Música en Espera
Music on hold
Directed by Hernán Goldfrid
Music On Hold – The Score. The composer in charge of the music for the movie is Guillermo Guareschi, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he also studied orchestration with David Spear, collaborator of the great Elmer Bernstein, and also trained in Los Angeles with other well-known professionals such as Fred Karlin, Mike Post and Earle Hagen. And all this background shows in his way of matching music and image. Technique is perfect, but the music has a soul that most American productions are lacking. Maybe it is because neither the film nor the music comes to us from Hollywood, but from Argentina.
There is no doubt that the quality of the final result is due to the great involvement of the composer in the project. As mentioned by Guareschi himself in the booklet, he was personally in charge not only of the composing tasks, but also of orchestrating, of the musical production, of the sound design, the recording, he played some of the instruments and mixed and mastered the final product.
Actually, it is the music that sets the tone for the film. They are short, European-style themes. Their use is spaced out, without abusing; the music appears only when needed. This use of themes is somewhat reminiscent of maestro Morricone. One notices that Guareschi likes that style, full of sense of humor. And, no doubt, it is the best of the CD too: music is a combination of melancholy, vital adventure and joy. Instrumentation also contributes to it, based on a string quartet, bassoon and piano, accompanied by clarinet, bass guitar, synthesizer, percussion, guitar and… banjo!
There is a moment in the movie, while Ezequiel talks to the director, that they define the required music as “liquid”, in the sense that it should feel like from within a pregnant womb. Reality is not far from it. Guareschi’s music is liquid in the sense that it fits the film like a glove.
Where the composer’s skills really lie is in the dramatic sense he relays to the drama with his music. A clear example is heard in track Bathroom’s Vertigo, where the protagonist is hiding in a bathtub, trying to recover his Mp3. And that is just a sample. Mother-in-Law’s Theme is able to convey how the character is with a couple of strokes and in a minute (the unexpected arrival, the controlling intentions, the good heart).
The great irony is that “action” cues, those in which Ezequiel uses the phones in the bank, being a raider of the lost tune, are scored with arrangements of the tune itself (To the Bank, Ezequiel on the Loose, Inside the Bank). And with a final rendition in the End Titles.
The themes are brilliant indeed and serve the plot. But where Guareschi is absolutely impressive is in the last cue. It could not be otherwise. The whole plot drives us inevitably to that moment. It is what rounds the story, gives meaning to it and makes that we need no longer the music as “McGuffin”. “The Waiting” gets its long-awaited theme and Music on Hold, too. Ezequiel finds his inspiration, love and a new life. A theme built around a name as musical motif: S-E-B-A. One letter, one note. Developed in Seba and Seba on Clarinets, and with a complete rendition in The Waiting. The climax.
Finally, the CD includes also some piano variations, inspired by the end theme. They are six cues (from track 17 to 22), showing Guareschi’s ability to make the same melody sound always anew. And full of life.
Summarizing…A highly recommended CD, which should not be missing in the collection of every good fan. Especially, if he is willing to listen to something different, which does not sound exactly the same as hundreds of other themes or which is based only on a misunderstood sound design. Guillermo Guareschi has something to convey and puts his soul into his music. Nothing more, nothing less.
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FILM MUSIC MAGAZINE
Howlin’ Wolf, a label better known among cult music aficionados for putting out such ferocious soundtracks as “Silent Night,” “The Dead” and “Mean Guns” might not be expected to have a romantic musical bone in its body. So the most shocking thing about this release just might be that one of the most sweetly delightful albums in their catalogue belongs to this Argentinean comedy (known as “Music En Espera” as it’s titled on HBO Latino). But then, given that it’s about a movie composer trying to identify an elusively inspirational tune that he heard on hold, it might not be hard to imagine Wolf’s attraction to this terrifically inventive score by Guillermo Guareschi (whose far more sanguine “Phase 7” previously got a Wolf release). Using a chamber music approach that could easily be number seven of Jerry Goldsmith’s “Six Degrees of Separation,” Guareshi’s antic plucking, piano percussion and harpsichord have a wonderful, zany energy for a score-solving caper between two lonely hearts, with the added bonus of regional guitar and tangos to boot. In its more serious passages, Guareschi impresses with the heartstrings of a Spanish guitar, while his use of piano, string quartet and Baroque melodies also bring to mind the flavor of Ennio Morricone’s more intimately dramatic work. But the catchiest bit here is the country music beat of toe-tapping harmonica of “Irish on Hold,” a stylistically different song that still typifies the score’s joyous energy. Rounded out with a series of piano suites that are as reflectively soulful as the soundtrack is boundingly fun, “Music On Hold” accomplishes any label’s best mission of introducing a promising composer who’s worthy of discovery, with a score that’s a delight in any score fan’s language.
