Soundtracks News

Composer David Julyan reteams with Christopher Nolan for “The Prestige”

By Patrick Luce Oct 25, 2006, 16:37 GMT

Soundtrack for the movie The Prestige ...more

Continuing a longstanding relationship that dates back to their college days, composer David Julyan has reteamed with director Christopher Nolan for “The Prestige” - the latest in a series of collaborations that includes such films as “Memento” and “Insomnia.” 

With an all-star cast that includes Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo and Scarlett Johansson, the stylish, uniquely twisted period piece tells the story of two rival musicians in turn-of-the-century London who battle each other for trade secrets. The rivalry is so intense that it turns them into murderers. The film is in theaters now in the U.S. and will be released in the U.K. on November 10th.

Although the story is set at the turn of the century, Julyan incorporated modern musical elements into his music for the film.  In addition to a 60 piece orchestra, Julyan employed electronic music to capture a sense of intensity and intrigue that follows the magicians' lifelong battle for supremacy, full of obsession, deceit and jealousy.

Nolan and Julyan's teamwork dates back to Nolan's short film "Larceny," shot while Julyan was still in college.  Soon after, they collaborated on their first feature length film, "Following," a black and white movie shot on the streets of London.  Julyan's dark and atmospheric scores began to add impact to Nolan's suspenseful stories. 

For the breakthrough hit "Memento," a noir thriller of murder told in reverse, Julyan's music again added a new depth and mood.  The big-budget "Insomnia," another collaboration with Nolan, marked Julyan's first orchestral score, with a soaring combination of live instruments and electronica that brought him to a new level of scoring sophistication.

David Julyan has scored over a dozen film and television projects in various genres with various directors, including intimate character ensembles in films such as "Spivs" and "Inside I'm Dancing," and full scale orchestral scores for "Dungeons and Dragons 2" and "The Descent."

"The Prestige" soundtrack is now available at Amazon. Visit the soundtrack database for more information and a complete track listing.