Interview: ‘The Neon Demon’ Composer Cliff Martinez

The Neon Demon is on its way to theaters. Refn’s macabre ode to the LA fashion scene arrives in theaters this week on a wave of positive word of mouth and boasting one win from the illustrious Cannes Film Festival. That win came by way of the film’s moody original score from Composer Cliff Martinez. The Neon Demon is Martinez’s third collaboration with Refn – after Drive (2008) and Only God Forgives (2013) –  and sees the composer bring a brooding grandiosity to his signature ambient sound. Behind throbbing electronics and an ocean of synthesizers, Martinez’s compositions build a dense layer of sex and dread behind Refn’s stylized visuals. The result is a fever dream – or nightmare – of a film unlike anything else you’ll see this summer. The composer recently took some time to speak with CutPrintFilm about his less than traditional path to composing, working with Nicolas Winding Refn and strategically placed tube socks.

Read the full interview by Patrick Phillips at CUT PRINT FILM