with 'Killer carrots'. Hey. I was fourteen. Okay, even for a fourteen year old that's pushing it, I know...

Then I moved into 'Die Hard'-parody: The twist being that an action-hero convention is over-run by terrorists, and it's left to our normal, every-day hero to rescue all these Steven Seagals and Schwarzeneggers. Set in a shopping mall. Hmm. Ooookay.

Then Reservoir Dogs happened - saw it seven times at the cinema ('cos we lived in an era of banned movies - the only place you could see it was at the cinema - sounding very Grampa Simpson, I know.). So I moved onto MY Reservoir Dogs.Lots of style over sense, and lots of Reservoir Dogs. (Which seemed to work okay for Tarantino and 'City On Fire', but he added his own stamp to it. "It's a fine line between stupid 'n clever:" Never a truer word, Mr. Tufnell.). This was probably the first script I ever re-wrote. And re-wrote. And re-wrote. To the point of it making no sense at all by the end of it, such was my desperation to create the next Reservoir Dogs.

Re-Writing: Not always a ton of fun.

Around this point, I started working on films as a runner/A.D., meaning I was also reading 'proper' film scripts'. Before then, it was mostly Faber and Faber reprints of famous scripts. Whilst working on these films, I began to realise the problems with the scripts - not that it was ever my place to tell the producer. (Okay, I did ONCE. Well, he did ask!). But it's very easy to poke holes in other people's work.

I was writing from a place of fear, such was the pressure to create an instant classic that would be immediately snapped up (because that's how it happens, of course...): I was living at home, desperate for money, so I just worked and worked and worked... With precious little to show for it. The work went out into the world too quickly - and whilst I did get some great feedback, an agent and a couple of good scripts out of it - there was also a torrent of rejection. Understandably. (Although youthful arrogance at the time dictated otherwise!)

So looking back through my old scripts, I counted (roughly) around 43 features (not including short scripts, or projects half-written/incomplete). Some good, some bad, a lot of middling - Some were never destined for the dizzy heights, but there was always something about them that reminded me WHY I wrote them. They had purpose and meaning for me - and therein lies the answer. I was writing for myself.

Rejection is never easy.

But there did come a turning point. A moment where I decided "I WANT to aim higher, try harder. I CAN do better." And that script was "Perfect Harmony". Several drafts later, it still isn't where it needs to be - but I know I'm getting closer. It wasn't ready in 1998, and the subsequent drafts prove that had the film been made back then, it would have been worse for it. My then-agent-nabbing sci-fi/western script 'Crouch Valley/Handshake From Hell" originally came in at 180 pages. Whilst that's just ridiculous, it showed enough potential to get me an agent who then worked with me to lop it down to 110 pages - which in turn taught me a LOT about script editing and killing your darlings. (The 'darlings' were stacked high by the end of that particular edit.And it hurt for the better.)

Miles: What about the new ending? Did you like that?

Jack: Oh, yeah. New ending vastly superior to the old ending.

Miles: There is no new ending. Page 750 on is exactly the same.

Jack:Well... maybe it just seemed new because everything leading up to it was so different?

Miles Raymond: [sarcastically] Yeah, that must be it!

Whilst personal tastes change as you mature as a writer and a human-doing, there is still one big similarity between now and then: I still write to 'please' myself. As I've recently discovered with a couple of projects, I find it very difficult to get all excited 'n creative over something which just doesn't fire me up. It's almost impossible to write something that I really don't care about. That's not to say the idea isn't great or doesn't have potential - It just isn't a great match for me. Working half-heartedly only achieves frustration because I'm seemingly unable to write anything. I've given a couple of ideas away because I know somebody else can do a better job with it - and that's fine by me.

Regarding these 43 scripts, it took me a long, long time to 'get it'. I fully admit I'm probably slow on the uptake - but not to run myself down too much, there was always something good about those 43 stories. I could see what I was trying to achieve. There were good scenes and characters, funny lines... They just needed more work. But when you're not being paid for developing spec scripts, it's very easy to get caught in a cycle of creative panic.Which is what I try to avoid these days. I now know that when I type 'the end', it's not THE END. It's end of draft one-of-many-yet-to-come.

