A Haunting in Venice (soundtrack) explained

A Haunting in Venice (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Type:soundtrack
Artist:Hildur Guðnadóttir
Cover:A Haunting in Venice Soundtrack.jpg
Recorded:2023
Studio:Abbey Road Studios
Genre:Film score
Length:34:46
Label:Hollywood
Producer:Hildur Guðnadóttir

A Haunting in Venice (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir for the 2023 film A Haunting in Venice by Kenneth Branagh. It was released by Hollywood Records on September 15, 2023.

Background

At CinemaCon in April 2023, director Kenneth Branagh announced that composer Hildur Guðnadóttir would be scoring A Haunting in Venice,[1] marking Hildur's first collaboration with Branagh.[2] Hildur replaced Branagh's longtime collaborator Patrick Doyle, who had scored the film's two prequels, Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile.[3]

Production

Hildur grew up reading Agatha Christie novels,[4] [5] and already had a "strong idea" about how she felt the genre would sound before she signed on to score the film.[6] As the film takes place during a séance at a Halloween party, Branagh wanted his score to feel "darker and almost horror"-like.

The score heavily features strings and woodwinds, as Hildur wanted it to feel like an "organic and classical" chamber piece.[7]

The film takes place in post-war Venice, which Hildur kept in mind when scoring the film. When the film reflects on pre-war times, Hildur used "incredibly romantic, overdramatic and over-expressive tonality". On the other hand, in the post-war period, Hildur switched to an atonal sound to accompany the sense of "rebuilding the world" after the war.

The score was performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios.[8]

Reception

Critical response

Hildur's score received positive reviews from film critics, with Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post complimenting it as "elegiac".[9] Brian Truitt of USA Today said that Hildur's "darkly classical score sets a pleasingly creepy vibe".[10] Tim Grierson of Screen International wrote that the "string-laden score only amplify the audience’s dread that something paranormal is afoot".[11] Lindsey Bahr of ABC News wrote that the score enhances the "moody but palatable scares".[12]

However, reviews from music critics were mostly negative. Filmtracks.com opined that "The only distinguishing characteristic of the music for A Haunting in Venice is its totally inscrutable and meaningless existence."[13] Music critic Jonathan Broxton summarised "A Haunting in Venice is a huge disappointment. It’s not interesting from a musical point of view, it doesn’t offer anything new or challenging – in fact, this is an example of [Hildur] staying very firmly within her cello texture comfort zone – and the album listening experience comes close to being boring."[14]

Accolades

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fuge . Jonathan . A Haunting in Venice Trailer: Kenneth Branagh Returns as Poirot Alongside Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey & Michelle Yeoh . MovieWeb . en . April 26, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
  2. Web site: Chitwood . Adam . A Haunting in Venice Trailer Puts Hercule Poirot in a Horror Mystery . TheWrap . July 19, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
  3. Web site: Hildur Guđnadóttir to Score Kenneth Branagh’s ‘A Haunting in Venice’ . Film Music Reporter . April 26, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
  4. Web site: Tangcay . Jazz . Hildur Guðnadóttir Used a Solo Clarinet to Help Create Jump Scares in ‘A Haunting in Venice’ . Variety . September 15, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
  5. Web site: Davids . Brian . Hildur Gudnadóttir Talks ‘A Haunting in Venice’ Score, the Influence of ‘Sicario’ and ‘Joker 2’ . The Hollywood Reporter . September 12, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
  6. Web site: Weintraub . Steve . Jones . Tamera . 'A Haunting in Venice's Composer Hildur Guđnadóttir on Growing Up on Agatha Christie Books . Collider . September 15, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
  7. Web site: Danoff . Owen . See Hildur Guðnadóttir Score A Haunting In Venice On The Big Score [EXCLUSIVE] ]. ScreenRant . September 14, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
  8. Web site: Desowitz . Bill . Psychic Pain (and Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir) Are the Common Denominators Between Lydia Tár and Hercule Poirot . IndieWire . September 17, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
  9. News: Hornaday . Ann . September 8, 2023 . Review ‘A Haunting in Venice’: Branagh’s Poirot returns in moody mystery . en-US . Washington Post . September 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230917183804/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/movies/2023/09/11/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review/ . September 17, 2023 . 0190-8286.
  10. Web site: 'A Haunting in Venice' review: A sleepy Agatha Christie movie that won't keep you up at night . https://web.archive.org/web/20230916213101/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2023/09/13/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review/70835153007/ . September 16, 2023 . September 20, 2023 . USA Today . en-US.
  11. Web site: Grierson . Tim . September 9, 2023 . ‘A Haunting In Venice’: Review . https://web.archive.org/web/20230911061952/https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-review/5185263.article . September 11, 2023 . September 20, 2023 . Screen . en.
  12. Web site: Bahr . Lindsey . Movie Review: Kenneth Branagh crafts a sumptuously spooky ‘A Haunting in Venice’ . https://web.archive.org/web/20230914065102/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/movie-review-kenneth-branagh-crafts-sumptuously-spooky-haunting-103132017 . September 14, 2023 . September 20, 2023 . ABC News . en.
  13. Web site: Filmtracks: A Haunting in Venice (Hildur Guðnadóttir) . https://web.archive.org/web/20230918083632/https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/haunting_venice.html . September 18, 2023 . September 20, 2023 . Filmtracks.com.
  14. Web site: September 19, 2023 . A HAUNTING IN VENICE – Hildur Guðnadóttir . https://web.archive.org/web/20230919161730/https://moviemusicuk.us/2023/09/19/a-haunting-in-venice-hildur-gudnadottir/ . September 19, 2023 . September 20, 2023 . MOVIE MUSIC UK . en.
  15. Web site: 2023 HMMA WINNERS AND NOMINEES . Hollywood Music In Media Awards . 17 November 2023.

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