Johnny Klimek
Encyclopedia
Johnny Klimek is an Australian film and television composer, currently based in Los Angeles. He is known by association with German filmmaker Tom Tykwer
, with whom he and longtime partner Reinhold Heil
have collaborated on seven films, including Run, Lola, Run (1998) and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006), and are currently in production on Cloud Atlas
, an adaptation of the 2004 David Mitchell
novel, produced and directed by Tykwer with Andy and Lana Wachowski
. Klimek is represented by Amos Newman at William Morris Endeavor
.
Klimek relocated from Australia to Berlin in 1983, and with his siblings, Alf Klimek
and Jayney Klimek
, formed The Other Ones
, whose single, "Holiday," entered the Billboard Hot 100
at #29 on October 17, 1987. Following the breakup of the band, Klimek became heavily involved with Berlin's musical underground and electronica
scene, and with Paul Browse (formerly of Clock DVA
), formed SYSTEM 01. Not long after, Klimek and Heil formed their lasting creative association with Tykwer, and together crafted their first feature film score for his Wintersleepers
(1997). Their breakthrough, however, occurred two years later with the international success of their propulsive electronica score for Run, Lola, Run.
Klimek and Heil continued their collaboration for more than a decade, creating scores for projects such as One Hour Photo
, The International
, the cable series Deadwood
, and most recently, the Robert DeNiro film remake of Sam Peckinpah's The Killer Elite
. In 2011, the pair reached a mutual decision to continue collaborating on selected projects but to develop their signatures as individual composers. Their next project with Tom Tykwer will be the highly anticipated Cloud Atlas
.
Klimek is a member of the fourth generation of leading film, television and interactive media composers. In common with contemporaries such as Clint Mansell
, Trent Reznor
, Gustavo Santaolalla
, Craig Armstrong, and The Chemical Brothers
, his approach to film scoring is shaped by a background in eclectic pop and electronic music rather than the experience of the conservatory. Many of his scores are characterized by an instinctive and seamless integration of electronic elements into the body of a classic orchestral score. In practice, this means that non-linear and modular techniques generally more associated with the realm of electronica and the world of the D.J. are making their way into film music.
Tom Tykwer
Tom Tykwer is a German film director, screenwriter, and composer. He is best known internationally for directing Run Lola Run , Heaven , Perfume: The Story of a Murderer , and The International ....
, with whom he and longtime partner Reinhold Heil
Reinhold Heil
Reinhold Heil is a composer and former member of Spliff and the Nina Hagen Band who has largely worked on film music but has produced pop music for Kim Wilde, Rosemarie Precht , and Nena...
have collaborated on seven films, including Run, Lola, Run (1998) and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006), and are currently in production on Cloud Atlas
Cloud Atlas (film)
Cloud Atlas is an upcoming English-language historical/science fiction film directed by Tom Tykwer and The Wachowskis. The directors wrote the screenplay based on the 2004 eponymous novel by David Mitchell. With an ensemble cast to cover the film's multiple storylines, production began in September...
, an adaptation of the 2004 David Mitchell
David Mitchell (author)
David Stephen Mitchell is an English novelist. He has written five novels, two of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize.- Biography :...
novel, produced and directed by Tykwer with Andy and Lana Wachowski
Wachowski
Wachowski is a Polish surname, originated from the village of Wachów, Poland. It can refer to:* Andy and Larry Wachowski, American film directors, writers and producers* Mieczysław Wachowski, Polish politician...
. Klimek is represented by Amos Newman at William Morris Endeavor
William Morris Endeavor
WME is the largest talent agency in the world, with offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, Nashville, London, and Miami. WME represents elite artists from all facets of the entertainment industry, including motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, and physical production...
.
Klimek relocated from Australia to Berlin in 1983, and with his siblings, Alf Klimek
Alf Klimek
Alfons "Alf" Joseph Klimek is an Australian musician.Klimek was born in Melbourne and is the older brother of Johnny Klimek and Jayney Klimek. In June 1977, he joined the "Stuffed Puppets" under the guidance of Neville Tranter as a puppeteer and comedy script writer. The group flew to Amsterdam to...
and Jayney Klimek
Jayney Klimek
Jayney Klimek , is an Australian singer and songwriter.-Family background:Jayney comes from a family steeped in music. Brother Alf Klimek was a founding member of The Other Ones / Spliff Radio Show. Her twin Johnny Klimek is a successful Hollywood composer...
