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Best known for his work with Joel and Ethan Coen, whom he met when they were seeking a composer for their first feature, "Blood Simple" (1984). Burwell's work for the duo continued with the hyper-kinetic comedy "Raising Arizona" (1987), in which he assigned each major character a distinctive theme; some were adapted folk melodies, others--like the "Spanish rock opera" that greets the arrival of the "Biker from Hell"--used sampled sounds to even quirkier effect....
Full Bio , Awards & Milestones

Filmography

Hail Caesar - ( Original Music / / Announced / )
Thicker - ( Music / / Announced / )
Burn After Reading - ( Original Music / 2008 / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Twilight - ( Composer / 2008 / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
In Bruges - ( Music Conductor / 2008 / Released / )
In Bruges - ( Orchestrations(- Music Orchestrator) / 2008 / Released / )
In Bruges - ( Original Music / 2008 / Released / )
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - ( Music Conductor / 2007 / Released / )
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - ( Orchestrations / 2007 / Released / )
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - ( Music / 2007 / Released / )
No Country for Old Men - ( Music / 2007 / Released / )
The Hoax - ( Music Conductor / 2007 / Released / )
The Hoax - ( Orchestrations / 2007 / Released / )
Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus - ( Original Music / 2006 / Released / )
Kinsey - ( Music Conductor / 2004 / Released / 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment )
Kinsey - ( Music / 2004 / Released / 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment )
Kinsey - ( Orchestrations / 2004 / Released / 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment )
The Alamo - ( Music Arranger / 2004 / Released / )
The Alamo - ( Music Producer / 2004 / Released / )
The Alamo - ( Music Arranger(- On-Camera Music Arrangements) / 2004 / Released / )
The Alamo - ( Music / 2004 / Released / )
The Alamo - ( Music Conductor(- Orchestra Conductor) / 2004 / Released / )
The Alamo - ( Orchestrations / 2004 / Released / )
The Ladykillers - ( Music Conductor(- Original Score Conductor) / 2004 / Released / )
The Ladykillers - ( Orchestrations(- Original Score Orchestrator) / 2004 / Released / )
The Ladykillers - ( Music / 2004 / Released / )
Intolerable Cruelty - ( Music Conductor / 2003 / Released / )
Intolerable Cruelty - ( Orchestrations / 2003 / Released / )
Intolerable Cruelty - ( Music / 2003 / Released / )
Adaptation - ( Music / 2002 / Released / )
S1M0NE - ( Music Conductor / 2002 / Released / )
S1M0NE - ( Orchestrations / 2002 / Released / )
The Rookie - ( Music / 2002 / Released / )
A Knight's Tale - ( Music / 2001 / Released / )
The Man Who Wasn't There - ( Orchestrations(- orchestrator & conductor) / 2001 / Released / Asmik Corporation )
The Man Who Wasn't There - ( Music / 2001 / Released / Asmik Corporation )
Before Night Falls - ( Music Conductor(- music conductor & orchestrations) / 2000 / Released / Asmik Corporation )
Before Night Falls - ( Music / 2000 / Released / Asmik Corporation )
Blood Simple - ( Music / 2000 / Released / Canal Plus (Canal+) )
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 - ( Music(- music recordist) / 2000 / Released / 20th Century Fox Studios )
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 - ( Music / 2000 / Released / 20th Century Fox Studios )
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 - ( Music Performer / 2000 / Released / 20th Century Fox Studios )
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 - ( Original Score(- original score writing & recording provider & performer) / 2000 / Released / 20th Century Fox Studios )
Hamlet - ( Music(- music orchestrator & conductor) / 2000 / Released / )
Hamlet - ( Music / 2000 / Released / )
O Brother, Where Art Thou? - ( Music / 2000 / Released / )
What Planet Are You From? - ( Music Arranger / 2000 / Released / )
What Planet Are You From? - ( Music / 2000 / Released / )
Being John Malkovich - ( Orchestrations(- orchestrator & conductor) / 1999 / Released / )
Being John Malkovich - ( Music / 1999 / Released / )
Mystery, Alaska - ( Music / 1999 / Released / )
Mystery, Alaska - ( Music Conductor(- orchestra conductor) / 1999 / Released / )
The Corruptor - ( Music / 1999 / Released / )
The General's Daughter - ( Music / 1999 / Released / )
Three Kings - ( Music Conductor(- music conductor/orchestration) / 1999 / Released / )
Three Kings - ( Music / 1999 / Released / )
Gods and Monsters - ( Music / 1998 / Released / Televix )
The Big Lebowski - ( Music / 1998 / Released / Bontonfilm )
The Big Lebowski - ( Original Music(- original music orchestrator) / 1998 / Released / Bontonfilm )
The Hi-Lo Country - ( Music Conductor(- conductor) / 1998 / Released / )
The Hi-Lo Country - ( Music / 1998 / Released / )
The Spanish Prisoner - ( Orchestrations(- music orchestrations) / 1998 / Released / )
The Spanish Prisoner - ( Music / 1998 / Released / )
Velvet Goldmine - ( Original Score / 1998 / Released / Globe Film Co )
Assassin(s) - ( Music / 1997 / Released / )
Conspiracy Theory - ( Music / 1997 / Released / Village Roadshow Pictures Worldwide )
Picture Perfect - ( Music Conductor(- orchestra conductor) / 1997 / Released / )
Picture Perfect - ( Orchestrations / 1997 / Released / )
Picture Perfect - ( Music / 1997 / Released / )
The Jackal - ( Music / 1997 / Released / Toho Tawa/Marubeni )
The Locusts - ( Music / 1997 / Released / )
Fargo - ( Music / 1996 / Released / Meteor Film/Polygram Filmed Entertainement )
Fear - ( Music / 1996 / Released / )
Joe's Apartment - ( Roach Chorus / 1996 / Released / )
Joe's Apartment - ( Original Score / 1996 / Released / )
The Celluloid Closet - ( Music / 1996 / Released / )
The Chamber - ( Orchestrations(- orchestrator and conductor) / 1996 / Released / )
The Chamber - ( Music / 1996 / Released / )
A Goofy Movie - ( Original Score / 1995 / Released / )
Bad Company - ( Music / 1995 / Released / )
Bad Company - ( Music Performer(- piano) / 1995 / Released / )
Rob Roy - ( Music / 1995 / Released / )
Rob Roy - ( Music Conductor(- conductor) / 1995 / Released / )
Two Bits - ( Music / 1995 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Airheads - ( Music / 1994 / Released / )
It Could Happen to You - ( Music / 1994 / Released / )
The Hudsucker Proxy - ( Music / 1994 / Released / Standard Films )
XXXTasy: Two Days in the Life of a Saint - ( Music / 1994 / Released / )
A Dangerous Woman - ( Music / 1993 / Released / Cineplex Odeon )
This Boy's Life - ( Music / 1993 / Released / )
Wayne's World 2 - ( Music(- Music Score) / 1993 / Released / )
Wayne's World 2 - ( Music(- Music Composer) / 1993 / Released / )
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - ( Music(- music score) / 1992 / Released / )
Storyville - ( Music / 1992 / Released / Ascii Pictures )
Waterland - ( Music / 1992 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Barton Fink - ( Music / 1991 / Released / Hoyts Distribution )
Doc Hollywood - ( Music / 1991 / Released / KF )
Doc Hollywood - ( Song / 1991 / Released / KF )
Scorchers - ( Music / 1991 / Released / Sonet Media )
Miller's Crossing - ( Music / 1990 / Released / SF )
Checking Out - ( Music / 1989 / Released / Festival Films Ltd )
Funny - ( Composer / 1989 / Released / )
It Takes Two - ( Music / 1988 / Released / )
Pass the Ammo - ( Music / 1988 / Released / )
The Beat - ( Music / 1988 / Released / )
Raising Arizona - ( Music / 1987 / Released / )
Psycho III - ( Music / 1986 / Released / )
Psycho III - ( Song(- songs) / 1986 / Released / )
TV Credits
The 9th Annual Gotham Awards ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
Full Biography (Back to top)

