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Mark Kermode's Surround Sound

The Stories of Movie Music
By Mark Kermode
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Brief Description
'Brims with enthusiasm and joyful insight' Richard Ayoade 'Witty and wise . . . an entertaining and assorted history' Empire How can a film score make you cheer, shiver, cry or punch the air? How do directors communicate their musical vision to composers? And when does... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2800
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Releases 15th December 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "Mark Kermode's Surround Sound" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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The legendary film critic takes a deep dive into the world of film music and the extraordinary stories behind the scores.

The UK's legendary film critic takes a deep dive into the world of film music and the extraordinary stories behind the scores.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'Brims with enthusiasm and joyful insight' Richard Ayoade

'Witty and wise . . . an entertaining and assorted history' Empire

How can a film score make you cheer, shiver, cry or punch the air? How do directors communicate their musical vision to composers? And when does a soundtrack take on a life of its own?

Award-winning film critic Mark Kermode and radio producer Jenny Nelson embark on a full-throttle trip down the glorious rabbit hole of film composition to answer these questions and more.

Celebrating the emotional connection that audiences form with film music, exploring the evolution of film scoring from silent films to the present day, and examining how what we hear has an impact on what we see, Mark talks to some of his favourite composers and delves into the movie music he loves.

Including interviews with extraordinary talents from Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood to Oscar-winning composers Rachel Portman and Howard Shore, and the stories behind iconic soundtracks such as Jocelyn Pook's Eyes Wide Shut, Michael Kamen's Brazil, and Vangelis's Blade Runner, Mark Kermode's Surround Sound is a thrilling take on how great scores are brought to life on the silver screen.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781447230595

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 August 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Picador

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 131.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 264g

Pages: 384

Collections

Arts & Culture Biography & Memoir Mark Kermode Music & Musicians Musicians, Movie Stars & Creative Biographies Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Pre-Orders Pre-order Books Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date

About the Author

Mark Kermode is a film critic, writer, broadcaster and musician. He is the co-presenter of the Sony podcast 'Kermode and Mayo's Take', and the BBC Radio 4 programme 'Screenshot'. He is the author of several books on film and music including Hatchet Job and How Does it Feel?. He is co-founder and double-bassist of the skiffle & blues band The Dodge Brothers, who (with pianist Neil Brand) provide live accompaniment to silent movies. Jenny Nelson is an award-winning audio producer and writer. She produced Mark Kermode's film music show at Scala Radio from 2019-24, and in her previous role as Executive Producer at Classic FM she wrote a book about creative collaborations between film directors and composers. Jenny has hosted panels about screen music at London's Southbank Centre and Abbey Road, and is a former trustee at the Cambridge Film Festival.

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