Mark McKenzie

Netflix Presdient Ted Sarandos

Dragonheart Vengeance #1 on Amazon: “Masterfully written score”

“I am no fan of synth scores, but this is different, it has a celestial and other-worldly aura, the composer fashioning heart breaking and highly affecting tone poems which he combines with exciting and at times relentlessly full on action cues…DRAGONHEART VENGEANCE is a masterfully written score.” John Mansell: Movie Music International

“Mark McKenzie is a composer whose music overflows with beauty and passion, gorgeous themes and strong emotion, sparkling orchestrations and masterful technical content…He should have been nominated for at least a couple of Oscars. Dragonheart Vengeance is a score which is beautifully composed, skillfully arranged, and filled with heart…I just wish that there had been the budget for an orchestra.” Movie Music UK ” Jonathan Broxton Movie Music UKDragonheart Vengeance Soundtrack
Music Composed and Performed by Mark McKenzie

1. Hold On To Hope in the Dark Times
2. Love Changes Everything
3. Never Never Ever Give Up
4. You’re Destined for Greatness
5. You Make Me Feel Magical Inside
6. Look At What You Have Left and Not at What You’ve Lost
7. Pledged to Peace
8. Great Love Surrounds What is Surrounding You
9. Snake Battle
10. Self Control Makes You Stronger
11. Trying to Kiss You
12. Look Behind You!
13. Risking Life For Something Bigger Than Yourself
14. Siveth’s Cat Mouse and Dragon Plan
15. Keep Looking Up
16. Hope: It All Works for Good

Dragonheart Vengeance debuts as #1 Soundtrack on Amazon

We are celebrating that DRAGONHEART VENGEANCE was the #1 top selling MP3 Soundtrack on Amazon! Thank you to those who supported the music.

Universal Studios Dragonheart Vengeance cast
Director Ivan Silvestrini and Raffaella De Laurentiis (are front row right to left)

Note from Composer:

I love the tiwsts and turns in the plot and of course the musical pallate this film allowed. Matthew Feitshans imaginative screenplay captured my fancy from day one with a female dragon that has a few tricks up her sleave. Working with the gifted Italian director Ivan Silvestrini, who is a composer in his own right, was a pleasure because his musical and dramatic instincts were precise and effective. Sometime check out his creative electronic music here: (IVAN SILVESTRINI) A special thank you to my friend Randy Edelman who’s timeless Dragonheart theme from the first film profoundly impacts audiences. 4:40 of the 69:00 score uses this beautiful theme.

The attempted to make the music textural, thematic, magical, heart pounding, heroic, gentle, serene and everything inbetween. The 47 minute soundtrack musical color pallette consists of: pan flutes, penny whistles, drums and percussion of every kind, solo cello, voices, harp, nylon guitar, plenty of fresh electronic textures and a great variety of traditional symphonic colors. Following are some personal thoughts.



Helena Bonham Carter

18 time Oscar Nominee / mentor Jerry Goldsmith with Mark McKenzie recording at Todd AO Studios

Set for Dragonheart Vengeance

Producer Raffaella de Laurentiis on back road used in the movie Dragonheart Vengeance

Main Character Lukas shooting Dragonheart Vengeance without special effects finished

Entire Dragonheart Cast and Crew on set in RomaniaDirector Ivan Silvestrini

Dedication:

As a young man, with some reservation, I asked out a neighbor that was full of life, love and kindness. She turned me down in the nicest way possible by actually meaning it when she said, “We’re friends.” Recently while editing a piece of music (track #14 “Siveth’s Cat Mouse and Dragon Plan”) for the soundtrack, I was told of her passing. It’s not much, but I added a solo voice that sounded like her to the beginning and ending and dedicate track 14 to her memory. One of the last things she said to me was: “I knew you were heaaded for great things.” How fortunate to have friends like that. Linda Larson, your kindness and friendship will be missed. (photo below).

Linda Larson (classmate)

We all have teachers and professors who have invested themselves into our lives when by all outward appearances there was not much to invest in. In my case, it is Maestro Stephen Ritzenthaler, Choral Master Robert Ruberto, and brilliant composition professor David Baker. Grateful for these educators.

