Nightmare and Dreamscapes Debuts This Week
This week sees the start of the series Nightmares and Dreamscapes on TNT. The first episode in a run of eight hour-long adaptations of Stephen King short stories debuts on July 12th and plays uninterrupted. "Battleground" stars William Hurt as a hitman, who assassinates the head of a toy company and then finds himself menaced by a box of model soldiers bent on revenge. The episode plays very much as homage to the classic Twilight Zone episode "The Invaders" which saw an elderly woman do battle with tiny invading aliens. Like that episode, "Battleground" plays without dialogue, with composer Jeff Beal, who was recently Emmy nominated for his work on Rome, carrying the action with his music, which perfectly supplies the necessary tension throughout. I have been fortunate to be given the chance of an advance viewing of the episode and can only say that if this sets the standard for the other seven that follow, the series is well worth a look, and I can't wait for the opportunity to catch up with all of them.
Beal has scored all eight episodes, mixing orchestral with electronic sounds and writing in differing styles. "Umney's Last Case" partially uses a jazz approach, with sultry trumpet performances. "The End of the Whole Mess" moves from light and airy, to sad piano and elegiac trumpet, to downright eerie. "Crouch End" has an underlying ethnic feel, with menacing action moments, sometimes featuring choir, and more ethereal passages. "They've Got a Hell of a Band" has moments of breezy happiness, as well as mystery and tense action. "The Fifth Quarter" features a piano and voices lament, as well as more rock-based material. "The Road Virus Heads North" has moments for sad strings and bluesy trumpet, along with menacing action material. Finally, "Autopsy Room 4" is often nervy, sometimes with a percussive/electronic undercurrent.
No news as yet of an official soundtrack album for Beal's music, but if I hear anything I will of course let you know. In the meantime, if you're able to, tune into TNT on the 12th for "Battleground " - and enjoy a great ride!
This week sees the start of the series Nightmares and Dreamscapes on TNT. The first episode in a run of eight hour-long adaptations of Stephen King short stories debuts on July 12th and plays uninterrupted. "Battleground" stars William Hurt as a hitman, who assassinates the head of a toy company and then finds himself menaced by a box of model soldiers bent on revenge. The episode plays very much as homage to the classic Twilight Zone episode "The Invaders" which saw an elderly woman do battle with tiny invading aliens. Like that episode, "Battleground" plays without dialogue, with composer Jeff Beal, who was recently Emmy nominated for his work on Rome, carrying the action with his music, which perfectly supplies the necessary tension throughout. I have been fortunate to be given the chance of an advance viewing of the episode and can only say that if this sets the standard for the other seven that follow, the series is well worth a look, and I can't wait for the opportunity to catch up with all of them.
Beal has scored all eight episodes, mixing orchestral with electronic sounds and writing in differing styles. "Umney's Last Case" partially uses a jazz approach, with sultry trumpet performances. "The End of the Whole Mess" moves from light and airy, to sad piano and elegiac trumpet, to downright eerie. "Crouch End" has an underlying ethnic feel, with menacing action moments, sometimes featuring choir, and more ethereal passages. "They've Got a Hell of a Band" has moments of breezy happiness, as well as mystery and tense action. "The Fifth Quarter" features a piano and voices lament, as well as more rock-based material. "The Road Virus Heads North" has moments for sad strings and bluesy trumpet, along with menacing action material. Finally, "Autopsy Room 4" is often nervy, sometimes with a percussive/electronic undercurrent.
No news as yet of an official soundtrack album for Beal's music, but if I hear anything I will of course let you know. In the meantime, if you're able to, tune into TNT on the 12th for "Battleground " - and enjoy a great ride!
posted by jeffhall | 10:48 PM
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