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Return of the Matrix
by Christopher Coleman
In 1999, the
movie business was in dire need of a revolution. It just didn't know
it yet and neither did the movie-going-public. The Wachowski Brothers upstart
production of THE MATRIX shook up an industry that had all but given up on
creativity. The biggest cultural-phenomenon started by a single film
since 1977's STAR WARS, THE MATRIX not only introduced a new
vocabulary to many but help propel the perception of the computer-geek
from zero to hero. THE MATRIX was intelligent and visually engaging
at the same time...two things that seemed to have become mutually
exclusive in the world of film. Interweaving the religious and the philosophical,
Japanese anime, and the Chinese, kung fu genre, THE MATRIX was a blend
that few had even dared dream about, let alone follow that dream through to
a feature
film. THE MATRIX could be considered the first
cyber-punk film to move into the mainstream. It went on to influence a
number of films and television shows and commercials, which
sought to capitalize on some of the groundbreaking effects and growing
interest in cyberspace. Not to be lost amidst of the visual effects and
philosophical messages was this film's innovative use of electronica and
orchestral score. The music of The Matrix went to on influence the world of film music
almost as much as the film had influenced it's world.
DON DAVIS was
selected to provide the orchestral music while music supervisor Jason
Bentley
selected tracks from the underground world of the electronica music genre.
Such a movie would have suffered if an inventive approach to the film's
music wasn't adopted. Rather the place the entirety of the project
on Don Davis compositional shoulders, Jason Bentley with help from Tobias Enhus helped select previously recorded music from the world trance, big
beat, and tribal dance, and remix and re-edit these selections as needed.
While Davis had input into this selection process as well and did a number
of temp tracks to cover specific set pieces until negotiations were
complete with the other artists, the final fusion of multiple artists'
talent gave THE MATRIX films and games a unique personality.
With the clear
success of THE MATRIX plans to produce and release two sequels, THE MATRIX
RELOADED and THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS were were made. In keeping with
their air and flare for the groundbreaking, the Wachowski's also decided
to develop and release a series of animated shorts in and about The
Matrix, dubbed THE ANIMATRIX, as well as a game, ENTER THE MATRIX,
set just prior to the events of the two sequel feature films. An
aggressive production schedule would allow them to release all four of
these projects in the same year of 2003 - which Time Magazine proclaimed,
"The Year of the Matrix."
While the sequels
were not, in general, received or reviewed as well as the original film,
nor was their first game, the cult status of the franchise had already
been cemented. One of the great consistencies between all of the
Matrix projects was the involvement of composer Don Davis and Jason
Bentley. The consistent use of Davis
trademark-Matrix-orchestral-sound clearly tied the trilogy together as
well as its use in Enter the Matrix and particularly in the episode,
"Final Flight of the Osiris" from THE ANIMATRIX.
Some two years
later, the next two video games of the franchise would be released - each
taking a different music path. In the first half of 2005, THE
MATRIX ONLINE was released with new music by Don Davis.
THE MATRIX ONLINE would be the franchises entrance into the genre of
the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game), the events of which take
place following the conclusion of REVOLUTIONS. THE PATH OF NEO
would be released for the holiday season of 2005 and would seek to correct
one of the biggest complaints regarding the first Matrix-game.
Although the events found of ENTER THE MATRIX connected directly to
THE MATRIX RELOADED, gamers were dissatisfied. In PATH OF
NEO the player would finally be able to portray one of the main
characters of the franchise as opposed to the secondary characters of
Ghost and Niobe in ENTER THE MATRIX. THE PATH OF NEO would be
the greatest departure for any Matrix-project in terms of music.
This time there would be no direct involvement from Don Davis and the
reigns would be handed over to Tobias Enhus, who had already hand his hand
in previous-Matrix projects.
While things have
gone silent on the front of THE MATRIX in recent years, a renewal of
interest has been sparked with the release of all of the feature films,
documentaries, and animates shorts, into one mega-package, THE ULTIMATE
MATRIX. No doubt, one of the most sought after titles in high
definition, this exclusive (for now) HD-DVD release will issue a return of
The Matrix to home theaters. In so doing, there will also be a
reintroduction to the genre bending music of the franchise, a unique feat
which has yet to be matched since THE MATRIX was born into our
collective consciousness back in 1999.
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The Matrix Score
Released by
Varese Sarabande Records (1999)
Rating 7/10
The film was a
multilayered, visual
feast that combined
great western
philosophical premises
with eastern religion
with cinematic styles
also from both
occidental and
oriental realms. The
end result was a movie
like no other. While
the essence of the one
layer of the tale can
be summed up in saying
it is about a war
between man and
machine, where
machines have enslaved
the human race, and
mankind is fighting
for its freedom again,
there is much more to
uncover details and
motivations of this
film. Helping to give
further shape to this
film, which would
become a
mega-franchise, was
it's genre fusing
music.
