If you’re a fan of Danny Elfman’s spooky soundtracks for his longtime collaborator Tim Burton, meet the new heir to the throne. Blair Mowat is a Scottish, BAFTA-nominated composer who lends his robust sound to Doctor Jekyll, the upcoming British horror film directed by Joe Stephenson. Mowat’s 17-track album will be released on all digital platforms on Friday, October 27th, coinciding with the film’s UK premiere date.
The fabulous Eddie Izzard stars as both Dr. Nina Jekyll and Rachel Hyde in this haunting and unique adaptation of the classic tale. A wealthy woman in class and stature, Dr. Jekyll made a fortune in the pharmaceutical industry, quickly becoming a household name. But her success came at a cost. After a scandal forced her out of the spotlight, she was relinquished to live in seclusion with her demons. In need of an assistant and, begrudgingly, company, Jekyll hires Rob – a young father and ex-con straight out of rehab who is trying to get back on his feet. However, it soon becomes clear that there are evil forces at play, and Rob’s wits are tested in a game of cat and mouse with a mysterious and manipulative entity.
Cinemacy is excited to premiere the track “Jekyll And Hyde” from Hammer Studios’ Doctor Jekyll, below:
Says Blair Mowat of the duality of his work on Doctor Jekyll, “Our director, Joe Stephenson, was looking for a bold, gothic, and dramatic score mixing traditional Hammer tropes with a modern sensibility. Much like Jekyll and Hyde, this a score of two parts, recorded with two different orchestras – the Budapest Art Orchestra and The Royal Scottish National Orchestra. This helped to emphasize the split personality of the score switching from sparse haunting horror to the operatic gothic explosions we hear towards the end of the film. A 30-person choir helped achieve a sense of scale when we needed it and Jekyll’s textural effects are performed on a variety of rare old string instruments such as the Viola Da Gamba and Stroh Violin, evoking the sense of an ancient evil.”
If you listen closely, Mowat says you’re in for a treat: “Fans may even notice that the main theme rhythmically spells out the title Doctor Jekyll.”
With over two hundred scores for film, theatre, and television to his name, Mowat continues to push into new territory. His clients range from The English National Ballet and The Royal Shakespeare Company to BBC One (the Doctor Who spin-off series Class), SKY (The Amazing Mr. Blunden) & ITV (McDonald & Dodds). Both McDonald & Dodds and The Amazing Mr. Blunden were double nominated for Best Original TV Score and Best Opening Titles in the Music & Sound Awards. More recently, the BAFTA-nominated, award-winning composer scored Russell T Davies’ drama Nolly, starring Helena Bonham Carter, and Men Up. As a musical arranger, he has worked on shows including Doctor Who and David Attenborough’s Life Story.
