Sound of Cinema
Sound of Cinema is a weekly BBC Radio 3 programme hosted by Edith Bowman, offering a roundup of the finest film scores and movie music. Each episode celebrates a range of cinematic music, from iconic themes to lesser-known gems. The show gives context to the soundtracks and how they enhance film storytelling.
Episodes
Prehistoric Cinema
To mark the latest release in the Jurassic Park franchise, Jurassic World Rebirth, Matthew Sweet looks at music for films set in prehistoric times, or that feature dinosaurs in a modern setting.
Walter Murch
Matthew Sweet talks to film editor, sound designer and director Walter Murch about working on Apocalypse Now, the Godfather films, The Conversation, Barton Fink and Return to Oz
Mythical Creatures
Matthew Sweet is on the hunt for mythical creatures on the big screen. Tune in to escape reality, as we explore film music that transports you to fantastical worlds; from Middle-earth with Howard Shore’s beloved music for The Hobbit, to ancient Greece with Leonard Rosenthal's epic score for Clash of the Titans. Our final destination is the Isle of Berk, the Viking setting of How To Train Your Drag
Unusual Instruments
Matthew Sweet looks at unusual instruments used in film scores such as the Cristal Baschet which is a favourite of Cliff Martinez in scores such as Drive.He considers the use of unusual technology such as the Blaster Beam used by Jerry Goldsmith in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He traces the development of electronics in film music, from 'electronic tonalities' in Forbidden Planet, to the Moog sy
The Telephone
Matthew Sweet dials in, with a playlist of film music inspired by a phone call. Hold the line for classics including Scream, The Conversation and Dial M for Murder. Also featuring Bear McCreary’s score for our featured new release, Drop.To listen on most smart speakers, just say: "Ask BBC Sounds to play Sound of Cinema.”
A.R. Rahman
Matthew Sweet is joined by multiple award-winning composer A.R. Rahman to explore his extraordinary career in film music, including his best-known score - Slumdog Millionaire. In an exclusive interview, we hear about his relationship with his father, R.K. Sekher who was also a film music composer. A.R. Rahman tells Matthew about his early success in the Indian film industry, and why he decided to
Joe Hisaishi
*** Broadcast as part 4 Extra's The Stories of Studio Ghibli season.Matthew Sweet celebrates the life and work of Studio Ghibli composer, Joe Hisaishi. Tune in for some of his most beloved music, with classic soundtracks including Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle.Joe Hisaishi made his BBC Proms debut in 2025, performing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal
Hans Zimmer on Performance
This special episode of Sound of Cinema features an exclusive interview with the legendary film composer and record producer, Hans Zimmer.Hosted by Matthew Sweet, this programme dives into the growth of live film music, exploring how scores are reworked for the concert platform.With a catalogue of iconic soundtracks including Pirates of the Caribbean, Inception, and The Dark Knight, Hans Zimmer is
Wallace & Gromit and the Music of Aardman Animations
Evil penguins, chickens on the run and the mischievous sheep of Mossy Bottom Farm. Enter the unique musical world of Aardman Animations as Matthew Sweet celebrates the studio's iconic film scores with the release of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Matthew visits the Aardman Animation studios in Bristol to meet archivist Tom Vincent, where he encounters uniquely Aardman props, puppets an
And the Beat Goes On: Percussion in Film
Matthew Sweet bangs the drum for the inventive ways films use percussion. There's Tan Dun's taiko masterclass of a score in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the delicate and lyrical marimba in American Beauty, John Williams' ritualistic drums in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Justin Hurwitz's obsessive kit in Whiplash.To listen on most smart speakers just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Soun
100 years of Ron Goodwin
