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Tracks and Composer Commentary:
Kong Dispatches the Tyrant
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Finding the right music for Kong's epic fighting sequences (like this battle with a T-Rex) took some unexpected turns. I initially created a very savage and primal sound - violent orchestration, booming drums, etc. But when we matched the music with the roaring sound effects, the result was total chaos. Even worse, there was no soul to it. Time for plan B. Instead of scoring the action itself, the dev team suggested I score the emotional stakes underlying the action. It was a great direction. I opened with Kong's tragic hero theme (see #2 below) using a huge choir and orchestra. Then I developed it with a cycle of harmonies continually straining against resolution while the orchestration rises and falls through a concourse of rich symphonic colors. It is an unexpected sound for Kong and his epic battles, but the result has a startlingly dramatic effect when experienced during game play.
King Kong, the Tragic Hero
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The story of King Kong is a classic tale of a tragic hero. Kong takes on a heroically protective instinct towards Ann Darrow and preserves her life and the lives of her companions against unbelievable odds. But he pays a terrible price. Ann's companions initially misunderstand and then viciously exploit him. Kong is stolen away from his homeland and taken to an even stranger and more dangerous place (New York City). He is chained, put on display, harassed, hunted down and eventually killed. It is a devastatingly cathartic drama. This music track is Kong's archetypal theme. The first stanza sets up the theme, the second one develops it, and the third brings on the ultimate finale.
Fury and Heroics
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Here's where the threads of Kong's score really start to come together. Kong rushes in to rescue Ann from two enormous dinosaurs. A colossal battle ensues with everything at stake. It is a visually stunning scene, hands down the most riveting I've ever seen in a console game. The score takes the epic approach outlined in excerpt #1 above and ties it to Kong's tragic hero theme. By this point in the game, synchronicity kicks in and the score starts playing the player, inexplicably intensifying the experience beyond the visceral level. There's also an important and tender moment at the end of this piece. Kong comes face-to-face with Ann as she realizes that he has saved her, waging a deleterious battle simply to preserve her life.
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