Benjamin Wallfisch, the composer behind the haunting score of the latest Stephen King adaptation 'IT: Welcome To Derry', has taken audiences on a spine-tingling journey into the world of Mr. King, setting the stage for what's to come in this HBO series, which serves as a prequel to director Andy Muschietti’s two-part adaptation of the original book.
According to Wallfisch, his collaboration with Muschietti was an opportunity for him to stretch his wings creatively and explore the world of long-form television. The result is a score that captures the eerie atmosphere of Derry, Maine, where the fictional town becomes a character in its own right.
"We scored each episode as if they were movies," Wallfisch said about their collaborative process. Their goal was not to simply recreate movie themes but to set up the groundwork for what's to come in the story. "It's almost like having a cousin of the [movie scores] rather than the sibling," he explained, highlighting the need for flexibility in capturing the evolving narrative.
The score showcases Wallfisch's ability to capture the yearning, whimsy, and playfulness of young characters like Lilly Bainbridge (Clara Stack), the main protagonist of the kids. He also assigned original cues to pivotal players such as Dick Halloran, played by Chris Chalk, whose supernatural abilities make him a valuable asset in the fight against Pennywise.
The journey from concept to completion was filled with "small pieces building something rich," according to Wallfisch. As long as the seeds were planted, they could figure out how it all came together at the end. And for them, that moment of culmination was truly satisfying.
IT: Welcome To Derry airs Sundays on HBO at 9:00 p.m. ET and marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga.
According to Wallfisch, his collaboration with Muschietti was an opportunity for him to stretch his wings creatively and explore the world of long-form television. The result is a score that captures the eerie atmosphere of Derry, Maine, where the fictional town becomes a character in its own right.
"We scored each episode as if they were movies," Wallfisch said about their collaborative process. Their goal was not to simply recreate movie themes but to set up the groundwork for what's to come in the story. "It's almost like having a cousin of the [movie scores] rather than the sibling," he explained, highlighting the need for flexibility in capturing the evolving narrative.
The score showcases Wallfisch's ability to capture the yearning, whimsy, and playfulness of young characters like Lilly Bainbridge (Clara Stack), the main protagonist of the kids. He also assigned original cues to pivotal players such as Dick Halloran, played by Chris Chalk, whose supernatural abilities make him a valuable asset in the fight against Pennywise.
The journey from concept to completion was filled with "small pieces building something rich," according to Wallfisch. As long as the seeds were planted, they could figure out how it all came together at the end. And for them, that moment of culmination was truly satisfying.
IT: Welcome To Derry airs Sundays on HBO at 9:00 p.m. ET and marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga.