Eye On Horror
Eye On Horror
NightWatch: Demons Are Forever Composer Ceiri Torjussen
This week, the boys sit down with composer Ceiri Torjussen to discuss his new film Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever. Everything from working with Marco Beltrami, to using films score for sound design and recording moths for the soundtrack (hint, the challenge is finding a lone moth). Watch Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever now playing on Shudder!
But before then, Jay Reviews Furiosa and The Strangers, Correia talks Dead Boy Detectives, and Jacob attends his own wake like some modern day Huckleberry Finn.
It's all new on Eye On Horror!
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Welcome to Eye On Horror, the official podcast of iHorror.com. This is episode 126. Otherwise known as season seven, Episode Seven. I'm your host James Jay Edwards and with me as always is your other host, Jacob Davison. How you doing? Jacob?
Jacob Davidson:Doing good. I celebrated my birthday this weekend. Cool.
James Jay Edwards:How was that?
Jacob Davidson:It was fun. Jonathan was there. We'll get into it later, but I decided to celebrate this year by doing a living wake.
James Jay Edwards:Also with us, as always, is your other other hosts Jon Correia. How you doing? Correia did
Jonathan Correia:pretty good. A little upset I didn't get anything from the Jacob Davison estate like asked me to speak at your wake. But I don't get anything.
Jacob Davidson:You had to spend a night in a haunted house? No, I'm taking it with me to the grave. I'm being buried with my blu rays like an Egyptian pharaoh. Just
Jonathan Correia:make a coffin out of VHS tapes. Actually,
Jacob Davidson:you could do that.
Jonathan Correia:I could I have. I mean, we could just repurpose the ones I built into the shelves I guess.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah, VHS coffin. Boom.
Jonathan Correia:That Oh, man, that would be so heavy. Dude. Let me tell you. That VHS shelf I built that is I fear the day we move out of this apartment because that thing is so huge and just like barely held together. And yeah, it's probably not gonna make it.
James Jay Edwards:Well, what's been going on this week? I saw something just last night. That's super cool. I saw Furiosa
Jacob Davidson:Yeah, Buck jealous. It is.
James Jay Edwards:It's everything you expect from a George Miller Mad Max movie it it's not quite as stunt laten Fury Road because Fury Road is basically just one big chase movie. You know, and this one there, there are chases in it. But there's a little more of a story. It's basically the origin story for Furiosa. But it you know, it shows how she was taken from the green place. And then she got kind of pass a Thor. Chris Hemsworth plays a character called momentous. And he he's got the most ridiculous prosthetic nose. It's hilarious. Like, as soon as he turns his face around and you see him as like, you know, it's him, but he's got like this. Who's the dude from digital underground? The Humpty hump. Oh, yeah. That's what it kind of looks like. And in the whole place, it kind of like, broke the mood everyone kind of started laughing but he kind of rises through power through the wasteland. So you get to see the politics between the Citadel bullet town and Gastown. And it's you know, it's it's a pretty serviceable origin story there. You know, instead of jumping Supercross motorcycles and, and Cirque de Soleil a poll guys, you've got like paragliders. And, you know, I mean, it's, it's, it's new stuff. It's George Miller stuff. It's him saying, you know, how can I show off this time? So, you know, there's a lot of cool Demetus rides this chariot that is pulled by three motorcycles, and there's no one on these motorcycles. So he's controlling it from the chariot. It's actually it's pretty fun. And he also has a monster truck. That is like a six wheel monster truck. It's pretty cool. It's pretty cool. But yeah, it's it's fun. It will it'll, it'll satisfy the you know, it'll scratch the Mad match the Mad Max itch that everyone's got. And it does. This was my big concern. It does show how Furiosa loses her arm. So you were wondering about that? Garbage
Jonathan Correia:disposal. That was my guess. drop something in the garbage disposal. It just ate the whole arm. That was my guess. But you know,
James Jay Edwards:my guess was an alligator attack. And it's
Jonathan Correia:not that many alligators in the desert.
Jacob Davidson:She had to chop her own hand off after got possessed by Deadites.
James Jay Edwards:The chainsaw got into her arm and it went bad. Okay,
Jonathan Correia:Kandarrion demons can't live with them. You definitely can't live with Oh, no, I was always stoked for fury. Furiosa so I know some people were complaining Oh, it's not like Fury Road but like Fury Road was in an was a chase sequence the entire movie and that was epic and awesome. But like, and there was a lot of really great world building within that but like, yeah, do this. You can't Just do it again. You know, you got to do something different. So people complaining, I don't know, everyone's always trying to find some controversy. I saw one review where someone raved about it and then somebody immediately was like this They also said The Last Jedi was good. And it's like, Dude, come on, get over it.
Jacob Davidson:It's they're never gonna get over it. They're still gonna be pissed about The Last Jedi until the end of time.
James Jay Edwards:And The Last Jedi was good. Yeah. I mean, it was better than any of the prequel ones. I thought that, you know, it was no Rogue One. But yeah,
Jonathan Correia:we'll see. Speaking of Australian Dan Stevens, because that's what everyone calls Chris Hemsworth. Dan Stevens from well, because everyone calls Chris Hemsworth the Australian Dan Stevens obviously,
James Jay Edwards:I thought Dan Stevens was the British Chris Hemsworth.
Jonathan Correia:No, Chris Hemsworth is the Australian Dan Stevens. But that was a terrible transition. Anyways, so I finished watching Star Trek Voyager the other day, so I'm on my break from Trek shows. So I decided to finally finish slash revisit Legion. The effects show which No, no, dude, that first season is phenomenal. I just blasted through it. It's that whole show that whole first season. It's a possession story, which is fucking awesome. But not only that, but you also get one episode where you get to see Dan Steven's butt and he sings rainbow connection in the same episode. So it's like they're trying to like keep me forever crushing on Dan Stevens. So yeah, Legion rules. But the other show that I got into Have you guys heard of or watched Dead Boy Detectives yet?
