Wuthering Heights (score)

Anthony Willis composed the film score renewing his association with Fennell after Promising Young Woman (2020) and Saltburn (2023). Willis added that Emerald wanted to capture the sense of innocence in children through the story, while the way he had scored associated with a Gothic tone albeit Fennell looked something more restrained and yearning. Willis crafted a simplistic score which in turn "getting under people's skin" like an English folk hymn representing Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff's bond since childhood being prevalent throughout the film.^[1]

Willis added that even though he had reduced the chords of the cues, the score still retained its personality calling it an "honest" score. Though Willis tried to reduce a cue, he felt that the more minimal the music becomes, the more difficult to envelop the narrative and a little body of the score can lead out introducing a new narrative that can stick out from the film. Hence, the music becomes a counterintuitive where the noticeability of the score increases when the music becomes too reductive. The use of orchestra added more colors to provide a seamless transition to the score.^[2]

Justin Chang of The New Yorker called it "a lush orchestral cushion of a score, by Anthony Willis".^[3] Tim Grierson of Screen International wrote "Anthony Willis’ demonstrative string-laden score amplif[ies] the plot's cruel betrayals and the characters’ feverish hormones."^[4] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Anthony Willis' score [...] effectively pumps up the romance and the tragedy."^[5] Peter Debruge of Variety wrote that the film "finds its musical equivalent in Anthony Willis' score".^[6] Katherine McLaughlin of The List called it a "lingering score".^[7] Nick Schager of The Daily Beast with Willis' score, "the film doesn’t leave a moment wanting for overbearing sonic accompaniment".^[8]

Amy Nicholson of Los Angeles Times noted that the music provides equal tension with Willis' score "entwining raspy strings with grimy, ominous shudders."^[9] Therese Lacson of Collider wrote "Anthony Willis' sweeping score accents the wild moors perfectly".^[10] Rafer Guzmán of Newsday called it a "mournful score".^[11] Mick LaSalle of San Francisco Chronicle wrote "Both actors have to compete with Anthony Willis’ overwrought soundtrack, which keeps insisting we’re feeling emotions that we aren't."^[12] John Lui of The Straits Times wrote "The synth-heavy score of English composer Anthony Willis [...] underline Fennell’s modern take on obsessive love."^[13]

Credits adapted from Film Music Reporter:^[14]