Society of the Snow (soundtrack)

Society of the Snow (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) is the soundtrack to the 2023 film of the same name directed by J. A. Bayona. It is an adaptation of Pablo Vierci's book of the same name, which is about the Uruguayan 1972 Andes flight disaster. Featuring musical score composed by Michael Giacchino, the album featured 28 tracks and was released by Netflix Music on 4 January 2024.

Society of the Snow (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)
Film score by
Released4 January 2024
Recorded2023
VenueAbbey Road Studios
GenreFilm score
Length70:55
LabelNetflix Music
ProducerMichael Giacchino
Michael Giacchino chronology
Next Goal Wins
(2023)
Society of the Snow
(2023)
IF
(2024)
Singles from Society of the Snow (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)
  1. "Found"
    Released: 8 September 2023
  2. "Andes Ascent"
    Released: 10 November 2023

Background

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In June 2023, Bayona announced that Michael Giacchino would compose the musical score for Society of the Snow, after their previous collaboration on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018).[1][2] It was Giacchino's first Spanish film, which Bayona felt that his music "brings a special voice and energy that turns the Andes odyssey into an even more relevant, encouraging and universal story".[1]

Giacchino has said Society of the Snow was the most emotional film he had worked on to date, following Pixar's Up (for which he had won an Academy Award), due to the dread, isolation and helplessness of the survivors. Speaking to GoldDerby, he admitted that he tries to put on the shoes of fictional characters for whom his music had to be written, doing so for the real people who survived the ordeal is "wholly different". Furthermore, Giacchino met with two survivors of the plane crash to study their experiences of the disaster and its aftermath, as he thought it as the only way to get the truth of what the music should do. He admitted the score at times is bleak, but also melancholic.[3] Due to these experiences - Giacchino declined to use any puns in the names of the tracks on the soundtrack, which are a trademark of his previous film and television compositions.

Giacchino employed a vocal choir that sings in the language of Mapuche, an indigenous language of the Andes, which he felt that "was the voice of the people who didn’t come back [...] It's really talking about Mother Earth and nature and all the things they were surrounded by at the time".[4] The score was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in London, England with minimal orchestra and devoid of brass, due to the characters' religious upbringings.[5]

The score was preceded with the first track, titled Found, released on 8 September 2023, the day before its premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival. The second track, Andres Ascent, was released on 10 November. Netflix Music released the full score on 4 January 2024.[6]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Leaving Home"1:23
2."Crash"1:04
3."Barren"1:33
4."Alien World"2:56
5."Flashback"1:03
6."First Scout"1:32
7."Susy Passes"8:18
8."News Radio"0:58
9."What Do I Become"1:14
10."The Second Expedition"4:43
11."Trapped"0:44
12."Today Is My Birthday"1:20
13."What’s the Limit"2:31
14."I See the Sky"2:01
15."A Plan to Cross the Mountains"3:10
16."Arturo's Death"0:55
17."Setting Out"1:07
18."Heading Back"2:03
19."Take Home the Love"1:13
20."Nando Returns"5:02
21."Radio Failure"0:50
22."Sleeping Bag"0:53
23."Numa Accepts His Place"5:30
24."Andes Ascent"4:16
25."Onward"3:16
26."Over the River"1:09
27."Found"6:22
28."Home"4:06
Total length:70:55

Reception

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David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "[Michael] Giacchino's hard-working, typically forceful orchestral score can only do so much to keep the momentum humming".[7] Guy Lodge of Variety described it as "a typically maximalist score from Michael Giacchino that throws frantic percussion and a keening choir in alongside the ample strings".[8] Amon Warmann of Empire wrote "Regular Bayona collaborator Michael Giacchino accentuates proceedings with a score that alternates between haunting horror chords and moving melodies."[9] Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood called it a "stirring musical score".[10]

James Southall of Movie Wave wrote "Society of the Snow is what great film music should be – it doesn’t shy away from accentuating the lows as well as the highs, it paints a tremendously vivid dramatic picture, it treats the real-life horrors with great respect and features moments of tremendous beauty."[11] Music critic Jonathan Broxton described it as the "subtle" and one of the "most understated of Giacchino’s career".[12]