Jacob Davidson:I've heard about that. It's the spin off from Sandman and as also Neil Gaiman story. Yeah,
Jonathan Correia:it's it's it's development. It's interesting because it is a DC property. And it's about these. Well, two dead boys who are detectives one died in like 1916, and the other one died in the 80s. And the one that died in the 1916 spent 70 years and held due to a technicality. And he escaped and so they solve ghosts mysteries and they're on unfinished business, all while evading death, because they they're supposed to have crossed over so every time they solve one they have to hide. And it's interesting development because while they were like in the Sandman comics, they've been brought over into other DC comics like a lot of characters like John Constantine was in Swamp Thing. And then he got pulled into Sandman. And it's a whole crossroad things but originally Dead Boy Detective made their appearance in Doom Patrol and we're going to be a part of the Doom Patrol Teen Titans DC Universe. But wonder brothers ended up selling it to Netflix. And so Netflix made it a part of the Sandman universe, which they god because this show is basically like if you liked Sandman, but thought it's not as a gig. Like if you were sitting there like oh man Sandman is good, but I wish this was like, a lot queerer. This is that show it like I don't know if there's a single straight character in that show. And it's fantastic. It's so funny. It's so weird. Lucas Cage plays The Cat King in it. And he's just like constantly hitting on one of the guys. There's some like really great stuff with supernatural folktaily horror is brought in. It's got this like really nice like, campy but very Gen Z and energy to it. Yeah, dead boys. Detect dead boy detective. Detectives. It's it's a lot of fun. There's like eight episodes and it's on Netflix. So yeah, check it out. And also, keep building the Sandman universe. That's all I want is just more Sandman spin offs and series and seasons. And yeah, keep it going.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah, I think this next season of Sandman is coming next year. I think. Not
Jonathan Correia:soon enough. Not soon enough.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah true, speaking of death, king of transitions. Yeah, so I celebrated my birthday over the weekend by doing a living wake. Inspired by that one episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm with Albert Brooks. Although I was not revealed as a COVID hoarder, that's
Jonathan Correia:what the bit was because someone mentioned that I think it was Dustin called, claimed you were a COVID. hoarder. Like, there's a reference here. I'm missing but like it's on the tip of the tongue. It was Curb. Gotcha. Okay.
James Jay Edwards:Wasn't there a living week in the M.A.S.H movie Correia? There was a guy who, who was wanted to kill himself so they held like a funeral for him before he did and that's when they actually sing suicides. Have you not seen the M.A.S.H movie? You just a TV show guy. It's
Jonathan Correia:a sudden shaming of Korea Africa. Oh, wait, you only watched the match? No, no, you've never seen the mirror fake
Jacob Davidson:fan.
James Jay Edwards:It wasn't a shame. It was a it was a question.
Jonathan Correia:You know, it's the M.A.S.H Movie is kind of like season three of ash versus the Evil Dead. I haven't like i It's been so long since like I think the M.A.S.H movie haven't seen since I was a kid and I haven't watched yet because once I do that I'm out of M.A.S.H to watch. It's kind of like how Ash vs Evil Dead has never ended for me because I never watched the third season. Oh, okay, and so like, it's just delaying the inevitable
James Jay Edwards:the M.A.S.H movie. I saw it after I'd watched a bunch of the TV show. And it's jarring because none of the same actors are in it or not radar. Yeah, not not none of them. But, um, but it's a different Hawkeye and it's a different trapper. I mean, it's a little jarring. But yeah, in that one, I'm one of the characters is depressed, he's going to kill himself. So they hold like a funeral for him while he's alive. And that's when you get to hear all of the lyrics to suicide is painless, you know, because there's like six verses of lyrics. Yeah.
Jonathan Correia:Which I still I love the story of the theme for M.A.S.H because like, I guess it was the direct he the director asked his son to just write something that sounds like of the time. And so his very young son, like, threw that together. And then, because they adapted it into the show, and they just use the instrumentals of it. He's made more money than his father did. Yeah. The movie with all the reruns in the, you know, 11 seasons and all that. Damnit. J don't break up mash now with the temptation of rewatch M.A.S.H.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah. And it's completely overshadowed my birthday. Yeah,
Jonathan Correia:back to Jacob's birthday. So I did give a eulogy. It was very moving. It was very beautiful. A lot of people are crying over my words. And of course, you know, had to play a song that matched the moment which of course, was the Monster Squad rap? Yes. At the Monster Squad as
Jacob Davidson:I would have wanted, brought
Jonathan Correia:a boombox played it on cassette, held it over my head Say Anything that it was very moving. Very emotional. And it was in a comic book
Jacob Davidson:store. Yeah. Which was also fitting, and I was in an actual coffin. When he says he was actual coffin. Actual nylon costumes. Jacob's coffin
Jonathan Correia:was one of those like, like not inflatable it was a it was like a you twist it to pull it pack it away, and it was nylon. And he was like, Maybe you were like, what, six inches too tall for it. And so your knees were sticking up. And yeah, we we had you up on a folding table that just like, looked like if you were just like a few pounds would have collapsed. It was such a beautiful sight. Yeah,
Jacob Davidson:no, just I had a bunch of friends over. We did a blast from the past. And, ya know, just to had everybody eulogize me and a lot of them were roasting my dead ass. But a lot. There was a lot of actual sentimentality and people were honoring my memory. And, you know, it's just nice to have everybody together and then we had some cake and pizza. just hung out, reminisced. So I gotta say, in terms of birthday parties, it was pretty high up there as being one of the best.
James Jay Edwards:Now if they were roasting you did you get to rise from the dead and roast back like usual riffs.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah, actually, I kind of like I came to life at the end as a vampire and gave a speech of my own. Although mine was more about appreciating life than how as a horror fan you know, you see people die so much that it makes you appreciate being alive and and yeah, I did throw a couple zingers back
Jonathan Correia:a lot of people roasted you for loving Demon Wind Yes, yes they did. Which I didn't know was a thing we could do because you were the one that convinced me to buy Demon Wind we were at a convention and you were like look at this cover. Isn't this great? And I went Ooh, shiny thing. Shiny lithograph and yeah, so I didn't realize how much of a impact you had on people's lives by essentially forcing them to watch Demon Wind yeah pretty much
Jacob Davidson:and they hate me for it but you know they'll never forget Demon Wind so in the end I when I
Jonathan Correia:still have that blur, I can't get rid of it. It's still every time I'm like, Demon Wind not that good of a move. Am I ever gonna revisit it and then look at the cover again? I'm like, shiny thing.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah, I mean, it is funny how the marketing of the original VHS with the holographic cover transition to the blu ray. And how nothing has changed like if VHS or Blu Ray has a cool hologram or lithograph cover
Jonathan Correia:it's it's the lizard brain. It's the shiny lizard brain.
