Composing Greatness: #12. The Freshman Class of the 2010's - "Lion" (2016)

Scene from Lion (2016)

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Series Composer: Hauschka & Justin O'Halloran

Entry: Lion (2016)

Collaborators (If Available): N/A

Nomination: Best Original Score

Did They Win: No

Other Nominees:
Best Original Score
-La La Land (Justin Hurwitz)*winner
-Jackie (Mica Levi)
-Moonlight (Nicholas Britell)
-Passengers (Thomas Newman)

Additional Information

This is to help provide perspective of where each composer is in their Oscar-nominated life as it related to the current entry.

Oscar Nomination: 1

Oscar Wins: 0

Track List

1. "Train"
2. "Lost (Part One)"
3. "River"
4. "Escape the Station"
5. "Orphans"
6. "A New Home"
7. "Family"
8. "School"
9. "Memories"
10. "Lost (Part Two)"
11. "Falling Downward"
12. "Searching for Home"
13. "Memory/Connection/Time"
14. "Layers Expanding Time"
15. "Arrival"
16. "Lion Theme"

Note: Listen to 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.

Theme Exploration:

"Train"

The story begins with the protagonist getting lost at a train station. With the violins screeching like wheels on a track, the score kicks things off on a more mechanical note, creating the sense of separation that one has from their personal roots. It's a slow build of drama that helps to convey the struggles that are about to come. Only at this point, they seem slight and not nearly as traumatic as they will become later. It's a subtle beginning and one that still alludes to joy, even if it's slowly fading away.

Interesting Standout:
"River"

To look at the first half of the album is to see the slow descent into a separation from the personal life that was known. As a result, the increase in quietness actually helps to build tension, and uncertainty of what lies beyond understanding. This is still in a mechanical portion of the score that manages to work at conveying the loss. What's impressive is that it still works within the classical instrumentation that the composers have lined up. Even then, this is more abrupt and choppy than what's to come, portraying the desperation and desire to find answers sooner than later. 

Best Moment:
"Arrival"

Of course, the clearest moment in the entire score has to be when things begin to fall back to where they were. The orchestra has built clarity among its instruments, passing brief moments of quiet lulls that hint at potential uncertainty. At this point, everything has fallen into place and it's a beautiful track in a series of excellent moments that end the film. It's the type of build that only works with a full listen, and one that shows how music impacts something as simple as a reunion. This is a solid moment that allows everything to click into place and complete the journey on a high note. 

Did This Deserve an Oscar Nomination?:
No

There is nothing wrong with the score for Lion. I don't think that Hauschka or Dustin O'Halloran are bad composers. It's just that this one feels like it's lacking a deeper substance that would warrant a nomination. Sure, it builds to something triumphant and works that way, but there's no real hook or ingenuity that makes it a necessarily great score for the year. It does the trick, but considering how rich every other score is from 2016, it does feel like the odd man out, barely managing to do what's necessary to make it work. Lion, in general, was an odd Oscar contender because of how it remained under the radar until the nominations were announced. Even then, it's a good film that deserves some love, even if the score doesn't really capture that too well. 

Up Next: Best Original Score - Nicholas Britell, Moonlight (2016)

Best Theme

A ranking of all themes composed by The Freshman Class of the 2010's.

1. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: "Hand Covers Bruise" - The Social Network (2010)
2. John Powell: "This is Berk" - How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
3. Mica Levi: "Intro" - Jackie (2016)
4. Johan Johannsson: "Cambridge, 1963" - The Theory of Everything (2014)
5. Mychael Danna: "Piscine Molitar Patel" - Life of Pi (2012)
6. Will Butler & Owen Pallett: "Sleepwalker" - Her (2013)
7. Gary Yershon: "Mr. Turner" - Mr. Turner (2014)
8. Ludovic Bource: "The Artist Overture" - The Artist (2011)
9. Justin Hurwitz: "Mia Gets Home" - La La Land (2016)
10. Johan Johannsson: "The Armored Vehicle" - Sicario (2015)
11. Hauschka & Dustin O'Halloran: "Train" - Lion (2016)
12. Steven Price: "Above Earth" - Gravity (2013)