Django Unchained (soundtrack)


Django Unchained is the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino's motion picture Django Unchained. It was originally released on December 18, 2012. The soundtrack uses a variety of music genres, though with an especially heavy influence from Spaghetti Western soundtracks.
Tracks composed for the film are "100 Black Coffins" by Rick Ross and produced by and featuring Jamie Foxx, "Who Did That To You?" by John Legend, "Freedom" by Anthony Hamilton and Elayna Boynton, "Ancora qui" by Ennio Morricone and Elisa. These four songs were all eligible for an Academy Award nomination in the Best Original Song category, but none of them were nominated.
The soundtrack also includes seven tracks that are dialogue excerpts from the film. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Critical reception and controversy

Despite the fact that the soundtrack was acclaimed by critics, Ennio Morricone, who composed a brand new song for Django Unchained, stated that Tarantino used the music "without coherence" and he "wouldn’t like to work with him again, on anything". That was the first collaboration between the Italian composer and the American filmmaker, even though Tarantino had used Morricone's music in Kill Bill, Death Proof, and Inglourious Basterds. Ennio Morricone quickly released a statement clarifying that his remarks were taken out of context, Morricone said that he has "great respect for Tarantino" and that he is "glad he chooses my music" Morricone also said that because Tarantino chooses his music "it is a sign of artistic brotherhood." Morricone went on to compose the score to Tarantino's next film, The Hateful Eight.
In a scholarly essay on the film's music, Hollis Robbins notes that the vast majority of film music borrowings come from films made between 1966 and 1974 and argues that the political and musical resonances of these allusions situate Django Unchained squarely in the Vietnam and Watergate era, during the rise and decline of Black Power cinema.

Film music not included on the album

  1. "Rito Finale" - Ennio Morricone
  2. "Norme Con Ironie" - Ennio Morricone
  3. "Town of Silence " - Luis Bacalov
  4. "Gavotte" - Grace Collins
  5. "Town of Silence" - Luis Bacalov
  6. "Requiem and Prologue" - Masamichi Amano & Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
  7. "The Big Risk" - Ennio Morricone
  8. "Minacciosamente Lontano" - Ennio Morricone
  9. "Blue Dark Waltz" - Luis Bacalov
  10. "Für Elise" - Ashley Toman
  11. "Freedom " - Richie Havens
  12. "Ain't No Grave "J2 and Steven Stern" - Johnny Cash
  13. "Dopo la congiura" - Ennio Morricone

Personnel

Singles

Individual tracks have been released as singles and charted on a number of official charts.

Accolades

CeremonyYearCategoryNominated workResult
Academy Awards2013Best Original Song"Ancora qui"
Academy Awards2013Best Original Song"Freedom"
Academy Awards2013Best Original Song"Who Did That to You?"
Academy Awards2013Best Original Song"100 Black Coffins"
Black Reel Awards2013Outstanding Original or Adapted Song"Freedom" Won
Georgia Film Critics Association2012Best Original Song"Ancora qui"Nomitated
Grammy Awards2013Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media Django Unchained Nomitated
St. Louis Film Critics Association2012Best Music Django Unchained Won