Saved!
Film released by MGM/United Artists
No score soundtrack available
Music clip, 1'29" (702Kb) [from the
end credits]
BRIEF REVIEW
Brian Dannelly's film about a the moral and personal decisions
made by the attendees of a Southern Baptist high school is a cut above the usual
teen comedy formula. Saved! swaps gross-out and sexual references for
decent ensemble acting (though the cast varies from caracature to gifted, with
Jena Malone predictably perfectly pitched) and a gluttony of socio-religious
ironies that constantly toe the line of tragicomedy.
Beck's score is practically invisible to the casual listener,
constantly supplanted by pop songs, classics and other well-chosen tit-bits
(see the 'songs' listings), it tends to keep a smooth acoustic-guitar inflected
underscore to the proceedings rather than making any attempt to 'sound funny'
or give moral clues. Not in any way a memorable score, but eminently functional,
and the male-voiced humming theme is quite a catchy addition (included in the
musical example).
Webmaster's additional:
The DVD release contains two commentary tracks, one of which (the
director / writer / producer commentary) mentions a few facts about the score
during the film's only sex scene (featuring the famous swinging medals):
Brian Dannelly (co-writer / director): I think the other
thing about this scene is we must have scored it five hundred times. I mean
Chris Beck is amazing. But it was really hard to get kind of the right energy
in the music, don't you think?
Sandy Stern (producer): Chris Beck... we used a lot of his temp score
when we were testing the movie, and it was just... I love... [medals jangle
on the screen] this was the part, this choral background also—it was the
first time we were going to use it in the scene.
Dannelly: And Stanley freaked out when he first heard that 'mmmm'.
Stern: And that was actually Chris Beck... and now I love it that it's
basically out Greek chorus commenting on the event.
This 'mmm' is also used in the end credits clip. Other musical
gems to watch out for are the use of the music from The Exorcist during
the attempted exorcism; actress Mandy Moore's own rendition of 'God only knows';
and the alternative/extended version of the sex scene which features different
music - sounding quite familiar, so perhaps pre-existing Beck music used for
the test. These and other choices show how well-thought-out the musical aspect
of the film was in comparison with other teen/coming of age movies.
Full music credits
Opening credits
Music supervisor - John Leshay
Music by Christophe Beck
End credits
Score producted by Christophe Beck
Conducted by Pete Anthony
Orchestrations by Kevin Kleisch and Rossano Galante
Recorded and mixed by Casey Stone
Orchestra contractor - Sandy DeCrescent
Music preparations - Jo Ann Kane Music Services
Score coordinator - Andrew Kaiser
Music editorial services - Lowdown Music, Inc.
Music editor - Tim Isle
Assistant editor - Dave Klotz
Music clearances - Tristana Ward
Songs
"Beautiful thing"
Written by Ian Ashley Esketin
Performed by All-Star United
Courtesy of Reunion Records
"Flowers in the window"
Written by Francis Healy
Performed by Travis
Courtesy of Epic Records
"Everyday"
Written by David James Lichens
Performed by Royale
"Four seasons, op.3. Danza Pastorale Allegro"
Written by Vivaldi
Courtesy of Opus 1 Music Library
"God only knows"
Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher
Performed by Mandy Moore and Michael Stipe
Courtesy of Epic Records / Sony Music
"God only knows"
Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher
Performed by Mandy Moore as Hilary Faye Stockard**
"Holy holy holy"
Traditional, arranged by Goss
Performed by The Martins
Courtesy of Spring Hill Music Group
"Good good feeling"
Written and performed by Wes Cunningham
Courtesy of Pentavant, LLC
"In this life"
Written and performed by Chantal Kreviazuk[?]
Courtesy of Columbia Records / Sony Music Entertainment (Canada) Ltd
"In the sun"
Written and performed by Joseph Arthur"
"It's all good"
Written by David Greenberg
Performed by Disco Pusher
"Jesus swims"
Written and performed by Blair Aaronson **
"Jesus Christ superstar"
Written by Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber and sir Tim Rice
Performed by The Hit Crew
Courtesy of Turn Up the Music, Inc.
"Let it ride"
Written and performed by Wes Cunningham
Courtesy of Noisy Neighbours Productions
"Jingle Bells"
Arranged by Pat Lee, Graham Maclean, Stephen North
Courtesy of Associated Production Music LLC
"Joy to the world"
Traditional
Arranged by Charles Blaker and Kevin Hiatt
Courtesy of Megatrax Production Music, Inc.
"Little piece of Heaven"
Written by Kim Fox
Performed by Mandy Moore as Hilary Faye Stockard
Courtesy of Epic Records / Sony Music
"Let the mystery be"
Written by Iris De Ment
Performed by Julie Staines
"One for the money"
Written by David Greenberg and David Siskovic
Performed by Disco Pusher
"O come all ye faithful"
Arranged by C. Mercer
Courtesy of Associated Production Music LLC
"Push it"
Written by Herbie Azor and Ray Davies
Performed by Salt-N-Pepa
Courtesy of Island Def Jam Music Group
"Personal Jesus"
Written by Martin Gore
Performed by Depeche Mode
Courtesy of Sire Records / Mute Records
"Silent night"
Arranged by L. Young
Courtesy of Associated Production Music LLC
"She's so bad"
Written by Victor Balogh and Farrah Rocker
Performed by She Boy Gun
"Things are what you make of him"
Written by Justin Rice and Christian Rudder
Performed by Bishop Allen
Courtesy of The Champagne School
"Skyway"
Written by Paul Westerberg
Performed by The Replacements
Courtesy of Sire Records
"Tubular bells'
(Theme from The Excorcist)
Written by Mike Oldfield
Performed by Blair Aaronson**
"Triumph of the spirit"
Written and performed by Alfred Newman
Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Music Inc.**
"We'll inherit the Earth"
Written by Paul Westerberg
Performed by The Replacements
Courtesy of Sire Records
"Wanderlust"
Written and performed by Carla Werner
Courtesy of Columbia Records
"Whoomp! (There it is)"
Written by Stephen Gibson and Cecil Lavel Glenn
Performed by Tag Team
Courtesy of DM Records, Inc.
"What if God fell from the sky"
Written by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois
Courtesy of McDaniel Entertainment