Music Composed by Benjamin Wallfisch
Milan Records is releasing the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack for KING OF THIEVES today on digital platforms, with CD and LP releases to follow.
The film (starring Sir Michael Caine, Sir Tom Courtenay, Sir Michael Gambon, Charlie Cox, Jim Broadbent, Paul Whitehouse and Ray Winstone) tells the story of the notorious Hatton Garden diamond heist and will release theatrically today in the U.K. It is directed by Oscar winning director James Marsh (THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, MAN ON WIRE) and produced by Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (DARKEST HOUR, BABY DRIVER), Michelle Wright, Ali Jafaar and Amelia Granger.
The original score by Golden Globe®, BAFTA®, GRAMMY® and Emmy® nominated composer Benjamin Wallfisch features full big band and in the composer’s words is “a love letter to the 60’s.”
“The complete score becomes a tapestry of musical surprises – which is the great virtue of all Ben’s work,” said director James Marsh.
“In our initial discussions, Ben and I had found a common inspiration in the work of John Barry. We wanted that kind of mysterious, lush, retro feel to our score but reimagined for the 21st century through Ben’s unique sensibility. Thus, the Cimbalom and our other key instrument, the Wurlitzer. But there’s quite a bit more to the score than that. The musical voice of the police investigation is inflected with spacey electronica. The main heist is a raucous, exuberant re-working of Tchaikowsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy as played by a big band.
The music here can be enjoyed happily away from the film, but I don’t think the converse is true. As with all the best scores, the music in KING OF THIEVES is the air the film needs in order to breathe.”
About KING OF THIEVES:
Produced by Working Title Films for STUDIOCANAL, KING OF THIEVES is the incredible true story of the spectacular Hatton Garden diamond heist, the biggest and most daring in British history, humorously told through career best performances from a stellar cast; Sir Michael Caine (DUNKIRK, KINGSMAN), Jim Broadbent (SENSE OF AN ENDING, MOULIN ROUGE), Ray Winstone (THE DEPARTED, COLD MOUNTAIN), Sir Michael Gambon (KING’S SPEECH, HARRY POTTER), Sir Tom Courtenay (GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, GAMBIT) and Charlie Cox (THEORY OF EVERYTHING, STARDUST). KING OF THIEVES is written by Joe Penhall (THE ROAD, MINDHUNTER), directed by Academy Awards® winner James Marsh (MAN ON WIRE, THEORY OF EVERYTHING), and produced by BAFTA® winning and Academy Awards® nominees Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (THEORY OF EVERYTHING, LES MISERABLES), alongside Ali Jaafar (THE IDOL) and Michelle Wright (7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE) and Amelia Granger.
About Benjamin Wallfisch:
Golden Globe®, BAFTA®, GRAMMY® and Emmy® nominated composer Benjamin Wallfisch’s career spans over 75 feature films, recently including Denis Villeneuve’s critically acclaimed BLADE RUNNER: 2049, in collaboration with Academy Award® winning composer and regular collaborator Hans Zimmer; Andy Muschietti’s IT, the most successful horror film of all time; Academy Award® Best Picture nominee, HIDDEN FIGURES (in collaboration with Pharrell Williams and Hans Zimmer) and David F. Sandberg’s box office hit ANNABELLE: CREATION. On the invitation of Zimmer, he recently contributed music based on Elgar’s ‘Enigma’ Variations for Christopher Nolan’s DUNKIRK.
Other recent projects include Gore Verbinski’s A CURE FOR WELLNESS and the Steven Spielberg produced short film AUSCHWITZ, directed by Academy Award® winner, James Moll. Upcoming movies include Steven Knight’s SERENITY, starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway and David Sandberg’s SHAZAM!, starring Zachary Levi and Mark Strong.
With over 25 acclaimed albums of his music released to date, Benjamin has performed live in over 100 concerts worldwide, leading orchestras such as the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony at venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Sydney Opera House and Royal Festival Hall. He has collaborated, recorded and performed his music with artists including Lang Lang, Herbie Hancock and Yuja Wang, and has over 50 concert music commissions to his name.
He has collaborated three times with Pharrell Williams, including a live performance at the 2015 GRAMMY® Awards and recently partnered with Adele, arranging her 2017 GRAMMY® performance of George Michael’s ‘Fast Love’.
A member of the BAFTA® Academy since 2009, Benjamin was appointed an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London in 2014. In 2017, he was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Album Release Dates:
Digital (Worldwide): September 14, 2018
CD & LP (World ex-North America): October 5, 2018
LP (North America): November 9, 2018
TRACKLIST CD/DIGITAL
1. Reader’s Theme
2. The Scheme
3. Diamond Education
4. What About My Privacy
5. Load In
6. Blinking Red Light
7. Night at Hatton Garden
8. Sugar Plum Raid
9. The Morning After the Night Before
10. Train Escape
11. Where’s Basil
12. Tracking the Lads
13. I’m the Guv Now
14. Police Sting
15. Reader Arrested
16. King of Thieves
TRACKLIST LP
Side A
1. Reader’s Theme
2. The Scheme
3. Diamond Education
4. What About My Privacy?
5. Load In
6. Blinking Red Light
7. Night At Hatton Garden
8. Sugar Plum Raid
9. The Morning After The Night Before
Side B
1. Train Escape
2. Where’s Basil
3. Tracking The Lads
4. I’m The Guv Now
5. Police Sting
6. Reader Arrested
7. King of Thieves
Watch a behind the scenes look at Abbey Road Studios recording sessions for Benjamin Wallfisch’s score for ‘King of Thieves’, directed by James Marsh and starring Michael Caine, Charlie Cox, Jim Broadbent, Michael Gambon, Ray Winstone and Paul Whitehouse
