Most Underrated Scores - Thomas Newman

In honour of brilliant composer Thomas Newman's birthday, we're naming his three most underrated scores!

Thomas Newman is perhaps best known for his minimalistic, subtle, yet heartfelt scores. He's probably best known for the iconic American Beauty soundtrack, or his work on Shawshank Redemption. But today, we've chosen some of our favourites that deserve more attention...

Starting with the Academy Award nominated 1994 'Little Women', following the March sisters in this charming and cosy story about love, growing up and above all, sisterhood.

Recommended track titles: 'Orchard House/Main Title' and 'Harvest Time'

This soundtrack is a slight departure from Newman's signature style, with a much fuller, rich sound. There are clear elements of quintessential American composers like Copland in its expansive melodic feel - a clear 'American Dream' spirit. Reminiscent of one of the most memorable scenes of the film (Christmas day), the fanfare of brass seems to herald in the snow, and along with it, the family feel that we come to associate with this classic tale. Newman’s orchestration gives the music a wonderful sense of scale without losing the intimacy of the film’s domestic world. Despite its Academy nomination, we don't think it gets the love it deserves, but its distinctive blend of American orchestral grandeur and heartfelt intimacy makes it a particularly memorable entry in Newman's filmography.

Next up, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012). The story, following a group of retired Brits travel to India, in Jaipur, to stay in what is advertised as a luxurious retirement home.

Recommended track titles: 'Long Old Life' and 'Tuk Tuks'

The wholesome plot is accentuated by Newman's soundtrack, which is pacey, exciting and culturally empathetic as well. While some elements of the instrumentation might be considered musical stereotypes, there is certainly no malice in its use. Arguably, the music often evokes the sense of wonder with which the retirees encounter a culture and way of life beyond their own experience. The score appears to represent therefore, the perspective of the outsiders new to the culture, rather than the culture itself. The music is curious and uplifting, complementing the film’s gentle humour and underlying optimism.

For our last score, we've chosen a slightly newer film; Operation Mincemeat. Loosely, it revolves around an Allied plot to send a corpse with falsified documents into Axis waters, hoping to fool them about crucial war plans.

Recommended track titles: 'Iris' and 'Limited Casualties'

Newman's trademark minimalism comes through at points in this soundtrack. The arpeggiaic piano echoes other films in the genre; like Alexandre Desplat's score for The Imitation Game. Both scores reflect the intellectual intricacies and underlying tension of wartime strategy. Moments of exposed melodic lines emerge against moments of near-silence, and this delicate instrumental writing and sparse textures throughout this score offer a restrained alternative to the grand orchestral sound often associated with wartime cinema. This gives the audience time for reflection, and grants a much more emotive tone to the more personal and sensitive moments - highlighting the contrast between the gravity of war and the day-to-day events that happened alongside.