Harry Gregson Williams

Out Of This World

One of those scores whose effectiveness tends to get trampled by sound effects’ thundering hooves, let alone laser blasts, COWBOYS AND ALIENS finds way greener pastures as its own listen. But then, Harry Gregson-Williams likely reckoned what he was in for given a title like this, let alone from pumping up the rhythmic danger of such audio-filled action spectaculars like WOLVERINE, THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and PRINCE OF PERSIA. A top wrangler of the orchestra / rock / sample style that his mentor Hans Zimmer turned into the summer soundtrack rage, Williams delivers what could be called an understated score as far as these kind of things go. And that’s right in line with the brooding, if not sometimes downrightly grim tone that director Jon Favreau invests this otherwise entertaining film with. It’s a determination not to play into any jokiness the title might suggest, while trying to have some fun with it at the same time. And darned if Harry Gregson-Williams is going to be smirking behind his movie baron’s back, let alone on a score which is all about musical archetypes instead of in-jokes.

When Favreau previewed a scene from COWBOYS at last year’s San Diego Comicon, the first alien attack was impressively tracked with Jerry Goldsmith music, the emphasis far more on the fear of these unfathomable, unwelcome visitors than playing any “action” music as such. While it’s cool to think what Goldsmith would have done for this picture if he were still around, it’s pretty much inconceivable that Hollywood would allow a solidly traditional orchestral approach. But given the musical fusion direction that COWBOYS was destined to go in, Harry Gregson-Williams has done a good job at capturing that intent, let alone rustling up the usual western suspects with thematic grit. Our hero enters with a rousing motif for electric guitar, orchestra and clip-clop percussion, yet with an eeriness that tells us something is off indeed. The destroyed town’s posse rides out for some green-blooded payback with a gallant, galloping symphony that’s also driven by a rhythmic rock-based approach. Where these two sonic layers might have been pure anachronism thirty years ago, they’re especially seamless here thanks to Williams’ long-acquired finesse at blending musical tradition and the once-shock of the new.

While COWBOYS is anything but a period score, The Duke’s noble spirit, not mention Clint’s hardcase vibrancy, hold their heads high. But if COWBOYS hearkens back to any vigilante that Williams has meted out vengeance for, then it’s likely Logan from WOLVERINE. Beating a guy’s head to a pulp for starters (and doing worse to a-hole aliens later), Williams gives Daniel Craig’s Man With No Identity a feeling of military force and psychological anguish, an approach that gives the score an overall solemn, even meditative feel for all of its excitement. Even darker is the truly terrifying, visceral effects and metallic banging for the toad-like fiends (with one particular nerve-jumping bit right at home on Jerry’s ALIEN range). Mysterious voices complement the frightening mystery of these “demons,” making the musical odds all the more fearsome for humans who won’t have the word “aliens” in their vocabulary for quite a while. Yet there’s some nice bits of twinkling guitars and hummingbird flutes to give COWBOYS its odd bits of unfulfilled romance and male bonding before our villains’ sinister music arrives to get things back on the popcorn path.

Cowboys & Aliens soundtrack review | Harry Gregson-Williams ...

, Those who say my reviews are poorly-researched).  If there are two things which might be expected to inspire a film composer to create something memorable and exciting, they would be cowboys and aliens.  Sure, a bit of pastiche would be expected – whether of Elmer Bernstein’s wide-open-spaces style of western scoring, or perhaps more likely Ennio Morricone’s brilliant, quirky style – and take your pick of any of the great scores which accompany alien invasion movies.  What a mouthwatering prospect.  Harry Gregson-Williams was the lucky guy chosen to score this film – while not consistently great, he has shown on various occasions that he can be creative, that he can write memorable tunes and that he is more than capable of injecting his scores with a great sense of fun.

One can only assume, then, that he must have received directions to avoid doing all of that and to write music as bland as he possibly could.  Imagine one of those dull scores from Tony Scott’s films (where it doesn’t really matter – they serve their purpose) only with a few bits of twangy guitar (hey, there are cowboys).  How utterly depressing.  For most of its hour-long run-time, the album just plods along without doing much of anything.  From time to time it springs to life and these moments rescue it from being a disaster – but even here the music just sounds generic and like it could come from pretty much any Remote Control-scored action film.  This is music which just doesn’t have a personality, doesn’t really have anything about it which I can think would make anyone listen to it before any of the numerous things which are similar but better or the vastly-more-numerous-still things which are not similar but which are better.  It’s hard to imagine why anyone would want music like this in their film – I can’t believe Gregson-Williams would have written music like this if he had his own way and I can’t believe that director Jon Favreau wanted this either, he was presumably overruled as on Iron Man – it’s not awful by any means, it just all seems fairly pointless.  

Perfect James! I’ve just felt the same as well as the score is concerned. Unfortunately, they did not make film music nowadays as it it was in the past. (far away past) Look at the Conan remake for instance; it’s shameIful that THING must be called Conan music! I did not get more frustrated cuz i knew what would goin’ to happen….

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