Is there anything more exhilarating than a soundtrack that’s so stirring it leaves liberals squirming in their seats? “Mr. Turner,” composed by the talented Gary Yershon, is a masterpiece that does just that. Released to accompany the 2014 film about the famed British painter J.M.W. Turner, Yershon’s composition wasn’t merely about mood setting; it was a bold orchestral statement. And there’s no one better to give you the lowdown than a conservative who can see through the art world’s liberal smokescreen.
Let’s unpack who, what, when, where, and why. The film “Mr. Turner” was directed by the much-acclaimed Mike Leigh and released in 2014. It follows the latter years of the British painter J.M.W. Turner, famously played by Timothy Spall, across shimmering landscapes and the testy waters of Victorian society. Meanwhile, Yershon’s accompanying score taps into the atmospheric, with bursts of intensity that align perfectly with Turner’s eccentric genius. But why discuss the music of a movie essentially about paintings? Simple: because the soundtrack is as essential as the storyboarding, the cinematography, or even the script. For its contribution, Yershon’s score was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA in 2015.
Some might say liberal arts reviewers are still grappling with the film’s soundscape — a clamor of grandeur that unapologetically commands your attention without being shackled to any modern agenda. Yershon doesn’t bow to political correctness nor does he mimic trendy motifs that have infected our culture like a bad cold. Instead, his music resonates with a timeless, uncorrupted individuality. It’s a dare — a stand against the mundane humdrum hailed by so-called 'critics' who wouldn’t know artistic bravery if it hit them in their coffee-stained NPR mugs.
This soundtrack either unlocks your emotional core or it doesn’t. But here lies the essence: Yershon's bravery lies not in his harmony or his intricate orchestrations but in his defiance to conform. You see, there's an undercurrent here that runs contrary to the usual rinse-and-repeat format of Hollywood scores. It’s assertive, it’s loud, and oh it isn't pandering to the insipid. It grabs by the scruff of the neck and demands appreciation without apology.
Consider the track “The Fighting Temeraire,” named after Turner’s iconic painting, which features unsettling dissonance with sudden sweeps that evoke images of tempestuous sea battles. Yershon uses the same audaciously moody symphony structure Turner himself exercised with oils and canvas. Picture crashing cymbals and rumbling brass as though they're an extension of Turner’s brush strokes. It’s art imitating art while making a profound point: emotional depth transcends politics.
Yes, “Mr. Turner” is a film about one man’s relationship with his art and the often-unsparing world around him. But Yershon’s score transforms this narrative into something much larger. To follow Turner’s journey is to be enveloped in Yershon’s audial landscape — one that sketches its own vivid imagery. And it’s not afraid to do so without the desperate shackles of social engineering.
You’ve got an opus that doesn’t compromise in ambition. The soundtrack is illustrative, presenting a channel of lingering reverence and unbroken focus between viewer and painter. If one were inclined to view Yershon’s work through a political lens, it might feel like a renegade outcry, echoing forth from a Britain that valued genuine creativity uncompromised by fickle popularity contests.
Let’s not mince words: while some might wave off the importance of this soundtrack amid the cinematics of sunsets and seascapes, they’re grossly underestimating its prowess. If celluloid starlets in period dresses or lavish Dickensian dialogues grab the casual viewer, it’s Yershon’s ardent symphony that lingers. The music of “Mr. Turner” transcends the trappings of its context and stands alone, rich in boldness and defiantly pure — a rare find in our cinema’s typical orchestrations.
So here we stand, toes dipped into the murky waters of something truly incredible: a soundtrack that's an odyssey, a chronicle, and a defiance against the herd in one grand gesture. Kudos to Yershon for giving us Mr. Turner not just as a film, but as an auditory experience to loudly celebrate or applaud the courage in art regardless of the ruffled feathers.