Daniel Schweiger
February Soundtrack PicksBy Daniel Schweiger • February 18, 2014
There is no doubt that the quality of the final result is due to the great involvement of the composer in the project. As mentioned by Guareschi himself in the booklet, he was personally in charge not only of the composing tasks, but also of orchestrating, of the musical production, of the sound design, the recording, he played some of the instruments and mixed and mastered the final product.
Actually, it is the music that sets the tone for the film. They are short, European-style themes. Their use is spaced out, without abusing; the music appears only when needed. This use of themes is somewhat reminiscent of maestro Morricone. One notices that Guareschi likes that style, full of sense of humor. And, no doubt, it is the best of the CD too: music is a combination of melancholy, vital adventure and joy. Instrumentation also contributes to it, based on a string quartet, bassoon and piano, accompanied by clarinet, bass guitar, synthesizer, percussion, guitar and… banjo!
There is a moment in the movie, while Ezequiel talks to the director, that they define the required music as “liquid”, in the sense that it should feel like from within a pregnant womb. Reality is not far from it. Guareschi’s music is liquid in the sense that it fits the film like a glove.
Where the composer’s skills really lie is in the dramatic sense he relays to the drama with his music. A clear example is heard in track Bathroom’s Vertigo, where the protagonist is hiding in a bathtub, trying to recover his Mp3. And that is just a sample. Mother-in-Law’s Theme is able to convey how the character is with a couple of strokes and in a minute (the unexpected arrival, the controlling intentions, the good heart).
The great irony is that “action” cues, those in which Ezequiel uses the phones in the bank, being a raider of the lost tune, are scored with arrangements of the tune itself (To the Bank, Ezequiel on the Loose, Inside the Bank). And with a final rendition in the End Titles.
The themes are brilliant indeed and serve the plot. But where Guareschi is absolutely impressive is in the last cue. It could not be otherwise. The whole plot drives us inevitably to that moment. It is what rounds the story, gives meaning to it and makes that we need no longer the music as “McGuffin”. “The Waiting” gets its long-awaited theme and Music on Hold, too. Ezequiel finds his inspiration, love and a new life. A theme built around a name as musical motif: S-E-B-A. One letter, one note. Developed in Seba and Seba on Clarinets, and with a complete rendition in The Waiting. The climax.
Finally, the CD includes also some piano variations, inspired by the end theme. They are six cues (from track 17 to 22), showing Guareschi’s ability to make the same melody sound always anew. And full of life.
Summarizing…A highly recommended CD, which should not be missing in the collection of every good fan. Especially, if he is willing to listen to something different, which does not sound exactly the same as hundreds of other themes or which is based only on a misunderstood sound design. Guillermo Guareschi has something to convey and puts his soul into his music. Nothing more, nothing less.
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FILM MUSIC MAGAZINE
Howlin’ Wolf, a label better known among cult music aficionados for putting out such ferocious soundtracks as “Silent Night,” “The Dead” and “Mean Guns” might not be expected to have a romantic musical bone in its body. So the most shocking thing about this release just might be that one of the most sweetly delightful albums in their catalogue belongs to this Argentinean comedy (known as “Music En Espera” as it’s titled on HBO Latino). But then, given that it’s about a movie composer trying to identify an elusively inspirational tune that he heard on hold, it might not be hard to imagine Wolf’s attraction to this terrifically inventive score by Guillermo Guareschi (whose far more sanguine “Phase 7” previously got a Wolf release). Using a chamber music approach that could easily be number seven of Jerry Goldsmith’s “Six Degrees of Separation,” Guareshi’s antic plucking, piano percussion and harpsichord have a wonderful, zany energy for a score-solving caper between two lonely hearts, with the added bonus of regional guitar and tangos to boot. In its more serious passages, Guareschi impresses with the heartstrings of a Spanish guitar, while his use of piano, string quartet and Baroque melodies also bring to mind the flavor of Ennio Morricone’s more intimately dramatic work. But the catchiest bit here is the country music beat of toe-tapping harmonica of “Irish on Hold,” a stylistically different song that still typifies the score’s joyous energy. Rounded out with a series of piano suites that are as reflectively soulful as the soundtrack is boundingly fun, “Music On Hold” accomplishes any label’s best mission of introducing a promising composer who’s worthy of discovery, with a score that’s a delight in any score fan’s language.