See? Right there. Just what you just said.
That is beautiful. 'A smudge of excrement... surging out to sea.'

So as I'm dragged kicking 'n screaming towards my forties, I ask myself "Where is it all going?". Fair question. The honest answer is I have less idea now than I did back in 1993. All I know is that I'm working on projects now that fire me up more than ever. Film-World is forever changing, for good and for bad - but that's part of the adventure and the game - and I've never been more certain that this is where I want to be.

"I like how wine continues to evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today 

it would taste different than if I'd opened it on any other day, 

because a bottle of wine is actually alive. 

And it's constantly evolving and gaining complexity. 

That is, until it peaks, like your '61. 

And then it begins its steady, inevitable decline."

For an inspiring read about not-aiming-for-the-middle-of-the-road, click this:

"In space, no one can hear you..."

Movie trailers. The little teasers. 

At least that's what they're meant to do. But as we all know, they mostly show all the good parts, give away all the big plot twists and leave you knowing exactly how it's going to end. And then you still pay to see these movies, and have the audacity to grumble about how you'd seen the highlights in the trailer.

Which is why my all-time favourite trailers are for 'Alien', and even more so - 'Aliens'.

One of these people is not like the others. Actually, two.

I was recently watching a cast reunion Q&A with some of the 'Aliens' cast. (I loved Michael Biehn's response when asked his opinion of 'Alien 3' - and I LIKE 'Alien 3'! I hate it as a sequel to 'Aliens', but as an individual film it has a lot going for it.) Fond memories evoked, it made me realise again why that movie is so good - not only entertaining, but it served up new ideas - all fresh. (At least until repeatedly copied by umpteen wannabe movies that followed.)

****SPOILERS. But c'mon, this film did come out in 1986.*******

For most part, the character development and the interchange/conflict between them is what makes 'Aliens' really tick. For example: Hudson - the loudmouth who becomes an emotional wreck, finally going out in a blaze of glory in the final showdown with the beasties. Bishop: Do we trust him? Ripley doesn't: for one good Ash-shaped reason. He seems nice. But then...Burke. He makes lots of promises, seems to believe Ripley, but hey - he's willing to kill everyone! Frost - the likeable trooper who is the first to bite the big one. Heck, we liked that guy! (Thus telling the audience that NO ONE IS SAFE.) Gorman - aloof, anally-retentive leader whose lack of experience brings him back down to earth with a bump - and learns what it is to be part of a unit. Vasquez and Drake - the company's loved-up,  hard-nosed gun-nuts who have the honeymoon cut short by a well-intentioned shot and a gallon and alien acid blood. Hicks - seemingly the handsome hero who becomes the leader, only to be rescued by Ripley.

Or, to give a visual example:

Hudson: We're on an express elevator to hell!

Hudson: Game over, man!!!!

Hudson: DIE MOTHER*&£"#$*

Also, there's a lot to be said about the casting - in particular, using Paul Reiser (a stand-up comedian) to play the squirmy, under-handed Company Rep Burke. There's a whole bunch of playing against type in this movie, and that's what keeps it on its toes. That, and a plotline which leaps from jeopardy to another to 'oh my goodness,  how are they going to get out of that one?!' The tension and layers keep a-comin'.

Ripley accidentally treads on Hicks's foot for the 32nd time.

As an eleven year old in 1986, what really fired me up about this movie was the trailer. Whilst it uses the same 'format' as the original 'Alien' trailer i.e. No dialogue, an intriguing collection of images and scary alien wailing, all increasing in intensity - it goes one better. Rather than just being an alien trailer (by which I mean something chilling, pulsating, confusing and incomprehensible), it's more of a ticking time-bomb (much like the movie itself), it shows a lot without giving anything away - and it REALLY makes you want to see it. To understand what you've just seen, to find out what on earth is going on.

Even the posters give nothing away.

Intrigue! 

Mystery! 

What's Ripley looking at?!

I've previously harped on about the good ol' days before t'internet - with most films these days wanting the audience to know EVERYTHING about the movie before they've even seen it. The 'Aliens' trailer is a master class of letting the visuals do the talking. And that to me isn't just great advertising, but great story-telling too.

