Welcome to this ongoing soundtrack series where I analyze the musical score of the greatest
movies, tv shows and video games.
It is here where I discuss how a soundtrack compliments it’s corresponding title, along
with how it came to be.
In this episode, I’ll be going over the score of John Krasinski’s horror film, “A
Quiet Place”, composed by Marco Beltrami.
Within the episode I’ll go over Marco’s selection of instruments, the film’s music
influence, and it’s silence.
I would explain the importance of this score in silence, but I’ll risk it.
Before we start, if you’re new to the channel, consider subscribing to find more soundtrack
analysis on other titles in the future.
I release a new analysis video every week.
With all that said, let’s begin.
Much like the abundance of noise in the movie, Writer-Director John Krasinski created A Quiet
Place on a small-scale budget.
With 90 minute following a family of 4 within their dystopia setting, the budget nearly
peaked at 18 million dollars.
John and his wife Emily Blunt, co-writer, resulted the film by making the best with
their available resources.
Of course a portion of this budget was spent to compose the score for the film, at which
Marco Beltrami had to balance his fraction of it.
Marco couldn’t afford to record with a full orchestra, which usually has around 50 musicians,
and instead sought out to keep the score composed and intimate in order to match the emotion
of the family struggles in the story, a pivotal component of the film.
All the instruments Beltrami arranged consisted of: 17 strings instruments - including violins
/ cellos / double basses , 11 brass instruments - which include trombones / trumpets / french
horns / tuba, than there is the woodwind section covered by bassoons and contrabass clarinets.
The leading piano in the score has detuned black keys to match a crooked accent.
Even with its low budget cost, the family drama with it’s horror affair successfully
made $50 million on opening weekend.
The ingredients of A Quiet Place’s soundtrack are distinctive and it’s what underlines
the heart of John’s story.
Krasinski came to Marco with his primary target on what he wanted in the score and it was
one song he presented to him, Peter Gabriel’s orchestral cover of “Heroes”, a song originally
created by David Bowie.
John wanted to highlight the family rather than the horror angle in the sound covering
the film, in this case the music.
The music is, in essence, the prime sound in the environment in A Quiet Place.
It’s the fuse box of the events of this family’s story.
Even the moments of absolute silence is a fundamental to the music, it’s the foundation
of this world’s continuity.
Whenever music cues into play there are key emotions being displayed, whether it’s a
developing relationship or vulnerability with one of the characters.
The silence prepares for these roles throughout the movie and since the music is a collections
of subtle melodies by a selection of instruments, it allows for smooth transitions between tracks
and the subdued silence.
One of the major factors of the soundtrack was the theme that represented the monster
which is essentially split into various songs, mainly the tracks covering struggling moments.
The monster’s sound represents their presence, on and off screen.
What makes this music evident to the audience is it’s electronic tone that disconnects
from the principle sound of the score, the natural orchestral tones.
Marco accomplished this by processing the recording of drum beats and stringed sections.
The track “It Hears You”, became the theme of the monster and a larger part of the score’s motif.
Before I give my final thoughts on “A Quiet Place”, don’t forget to subscribe to keep
up to date with the Score UnCovered series.
Based on your interest for A Quiet Place, I’ll be going over the soundtracks of Unbreakable
and Jurassic Park.
Yes, I included Jurassic Park to the recommended section because the monsters in this movie
reminded me of velociraptors.
That’s the only reason.
Sue me.
If you want to request a movie, tv show or video game for Score UnCovered, let me know
here on YouTube or on my Twitter page.
The importance of a successful horror film in the 21st century is to have prominent factors
that features a fresh and original perception of that genre.
As one of the most difficult genres to pull off, we rarely see the exceptional horror
movie.
A Quiet Place takes this surprising leap into the instant horror classic category.
In a horror thriller that associates a quiet atmosphere with little dialog, the music is
especially essential to it’s capability.
The moments of silence lingers and lingers right until to the music hits, and when it
does that comfort of silence intensifies the loudest moments of the film.
The music fits so well that it feels that it’s an old friend.
One that wants you dead.
I want to thank you for watching this episode of “Score UnCovered”.
Stop the music.
(Subtitles… BE QUIET!)
(Subtitles… BE QUIET!) … ok
[“sqeak”, cried the monster.]