Daniel Schweiger
February Soundtrack PicksBy Daniel Schweiger • February 18, 2014
El fondo del Mar
The Bottom of the Sea
Directed by Damian Szifron
Reviewed by Judge Adam Arseneau
The soundtrack has that Danny Elfman manic intensity quality to it, and absolutely comes to the rescue of the film, interjecting an intense feeling of claustrophobia, dread, and oddball amusement into sequences which would otherwise be dry and immobile. Two audio tracks, a stereo and a 5.1 track are included, both in Argentinean Spanish, and both with great bass response and clear dialogue. Ah, but the surround sound takes the cake and eats it, too. The innovative and energetic score is distributed to all five channels with excellent distribution, giving the entire film a feeling of life that is simply absent from the stereo mix. Highly recommended.The soundtrack has that Danny Elfman manic intensity quality to it, and absolutely comes to the rescue of the film, interjecting an intense feeling of claustrophobia, dread, and oddball amusement into sequences which would otherwise be dry and immobile. Two audio tracks, a stereo and a 5.1 track are included, both in Argentinean Spanish, and both with great bass response and clear dialogue. Ah, but the surround sound takes the cake and eats it, too. The innovative and energetic score is distributed to all five channels with excellent distribution, giving the entire film a feeling of life that is simply absent from the stereo mix. Highly recommended.
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A well-honed thriller score by Guillermo Guareschi and Nicolas Goldbart’s professional cutting create an atmosphere of exaggerated tension, even when nothing appears to be going on.
Variety by Deborah Young
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Guillermo Guareschi contributes a subtle, moody score.
SCREENDAILY
By Sheila Johnston
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Sometimes music can take a film and make it a grand experience. The choice of tense scoring by Guillermo guareschi will definitely keep you wide awake.
Movieweb.com by Dodd Alley
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Everything is braided seamless and with much speed to each other by the excellent soundtrack of Guillermo Guareschi.
Cinema Novo Festival Belgica
The soundtrack has that Danny Elfman manic intensity quality to it, and absolutely comes to the rescue of the film, interjecting an intense feeling of claustrophobia, dread, and oddball amusement into sequences which would otherwise be dry and immobile. Two audio tracks, a stereo and a 5.1 track are included, both in Argentinean Spanish, and both with great bass response and clear dialogue. Ah, but the surround sound takes the cake and eats it, too. The innovative and energetic score is distributed to all five channels with excellent distribution, giving the entire film a feeling of life that is simply absent from the stereo mix. Highly recommended.The soundtrack has that Danny Elfman manic intensity quality to it, and absolutely comes to the rescue of the film, interjecting an intense feeling of claustrophobia, dread, and oddball amusement into sequences which would otherwise be dry and immobile. Two audio tracks, a stereo and a 5.1 track are included, both in Argentinean Spanish, and both with great bass response and clear dialogue. Ah, but the surround sound takes the cake and eats it, too. The innovative and energetic score is distributed to all five channels with excellent distribution, giving the entire film a feeling of life that is simply absent from the stereo mix. Highly recommended.
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A well-honed thriller score by Guillermo Guareschi and Nicolas Goldbart’s professional cutting create an atmosphere of exaggerated tension, even when nothing appears to be going on.
Variety by Deborah Young
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Guillermo Guareschi contributes a subtle, moody score.
SCREENDAILY
By Sheila Johnston
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Sometimes music can take a film and make it a grand experience. The choice of tense scoring by Guillermo guareschi will definitely keep you wide awake.
Movieweb.com by Dodd Alley
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Everything is braided seamless and with much speed to each other by the excellent soundtrack of Guillermo Guareschi.
Cinema Novo Festival Belgica
Tiempo de Valientes
On Probation
Directed by Damian Szifron
Escrito Por : Gaston Pereyra
Tiempo de Valientes (2005) de Damián Szifron es una ingeniosa película argentina que combina la comedia, la acción y el drama. La banda sonora estuvo a cargo del compositor y orquestador argentinoGuillermo Guareschi el cual realizó un total de catorce obras musicales que podemos escuchar a lo largo de todo el film. No es la primera vez que este músico trabajó con Szifrón, podemos escuchar sus obras en “Los Simuladores”, en “El fondo del mar” y en la versión argentina de “Hermanos y detectives”.
Guillermo Guareschi, se formó en la Universidad Berklee College of Music de Boston, distinguida por su orientación al estudio del jazz. Muchas de las composiciones que integran este film parten desde este genero, también se utilizan muchos de sus recursos compositivos característicos en el resto del soundtrack. Cuando vemos algunas escenas musicalizadas con jazz, notamos fácilmente una clara diferencia con el estilo de musicalización hollywoodense, estas obras musicales -acompañadas por las imágenes- parecen tener otra esencia.
La música se adapta perfectamente en todas las escenas, el jazz genera un tono picaresco y es utilizado con tomas en las que no se pretende generar ningún tipo de tensión. Para las partes más dramáticas de la película, se utiliza música con arreglos más orquestales, notas pedales sostenidas en las cuerdas graves y diversos recursos “clásicos” para generar tensión junto a las imágenes.