*Side-note. The teaser trailer for Alien 3 is just mis-leading: Implying that the story will take place on Earth was just uncool. Which, again, is another good lesson for writing - especially when it comes to loglines and pitching - make sure the idea you are pitching IS actually the story you are selling!

The bug hunters; in happier times. Before it all went wrong, like.

**Side-note part 2: The trailer for Prometheus. I was so hyped about this trailer. It had been a long while since I'd seen a trailer that made me go 'WOOOOAH.' "They've even emulated the style and sound design from the original 'Alien' trailer! "But it's not an Alien film! Sort of!" cried the producers. "Then why are you trying to fall-back on those movies by copying the Alien trailers?" cried, erm, me. "But it's even bigger 'n shinier! They're paying attention to these little fanboy details! It MUST be good..." replied the internet. Flash-forward to movie theatre: "Oh dear Lord." Another writing lesson there - don't hype your story. Deliver. The. Goods.

"A day in the marine corp is like a day on the farm."
The boys suspect Apone may have been lying.

***Side-note part 3: The final side-note. I recently re-discovered THIS in my loft.

This time it's your turn.

Yes, the based-on-the-1986-movie-of-the-same-name board game ALIENS. Haven't played it in years, but I recall that all the main characters are present and correct. You roll the dice, move, fight aliens etc... but it also throws up some interesting ideas, as there's no way of guaranteeing who will survive. So what would 'Aliens' have been like had Hicks, Hudson and Vasquez perished, but Apone, Crowe and Dietrich made it out of the initial skirmish? What if Vasquez got face-hugged? Would Drake go all-out-nutso? How would that mix of characters affect the storyline? Which brings me back to my final question to writers:

Have you got the right mix of characters and conflict in your story?

"A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction..."

Following on from Chris Jones's fun blog post about film composers, I felt prompted to consider not only my favourite film scores and composers, but also how much music is an integral part of my writing.

With each script I write, there must first be a playlist. Always done it, even back to my first clumsy writing efforts (you might say more thought, talent and deftness of touch went into the C90 mix tapes I used to compile...).

I use music to motivate and inspire my imagination; to get 'that feeling' or emotion and somehow put it into words (try as I may). From an early age, film scores had a big impact on my cinematic memories, whether it was the fanfare of 'Star Wars', the heroic score to 'Superman' or the mystery of 'The Black Hole'.

So here's my list of favourite composers and their work. One thing I have noticed (while compiling this list) is that there aren't many scores from recent times.

Could it be something to do with the shortage of great films? Certainly there are some scores that hook into the brain, like the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' or Bourne movies or  - all fine works, but their imprint is seemingly everywhere. Especially the Hans Zimmer 'whaaaaaaaaarm', which is standard practice in every trailer these days. Or perhaps I'm just a nostalgic old bean?

In no particular order...

Vangelis - Blade Runner / Chariots of Fire

Whilst everyone knows the classic Chariots theme (who hasn't run in fake slow-mo to this?), Blade Runner is a masterclass, dripping with atmosphere whilst adding a bleak, menacing beauty to the gloomy world of Blade Runner. Pure class.

Stand-out tracks: Rachel's song, Blade Runner (End titles)



Roy Budd - Diamonds, Who Dares Wins, Get Carter, The Stone Killer, The Black Windmill

Budd was Mr. Cool. Always down to business, kicking arse and being dead cool with it (Get Carter especially). But my favourite scores have to Diamonds (never seen the film, but must on the basis of the soundtrack!), and The Stone Killer (a barmy Michael Winner effort with Charles Bronson).

Stand-out tracks: The Thief, Thief on the Prowl, Diamond Fortress (Diamonds) / M7 (sk 10), M1 (sk10) (The Stone Killer) / Free Tarrant (The Black Windmill)

Alan Silvestri - Predator / The Abyss / Back To The Future / Young Guns II / Judgement Night /  Flight of the Navigator / Overboard
Prolific composer whose accessible work conveys energy and pace (the various chase sequences in the Back to the Future series). Probably the first film composer whose work I could recognise from
a mile off!

Stand-out tracks: Bud on the ledge / Sub battle (The Abyss) / Hoverboard Chase (Back To The Future II) / Main Theme, Payback Time, Jungle Trek, Blaine Gets Killed (Predator)

Burkhard Dallwitz - The Truman Show

More of a 'favourite OST' here: Dallwitz takes the credit (and rightly so), but this masterful soundtrack also features some exceptional work from Philip Glass.

