Me and Orson Welles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2008 film Me and Orson Welles directed by Richard Linklater starring Zac Efron, Christian McKay and Claire Danes. The soundtrack featured selections of late 1930s songs and orchestral performances, led by Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Jools Holland, James Langton amongst others. The soundtrack was released through Decca Records on November 24, 2009.
Contents
Background
Me and Orson Welles is set during the late-1930s period, a time where American jazz was prominent. Linklater and his music supervisor Marc Marot selected songs from that era, to maintain authenticity. Much of the film's music complimented of orchestral performances led by Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Jools Holland, Tommy Dorsey and James Langton, along with musical performances by Ginger Rogers, the Mills Brothers and Fred Astaire, as well as the lead actor Christian McKay also performing the song "Let's Pretend There's a Moon". The incidental underscore is composed, arranged, orchestrated and conducted by Michael J McEvoy, who had contributed two score pieces, while his complete score was not released.
Reception
Heather Phares of AllMusic found the periodic music to be fascinating and improved the film's storyline.