Algunos de los tracks de la banda sonora son pequeños fragmentos de aproximadamente 15 a 30 segundos de duración que son utilizados para la conexión entre diferentes escenas, este recurso es muy característico en muchos de los trabajos de este director.
Tiempo de Valientes (2005) de Damián Szifron es una ingeniosa película argentina que combina la comedia, la acción y el drama. La banda sonora estuvo a cargo del compositor y orquestador argentinoGuillermo Guareschi el cual realizó un total de catorce obras musicales que podemos escuchar a lo largo de todo el film. No es la primera vez que este músico trabajó con Szifrón, podemos escuchar sus obras en “Los Simuladores”, en “El fondo del mar” y en la versión argentina de “Hermanos y detectives”.
Guillermo Guareschi, se formó en la Universidad Berklee College of Music de Boston, distinguida por su orientación al estudio del jazz. Muchas de las composiciones que integran este film parten desde este genero, también se utilizan muchos de sus recursos compositivos característicos en el resto del soundtrack. Cuando vemos algunas escenas musicalizadas con jazz, notamos fácilmente una clara diferencia con el estilo de musicalización hollywoodense, estas obras musicales -acompañadas por las imágenes- parecen tener otra esencia.
La música se adapta perfectamente en todas las escenas, el jazz genera un tono picaresco y es utilizado con tomas en las que no se pretende generar ningún tipo de tensión. Para las partes más dramáticas de la película, se utiliza música con arreglos más orquestales, notas pedales sostenidas en las cuerdas graves y diversos recursos “clásicos” para generar tensión junto a las imágenes.
Algunos de los tracks de la banda sonora son pequeños fragmentos de aproximadamente 15 a 30 segundos de duración que son utilizados para la conexión entre diferentes escenas, este recurso es muy característico en muchos de los trabajos de este director.
Fase 7
Phase 7
Directed by Nicolás Goldbart
Review by John Mansell. 2012-05-29
The score for PHASE 7, is in a word atmospheric, it is a soundtrack that has many components to it and has been written and produced impeccably by Argentinean born composer Guillermo Guareschi. It is a work that works on so many different levels and also contains so many musical colours and textures that each time one listens to it you find yourself discovering fresh themes, sounds and motifs. This for me is a delight and although because of the films subject matter the score is largely atonal and dark, it also has elements within it that will delight and also entertain any hardened film music connoisseur. I have no doubt that the score works wonderfully within the movie,(alas I have not managed to see the movie as yet) but it also works as a soundtrack just to pop into the compact disc player and savour, ok there are no lush romantic full blown themes, but this does not mean in any way that the soundtrack is not an inventive and original one. Guareschi is obviously a composer that is prepared to take risks and also loves to experiment with sounds and samples within his works. For example within the score there are samples that he prepared and custom made and he talks of these within the liner notes, ie; noises of a warm iron that has expelled steam at a mic, plus various loops that have been created from electric guitar feedback, these sounds and other such samples have been utilized in a most effective fashion and the composer has composed and produced a score that is effectual and diverse. Of course other instrumentation is put to use, with guitars, cello, keyboards, bass and percussive sounds and drums being the core sounds that the composer utilizes. This is an ominous and dark sounding work but also a work that turns up a few surprises as in Track number 10, NO LIFE, this has a definite western sound about it, the composer employing guitar and slow almost deliberate sounding martial percussion, enhanced by an eerie sounding background which embellishes and supports. Also track number 3, THE NEIGHBOUR was a cue that seemed to stand out and I returned to it a number of times simply because it was haunting, it posses an attractive overall sound which I suppose is in a way quirky, but at the same time has an underlying atmosphere that is unsettling. PHASE 7, is a work of quality and worth and one that I would recommend that you purchase.
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Posted by ReelyBored in Horror, Reviews
I highly recommend giving this little gem of a film from Argentina a look at. Also, keep your ears open for the musical score by Guillermo Guareschi as it is one that is reminiscent of Goblin or even early John Carpenter! I’ll be looking for this soundtrack to add to my collection. Definitely worth a look!
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" A big synth-driven score in the 80s style. "
Written by Alan Rogers - Review of the limited release
First-time feature director Nicolás Goldbart's Argentinian tongue-in-cheek, end-of-the-world thriller Phase 7 focuses on a couple who are quarantined in their apartment block when a deadly worldwide epidemic reaches Argentina. Rather than dwelling on the usual shocks of a deteriorating populous, Goldbart's film concentrates more on how the band of trapped neighbours cope with their situation. Naturally, after everything starts off so well, tensions between everyone begin to appear as the residents get a bit stir crazy and things get out of control when one of the neighbours starts on a shooting spree. The director wanted a specific sound for the music in the film and asked fellow Argentinian Guillermo Guareschi for a “big synth driven score in the 80s style”. What the composer (a writer of scores for successful Argentinian TV shows and blockbuster films) delivers is a score that would not be out of place alongside the late-1970s/1980s scores of the likes of John Carpenter and Richard Band. Pleasing-to-the-ear synths deliver a variety of meaty rhythms and tempos, augmented with electronic strings and abstract sounds that sits nicely with electric guitars and live drums/percussion and all coming together as an interesting and enjoyable listening experience.