Matthew Sweet celebrates the centenary of legendary film composer Ron Goodwin - famous for his scores for Where Eagles Dare, 633 Squadron, The Battle of Britain and the Miss Marple films. However, Goodwin's scores are far more varied than military marches, with his music for Hitchcock's Frenzy and the first-ever score for brass band, Escape from the Dark.Matthew also speaks to Helen, the step-daug
Bafta Film Awards 2025: Soundtrack Highlights
Matthew Sweet celebrates the film highlights of the year with a focus on the recently announced 2025 Bafta winners. He speaks exclusively with the winner of the Best Original Score - composer Daniel Blumberg, for the film The Brutalist - who tells Matthew about how he travelled to an Italian quarry to record some of the music, and what it was like to actually win the Bafta itself.There's music fro
Warsaw Concertos: Film Music from Poland
Matthew Sweet speaks to actor and director Jesse Eisenberg about using Chopin's music in his latest film "A Real Pain" - the story of two cousins touring Poland to honour their grandmother. Matthew also explores the wider impact Polish music and musicians have had on the world of film music - from Bronislaw Kaper's music for the 1954 monster classic "Them!" to Wojciech Kilar's award-winning scores
Wolf Hall and Period Music in Film
Matthew Sweet talks to composer Debbie Wiseman about using period music in films. For the TV series Wolf Hall, Debbie wrote original music in a period style, films like Farinelli and Death In Venice use classical music and for the series Bridgerton Kris Bowers created a hybrid of period-sounding music with hip-hop beats.
Matthew asks how the search for authenticity enhances the viewer's experienc
Maria Callas and Opera in Films
With the Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie in cinemas, Matthew Sweet speaks to Maria director Pablo Larrain. The talk about working with Angelina Jolie, being a frustrated musician himself and how Pablo uses music in his films. Pablo also reveals the secrets of bringing Maria Callas alive through Angelina's singing.Matthew also explores how films have turned to their natural predecessor,
Small but Mighty Soundtracks
Defying the convention of massive orchestral scores, Matthew Sweet looks at films that embrace the intimacy of chamber music including: the Syrian-inspired strings of Nainita Desai's For Sama score, The Third Man's iconic 1949 zither melody composed by Anton Karas, Clint Mansell's agonising quartet from Requiem for a Dream, and a surprising period drama score written for a trio by John Williams.To
Alfred Hitchcock
From the driving energy of North By Northwest to the iconic string stabs of Psycho, music is an integral part of what makes Alfred Hitchcock's films stand out. Matthew Sweet finds out what makes them so good and looks at times when Hitchcock and his composers disagreed.To listen on most smart speakers just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Sound of Cinema".
A Celebration of German Film
As part of Radio 3's European Road Trip, Matthew Sweet explores some of the best soundtracks in German cinema.To listen on most smart speakers just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Sound of Cinema".
The Vatican
What is the sound of Papal Rome? Matthew Sweet explores the music of films set in and influenced by the Vatican. From Morricone's melancholy oboe in The Mission to Hans Zimmer's massed choirs and menacing strings in Angels & Demons. Nino Rota's score for The Godfather Part III exquisitely demonstrates both the pageantry of the Catholic Church and Michael Corleone's personal feelings of guilt i
Comfort films
Presenter Matthew Sweet cosies up with the soundtracks of films that bring comfort to those dark, wintry nights…From the life-affirming joy of Studio Ghibli classic My Neighbour Totoro to the 80s cinema thrills of Raiders of the Lost Ark, he uncovers why film scores don't necessarily need to be twee to warm our hearts…To listen on most smart speakers just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Sound of Cinem
Christmas Film Scores
Hop on board the Polar Express! Matthew Sweet's unwrapping the greatest Christmas film soundtracks. We'll be walking in the air with Howard Blake's Snowman and Home Alone with John Williams.To listen on most smart speakers just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Sound of Cinema".
