Fernando Velázquez - The Impossible (Lo Imposible)

[TownerFan 4,983]

Anyone gave a listen to this? It's the score for the upcoming Spanish movie about the 2004 Tsunami disaster, starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts. The music is composed by Fernando Velázquez (The Orphanage). It's a very touching, moving piece of work that reminds the lyricism of Ennio Morricone. Check out the main theme:

The film is out now in Spain and it's garnering a very high positive streak of reviews from major film critics. I wouldn't be surprised to see this score nominated at the upcoming Academy Award and eventually winning the coveted trophy.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

They keep showing excerpts of this score on TV over here (like, every hour, I'm not kidding you!). It does sound good. I might check it out.

Yet again, though, Zio, you're so wrong about the Oscars. It might get nominated, but winning? Nah!

[TownerFan 4,983]

It would be very much in line with Academy's choices in the last ten years: foreign composers working on highly acclaimed movies (Tan Dun, Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Dario Marianelli, Gustavo Santaolalla, A.R. Rahman, Ludovic Bource).

It doesn't hurt also it's a beautiful score that enhances the film's tear-jerking emotions, which is always something good to ensure an Oscar.

[publicist 4,643]

I've read good things about the movie so i will go see it in january. The score sounds very Morriconesque.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

So a fellow spaniard could win over williams lincoln....

f*** chauvinism. Go WILLIAMS!!!!!!

[Jonesy 55]

So a fellow spaniard could win over williams lincoln....

f*** chauvinism. Go WILLIAMS!!!!!!

Don't worry, Velázquez will only win the Goya

[KK 3,307]

I don't think it'll win. I've been anticipating this score ever since I heard the gorgeous excerpt on youtube! I've ordered my CD. It's very much in line with Morricone's lyrical stuff.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I don't think it'll win.

Of course it's all matters of studio politics. However I guess Warner Bros. and Summit Entertainment will push hard this score to get major awards recognition, especially if it's already resonating with general audience (if they're using it in trailers and TV spots it's usually a sign of that--hello, Life is Beautiful) and the movie itself is looking like a strong contender.

For now, I guess it has more chances of winning than Williams' Lincoln (who'll get nominated for sure, but the chances of winning are tied exclusively at how high the movie will rate with the Academy) or Shore's The Hobbit (unless the film is a total masterpiece which will sweep every award, there's no way Shore will win for the third time for the same franchise).

However, it's a bit too early to make good predictions.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

i forgot shore.

he may win.

Only williams get's banned in great franchises sequels

[KK 3,307]

It's gorgeous music. And it seems to have fairly good chances in terms of Academy politics. But I think Lincoln and Anna Karenina have higher chances to be honest, more so the latter.

I think The Hobbit has the least chances of winning right now. Argo is also an option to consider. And does anyone else think the score for The Master might get a shot at Oscar gold?

Then again, its still too early to tell. We just need to wait until something like The Artist shows up.

[crocodile 8,017]

So who's going to get nominated then? Desplat for Argo, Marianelli for Anna Karenina, Williams for Lincoln, Shore for The Hobbit and... this guy?

Seems probable.

Karol

[KK 3,307]

Maybe Greenwood for The Master?

[crocodile 8,017]

That's possible. What is Thomas Newman doing this year, beside Skyfall?

Karol

[TownerFan 4,983]

Argo is also an option to consider. And does anyone else think the score for The Master might get a shot at Oscar gold?

Argo is looking good, but it might get excluded because of consistent usage of pre-existing music (looks like they kept quite a lot of the temp score and licensed several cues from Harry Gregson-Williams). Desplat has also good chances with both Moonrise Kingdom and Rise of the Guardians (the latter is getting a lot of positive buzz from early screenings).

The Master is another strong contender for sure, but not as much as some are leading to believe, imo.

[crocodile 8,017]

The Master sounds like an extension of There Will Be Blood. It's pretty good, but I need to watch the film first.

Karol

[TownerFan 4,983]

The Master sounds like an extension of There Will Be Blood. It's pretty good, but I need to watch the film first.

Karol

It's certainly something different and surely not conventional by contemporary film music standards. However Academy voters (i.e. Hollywood people) may be not too much impressed by the aloof, highbrow nature of this score.

