CHALLENGING THE PERCEPTION OF EVGENY GALPERINE: Music, the Search for Meaning, and Luc Besson (Part II)
Evgeny Galperine. Photo by Craig McDean / kcrw.com
On the eve of the release of the «intelligent» Hollywood blockbuster Kraven the Hunter — the sixth installment in the Spider-Man Universe franchise — film critic Andrei Alferov sat down with one of the leading contemporary French film composers, Evgeny Galperine . Their conversation explored the nature of film music, Galperine’s childhood in Kyiv, his experiences with antisemitism, and the lifesaving role of cinema in his life. Topics included finding the keys to others’ cinematic stories, Luc Besson’s complex personality, the frozen sexuality in the Emmanuelle remake, Hollywood’s intellectual blockbusters and series, and the maturity of a film composer.
A.A.: Today, TV series are the new novelistic form of modern cinema. Besides Lagerfeld, you’ve worked on projects like Black Baron (a French crime series, 2016–2020) and Scenes from a Marriage. However, your biggest success has been Baby Reindeer (2024). How did you become part of this project?
E.G.: Completely unexpectedly. We were approached by a British production company that had to dismiss their composer after a year of unproductive work. At the rough cut stage, they were using temp tracks, many of which consisted of our previously composed pieces, including music from Loveless and Scenes from a Marriage. So, they naturally thought of us.
Of course, they called us at the very last moment — just two months before the project deadline. At the time, we were already committed to another project, but after reading the scripts for the first two episodes, we realized this was something truly unique. The story is told by a character who has personally experienced the events (the series is an adaptation of Richard Gadd’s autobiographical one-man show, with Gadd playing himself — editor’s note).
Moreover, the script was brilliantly written. We immediately understood that turning down such a project would have been a crime. At that point, no one could have imagined the series would reach 100 million viewers — it seemed like something niche.
Sasha and I decided it was worth sacrificing sleep for a project like this. We worked through the nights, but it was absolutely worth it.
A.A.: Are you surprised that this is the second project in recent years — after Joker — to spark cult interest by exploring the theme of the «little person» desperately striving to be heard and seen?
E.G.: I don’t think Baby Reindeer is primarily about the story of a «little person». For me, the series is about someone navigating an era of overwhelming information, personal revelations, psychological confessions, shifts in orientations, changes in gender identity, and a relentless search for self.
It resonated with so many people because the protagonist shares their extraordinary experiences with such sincerity and detail that it feels deeply personal to a wide audience. It’s not just a story about finding oneself or becoming someone new. Although you’re right, that theme is present as well.
From my perspective, Baby Reindeer is primarily the story of someone trying to piece themselves back together after experiencing catastrophic and traumatic events. Viewers felt as though they were having an intimate conversation with someone close, someone sharing their deepest, most personal experiences.
Andrey Zvyagintsev described this phenomenon as «the new sincerity». I think the series helped many people feel, even briefly, a little less alone.
A.A.: From TV series, I’d like to shift to another striking pop culture phenomenon — comics, which have practically become the foundation of modern drama in recent years. You recently completed work on the score for Kraven the Hunter, an adaptation of the Marvel comic produced by Columbia Pictures. Are there specific rules for working with music in such large-scale, industrial filmmaking?
E.G.: The fact that Sasha and I ended up being part of this project is remarkable in itself — it shows that the traditionally insular studio system, which used to recruit only its own, has started to crack (laughs).
The «culprit» was director J.C. Chandor, who himself transitioned to big Hollywood from auteur cinema (Margin Call, 2011; All Is Lost, 2013). His intellect, resourcefulness, and unique perspective caught the attention of the studio, which traditionally favored «solid craftsmen» as assembly-line workers for blockbuster production.
J.C. wanted to do something special with Marvel, something unlike the standard Hollywood product. The studio agreed to his ideas after the project hit a dead end. The release was postponed multiple times, editors were swapped, character storylines were cut to focus solely on action, and then reinstated again.
Eventually, after a test screening where viewers complained that the film felt too short, confusing, and lacked emotional resonance with the characters, the producers relented. Around the same time, they faced a box-office flop with another comic-book project and decided to give J.C. full creative control.
