Reptile - sound design vs music

[NekujaK]

Just finished watching the new Netflix movie, Reptile. Despite some unecessarily slow pacing in certain parts, I thoroughly enjoyed it, plus Benicio Del Toro in the lead is enough for me to get on board.

It didn't take long to realize the score is basically 80% sound design, mostly atonal, 18% pop songs, and 2% traditional tonal music. I know there are forum members who abhor these kinds of soundtracks, but I gotta say, it was very effective and thoroughly supported the very moody nature of the film. I don't think a traditional score would've been as appropriate or served the film as well.

The composer is Yair Elazar Glotman, who has a "music department" credit on Joker. And there's also a credit: "featuring music by ARCA", although ARCA (who is Alejandra Ghersi Rodriguez) is not included in the IMDB credits.

Anyway, if you like intricate neo-noir crime films, Benicio Del Toro, or atonal soundtracks, this might be the movie for you.

Reptile (2023) ⭐ 6.8 | Crime, Drama, Mystery

2h 14m | R

www.imdb.com

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[Francis Bourre]

Just finished watching the new Netflix movie, Reptile. Despite some unecessarily slow pacing in certain parts, I thoroughly enjoyed it, plus Benicio Del Toro in the lead is enough for me to get on board.

It didn't take long to realize the score is basically 80% sound design, mostly atonal, 18% pop songs, and 2% traditional tonal music. I know there are forum members who abhor these kinds of soundtracks, but I gotta say, it was very effective and thoroughly supported the very moody nature of the film. I don't think a traditional score would've been as appropriate or served the film as well.

The composer is Yair Elazar Glotman, who has a "music department" credit on Joker. And there's also a credit: "featuring music by ARCA", although ARCA (who is Alejandra Ghersi Rodriguez) is not included in the IMDB credits.

Anyway, if you like intricate neo-noir crime films, Benicio Del Toro, or atonal soundtracks, this might be the movie for you.

Reptile (2023) ⭐ 6.8 | Crime, Drama, Mystery

2h 14m | R

www.imdb.com

Was curious and gave it a try on apple music.
Calling this soundtrack "80% sound design" expresses a very narrowed conception of what is music. I know it's subjective, like the fact it's boring. Yeah it's boring. I guess it sounds better with the pictures...
Btw, one thing is not subjective: It's tonal.

 

[NekujaK]

Calling this soundtrack "80% sound design" expresses a very narrowed conception of what is music. I know it's subjective, like the fact it's boring. Yeah it's boring. I guess it sounds better with the pictures...

I used the term "atonal" to differentiate what I was hearing from "traditional" soundtracks. I have no problem considering it music - I was just trying to convey that it's not necessarily the kind of score that you would write out using traditional sheet music.

I've composed music like this myself, especially for horror trailers and suspense cues, and at least for me, it's all about combining and arranging raw sounds over time, as opposed to thinking of it in terms of notes that can be played on instruments.

Indeed, it's all music in my book.

 

[cedricm]

Shame on me, the music went completely over my head.

 

[SupremeFist]

Thanks for the tip, I greatly enjoyed the movie! I thought the approach to the music was far too literal, overbearing, and thematically inconsistent though — not at all necessarily the composer's fault of course.