Musique de films - Mark Isham delivers dramatic and powerful score for Megan Leavey

Par Mulder, 08 juin 2017

Oscar nominated composer and Grammy winning musician Mark Isham has scored Bleeker Street’s feature, Megan Leavey opening tomorrow. Megan Leavey is based on the true-life story of a marine corporal (Kate Mara) and the relationship with her military combat dog that saved many lives in Iraq. For the score to LEAVEY, Isham incorporates a poignant hybrid score of electronic meets organic. He was one of the first composers to combine electronic/synth with orchestra/live musicians. Mark Isham has brought his musical voice to many true life dramas including the critically-acclaimed film’s 42 and Dolphin Tale.

Isham’s recent films include the Ben Affleck action drama The Accountant and his upcoming projects include Family Man (opening July 28) which is written by The Accountant’s screenwriter Bill Dubuque and an adaptation of Lauren Kate’s #1 New York Times bestseller Fallen from Christopher Jenkins’ Duck, Duck, Goose.. For television, in addition to scoring his sixth season of Once Upon A Time and American Crime for Oscar winner John Ridley, Isham will be scoring Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger set to premiere in 2018. Mark Isham recently collaborated for another project with John Ridley, the documentary about the L.A. Riots, Let it Fall.

Megan Leavey is based on the true-life story of a young Marine Corporal (Kate Mara) whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq. When she is assigned to clean up the K9 unit after a disciplinary hearing, Leavey identifies with a particularly aggressive dog, Rex, and is given the chance to train him. Over the course of their service, Megan and Rex completed more than 100 missions until an IED explosion injures them, putting their fate in jeopardy. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish) from a screenplay by Pamela Gray and Annie Mumolo & Tim Lovestedt, the film also stars Edie Falco, Ramón Rodríguez, Bradley Whitford, and Common.

Isham has created critically acclaimed scores for over 100 films, including Crash, 42, Nell, and A River Runs Through It, for which he received a Best Original Score Oscar® nomination. In 2013, Isham was recognized with the Distinguished Film Composer Award at the inaugural Middleburg Film Festival along with a concert by the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra of his memorable scores. His self-titled album, Mark Isham, earned him a Grammy Award. Mark Isham’s accolades also include an Emmy award, a Golden Globe nomination and the Henry Mancini award for Career Achievement.

Synopsis:
Based on the true life story of a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq. Megan Leavey is a former US Marine corporal who served as a Military Police K9 handler. She grew up in Valley Cottage, New York. Leavey enlisted in the Marines in 2003 and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, where she was paired with military working dog Rex (E168). The pair served two deployments in Iraq together. They were first deployed to Fallujah in 2005, and then to Ramadi in 2006, where they were both wounded by an Improvised explosive device. Leavey was awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a "V" device denoting heroism in combat. In 2012, Rex developed facial palsy, which ended his bomb-sniffing duties. Leavey later adopted him through the intervention of Senator Chuck Schumer. Rex died on December 22, 2012.

Megan Leavey
Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Produced by Mickey Liddell, Jennifer Monroe, Pete Shilaimon
Written by Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, Tim Lovestedt, Jordan Roberts
Starring Kate Mara, Ramón Rodríguez, Tom Felton, Bradley Whitford, Will Patton, Sam Keeley, Common and Edie Falco

Photos: Copyright Bleecker Street

(Source: press release 06th June 2017)