I, Robot (soundtrack) explained

I, Robot
Type:film
Artist:Marco Beltrami
Cover:I, Robot (soundtrack).jpg
Released:July 20, 2004
Studio:Newman Scoring Stage, 20th Century Fox, Los Angeles
Genre:Film score
Length:44:06
Label:
Producer:Marco Beltrami
Prev Title:Hellboy
Prev Year:2004
Next Title:Flight of the Phoenix
Next Year:2004

I, Robot (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score soundtrack to the 2004 film I, Robot, directed by Alex Proyas starring Will Smith. The musical score is composed by Marco Beltrami and released under the Varèse Sarabande label on July 20, 2004.

Development

Marco Beltrami composed the film score "with only 17 days to render the finished work".[1] [2] It was scored for 95 orchestral musicians and 25 choral performers, with emphasis placed on sharp brass ostinatos. Beltrami composed the brass section to exchange octaves with the strings accenting scales in between. The technique has been compared as Beltrami's "sincere effort to emulate the styles of Elliot Goldenthal and Jerry Goldsmith and roll them into one unique package." The "Tunnel Chase" scene, according to Mikeal Carson, starts "atmospherically but transforms into a kinetic adrenaline rush with powerful brass writing and ferocious percussion parts".[3] The "Spiderbots" cue highlights ostinatos in meters such as 6/8 and 5/4 and reveals "Beltrami's trademark string writing which leads to an orchestral/choral finale." Despite modified representations of the theme throughout the movie, it is the end credits that eventually showcase the entire musical theme.[4] Erik Aadahl and Craig Berkey were the lead sound designers.

Release

I, Robot's score was released under the Varèse Sarabande label on July 20, 2004, four days after the film's release. The score album featured 15 tracks running for 44 minutes.[5] An unofficial score album was published by Chicago Music Company by late-2004, that featured the complete score that runs for one-and-a-half hours and has 35 tracks.[6]

Reception

According to Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks, "I, Robot is yet another Beltrami score that promises greatness but lacks the passion, cohesion, or distinctive personality to achieve its top form. Like the film, the score is all procedural action and no intelligent science-fiction." Jonathan Broxton of Movie Music UK wrote "With this score, and his equally exciting work on Hellboy earlier in the year, Beltrami is firmly announcing himself as one of film music's potential big league players of the future."[7] James Christopher Monger of AllMusic reviewed that the score "complements the material nicely, resulting in a serviceable but eventually forgettable entry into the realm of blockbuster fly-by's."[8] Dan Goldwasser of Soundtrack.Net wrote "Overall this is a great album to listen to. Marco has done a wonderful job, coming right off of Hellboy, and so far his scores for 2004 have been some of the best works of his career."

Personnel

Orchestra

Choir

Accolades

Award! scope="col"
CategoryResult
International Film Music Critics AssociationBest Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Clemmensen . Christian . 2004-07-20 . I, Robot (Marco Beltrami) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140820095836/http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/i_robot.html . 2014-08-20 . 2011-06-21 . Filmtracks.
  2. Web site: Burlingame . Jon . 2012-11-15 . Beltrami: Tapping into the keys of success . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140313235416/https://variety.com/2012/film/news/beltrami-tapping-into-the-keys-of-success-1118061931/ . 2014-03-13 . 2024-08-28 . Variety . en-US.
  3. Web site: Carson . Mikael . I, Robot – Music from the Movies . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20040807005206/http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?ID=3578 . 2004-08-07 . 2008-02-14.
  4. Web site: Goldwasser . Dan . 2004-08-07 . Review: I, Robot (2004) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20080201134543/http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=3543 . 2008-02-01 . 2011-07-21 . Soundtrack.net.
  5. Web site: Marco Beltrami . Marco Beltrami . 2004-07-20 . I, Robot (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240828144605/https://music.apple.com/in/album/i-robot-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1443744974 . 2024-08-28 . 2024-08-28 . . Apple Music.
  6. Web site: Marco Beltrami . 2004 . I, Robot (Complete Original Score) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240828145336/https://www.discogs.com/release/2610608-Marco-Beltrami-I-Robot-Complete-Original-Score . 2024-08-28 . 2024-08-28 . Chicago Music Company . Discogs.
  7. Web site: Broxton . Jonathan . 2004-07-17 . I, ROBOT – Marco Beltrami . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160916201527/https://moviemusicuk.us/2004/07/16/i-robot-marco-beltrami/ . 2016-09-16 . 2024-08-28 . Movie Music UK . en.
  8. Web site: Monger . James Christopher . Review: I, Robot [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] ]. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230208180828/https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-robot-original-motion-picture-soundtrack--mw0000212323 . 2023-02-08 . 2024-08-28 . AllMusic . RhythmOne.
  9. Web site: . 2005 . 2004 IFMCA Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141017120639/http://filmmusiccritics.org/awards-archive/2004-ifmca-awards/ . October 17, 2014 . May 1, 2020 . IFMCA . IFMCA.

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