The sounds of the cinema: Mark Kermode and Jenny Nelson on their book ‘Surround Sound’

Britain’s best-known film critic Mark Kermode and award-winning radio producer Jenny Nelson have collaborated on a new book, Surround Sound: The Stories of Movie Music that explores the power of film music. Film buffs and music lovers won’t want to miss the chance to see them in conversation next month, brought to you by the Bath Film Festival and Curious Minds Festival. Interview by Kate Abbey

Q: Could you tell us a little more about your new book – the stories you uncovered, people you interviewed and whether it’s changed the way you watch and respond to films?

Mark: The book was basically an attempt to make sense of my longstanding love of film, and the early realisation that a lot of that had to do with the soundtracks. I’d been trying to write Surround Sound for the best part of a decade, but the sheer scale of the project always got the better of me. Where to even start? Then I spent five years doing a weekly film music show on Scala Radio which was produced by Jenny Nelson. We’d both choose the tracks and write the script together, but Jenny was always the one insisting that the programme had some sort of structure. That was when I realized that she’d be the perfect co-author for Surround Sound, which she was! The book would never have been written without her.

In your view, what makes a truly great film score – is it about melody, atmosphere, restraint, or something else entirely?

Jenny: For me, a truly great film score enhances and embodies the film to the point you can’t imagine the film without it, and yet it can also be enjoyed separately to the film. Only a few scores have been able to capture the essence of a film but also exist as a brilliant stand-alone listening experience. I think a particularly strong example of this balancing act is Blade Runner by Vangelis. It’s so evocative – just a few seconds into the main titles and you’re transported to Ridley Scott’s dystopian, ‘futuristic’ Los Angeles (set all the way in 2019).

Only a few scores have been able to capture the essence of a film but also exist as a brilliant stand-alone listening experience. I think a particularly strong example of this balancing act is
Blade Runner by Vangelis

Is there a particular film soundtrack that had a deep personal impact on you growing up?

Mark: The first film soundtrack I owned was the MFP album for the Magic Roundabout feature film Dougal and the Blue Cat. I know that entire LP off by heart, and it contains not only the music from the film but pretty much all of the dialogue. After hearing it, I became convinced that all soundtrack albums included the dialogue too. But then I got the soundtrack LP for Silent Running and that was the first time I understood that you could re-watch a movie in your mind just by hearing the music. That was a real revelation.

Jaws, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park… Would these movies be quite as iconic without their incredible scores?

Jenny: In a word, no! We have John Williams to thank for creating these timeless scores. He’s the master when it comes to composing magical and memorable movie music. Out of these three, his Jaws score leaves the biggest legacy, not just for its ability to ramp up the dread and drama, but also for its sheer simplicity. EVERYONE knows the Jaws theme. Steven Spielberg has credited Williams’ score for half the success of this box office hit, although it’s worth noting the director originally thought the composer was joking when he first played the theme to him at the piano!

If you could produce a radio documentary on any film soundtrack or composer, who would you choose – and what story would you want to tell?

Jenny: I would love to make a radio documentary about Wendy Carlos, the pioneering electronic composer. Now in her mid-80s, she found fame with her album Switched-On Bach, and went on to create music for A Clockwork Orange and The Shining. So many contemporary screen composers cite her as a huge influence. It would be fascinating to speak to her about her experimental work creating new sounds, all the music she made for the Kubrick masterpieces (she composed a complete electronic score for The Shining but only sections were used) and to find out what she thinks about current film music.

I got the soundtrack LP for Silent Running and that was the first time I understood that you could re-watch a movie in your mind just by hearing the music. That was a real revelation

As someone who plays in a band (The Dodge Brothers), do you ever find yourself thinking about film scenes when you’re writing or playing music?

Mark: The Dodge Brothers have been accompanying silent movies with the brilliant pianist and composer Neil Brand for a couple of decades now. Just last week we performed a live improvised accompaniment to Murnau’s City Girl as part of a Bavarian film festival on the border between Germany and Austria. We don’t play a composed score – Neil discovered that pick-up bands used to improvise live music to film in the pre-sound era and he encouraged us to do the same. It’s an exhilarating experience, and when it works it’s a really magical thing. But as a bassist, my main job is to keep an eye on Neil’s left hand and follow wherever he goes. He is the maestro of silent film music, and it’s a privilege to play with him.

You’re known for your encyclopaedic film knowledge and strong views, could you share your thoughts on the current challenges facing the film industry right now?

Mark: I think the toughest thing right now is making independent features – or, more precisely, finding exhibition outlets for indie films. But if you look at all the most interesting movies being made today, they tend to be by young film-makers working with very restricted budgets on passion projects that remind you just how miraculous cinema can be. So I encourage everyone to support independent film and (equally important!) independent cinemas. That is where the real work is being done.

Do you find that film scores and soundtracks are becoming more prominent in radio culture and playlists, especially with younger audiences?

Jenny: For all their faults, the likes of Spotify and Apple Music have made it so much easier for us to locate the music from a film or TV show, allowing a relationship to form between the viewer and score – a relationship that was previously the domain of die-hard soundtrack collectors. I love it when older scores are given a new lease of life, and a great example of this is when the Cannibal Holocaust theme by Riz Ortolani appeared in an episode of Euphoria, so new audiences were able to fall in love with this beautiful music from a decidedly un-beautiful Film.

How do you see the role of the film critic changing in an age when everyone has a platform to share their opinions?

Mark: I don’t think critics have ever had the power to influence what people do or don’t see – if they did, how come the Transformers movies took billions? So I have no problem with anyone sharing their opinions widely, and the democratisation of the internet has probably been a good thing. My only note of caution is this – if someone tells you that a movie is the best thing they’ve seen all year, your first question should be ‘what else have you seen?’ Context is everything when it comes to criticism.

Mark and Jenny will be in conversation on Wednesday 10 September for an evening event and book signing at Komedia coinciding with the programme announcement for the Bath Film Festival (17-26 October). Tickets available at komediabath.co.uk