James Jay Edwards:Also the came out this week that I saw The
Strangers:Chapter One. And I know that I was kind of excited about this. Here's the deal with it. How did everybody think that it was a prequel? Because I know, it wasn't my
Jacob Davidson:chapter one, you know, people thought it was a prequel. So it's supposed to be like an origin. But yeah, but it's
James Jay Edwards:not. It's a straight remake of the 2008 movie of like, very straight, like beat for beat remake to the point where, when there's a shotgun introduced, and there's a character that says they're coming by later, you know, if you've seen the 2008 one, what's going to happen to this character? Yeah, I mean, it's that point, you're like, you know, it's it's beat for beat the same movie, they do introduce a little more of the town beforehand. And I don't know if it's because the the lead actors aren't as good of actors as Scott Speedman, and, and Liv Tyler, um, or if it's just the writing, but for some reason, you don't really care about the lead characters. It also might have something to do with the fact that you know, what's going to happen to them, because once you figure out that it is a straight remake, which is, you know, somewhere about at the end of the first act, you're like, they're doing The Strangers. You, you kind of just realized, like, okay, these people are both the they're fodder. So it kind of feels more like a slasher movie than a home invasion movie. What I think that they do do really well, it's getting slaughtered by the critics. People are hating this movie. And I don't think it's as bad as people say it is. And the only thing I can think of as people were not expecting it to be just a flat remake, it reminds me of those platinum dunes movies that came out in the early 2000s. You know, when they started doing like, the Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw, you know, all those remakes. It's kind of like that. It's a modernization. That was the first thing that told me it wasn't a prequel is that there are things like AirBnB and iPhones and I'm like, but they didn't even have those things when they were doing the first movie. So that's how I knew it wasn't a prequel from the beginning. But the thing that they do, right, is they really capture that hole that you know, now you see him now you don't bet the killers do. There's one scene in particular that's actually was really effective for me is the woman is it's when the guy goes out and leaves her there by herself, which happens in the original too. And she sits down and is playing piano. And it's a long shot behind her. And you see above the piano, you think it's a painting because there's like, there's, you know, there's like texture to it, and you think it's a painting and then it cuts away to something else. And that cuts back and there's a chair there. And you realize one of the killers was sitting there. It's a it's a mirror, and you're like, Oh, they're in the house with their you know, if there's things like that, where you're always looking in the background, and you're like, you know, and it's to the point where you think you see stuff that isn't there, you know, which is was the same with the original. So Renny Harlin did get that, right, he really captured the tension of the original, you know, with his imagery, but writing wise, yeah, it's it's not I mean, it's, it's a beat for beat remake, and you just don't care as much about but the thing is, it does end with the end of The Strangers. So chapter two and three are going to go into new territory, because I doubt they're going to do Prey at Night. With this at least I hope they don't. But What scares me is I'm hoping that introducing the other people of this little podunk town at the beginning of chapter one, I'm hoping that doesn't play too much into two, two and three. Because then because what it did, it almost looked like it started introducing suspects. So you start thinking you're like, Okay, well, is the waitress in that cafe was she wants, you know, pinup girl, or you know, was that, you know, mechanic was that the guy in the mask, you know, it starts making you think, whereas the thing about the strangers is you had no idea when they're unmasked at the end of prey at night, and they actually talk. You're like, we've never seen these people before. You know, you're not supposed to know who they are. So I feel like they're going somewhere where there's going to be like a Scooby Doo unmasking at the end of two or three, which is going to kind of take away from what the strangers is, but it's not as bad as people are making it out to be people are really lambasted. And I think it's because they're expecting something new and it's not it's the strangers.
Jonathan Correia:Well, in, in everyone's defense, that's all they've been saying is like a terrifying new version of the thing or Renny. Harlin, well, you can't remake and do what they did before. So yeah, we're not remaking we're doing something completely different. And it's like, at least be a little honest of like, we're, we're essentially doing the first one again, to set up for something new and it's like, okay, but it's already doing decent. I mean, I think the whole trilogy they said they shot it for like eight or 9 million and It's already made 10 at the box office, so
James Jay Edwards:made 12. And I heard that the actual budget, maybe it is for the whole trilogy, but I thought it was just for chapter one was 8.5. So it has made its money back. But when you make a movie that cheap, how can you not make your money back? Or you don't make their money back on VOD when you when it's that cheap.
Jonathan Correia:But you also have to advertise three movies now, which is the budget each time. So I'm curious if like, if this doesn't do super well, or chapter two doesn't do super well, what that's going to do to affect the release of chapters two and three? Because yeah, they haven't. I don't believe they formally announced when those are coming out just like general time. Yeah,
James Jay Edwards:it's general time, but they're coming out in the next year. But yeah, they haven't given actual dates. But yeah, it's I mean, the thing is with it is and this was our first clue that, you know, they didn't have a lot of confidence in it. They didn't screen it for press. So I had it was one of those T Mobile Tuesday deals. There's like a $5 movie ticket. And I was like, I'm like, You know what, I'm gonna go see this because I want to see it. And, you know, and it was five bucks, which, you know, you can't really beat that these days. Yeah, it's not as bad as everyone says it is. But it's still I mean, I think the original strangers is a masterpiece. I mean, you guys know that. I love that movie. So it's not nearly as good as the original but it all but it is pretty much beat for beat remake, which I don't think people were expecting. One thing
Jonathan Correia:that I know we all watch because we have a very special guest this week involved with it was Nightwatch: Demons are forever. Would you guys think that? My question for you guys, because we got screeners for this earlier in the week. And then the movie just came out on Shudder on Friday. And there was no way of, of getting my hands on the first one. So I went in knowing nothing. About Nightwatch the original movie,
James Jay Edwards:I had seen the Ewan McGregor American remake, but not the original Danish one. So I kind of knew what was going on. But now I didn't I hadn't seen the original.