The predominant feel of the 80s in the music for Phase 7 is the John Carpenter-influenced synths and emphasis on solid electronic ostinato rhythms. Tracks such as “Lobby Reunion”, “Explore”, “The Mirror” and the powerful conclusion to the score, “Face The World” (an great amalgam of the various parts of the score) are excellent examples of Guareschi's grasp of the genre. Scores such as Escape From New York (“Explore”), Christine (“Terrace”, “The Mirror”) and Assault On Precinct 13 (“Incidental Phase”, “The Freezer”) all spring to mind as a result of certain synth and sound design choices made by the composer. One particular aspect of the music worth mentioning specifically is one theme/motif that appears at several points in the score. Heard particularly strongly in one of the highlight cues, “No Life”, this theme comes across (to this listener anyway) as a mix of Steve Jablonsky's theme heard in “The All Spark” (Transformers) and a bridging theme from John Carpenter's Escape From New York. This theme appears in various forms – e.g., as a resolute anthem in “No Life” and another highlight track “Face The World” or as a delicate reflection in solo electric guitar towards the end of “Doomsday Garage”. Although the reminders of these other scores is obvious, I found that it does not detract too much from the originality of Guareschi's music. And what of the Richard Band influences? Shrill and somewhat harsh electronics (e.g., “Explore”, “The Freezer”) tend to be what reminds me of his music. Mixed in amongst all these electronic and synthetic sounds, the use of snare drums adds a martial quality to several cues (e.g., “Lobby Reunion”, “No Life”) and bass electric guitar adds a bluesy feel in places (“Blues In Phase”, “Bug From The City”). “Killing of The Swan” makes diverting use of piano: an attractive rendition of opening to Tchaikovsky's Intermezzo from Swan Lake together with the cue's title leads to the expectation of something going horribly wrong with this solo piano piece...and it does when, instead of the expected appearance of a swelling orchestral accompaniment what we hear is a multi-layered, almost-crude invasion of various synths (including some that are reminiscent of Wendy Carlos' treatment of Dies Irae in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining). This is one of the few places where Guareschi's music seems forced, trying too hard to fit into the horror genre.
What stands out with Guareschi's score how “front-and-centre” the presence of the music is: the quality of the recording is excellent meaning that there is a clarity to each component of the score that adds to the overall listening enjoyment. The composer seems to have thought hard when choosing what properties his custom-made sounds should have and how all the synth elements are layered together. Most of the synths he uses have an open, meaty quality where the whole range of frequencies is used in creating the sounds rather than focusing on (for example) specific high frequency tones that usually leads to harsh, ear-piercing electronics. The score is not uniformly interesting though. Several back-to-back tracks in the middle have more of an ambient quality to them and I found my attention wander a bit but Guareschi's instrument and sound design selections means that some level of interest is maintained and it is not too long until the strong finale is reached. Guareschi has clearly taken advantage of the opportunity to create a varied and interesting score to fill the space provided by the relatively low-key events taking place in the majority of the film. And the listing of several of the cues as “alternate tracks” suggests that some thought may also have gone into providing the best listening experience rather than just putting together a straight reproduction of the film score. Released by Howlin' Wolf Records as a limited CD release (only 500 CDs have been produced) the label should be applauded for making this score available for us to hear. It would have been easy to dismiss this score as just being another ambient score for a little-known horror flick (had I just listened to the clips alone) but have, instead, been rewarded by a surprisingly good score that, although not brimming with hummable themes, does linger in the memory as providing an enjoyable escape for 50 minutes or so. It's a score that's well worth taking a chance on and is heartily recommended.
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A pandemic in Argentina causes a quarantined condo to go bananas with expectedly arch, gun-toting anarchy. But if you were only trying to decipher this disease’s effects from listening to “Phase 7”’s score, then you might think it was musical bacteria that caused you to chew bubblegum and kick ass. That’s how spot-on composer Guillermo Guareschi’s south-of-the-border replay of John Carpenter and Alan Howarth’s “They Live” is, from a slow, military march to its eccentric blues vibe. Thankfully, the score gets significantly more interesting as civilization really begins to break down, and Guareschi’s well-played homage starts to develop its own identity, bringing on a piano freak-out of “Swan Lake,” cheesy retro-horror synth tones and a strumming, Spaghetti Western-styled guitar. By the time “Phase 7” reaches its apocalyptic alpha and omega Guareschi’s strain has pretty much mutated into it’s a distinctive, and thoroughly entertaining antibody, one that’s successfully assimilated its love of classically quirky genre scoring with its own black-humored edge. It’s a fun musical bug worth that’s worth catching.
