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Decca is delighted to release the soundtrack to Kevin Macdonald’s film The Last
King Of Scotland (LKOS). Composed and produced by one of the UK’s leading film composers –
ALEX HEFFES – the soundtrack combines funky Ugandan music (virtually never heard outside Africa
before) with a large scale orchestral score.
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Based on Giles Foden’s award-winning novel of the same name, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND is directed by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (TOUCHING THE VOID, ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER) from a screenplay by Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock.
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In an incredible twist of fate, a Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) on a Ugandan medical mission becomes irreversibly entangled with one of the world's most barbaric figures: Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker)
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Decca is delighted to release the soundtrack to Kevin Macdonald’s film The Last
King Of Scotland (LKOS). Composed and produced by one of the UK’s leading film composers –
ALEX HEFFES – the soundtrack combines funky Ugandan music (virtually never heard outside Africa
before) with a large scale orchestral score. The film is based on Giles Foden’s Award winning novel
about Uganda under the regime of one of the world’s most notorious dictators, Idi Amin, and stars
Forest Whitaker (Amin), Gillian Anderson and James McAvoy.
The Background
By the time Alex Heffes and Kevin Macdonald came to work together on the LKOS early in 2005 they
had already collaborated on 9 projects including the Oscar-winning One Day in September and the
acclaimed BAFTA-winner Touching the Void. A rapport had built up over this time resulting in a
special and ongoing partnership (they already have plans to work on future films together).
Both Alex and Kevin started talking about the music well before the shooting started, in fact before the
film was even cast. As the script called for a lot of musicians to appear on-screen at various moments,
they decided that Alex would need to go to Uganda to record and produce much of this material as
there is very little authentically Ugandan music available on CD. Both composer and director
felt that music should play a really important role in portraying Uganda in the 1970’s. They decided that
the African tracks in the film should reflect the spirit of modernism in Uganda at the time - basically, it
should be funky. So, Alex was flown to Kampala in the early summer of 2005 to hunt for some of the
bands and artists known in Uganda.
The Music - Uganda
When Alex arrived in Uganda, one of the many highlights was discovering and then recording two
songs with Uganda’s longest running band, ‘Afrigo’. Their leader, Moses Matovu, had formed the
band over 30 years ago and they were a personal favourite of Amin himself. ‘Kasongo’ (used on the
soundtrack) is one of their most popular tunes, and Alex instantly understood why when he saw them
perform it at Club Obligato one hot night as the crowd went crazy; there was not a soul who didn’t
jump up to dance!
Other highlights included recording the Chris Kristofferson song ‘Me and Bobby Magee’ with
Angela Kalule, a well known singer in Kampala. Alex recorded this in an old meat packing factory in
the middle of the night which definitely had a vibe. When Angela first rehearsed the song with Alex she
sang it in a reserved “straight” style, just like Janis Joplin. Alex had noticed that Ugandans are usually
very animated and use lots of gestures when they sing and he suggested Angela sang in this way. The
transformation was amazing!
One evening Alex, Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy all ended up going to see a local cultural show
by the Enderi Dance Troupe. This turned out to be a fantastic display of local song and dance and
Alex was really struck by one song, in which the lead singer balanced 10 or so clay pots on her head
while singing and dancing. The result is the wonderful ‘Pot Song’ on the soundtrack.
Alex believes one of his best experiences was meeting Richard Kawesa (or just Kawesa as he prefers).
Kawesa is well known on the music scene in Kampala and Alex heard him performing one of his songs
at a party and was struck with his incredible voice. When it came to writing the score, Alex
remembered this voice and was keen to incorporate it in some way in the movie (you can hear him on
the end credits and in other key places). Kawesa even came to London for a couple of weeks and
worked with Alex on vocal textures that he later used in the film.
The Orchestral Score
There’s about an hour of score aside from all the songs on the movie. Alex and Kevin decided that an
orchestral score would make a good contrast from the real African music in the film. The start of the
film has very little score in order to immerse the audience in the music and culture of Uganda. As the
character of Nicolas becomes more entangled in the web of violence around Amin the score creeps in,
infecting the sunny atmosphere with a darker tone. (The photography does the same subliminal thing).
The orchestral score was recorded in March 2006 with a 75 piece orchestra at Air Lyndhurst in
London with Alex conducting (he always conducts his own work). It includes lots of orchestral
percussion as well as African drums, the brake cylinders off an old transit van which were whacked
with a spanner (!) and a Verdi drum which is a fantastically large bass drum.
The resulting soundtrack of The Last King of Scotland has a bit of everything in it. To quote Alex:
“It’s a real musical adventure, which about sums up the whole experience for me!”