Jonathan Correia:So this is a sequel to the 30 year old original Nightwatch the Danish film where it follows Martin played by Nikolaj Coster Waldau, who went on to do gaming through Game of Thrones and all that. But this was like his original like, Star making role. And it follows him and his daughter as they kind of are still dealing with like the PTSD and all of that from the original film. And kind of like the return almost Return of the killer from the original Wormer there's there's some choices in this movie, and I really, really enjoyed them.
James Jay Edwards:Oh, yeah, it almost goes. It kind of goes Silence of the Lambs in a couple places where like, the old killers got like a little apprentice. I mean, it Yeah. The thing is, it takes these turns, like anytime you look. And one of the turns totally got me one of the one of the it's not the turn itself, but I thought I had something figured out that I didn't. And I don't want to go into it, because I want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't watched it. But it was one point where they make this big discovery. And I'm like, Okay, this is what's happening. Yeah, and I was wrong. It's not that easy to figure out. Well,
Jonathan Correia:it's interesting because like, The Father is clearly still haunted from the events from the first movie and the mother killed herself in the in between so it's him in the daughter dealing with it. And so the daughter thinks it's a good idea because she finds out that the killer is still alive. He's just in a institution. But at this point, he's blind and borderline mute and all that and so she goes to visit him and to record a video is essentially say this is what's keeping keeping you up at night. This guy he's not a threat at all Dad, get over it and whatnot, get over it, but like, let's move on, you know, let's let's do better. And then she spits out his face. Yeah,
James Jay Edwards:he's like this feeble blind, you know, imprisoned guy. Yeah. But yeah, once she like, you know, she's trying to prove to her dad, you know, this is nothing to be afraid of.
Jonathan Correia:But then a copycat starts doing similar kills with the scalping and everything and so it becomes it becomes a whole thing. But I really, I don't know if enjoyed is the word but I really appreciated the different take on like survivors, because we've seen The Sarah Connor, you know, Jamie Lee Curtis, like, all right, since the first movie, I've been doing pull ups and getting beefy or like getting into like, setting up Rambo s traps everywhere. Whereas this one, a lot of the people that were in the first movie and when you catch up with them later They're just depressed addicts. And it is it is rough some of the scenes there's one in particular where they're having dinner with one of the survivors played by Kim. Bo Deena, who plays
James Jay Edwards:this, this the scene I was thinking of where they're talking about what happened, finally. Yeah,
Jonathan Correia:they're just like at this lovely dinner and they're just nonchalantly talking about so yeah, how often do you do you think about killing yourself? Oh, all the time. And it's just like this very like nonchalant, very blunt conversation. And I'm like, Damn, dude. And it's, it's really well done. Just the bluntness of talking about you know these things. And yeah, there is a bit of a mystery. There's a few points where it makes you go, what, who is it? Who's doing this, you know, and a couple red herrings and yeah, I had a lot of fun with it.
James Jay Edwards:I fell hook line and sinker for one of the red herrings. I know, I discussed it with you, you know, off mic Correia, and I don't want to to mention my my folly, because it might be a bit of a spoiler if someone else falls for it as well. But that dinner scene you're talking about, but one the guy that when the dad escaped from him hit it was him and was it his Was it his brother or his justice friend or something, as if in order to in order to escape, this guy had to cut off the thumb on his non dominant hand to get out of these handcuffs in order to kill? Well, he shot him he didn't kill him, the killer. So there's a constant reminder that this use missing this thumb. So and that's one of the things they're talking about. They're like, you know, there's no way we can ever forget this. You know, every time I look down at my left hand, I mean, it's, it's really well done with this. Not survivor's guilt. But, you know, just survivor's trauma, the PTSD that these people have from this traumatic experience. Yeah.
Jonathan Correia:And it's also really good to see the best friend for Terminator two still working. Now. What are they? One of the actresses as an orange red, a redheaded mullet and totally as a Danny Cooksey. Look, all I could think of is that arcade scene in Terminator two, but she was cool as shit. I mean, like, Yeah, I had a lot of fun with it. I do want to revisit or watch the original Nightwatch and the American remake, Because they seem fun. The
James Jay Edwards:original is all along with Demons Are Forevers on Shudder. Two. So um, I don't know if the Ewan McGregor one is. But the 94 one and the new one are both on Shudder. Yeah, no. Well,
Jonathan Correia:now it is. It was Yeah. We were doing stuff. It was it was it was it made available? So yeah. Yeah. And then I think the the English remake is also available digitally. Yeah,
Jacob Davidson:you can watch both have never seen the English version.
Jonathan Correia:I mean, that's a stacked cast. So that's why I'm interested. But I want to watch the original first, of course.
James Jay Edwards:Now, let's bring in our special guest for the episode. Today. We've got Ceiri Torjussen They say that right?
Ceiri Torjussen:Yep, that's it.
James Jay Edwards:Okay. I was a little worried about that. Ceiri Torjussen, the, the composer of the new Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever. How're you doing, Carrie?
Ceiri Torjussen:Great. Thanks. Thanks for having me.
James Jay Edwards:Oh, thanks for being here. The question I always like to start off with with all of our guests is how did you get started? What was your path to to becoming a big time composer?
Ceiri Torjussen:I don't know about big time. But yeah, I I was playing music since I was very young playing the trumpet and piano and the saxophone. I was in bands and orchestras and all the rest of it, and later, sort of funk and soul bands. And then I did a degree in music in England at York, just in composition and music theory and history. And then I did a master's came to USC in LA and did a master's in composition. Not not in film music. But as a along the way, my dad was making documentaries, news programs for the local TV station. And so my first little bits of working in the business word, doing little bits of music for my dad's documentaries. When I was a teenager, which was kind of hilarious, especially since I wouldn't want to advertise that music anymore. But
James Jay Edwards:I was gonna say anything we would have seen but if you don't want to know.
Ceiri Torjussen:Um, so yeah, so I got my first taste of then. And then I came to USC and did a master's in composition. I didn't didn't study the film music course I just did sort of classical composition. And then that was 25 years ago. And then I started scoring. I was doing student films, and I was at USC. And then my first kind of proper job in the business was I got a job orchestrating for Marco Beltrami the composer. He's awesome. Yeah, his stuff is amazing, and he's been a mentor to me ever since. And I watched Scream the West Craven The first was graven scream. And I heard the music and I thought, what an amazing score and who scored this and, and I thought, Well, if there's anyone I'm going to work with, it'll be, you know, maybe that guy. So I sent him my music and miraculously he listened to it and really liked it and mostly my concert music. And then we met up and he came to my final concert at USC and said, You want to orcastrate for me? So I started started working for Marco. Was
James Jay Edwards:it really that easy? You just send him your music. And he's like, Oh, I like this guy. Why don't you need to work.