Film Music Magazine by Daniel Schweiger
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In addition to the sound effects kicking butt, the pounding John Carpenter inspired music score ROCKS! It is aggressive and reminded me a bit of the Planet Terror score. Bring on a Blu-ray version with a lossless soundtrack and it will be on!
why so blu? October 28th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
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Phase 7 is more of a sci-fi film because it looks at the people aspect of the outbreak rather than the horror of it. It feels at times, something close to The Andromeda Strain. I don’t know why I have that feeling but it may have to do with the amazing soundtrack. The score for the film had me smiling with its retro pulse and synth heavy lines. It made the film feel like it was from another time period (like Hobo With a Shotgun does) but still is very much a contemporary title.
August 30, 2011 by Jesse Bartel
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Phase 7 works because it’s never about the virus, it’s just an excuse for protective suits and gas masks which completes the video game vibe. Combine that with the terrific score by Guillermo Guareschi that sounds like a duel between Vangelis and Thomas Bangalter using a waterphone, a theramin, and a blaster beam. It really is the perfect music for the film as it’s playful unto itself and only helps to deepen the feeling of Phase 7 as a goofy intersect between epidemic horror and video game violence.
by Lex Walker
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Guillermo Guareschi’s complimentary score is a shining success, paying a fitting homage to similar genre films of the seventies and eighties. The oft-sinister compositions are top-notch: perfectly loud, bombastic synth sounds that hit prompts hard, audaciously and effectively when needed – especially in the second half, when the action is amped, and the film develops from a tense character study into a bloody battle for survival.
EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL
The score for PHASE 7, is in a word atmospheric, it is a soundtrack that has many components to it and has been written and produced impeccably by Argentinean born composer Guillermo Guareschi. It is a work that works on so many different levels and also contains so many musical colours and textures that each time one listens to it you find yourself discovering fresh themes, sounds and motifs. This for me is a delight and although because of the films subject matter the score is largely atonal and dark, it also has elements within it that will delight and also entertain any hardened film music connoisseur. I have no doubt that the score works wonderfully within the movie,(alas I have not managed to see the movie as yet) but it also works as a soundtrack just to pop into the compact disc player and savour, ok there are no lush romantic full blown themes, but this does not mean in any way that the soundtrack is not an inventive and original one. Guareschi is obviously a composer that is prepared to take risks and also loves to experiment with sounds and samples within his works. For example within the score there are samples that he prepared and custom made and he talks of these within the liner notes, ie; noises of a warm iron that has expelled steam at a mic, plus various loops that have been created from electric guitar feedback, these sounds and other such samples have been utilized in a most effective fashion and the composer has composed and produced a score that is effectual and diverse. Of course other instrumentation is put to use, with guitars, cello, keyboards, bass and percussive sounds and drums being the core sounds that the composer utilizes. This is an ominous and dark sounding work but also a work that turns up a few surprises as in Track number 10, NO LIFE, this has a definite western sound about it, the composer employing guitar and slow almost deliberate sounding martial percussion, enhanced by an eerie sounding background which embellishes and supports. Also track number 3, THE NEIGHBOUR was a cue that seemed to stand out and I returned to it a number of times simply because it was haunting, it posses an attractive overall sound which I suppose is in a way quirky, but at the same time has an underlying atmosphere that is unsettling. PHASE 7, is a work of quality and worth and one that I would recommend that you purchase.
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Posted by ReelyBored in Horror, Reviews
I highly recommend giving this little gem of a film from Argentina a look at. Also, keep your ears open for the musical score by Guillermo Guareschi as it is one that is reminiscent of Goblin or even early John Carpenter! I’ll be looking for this soundtrack to add to my collection. Definitely worth a look!
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" A big synth-driven score in the 80s style. "
Written by Alan Rogers - Review of the limited release
First-time feature director Nicolás Goldbart's Argentinian tongue-in-cheek, end-of-the-world thriller Phase 7 focuses on a couple who are quarantined in their apartment block when a deadly worldwide epidemic reaches Argentina. Rather than dwelling on the usual shocks of a deteriorating populous, Goldbart's film concentrates more on how the band of trapped neighbours cope with their situation. Naturally, after everything starts off so well, tensions between everyone begin to appear as the residents get a bit stir crazy and things get out of control when one of the neighbours starts on a shooting spree. The director wanted a specific sound for the music in the film and asked fellow Argentinian Guillermo Guareschi for a “big synth driven score in the 80s style”. What the composer (a writer of scores for successful Argentinian TV shows and blockbuster films) delivers is a score that would not be out of place alongside the late-1970s/1980s scores of the likes of John Carpenter and Richard Band. Pleasing-to-the-ear synths deliver a variety of meaty rhythms and tempos, augmented with electronic strings and abstract sounds that sits nicely with electric guitars and live drums/percussion and all coming together as an interesting and enjoyable listening experience.
