Michael Bradford Reimagines a Classic Hitchcock Theme with “Marion”

For many people, a movie’s soundtrack exists solely to build out the world of the movie. But, for creatives like Michael Bradford, a score is so much more.

His latest single, “Marion”, reimagines Bernard Herrmann’s iconic theme from Hitchcock’s Psycho as a modern, electronic meditation. Released via StarVista Music and featuring singer, songwriter, and actress Alicia Witt (of Longlegs, Dune, and Twin Peaks fame), the track balances majesty and restraint, weaving Herrmann’s unsettling motifs into a downtempo soundworld of hypnotic rhythms and spacious textures.

Bradford created the interpretation in deliberate reverence to the original score. “I selected Marion’s theme because it’s so beautiful and to me it represents her spirit that lingers after she’s gone,” he says. “The character dies so early in the film, but her presence echoes through every frame.” On the accompanying video, he adds: “The setting represents that ‘better place’ we all hope to reach one day.”

“Marion” is the second single of Bradford’s forthcoming album “The Man Behind the Curtain”, arriving October 17. It follows this summer’s “Psycho Prelude”, which featured legendary musician and actor Creed Bratton. Both tracks highlight Bradford’s project of bridging Herrmann’s legendary film scores with contemporary production, fusing classic motifs with downtempo electronic elements.

For those not familiar with the world of film scoring, Bernard Herrmann is one of cinema’s defining composers and is best known for scoring nine of Alfred Hitchcock’s films including Psycho, Vertigo, and The Birds. His career extended to collaborations with Orson Welles, Martin Scorsese, and Brian De Palma, winning an Academy Award in 1941 and a BAFTA in 1976 for Taxi Driver.

Bradford’s own career is prolific: it stretches from early work with arranger Paul Buckmaster to collaborations with Ringo Starr, Madonna, Dave Stewart, and Anita Baker, as well as contributions to movie soundtracks including Mission Impossible 2, Any Given Sunday, American Pie 2, and Sweet Home Alabama. With “The Man Behind the Curtain”, Bradford is set to offer what he calls a “love letter to Herrmann”, expanded through a podcast series, visual album, and a Performing Arts Center tour beginning with a special preview performance in Cleveland this fall.

One thing is for sure: “Marion” and the subsequent album are set to take everything you know think you know about film scoring and flip it on its head. We cannot wait for this full project.

Stream “Marion” here.