“Swallow” is one of those films that you watch once and the experience sits with you for days later. The upcoming psychological thriller, from IFC Films, tells a story that is so visceral and, perhaps, gag-inducing that audiences will likely be squirming in their seats well after they leave the theater. And you can’t have a film that works on this level without some really great music at its core.
READ MORE: ‘Swallow’: Haley Bennett Astonishes In Housewife Body Horror Drama [Tribeca Review]
And in honor of “Swallow” hitting select theaters and VOD this week, we’re so happy to give our readers a chance to hear a track from the score, composed by Nathan Halpern (“The Rider” and “Minding the Gap“). The music of “Swallow,” much like the story of the lead character, Hunter, begins fairly normal and classic, but as it progresses, Halpern’s work becomes even more twisted and warped.
“‘Swallow’ is set in the present day, but with cinematic aesthetics evocative of mid-century Hollywood classicism,” said the composer. “My score draws on this sensibility, invoking some of that old-school Hitchcock/DePalma/Sirk mix of stateliness and unease, but growing increasingly darker and disjointed as the film progresses. Director Carlo Mirabella-Davis wanted the music to help take us into the heart and journey of the film’s lead character Hunter (an astonishing performance by Haley Bennett), and the piece excerpted here is a suite of some of the key themes of her journey.”
For those not aware of “Swallow,” Haley Bennett stars as Hunter, a woman that seemingly has it all—she’s pregnant, living in a beautiful home, and even has a handsome husband. But with mounting pressures of trying to appease her husband’s increasing demands, compounded by her in-laws coming into the picture, Hunter’s mental health takes a toll as she begins to show signs of a disorder called pica, which means she begins to inject inedible objects.
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It’s been almost a year since we saw the drama at Tribeca, but we’re so excited that the rest of the world is going to be able to experience this incredible film. In our review, we said, “The film is a breathtaking accomplishment for Mirabella-Davis…Not only does Bennett give the performance of her life (for which she was rightly honored with the Tribeca Film Festival’s Best Actress award), production designer Erin Magill and costumer Liene Dobraja team up with cinematographer Katelin Arizmendi to birth a visionary and singular work of genius.”
If the words of Nathan Halpern and our review aren’t enough to convince you to check out “Swallow,” we’re not sure what will. But how about you listen to the track below and book a ticket for “Swallow” in theaters Friday.