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… since we talked about this some months ago, and since Joby Talbot, like Elfman, started his career in pop music, I just wanted to tell you that his soundtrack for THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY is available exclusively on iTunes (until April 25, when the CD is released) and it’s an amazing piece of work, epic, funny, with influences ranging from Danny Elfman to John Williams, to Wendy Carlos and old musicals. It’s a great debut for Joby Talbot, who brought in his pal from Divine Comedy, the brilliant singer Neil Hannon, to perform some songs.
I didn’t expect much since it’s Talbot’s first feature score. It sounds very simple and average, almost like Disney World area music from the 80’s. I won’t just say now that he’s no good as a composer, because all composers have to start somewhere, even Danny. I don’t know if he plans to make a full career out of film scoring, and I don’t know anything about British pop music, but as with all new composers (Michael Giacchino excluded because he won me on his first feature) I say, give it time.
As for “Hitchhiker’s Guide,” I never read the book or got into the craze, but based on the previews, I wish they had gotten a more experienced crew to work on it. I had hoped that the whole film would look as professional as the Imaginary Forces teaser made it look like, but this looks like “The Fifth Element” or less. I always complain about something before I’ve tried it out, so I’ll see the movie when it comes out and hope that I’m wrong.
Well, Talbot has already a somewhat long and respectable career as a composer (not a film composer, though), having made, for example, an excellent new score for Hitchcock’s early silent film “The Lodger” and some amazing classic symphonies, like “The Dying Swan”. And, of course, the theme for the BBC dark comedy series, “The League of Gentlemen”. And all the Divine Comedy albums, with all those great chamber pop songs. I have to disagree with you – I found the soundtrack a delight… About the movie, I haven’t seen it yet, but all the reviews say it’s a wonderful and very inspired sci-fi comedy, very much like Adams’ intended it to be. From what I saw, it looks nothing like “The Fifth Element”
… In fact, they used very few CGI shots and creatures, with the Jim Henson Creature Shop making all sorts of old school mechanical aliens and the production designer creating all sorts of weird sets. It looks and sounds amazingly faithful to Douglas Adams’ universe… Can’t blame you for thinking it’s not, since you’ve never read the books, seen the TV show or listened to the radio show. Anyway, try to get the books and read them.
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