Stand-out tracks: Glass: Powaqqatsi - 5. Anthem Pt. 2, Drive,
Truman Sleeps, A New Life

Danny Elfman - Beetlejuice / Good Will Hunting / Edward Scissorhands / Batman / Midnight Run / Planet of the Apes

AKA Creator of "The Simpsons" theme tune, Elfman's often frantic, over-the-top style feature heavily in his early work, but his score for "Edward Scissorhands" is beautiful fairytale whimsy.

Stand-out tracks: Main Theme (Beetlejuice) / Will Hunting (GWH) / Theme (Edward Scissorhands)


James Horner - Commando / 48 HRS / Deep Impact / Field of Dreams / Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan/ Cocoon / Aliens / Red Heat / House of Sand and Fog / Batteries Not Included / Apocalypto / Battle Beyond the Stars

Yes, he did 'Titanic'. 'Avatar'. 'Braveheart'. But for me, Horner's early work is where it's at. The scores for 48 HRS, Commando and Red Heat are THE scores to listen to if you're writing heavy, thumping, gritty action scenes. It's like going ten rounds with Schwarzenegger. But Horner also scores emotional highs with 'Field of Dreams', 'Deep Impact' and the darker 'House of Sand and Fog'. The wondrous score of 'Cocoon' was cheekily lifted for the 'Super 8' trailer. As much as I knew it was from 'Cocoon', I had to see 'Super 8' just a little bit more urgently. (Yes, I fell for marketing.)  Horner's body of work is an impressive one, that's for certain.

Stand-out tracks: Ambush & Kidnapping, Infiltration,Showdown And Finale (Commando) / Goodbye & Godspeed (Deep Impact) / End Credits (Field of Dreams) / Waves of the Caspian Sea (House of Sand...) / Russian Streets, Main Title (Red Heat) / Luther's Blues (48 HRS)

Michael Nyman - Ravenous / The Piano

More known for 'The Piano', it was his teaming up with Blur's Damon Albarn for the OST for 'Ravenous' that really intrigued me: It's such an... unusual score; twisted, dark, humorous, scary... all at once.

Stand-out tracks: Trek to the Cave, Ives Torments Boyd and Kills Knox (Ravenous)



Barry De Vorzon - The Warriors

The pounding theme to The Warriors brings the intensity and, dare I say it, makes the cast of The Warriors slightly more menacing (and less mincey in some cases). But De Vorzon recaptured the sense of impending doom with his theme tune for the 80's tv series 'V' - and again, set the scene and made a slightly unconvincing show that much gloomier. Brilliant.

Stand-out tracks: Theme, Baseball Furies Chase (The Warriors) / Main Theme (V)

Gary Chang - The Island of Dr. Moreau

He may have worked on The Breakfast Club's score, but his moment of genius was hampered by a pure gold nutso film - The Island of Dr. Moreau. Again, one of the occasions when the film doesn't warrant such a cracking score.

An overlooked gem, with some completely out of place tracks including a drum 'n bass epic by Monk and Canatella Band - I believe the original director, Richard Stanley, had some input into this, and contractual obligations made the soundtrack as mad as the film itself.

Stand-out tracks: Main Title, Dr. Moreau, Moreau's Demise (Chang), Trout by Monk & Canatella Band

Ennio Morricone - The Untouchables / The Thing / The Mission

Yes, Morricone is more famous for Spaghetti westerns, but The Untouchables is absolutely joyous. Contrast to this, his work on John Carpenter's The Thing poses this question: Why did Carpenter hire another composer to sound just like him?

Stand-out tracks: Just buy The Untouchables OST, okay?

John Carpenter - Big Trouble in Little China / Escape From New York / Assault on Precinct 13 / They Live

Which leads us nicely to Mr. DIY himself. I recall an interview where Carpenter said he played the bongos/percussion a lot in his early years, and proceeded to play the theme tune to Halloween - on the bongos. Fantastic.

Carpenter has many scores to choose from, and seeing how I don't particularly like listening to horror scores (Why would you do that to yourself? Why?), I'm plumping for the brooding 'Escape...' OST and most preferably, the atmospheric, pulsing 'Big Trouble...' OST.