, formed The Other Ones
The Other Ones
The Other Ones was an American rock band formed in 1998 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart, along with part-time Grateful Dead collaborator Bruce Hornsby. In 2000, Bill Kreutzmann, another Grateful Dead alumnus, joined the group, while Phil Lesh dropped out. In...
, whose single, "Holiday," entered the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at #29 on October 17, 1987. Following the breakup of the band, Klimek became heavily involved with Berlin's musical underground and electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
scene, and with Paul Browse (formerly of Clock DVA
Clock DVA
Clock DVA are an industrial music, post-punk and EBM group from Sheffield, England. The group was formed in 1978, with two members, Adolphus "Adi" Newton and Steven "Judd" Turner. Along with contemporaries Heaven 17, Clock DVA's name was inspired by the Russian-influenced Nadsat of Anthony Burgess'...
), formed SYSTEM 01. Not long after, Klimek and Heil formed their lasting creative association with Tykwer, and together crafted their first feature film score for his Wintersleepers
Wintersleepers
Wintersleepers is a 1997 German film directed by Tom Tykwer. It was premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival.-Plot:The film is set in the deeply snowy alpine winter resort of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria; the story begins shortly after Christmas Day, with five people returning, not all of...
(1997). Their breakthrough, however, occurred two years later with the international success of their propulsive electronica score for Run, Lola, Run.
Klimek and Heil continued their collaboration for more than a decade, creating scores for projects such as One Hour Photo
One Hour Photo
One Hour Photo is a 2002 American psychological thriller written and directed by Mark Romanek and starring Robin Williams. Fox Searchlight Pictures distributed the film in the United States. One Hour Photo also starred Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Gary Cole, and Eriq La Salle. Williams won a...
, The International
The International (film)
The International is a 2009 thriller film directed by Tom Tykwer. The film follows an Interpol agent and an American attorney who investigate corruption within the IBBC, a fictional merchant bank based in Luxembourg. It serves organized crime and corrupt governments as a banker and as an arms...
, the cable series Deadwood
Deadwood (TV series)
Deadwood is an American Western drama television series created, produced and largely written by David Milch. The series aired on the premium cable network HBO from March 21, 2004, to August 27, 2006, spanning three 12-episode seasons. The show is set in the 1870s in Deadwood, South Dakota, before...
, and most recently, the Robert DeNiro film remake of Sam Peckinpah's The Killer Elite
The Killer Elite
The Killer Elite is a 1975 American action thriller film starring James Caan and Robert Duvall and directed by Sam Peckinpah.The screenplay was written by Marc Norman and Stirling Silliphant adapted from the Robert Syd Hopkins novel, Monkey in the Middle. The novel was written under Hopkins'...
. In 2011, the pair reached a mutual decision to continue collaborating on selected projects but to develop their signatures as individual composers. Their next project with Tom Tykwer will be the highly anticipated Cloud Atlas
Cloud Atlas (film)
Cloud Atlas is an upcoming English-language historical/science fiction film directed by Tom Tykwer and The Wachowskis. The directors wrote the screenplay based on the 2004 eponymous novel by David Mitchell. With an ensemble cast to cover the film's multiple storylines, production began in September...
.
Klimek is a member of the fourth generation of leading film, television and interactive media composers. In common with contemporaries such as Clint Mansell
Clint Mansell
Clinton Darryl "Clint" Mansell, is an English musician, composer, and former lead singer and guitarist of the band Pop Will Eat Itself....
, Trent Reznor
Trent Reznor
Michael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
, Gustavo Santaolalla
Gustavo Santaolalla
Gustavo Alfredo Santaolalla is an Argentine musician, film composer and producer. He has won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score in two consecutive years, for Brokeback Mountain in 2005 and Babel in 2006.-Life and career:...
, Craig Armstrong, and The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are a British electronic music duo comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Originating in Manchester in 1991, along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method, and fellow acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture.- Background...
, his approach to film scoring is shaped by a background in eclectic pop and electronic music rather than the experience of the conservatory. Many of his scores are characterized by an instinctive and seamless integration of electronic elements into the body of a classic orchestral score. In practice, this means that non-linear and modular techniques generally more associated with the realm of electronica and the world of the D.J. are making their way into film music.