Maestro Stephen Ritzenthaler Janurary 29, 1949 – March 12, 2017

David Baker, Composition Professor at UWEC

Robert Ruberto: Choral Master
 
I would like to thank Universal Music Executives Angela Leus, Mike Knobloch and Rachel Levy, Back Lot Music’s Nikki Walsh and Andy Kalyvas; the extraordinary actors Helena Bonham Carter, Jack Kane and Joseph Millson; Intrada Record’s Doug Fake and Roger Feigelson; Mastering Engineer Patricia Sullivan; Vision Daw Music technical advisors Mark Nagata and Ryan Ouchida; my family Sue, Megan and Mollie.Executive in Charge of Music for Universal Pictures: Mike Knobloch
Music Supervised for Universal Pictures: Angela Leus
Music Business & Legal Affairs for Universal Pictures: Tanya Perara & David Flanzer

Available on Intrada Records and for download on Universal’s Back Lot Music label.
Executive in Charge of Music for Universal Pictures: Mike Knobloch
Music Supervised for Universal Pictures: Angela Leus
Music Business & Legal Affairs for Universal Pictures: Tanya Perara & David Flanzer
Marketing for Back Lot Music: Nikki Walsh
Production for Back Lot Music: Andy Kalyvas

Dragonheart Vengeance Entire Cast and Crew

The composer would like to thank Randy Edelman who’s timeless Dragonheart theme breathes beauty into this fun film franchise and into this soundtrack. Out of the 69 minutes of underscore 4:40 was Randy’s theme. Siveth’s Cat Mouse and Dragon Plan is dedicated to Linda Larson who will be missed. Music for film is collaborative, a warm thank you to many who contributed: Director Ivan Silvestrini, Writer Matthew Feitshans, Producers Raffaella De Laurentiis, Hester Hargett-Aupetit, Share Stallings; Universal Music Executives Angela Leus, Mike Knobloch and Rachel Levy, Back Lot Music’s Nikki Walsh and Andy Kalyvas; the extraordinary actors Helena Bonham Carter, Jack Kane and Joseph Millson; Intrada Record’s Doug Fake and Roger Feigelson; Mastering Engineer Patricia Sullivan; Vision Daw Music technical advisors Mark Nagata and Ryan Ouchida; my family Sue, Megan and Mollie.

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INSPIRATIONAL HOLLYWOOD ICON SHERRY LANSING

I’m grateful for the timeless eleven time Academy Award Nominated song writer Diane Warren who introduced me to this brilliant, beautiful and  iconic Hollywood ground breaker Sherry Lansing recently. When Sherry’s doting artistic father died at a young age she spent years thinking she had caused it by being bad. She secretly vowed to always be good from that day forward. She started her LA career as an actress working opposite John Wayne with director Howard Hawks RIO LOBO and then decided she wanted the freedom to act like herself rather than impersonate others. In succession she became a producer (Fatal Attraction), the first female president of 20th Century Fox, the Chairman of Paramount’s movie division releasing 6 of the top 10 highest grossing movies in Paramount history at the point (Titanic and Forest Gump) and now a tireless and very effective philanthropist for cancer research. It is said “She ruled with an iron fist hidden inside the most velvet of gloves.” I said, “Sherry, you worked daily with the biggest, toughest movie stars, agents and film makers in Hollywood and are known for your people skills. Was there a guiding principal? She said, “Yes, I always remembered that EVERYONE is the same on the inside. Every one of us is insecure and fragile inside. When artists anger raged I knew it grew out of a passion for excellence and I didn’t take it personally.” No wonder Sherry was an inspirational leader.  Her biography “Leading Lady” by Stephen Galloway is hard to put down. Thank you Sherry Lansing for helping pave the way for other women and in particular, my oldest daughter Megan McKenzie, an upcoming comedic film maker (see Hippie Happenings). (Photo by the inspirational The Passion of the Christ / Jungle Book / The Greatest Showman composer John Debney)
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PRESIDENT OF NETFLIX TED SARANDOS AND COMPOSER MARK MCKENZIE

As I left a party, I introduced myself to a man I didn’t know. Humble, kind, exuding an interest in meeting me, he said: “Hi I’m Ted Sarandos; president of Netflix.” I was shocked at first. Since I’d composed 3 Netflix Dragonheart films it was a memorable moment. Meeting the most powerful leader in Hollywood, who’s studio is about as big as all the rest of the Hollywood studios combined, I was reminded that often the least pretentious are those who are the most powerful, creative, innovative and effective.  I asked the guy next to us if he’d take our picture and Ted happily said…”We’re in good hands., he’s an academy award nominated director.” One just never knows who’s standing next to us in the grocery line or at a party and how fortunate we are if they are willing to share something of their uniqueness with us. And just maybe we have something to share with them too.

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