Stand-out tracks: Lo Pan's Domain, Abduction at Airport, White Tiger (Big Trouble...)

John Barry - The Black Hole / The Bond movies
John Barry will be forever in my mind as the man that scored two of the big films from my early cinema-going days:

Moonraker and The Black Hole.

Probably the first time I sat up and noticed a film score was due to Barry's soundscape - his music always sounded BIG. The swirling 'zero gravity/Main Theme' of The Black Hole was underpinned with typical ghostly romantic drama.

Whilst the score does suffer from (I believe) an 'enforced' hero theme (probably to make it more kiddy-friendly: The Black Hole is DARK. Someone should remake it - with  Barry's score - and make it for the grown ups this time.), it's easy to put that less convincing addition aside and focus on the doomy brilliance of Barry.

Stand-out tracks: Durant is Dead (The Black Hole)

Jerry Goldsmith - Total Recall / Gremlins / First Blood / Alien / Hollow Man / Basic Instinct / Star Trek NG

Goldsmith's diversity is what makes him stand out for me, yet he had an uncanny knack of capturing the heart of the film's characters within his scores - the loopy Gremlins theme, the unearthly Alien score, the sadness-tinged Rambo score...

Stand-out tracks: The Dream (Total Recall) / Main Theme (Alien) /  The entire First Blood OST

Burwell: AKA The Third Coen Brother.

Carter Burwell - Fargo / Barton Fink / Miller's Crossing / Raising Arizona / Three Kings / Being John Malkovich

Always capturing the unique tone of the Coen's movies - If you're not entirely certain what you're in for, let Burwell be your guide. His scores neatly compliment the subtext in certain scenes, which is a rare quality.

Stand-out tracks: Fargo OST / The Gold (Three Kings) / Main Theme (Miller's Crossing)


Michael Kamen - Die Hard / Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves / Highlander / Brazil / Lethal Weapon

Seemingly cornering the action hero scores of the 80's and early 90's, the score for me is Highlander. Yes, Die Hard wouldn't be Die Hard without those plucky acoustic guitars, Disney wouldn't have their DVD theme tune without the Robin Hood theme, but the Highlander score is just so sweepingly heroic (and sadly overlooked) that it's always there on my playlist, even if just to lift my spirit.
Stand-out tracks: Training MacLeod (Highlander)

David Shire - Saturday Night Fever / The Taking of Pelham 123

Creator of two extremely funky scores, Shire's Pelham OST is a corker. Buy it. And the film, while yer at it.

Stand-out tracks: Main title, Fifty Seconds/The Money Express, Mini-Manhunt

John Williams - Jurassic Park/The Lost World / Indy Jones / Star Wars / Superman / E.T. / Jaws/  The Poseidon Adventure... the list goes on.

A genius.What else can I add?

Stand-out tracks: The Asteroid Field (Empire Strikes...) / Main Theme, Anything Goes (Indy) / Looking Back (Jurassic Park) / Malcolm's Journey, The Trek, The Hunt, Rescuing Sarah (Lost World) / Duel of the Fates (Phantom Menace) / Theme (Superman) / Theme (E.T.) / Theme (Jaws)


David Newman - Heathers

Probably in my top three of favourite scores, and one of my all-time favourite films.

Sharp, warped, impish, wistful, dreamy, chilling... heavy on the 80's atmos, but it captures the tone of the film brilliantly.

Stand-out tracks: Petition Montage, Back to School, Forest Chase

Elmer Bernstein - An American Werewolf in London / Ghostbusters / Stripes / Spies Like Us / Trading Places / Three Amigos / Airplane / Animal House

The go-to man for comedy maybe, but the sheer catchy-ness of his themes earn him a place in the hall of legends.

Stand-out tracks: Suite (American Werewolf...) / Main Theme (Ghostbusters)



Howard Blake - Flash Gordon / The Snowman / The Bear

Co-creator of the Flash Gordon soundtrack with Queen, but it's Blake's work on The Snowman and The Bear which really single him out: His scores tell a story.

Stand-out tracks: Football Fight II,  Battle Theme (Flash Gordon) / The entire Snowman & The Bear scores.

