Trent Reznor at the movies
Reznor’s movie composition didn’t start with the Oscarwinning collaboration with Atticus Ross for ‘The Social Network’. Here are 10 tracks which show how the Nine Inch Nails alt-rocker darkened movie music
Hand Covers Bruise The Social Network (2010)
David Fincher used “jangly college-rock” as temp music for his Facebook movie’s opening. Working with Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor fixed that. Setting atomised piano notes to nagging digi-scapes, the main theme evokes disconnection beautifully.
Infiltrator The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Emboldened by The Social Network’s Oscar win, Reznor/Ross went for broke with a threehour score for Fincher’s fjord-noir thriller. Among its dirty drones, clammy art noises and ice-cold pianos, the pulverising Infiltrator is a hyper-agitated stand-out.
Burn Natural Born Killers (1994)
Long before ‘Network,’ Reznor curated a wide-ranging soundtrack for Oliver Stone’s bullish satire: the CD takes on a life of its own. Of his own contributions, A Warm Place pre-empts later Reznor mood-pieces, but it’s industrial headbanger Burn that shakes you hardest.
In Motion The Social Network (2010)
Reznor/Ross’ other ‘Network’ standout is the techno yin to the atmospheric yang of Hand.
“We wanted something that… sounded like ideas,” said Reznor. In Motion is the propulsive sound of inspiration in full small-hours flow, alert and adrenalised.
Immigrant Song The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)
The scorching synth-rock rush of Reznor/Ross’ Led Zeppelin cover is the blazing outlier on Girl’s otherwise glacial, bone-chilling soundtrack. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O sings like she’s got Viking blood roaring through her veins.
Closer (Precursor) Se7en (1995)
Talk about an attention-grabber. Given a hot-and-bothered remix by experi-pioneers Coil, NIN’s seminal sex-metal grinder haunts the titles of Fincher’s psycho-horror like a stalker. NSFW obsession provides a thematic link to John Doe’s journals.
At Risk Gone Girl (2014)
Fincher wanted warped spa music for his Gillian Flynn adaptation. Reznor and Ross’ electro-soiled magnolia muzak duly evokes a creeping sense of pent-up domestic dread. An insidious slow-burner, At Risk climaxes at that moment.
Dead Souls The Crow (1994)
The soundtrack to the kohl-eyed superhero film invited ’90s alterna-kids to ditch grunge for post-punk, industrial rock and goth. The molten melodrama of NIN’s Joy Division cover links the available options with seething swagger.
Undercurrents Bird Box (2018)
“A fucking waste of time,” said Reznor of scoring Netflix’s end-of-days movie. The consolation is that Reznor/Ross’ part-plaintive, part-pulverising score — underused on-screen — stands strong alone: even by Reznor’s standards, Undercurrents is epically anguished.
Big Wide World Mid90s (2018)
Jonah Hill wanted Reznor/Ross’ take on warmth for his coming-of-age movie.
The EP-length score is a tender gem of outsider sympathies, aglow with unforced optimism on this piano piece. Next surprise step for Reznor/Ross? Pixar’s ‘Soul’. Kevin Harley