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The Matrix Soundtrack
Released by
Maverick Records (1999)
Rating 5/10
HE MATRIX - MUSIC FROM THE
MOTION PICTURE is a compilation soundtrack released
by Maverick Records which features most of main
source cues from the film. Unfortunately the
soundtrack is launched by one of the more
unlistenable tracks, "Rock is Dead" by Marylin
Manson. Joining this track in the not-so-hot-list
would be "Bad Blood" (3) by Ministry, "Look to Your
Orb for the Warning" by Monster Magnet, "My Own
Personal Summer (Shove It)" by the Deftones and "Du
Hast" (12) by Rammstein which tend towards the
rock-roots as Manson...albeit Rammestein's track is
infused with a techno-dance rhythm. While helping to
keep the sound of The Matrix edgy, these tracks are
rugged, but not so "cool." Oddly enough none of
these songs are used in any significant scenes of
the film, if at all. Following the Rage Against the
Machine's unmistakable sound in "Wake Up" (13),
"Rock is Dead" does manage to make its way to play
over the end credits.
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Read the full review of The
Matrix (Score)
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Read the full review of
The Matrix (Soundtrack)
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The Matrix Reloaded
Released by
Maverick Records (2003)
Rating 7/10
Few knew of the media storm
that was brewing within the mind of the directing
Wachowski Brothers. Two sequels, nine anime shorts
(THE ANIMATRIX), and two video games, (ENTER THE
MATRIX, THE MATRIX ONLINE), and God knows what else,
would come barreling out the tandem's minds. These
ongoing revelations of things to come in the Matrix
franchise (in the form of innocuous press releases)
got fans of both electronica and composer Don Davis,
salivating.
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The Matrix Revolutions
Released by
Maverick Records (2003)
Rating 8/10
FThere is a small fraternity
of films that have, throughout the years, given
Hollywood a much-needed-turn on its ear. In 1999,
the Wachowski Brother's thought-provoking and highly
entertaining film, The Matrix, became a part of this
select group. As most recall, the film's visuals and
engaging storyline garnered both critical and
popular accolades. Don Davis' well-crafted score
quietly took a backseat to all of the bullet-time
hubbub and received only modest attention within the
film music community. Over the next four years The
Matrix franchise would build up a large fan-base
placing equally large expectations on the sequels.
The level of hype for the two sequels can be summed
up with Newsweek's proclamation of the year 2003
being "The Year of the Matrix."
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Read the full review of The Matrix
Reloaded
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Read the full review of
The Matrix Revolutions
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The Animatrix
Released by
Warner (2003)
Rating 5/10
Like few other films or film
franchises, The Matrix projects are equally defined
by the source music implemented as much as they are
by original score. Each film contains hefty helpings
both edgy electronica as well as scintillating
orchestra pieces. Even two of the games of the
franchise: ENTER THE MATRIX and THE MATRIX ONLINE
contain this musical highbred. Along with THE MATRIX
RELOADED, THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS and ENTER THE
MATRIX, a special collection of anime shorts
straight from this unique world of The Matrix. THE
ANIMATRIX contains 9 uniquely envisioned shorts
directed by some of Japans most renown anime
directors: Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takeshi Koike, Mahiro
Maeda, Koji Morimoto, and Shinichiro Watanabe, as
well as other notable directors like Peter Chung and
Andy Jones.
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Enter the
Matrix
Promotional
Release (2003)
Rating 7/10
In continuing to push the envelope of interactive
story-telling, the Wachowskis, while working on the
sequels to the original Matrix, were also involved
in the production of THE ANIMATRIX, a series of
animated shorts released directly do DVD, and ENTER
THE MATRIX, the first video game of the franchise.
Unique to this franchise was their choice to
integrate important beats of the story that fit,
first before the events of THE MATRIX RELOADED and
then in parallel. With both THE ANIMATRIX and ENTER
THE MATRIX being available just before the release
of THE MATRIX RELOADED, this move was a first in
being able to get plot information that directly
tied into a feature film which had yet to be
released.
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Read the full review of
The Animatrix
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Read the full review of
Enter the Matrix |
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The Path of Neo
Promotional
Release (2007)
Rating 7/10
Fast forward to 2005
and the Wachowski
Brothers heard the
cries of the people.
The second game
release would be
centered on Thomas
Anderson's journey to
becoming Neo, the One,
which was chronicled
in the trilogy.
Also connected with
some of the stories of
THE ANIMATRIX,
developer, Shiney's,
latest matrix game,
THE PATH NEO was
met with much more
acceptance and
critical acclaim than
it's predecessor.
One of the striking
difference in THE
PATH OF NEO from
any other major
release from the
franchise, was its
departure from having
composer Don Davis'
score as a major part
of the accompanying
soundtrack. THE
PATH OF NEO would wind
in a slightly
different direction.
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Read the full review of
The Path of Neo
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Interview with Don Davis
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Interview with Eric Lundborg |
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