Throughout his various music projects, including Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor has always been a composer before anything else. It was only natural that he would get sick of the music industry and gravitate toward building scores for film. And so far, if the awards he’s received are any indication, he really is meant to build soundscapes for cinema. Let’s take a look at just a few incredible film scores from Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor!
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1. ‘Soul’
One might not expect an industrial rock star to make music for a Disney movie, but that’s exactly what Trent Reznor did with Soul. Jon Batiste worked on much of the jazz-oriented music throughout the film, while Trent Reznor (and Atticus Ross) focused more on the mood of the film. For reference, Soul deals with themes of identity, detachment, and trying to figure out one’s purpose in life.
Naturally, Reznor lent an almost unnerving (though bright) and psychedelic (though playful) energy to the film’s score. It works perfectly, considering the subject matter.
2. ‘The Social Network’
Out of all the Trent Reznor film scores out there, this is the one that most people likely remember him for. In fact, if you’re not a fan of Nine Inch Nails or industrial rock, you probably know Reznor best by his contributions to the music in The Social Network.
This score was the preview of what was to come from Reznor’s career in film scoring. The soundtrack is gorgeously electronic and beautifully blends classical music elements. The Social Network OST, like most of his work, was a collaborative effort with Atticus Ross.
3. ‘Challengers’
This recent release, on the surface, is just a film about tennis. However, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross really did something with the score of this film that lent it an even more energetic, almost stressful energy. Director Luca Guadagnino wanted something sexy, loud, and techno-based. Reznor definitely delivered and earned himself a Golden Globe for Best Original Score.
4. ‘Gone Girl’
Few films still have new viewers on the edge of their seats, years after first hitting theaters, quite like the psychological drama Gone Girl. This is the kind of film that needs a score that will heighten every moment, and Trent Reznor took the film to an even crazier level with his musical contributions.
Most of the score has industrial, ambient, and wholly electronic elements that boost the sense of intrigue and anxiety throughout the film. Reznor gets dynamic with a few gentler moments, though. Songs like “Sugar Storm” are notably softer.
Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for FYF
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