Other worthy mentions:
Howard Shore - The Fly / The Lord of the Rings (The Fly captures Brundle's tragedy perfectly)
Leonard Rosenman - The Lord of the Rings (animated: Rousing stuff, with motifs repeated in Star Trek 4)

Ry Cooder - Southern Comfort (Cooder's work with Walter Hill is especially stand-out stuff)

Hans Zimmer - Gladiator ("The Battle", even if it rings close to Holst's "Mars, the bringer of war")
Brad Fiedel - The Terminator / True Lies (Terminator theme: Stone cold classic.)
Jon Brion - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Lovely melancholy, nostalgic themes)
Basil Poledouris - Robocop (Fun, slightly B-Movie-tinged quality whilst complimenting Verhoeven's style)
Dave Grusin - The Goonies / St. Elsewhere (The Goonies spirited score: Brill)
Marco Beltrami - Scream (Trouble in Woodsboro - love it)
Miles Goodman - Teen Wolf (I don't care, y'know. It's an 80's classic.)
Chris Boardman - Payback (Nicely harks back to the main theme from 'Pelham 123')
Rolfe Kent - Sideways ("Wine Safari" always makes me smile)
Peter Best - Crocodile Dundee (Main Theme has a great sly edge to it)
John Harrison - Day Of The Dead (If you want to creep yourself out, go for it.)
David Kitay - Ghost World (Main theme - has heart-plucking loneliness in spades!)
Arthur Rubenstein - War Games ("Turn your key, sir!" - Rubenstein goes for it...)
Yann Tiersen - Amelie (La Valse d'Amélie, L'autre Valse d'Amélie: Where's my beret?)
Bill Conti - Rocky / The Karate Kid / For Your Eyes Only (Master of the rousing climax!)
Toto - Dune (Bit 'rock guitar' in places, but taps into Lynch's pomp 'n lunacy nicely)
Tangerine Dream - Near Dark / The Keep / Risky Business (Check out TD's synth version of 'Walking in the Air', which plays at the end of 'The Keep')
Paul Buckmaster - 12 monkeys (The opening track captures the madness brilliantly)
Lalo Schifrin - Bullitt and the theme to Magnum Force
Robbie Buchanan - The Golden Child. Depending on what version you're watching (there's an alt. version which begins with some horrible 80's bland rock...). This track also served as the theme tune to 'Cinemattractions', which used to play on ITV sometime in the early 90's, in the middle of the night.
Angelo Badalamenti - Mr. Twin Peaks. Listen to 'The Pink Room'.
Tomandandy - Rules of Attraction
Maurice Jarre - The Man Who Be King
David Arnold - Composer for the recent Bond movies, he also created this Hot Fuzz gem.
John Murphy - 28 Days Later:  In a Heartbeat

James Bond:
Connery era - From Russia With Love (007 takes the lektor)
Lazenby - Durrr!
Moore - Live and Let Die (Trespassers will be eaten)
Dalton - Living daylights (Exercise at Gibraltar, Necros Attacks)
Brosnan - Tomorrow Never Dies (Backseat Driver, Hamburg Break-out)
Craig - Casino Royale (African Rundown, Miami International)

and not forgetting two pure gold TV themes: Miami Vice and The Equalizer. Check out the live version!

There are a couple of notable bootlegs doing the rounds, too.

Beverly Hills Cop by Harold Faltermeyer
The Lost Boys by Thomas Newman

Both worth getting hold of, if you can.

AND FINALLY...
Whenever I'm writing action scenes - big, silly, bombastic, insane stuff (in particular, my 'Border World' scripts), I turn to a score by Michael Giacchino (JJ Abrams and Pixar's go-to guy). And whilst I like his film work (in particular, the bizarre theme to 'Land of the Lost'), it's Giacchino's score for a Playstation game that wins hands down.


Medal of Honor: Underground.

Daring, bold, atmospheric, gloriously bombastic - it's a sort of rollicking jumble of Indy Jones-meets-Tintin: In a World War 2 caper.

This score need not languish; forgotten in time on some ancient console (as much as I still love that game!). This score needs a script written for it. It must live again!

Stand-out track: The Motorcycle chase. LISTEN HERE!