Ceiri Torjussen:I mean, I was incredibly lucky. It was a total shock that he was literally the only composer I sent my stuff to when I was at you, because I needed someone to sponsor me for my visa at the time as well. And I was like, I got it. Not only can my broke and do I need money, but I need a sponsor. And amazingly, he responded and really liked my music. We have sort of similar backgrounds. He also studied concert music and wrote a lot of concert music in his in his younger years. So I guess he related to me in that level. And then yeah, I just started orchestrating for him. And our first gig was Dracula. 2000. Yeah, the movie, which was pretty fun, which is amazing as a huge orchestra as an opponent 95 piece orchestra at Toyo, which was my first gig, which was pretty terrifying, but really fun.
Jonathan Correia:That's awesome. And I mean, I love those Dracula movies. And then you scored the third one, right? Yeah, it's
Ceiri Torjussen:called the third I co-scored the third one with a friend of mine, Kevin Kulish. And then, but along the way, I was doing a lot of indie stuff with my own other shorts, and then a lot of indie film a lot of indie features and cannot swim. You know, ever since I've been in a lot of indie features. Mostly, I guess, dramas, and horror films and thrillers, the odd comedy thrown in for light relief. And then documentaries. I've worked on a lot of documentaries, and some animation. I've done a lot of animation as well. So I'm sort of a bit of everything.
James Jay Edwards:So your, your entry into the film music world was as an orchestrator and a conductor.
Ceiri Torjussen:Yeah. Conducting when there was nobody else to do it. And they were desperate. But But writing mostly Yeah, I was. And it was an you only really get orchestrators on bigger budget movies, because they are the only ones that have budgets. So it was working for Marco mostly as an orchestrator. And so I really learned the business from that side. And then composing on my own stuff was more gradual. I started, you know, amassing the gear. And because 25 years ago, you needed typically more than one computer to write a score these days. You can basically do it on iPhone. Kind of but no, that's an exaggeration, I'd still have lots of computers. But But no, the orchestrating was was a real entry point and an amazing learning experience. And some of
James Jay Edwards:the movie like you said, they you have like, orchestrators and conductors on big budget stuff. Some of the stuff you've orchestrated I, Robot, The Day After Tomorrow, Hellboy? I mean, this is big name stuff. So we're talking to a celebrity here? Well,
Ceiri Torjussen:very much behind the scenes,
James Jay Edwards:the orchestrator is not really the name above the title. Exactly.
Ceiri Torjussen:But no, I mean, it was amazing. Alicia, and I, you know, being in the studio in the booth, watching Marco's interaction with the directors, was was invaluable. You know, we were there with Guillermo del Toro on two movies, and watching him in the studio is pretty hilarious, just kind of his demeanor and his honesty about the music, which was pretty, pretty funny. And it you know, I learned a lot just, I learned as much about people and relationships as I did about music and the orchestra. But, you know, it was my, I'd written quite a bit for ocestra before, but to that extent, and having to do it that quickly, and that, you know, that much was was an amazing learning curve. Yeah. And
Jonathan Correia:looking over, you said, you work on just about everything genre wise, but one of the big things is like you do a lot of Docu series and also and then a lot of these, you know, big narratives what's like, one of the big differences between these because whenever I think of someone doing a like TV series, I can't help but think of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where he's talking about just doing like the ominous tone ominous, so, you know, and if there is a is there a bit of truth to that, or is it was
Ceiri Torjussen:with docuseries mean or
Jonathan Correia:yeah Docu Series TV series to, like more narrative feature legs.
Ceiri Torjussen:Yeah. Well, I mean, I think narrative TV is as cinematic these days as, as features you know, as far as Docu series goes, there's two sort of main difference I find between doing documentaries and do narrative one is the tends to be consistent talking in documentaries unless you're doing a nature show, which is, you know, a lot of landscapes and what have you. But typically, it's a lot of talking heads. And so you can't get to you can't draw too much attention to the music, you really got to be in the background, you got to support and you got to try give momentum to the, to the picture, support what they're saying, but not go over the top. Whereas with with narrative, you're paid to go over the top and to when necessary to really push the buttons. So yeah, that's that's one thing. The other one is often in documentaries more often than in narrative, you often write music before you get picture, which is cool because the editors then can cut to your music. And it's actually quite liberating musically not to be confined to picture once in a while. So I really enjoy that both of those aspects really.
Jonathan Correia:So it's like you were saying taking the break and doing the comedy you know, bouncing between them stretching flexing those muscles and stretching a bit. I do have to ask as you did the you posted music for Sharksploitation, which was one of my favorite.
Ceiri Torjussen:Oh you saw it! Oh, great! Oh,
Jonathan Correia:I love watching documentaries about genres. Yeah. How tempting was it to kind of do your own like Jaws theme
Ceiri Torjussen:day with this funny so that's that was a great project that my brother in law Steve's Galata directed it my wife's sister's husband. And we talked a lot about it. And you know, I've done a lot of big monster stuff I've done Big Ass Spider! and Primal Rage and, and, and the first thing Steve said was, I don't want monster music. I want it to be more minimalist. almost kind of like John carpentry or Tubular Bells II, you know, I want this kind of, definitely a more 80s vibe and, and more of a kind of minimalist vibe, because for him the film was about, of course, it was about monsters, but it was the heart of the film was about science was about like the environment and what what Jaws did ultimately to, to marine conservation, and the fact that people started killing sharks and so he wanted to speak to that narrative aspect of the film. So I went down the whole trip of syths and kind of that kind of vibe, which was really fun. So yeah, I there was one or two cues that got really big. I think the sharks Sharknado section got really big and bombastic, which kind of, but otherwise, I kept it fairly kind of low key and kind of minimalist. Oh, sorry. Incidentally, Steve. made Jodorowsky’s Dune. Yes, I don't if you guys have seen that. Oh, yeah. We love Jodorowsky’s Dune. Yeah. And he wrote and produced that. He was like the brains behind that film, which, which is fantastic film.