Cinematic Presidents
In cinema, US presidents have been portrayed as heroes, villains, great leaders who unite the world and hopeless puppets who are the butt of jokes. In this episode, Matthew Sweet casts his vote on classic soundtracks to films including Nixon and Independence Day. Celebrating the 1991 blockbuster, Point Break, as it returns to cinemas in the UK.To listen on most smart speakers, just say: "Ask BBC S
The Roman Empire
With the release of Gladiator II in cinemas, Matthew Sweet brings us the music of the Roman Empire - as told by Hollywood - from Alex North's scores for Spartacus and Cleopatra, Miklos Rozsa's epic music for the equally epic Quo Vadis? and Ben Hur. Matthew is also joined by composer and academic Dr MaryAnn Tedstone Glover to find out if the music we now think of as Roman sounds anything like what
Hollywood composer Marc Shaiman
Sleepless In Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, The Addams Family, Hairspray, Mary Poppins Returns, Marc Shaiman's music has been a part of our lives for over three decades. One time king of the Romcom score, master arranger and songwriter, Marc talks to Matthew Sweet about his career and introduces cues from some of his many scores. As well as those listed above, the programme also features music fro
Westerns
Matthew Sweet saddles up to explore the most iconic soundtracks of the Wild West. Traverse the sweeping landscape with music from Western blockbusters, including The Magnificent Seven and A Fistful of Dollars. Featuring the award-winning score from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in celebration of its 55-year anniversary.To listen on most smart speakers, just say: "Ask BBC Sounds to play Sound
Cinema Paradiso and the Long Hot Summer
Matthew Sweet packs his bags in search of the films that bring back memories of summer - with music from the hot sun of Roman Holiday and Jean de Florette, the childhood adventures of Swallows and Amazons and UP and the nostalgia of Cinema Paradiso.
M. Night Shyamalan
This special episode of Sound of Cinema features an exclusive interview with the visionary filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, known for his masterful blend of suspense, psychological drama, and supernatural elements in films like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, and Split. His collaboration with composers like James Newton Howard has resulted in some of the most memorable film scores of recent dec
Kiefer Sutherland on Donald Sutherland
With a career spanning 60 years and over 200 films, the late Donald Sutherland was a true acting legend. His son, actor Kiefer Sutherland - best known for his starring roles in 1987's The Lost Boys plus Designated Survivor and 24 - joins Matthew Sweet to look back at his father's life through the soundtracks of his major films.It includes music from The Hunger Games (by composer James Newton Howar
It's all lies! Music for films of deceit and fakery...or is it?
With the release of Fly Me To The Moon - in which Scarlett Johansson wants to fake the moon landing - Matthew Sweet uncovers the films in which fakery is the name of the game. From characters stuck in artificial worlds - The Truman Show and The Matrix - to films that lead the audience to question what's real and what's not, like The Game, Total Recall and Synecdoche New York, this episode of Sound
Composer of The Watched - Abel Korzeniowski
Matthew Sweet in conversation with Abel Korzeniowski, the composer of Ishana Night Shyamalan's supernatural horror film The Watched. We'll hear about writing music for 'Emily', the 2022 biopic about Emily Brontë, and the film that won Colin Firth the Best Actor award at the 2009 Venice Film Festival, A Single Man. Abel also talks about why Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather means so much to him.
First Women
Matthew Sweet showcases film scores about female firsts and cinematic examples of outstanding achievements by women, and he chats to composer Amelia Warner about her score for the new film Young Woman and the Sea recalling the story of Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel.The programme also includes music from Pope Joan, Cleopatra, Captain Marvel, Hidden Figures, Suffragett
Cannes Film Festival
Cannes is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. In this week’s Sound of Cinema, Matthew Sweet catches up with journalist and film critic Agnes Poirier who is in Cannes to put us at the heart of the festival. She tells of encounters with Jack Nicholson on his way home from a party at 7am and Arnold Schwarzenegger in a shoe shop. She also talks about the growing recognition of fem
Planet of the Apes
With the release of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Matthew Sweet hails cinema's greatest apes. From King Kong to Gorillas In The Mist, apes have proven a constant lure throughout the history of film and in today's programme we'll hear the soundtracks for the very best of them. And Matthew takes us on a sonic journey through the music of all nine Planet of the Apes films.
