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PODCAST

Settling the Score

Join Jon and Andy as they explore the world of film music, one score at a time. Each episode is an in-depth discussion of a classic film score: what makes it tick, how it serves the movie, and whether it"s, you know, any good. It"s a freewheeling, opinionated conversation with an analytical bent, richly illustrated with musical examples. No expertise required. The series began by tackling “100 Years of Film Scores," the AFI"s list of (purportedly) the 25 greatest scores in American cinema history,

tv & film music commentary

All Episodes

1:34:12

#70 – Elevator to the Gallows

Settling the Score ·

2025/07/24

Listen as Jon and Andy take a long, meandering stroll through and around Miles Davis’ score for the 1958 crime drama Elevator to the Gallows. How did this French film wind up looming large in the history of American jazz? What special mood does Davis find, and what special note helps him describe it? And, what would you give to hear Miles imitate Marlon Brando?

en-US

1:40:52

#69 – The Fugitive

Settling the Score ·

2025/05/06

Follow along as Jon and Andy do a hard-target search of James Newton Howard’s score to the 1993 man-on-the-run thriller The Fugitive. How do this film and its music match this cultural moment? What technical rule does Howard break, and why doesn’t it matter? And, wait a minute, does this plot actually make any sense?

en-US

2:42:29

#68 – 2025 Oscars Special

Settling the Score ·

2025/02/28

It’s back to the Oscars stage for Jon and Andy, to talk about this year’s nominees for Best Original Score, and it’s back to some age old questions: Do we want our music made out of notes or blobs? Does reading up about these scores get in the way of our curmudgeonly opinions? And, how much music should a musical's music music?

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1:45:11

#67 – The Graduate

Settling the Score ·

2025/02/11

Are you here for an affair? Ah yes, an episode of Settling the Score, very good sir - this one's about Simon and Garfunkel’s song score to Mike Nichol’s classic 1967 satire The Graduate. How was this movie pioneering in its use of music? Do these famous songs engender sympathy or skepticism for the characters, or both? And, it's okay to ask: do these lyrics actually mean anything?

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2:26:19

#66 – The Empire Strikes Back

Settling the Score ·

2024/10/03

“I love this score.” “I know.” Jon and Andy search their feelings about John Williams’ score for the 1980 hit sci-fi fantasy sequel The Empire Strikes Back. How important has this score been to our hosts? How does its mastery show itself on different scales? And, what are the odds of successfully navigating this show’s longest episode ever?

en-US

1:26:59

#65 – Double Indemnity

Settling the Score ·

2024/06/11

Jon and Andy go straight down the line through Miklós Rózsa's score for the 1944 film noir classic Double Indemnity. Which elements of this music sound like noir, and which don’t? Why do we enjoy stories about bad people? And, where’s a good spot in L.A. to sneak into if you want to hear some Schubert?

en-US

2:51:12

#64 – 2024 Oscars Special

Settling the Score ·

2024/03/06

It’s time again for Jon and Andy to strip away the phony tinsel of Hollywood and find the real tinsel underneath, as they consider this year’s Oscar nominees for Best Original Score. Is it possible that our hosts are feeling less cranky this year? What are some different ideas these movies have for using music to fill time? And, did you notice that this episode is still shorter than two of these five nominated films?

en-US

1:28:39

#63 – The Conversation

Settling the Score ·

2024/02/21

Come and eavesdrop on Jon and Andy discussing David Shire’s score for the 1974 surveillance mystery drama The Conversation. What does Shire's solo piano music express about the main character? How are the themes of the movie embodied in its world of sound? And, will Fred Flintstone be a good father?

en-US

2:03:06

#62 – Name The Score! 2

Settling the Score ·

2024/02/13

Surprise! It’s time for a break from the bucket: Jon and Andy look back at all the scores they’ve talked about since the end of the AFI list, and Andy puzzles Jon with another needle-drop quiz. Can Jon remember all this music? Can you remember it better than Jon? And, like, what have our hosts even been talking about this whole time?

