If you are a fan of cinema I urge you to go and see Dune Part 2 while it is still in cinemas (ideally an IMAX screen for the film to have the full impact). Denis Villeneuve’s follow-up to the spectacular Dune Part 1 is truly one of the best cinematic experiences that I have had in recent memory, and a huge part of that is due to the overwhelmingly epic score composed by the great Hans Zimmer
When it comes to writing genuinely intriguing musical blogs, noone does it like local lad and music teach, Ben Goble...
Zimmer won the Oscar for Best Original Score back in 2022 for his work in Part 1, and (according to an interview that I saw with him about his work on Part 2) never stopped working on the score for the second part even though the sequel hadn’t been 100% given the go-ahead. Zimmer had always had a great love for Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi novel, and having previously worked with Villeneuve on the critically acclaimed sequel to Bladerunner in 2017 was delighted to be able to join forces again and work on this project.
I was fortunate enough to see Hans Zimmer perform live in 2022 at the 02 Arena, where he led an orchestra filled with some of the most unique and spectacular musicians I haver ever seen in what I can only describe as a transcendental concert filled with every emotion one could possibly hope to experience. From the swashbucklingly epic music from The Pirates Of The Caribbean to the overwhelmingly intimate score to Interstellar, this concert will remain one of the greatest things that I have ever had the privilege to see and still give me goosebumps when I reminisce about it.
Aside from the dopamine-filled rollercoaster experience of hearing the scores from some of my favourite films performed with true passion and spectacle (and bawling my eyes out like a baby during The Lion King suite), I still remember that his concert opened with the suite from Dune Part 1, and it took me by surprise how much of an impact this score had on me.
I had enjoyed Dune Part 1, but hadn’t been in the best of moods when I initially went to go and see it, and one might call it a bit of a “slow burn” as a large part of the film’s runtime is dedicated to immensely detailed world-building and laying the foundations for the story to build upon. I am ashamed to admit that I have tried to read Dune several times, but haven’t finished it yet, so I did not have a pre-existing emotional connection to either the story or the world that was being so lovingly crafted in this film.
However, when Zimmer’s concert opened with the terrifying beautiful vocals performed by Loire Colter (Zimmer’s “voice of Dune”) I could not help but be transported to Arrakis and feel the weight of both the score and the story come rushing back to me. Zimmer is a veteran master of film music, and he really pulled out the stops for this one, using instruments of all varieties to create a masterpiece of a score.
A particular stand-out for me was the use of what I thought were bagpipes for the theme for House Atredies, only to find out recently that to create the sound, he had layered and compressed electric guitar recordings from his long-time collaborator and guitar maestro Guthrie Govan (because where’s the fun of doing things simply, eh?).
With this in mind, I had high expectations for Part 2 (always a dangerous proposition with modern Hollywood) and I am pleased to say that they were exceeded in the most surprising way. Zimmer said in a recent interview that although he is immensely proud of his scores, he still hasn’t written what he would consider his great love theme yet. Without giving you any plot spoilers, there is a love story at the heart of Part 2, and Zimmer’s theme for this romance seems to act as the main theme of the film.
The heart-pounding score that plays during the action scenes is still as dramatic and stimulating as ever, and the music used during all scenes concerned with terrible prophecy and religious zealotry is still equally beautiful and disturbing; but the love theme is what elevated this film for me from a sci-fi epic to genuinely one of the most truly special cinematic experiences that I have had in recent years.
If you listen to the track “A Time Of Quiet Between The Storms”, you hear a tender and delicate melody performed on an Armenian Duduk (I think…given the tricks that he pulled with the bagpipes it could be a bloody kazoo), while the delicate sounds of falling and flowing sand play in the background and gentle synth pads provide simple foundational harmonies for the melody to sit on top of.
Then, out of nowhere, around the 3 minute mark, Zimmer brings in a huge synth part (which is very reminiscent of the scores of Vangelis) and powerful percussive stabs to knock you back in your seat, waves of emotion washing over you as you sit experiencing a master at work. This theme returns throughout the film, most notably at the film’s conclusion in the track “Kiss The Ring”, and I am not ashamed to say that I sat through the final scenes of the film with goosebumps covering my skin and tears welling up in my eyes.
So in conclusion I think I’ll say (although I hate this phrase), do yourself a favour and go and see Dune Part 2 while it is still in cinemas. It is visually breathtaking, a truly epic story, and the music is as good as it gets. Part 1 is currently on Netflix, so I’d suggest watching that in the morning, having lunch, and then going to the cinema to have a truly unforgettable experience.
Thanks for reading!
Ben
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