Accolades

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In December 2023, the score was shortlisted for Best Original Score at the 96th Academy Awards, but failed to get nominated.[13][14]

Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Hollywood Music in Media Awards 15 November 2023 Best Original Score — Independent Film (Foreign Language) Michael Giacchino Won [15]
[16]
Critics' Choice Awards 14 January 2024 Best Score Nominated [17]
Feroz Awards 26 January 2024 Best Original Soundtrack Nominated [18]
CEC Medals 5 February 2024 Best Music Nominated [19]
Goya Awards 10 February 2024 Best Original Score Won [20]
Satellite Awards 18 February 2024 Best Original Score Nominated [21]

References

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  1. ^ a b Roxborough, Scott (20 June 2023). "J.A. Bayona Re-Teams With Oscar-Winning Composer Michael Giacchino on 'Society of the Snow'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  2. ^ Navarro, Meagan (20 June 2023). "'Society of the Snow' – Director J.A. Bayona and Composer Michael Giacchino Reteam for Netflix Survival Thriller Based on True Events". Bloody Disgusting!. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  3. ^ Licuria, Rob (16 November 2023). "Michael Giacchino ('Society of the Snow' composer): 'I would go days of being in that space' and would 'be completely wiped out emotionally' [Exclusive Video Interview]". GoldDerby. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  4. ^ Topel, Fred (10 November 2023). "Michael Giacchino Used 'Society Of The Snow' Music To Give Voice To Victims Of Tragic Andes Plane Crash – Sound & Screen Film". Deadline. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  5. ^ Desowitz, Bill (16 December 2023). "Scoring 'Society of the Snow' Forced Michael Giacchino Out of His Comfort Zone". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  6. ^ "'Society of the Snow' Soundtrack Album Details". Film Music Reporter. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  7. ^ Rooney, David (14 September 2023). "'Society of the Snow' Review: J.A. Bayona Blends Visceral Action With Existential Despair in Overlong but Affecting Survival Thriller". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  8. ^ Lodge, Guy (9 September 2023). "'Society of the Snow' Review: J.A. Bayona Wrests the Andes Flight Disaster Away From Hollywood". Variety. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Society Of The Snow". Empire. 20 December 2023. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  10. ^ Hammond, Pete (9 September 2023). "'Society Of The Snow' Review: J.A. Bayona's Thrilling Account Of 1972 Uruguayan Rugby Team Airplane Crash Closes Venice Film Festival". Deadline. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  11. ^ Southall, James (6 January 2024). "Society of the Snow". Movie Wave. Archived from the original on 7 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  12. ^ "SOCIETY OF THE SNOW – Michael Giacchino". MOVIE MUSIC UK. 9 January 2024. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  13. ^ Bergeson, Samantha (21 December 2023). "2024 Oscar Shortlists Unveiled: 'Barbie,' 'Poor Things,' 'Maestro,' and 'The Zone of Interest' Make the Cut". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  14. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr.; Hipes, Patrick (23 January 2024). "Oscar Nominations: Diversified Voting Throws The Love Around As 'Oppenheimer' Tops With 13, With 'Poor Things', 'Killers Of The Flower Moon' And 'Barbie' Close Behind – Full List". Deadline. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  15. ^ Brew, Caroline (2 November 2023). "Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo Nominated for 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  16. ^ Grein, Paul (16 November 2023). "Billie Eilish's 'Barbie' Song, Robbie Robertson's Scorsese Score Honored at 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards". Billboard. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  17. ^ Davis, Clayton (13 December 2023). "Critics Choice 2024 Nominations: 'Barbie' Breaks All-Time Record With 18 Noms". Variety. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  18. ^ "'Cerrar los ojos', '20.000 especies de abejas' y 'Un amor' encabezan las nominaciones a los Premios Feroz". rtve.es. 23 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  19. ^ "Candidaturas de los Premios del Círculo de Escritores Cinematográficos, Medallas CEC". Decine21. 28 December 2023. Archived from the original on 28 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  20. ^ "Nominaciones Premios Goya 2024: todas las películas y actores nominados, en directo". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  21. ^ "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards". International Press Academy. 18 December 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2023.