Everest

When this movie came to the theaters last summer, it didn’t get as much press as your normal summer blockbuster, but not all movie theaters can handle the special formatting and sound requirements for the IMAX format. I felt lucky when I went to the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, I had the luck of catching one of the first performances of this format… I left extremely impressed. Over the years, the IMAX format has weathered well, and with the advancements in technology, more impressive films have made it to the screen. From documentaries to dramas, science fiction to adventures, when you visit an IMAX venue you usually have a lot to choose from, when you can find one. Usually IMAX theaters only show up in history and science museums or near other large tourist attractions. Luckily for Washington, D.C. residents, we have a couple of these theaters at the many Smithsonian venues about The Mall.

Everest came on the heels of a publicized tragedy of an entire summit party disappearing, of which the film crew for this film acted as its rescue team. However, this ascent of the mountain was designed to highlight the majesty and beauty of the tallest mountain on the Earth. Mentioned above, the IMAX has some special requirements for its film projection needs, and this carries over to the filming process as well. A special camera had to be designed from its 80 pound parent to weigh no more than 35 pounds and be protected from the harsh Tibetan and Nepalese environments.

With all these requirements under consideration, veteran IMAX producers, MacGillivray/Freeman, turned to Steve Wood, another veteran for scoring other IMAX films, and versatile composer in his own right. In one of Wood’s previous efforts, The Living Sea, he worked with Sting (of The Police fame) to adapt many of his songs as a score to the film. Here he adapts many of former Beatle, George Harrison’s, songs along with original score elements to accompany this film. Pieces like "Here Comes The Sun" and "This Is Love" become interwoven throughout the score. Any music history buffs will attest, much of George Harrison’s post Beatle music is already heavily influenced by southern Asian and Indian music, which made it an appropriate choice to go with this movie.

When I first picked up this album, I played it incessantly. Wood’s music is majestic and grand, yet poignant and lighthearted as well, integrating traditional musical elements from Tibetan and Nepalese music as well as some European influences (notably Uilleann pipes). His adaptations of George Harrison’s song are also treated to the same care used with the rest of the score, seamlessly interwoven into the fabric of the music. Even without access to the IMAX version of the movie, it’s still an extremely worthwhile listen.