Brokeback Mountain has been one of the most controversial and beloved films of the past 10 years, but theres no doubt itll work its way into being labeled a classic in the future, Best Picture statue or no. Gustavo Santaolallas score is a huge part of its stunning beauty. The score focuses primarily on a single country-infused guitar that leads with sparse, heavy and poignant melodies. It evokes the landscape of the mountains and matches the isolation that the characters feel, but it finds comfort with the soft string companion underneath. Although the guitar is usually quiet, the violent strumming accompanying Heath Ledgers tears in the heartrending end make them contagious. Santaolalla won an Oscar for his work on Brokeback Mountain and then again the next year for Babel, which used samples from his previous work as well. Reckon he got his reward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qzMsJ-tmJY
Recently graduated from University of Hertfordshire with a Film & Television Production degree. Usually found watching films, listening to music, writing for whatculture and writing reviews for awardscircuit.com and my blog.
