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Monster (2023 soundtrack)

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Monster (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Film score by
Ryuichi Sakamoto
ReleasedSeptember 8, 2023
GenreFilm score
Length36:50
LabelMilan
ProducerRyuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto chronology
12
(2023) 		Monster
(2023)

Monster (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2023 film of the same name directed and edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda. The soundtrack featured seven songs that consisted of previous compositions from Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, although he created two piano pieces for the film. The film marked Sakamoto's final composition before his death on March 28, 2023.[1] The soundtrack was released posthumously on September 8 through Milan Records.

Development

[edit]

In January 2023, Sakamoto was announced as the music composer for the film.[2] Kore-eda thought of Sakamoto's music during the production and felt that he would be apt for scoring the film, after a previous collaboration in the past decade failed to come into fruition.[3] While editing the film, Kore-eda listened to Sakamoto's music and assembled a final cut from his old film scores, which he sent to Sakamoto and immediately liked it.[4]

Sakamoto, who was diagnosed with rectal cancer since 2021, felt that he did not have the physical strength to accept scoring an entire film. Instead, he contributed two piano cues as per the request of director. He used another two piano pieces from his studio album 12 and old compositions of him to score the film.[5][6] In a commentary, Sakamoto stated that the film deals with an "esoteric theme" and that it was difficult to discern who the eponymous "monster" was.[7]

While most of the cues are led by piano music, a sequence where Minato and the school principal play trombones and French horns developed a sonic contrast, which Kore-eda attributed to its climatic and emotional importance, and he felt that the use of a trombone as an expressive instrument at the core of the film would attribute it for emotional connectivity. The sounds of nature also felt integral to the musical soundscape, as with the plot starts with fire and ends with water, Kore-eda worked with the recording department to carefully differentiate the use of the nature sounds, resulted in its coexistence with Sakamoto's score.[4]

Critical reception

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Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian stated that Sakamoto's score "creates a layer of nuance and meaning. Its plangent, sad piano chords will often counterintuitively be added to a scene of apparent drama or tension, implying that the meaning of this scene has not yet been disclosed."[8] Natalia Winkelman of The New York Times said that Sakamoto's "aching score" makes the film "lovingly detailed and accented".[9] Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com wrote "Sakamoto's music swoons and pulses with a subtle and, in his words, 'esoteric' complexity. His playing beautifully expresses Minato and his loved ones’ mutual loneliness without succumbing to treacly conventions or platitudes. It's mood music, which can be easy to take for granted in a movie where the plot seems most important."[10] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter deciphered it as a "gentle score" that accompanies the drama.[11] Matthew Turner of NME wrote "The late composer's music adds heft to this twisty-turny Japanese drama".[12]

Dave Calhoun of Time Out wrote "Ryuichi Sakamoto only adds to the overarching air of thoughtfulness and empathy".[13] Nadir Samara of Screen Rant wrote "The sweeping score utilizes itself to transport the viewer into a world of confusion but to the tune of a graceful piano and sharp strings that pierce through the screen."[14] Bilge Ebiri of Vulture wrote Sakamoto's "delicate piano pieces" adds to the "film's heartbreaking fragility".[15] Meg Shields of Film School Rejects wrote "Sakamoto leaves behind a brilliant final score as heartfelt and tender" and called the track "20220207" is especially "bittersweet" as a "warped shadow of Wendy Carlos' main title theme for The Shining (1980), flecked with inquisitive warmth and playfulness".[16] Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood called it as "a moving final musical score that turns out to be pitch perfect here".[17] Tomris Laffly of TheWrap wrote "Ryuichi Sakamoto's mournful score of high-keys and strings, coddling the tale soulfully as one of the final compositions of his peerless career."[18]

Track listing

[edit]
Monster (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) track listing
No.TitleLength
1."20220207"7:02
2."Monster 1"3:56
3."hwit"6:30
4."Monster 2"2:55
5."20220302"2:51
6."hibari"9:03
7."Aqua"4:33
Total length:36:50

