David Arnold Discusses James Bond In Audio Interview

David Arnold

The name’s Arnold, David Arnold. Stage & Screen Online has posted online a two-part interview recorded this month with the composer best known in the 007 community for his work on the past four James Bond films.

Totaling over 70 minutes in length, the first part of the interview with Tommy Pearson (which runs for 43 minutes) centers on Arnold’s beginnings and early student films with director Danny Cannon. His pre-Bond work, including Stargate, Independence Day and Godzilla.

Part two (29 minutes) focuses on Arnold’s association with James Bond. Arnold discusses how the popular Shaken & Stirred project came about as well as John Barry’s reaction to it.

Arnold then goes on to explain his process for creating the music in his debut Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies, which he summed up as ‘a love letter to all things that are great about James Bond music.’

The World Is Not Enough (‘…a lot to live up to with a 17-minute opening pre-title sequence’) and Die Another Day (‘both the film and the music reached the zenith…’) follow.

‘I wanted to make a song and a sound that reflected the way that Daniel Craig was [James Bond],’ says Arnold while explaining what was so different about Casino Royale. ‘I wanted it to sound the way that he looks and he is. He hadn’t become James Bond yet, so why have the James Bond theme? Why would we be ahead of him?’

Tons and tons of other details on 007 are discussed, including the differences between the spectacle of Die Another Day and Casino Royale as well as the fact that Arnold provided the music for all the screentests for the Bond #6 candidates.

And what about Bond 22? ‘I haven’t seen the script yet, but I met with the director, Marc Forster, and we had a very brief chat … in a way, I feel that this next one is the toughest one yet. It was much easier following up Die Another Day with a film where the general media response [regarding Craig’s announcement as the new 007] was “he’s not going to work…”. Following up something as commercially and critically successful as Casino Royale is a much tougher job. I think expectactions are much higher now.’

Head on over to Stage & Screen Online to listen to the complete two-part interview with David Arnold. The interview is also available to download as an MP3 file.

Part three, focusing on Arnold’s work on Stoned, Venus, Amazing Grace and Hot Fuzz, will be available next week.

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