Milan Records today releases The Naked Gun (Music from the Motion Picture) featuring music by Grammy Award-winning composer Lorne Balfe. Available everywhere now, the album includes an original score composed by Balfe for the latest film, from Paramount Pictures, in the beloved comedy franchise. Also included in the 13-track collection are two hilarious new original vocal songs performed by the cast, "Sassafras Chicken in D" and "My Sweet Beth". Drawing inspiration from the well-loved music of past films, Balfe has crafted a nostalgia-tinged score that also manages to balance the film's serious action with its irreverent charm. The Naked Gun debuts exclusively in theaters today from Paramount Pictures.
Of the soundtrack, composer Lorne Balfe says, "When I first sat down with the director to talk about the score for The Naked Gun, he told me one thing right away: the music had to feel honest. That set the tone for everything that followed. No matter how absurd the scenes got, the score needed to treat them seriously - especially the action. We weren't playing for laughs; the music had to sell the drama, because that's what makes the comedy land.
I grew up loving The Naked Gun and Police Squad! - they were a big part of my childhood. Ira Newborn's original theme is iconic, and I really wanted to honour that noir-inspired, brassy sound while bringing a fresh energy for today's audience. That contrast - serious music underscoring ridiculous situations—is what makes this world so fun to play in.
We recorded the score at the Warner Scoring Stage in Los Angeles, and one of my favorite cues is the film's opening. It starts with this dark, ominous tension and then launches into an explosive action sequence. It lets the audience know exactly what kind of movie they're in for - one that plays it straight, no matter how unhinged things get.
Scoring this film was all about finding that balance: emotional sincerity and total absurdity, colliding in the best way possible."