seems PJ has covered an old folk song for a new film
That note of stark seething extends to Harry Escott’s score, bookended by his and P.J. Harvey’s disconsolate, shiver-inducing interpretation of the English folk standard “An Acre of Land” — a literal but inarguably effective selection, and one that typifies the coolly updated traditionalism of Barnard’s new approach.
Clio Barnard: "Framed by PJ Harvey singing a folk song setting of a traditional children’s rhyme “My Father Gave me an Acre of Land,” I see “Dark River” as a folk tale about the exploitation of a woman’s body and the land."
"Adriano Goldman's camera is intuitive and lithe, while Harry Escott's score throbs (PJ Harvey's 'An Acre Of Land' tops and tails the piece)."
Re: "An Acre of Land" by PJH ("Dark River" OST)
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:00 pm
by TheNightingale
Thanks for the heads-up. Really enjoyed The Arbor, so I'm happy to see Polly working with Clio Barnard. Looking forward to this!
Re: "An Acre of Land" by PJH ("Dark River" OST)
Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:32 pm
by AineteEkaterini
Indeed, thank you. It's another case where the theme of the film is so appropriate to PJ you wonder how the connection came about. It's nice that in the interview, Polly's song is the first thing Ms Barnard mentions, but we may well never quite know what happened.
Re: "An Acre of Land" by PJH ("Dark River" OST)
Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 10:00 pm
by Kuk91
All gratitude should be meant for Romario11, who dug this info up.
Since the movie is only at festivals yet, I'm afraid we won't hear it too soon. I doubt it wil be released as an internet single or something, although we'd all certainly prefer so. Maybe the song will be featured in a theatrical trailer.
Re: "An Acre of Land" by PJH ("Dark River" OST)
Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 7:01 am
by AineteEkaterini
Like Mark Cousins's film that Polly composed for, it might find its way onto the BFI website at some point, and it does seem to be a bigger affair than that, so I'm hopeful. Clio Barnard's other films are available on Cinema Paradiso.
How did the collaboration with PJ Harvey come about?
I am a fan of her work, so I was over the moon when I received a letter from her because she had enjoyed my previous film. We got a chance to sit down and discuss the screenplay, and we found a way to work together on Dark River.
Re: "An Acre of Land" by PJH ("Dark River" OST)
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:55 pm
by AineteEkaterini
Thank you! I must mention more things I think aren't likely to happen, it seems to have a galvanising effect.
It was all thanks to Clio Barnard. During the first conversation I had with Clio about the score for Dark River, we talked about writing a song to bookend the film. She saw the film as a kind of murder ballad – akin to the tales that were told in folk songs and ballads of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. She asked whether I thought it was possible to draw on that art form to create something that felt appropriate for her tale, and whether I thought PJ Harvey would be a god fit to sing the song.
That is one of the thrilling parts of my job – I am lucky enough to work with people who give you so much inspiration to play with. Granted, it was a tall order, but I knew there was an opportunity to try and do something special.
A couple of weeks later, it was all happening – I was in a room with Clio at PJ Harvey’s place and we were discussing potential lyrics, going through books of poetry, nursery rhymes and folk songs. I was a fan of her music, but having had the opportunity to work with her and witness her art first hand, I think she is very special indeed. That moment when I heard her first take coming through the speakers at the recording session… shatteringly beautiful.
