Stick a fork in your list of best soundtracks of the year right now, it might be done. Unless, by some miracle, something unexpectedly happens (and/or Hans Zimmer just blows us away with "The Dark Knight Rises"), one major contender for soundtrack of the year is the score for Benh Zeitlin's well-celebrated indie picture, "Beasts of the Southern Wild." Already lauded at Sundance (where it won Best Narrative) and Cannes (where it picked up the cinematography prize), we recently placed the film at the top of our Best Films Of Year… So Far list and we'll tell you: believe the hype, it's well-justified.
A heartrending, magical and extraordinary debut film about a six-year-old girl who leaves her ailing father and Delta-community home in search of her mother (though that feels like just the tip of the iceberg), equally exceptional and particularly striking is the film's wonderful score. Written by producer/mixer and composer Dan Romer and Zeitlin himself (they also both scored Zeitlin's acclaimed short "Glory At Sea"), in a recent interview with the director that The Playlist has yet to publish, the filmmaker told us the concept for the score was that it was the music that lead character Hushpuppy (played by Quvenzhané Wallis in an amazing breakthrough turn) hears inside her head.
Stirring, mournful, bewitching and anthemic, it's not completely off-base to say the score is Arcade Fire-esque in its energetic and rousing celebratory nature. And yes, on a close listen, it's all based on the same one-theme, but that's part of its emotional brilliance. However you want to describe it, we recommend you check it and the movie out as soon as possible. "Beasts of the Southern Wild" hits theaters today in limited release (June 27th) and the soundtrack is available on iTunes as of today. Additionally, if you'd like to know where else 'Beasts' is playing theatrically and where to see it in your town, we've got the current rollout plan thanks to Fox Searchlight, which you can see below.
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" soundtrack tracklist (all songs Romer/Zeitlin unless otherwise attributed)
1. Particles of the Universe (Heartbeats)
2. The Bathtub (feat. The Lost Bayou Ramblers)
3. Momma's Song
4. I Think I Broke Something
5. The Smallest Piece
6. Les Veuves de la Coulee – Leroy "Happy Fats" LeBlanc
7. The Smallest Piece
8. Until the Water Goes Down
9. Mother Nature
10. The Survivors
11. Particles of the Universe (Elysian Fields)
12. Strong Animals
13. La Danse de Mardi Gras – The Balfa Brothers
14. The Thing That Made You
15. The Confrontation
16. Death Bed
17.Once There Was a Hushpuppy
6/27/12
NEW YORK
Lincoln Plaza, New York, NY
Sunshine Cinemas, New York, NY
LOS ANGELES
The Landmark Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Arclight Hollywood, Hollywood, CA
7/4/12
NEW ORLEANS
Elmwood Palace, Harahan, LA
Prytania Theatre, New Orleans, LA
Canal Place Theatre, New Orleans, LA
7/6/12
BOSTON
Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA
WASHINGTON, DC
Bethesda Row Cinema, Bethesda, MD
E-Street Cinema, Washington, DC
CHICAGO, IL
Century 12 Evanston, Evanston, IL
Century Centre Cinema 7, Chicago, IL
DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX
Angelika Mockingbird Statino, Dallas, TX
Angelika Plano Film Center, Plano, TX
LOS ANGELES, CA
Playhouse Art Cinema, Padasdena, CA
Arclight Beach Cities, El Segundo, CA
Arclight Sherman Oaks, Sherman Oaks, CA
University Town Center, Irvine, CA
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Embarcado Art Cinema, San Francisco, CA
More screening dates on the next page.
7/13/12
ATLANTA, GA
Tara, Atlanta, GA
BOSTON, MA
West Newton Cinema, W Newton, MA
Hollywood Hits, Danvers, MA
Dedham Community Theater, Dedham, MA
HARTFORD/NEW HAVEN, CT
Palace 17, Hartford, CT
Criterion Cinemas, New Haven, CT
BALTIMORE, MD
Charles Theatre, Baltimore, MD
WASHINGTON, DC
Shirlington, Arlington, VA
AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Springs, MD
Cinema Arts, Fairfax, VA
NEW YORK, NY/CT/NJ/PA
Bronxville, Bronxville, NY
Manhasset Tri, Manhasset, NY
Clairidge, Montclair, NJ
Bethel Cinema, Bethel, CT
Garden Cinema, Norwalk, CT
Cinema Arts, Huntington, NY
Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville, NY
BAM Rose Cinemas, Brooklyn, NY
Kew Gardens Cinemas, Kew Gardens, NY
Malverne Cinema, Malverne, NY
Avon, Stamford, CT
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Ritz 5, Philadelphia, PA
CHICAGO, IL
River East 21, Chicago, IL
Renaissance Place Cinema, 5, Highland Park, IL
AUSTIN, TX
Alamo/South Lamar Cinema, Austin, TX
Violet Crown Cinemas, Austin, TX
Arbor Cinemas, Austin, TX
HOUSTON, TX
River Oaks Village Cinemas, Houston, TX
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Lagoon Theater, Minneapolis, MN
LOS ANGELES, CA
Claremont Cinema, Claremont, CA
Monica Art Cinema, Santa Monica, CA
Fallbrook Theatre, West HIlls, CA
Westlake Village Art Cinema, Westlake Village, CA
PALM SPRINGS, CA
Cinemas Palme d'Or, Palm Desert, CA
SAN DIEGO, CA
La Jolla Village Cinema, La Jolla, CA
Hillcrest Art Cinema, San Diego, CA
SANTA BARBARA, CA
Plaza De Oro, Santa Barara, CA
DENVER, CO
Mayan, Denver, CO
PHOENIX, AZ
Harkins Camelview, Scottsdale, AZ
SEATTLE/TACOMA, WA
Lincoln Square, Bellevue, WA
Egyptian Cinema, Seattle, WA
MONTEREY/SALINAS, CA
Osio Plaza, Monterey, CA
Nickelodeon, Santa Cruz, CA
PORTLAND, OR
Cinema 21, Portland, OR
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
CineArts @ Pleasant Hill, Pleasant Hill, CA
CineArts @Santana Row, San Jose, CA
California, Art Theatre, Berkeley, CA
Aquarius Art Cinema, Palo Alto, CA
Rafael, San Rafael, CA
For a closer glimpse at life in The Bathtub, the surreal realm where BEASTS takes place, check out our immersive experience site, WELCOME TO THE BATHTUB, and its accompanying Tumblr blog.