George Fenton
Born: 19 October 1950, London, England.
Biography:
One of the most talented and versatile composers working today, with a string of critical and commercial successes under his belt, George Fenton began writing music for the theatre in 1974, worked extensively for The Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre and Riverside Studios, and was a successful television composer in Britain, before coming to international prominence in 1981 when, working with legendary Indian composer and sitar player Ravi Shankar, he received an Oscar nomination for his score for Richard Attenborough's epic movie "Gandhi". Since then, the venerable Lord Attenborough has stated that he would never consider using any composer other than Fenton, and over the years their collaboration has produced some memorable scores, including "Cry Freedom" (1987), "Shadowlands" (1993) and "In Love and War" (1996). To continue the Attenborough connection, Fenton also regularly writes music for Richard's brother David Attenborough's critically acclaimed wildlife documentaries, including "The Trials of Life", "Life in the Freezer", and most the critically acclaimed "Blue Planet", which has since gone on to be the subject of a highly successful world tour combining live music with stunning natural history imagery. Fenton consciously embraces many different styles of writing in his work, and has become the regular collaborator with such diverse directors as Harold Ramis, Ken Loach, Andy Tennant and Nicholas Hytner. His credits include hit movies such as "Dangerous Liaisons" (1988), "Final Analysis" (1992), "Groundhog Day" (1993), "Multiplicity" (1996), "You've Got Mail" (1998), "Ever After" (1998), "The Object of My Affection" (1998), "Anna and the King" (1999), "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002) and Hitch (2005), as well as critical success such as "Memphis Belle" (1990), "The Fisher King" (1991) and "Dangerous Beauty" (1998). Besides writing music for film, he has composed "Five Parts of the Dance" for Graham Ashton; "Birthday", a children's opera; and, in collaboration with Alan Bennett, "Hymn", commissioned by Harrogate International Festival to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Medici String Quartet. He lectures at Liverpool University, the Royal College of Music and at Nottingham University where he holds a Special Professorship, regularly appears on television arts shows and documentaries as an authority on music, and runs his own record label, Debonair (www.debonairrecords.co.uk).
Reviews:
Ae Fond Kiss, Anna and the King, Dangerous Beauty, Ever After, The Fisher King, Fools Gold, Grey Owl, Groundhog Day, Hitch, In Love and War, Stage Beauty, Valiant, The Wind That Shakes the Barley and You've Got Mail
Filmography:
Fools Gold (2008), Earth (2007), Its a Free Word (2007), Love and Death in Shanghai (2007), The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2007), The History Boys (2006), Last Holiday (2006), Planet Earth (2006), Bewitched (2005), Hitch (2005), Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005), Valiant (2005), Ae Fond Kiss (2004), Imagining Argentina (2004), Pride (2004), Stage Beauty (2004), Deep Blue (2003), A French Affair (2003), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), Sweet Sixteen (2002), The Blue Planet (2001), The Navigators (2001), Summer Catch (2001), Bread and Roses (2000), Centre Stage (2000), Lucky Numbers (2000), Anna and the King (1999), Entropy (1999), Grey Owl (1999), Shanghai Vice (1999), Dangerous Beauty (1998), Ever After (1998), Living Out Loud (1998), My Name Is Joe (1998), The Object of My Affection (1998), Talking Heads 2 (1998), You've Got Mail (1998), The Woodlanders (1997), August (1996), Carla's Song (1996), The Crucible (1996), Heaven's Prisoners (1996), In Love and War (1996), Mary Reilly (1996), Multiplicity (1996), Land and Freedom (1995), The Viking Sagas (1995), China Moon (1994), Beyond the Clouds (1994), Ladybird Ladybird (1994), The Madness of King George (1994), Mixed Nuts (1994), Born Yesterday (1993), Groundhog Day (1993), Life in the Freezer (1993), Shadowlands (1993), Final Analysis (1992), Hero (1992), 102 Boulevard Haussmann (1991), The Fisher King (1991), White Palace (1991), The Long Walk Home (1990), Memphis Belle (1990), The Trials of Life (1990), We're No Angels (1989), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), The Dressmaker (1988), A Handful of Dust (1988), High Spirits (1988), Talking Heads (1988), Cry Freedom (1987), White Mischief (1987), 84 Charing Cross Road (1986), Call Me Mister (1986), Clockwise (1986), East of Ipswich (1986), The Monocled Mutineer (1986), Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire (1985), The Company of Wolves (1984), The Jewel in the Crown (1984), An Englishman Abroad (1983), The Ghost Writer (1983), Loving Walter (1983), Runners (1983), Saigon: Year of the Cat (1983), Walter & June (1983), Gandhi (1982), Our Winnie (1982), A Woman of No Importance (1982), Bergerac (1981), The History Man (1981), Going Gentle (1980), Hussy (1980), Rain on the Roof (1980), Bloody Kids (1979), Fox (1979), Out (1979), Shoestring (1979), Private Road (1971).
Highest Grossing Films as at end of 2007 (adjusted for inflation):
Hitch ($196.1m), Youve Got Mail ($174.8m), Sweet Home Alabama ($155.0m), Gandhi ($127.1m), Groundhog Day ($121.3m), Ever After ($99.2m), The Fisher King ($70.5m), Bewitched ($68.8m), Dangerous Liaisons ($59.7m), Anna and the King ($54.7m)
Awards:
1991 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Fisher King
1988 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - Dangerous Liaisons
1987 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - Cry Freedom
1987 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "Cry Freedom" from Cry Freedom
1982 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - Gandhi
1999 Golden Globes - Nominee, Best Original Score - Anna and the King
1999 Golden Globes - Nominee, Best Original Song - "How Can I Not Love You" from Anna and the King
1987 Golden Globes - Nominee, Best Original Score - Cry Freedom
1988 Grammy Awards Nominee, Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or Television Cry Freedom from Cry Freedom
1984 Grammy Awards Nominee, Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Gandhi
2001 BAFTA Awards Winner, Best Original TV Music The Blue Planet
2005 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music Mrs. Henderson Presents
1995 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music The Madness of King George
1993 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Best Original TV Music Life in the Freezer
1990 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music Memphis Belle
1990 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Best Original TV Music The Trials of Life
1989 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music Dangerous Liaisons
1988 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Best Original TV Music Talking Heads
1987 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music Cry Freedom
1986 BAFTA Awards Winner, Best Original TV Music The Monocled Mutineer
1984 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Best Original TV Music The Jewel in the Crown
1983 BAFTA Awards Winner, Best Original TV Music An Englishman Abroad etc.
1982 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music Gandhi
1981 BAFTA Awards Winner, Best Original TV Music Bergerac
1980 BAFTA Awards Nominee, Best Original TV Music Shoestring etc.
2002 Emmy Awards Winner, Outstanding Music Composition for a Series Blue Planet
2005 Emmy Awards Nominee, Outstanding Music Composition for a Mini Series, Movie, or Special Pride
Home Page | Reviews A-M | Reviews N-Z | Composers | Links
Site copyright © 1997-2009, Jonathan Broxton/Movie Music UK. This page copyright © 2009. All rights reserved. The reviews and articles contained herein may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of the author. Some artwork and multimedia material are © various record labels and artists. All photos, multimedia and album artwork used are for non-profit making, promotional purposes, and no copyright infringement is intended.