Hellboy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | ||||
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Film score by | ||||
Released | April 6, 2004 | |||
Recorded | 2003–2004 | |||
Studio | Skywalker Sound, Los Angeles | |||
Genre | Film score | |||
Length | 44:58 | |||
Label | Varèse Sarabande | |||
Producer | Marco Beltrami | |||
Hellboy soundtracks chronology | ||||
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Marco Beltrami chronology | ||||
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Hellboy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score to the 2004 film Hellboy directed by Guillermo del Toro based on the Dark Horse Comics character of the same name,created by Mike Mignola. Starring Ron Perlman as the titular superhero,it is the first film live-action film in the Hellboy franchise. The film score is composed by Marco Beltrami and recorded at the Skywalker Sound in Los Angeles with the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra performing the score conducted by Beltrami and Pete Anthony. Varèse Sarabande released the score album on April 6,2004.
Marco Beltrami composed the film score in his third collaboration with Mimic (1997) and Blade II (2002). [1] Beltrami admitted that Hellboy is kind of a dark character but denied the dark musical approach and instead worked on his own style,not emulating the comic book themes. [1] On his first meeting with del Toro when they were filming in Prague,del Toro told him that he wanted the score to feel very operatic. When Beltrami saw the final edit,the approach seemed to fit very well because all the characters are strong and each warrant their own themes. Each scene in the film is based on some thematic element or combination of element. By this approach,Beltrami had crafted around six themes. [1] [2]
Beltrami initially planned to score in Prague,but since the place was not suited to do an operatic and electronic score,he eventually recorded at the Skywalker Sound scoring stage in Los Angeles. [1] Beltrami relied on incorporating electric sounds which are technically a bit behind due to the time constraints. Beltrami added that the electronics are mainly included to supplement the cues,and there were no standalone electronic tracks. Instead,around 60 tracks of different electronic sounds used in conjunction with the orchestra. In the main theme,Beltrami used a baritone guitar heavily manipulated by taking the physical sounds and manipulating them with electronics and use it in conjunction with the real sounds. Due to the budget constraints,Beltrami dropped the idea of using Tibetan monk throat singers and instead used low male choir stuff supplemented with electronic sounds on the cue "Snowalkers". [1]
Hellboy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) was released through Varèse Sarabande on April 6,2004. [3] A deluxe edition of the album featuring 120 minutes of the complete score was released on September 19,2016,through Varèse Sarabande in a limited 3,000 physical copies. [4] A vinyl edition of the soundtrack released in "Red" and "Blue with Black Smoke" LPs on July 13,2018. [5] [6]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Oct. 7th, 1944" | 1:17 |
2. | "Meet Hellboy" | 1:29 |
3. | "Main Title" | 1:08 |
4. | "Snow Walkers" | 2:24 |
5. | "Liz Sherman" | 2:28 |
6. | "Fireproof" | 1:34 |
7. | "Rooftop Tango" | 1:13 |
8. | "Wake Up Dead" | 3:20 |
9. | "Evil Doers" | 2:45 |
10. | "Kroenen's Lied" | 1:59 |
11. | "Father's Funeral" | 2:04 |
12. | "Alley Fight" | 3:13 |
13. | "Nazis" | 2:42 |
14. | "Investigating Liz" | 3:24 |
15. | "Abe Sapien" | 1:27 |
16. | "Mechanical Mausoleum" | 0:42 |
17. | "Soul Sucker" | 3:31 |
18. | "Stand By Your Man" | 2:34 |
19. | "Hellboy & Liz" | 2:46 |
20. | "B.P.R.D." | 2:58 |
