Ultimate Avengers and Iron Man composer spills the beans on creating Marvel soundtracks
Marvel.com spoke with composer Guy Michelmore about his work on Marvel’s animated features. A portion of the interview is here, and the link at the end will take you to a page where you can download four mp3s from the soundtrack.
Marvel.com: Who are your film composer inspirations?
Guy Michelmore: I think every composer working in commercial films draws on landmark composers like Bernard Herrmann, John Williams, Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer, all of whom have taken the genre forward in their own way. I’m a big fan of John Powell and Harry Gregson Williams who are both at the top of their game at the moment. Ennio Morriconne is one of the greatest living film composers, “The Mission” was a huge achievement. Most composers have also been influenced to some degree by minimalists like Steve Reich, Phillip Glass and John Adams.
Marvel.com: Are you yourself a comic fan? Do you read up on the background material before composing?
Michelmore: I wasn’t when I was a kid but I am now and yes I look at the comics when I’m getting into a movie. Many of these animated features are very close to the spirit of the original comics and so I try and draw some inspiration from the source material.
Marvel.com: Which of your Marvel scores has been the most satisfying for you?
Michelmore: In a way “Dr. Strange,” as he is not the classic super hero. It was very nice to work on a blank sheet of paper as he’d never come to the screen before so he didn’t have a “sound”.
Head to Marvel.com for the full interview and four free mp3s!