[crocodile 8,017]

Oh I also want to add this clip from Lo Imposible sounds rather good as well. And certainly I would agree Morricone's influence is to be heard.

Karol

[Jay 37,369]

So who's going to get nominated then? Desplat for Argo, Marianelli for Anna Karenina, Williams for Lincoln, Shore for The Hobbit and... this guy?

Yes, I already predicted such here: http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22238entry847968

[Incanus 5,715]

Way to go Nostradamus!

I need to get this score ASAP. The music sounds very Morriconesque and I thought I was hearing strains of the maestro himself in the lyrical writing when I first heard this music a while back. Beautiful stuff.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Anna Karenina is that good? Guess I need to check it out.

Also didn't realize Affleck tracked in previous Harry music. Doesn't make sense since he scored his past two films, why not just use him again?

[Jay 37,369]

Koray, how good or bad a score is has nothing to do with whether or not it will get an academy award nomination.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

When was the last time the Academy nominated a bad score? Some traditionalists will say The Social Network, Inception, and Babel but honestly none of those are bad scores by any means. Undeserving? Maybe, but not bad.

[Jay 37,369]

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

+ ∞

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I don't understand why the notion is funny. Am I saying that because something is nominated that it's automatically good? No. The probability is likely though, and I noticed there was a thread on the score that I have yet to delve into, and with some members here predicting it's nomination, I concluded that it's likely a good score. Or rather well received, and thus should be checked out.

[KK 3,307]

There generally is little to no correlation between the quality of the work and its nomination. The Oscar for Best Original Score has now become one of those minor awards given to one of the big contenders who ultimately didn't win go home with much gold. It's basically the pity award. And when its not that, its used to add on to a film whose Oscar wagon is really stacking up.

Of course even when taking all that in mind, there are still a lot of scores to choose from. So to help with that, they look for these qualities in the score:

1) A foreign name attached to score

2) Any composer whose branched out from a very different career path and is trying something new (like a rock artist given the chance to compose a score for a high profile Oscar bait film)

3) Are there any cool gimmicks or interesting features that makes the score sound different?

4) Has any component of the score really struck into mainstream consciousness?

5) Is the score composed by a big name composer and has he/she been neglected some awards attention lately?

If all else fails, they sometimes look to see if the conventional elements are done in a fashion that is incredibly memorable or unique (like a really impressionable love theme that sticks with the mainstream). But it's unlikely.

I may have missed a bit (feel free to add on folks). But it's important to understand that the Academy wasn't always like this. But in the last decade, they've largely stuck to this set of rules.

At the very least, some of the recent years' nominees haven't been too bad (with exceptions).

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Which is my point, it's not like they're nominating Brian Tyler's Eagle Eye or something. The criteria which you presented mostly applies to the actual winner, but as far as nominations go, they're generally genuinely good scores.

Who would have thought Sherlock Holmes would have nabbed a nom? If I remember correctly, it was Zimmer's first since Gladiator.

How To Train Your Dragon, 3:10 To Yuma, Ratatouille, Pan's Labyrinth, The Village, Fantastic Mr. Fox... these are all Oscar-worthy scores... Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull NOT getting a nomination.

[Matt C 454]

So who's going to get nominated then? Desplat for Argo, Marianelli for Anna Karenina, Williams for Lincoln, Shore for The Hobbit and... this guy?

croc, Velazquez's work is worth checking out. Shiver and El Mal Ajeno (along with this pic) are worth checking out.

[Brónach 1,302]

I heard some of Velázquez's music in concert but I still have to check out more of his music. I forgot.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I like his score for Devil. Only one of his I own.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

just for the record.

I saw the film. It is really good, the emotions fill you. And i saw it dubbed. seeing it english must be goosebumps the whole film.

The music was very good too.

And the special effects practically perfect. I cant believe it is a spanish company and not ILM, WETA or the likes.

Please watch it if its in your country. I think its only going to be aired in NY and LA in the US, which is a mistake. Maybe good reviews will open it to more theaters.

[Matt C 454]

I like his score for Devil. Only one of his I own.

Shiver is very good. Some beautiful thematic material and some great dissonant writing at work there.