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1:59:53

#61 – How to Train Your Dragon

Settling the Score ·

2023/12/20

This time Jon and Andy train their attention on John Powell’s score for the 2010 animated fantasy adventure How to Train Your Dragon. Just how many themes does this score have? Might their meanings change with repeat viewings? And, what rhythmic pattern will Jon finally let Andy talk about?

en-US

1:53:24

#60 – There Will Be Blood

Settling the Score ·

2023/09/12

In this episode Jon and Andy drink up Jonny Greenwood’s score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 period drama There Will Be Blood. How does Greenwood’s music seem to get so deeply inside your head? What lines can be drawn between it and his work for Radiohead? And, is either of us even close to getting the Daniel Plainview voice right?

en-US

1:34:26

#59 – The Day the Earth Stood Still

Settling the Score ·

2023/05/23

This time Jon and Andy land their spaceship in the middle of Bernard Herrmann’s score for the 1951 sci-fi classicThe Day the Earth Stood Still! How strongly was Herrmann committed to musical otherness? What peculiar instrumentation did he use to achieve unearthly sounds? And, have we finally cracked Gort's secret alien robot code?

en-US

2:40:20

#58 – 2023 Oscars Special

Settling the Score ·

2023/03/09

Join Jon and Andy as they sneak back into the Dolby Theater to discuss this year's nominees for Best Original Score! Could this be our least impressive slate of contenders yet? What does it mean for music to really speak to the human heart? And, will we succeed in our attempt to keep the episode short? (No.)

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1:18:57

#57 – In the Heat of the Night

Settling the Score ·

2023/01/18

They call this an episode about Quincy Jones’ score for the 1967 social drama mystery In the Heat of the Night! How amazingly broad is the scope of Jones’ expertise? What effect does it have on the movie that his music feels so good? And, what would YOU say to Rod Steiger?

en-US

1:41:37

#56 – Scott of the Antarctic

Settling the Score ·

2022/09/13

Get ready for a long haul, as Jon and Andy set out across Ralph Vaughan Williams' score for the 1948 historical adventure film Scott of the Antarctic. What was unusual about the relationship between this movie and its celebrated classical composer? What techniques did he use to depict snow, ice, and struggle? And, are criticisms not made worse / when written in a rhyming verse?

en-US

1:31:16

#55 – Conan the Barbarian

Settling the Score ·

2022/07/20

Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear Jon and Andy discuss Basil Poledouris’ score for the 1982 fantasy adventure movie Conan the Barbarian. From what classical references does Poledouris draw, and what very non-classical things might have drawn from him? What’s a quick way to make your music sound archaic? And, waiter, what’s this in my soup?

en-US

1:25:54

#54 – The Incredibles

Settling the Score ·

2022/05/31

Jon and Andy catch each other monologuing about Michael Giacchino’s score for the 2004 Pixar superhero movie The Incredibles! How did Giacchino become one of Hollywood’s go-to composers? What cultural influences wind up shaken and stirred into his music? And, how big of a dork was Jon when he had a chance to ask Giacchino a question?

en-US

2:18:55

#53 – 2022 Oscars Special

Settling the Score ·

2022/03/23

It’s back to Hollywood Blvd. for Jon and Andy as they consider this year’s Oscar nominees for Best Score. What has them enthusiastic, and what has them angry? What musical sounds are trendy this season? And, what exciting new mini-segment will they introduce to the show? (Podcaster General’s warning: this episode is too long! Recommended serving size: one (1) segment.)

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1:58:51

#52 – Alien

Settling the Score ·

2022/03/08

Jon and Andy are bursting to talk about Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the 1979 sci-fi horror classic Alien! How much of what Goldsmith wrote didn’t make it into the movie, and why? What musical reptile did he unleash into his orchestra? And, will our hosts finally consider couples therapy?

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1:44:51

#51 – The Red Violin

Settling the Score ·

2022/01/18

The fates foretold that Jon and Andy would discuss John Corigliano’s score for the 1998 history-spanning musical saga The Red Violin. How does Corigliano draw a musical line to connect the film’s disparate episodes, and how darkly does he draw it? What sensibilities did he bring from the world of classical concert composing? And, is this our dirtiest episode yet?

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72 results

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