James Jay Edwards:That's an amazing. I mean, I wish that we could have gotten Jodorowsky’s Dune it. That's the closest we'll get to seeing your Rasky student is that film? We love that movie.
Jonathan Correia:It's still my favorite dune movie. I mean, other movies. But Jodorowsky’s Dune is still
Ceiri Torjussen:great. Yeah. Steve on the podcast, he'd be great. We'd love to, we would love to huge cinefile.
James Jay Edwards:What was it like making the transition from orchestrator to composer? I mean, I mean, clearly you're writing your own stuff instead of just arranging other people's. But what was that, like?
Ceiri Torjussen:It's a totally a different hat. You know, when you're orchestrating, you're getting another composers cue. And you're realizing it for the orchestra. It's very, it's, it's a very creative job. But it's quite a mechanical job as well, you're getting the sequence of file and you're, and then you're figuring out what's important, then you're getting it on school paper. And you're, you're making I mean, with Marco is great, because I could get quite creative with what we did, and add stuff and be creative that way. But ultimately, you had to serve what the queue is doing. You can't go nuts and do something else. So you're serving the music, but with your own stuff, then you know, it's a you typed in, you really have a blank slate. And I could do what I want, theoretically, so long as the director is happy. So yeah, it's quite a different discipline, even though they're from the both very musical jobs.
James Jay Edwards:Now, is it common to have you said that, when working with Marco, you would have like Guillermo del Toro in the room? Is that common to have the director in the room while the composing is
Ceiri Torjussen:happening? No, I meant in the scoring stage. Oh, okay. Okay, when you're like recording when we're doing the orchestra, yeah. Almost always the directors there. And at the last minute, they're like, you know, I don't like that horn there. Can we change that out? So I don't Why didn't you say this like three months ago when we will? But yeah, there'll be a lot of changes in the booth and it was very great learning experience, seeing how directors want to change things and then be able to do that on the fly. The conductor or Marco or in the booth or on the stand and changing that on the fly was eye opening. That
James Jay Edwards:would be nerve wracking having like Guillermo del Toro looking over your shoulder while you're,
Ceiri Torjussen:you know, some composers like doing that. I think I think Hans Zimmer does that quite a bit. He's happy having directors in the room. I, I am too self conscious. I can't even have my wife in the room. Well, I, I cannot imagine having someone listening outside the door. I'm just like, go away. It's for me, I am not able to do that. I mean, I have done it. And it's been okay, but it's not my preferred way of working. I prefer kind of just being on my own. I'm
James Jay Edwards:kind of the same way with anything I write. I'm like, I'll play it for you when I'm done. Let me let me cook it. Yeah. So let's talk about about Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever. Yeah. How did that come about?
Ceiri Torjussen:So the director Ole Bornedal. It's a Danish film. An Ole had worked with Marco actually, for many years, many, many years. And I'd actually orchestrate on a family may call I Am Dina which was a Norwegian film period piece. Lovely film. 20 years ago, we went to Cologne to record that. And I guess Ole remembered me and then fast forward 20 years and Ole was making a film called The Bombardment, which is on Netflix, which is a fantastic world war two movie about the RAF bombing Copenhagen, which I recommend people watch. It's a tough watch. It's about you know, children and a lot of suffering. But it's it's a really amazingly made movie. Anyone can watch
James Jay Edwards:movies. Yeah, we were talking a few episodes back about Come and See. That's a tough one, if you
Ceiri Torjussen:will, tend to be both but but. But it was really creatively really fun to do and, and Marco and Buck were on it for for a while. And then during the pandemic, I think and then it was kind of one of those projects that sort of drags on drags on. And then Marco brought me in. And we were the three of us who have done it and finished the film. And, you know, had a lot of fun with it. And Ole really liked what I did. And and so Ole's next film was Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever, which is a sequel to the original Nightwatch from 1994, the Danish original Nightwatch not the remake with you and McGregor from 97. So, right. So Ole said you want to work on
scoring this film, Nightwatch:Demons Are Forever? And of course, you know, jumped at the chance.
Jonathan Correia:What was it like taking on because it is a third it is a sequel to a 30 year old movie was a bit intimidating taking on that legacy of it?
Ceiri Torjussen:Well, I mean, I didn't know the I'd never. I had seen the Ewan McGregor one like only a few years ago, actually. So for me, it wasn't a like a, it wasn't that intimidating, because it wasn't like I was, you know, doing Star Wars or anything. And I hadn't seen the original Danish one, and I watched the original Danish one. And musically, it's, it's not sort of my wheelhouse, like, what the composer did work really well. But it's not what I was planning to do on this one. And luckily Ole said, I don't want the music to be anything like the original. So I was like phew. But not only that, the cool thing was there was no temp music at all, it didn't use any temp in the film at all, which was for people didn't know what temp music is, you know, when directors and editors are making the cut, they put in temporary music before the composer starts working as a sort of an idea for what they want the score to sound like and also for test screenings. So audiences can hear it with music before the composer gets to work. So Ole had really not put any tempo. So little, and then I think they took it out. So I never really heard any temp at all. And for me, that's quite unusual. And it's really nice to not be pressured by a temp. Because it you know, directors live with temps for so long, and they get so attached to them, subconsciously not even realizing it. And then if you do something that's different to the temp or way off, sometimes the director can't deal with it. And they draw you back to the temp and so the idea of not having a temp for me was great, because I had a total blank slate. He said I don't want to be like the original at all. I wanted to do something completely new and and it was good direction. So So yeah, that was that was a good experience.
James Jay Edwards:Now, how often did Ole get to hear as you were working on it, were you sending him kind of like dailies or you know, at what point would he hear it and say, No, you're on the wrong track go back.
Ceiri Torjussen:It wasn't dailies, but it was every probably every few days or every week. I'd send him a bunch of cues and and he would you know, get his reaction. Then, as far as him changing his mind that did happen sometimes. Ole sometimes as a change of heart and because we started out you know, he's sort of wanted it very electronic. We wanted read synth bass. And I started out very synth based. And as the film progressed, he realized now I want more string sounds. And so I brought in more strings, and it got a bit more cinematic. Especially as the movie progresses, the orchestra comes in more. So that was an evolving process. But yeah, it was. It was all remote. Of course, he's in Copenhagen I'm in LA. But that wasn't difficult. A
James Jay Edwards:lot of it is, is also just piano. Did you produce it all like in your studio? Or was there an orchestra at any point? Now
Ceiri Torjussen:there's no I did piano here. And actually, there's no, apart from piano, there's, there's no live instruments. It's all it's all in the studio, or there's no budget, unfortunately.
