“For director Richard Linklater alone, Reynolds has been heartsick and wistful (Before Midnight), tense and suspenseful (A Scanner Darkly), jaunty and blithe (Bernie)...”
collaborations with
richard linklater
“Collaborating with Graham over the years has been a joy. I truly think he can do anything. He’s always able to compliment the artistry and bring out the best in scenes. On each project it’s fun to see him dig in and find something new.” — Richard Linklater
Graham's history of collaboration with iconic independent film director Richard Linklater (Slacker, Dazed and Confused, School of Rock) started with a simple piano score for the short "Live From Shiva's Dance Floor" in 2003. Featuring Timothy "Speed" Levitch, star of the documentary The Cruise, "Shiva's Dance Floor" is a film essay on 9/11 exploring ideas about what to do with the land at Ground Zero. Not long after, Linklater asked Graham to score A Scanner Darkly, which is was adapting from the Philip K. Dick novel. Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., and Winona Ryder starred in the rotoscoped film; shot in live action and animated during post-production. The score - which featured acoustic instruments and electric guitar processed through computer effects - was declared "Best Soundtrack of the Decade" by Cinema Retro Magazine.
After Scanner came Bernie, starring Jack Black. The music needs for Bernie were totally different from that of Scanner: hymns, strings, country music, and beyond. Graham worked directly with Linklater and Black to choose the hymns, then arranged them for Jack on organ and piano. In 2012, Graham scored Linklater's first TV series Up to Speed. Broadcast by Hulu, Graham wrote several themes for the show and adapted them for each episode as the quirky travel show moved from city to city. 2013 brought the release of Before Midnight, the third of Linklater's deeply personal romantic trilogy starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. The score required a sparse, intimate sound - piano, guitar, bass, and vibraphones were the only instruments. Before Midnight received critical acclaim, with powerful endorsements, such as Slate Magazine stating that the "film is not just good, it is nearly perfect."
Most recently, Graham provided the original score for Last Flag Flying starring Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburn, and Steve Carell. Where’d You Go Bernadette, based on the New York Times Best Seller, is coming up in 2019. More to come from this ongoing creative relationship - subscribe to be the first to get updates on what's upcoming.