Interview: Composer Kevin Lax on Scoring THE FIRST PURGE
Jonathan Barkan
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This is not a test. This is your emergency broadcast system announcing that tomorrow will see the release of The First Purge, Blumhouse’s latest entry in their wildly successful Purge franchise that began in 2013. Since then, two films have taken on the concept after the events of the first film but tomorrows entry goes back to the beginning of The Purge, when the idea was first brought forth and implementation of such a terrifying concept became reality.
To celebrate the fireworks and patriotism of July 4 – not to mention the violence and mayhem of The First Purge – we’ve got an interview with composer Kevin Lax to find out what it takes to bring a sonic and musical element to a film with this kind of impact.
“Behind every tradition lies a revolution. Next Independence Day, witness the rise of our country’s 12 hours of annual lawlessness. Welcome to the movement that began as a simple experiment: The First Purge. To push the crime rate below one percent for the rest of the year, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) test a sociological theory that vents aggression for one night in one isolated community. But when the violence of oppressors meets the rage of the marginalized, the contagion will explode from the trial-city borders and spread across the nation.”
The film is directed by Gerard McMurray from a screenplay by James DeMonaco and stars Y’Lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Joivan Wade, Luna Lauren Velez and Marisa Tomei.
Dread Central: What type of sound were you aiming to create and what makes it different from the previous three films? Did you use any new or unusual instruments to produce the sound of fear?
Kevin Lax: When first I set out to score The First Purge, I wanted to be mindful of the previous Purges and remain overall consistent with the franchise sound, but certainly, add my own spin. I ended up processing a lot of sounds I associated with the Purge (screams, gunshots, etc…) into usable sounds – pulses, pads, and percussion, as well as using several analog synths and effect units to further expand the palette. One other notable sound was the use of field chant/African American chant/spirituals to underscore the racial elements of the movie in an evocative but tactful way.
DC: What was the most interesting part about working on this film? What did you learn to form it?
KL: The most interesting, and probably most challenging, the aspect of working on The First Purge was accommodating the various shifts in the narrative. The movie covers a lot of ground, from horror moments to suspense, and from emotional to intense action, so keeping that all unified and feeling congruous tonally was an interesting challenge. What helped address this, and what I learned from this, was the necessity of having a strong initial template that provides the backbone of the score. This was mostly textural in nature, as opposed to more traditional thematic motives.
DC: What was your inspiration behind this score?
KL: My inspiration behind the score was attempting to put myself in the shoes of an individual experiencing something like the Purge, and how terrifying it would be. How surreal, scary, and crazy it would all be. Also, there’s a component of humanness to the story, and that really resonated with me.
DC: Are you a fan of horror films? If so, what is your favorite horror film or score of all time and why?
KL: I certainly have some favorites in the horror-suspense genre, with The Thing (’82) being at the top. I think John Carpenter and Ennio Morricone did tremendous work on this film, capturing the isolation, tension, surrealism, and utter fear of the story. From the solo bass to the woodwind clusters, I think it fits perfectly with the plot as it unfolds and the characters fall deeper and deeper into despair as the reality of the situation sets in. Ennio recognized how effective one element can be when used very deliberately and skillfully, which I love.
Categorized:News