The Ex Factor
From the new Zendaya film "Challengers", to "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind", every breakup brings its own challenges. Matthew Sweet brings the ice cream and a shoulder to cry on for the films that tackle the subject of exes head on.
Real Lives and the musical world of cinema biopics
With the release of the biopic about Amy Winehouse, Back to Black, Matthew Sweet explores the stories of lives that have been told on the silver screen.
Denis Villeneuve
The Sci-fi sequel Dune 2 is one of the most hotly awaited films of the decade. As part of the build-up to tomorrow's Sound of Cinema Day, which anticipates the Academy Awards celebrations, Matthew Sweet talks music with Dune's extraordinary and brilliant French-Canadian director, Denis Villeneuve.
Stephen Warbeck
Matthew Sweet in conversation with the Oscar-winning composer of Shakespeare in Love, Stephen Warbeck.
Kris Bowers
The American composer of TV's Bridgerton, The Green Book, Chevalier and King Richard - Kris Bowers, joins Matthew Sweet to talk about his music for the remake of The Color Purple and Origin in a look back on his screen career to date.The programme was first broadcast in January 2024.To listen on most smart speakers, just say 'Ask BBC Sounds to play Sound of Cinema'.
Survival films
Matthew Sweet musters all his resourcefulness to bring us the music of the best modern survival films as Jodie Comer tackles rising water and raising a child in The End We Start From. Matthew is joined by the composer of the film's score, Anna Meredith, who talks about her experiences of working in film.
Also in the programme, music from Life of Pi, The Poseidon Adventure, Gravity, The Martian, 12
Spielberg and Williams
Matthew Sweet celebrates 50 years of one of cinema's greatest collaborations - that of director Steven Spielberg and his composer of choice, John Williams.With music from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Indiana Jones, Jaws, Schindler's List and Jurassic Park. Matthew gives us a close encounter with the music for Close Encounters of the Third Kind as he analyses the scene of humanity's first contact wi
Laura Karpman
Laura Karpman is best known for her work composing the soundtracks for The Marvels, and the Disney+ series Ms Marvel and What If…
She joins Matthew Sweet from her studio in LA overlooking the Pacific and talks about studying under Milton Babbitt and Nadia Boulanger, scoring for documentaries, attending the Last Night of the Proms and the influence of Benjamin Britten on her score for The Marvels.
Hammer
This weekend sees the relaunch of Hammer Studios and the release of a new telling of the Dr Jekyllstory, starring Eddie Izzard. Matthew looks back on Hammer’s contribution to cinema and to some of the often inventive and even experimental composers who have created music for the studios since its inception in 1934. Hammer Horror - the vibrantly colourful and distinctive engagements with terror th
First Dates
What was your experience of a first date at the cinema? Presumably you arrived together - but did you leave separately? Matthew Sweet listens to listeners' experiences of their movie first-dates and - rather appropriately - plays great, thrilling and tragic music from the films.
