HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN

DON DAVIS

Rating:

Original Review: When the 2-part TV movie House of Frankenstein premiered on British cable earlier this year, I made a valiant attempt at watching it. Directed by Peter Markle and starring Adrian Pasdar, Greg Wise and Teri Polo, it attempted to breathe new life into the old Frankenstein horror legend by having an unscrupulous real estate developer attempt to kidnap the monster - still alive after all these years - and install him in a horror movie theme park he is creating. The reason I say I made a valiant attempt at watching it is because I could barely get past the first half hour without falling asleep. Ultimately, House of Frankenstein had very little going for it, and although the special effects and production values were undeniably top notch, the whole thing was let down by a shoddy script and unfortunately clunky performances from all concerned.

One thing I do remember quite clearly, though, is hearing the music playing over the main titles, saying to myself "hmm, this is really cool, I wonder who wrote it", and then seeing Don Davis's name pop up. It's been a great couple of years for Davis who, after spending years toiling behind the scenes as one of Hollywood's top orchestrators, has burst to the forefront of the scoring scene with hits works such as Bound, Warriors of Virtue, The Matrix and the just-released The House on Haunted Hill. House of Frankenstein, for those fortunate enough to acquire a copy, continues the trend.

The thing that makes House of Frankenstein such a joy to listen to is Davis's seemingly unending enthusiasm and inventiveness. It's almost as though he had realised that the film was inadequate in many areas, and simply said to himself "I'm going to have some fun and make this score as cool as possible." Right from the get-go in the 'Main Title', Davis mixes a large and powerful orchestra with a prominent but not overpowering bed of electronic effects and a huge mixed-voice choir, creating a wonderful sonic experience that pulsates with brooding energy and Gothic grandeur. To resort to a simile, the score plays like a cross between Bram Stoker's Dracula and Hellraiser II with the occasional hint of James Horner thrown in for good measure.

Many tracks feature spectacular instrumental performances and clever orchestration techniques, frequently exploding into superbly rousing, Wojceich Kilar-esque choral sequences such as 'Vienna Hot Dog', 'She's Not Hungry For Food', 'Club Spook', 'Frank Restrained' and the truly massive 'Dog Speed' and 'Beauty Kills The Beast'. Other tracks contain a more conventional beauty, with the brief-but-lovely piano theme in 'Busted Lip Lock', the heavenly, soothing tones of 'In Paradisum' and 'Coyle and Cha Cha Break In', and the searching strings of 'Monster Bus', 'Vile and Contemptible' and Willowish 'Armando Takes A Hit' providing a welcome respite from the onslaught.

Anyone who enjoys tonal horror scores with a prominent choral element is sure to warm to House of Frankenstein, as are those who admired the orchestral vibrancy of Warriors of Virtue or the synthesised fluidity of The Matrix. Don Davis is undoubtedly a composer with the potential to go on to great things, and is developing a new and unique voice in Hollywood. As a result, Hollywood is rightly sitting up and taking notice. This promotional CD, released in limited numbers by Prometheus Records, is well worth seeking out, and should available for purchase from soundtrack specialists such as Supercollector and Screen Archives Entertainment.

Track Listing: Running Time: 60 minutes 48 seconds

Promotional Release (1999)

Music composed, conducted and orchestrated by Don Davis. Recorded and mixed by Armin Steiner. Edited by Stan Jones. Mastered by James Nelson. Album produced by Ford A. Thaxton.

Cinemusic Online
Filmtracks: Review by Christian Clemmenson (***)
Movie Wave
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