Cloverfield

J.J. Abrams has a knack for creating mystery surrounding his films. The best example of this was Cloverfield, a monster movie all shot through a camcorder. Numerous viral ads leading up to the film created more internet buzz and speculation as to what the creature was and what the film was really about. While the film itself featured no music outside of various source cues, composer Michael Giacchino steepped up to create an end credits suite for the film. The entire suite (12 minutes long) was released as Roar!- Cloverfield Overture.

For the most part, Giacchino's overture pays heavy tribute to the scores of various monster movies from Japan, most notably Akira Ifukube's classic Godzilla scores. The first minute of the suite is a slow build-up relying on percussion and a little orchestration. It sounds (appropriately) like a march with an ominous underscore. Soon, the music shifts into a massive female solo underscored with percussion and brass. Soon it all comes together with a big clash between the vocalist and the orchestra. The second half of the overture is more quiet. It features slow buildups and rises, using alot of ominous brass. By the end of the track, the march theme returns in an almost militaristic style, gradually crescendoing and finally delivering a final blast.

Cloverfield can't really be considered a score, more like a 12 minute suite. Nonetheless it showcases Michal Giacchino's strong points, his knack for writing recognizable themes and his ability to handle an entire orchestra without resorting to synth. Cloverfield is a prime example of how composers in Hollywood should be. Anyways, a great and effective effort from Giacchino despite the lack of a full score (check it out as an mp3 download).