Composing Greatness: #3. Oscars 2019 Edition - "If Beale Street Could Talk"

Scene from If Beale Street Could Talk

Welcome to a very special edition of Composing Greatness. In this limited series, I will be looking at the five scores nominated for this year's Best Original Score category. To avoid favoritism, the list will be done in alphabetical order of composers and feature the same guidelines as the original series. This is meant to explore the music behind the great films of 2018, and provide insight into what makes each of them special and whether or not they deserved to be nominated at all. Join me all week as I listen to the  music, leave some thoughts, and hopefully sway you to check out these wonderful, wonderful scores.

Series Composer: Nicholas Brittell

Entry: If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

Collaborators (If Available): N/A

Nomination: Best Original Score

Other Nominees:
-BlacKkKlansman (Terence Blanchard)
-Black Panther (Ludwig Goransson)
-Isle of Dogs (Alexandre Desplat)
-Mary Poppins Returns (Marc Shaiman)

Note: Listen to the score here.

Exploring the Music

The area of the column where I will explore the music in as much detail as I see fit for each entry.

What's So Great About It?

While most of this year's nominees feel interchangeable (sorry Black Panther), this is one of those that feels essential. Nicholas Brittell as a composer feels like he's only starting to produce some of most masterful work of the modern era. His work here, such as the flawless "Eros," is a thing of beauty and manages to capture a nostalgic vibe as he has a harpsichord pumping life into every track. Not only that, but there's so much to love in the production as a whole as he uses some of the year's finest motifs to convey deeper emotion. It's a beautiful piece of music and exactly what film scores should sound like. In a just world, this would be Brittell's year to win solely because he manages the hat trick of making a score that feels timeless as well as immediately fresh and new. Most of this year's nominees are great for differing reasons, but none have the vitality and tenderness of an expert hand quite like this.

What's So Bad About It?

Unlike the other nominees, it's difficult to find much to hate about this score. It's such a concrete piece of music that is moving from the first seconds. It leaves an impression that is atmospheric, reminiscing on something beautiful and pure. I suppose if it's got any problems in comparison to most of this year's nominees (please take this lightly) it's that it's too much of a throwback type of score. Where Terence Blanchard (BlacKkKlansman) is using the past to comment on how we relate to music, Brittell is merely giving us a score that wouldn't be out of place in a film about the past. There's nothing inherently revolutionary about it like Ludwig Goransson's work on Black Panther. It's just simple and tender. It's likely why If Beale Street Could Talk failed to get more nominations than it did, unfortunately. It's too optimistic for these cynical times.

Did This Deserve an Oscar Nomination?:
Yes

Again, there's not a better score from this entire YEAR that is better than this. Some have come close (notably Justin Hurwitz's First Man), but they're not in competition this year. As much as Best Original Score is always a hodgepodge to anyone's expectations, I think that this is one of the times they got it right. There's so much expertise put into every note and embodies how music can enhance a film in magnificent fashion. There's not a dull note on the whole score and it's downright moving at points. It may not be the flashiest or most revolutionary, but it's the most concrete piece of music. You'll be nostalgic just listening to it (yes, even if you haven't seen the movie). It's also perfect evidence that if Brittell gets ignored this year, he's going to have to win eventually. He's destined to be one of the modern greats, and he's arguably planted his flag with this one. I can't wait to see what he does next. 

Up Next: Alexandre Desplat - Isle of Dogs (2018) for Best Original Score

Rank the Nominees

1. Nicholas Brittell - If Beale Street Could Talk
2. Ludwig Goransson - Black Panther
3. Terence Blanchard - BlacKkKlansman