Grammy-winning composer Lorne Balfe upgrades a classic Christmas carol in the British dark comedy Silent Night, and we’ve got the exclusive.
Silent Night, starring Keira Knightley and directed by Camille Griffin, follows parents Nell (Knightley) and Simon (Matthew Goode) as they invite their closest friends to join their family for Christmas dinner at their idyllic home in the English countryside. As the group comes together, it feels like old times. But behind all of the laughter and merriment, something is not quite right. The world outside is facing impending doom, and no amount of gifts, games, or Prosecco can make mankind’s imminent destruction go away.
A choir of voices sings the familiar titular hymn, but their proclamation that “all is calm, all is bright” feels anything but cheery. Rapturous orchestration builds throughout the piece until it reaches a moment of calm, which is where the strong soloists take over and ease the suspense.
Cinemacy is thrilled to premiere the first track from Silent Night, “All Is Calm,” before its release on Friday, December 10th. Click here to pre-save the soundtrack now.
“Musically, we sought to think big,” says Balfe, who brings his years of expertise and extraordinary talent to Camille Griffin’s feature-length directorial debut. “We filled the silence with a full orchestra, Bulgarian and Viennese choirs, incredible soloists, and the Christmas powerhouse that is Michael Buble who helps sell the film’s dystopian reality by bridging our worlds with easily recognizable nostalgia.”
Originally from Inverness, Scotland, Balfe was destined to be a composer. At 8 years old, he wrote and sold “jingles” for advertisements, and at 13, he auditioned to be a percussionist with the Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra (he secured a spot, of course, and became their youngest member). Balfe’s drive and passion led him to pursue a career as a film composer in the U.S., where he continues to leave lasting impressions in the industry. His critical acclaim extends far and wide, having worked on compositions for the Mission Impossible franchise, Black Widow, The Lego Batman Movie, and the Oscar-nominated The Florida Project.
Distributed by AMC+ and RLJE Films, ‘Silent Night’ is now playing in theaters and streaming exclusively on AMC+. The OST will be released by Lakeshore Records on Friday, December 10.
