Saturday Night (Original Score) is the film score soundtrack to the 2024 film Saturday Night directed by Jason Reitman, who co-wrote it with Gil Kenan. The film score is written and recorded live on sets by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jon Batiste, with the album accompanying 23 tracks of his score. Verve Music released the soundtrack on September 27, 2024, the same day as the United States limited theatrical release.
| Saturday Night (Original Score) | ||||
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| Film score by | ||||
| Released | September 27, 2024 | |||
| Recorded | 2024 | |||
| Venue |
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| Genre | Film score | |||
| Length | 33:51 | |||
| Label | Verve | |||
| Producer | Jon Batiste | |||
| Jon Batiste chronology | ||||
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Development
editOn March 28, 2024, the producers announced that Jon Batiste would appear in the film as singer-songwriter Billy Preston,[1] the first guest who appeared in the Saturday Night Live show when it aired on October 11, 1975.[2][3] Besides starring in the film, he would also provide the musical score. The film would be his maiden stint in full-fledged score composition.[4] He worked in Soul (2020) as a co-composer providing jazz selections, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and in the documentary film American Symphony (2020).[5]
According to Batiste, Reitman needed an "anti-score" that was different from the paradigm of traditional film scores and "something that felt alive and raw".[6] After filming his portions, Batiste each day returned to sets and Reitman showcased him the scenes before recording. Since most of the music written were based on the script, he would improvise it and instruct the conductor for the jazz band to perform. Much of the musical score was recorded live on sets.[7]
Batiste added that improvising pre-recorded music was "an African diasporic approach", a process which he attributed it to his roots in New Orleans.[6] He stated, "The way I learned in New Orleans, where they would dictate the music to you verbally and they would play the music to you." Afro-American percussionist and drummer Pedrito Martinez performed the solos.[6]
Release
editThe album was distributed by Verve Records which released on September 27, 2024, in conjunction with the film's limited theatrical release.[8]
Reception
editPeter Debruge of Variety wrote "Batiste supplies a jumpy jazz score — full of clangs, bangs, rattles and drums — that's both innovative (recorded live, like the show) and effective."[9] Derek Smith, in his review for Slant Magazine, opined that Batiste's score aped the musical style of Jon Brion.[10] Mauren Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Batiste's jazzy score "evokes the sound of the SNL house band."[11]
Chris Feil of The Daily Beast described the score as "divine, invigorating" and Ethan Anderson of /Film called it as "funky, ticking".[12][13] Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood called it as a "lively score".[14] Gary M. Kramer of Salon.com described that Batiste's score "also contributes to the film's nimbleness, providing a jazzy, jaunty backdrop for all of the enveloping action."[15]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lorne on 50th Street" | 2:03 |
| 2. | "SNL Variations, Carson Call, Variation 8" | 0:44 |
| 3. | "Togas! Garrett! Rumpus!" | 0:52 |
| 4. | "Welcome to 8H" | 3:31 |
| 5. | "SNL Variations, Toscanini Died, Variation 1 (Speakers Went Out)" | 0:28 |
| 6. | "SNL Variations, In Walked Carlin, Variation 2" | 2:36 |
| 7. | "SNL Variations, Go Live!, Variation 3" | 1:10 |
| 8. | "17th Floor Piano (Happy Joe)" | 3:20 |
| 9. | "Lorne and Rosie Theme" | 1:35 |
| 10. | "SNL Variations, Couch Fire, Variation 4" | 0:56 |
| 11. | "SNL Variations, No Habla Muppet, Variation 5" | 1:02 |
| 12. | "SNL Variations, Laying Bricks, Variation 6" | 0:48 |
| 13. | "Builders Theme, Clean Shirt Full House, Variation 1" | 1:55 |
| 14. | "Real Bricks" | 1:59 |
| 15. | "Chevy Lands Update" | 0:35 |
| 16. | "Saturday Night Live" | 2:35 |
| 17. | "SNL Variations, Billy and Valri, Variation 7" | 0:35 |
| 18. | "Looking for Belushi" | 1:15 |
| 19. | "Lorne and Rosie Theme Reprise" | 1:14 |
| 20. | "Waiting for Andy" | 1:32 |
| 21. | "Builders Theme, Screen Test, Variation 2" | 1:18 |
| 22. | "The Wolverines" | 1:08 |
| 23. | "Family Photo" | 0:40 |
| Total length: | 33:51 | |
References
edit- ^ Stenzel, Wesley (July 31, 2024). "See stars of 'Saturday Night' next to real 'SNL' cast, creator, and others portrayed in film". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Klawans, Justin (March 28, 2024). "'SNL 1975' Casts Jon Batiste as 'Saturday Night Live's First Musical Guest". Coliider. Archived from the original on October 8, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Erbland, Kate (September 11, 2024). "For 109 Nonstop Minutes, Jason Reitman and His 'Saturday Night' Go Wild — and He'd Do It Again Tomorrow". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Gajewski, Ryan (March 28, 2024). "Jon Batiste to Score, Appear in Jason Reitman Film SNL 1975 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ Anderson, Jenna (March 29, 2024). "SNL 1975: Jason Reitman's Movie Adds Willem Dafoe and Jon Batiste to Cast". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ a b c Hiatt, Brian (October 5, 2024). "Jon Batiste on Scoring 'Saturday Night' - and Lending 'Divine Intervention' to 'Cowboy Carter'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (September 8, 2024). "'Saturday Night' Director Jason Reitman Recalls Real Life 'SNL' Writing Gig: "You Sit Around Shaking"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ "'Saturday Night' Score Album Details". Film Music Reporter. September 26, 2024. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Debruge, Peter (September 1, 2024). "Saturday Night Review: Jason Reitman Finds the Right Ensemble to Capture the Lunacy From Which SNL Was Born". Variety. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Derek (September 25, 2024). "'Saturday Night' Review: Jason Reitman' Smug Love Letter to 'SNL'". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Lee Lenker, Mauren (September 3, 2024). "'Saturday Night' is an adrenaline-fueled nostalgia trip with pitch-perfect casting". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Feil, Chris (September 11, 2024). "'SNL' Movie 'Saturday Night' Is Pure Cinematic Amphetamine". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Anderton, Ethan (September 10, 2024). "Saturday Night Review: Jason Reitman Creates A Crackling Chronicle Of A Comedy Cornerstone". /Film. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Hammond, Pete (September 1, 2024). "'Saturday Night' Review: Jason Reitman's Zany, Brilliant And Outrageously Funny Ode To 'SNL's Opening Night Hits The Comic Bull's Eye – Telluride Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Kramer, Gary M. (September 26, 2024). ""Saturday Night": Jason Reitman captures the chaos and comedy of a TV revolution". Salon.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.