Best known for his work with Joel and Ethan Coen, whom he met when they were seeking a composer for their first feature, "Blood Simple" (1984). Burwell's work for the duo continued with the hyper-kinetic comedy "Raising Arizona" (1987), in which he assigned each major character a distinctive theme; some were adapted folk melodies, others--like the "Spanish rock opera" that greets the arrival of the "Biker from Hell"--used sampled sounds to even quirkier effect. Burwell composed his first full orchestral score for "Miller's Crossing" (1990), the Coens' stylish excursion into the gangster film, where his lush melodies served as a counterpoint to the hard-boiled characters' clipped dialogue. For "Barton Fink" (1991) Burwell, working closely with sound designer Skip Lievsay, devoloped a "minimalist" score that melded with the other sound effects; there were only about 20 bars of music in the entire film. Non-Coen credits range from "Doc Hollywood" (1991) to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1992) and "Storyville" (1992).

Profession(s):
composer, vocalist, computer graphics artist, biology lab worker
Sometimes Credited As:

Horizontal Line
Education
Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts architecture 1977
Awards (Back to top)
Independent Features Project (IFP) Gotham Composer Award 1999
Chicago Film Critics Association Award Best Music Score "Fargo" 1996

Milestones (Back to top)
1998 Scored "Gods and Monsters"
1998 Wrote the theme music for the UPN animated series "Dilbert"
1996 Reteamed with the Coes brothers to score "Fargo"
1991 First minimalist score for "Barton Fink"; score melded with other sound elements; only about 20 bars of music in the film
1990 Composed first orchestral score, for the Coens' "Miller's Crossing"
1990 First TV score for "Framed"
1984 Wrote first film score, for the Coen Brothers' "Blood Simple"
1984 Provided computer graphics for Yoshiaki Kawajiri and Kazuyuki Hirokawa's "Lensman", an animated science fiction feature
Worked for a few years after graduation in biology labs doing computer graphics, animation, and digital image processing
Sat in as a keyboardist with various bands in his spare time

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