EVER AFTER

GEORGE FENTON

Rating:

Original Review: Ever After is sub-headed "A Cinderella Story", which should give you some idea what the score is like. A literal reworking of the old Grimm fairy tale with a 90's feminist slant, Ever After starred Drew Barrymore in the title role as Danielle, a servant girl in the house of her stepmother, the deliciously evil Anjelica Huston, who inadvertently attracts the attentions of the handsome (but slightly dim) crown prince of France, played by Dougray Scott. George Fenton was originally going to compose to the film's 16th Century French setting, but director Andy Tennant dissuaded George from making the score too precious and classical, instead asking for a contemporary (but orchestral) romance. As it turns out, Tennant probably had his finger right on the button, and Fenton's resulting score is one of the loveliest of the year. The score begins with a performance of the central romantic theme in 'Main Title', a cue which develops from quiet orchestral meanderings into a beautiful, warm love theme featuring soft brasses of a magical-sounding string melody. This theme crops up again in all the emotional high spots, such as 'Walking on Water', 'First Kiss', 'The Ruins', 'Danielle's Wings', 'The Proposal' and the finale, 'Happily Ever After', and provides a solid anchor for the entire score. The other main element of note is a faintly Irish-sounding theme first heard at the end of 'Cinderella' and again during 'The Homecoming', featuring fiddles, flutes and understated Uillean pipes. However, the score is far from being simply a series of romantic interludes, and many cues feature one-off themes or innovative instrumental solos. Tracks such as 'Cinderella', 'The Market' and 'Sweet Revenge' are a little darker, and incorporate slightly more urgent and dramatic tones. 'The Girls, The Prince and The Painting' is an inspired combination of a slightly dour oboe solo and a fabulous Korngold-inspired action sequence (love those fanfares!) and 'Utopia' has a lovely piano and acoustic guitar rendition of the Cinderella theme. 'Your Highness - What A Surprise' and 'Marguerite' are both clever and amusing, the former making terrific use plucked strings, the latter sounding for all the world like a Psycho pastiche as Danielle pursues her insolent stepsister around the family home. 'Going to the Ball', my favourite cue on the album, is an intoxicating, full-bodied baroque dance that simply shimmers with life, energy and vibrancy, and is full of swirling strings and thunderous horns (which sound WONDERFUL when heard in the cinema). Although a more traditional music approach may have suited the film's time and place a little more accurately, I personally feel that Fenton has captured perfectly the spirit of the movie though this score. Ever After is a modern fairy tale, made to appeal to a young audience, and had the film been laden down with actual 16th Century themes, I feel that it may have alienated its intended catchment, and lost the timeless, magical quality it has. So what if Irish music has nothing to do with provincial France? Their highly emotional quality worked in Titanic, and they work here equally well. Truly, Ever After is one of the most attractive and enjoyable film scores of the year.

Track Listing: Running Time: 60 minutes 53 seconds

London 289-460-581-2 (1998)

Music composed and conducted by George Fenton. Orchestrations by Simon Chamberlain and Geoff Alexander. Choral sections performed by The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford. Choir Director Grayston Ives. Recorded and mixed by John Richards. Edited by Graham Sutton and Ben Georgiades. Album produced by George Fenton.


Home Page | Soundtracks | Soundtrack Reviews | Composers | Soundtrack Links

These web pages were designed and maintained by Jonathan Broxton copyright 1998. All opinions and views expressed on these pages are my own and are in no way intended to reflect those of my employer, the Trent Institute for Health Services Research, or those of the University of Sheffield.