Iguazu This is an arrangement of Gustavo Santaolalla’s famous composition, “Iguazu.” By the late 90s, Santaolalla was already an icon in Latin alternative music as both a musician and producer, but “Iguazu”—specifically its haunting use in the 1999 film *The Insider*—kicked off his prolific “third […]

Amores Perros The 2000 Mexican film Amores Perros, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, is a powerful and gritty triptych of interconnected stories set against the backdrop of Mexico City. Its emotional intensity is significantly heightened by the masterful score by Argentine composer, Gustavo Santaolalla. Santaolalla’s […]

Leyendo en el Hospital The score for The Motorcycle Diaries is widely regarded as one of Gustavo Santaolalla’s masterworks. Directed by Walter Salles, the 2004 film is adapted from the journals of two real-life Argentines, Alberto Granado and Ernesto Guevara de la Serna. Depicting the […]

Zambita Zambita is pretty little tune by Gustavo Santaolalla from the critically acclaimed film, The Motorcycle Diaries (2004). This instrumental track perfectly encapsulates the spirit of youthful adventure, self-discovery, and the vast, breathtaking landscapes of South America. Santaolalla, a two-time Academy Award winner for Best […]

Chichina Directed by Walter Salles, The Motorcycle Diaries 2004 is a biographical drama that chronicles the transformative road trip taken by a young Ernesto Guevara and his friend Alberto, across South America in 1952. The iconic soundtrack is from Gustavo Santaolalla. His song “Chichina” serves […]

Lima Lima is one of my favorite tracks from Gustavo Santaolalla’s The Motorcycle Diaries soundtrack. Rather than his usual minimalist approach, Lima really displays Santaolalla’s guitar prowess. I had an opportunity to see Gustavo Santaolalla play live in Pittsburgh (in 2013) with his band Bajofondo. Rather […]

Parting Ways Gustavo Santaolalla’s iconic guitar motifs, which are essential to the The Last of Us games, form the backbone of the HBO series’ score. While many of the original tracks have been adapted—often revised, shortened, and retitled—Santaolalla has also woven in brand new compositions. […]

The Path (A New Beginning) Within the critically acclaimed video game and HBO series The Last of Us, Gustavo Santaolalla’s “The Path (A New Beginning)” symbolizes hope, amidst a brutal world. Whether the song accompanies a hopeful glance across a ravaged landscape, or a moment […]

The Last of Us Part II Gustavo Santaolalla’s score for “The Last of Us Part II” deepens the game’s harrowing, emotional landscape. The title theme is played on some type of guitar-banjo (played as an actual 6 string guitar). We can also see elements of […]

Resolve This piece is from the HBO Max series, The Last of Us (season 1). The series is directly based on the iconic PlayStation game where —  in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a fungal pandemic, Joel, a hardened smuggler, is tasked with escorting Ellie, […]

Doug and Kris Wild Life is a 2023 documentary film that tells the story of Kris and Doug Tompkins, who dedicated their lives to conservation efforts in Chile and Argentina. Doug, founder of The North Face and co-founder of Esprit, and Kris, the former CEO […]

Lait Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Biutiful” is a searing exploration of the human condition, and mortality. Starring Javier Bardem (in an incredible performance) the film delves into the complexities of a man struggling to reconcile his personal demons — with the immense challenges of living on […]