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The new film of Álex de la Iglesia, La chispa de la vida, has as protagonist a desperate unemployed publicist who accidentally falls on an iron bar that nails in his head and leaves him completely paralyzed. The event makes him the focus of the media, giving him the opportunity to try a change of life… we have talked with composer Joan Valent about his work in the film.
- How did you get the film?
It was the producer, Andrés Vicente Gómez, who called me, once Roque Baños said he was unable. I’d worked with Vicente Gómez in El cónsul de Sodoma (2009) and proposed me to Álex de la Iglesia. At first, the director was very reluctant, because he is a person who likes the team that he has formed over the years and the idea of working with a new composer did not pleased him. But we met and understood each other: we have similar ways of understanding music and films. So, after those initial doubts, all went well.
- What were his indications?
He gave me specific indications, but fortunately there was no references that could conditionate me. He loved the music I had written until then, so he said: do not be shy. If the film is excessive, do not be afraid to make excessive music too.
- At first, the music that is applied to the actions of the protagonist is bombastic, fake, exaggerated, what somehow underlines a certain pathetism.
That falsehood you speak of extends to everything that surrounds the protagonist, but not his family. There are grotesque circumstances and situations that required music at that level. Therefore, at first, the music is exaggerated and highlights the peripathetic impression of the character and the surreal in what it is mounted around the accident. In that line, we took the music to a certain chaotic level, for the impossible and absurd situations.
- The figure of the wife conditionates much the use of the music, especially in the ending sequence, where the music that is applied over her actions is equally grandstanding but not fake nor exaggerated, but steady and determined
Is the change that occurs at the time the woman takes charge of the situation, then it is when enters a different music, which is the music that comes to represent the ethic, the integrity.
- Still, the music is somewhat drowned out for so much chaos, until she takes her final decision and then her music is imposed occupying all the space and canceling the hostile musics.
