New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Music.Film Recordings and Varèse Sarabande releases the SHOCK AND AWE - Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack digitally and on CD July 13, 2018. The album features original score composed by Emmy Award Winner Jeff Beal (AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER, HOUSE OF CARDS).
"Legendary director Rob Reiner used archival footage of
George W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Donald Rumsfeld, to chilling effect, much like
Oliver Stone did in JFK," said Beal, who was greatly influenced by John Williams' work on the aforementioned JFK. "I imagine that Shock and Awe is a bit of homage to his work; orchestral, harmonically complex, and using the tropes of 'patriotic music' trumpet, brass, drums, but with a sense of loss, gravitas and ache."
In 2003, the White House administration made a case for the invasion of Iraq. The facts didn't add up, and only one team of journalists got the story right. Shock and Awe is the true story of these journalists, and what it is like to hunt for the truth when the stakes are life, death, and American democracy.
"Our film celebrates the real life journalists heroes who were striving to debunk the false information of Saddam's 'weapons of mass destruction' used to justify the 2003 Iraq War, in the wake of 9/11," Beal described. "Even though our film is essentially a docudrama, it also plays very much like a political thriller ala All The President's Men and I wanted to write a visceral, suspenseful, and emotionally invested score."
Given the strained relationship between the press and politicians the past few years, the message of the film became very timely. "Rob started making Shock AND Awe before the 2016 presidential election, By the time we were in post, Trump had won the presidency, and we all felt the message of the film was even more important and relevant, given the current debates about 'fake news' and objective facts.
A five-time EMMY® winner, Beal's approach is a favorite for more sophisticated works. His TV credits include HBO's ROME, CARNIVÀLE and the Netflix series HOUSE OF CARDS. His documentary work includes BLACKFISH, WEINER, THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES, AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER,
Oliver Stone's THE PUTIN INTERVIEWS, and BOSTON the recently released documentary about the history of the
Boston Marathon. Jeff's upcoming projects include the documentaries THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING (directed by
Nathaniel Kahn) and GENERATION WEALTH (directed by
Lauren Greenfield), and the upcoming series GRAND HOTEL on ABC.
Recently, Jeff's performing, conducting, and composing worlds have begun converging. He conducted The
National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in the premiere of HOUSE OF CARDS IN CONCERT (represented by Columbia Artists Management), with further performances in Miami, The Netherlands, and Denmark. He also led the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra for the premiere of BLACKFISH live-to-picture and conducted the
Boston Pops Orchestra live for the premiere of BOSTON. In May several of his pieces were performed including "The Salvage Men" by The Apollo Chorus (Chicago), the Brooklyn Youth Chorus premiering his piece "The Fire Brand" at BAM, and Oregon Ballet Theatre premiering the ballet Terra, choreographed by Helen Pickett.
Castle Rock Entertainment, Vertical Entertainment, DirecTV Cinema present SHOCK AND AWE, currently viewable via DirecTV and opening in theaters on July 13, 2018. Music.Film Recordings and Varèse Sarabande are releasing the SHOCK AND AWE - Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack digitally and on CD July 13, 2018.
