Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Genre: Film Score
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Golden Globe winner for Best Motion Picture Score, The Painted Veil has to be one of the most surprising and satisfying scores this year. Alexandre Desplat, known to many for scoring films like The Queen, Syriana, and Hostage and numerous French films over the years, provides the film with a sweeping, emotional score. It’s filled with one recurring theme off the main titles, and carried throughout the film, adding in different elements as the moments come up. Since the film is shot and takes place in China, several Chinese themes are used like “Kitty’s Journey,” and “Walter’s Mission.” At the same time, I hear several tones and themes that are French oriented, since Desplat hails from France and if you didn’t know any better, the score could be used for a French film. What I also like about the score is its low key and not boisterous & loud, and I think that goes hand in hand with a film like The Painted Veil. I’m curious to check out the film and see how the music fits in. I really enjoyed this one.

Bottom Line: One of Desplat’s best yet and I can see why the score won the Golden Globe this year.
Notable Tracks: The Painted Veil, The Water Wheel, Kitty’s Theme, Walter’s Mission, Promenade
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