Summary
Landscape With Invisible Hand is a unique alien film that explores the influence of aliens on human society and capitalism.
Composed by Michael Abels, the film's score combines avant-garde harmony, theremin, vintage synths, strings, and other distinct instruments to evoke a feeling of mystery.
In a low-fi sci-fi and impressionist approach, the score masterfully encapsulates the optimism of youthful romance and blossoming imagination, underscored by the poignant reality of limited aspirations.
Landscape With Invisible Hand is a singular extraterrestrial movie that revolves around two conflicting families in a world post-alien invasion. It is a film adaptation of an esteemed novel by M.T. Anderson, titled the same, which was first released in 2017. The movie made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023. Cory Finley, the director of Landscape With Invisible Hand, was captivated by the novel's distinctive approach to exploring how aliens can impact human society and its examination of capitalism.
In order to harmonize with the film's idiosyncratic yet heartfelt narrative, Finley sought the talents of renowned film composer Michael Abels. Abels had previously explored the theme of alien invasions through his work on Jordan Peele's 2022 film Nope. Screen Rant is thrilled to unveil an exclusive piece from Abels' composition for Landscape With Invisible Hand, named "A History of the Near Future". Take a listen below:
Listen to Landscape With Invisible Hand—Original Motion Picture Score on August 18
The inventive premise of Landscape With Invisible Hand sets it apart from other alien invasion movies, and Michael Abels' score is equally unique. "A History of the Near Future" diverges from Abels' previous film scores, incorporating avant-garde harmony and striking instrumentation to create an air of unfamiliarity. Abels elaborates on his score:
To say that this score is quirky would be an understatement; it truly stands out among my body of work. From the beginning, director Cory Finley insisted on featuring the theremin, while M.T. Anderson, author of the original novella Landscape With Invisible Hand, expressed his fondness for the melancholic recorder consort. Alongside these choices, I added a pipe organ, vintage synths, strings, piano, and an eccentric array of percussion instruments. The outcome is an impressionistic, lo-fi sci-fi soundscape that embodies the optimism of young love and burgeoning creativity, tempered by tragically low expectations.
See the full track list for Landscape With Invisible Hand—Original Motion Picture Score below:
01. A History of the Near Future
02. The Flying Settlement
03. Landscape with Invisible Hand
04. Can You Do That Look
05. The Artist Reveals His Portrait
06. Then I Found You
07. School Is Such a Wonderful Place
08. Lawsuit
09. A Mother’s Love
10. Shotgun Wedding March
11. Bedtime with Father
12. Paddles Down Honey
13. Father’s New Family
14. Sad Recorder Consort
15. The Artist Inspired
16. Departure to Destiny
17. The Mothership
18. School Closure
19. The Artist Begins Again
Don't miss the release of Landscape With Invisible Hand in theaters on August 18th. You can also enjoy the Original Motion Picture Score of Landscape With Invisible Hand, which will be released on the same day by Lakeshore Records. Stream it now!