Accolades

[edit]
Accolades for Monster (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Japan Academy Film Prize 8 March 2024 Best Music Ryuichi Sakamoto Nominated [19]
[20]
Best Sound Recording Kazuhiko Tomita Nominated
Mainichi Film Awards 14 February 2024 Best Music Ryuichi Sakamoto Nominated [21]
Best Sound Recording Kazuhiko Tomita Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Amorosi, A.D.; Saperstein, Pat (April 2, 2023). "Ryuichi Sakamoto, Pioneering Electronic Musician and Oscar Winner for 'Last Emperor' Score, Dies at 71". Variety. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  2. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (January 6, 2023). "Ryuichi Sakamoto to Score Hirokazu Kore-eda's Next Film 'Monster'". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  3. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (May 18, 2023). "Legend of the Croisette: How Hirokazu Kore-eda Put a Fresh Spin on His Trademark Humanism for Competition Title 'Monster'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Crawford, Lillian (March 12, 2024). "Hirokazu Koreeda: 'Ryuichi Sakamoto and I were a good match'". Little White Lies. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  5. ^ Shackleton, Liz (May 17, 2023). "Hirokazu Kore-Eda On Working With Late Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto And Reteaming With 'Shoplifters' Actress Sakura Ando On His New Cannes Movie 'Monster'". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  6. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (September 11, 2023). "'Monster' Director Kore-eda Hirokazu on Working With Composer Sakamoto Ryuichi on One of His Last Musical Compositions". Variety. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  7. ^ "音楽：坂本龍一". Gaga.ne.jp. January 5, 2023. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  8. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (May 17, 2023). "Monster review – Hirokazu Kore-eda's hydra of modern morals and manners". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  9. ^ Winkelman, Natalia (November 22, 2023). "'Monster' Review: Three Perspectives, One Truth". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ Abrams, Simon. "Monster: Movie Review (2023)". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  11. ^ Rooney, David (May 17, 2023). "'Monster' Review: Hirokazu Kore-eda Measures the Weight of Bullying on Childhood Friendship in Tender But Diffuse Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Turner, Matthew (March 13, 2024). "'Monster' review: intricately woven mystery bolstered by Ryuichi Sakamoto's final film score". NME. Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  13. ^ Calhoun, Dave (May 18, 2023). "Cannes review: Hirokazu's Kore-eda's Monster is a thoughtful coming-of-age drama". Time Out Worldwide. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  14. ^ Samara, Nadir (September 29, 2023). "Monster Review: A Mix Of Great Performances & Expert Screenwriting". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  15. ^ Ebiri, Bilge (May 17, 2023). "Hirokazu Kore-eda's Heartbreaking Monster Hovers Between This World and the Next". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 23, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  16. ^ Shields, Meg (October 23, 2023). "Hirokazu Kore-eda's 'Monster' Wields Compassion Like a Sword". Film School Rejects. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  17. ^ Hammond, Pete (May 17, 2023). "'Monster' Review: Hirokazu Kore-Eda's Latest Is Powerful 'Rashomon'-Style Human Drama – Cannes Film Festival". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  18. ^ Laffly, Tomris (May 17, 2023). "Monster Review: Hirokazu Kore-eda's Multi-Perspective Yarn is Poetic". TheWrap. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  19. ^ "『第47回 日本アカデミー賞』受賞者・作品発表 授賞式司会は羽鳥慎一、岸井ゆきの【コメント全文】". Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  20. ^ "【全リスト掲載】第47回日本アカデミー賞「ゴジラ-1.0」が最多12部門の優秀賞を受賞". Natalie (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  21. ^ "毎日映画コンクール 是枝裕和監督「怪物」が9部門ノミネート 阪本順治監督「せかいのおきく」は8部門". Sponichi (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
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