Meek’s Cutoff

Directed by Kelly Reichardt, Meek’s Cutoff tells the story of settlers traveling through the Oregon desert in 1845. They find themselves stranded in harsh conditions. The film stars Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood and Paul Dano. The ethereal, moody score is composed by Jeff Grace (The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers, Stakeland…). Oscilloscope is releasing the film in the US on 4/8/2011 in NY. The film will expands nationwide through the month of June.

Kelly Reichardt and I were introduced through our mutual filmmaker friends Mike Ryan and Larry Fessenden. At our first meeting we decided that the score for Meek’s Cutoff should employ conventional instruments from the film’s period utilized in unconventional ways. Kelly wanted the score to reflect the settlers’ unease and uncertainty, while also playing to the endlessly long days and hard labor endured by the characters. I worked with my longtime friend and frequent collaborator Dave Eggar in creating textures to evoke the mood for the score. Dave‘s fantastic cello playing can be heard throughout.

Working with Kelly, I had the great fortune of witnessing her profound and meticulous creative process while the film took its finished shape. I am particularly proud of this score for the restraint and spaciousness we achieved, and I hope that it is an asset to this amazing film.

– Jeff Grace New York, March 2011