He edited the film the way he envisioned it, and the results pleased everyone. However, the original music — primarily written for action sequences — no longer fit the re-edited version of the film. That’s when he brought us on board.
Our task was to write something «human» — a score that reflected the inner lives and emotional arcs of the characters rather than just complementing the dynamic action scenes.
A.A.: The core of the story revolves around the conflict between a father and son, played by Russell Crowe and Aaron Taylor-Johnson…
E.G.: Yes, at the heart of the narrative is the father and his two sons. The father, an oppressive and despicable Russian mobster, embodies immorality and brutality. Under his reign, the mother, essentially trapped in a massive home, succumbs to despair and takes her own life.
Young Kraven, named Sergei, cannot forgive himself for her death and places all the blame on his father. As he grows up, he strives to become as different from his father as possible. Yet, in the end, he becomes even worse, transforming into one of the principal villains in the Marvel Universe and a rival to Spider-Man.
After capturing Spider-Man, Sergei realizes that his years of hunting him were driven by a false purpose.
From the start, J.C. asked us to bring depth to the musical score, highlighting the psychology, emotions, and tragedy of the characters. Consequently, only the action sequences retained the music from the previous composer. Our focus was on the characters and their inner worlds to enhance the dramatic aspects of the film.
A.A.: What did you draw upon for inspiration?
E.G.: Primarily, the family theme, which was initially obscured by overly generic music. We decided to explore modern sonic palettes, moving away from traditional orchestral music in favor of unique timbres and minimalism. This was a case where the simplest means created the strongest emotional impact.
We began by crafting themes for the main characters. For the authoritarian father, we created an oppressive, suffocating musical theme. For the two brothers, who grow up under his tyranny and later become Marvel villains, we sought sounds and notes that could evoke empathy from the audience — particularly in those few on-screen moments when they’re still young and human before the narrative jumps 15 years forward and they’re portrayed by different actors.
The connection between their childhood and adult selves is sustained through the music.
I wanted these musical motifs to make the characters instantly recognizable, even in the future, after their transformation is complete. We discovered unusual instruments with distinctive timbres, creating a subconscious and conscious connection for the audience.
This approach was inspired by the great Ennio Morricone. For him, the timbre of an instrument often mattered more than the melody itself. His use of whistling, gunshots, and coyote howls in his «spaghetti western» scores were groundbreaking innovations.
The brothers’ theme was performed on the Cristal Baschet, an extraordinary French instrument. It features glass rods that are played with wet hands, producing a soft, gliding sound reminiscent of an organ but with a unique, trembling texture.
The father’s theme is carried by the contrabassoon — an instrument with a deep, hissing tone. The musical motif is built on just two or three notes, but the key lies in the pauses between phrases. These pauses create tension and an air of unpredictability: the audience doesn’t know what’s coming next, keeping them on edge in suspense.
It’s important to understand that when music plays continuously, no matter how intense or romantic, it creates a sense of comfort and predictability. Pauses disrupt that feeling and add dramatic weight.
To emphasize the father’s Russian heritage, we incorporated the melody of an old folk tune, Zhnyte moi zhnei («Reap, my reapers»). This Pskov-region song could date back to the 18th century or even earlier. We first heard it through a composer friend, Alexei Kantsir, and were deeply struck by it. It’s not just a Russian melody but pan-Slavic in its ancientness, so much so that its lyrics were almost unintelligible.
We used this melody as the foundation for one of the protagonist’s themes to highlight his ethnic roots and his connection to his late mother. Her principles guide how he lives, striving to be unlike his father. Yet, in the end, he becomes even worse, turning into a true villain.
A.A.: And how is this conveyed in the music?
E.G.: Quite simply, the father’s theme, heard multiple times throughout the film, transforms and evolves in the finale into the son’s theme. We used a variation that retains recognizable elements of the father’s theme, but it’s already new music.
A.A.: That’s practically The Godfather — Michael Corleone, trying to avoid the family business, ends up taking Don Vito’s place…
E.G.: Absolutely, there’s a parallel here. But this is entertainment cinema, not an auteur piece like Coppola’s The Godfather. Still, the story is powerful. Even if you strip away the nuances and depth that Coppola achieved, it resonates emotionally.
Especially because it’s performed by an incredible cast. Russell Crowe alone is a standout.
