‘Teen Wolf’: The importance of scoring

(Image credit: mtv.com)

This post is brought to you by your resident movie nerd, and as such it was only a matter of time until I waxed lyrical (ha) about (no, not lacrosse) the Teen Wolf score. Film scores have long been recognized as an inherent part of movies, and it’s a part a lot of people look forward to. (When I say “people”, I mean me. A LOT. Watching a movie while matching the score to key-scenes is an experience in itself. Not gonna lie though, sometimes knowing the scores that well can backfire. Especially when it comes to franchises and the piece you associated with a specific scene from one movie finds itself almost identically repeated for something completely different. Which ends up with you being all “Noooo, this is supposed to be about Katniss healing in the tree, not her and Gale hunting in D13!”)

In the television world, original scores often provide subtle background music as opposed to the songs employed for Important Moments, but they aren’t any less relevant. And of course there’s the immediately recognizable opening sequence music, which sometimes (hint: when musicians guest-star on an episode) gets a (-n ominous) remix.

Anyone else wonder what the opening sequence would have sounded like if Kids of 88 had remixed it?

While Teen Wolf includes a lot of heavy action, bringing along exciting and energetic music pieces, it also has a lot of devastating heartfelt moments. Who can forget the opening scene of Season 2’s Battlefield?

Shot with a series of close-ups showing Stiles slowly unraveling (that lacrosse stick did not ask to be a therapeutic crutch!), golden light streaming in and interspersed with shadowy montages—it’s a beautiful scene regardless. But the underlying score, oppressive and edgy, pushes it into becoming one of the most striking scenes from the show.

Other significant elements to take away from this—whoever was filming has a thing for: 1. Ambiance 2. Dylan. Not that anyone’s complaining.

Recurring themes can also be recognized throughout the show, helping scenes mirror each other when it’s warranted.

This one, for example, played both during the emotional “You’re my brother” scene in Motel California:

And when Scott, Stiles and Allison sacrificed themselves in Alpha Pact, highlighting chilling conclusions from the show’s storylines.

It’s also interesting to note that this specific piece is a variation on Hans Zimmer’s “Time”, from the movie Inception. Cute (or disturbing) anecdote: you’ll recall that in the first episode of season 3B, Anchors, the opening is all about Stiles having a dream … inside a dream … inside a dream. Yep, Inception-themed again!

So who do we have to thank for all this? Dino Meneghin, the show’s brilliant composer, without whom none of these scenes would have had quite the same impact.

Getting back to work in #TeenWolf land. Gonna be a bumpy ride for you all this season! #Stormtrooper

— Dino Meneghin (@DM_LA) April 16, 2015

You can learn a little bit more about him right here. Any other favorite score moments, guys?

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