Alex Heffes’ versatility has led to a busy scoring schedule taking him constantly across musical boundaries. Recent scores include acclaimed Macdonald’s BAFTA winner TOUCHING THE VOID, Miramax Film's DEAR FRANKIE, Steve Coogan’s THE PAROLE OFFICER and the psychological thriller TRAUMA starring Colin Firth and Mena Suvari. He most recently composed music for Fox Searchlight Pictures IMAGINE ME AND YOU starring Piper Perabo and Lena Heady.
Away from the screen, Heffes’ concert music has been featured at venues as diverse as the Sangat Music Festival in India where he was the Composer-in-Residence in January 2000, Symphony Hall Birmingham and the London Jazz Festival. In 2003 he was invited to the Sultanate of Oman to attend the premiere of his overture commissioned by the Royal Symphony Orchestra. He has also collaborated on Elton John’s movie score to WOMEN TALKING DIRTY and with members of the band Blur.
The Last King of Scotland soundtrack is available on DECCA Records.
www.universalclassics.com
www.foxsearchlight.com/lastkingofscotland/
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Based on Giles Foden’s award-winning novel of the same name, The Last King of Scotland is directed by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (TOUCHING THE VOID, ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER) from a screenplay by Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock. With a cast that includes Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington Simon McBurney and Gillian Anderson, the film is produced by Andrea Calderwood (THE CLAIM) of Slate Films, and Lisa Bryer and Charles Steel of Cowboy Films (WASP, THE HOLE, GOODBYE CHARLIE BRIGHT). It is executive produced by Tessa Ross (BILLY ELLIOTT, ENDURING LOVE) from Film Four; Andrew Macdonald (producer of 28 DAYS LATER, TRAINSPOTTING) and Allon Reich (FOUR FEATHERS, DIRTY PRETTY THINGS) of DNA.
Shot in Britain and Uganda with the support of the Ugandan people, the rarely seen world of Idi Amin’s Uganda is captured by a team that includes cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, DFF BSC, (MILLIONS, 28 DAYS LATER), production designer Mike Carlin (ADVENTURES IN DIGITAL COMICS), British Independent Film Award-winning editor Justine Wright (ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER, TOUCHING THE VOID) and costume designer Michael O'Connor (HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, PROOF OF LIFE).
www.universalclassics.com
www.foxsearchlight.com/lastkingofscotland/
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In an incredible twist of fate, a Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) on a Ugandan medical mission becomes irreversibly entangled with one of the world's most barbaric figures: Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). Impressed by Dr. Garrigan's brazen attitude in a moment of crisis, the newly self-appointed Ugandan President Amin hand picks him as his personal physician and closest confidante. Though Garrigan is at first flattered and fascinated by his new position, he soon awakens to Amin's savagery - and his own complicity in it. Horror and betrayal ensue as Garrigan tries to right his wrongs and escape Uganda alive.
www.universalclassics.com
www.foxsearchlight.com/lastkingofscotland/
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1 Toko - Momo Wandel
2 Nakawunde - Percussion Discussion Africa
3 Idi's Story - Alex Heffes
4 Afro Disco Beat - Tony Allen
5 Save Me - E. T. Mensah & The Tempos Band
6 Ambush - Alex Heffes
7 Me and Bobby McGee - Angela Kalule
8 Kasongo - Afrigo Band
9 Fever - Jingo
10 The Bonnie Banks O'Loch Lomond - Nyzonza Singers
11 Bukom Mashie - Oscar Sulley & The Uhuru Dance Band
12 Press Conference - Alex Heffes
13 Love Is You - Ofo The Black Company
14 Getting the Evil of Nicolas - Alex Heffes
15 On the Runway - Alex Heffes
16 Down Over Lake Victoria - Alex Heffes
17 Acholi Pot Song - Ndere Dance Troupe
18 Voice of the Forgotten - Kawesa
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Forest Whitaker
James McAvoy
Kerry Washington
Simon McBurney
and Gillian Anderson
DIRECTED BY KEVIN MACDONALD
SCREENPLAY BY PETER MORGAN and JEREMY BROCK
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY GILES FODEN
PRODUCED BY ANDREA CALDERWOOD, LISA BRYER, CHARLES STEEL
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: TESSA ROSS, ANDREW MACDONALD, ALLON REICH
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ANTHONY DOD MANTLE DFF BSC
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: MICHAEL CARLIN
EDITED BY: JUSTINE WRIGHT
LINE PRODUCER: ANDREW WOOD
MUSIC BY: ALEX HEFFES
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