Bathroom Dance

Todd Phillips’ 2019 film, Joker, is a gritty exploration of mental health and societal alienation. The film follows Arthur Fleck, a struggling comedian who descends into madness, culminating in a city-wide uprising. The film’s haunting atmosphere is greatly enhanced by the dread-filled soundtrack by composer, Hildur Guðnadóttir.

Guðnadóttir is a tiny, soft-spoken Icelandic lady who also composed the score for HBO’s Chernobyl. While she has done some uplifting work with Johann Johannsson on Mary Magdalene — her musical niche seems to be hopelessness and despair.

Guðnadóttir’s music is inextricable from Joker’s gritty, psychological tone.…