THEODORE SHAPIRO

Blades of Glory and Idiocracy were very different from his usual approach to comedies.

I saw him conduct a piece once at a concert, before I knew he was a film composer, and I'm pretty sure before he was well known by many (I remember it being right before The Heist came out, because after the concert I was familiar with his name and recognized it on that movie poster). I remember the piece he wrote and conducted at the concert was very eclectic, inspired by his childhood playing in the city parks growing up in NY or DC, so it had ambient 'children playing' sounds and loads of percussion and rhythm and the orchestra. I have not in fact heard any of his film scores. Does this style I'm describing seem familiar to those who know his work? I remember it being very interesting, but didn't particularly like it to listen to on a regular basis. Hoping is film work is as fresh, but more listenable. Is there a best score to start with, with Shapiro?

HEIST is an excellent score. I'd buy that if it came out.
(And Isham's SPARTAN. And Burwell's SPANISH PRISONER. Heck, let's have a David Mamet film music festival!)

New project for the hugely underrated composer according to GSA:

Marley & Me
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/

I don't think GSA believes he's underrated?



mc

I'd love to listen to his score to Prince of Central Park, but it wasn't released, was it?

It had a very good theme.

Yes, I really think he is. What scores have you heard of him, Demetris?

I think it's just a matter of time until he finally gets a chance to score something more high profile musically (he almost did when he was scoring Aeon Flux before being replaced by a bland Revell score), but just by listening to most of his comedy scores (which is unfortunate typecasting), he seems to put a lot more effort and energy into them than just about everybody working in Hollywood today (examples being The Devil Wears Prada, Dodgeball, Blades of Glory, 13 Going on 30, Idiocracy among others).

First of all, he actually has a distinctive sound (unlike many of his contemporaries...like Debney), he seems to be able to write great orchestral cues as well as music in any modern style (John Powell as one of the few composers who does it as well) and he does try to do something different for these types of films and not just orchestral mickey mousing that still seems to be dominating Hollywood comedies today.
I can recommend just about any of the scores mentioned (and for a non-comedy: Heist is a must-have), but obviously not all of these scores are great listens from start to finish (lots of very short tracks), but there are many great moments in there. From reading your comments here on the board, I think you could like Heist, Idiocracy, Starsky & Hutch and The Devil Wears Prada.

There are certain themes and motifs he carries across into many of his movies, and some tracks sound near identical aside from their main theme ("Miranda Smiles" from The Devil Wears Prada and "The Presentation" from 13 Going On 30 for example). Nonetheless, this guy writes some really nice relaxing pieces. Nothing really special, but very, very enjoyable.

The Devil Wears Prada is probably one of his strongest "generic" scores, while things like Heist are more interesting listens as it doesn't sound like "good ol' Teddy".

Having some comedy scores isn't too bad, but I can't say I have or even want a great deal of them. Teddy seems to be one of the better composers of them!

NOW I'm interested!

That's an interesting way of putting it! I'm gonna use that one myself.

Who is Stephen Barton?

Funny what a little IMDB or Google will yield, James

Stephen has worked with HGW since SINBAD, and in terms of solo projects, scored MRS PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT, and the highly successful video game CALL OF DUTY 4. He's currently working on JENNIFER'S GAME with Teddy Shapiro, and has a few other projects in the works.