James Jay Edwards:Yeah. Yeah, that's what I was gonna say it. I mean, it's a lower budget production. So it was all all of the stuff that sounds orchestral strings and stuff that was all synthesized then correct.
Ceiri Torjussen:I mean, actually sampled so to the moments that have been recorded and then reproduce. But it's a bit of a gray area, because I've made my own library of sounds using some Solo Cello, some bass clarinet, some piano, some double bass, I've actually made my own sounds, having recorded musicians on previous films and for various things. So that they're real played instruments, they just not recorded specifically for their cued you know, I mean, yeah,
James Jay Edwards:and they're not, it's not from a sample library that you can buy you record your own.
Ceiri Torjussen:Custom made sounds exactly. Yeah. Which I love doing. Yeah.
James Jay Edwards:Yeah. And you said, back a while you're you're a pianist. Is that true?
Ceiri Torjussen:Yeah. Well, I'm a I'm a bad pianist. State trumpet was my first instrument, a jazz trumpet, an orchestral trumpet. But yeah, these days, I basically just play B. I do play a little bit of brass with some friends once a week, but that's more of a recent resurgence. So Renee sounds of my trumpet playing, but really, I spend, you know, all day on the keyboard and the piano?
James Jay Edwards:Because yeah, cuz the piano in in Nightwatch, I thought was fantastic. So yeah, I mean, you say that you're a bad pianist. They sounded good to me.
Ceiri Torjussen:Well, I you know, in the studio, you can replace the fix. And I wouldn't want to play those onstage. Put it that way. No
Jonathan Correia:worries. We do the same with the podcast.
James Jay Edwards:So yeah. We know all about painting and cutting. And
Jonathan Correia:so when, when we were reached out for this, we were told that you did some interesting things with moth sounds and recording moth for it. I am dying to hear about this. Yeah. I've been saying here. Just like I want to talk about the moths. Sorry.
James Jay Edwards:That you recorded for this. What? First of all, How'd you even come up with the idea for
Ceiri Torjussen:that? Well, it was it was actually the Ole's idea. Because in the original film, there's a moth in the light fixture in the in the guards, you know, office. And then that theme comes back in and the new one. And there's this flapping moss, and he likes that sort of trope that comes back. But also the character of Bent in the film, who's the creepy, bald guy? I think you know, he's got white hair.
James Jay Edwards:It's really short, though. Yeah.
Ceiri Torjussen:So that guy Ole his direction, because although there was no music, he did give me notes. Like, I want music. You know, he basically told me where he wanted score, and also what kind of score perhaps he wanted in certain places. Not all the time. But for Ben's character, he thought I want it to be like an insect. So he didn't say moth, and I thought, well, that moth is cool. So why don't we record a moth and then see what we can do with that sound. So we live in Topanga Canyon. And there's a lot of moths. And the light outside our front door actually attracts moths. So I got a good microphone and I recorded Mr. or Mrs. Moth, and and I took it in and I saw what we could do with it. And it's a cool sound because when the wings are flapping really fast it creates a tone is like that's what buzzing is really, really fast flapping through percussive sound that that so fast that it creates a pitch. So there's that sound, which can act like a kind of a synthesized sort of sound. But when you start slowing it down and pitching it down, it turns into a rhythm. Kind of a pulsation. And so there's this one sound source is creating both rhythm and pitch, which for me was really interesting. And then you can start manipulating it and screwing with it and really having fun with it. So that sort of became the bent signature. Sound is really not a theme. It's a sound.
James Jay Edwards:I've never even noticed that moths have a sound I know flies and bees and all but moths have always struck me as silence so
Ceiri Torjussen:Yeah, well I wouldn't say buzz it's more of like when the wings are flapping really fast. It's a Yeah. And if you start isolating frequencies with EQ, it can turn into a pitch you sort of you're sort of finding the implied pitch in the, in the in the flopping. And then then when you slow it down, then it starts getting creepier. I'm
James Jay Edwards:just impressed that you were even able to get a recording of a moth. I mean, that's, that's a good microphone you got
Jonathan Correia:good. As soon as you sit down, it's like, oh, man, that's not something you think about like, like you said, flies or beetles or something like that, that have more like, you know, distinct, but like, Yeah, that's really cool. And it does tie into the themes and what have you. Because yeah, as soon as like that thing came up, where she's like, fixing the light fixture, and they have all the mods, moths. And I was like, I gotta kind of know but the moths man, the
Ceiri Torjussen:challenge is finding one moth, it's not often you find one, but lots of months. Right, but finding one moth is not a thing
James Jay Edwards:it did the moth get credit on the soundtrack, and
Ceiri Torjussen:I am guilty as charged. For it, it didn't I didn't know its name
James Jay Edwards:You don't know where to send the check to the Union. It
Jonathan Correia:should have had better representation.
James Jay Edwards:So what is next for you? What do you got anything in the cooker?
Ceiri Torjussen:Yeah, I got. I'm doing another doc series, about UFOs. And the government conspiracy behind UFOs. It was the first season was for Nat Geo, about couple years ago, a year and a half ago. It's called UFOs. kept changing its name UFOs. Something anyway, I'll have to look it up. And then the second season we're doing right now, again for Nat Geo, six episodes. And then after that, I'm doing the third season of a show called Delhi Crime, which is a Netflix series set in India its crime drama in Hindi and English. To Indian, US CO production. I did the second season for for them a year or two ago, and we're working. We're gonna be working on the third season in the fall.
