562: Rian Johnson On The Music Of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Alex Russell and Archie Madekwe, who join us to discuss Alex's debut feature, Lurker. Archie stars as Oliver, a rising pop musician who is befriended by a fan who infiltrates Oliver's inner circle, becoming an evermore disturbing presence. 

Our latest episode of Soundtracking involves a lovely conversation between Kate Winslet, her son Joe Anders, composer Ben Harlan and music supervisor James Taylor, who join us to discuss Kate's directorial debut Goodbye June, which Joe wrote. Goodbye June tells the story of a family who gather around their dying mother at Christmas, confronting themes of grief, reconciliation and love. The ensemble cast is magnificent, with Kate, Toni Collette, Timothy Spall, Andrea Risborough, Jonny Flynn and Helen Mirren all delivering stellar performances (as usual).

We have yet another bonus episode of Soundtracking for you, celebrating the release of Noah Baumbach's comedy, Jay Kelly. First up is Noah himself, then leading men George Clooney and Adam Sandler. Jay Kelly tells the story of the titular movie star and his devoted manager, Ron (played by George and Adam), who embark on an unexpectedly profound journey through Europe. Along the way, both men confront the choices they've made, relationships with loved ones, and the legacies they'll leave behind. It is beautifully scored by Nicholas Britell, and you will of course hear plenty of his music

Every now and again on Soundtracking, we share an interview which doesn't refer to music at all - and that's the case with this bonus episode with Carmen Emmi, Russell Tovey and Tom Blyth. But they joined Edith to discuss such a beautiful film about such an important story that we wanted to bring it to you on the podcast anyway, as well as our youtube channel Soundtracking Extra, where the conversation premiered. The film in question is Plainclothes, which is now available on Home Ents formats. It's Carmen's debut as a writer and director, and tells the story of a police officer who works undercover to entrap and arrest men displaying lewd behavior in public restrooms. However, he soon finds himself torn between duty and desire when he develops a secret connection with one of his targets.

Our latest guests on Soundtracking are Matt and Ross Duffer, creators of the epic Netflix sensation, Stranger Things, which has just entered in its fifth and final season. To summarise very briefly, Stranger Things tells the story of a group of young friends in In 1980s Indiana, who encounter  supernatural forces and expose secret government exploits. As they search for answers, the children unravel a series of extraordinary mysteries. Not only does it feature an iconic synth score from Michael Stein & Kyle Dixon, but it is also famous for its exemplary use of needle-drops.

Our latest bonus guests on Soundtracking with Nick Rowland and Taron Egerton, who join us to discuss Nick's latest film, She Rides Shotgun, which you can watch now on Amazon Prime. In it,  Taron stars as a newly released ex-con marked for death by unrelenting enemies, who must protect his estranged 11-year-old daughter at all costs. As with Nick's previous film, the brilliant Calm With Horses, She Rides Shotgun is scored by Ben Power, aka Blanck Mass

It's a very welcome return to Soundtracking for Rian Johnson, who joins us to discuss the third of his Knives Out mysteries, Wake Up Dead Man. Starring Daniel Craig as master detective Benoit Blanc, the extraordinary ensemble cast includes Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner and Thomas Haden Church. In this latest instalment, Benoit takes a case that brings him into the orbit of charismatic priest Monsignor Jefferson Wicks and his devout congregation. When a mysterious death occurs, our hero must navigate a web of secrets and simmering tensions within the community to expose the truth.

Our latest guest on Soundtracking is Rebecca Miller, in an interview we originally put on our youtube channel, Soundtracking Extra, but wanted to share with you on the podcast. Rebecca is the director of Mr Scorsese, a beautifully compelling, honest and comprehensive documentary series about Marty's life and work, which is streaming now on Apple TV +. And he is, of course, one of the greatest exponents of the needle drop in the history of cinema, as well as music more generally.

It's a Frankenstein special on our latest episode of Soundtracking, as first Guillermo del Toro and then composer Alexandre Desplat join us to discuss their collaboration on the Netflix reimagining. Starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz, Frankenstein is a beautiful interpretation of the classic tale, brought to life by Guillermo's characteristic stylistic flair. As ever, Alexandre's score is the perfect compliment.

Jonny emails Edith on Monday to say his available to chat about his score for One Battle After Another between Radiohead duties, and we bring it to you at the first opportunity. This is a fabulous deep dive into his process and the imagination and innovation he brings to his film work. Enjoy!