The predominant feel of the 80s in the music for Phase 7 is the John Carpenter-influenced synths and emphasis on solid electronic ostinato rhythms. Tracks such as “Lobby Reunion”, “Explore”, “The Mirror” and the powerful conclusion to the score, “Face The World” (an great amalgam of the various parts of the score) are excellent examples of Guareschi's grasp of the genre. Scores such as Escape From New York (“Explore”), Christine (“Terrace”, “The Mirror”) and Assault On Precinct 13 (“Incidental Phase”, “The Freezer”) all spring to mind as a result of certain synth and sound design choices made by the composer. One particular aspect of the music worth mentioning specifically is one theme/motif that appears at several points in the score. Heard particularly strongly in one of the highlight cues, “No Life”, this theme comes across (to this listener anyway) as a mix of Steve Jablonsky's theme heard in “The All Spark” (Transformers) and a bridging theme from John Carpenter's Escape From New York. This theme appears in various forms – e.g., as a resolute anthem in “No Life” and another highlight track “Face The World” or as a delicate reflection in solo electric guitar towards the end of “Doomsday Garage”. Although the reminders of these other scores is obvious, I found that it does not detract too much from the originality of Guareschi's music. And what of the Richard Band influences? Shrill and somewhat harsh electronics (e.g., “Explore”, “The Freezer”) tend to be what reminds me of his music. Mixed in amongst all these electronic and synthetic sounds, the use of snare drums adds a martial quality to several cues (e.g., “Lobby Reunion”, “No Life”) and bass electric guitar adds a bluesy feel in places (“Blues In Phase”, “Bug From The City”). “Killing of The Swan” makes diverting use of piano: an attractive rendition of opening to Tchaikovsky's Intermezzo from Swan Lake together with the cue's title leads to the expectation of something going horribly wrong with this solo piano piece...and it does when, instead of the expected appearance of a swelling orchestral accompaniment what we hear is a multi-layered, almost-crude invasion of various synths (including some that are reminiscent of Wendy Carlos' treatment of Dies Irae in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining). This is one of the few places where Guareschi's music seems forced, trying too hard to fit into the horror genre.
What stands out with Guareschi's score how “front-and-centre” the presence of the music is: the quality of the recording is excellent meaning that there is a clarity to each component of the score that adds to the overall listening enjoyment. The composer seems to have thought hard when choosing what properties his custom-made sounds should have and how all the synth elements are layered together. Most of the synths he uses have an open, meaty quality where the whole range of frequencies is used in creating the sounds rather than focusing on (for example) specific high frequency tones that usually leads to harsh, ear-piercing electronics. The score is not uniformly interesting though. Several back-to-back tracks in the middle have more of an ambient quality to them and I found my attention wander a bit but Guareschi's instrument and sound design selections means that some level of interest is maintained and it is not too long until the strong finale is reached. Guareschi has clearly taken advantage of the opportunity to create a varied and interesting score to fill the space provided by the relatively low-key events taking place in the majority of the film. And the listing of several of the cues as “alternate tracks” suggests that some thought may also have gone into providing the best listening experience rather than just putting together a straight reproduction of the film score. Released by Howlin' Wolf Records as a limited CD release (only 500 CDs have been produced) the label should be applauded for making this score available for us to hear. It would have been easy to dismiss this score as just being another ambient score for a little-known horror flick (had I just listened to the clips alone) but have, instead, been rewarded by a surprisingly good score that, although not brimming with hummable themes, does linger in the memory as providing an enjoyable escape for 50 minutes or so. It's a score that's well worth taking a chance on and is heartily recommended.
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A pandemic in Argentina causes a quarantined condo to go bananas with expectedly arch, gun-toting anarchy. But if you were only trying to decipher this disease’s effects from listening to “Phase 7”’s score, then you might think it was musical bacteria that caused you to chew bubblegum and kick ass. That’s how spot-on composer Guillermo Guareschi’s south-of-the-border replay of John Carpenter and Alan Howarth’s “They Live” is, from a slow, military march to its eccentric blues vibe. Thankfully, the score gets significantly more interesting as civilization really begins to break down, and Guareschi’s well-played homage starts to develop its own identity, bringing on a piano freak-out of “Swan Lake,” cheesy retro-horror synth tones and a strumming, Spaghetti Western-styled guitar. By the time “Phase 7” reaches its apocalyptic alpha and omega Guareschi’s strain has pretty much mutated into it’s a distinctive, and thoroughly entertaining antibody, one that’s successfully assimilated its love of classically quirky genre scoring with its own black-humored edge. It’s a fun musical bug worth that’s worth catching.
