As a Radiohead fan, it’s a pretty great week.
First, there was the news that we’re getting “The King Of Limbs” this coming weekend, which is a wonderful surprise. It’s the opposite of hype, having something by a band this big basically just pop up, and I appreciate just how special that is.
The other big piece of news this week, which falls more directly under my purview here at HitFix, is that Jonny Greenwood, the band’s brilliant guitarist, is set to score Lynne Ramsay’s new film, “We Need To Talk About Kevin.”
It’s little wonder more filmmakers are reaching out to Greenwood. His score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood” is a fantastic piece of film composition, and probably the best known thing Greenwood’s done for film. He also did the soundtrack for last year’s “Norwegian Wood” by Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Anh Hung.
But to have Greenwood working with Lynne Ramsay is terribly exciting. Ramsay is not as well-known as she should be, and if you’re in the mood for something that’s a little obscure but worth the effort, check out her movie “Ratcatcher” or her even better film “Morvern Callar.” If there’s any justice, then “We Need To Talk About Kevin” is going to be the film that finally brings her the attention and acclaim she deserves.
The novel by Lionel Shriver is a harrowing piece of work, especially for parents, about a woman dealing with her guilt after her teenage son goes on a high-school killing spree. And if that doesn’t immediately sound like tough material, imagine it in the hands of John C. Reilly and Tilda Swinton.
Oh, that got your attention, didn’t it?
Ramsay isn’t the sort of filmmaker to reach for easy sentiment, so whatever she does with this one, expect something that is genuinely tough and that earns its big moments. And now, with Greenwood onboard writing the score, expect something just as bold aurally as it will be dramatically.
Now I just need to manage my excitement between now and this weekend. Even a week feels like it’s too long to wait for new Radiohead now that I know it’s out there.