George Fenton
Matthew Sweet's guest this week is the composer George Fenton. His breakthrough came with Richard Attenborough's biopic Gandhi, since then he's scored over 100 films including Cry Freedom, Shadowlands, The Madness of King George, Groundhog Day and The Wind that Shakes The Barley. He speaks to Matthew about his rich and varied career as well as his assocations with directors such as Richard Attenbo
Family Films
Of all the genre titles the 'family film' is perhaps the trickiest to define. Its intention, clearly, is to entertain and appeal to the whole family - togetherness. But what are the specific ingredients that make it so? Nevertheless, cinema goers seem to have a good sense of what an advertised family film might have to offer. Matthew Sweet looks back at this category of film, which seemed to spri
Zoomorphia
From the Life of Pi to The Jungle Book; His Dark Materials to Wolverine, Matthew Sweet features film music shaped by the fantastical idea of humans as animals. We'll hear of spirit animals, cursed princes, what happens when your parents are turned into pigs (Spirited Away) or your mum becomes a bear (Brave). And we adopt the mantle of The Batman to root out the animal powers of superheroes. The pr
Think Pink
Following the release of Greta Gerwig's Barbie, Matthew Sweet considers cinema's fascination with the colour pink. Many films adopt a colour code to establish the mood and tone of the movie. The colour pink in particular has associations with love, innocence, femininity, charm and fun. In this edition of Sound of Cinema, Matthew focuses on music for films which exploit these ideas of pinkness - f
Destroyer of Worlds
With the appearance of the eagerly anticipated new Christopher Nolan biopic about Oppenheimer, Matthew Sweet turns his attention to film scores bent on destruction, including Ludwig Goransson's score for the new film. The programme includes music from The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, When Worlds Collide, Melancholia, Wandering Earth, Deep Impact, Armageddon, The Man Who Fell To Earth, Rogue O
Stunt Films
With the release of the new Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible film - Dead Reckoning Part 1 - Matthew Sweet focuses on stunt scenes in movies. Carefully planned and choreographed stunts have been a part of cinematic entertainment since the start. Matthew offers a selection of music to match the moment. Matthew is joined by Hollywood stunt co-ordinator Simon Crane (World War Z, Men in Black, Quantum o
The Elements
The film Elemental is released this week with a score by Thomas Newman. Matthew looks at how the elements, earth, air, fire and water have been portrayed in movie soundtracks.
Wes Anderson
With the appearance this week of Wes Anderson's latest film, Asteroid City, Matthew Sweet looks back at one of Hollywood's most distinctive auteur director's films through the music written to serve them. Titles such as the award-winning The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom and Fantastic Mr Fox.
Films that made an impression
For the 400th episode of Sound of Cinema, Matthew Sweet hears from listeners about the films that changed their lives, including West Side Story, On the Waterfront, Maurice and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Chevalier and cinema's ear on the past
Jordan Peele films 'Get Out,' 'Us,' and 'Nope' composer Michael Abels discusses his latest project ‘Chevalier’, the story of the real life Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the illegitimate son of an enslaved African and a French plantation owner, who rises to heights in French society as a composer and master swordsman. Meanwhile Matthew explores music from Master and Commander, Pirates
David Lynch
In a rare interview, the iconic film director David Lynch talks to Matthew Sweet about one of the most celebrated collaborations in cinema history: between Lynch and the film composer Angelo Badalamenti who died at the end of last year.
Hallyu - The South Korean Wave
There has been an explosion in the global popularity of contemporary South Korean culture, often referred to by the Chinese word Hallyu - meaning Korean Wave. - which is also being reflected in a current exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Matthew Sweet foregrounds music from highly praised films such as Parasite, Snowpiercer, The Handmaiden and Oldboy and also takes a look at the
The Crowded Planet
Music for film reflecting cinema's engagement with the idea of an over populated planet prompted by the release this week of Chie Hayakawa's Japanese feature, 'Plan 75', with a score by Jeremie Archache and Christophe Musset.
The programme also includes music from 'Inferno' by Hans Zimmer, 'Passengers' by Thomas Newman, 'Idiocracy' by Theodore Shapiro, Miklos Rozsa's 'The World, The Flesh and The
Folk Music in Film
To mark midsummer weekend, Matthew Sweet dons his finest handmade knitwear to bring us the folk-inspired soundtracks from films that embrace the old ways, including The Wicker Man, Midsommar and Deliverance.
