“People who call the shots make history”: Christopher Nolan’s Fans Express Regret Over 1 Aspect of ‘Interstellar’ After Hans Zimmer Was Robbed of an Oscar for the Soundtrack
- Despite Hans Zimmer's powerful score for 'Interstellar', it couldn't win an Oscar for the Best Original Score.
- 'Interstellar's score owes much to Roger Sayer, whose performance on the massive pipe organ gave life to Zimmer's compositions.
- Hans Zimmer had no idea what he was composing for as Nolan gave him just a brief text about a father and child.
There have been very few sci-fi movies that come close to Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar when it comes to portraying the science of space and time with accuracy, while also keeping the entertainment and drama aspect of a movie.
Besides that, the background score of the movie truly uplifted every scene and emotion of the film. Hans Zimmer was the mastermind behind the film’s score. His compositions, especially Cornfield Chase, have become an anthem even after all these years, thanks to social media.
Hans Zimmer’s Oscar Snub and the Hidden Talent of Interstellar‘s Music
While Zimmer has become a name that needs no introduction to the music world, another crucial player in the Interstellar soundtrack remains in the shadows. This unsung hero’s contributions have once again caught fans’ attention.
During the 87th Academy Awards, many expected Hans Zimmer to walk away with the Oscar for Best Original Score. Interstellar has impacted audiences not just visually, but aurally as well. When someone tries to recall a memorable scene, it is hard not to imagine the pipe organ’s resonant music in the background.
But the Oscar went to Alexandre Desplat for The Grand Budapest Hotel and many fans were shocked. Besides that, Interstellar‘s score was also nominated for BAFTA and Critics Choice Awards, but it didn’t win any.
What many don’t realize is that the man behind the heart of Interstellar’s sound is Roger Sayer. This British organist brought Zimmer’s vision to life when he played the massive pipe organ that gave the score its unique sound.
Sayer’s name remains largely unknown to the general public. On a recent Instagram post by The Film Flamingo, netizens expressed their regret over not knowing the genius behind the music and expressed their appreciation by commenting,
“Everyone remembers Zimmer but not roger sayer. That’s why the ppl who call the shots make the history at times.”
“Robbed of an Oscar for this score, it’s incredible”
“The world needs to know the man’s name who played it.”
“Credit the organ player! Thanks”
“Beyond privileged to have been a chorister in Rochester Cathedral Choir when Roger Sayer was the organist, master doesn’t even begin to describe him.”
Their sentiment shows the real collaborative nature of film scoring that often goes unrecognized. Zimmer’s work on Interstellar is just one among many of his masterpieces. He is the musical genius behind scores for The Lion King, Gladiator, and almost all Christopher Nolan films from Batman Begins to Dunkirk. Zimmer earlier won an Oscar for The Lion King and his last one was for Dune.
Hans Zimmer Composed in the Dark for Interstellar
Christopher Nolan is known for his secrecy, and he did the same while creating Interstellar. When he approached Zimmer to compose the score, he didn’t give him a script. He didn’t even tell him what the movie was about.
Nolan just handed Zimmer a single page of text. It wasn’t about space travel or wormholes. It was a simple story about a father and child. Zimmer told British GQ (via Variety),
In a peculiar way, what Chris wrote down that day, and what he wanted from me, had more to do with my story than the plot of the movie.
With just this brief clue, Zimmer started his work. In one night, he composed a four-minute piece for piano and organ. His sample music was like a musical love letter to his own child.
When Nolan heard the piece, he was blown away. According to Zimmer’s interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan said to him, “Well, I better make the movie now.” The composer had captured the emotional core of the film without even knowing its plot.
This unconventional approach shows the power of music to convey emotion, even without context. Although the Oscars may have overlooked Interstellar‘s music, fans continue to celebrate this cosmic symphony even after all these years of its release.
Interstellar is streaming on Netflix and Prime Video.