Film Music Magazine by Daniel Schweiger
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In addition to the sound effects kicking butt, the pounding John Carpenter inspired music score ROCKS! It is aggressive and reminded me a bit of the Planet Terror score. Bring on a Blu-ray version with a lossless soundtrack and it will be on!
why so blu? October 28th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
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Phase 7 is more of a sci-fi film because it looks at the people aspect of the outbreak rather than the horror of it. It feels at times, something close to The Andromeda Strain. I don’t know why I have that feeling but it may have to do with the amazing soundtrack. The score for the film had me smiling with its retro pulse and synth heavy lines. It made the film feel like it was from another time period (like Hobo With a Shotgun does) but still is very much a contemporary title.
August 30, 2011 by Jesse Bartel
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Phase 7 works because it’s never about the virus, it’s just an excuse for protective suits and gas masks which completes the video game vibe. Combine that with the terrific score by Guillermo Guareschi that sounds like a duel between Vangelis and Thomas Bangalter using a waterphone, a theramin, and a blaster beam. It really is the perfect music for the film as it’s playful unto itself and only helps to deepen the feeling of Phase 7 as a goofy intersect between epidemic horror and video game violence.
by Lex Walker
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Guillermo Guareschi’s complimentary score is a shining success, paying a fitting homage to similar genre films of the seventies and eighties. The oft-sinister compositions are top-notch: perfectly loud, bombastic synth sounds that hit prompts hard, audaciously and effectively when needed – especially in the second half, when the action is amped, and the film develops from a tense character study into a bloody battle for survival.
EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL
Pistas para volver a casa
Directed by Jazmin Stuart
Critica Noticine
Con excelentes actuaciones, entre las que se destaca una Erica Rivas capaz de transitar del drama al humor con solo un gesto, impecable factura técnica y la banda sonora de Guillermo Guareschi que ganó el premio a mejor música de película en el Festival de Mar del Plata, “Pistas para volver a casa” es una película sólida y más que entretenida. Nos involucra con los vaivenes emocionales de sus personajes, sus luces y sombras, sus risas y llantos. Como si fuera la vida misma.
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Critica de Escibiendo Cine. "Pistas para volver a casa"
Jazmín Stuart demuestra su capacidad para transitar esa multiplicidad de géneros con soltura, sin caer en situaciones forzadas, sosteniendo una buena parte del relato con una banda sonora que le da identidad al film, al mismo tiempo que subraya su costado “infantil”. Porque, claro, en ambos hermanos hay mucha inmadurez; él, que no puede hacerse cargo de su soltería; ella, que no admite que su soledad es un problema y no una decisión.
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Pistas para Volver a Casa es una road movie y una comedia dramática a la vez, cargada con ecos temáticos del cine de Wes Anderson, todo contorneado por una música celta que nos transporta mentalmente a otras geografías.
A Sala Llena por José Tripodero
Con excelentes actuaciones, entre las que se destaca una Erica Rivas capaz de transitar del drama al humor con solo un gesto, impecable factura técnica y la banda sonora de Guillermo Guareschi que ganó el premio a mejor música de película en el Festival de Mar del Plata, “Pistas para volver a casa” es una película sólida y más que entretenida. Nos involucra con los vaivenes emocionales de sus personajes, sus luces y sombras, sus risas y llantos. Como si fuera la vida misma.
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Critica de Escibiendo Cine. "Pistas para volver a casa"
Jazmín Stuart demuestra su capacidad para transitar esa multiplicidad de géneros con soltura, sin caer en situaciones forzadas, sosteniendo una buena parte del relato con una banda sonora que le da identidad al film, al mismo tiempo que subraya su costado “infantil”. Porque, claro, en ambos hermanos hay mucha inmadurez; él, que no puede hacerse cargo de su soltería; ella, que no admite que su soledad es un problema y no una decisión.
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Pistas para Volver a Casa es una road movie y una comedia dramática a la vez, cargada con ecos temáticos del cine de Wes Anderson, todo contorneado por una música celta que nos transporta mentalmente a otras geografías.
A Sala Llena por José Tripodero
Dias de Vinilo
Directed by Gabriel Nesci
A soundtrack that you can't miss, helps to optimize this universal comedy with an universal appeal.
Revista Veintitrés
Revista Veintitrés