The Earth
Matthew Sweet marks Earth Day with a look at screen music composed to celebrate the natural world. He is joined by composer Sarah Class, who has written many scores foregrounding environmental issues and for natural history documentaries, and is one of the chosen composers commissioned to write a new piece for the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla. Sarah talks about her approach to writing for
Dracula
With the release this week of Chris McKay's new film Renfield, Matthew Sweet looks back at the many appearances of Dracula on our screens and at the music the count has inspired. The programme looks back to some of the earliest cinematic manifestations of Dracula, from the 1920s, including the silent classic 'Nosferatu' and brings things right up to date with scores from Wojciech Kilar, Popol Vuh,
John Debney
John Debney, composer of scores for films such as Elf, Jetsons: The Movie, Hocus Pocus and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, joins Matthew Sweet for a look back on his prodigious Hollywood career. John has a long association with the Disney studios and he explains to Matthew the extraordinary story of how his Disney career came about, of writing music for films such Bruce Almighty and The Pa
1997
On Oscars weekend, Matthew looks back on the 70th Academy Award Ceremony, to date the most watched ever Oscars. What was it about the films of 1997 that really caught the public imagination? Featuring classic scores from James Horner (Titanic), Hans Zimmer (As Good As It Gets), Edward Shearmur (The Wings of the Dove), Jerry Goldsmith (Air Force One) and Michael Nyman (Gattaca).
Rampage!
Mark Mothersbaugh's score for the new film Cocaine Bear is the inspiration for this week's programme with Matthew Sweet, who looks at music for films with animals behaving badly. From dogs in an aerial dogfight courtesy of Wallace & Gromit to carnivorous mutant lambs in Black Sheep. Not to mention giant ants, a rogue crocodile and a tornado full of sharks. It's going to get messy.
Volker Bertelmann
With the Baftas this weekend and the Oscars imminent, Matthew Sweet meets the German composer/pianist Volker Bertelmann (aka "Hauschka"), the nominated composer in the Best Score category for both the Baftas and the Oscars this year, for the remake of the classic First World War inspired 'All Quiet On The Western Front'. Matthew talks to Volker about his fascination with the prepared piano and abo
Hildur Guðnadóttir
Matthew is joined by award-winning Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir to talk about her screen music, including her scores for Tár and Women Talking.
Cinema with Dad
Matthew Sweet explores listeners' experiences of going to the cinema with their Dads and contemplates Steven Spielberg's new autobiographical movie Fabelmans. Other classic 'Dad films' whose scores feature this week's mix include A Bridge Too Far, Zulu, E.T. and Superman.
Decadence
With the current release of Justin Hurwitz's new score for 'Babylon' in cinemas, Matthew Sweet looks at the theme of decadence in the movies through examples of its music. The programme includes notes by Debbie Wiseman for 'Wilde', Jen Anderson for 'Pandora's Box'; 'Caligula' by Bruno Nicolai, Nino Rota's 'La Dolce Vita', Jonny Greenwood's 'Inherent Vice' and Dustin O'Halloran's 'Marie Antoinette'
Second Chance
During the period of New Year resolutions Matthew Sweet looks at music for films which offer the opportunity of a "second chance", including 'It's a Wonderful Life', 'The Artist', 'The Pursuit of Happyness', 'Soul', 'Living', 'Mrs Jones Goes To Paris', 'Groundhog Day' and 'Star Trek IV - The Journey Home'. Matthew also focuses on music composed for the various screen versions of Charles Dickens's
Avatar and Simon Franglen
With the appearance this week of James Cameron's long awaited sequel to Avatar - The Way Of Water - Matthew Sweet meets its composer, Simon Franglen, to discuss his music for this and for other films. Simon talks about his early days working in film with John Barry, about his work with Howard Shore on the David Fincher crime thriller Se7en, and about his collaboraton with James Horner on Titanic ,
The Romance of Horror
Monsters, spooky atmosphere, terrifying effects, but horror is also a genre exploring ideas about relationships, as Matthew Sweet explains with music for the romance of horror. The programme features cues from classic Hammer Horror by Harry Robertson alongside Wojciech Kilar's 'Bram's Stoker's Dracula'. Also in the programme is some of Roy Budd's score for 'Phantom Of the Opera', some of Maurice J
Michael Nyman
With the remastered cinematic and digital re-release of The Draughtsman's Contract, marking forty years since it first appeared, Matthew Sweet looks back on the film music career of the man who created its much-loved score, Michael Nyman. He charts his long association with director Peter Greenaway, his foray into the Hollywood, and his work with European and experimental cinema. The programme fea
Tom Holkenborg
Matthew Sweet talks with the wildly successful, classically trained Dutch composer Tom Holkenborg, a.k.a. Junkie XL, a star of club electronica, video games and film scores. Tom talks about looking to composition masters for influence, making brand new instruments and writing 95 melodies to find the perfect one for his latest film, Three Thousand Years of Longing.