Jonathan Correia:That's awesome. Is it UFOs: Investigating the unknown
Ceiri Torjussen:That's the one Yep, thank you. Oh,
Jonathan Correia:no worries, especially if they're changing their titles all the time. And it's always the working
Ceiri Torjussen:title kept changing. And so when the final final thing comes out, I can't remember what it is. But yeah, so there's that. But also, I've recently released an album of non film music. It's just like a solo album. And that's called Soul in the Machine. And that's on Spotify and Apple, all the streamers and I'm, I'm kind of that was a really fun project to do. And I got these music videos made for music video videos made for those tracks. So what kind of music is it? It's it's mostly instrumental, there's some vocal stuff. Some of it's quite experimental, some of its, it's kind of mostly using one live instrument like a violin or a cello with electronics. Okay, the approach and it's Yeah, I mean, check it out. It's it's hard to explain, but it's, I guess it's somewhat cinematic. But none of them are in the picture. It's just tracks, which I really like. So yeah, I hope I hope people like it and
James Jay Edwards:respond. And it's just under your name. Ceiri Torjussen. Doctor, yeah. And
Ceiri Torjussen:the album Soul in the Machine. Follow me on Spotify. And
James Jay Edwards:that's, that's streaming everywhere that you can stream stuff. Yep.
Ceiri Torjussen:That's Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music title, all of the streams. No CDs, unfortunately, although there is a CD release. There's an album release for Nightwatch soundtrack. There's also a CD release for the Nightwatch soundtrack if you guys live in the 1990s and still play a CD and yeah. Which I do occasionally in my car only. So those are available.
James Jay Edwards:We live in the 70s. And we're back on vinyl. So yeah,
Jonathan Correia:just a bit.
James Jay Edwards:Who I wanted to ask this earlier. Um, what are some modern composers that that you're excited about? Do you ever hear other composers and just think, oh, you know, what they're doing is great. You know, who are some of those people?
Ceiri Torjussen:Yeah. You mean like film composers or? Yeah,
James Jay Edwards:yeah, yes. film composer.
Ceiri Torjussen:Recently, I I've been really digging or Colin Stetson has done on you know, he did. He's got the the first Ari Aster movie was called Hereditary hereditary, did a great job on that. So his stuff is really cool. I still love Marco's music. He comes out with some amazing stuff in every film. Who else am I digging? Oh, I really liked been watching. What's the Slow Horses using slow horses on Apple? It's a show on Apple. It's about spies. It's a UK it's a British show. Gary Oldman plays Is this am I sort of MI5 boss. It's a really cool show. And Daniel Pemberton does a really cool original score for that. Which I really recommend. So yeah.
James Jay Edwards:Have you heard the Swiss Army Man score?
Ceiri Torjussen:I haven't. But it's sunlux. Right?
James Jay Edwards:No, it's Manchester orchestra. Oh, it's yeah, it's the guys who Manchester orchestra that do and, and the funny thing I love this score. So I was trying to turn people on to it. It's pretty much all vocals, they sang all of the melody and harmony lines. I mean, there's a little bit of keyboards, you know, of synthesizer in there, but it's mostly just all vocal. And they do things like they'll do like the Jurassic Park theme, but like a vocal arrangement. I mean, it's, it's, it's pretty cool. You should definitely check it out.
Ceiri Torjussen:Yeah. The guys that made that though that Everything Everywhere All at Once side. Yeah, it's on like score to that movie was fantastic. Oh, it was really amazing. I haven't heard a score like that. And ever. I think it was really original.
James Jay Edwards:Another composer that I don't know if you're familiar with Mica Levy. Yeah. I
Ceiri Torjussen:love that stuff. Yep.
James Jay Edwards:Yep. Zone of Interest. Jackie was the other one. It's like the big high profile. Yeah, that was really good. Pretty much Jonathan Glaser's composer, right. Yeah,
Ceiri Torjussen:she's she's an excellent violinist. And she does a lot of layering of violin in the studio, which is, you know, you can't beat that on your Yeah.
James Jay Edwards:Yeah. But the stuff is just such a mood. It's, you know, it's, it's it almost borders on sound design a little bit, you know, when those I love those soundtracks? Yeah, yeah, I
Ceiri Torjussen:have a lot of fun turning sound design into music and vice versa. I did that on a film called The canal Shudder scored is a horror film from about 10 years ago. Yeah. Which is really creepy. And on that one, I recorded a lot of cello, a lot of bass, clarinet and piano. And basically, the the objective was to try to make sounds that were not recognizable, but we're not synths. So I recorded live instruments, and then play them in such weird ways that you have no idea what the instrument is to try to make this very close micced. So it's kind of an unnerving sound. And a lot of when critics reviewed the film, they were sort of talking about the sound design in various scenes, and they didn't realize it was actually my score.
James Jay Edwards:How did we know that the guy who records moths for his score would be we'd like to play with sound design with this. That's awesome. Okay, Ceiri. Well, thank you for joining us today. I always love talking to the composers because you know, as a music geek myself, where can people find you to keep up with what you got going on next? Are you on the social medias?
Ceiri Torjussen:Yeah, I'm on Facebook and Instagram. And I'm kind of on Twitter, although I've almost given up. Understandable.
Jonathan Correia:But
Ceiri Torjussen:I know my website is Ceiri.com. Ceiri.com. And I have a news page that I try to keep up to date. But yeah, and then I'm on. You can follow me on Spotify or Apple Music and I have a lot of albums already out there. That
James Jay Edwards:domain name for your websites a score. Just your first name.com That's yeah, that's
Ceiri Torjussen:having an unusual name for that reason only.
Jonathan Correia:I can't do that with John or Jonathan
Ceiri Torjussen:jon.com.
James Jay Edwards:I do own James Jay edwards.com though, so I was the first one to that. Well, cool. Thanks again for joining us today that I again, I love talking to these composers because I just love hearing how the music is created for these movies that we love so much. Well, thanks
Ceiri Torjussen:so much for having me. It's been a pleasure. Our theme
James Jay Edwards:music Speaking of music is by Restless Spirits to go give them a listen our artwork is by Chris Fisher so go give him a look. You can find us on the socials@EyeOnHorror at pretty much everywhere. We haven't given up on Twitter yet although well personally I have but the podcast hasn't. And or you can find iHorror.com, which is the website we all call home and everybody watched Nightwatch demons are forever. It's on Shudder and listen specifically for Ceiri Torjussen's score. And we will see you in a couple of weeks. So for me James Jay Edwards.
Jacob Davidson:I'm Jacob Davison.
Jonathan Correia:I'm Jonathan Correia
Ceiri Torjussen:and I'm Ceiri Torjussen.
James Jay Edwards:Keep your Eye On Horror.