Total length: | 44:58 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Broom Sets Us Up" | 2:44 |
2. | "Evil Doers" | 3:55 |
3. | "Fight" | 2:04 |
4. | "Meet Hellboy" | 3:41 |
5. | "Main Title" | 1:09 |
6. | "Snow Walkers" | 2:24 |
7. | "Brooms Fate" | 0:40 |
8. | "B.P.R.D" | 1:00 |
9. | "Meeting Abe" | 0:52 |
10. | "Where Am I" | 1:43 |
11. | "Hellboy's Lair" | 2:14 |
12. | "Hellboy Meets Sam" | 4:17 |
13. | "Alley Fight" | 3:17 |
14. | "Fireproof" | 2:47 |
15. | "Hellboy Stalks Liz" | 1:10 |
16. | "Fishsticks Flashback" | 5:24 |
17. | "Hellboy and Liz" | 2:36 |
18. | "Investigating Liz" | 2:07 |
19. | "Fire in the Hole" | 1:29 |
20. | "Pure of Heart" | 1:14 |
21. | "For the Rotten Eggs" | 3:57 |
22. | "John and Liz" | 1:28 |
23. | "Sam Sees Fishsticks" | 1:29 |
24. | "Sam Gets Ahead" | 1:07 |
25. | "Horny" | 1:50 |
26. | "It Will Be Quick" | 0:32 |
27. | "Hellboy Vs. Sam the 2nd" | 6:36 |
Total length: | 63:46 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Fish Boil" | 2:02 |
2. | "Autopsy Music" | 1:23 |
3. | "Rooftop Tango" | 2:31 |
4. | "Kroenen Arise" | 0:53 |
5. | "Cookies and Stones" | 1:20 |
6. | "Tango with Milk and Cookies and Small Rocks" | 1:24 |
7. | "Feelings" | 2:09 |
8. | "Abe's Advice" | 3:05 |
9. | "Live Cargo" | 0:35 |
10. | "Wake Up Dead" | 3:28 |
11. | "Mechanical Mauseleum" | 3:09 |
12. | "Kroenen's Lied" | 2:00 |
13. | "Kroenen Korner" | 2:50 |
14. | "Light My Fire" | 4:22 |
15. | "Soul Sucker" | 3:42 |
16. | "Aw, Crap" | 4:04 |
17. | "Stand By Your Man" | 1:20 |
18. | "Gut Grenade" | 2:54 |
19. | "A Hot Kiss" | 2:45 |
20. | "B.P.R.D. Suite" | 6:57 |
21. | "Oompa" | 2:58 |
22. | "Evil Dewars" | 2:45 |
Total length: | 58:36 |
Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks wrote "On album, Hellboy is a well-balanced 45 minutes. For film score enthusiasts waiting to hear Beltrami apply his orchestral talents to both majestic and quirky ends, this album is your chance to hear just that. An impressive comic hero's score." [7] Jonathan Broxton of Movie Music UK wrote "Hellboy is not a huge departure from previous films in genre terms, but in respect to the music, Hellboy shows a whole new level of maturity, thematic excellence and dramatic sense that will surely – finally – see him shaking off the shackles of typecasting." [8] Thomas Glorieux of Maintitles wrote "Hellboy is brilliant if you ever hear it in full. Only then will you realize that Beltrami created a brilliant colorful score for a dark comic book genre, and an unlikely hero named Hellboy." [9]
Mark Hockley of Music Web International wrote "Marco Beltrami continues to write scores in the tradition of the Godfather of modern film music, Bernard Herrmann and he is going from strength to strength. I think after several listens to Hellboy that this soundtrack will become a firm favourite with not only fans of horror/fantasy scores but all admirers of outstanding film music. A major leap up the A-list ladder for Marco and here's hoping that he continues to climb to the very top." [10] Johnny Loftus of AllMusic wrote "Marco Beltrami's score eschews genre constriction in favor of a rich palette of color, pacing, and emotion." [11] Sean Wilson of Mfiles called it "a brilliantly eclectic superhero score, thoroughly old fashioned yet bracingly modern, doing the impossible in film music: maintaining a consistent tone in spite of the humour, heroism and danger also on display." [12]
Calling it as one of the best superhero film scores, Oily Harris of Comic Book Resources mentioned the scores of both this film and the sequel Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), adding that both Beltrami and Danny Elfman "do a great job of creating a dark gothic atmosphere, and it really enhances the moody visuals of the films" capturing Hellboy's world. [13]
Credits adapted from liner notes: [14]