This episode is part of a series I’m doing over the next few months, highlighting film music that I think could and should be considered for an Oscar. These awards episodes are presented in partnership with New York Magazine’s site Vulture. For more, go to vulture.com/awards.
In the film Arrival, Amy Adams plays a linguist trying to decode an alien language. The score was composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson, his third film collaborating with director Denis Villeneuve. In this episode, Johann breaks down a piece from the score called “Heptapod B,” and how, like the film, it revolves around the concept of language.
You can buy “Heptabod B”, or the entire official soundtrack on iTunes.
Arrival trailer
For a transcript of this episode, click here.
footnotes
Joan La Barbara – “Erin”
György Ligeti – “Requiem” (as used in 2001: A Space Odyssey)
