The movie The 33, directed by Patricia Riggen, tells the story of the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped in a mine in the Atacama desert, 700 meters under the surface, when the mine caved in on 5. August 2010. For 69 days the miners were stuck as rescue teams on the surface, with the eyes of the world on them, struggled to find a way to get them out, all the while food and water was rapidly becoming scarce for the miners trapped below.
This kind of movie is exactly the sort James Horner looked for later in his career. Smaller, more intimate and not driven by huge action scenes largely driven by computer generated images.
Horner’s score for The 33 was actually recorded prior to Southpaw, back in the Fall of 2014 (see our article: JAMES HORNER SCORES THE 33!). According to an interview with director Patricia Riggen, the score was largely improvised, much like Horner did for Field of Dreams. It was said to be small in scale, no large orchestras involved.
Now, 20th Century Fox has released two clips containing both footage from the movie, as well as comments from cast and crew, but even more interesting they also provide us with the first samples of James Horner's music for the movie.
The music heard in these clips can be described as intimate pieces, with solo piano at the center and also featuring synth strings and what sounds like hints of a solo cello. A lullaby-like piece, with a slight hint of a jazzy build-up, it stands out as a very fascinating piece of music, far from both the brutal, dark Southpaw and the sweeping grandeur of Wolf Totem.
Even from the short clips in these two trailers, it is clear The 33 is a score to look forward to for all James Horner fans.
The movie is released in Chile on 6. August and in the U.S. on 13. November. We will keep you updated on any news regarding a release of the score.
Photo credit: © 20th Century Fox – Alcon Entertainment – Warner Bros
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Score was improvised? Lame. Horner used the same sounds he used in Field of Dreams. Pretty lame and unoriginal.
Dear Jakim,
Thank you for your message.
Finaly these samples didn’t composed by James Horner.
The score from The 33 is very different.
Kind regards,
Thanks for the response. The Field of Dreams score was perfect for that movie’s setting and atmosphere. Will stand the test of time. Simply heard very similar elements in The 33 but nonetheless, appreciate your content.