Nuns
The world of the convent has given rise to some interesting and varied cinema - Black Narcissus, Agnes of God, Two Mules for Sister Sara, and not least, this week's new release, Prey for the Devil, a new horror from director Daniel Stamm with music by Nathan Barr. Matthew Sweet looks back at nuns on the screen, lavishly illustrated with the sound of music.
Lorne Balfe
Matthew Sweet in conversation with Lorne Balfe, the prolific, Grammy-winning composer of films ranging from Mission Impossible: Fallout to Churchill. Lorne talks about working with Hans Zimmer, how dyslexia shaped him as a composer, and the day Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson turned up at a recording session.
Vaughan Williams and film
Vaughan-Williams was very progressive and open minded with regard to the role of the film composer and the merit of the film score. He was keen to “try his hand” at composing for film in the 1940s not least because he thought it would fulfil his need to play a “useful role” during the war years. He wrote his first score for Powell and Pressburger’s propaganda 1941 film ‘The 49th Parallel’ and went
Widescreen
Matthew Sweet looks back on the story of widescreen cinema, on some of the films designed especially for it and looks at the impact that the idea has had on film scores.
You'll never leave
With the release of the Florence Pugh film Don't Worry Darling featuring a new score by John Powell, Matthew Sweet looks at film music inspired by those disturbing types of community that conceal awkward secrets. The programme features muisc from 'The League of Gentlemen Apocalypse', 'The Most Dangerous Game', 'Get Out', 'Vivarium', 'The Truman Show'; 'Pleasantville', 'Murder By Death', The Stepfo
Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin, composer of classic jazz-infused scores for Mission Impossible, Bullitt and Dirty Harry - Matthew Sweet looks back on his career and music. The programme features music from Cool Hand Luke, Enter the Dragon, The Fox, The Four Musketeers, Rush Hour 2, The Amityville Horror and Tango.Lalo Schifrin died in June 2025, and this programme was first broadcast in 2022.
The Connoisseurs
With the release of a new film inspired by the art of wine tasting and the true story of a Zimbabwean team of professional sommeliers, 'Blind Ambition', Matthew considers film and film music under the wider context of the connoisseur. Who are the great on-screen arbiters of merit and taste? And he talks to the Australian composer Helena Czajka, about her score for 'Blind Ambition'.The programme
Stranger Things about the Eighties
What was it about the 1980s setting that proved so distinctive and right for the hit television series Stranger Things? Matthew Sweet reflects on the spirit of the decade as told through the music of its films. The programme includes music from The Goonies, The Breakfast Club, Wall Street, Witness, Driving Miss Daisy, The Final Countdown, War Games, The Terminator and Gremlins. The Classic Score o
Bill Conti
Hollywood composer Bill Conti joins Matthew to talk about his career and music for film, which has included scores for James Bond, The Karate Kid and, perhaps most famously, Rocky. Among other things, Bill talks to Matthew about his early days as a musician and composer in Italy, about 'ghosting', about how he created the score for the original Rocky film back in the mid-1970s, about working on Ja
