James Bond: Composer David Arnold reflects on Craig's films

The composer for the first two James Bond films starring Daniel Craig has spoken of the actor's "hard-hitting" portrayal of 007.

David Arnold, who worked on Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, said he first read the script of Craig's 2006 debut before the actor was appointed.

Craig's hiring then "cemented" the idea that the music had to be "brutal".

As No Time to Die hits cinemas, Luton-born Arnold said it was a "lifelong dream" to work on the Bond franchise.

Arnold's music helped set the tone for Casino Royale, with the character of Bond in the script described by the composer as an "unreconstructed brute".

"It was a big changeover because it [Casino Royale] was effectively a reboot," said Arnold.

"I'd read the script without knowing who was to be cast as James Bond. For the first time I could read the character raw, without knowing who the actor was - which colours your view.

"When Daniel was cast, seeing him in the role in the rushes and on set, kind of cemented the idea. It had to be quite brutal, hard-hitting, but it also needed to somehow share its DNA with the James Bond theme and the music of James Bond."

He added it was "also incredibly satisfying working with Chris Cornell, an amazing singer," who performed the movie's title track, You Know My Name.

Arnold started composing music for films while attending sixth form college in Luton. He became friends with fellow Lutonian and up-and-coming director Danny Cannon - who went on to produce the TV police drama series CSI - and managed to score some of his films.

After organising and producing an album of Bond movie cover songs, he was offered the chance to compose music for the 1997 film Tomorrow Never Dies. He then went on to score The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day.

BBC Sounds: James Bond - Soundtrack Stories

Describing when he was first hired for Bond, he said: "I felt I was on the top of Everest, but then I realised I'm actually at the bottom and have to find my way to the top. That's when the work started. It was a lifelong dream to do it."

Arnold, who also co-wrote the music for BBC drama Sherlock and was musical director for the 2012 Olympics, said Bond films were one of the reasons he wanted to compose for the cinema.

When he was eight years old he saw the film You Only Live Twice at the Luton Royal British Legion club.

"I'd been to the cinema but hadn't seen anything like that before, not really sure I should have at that age," he said.

"The film was intoxicating and incredibly glamorous. When you come from Luton everything is glamorous, but that was another world."

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