INCOGNITO

JOHN OTTMAN

Rating:

Original Review: In four short years, John Ottman has risen from being an absolute unknown to being probably the fastest rising star in the film music world today. Despite having just a handful of film scores under his belt, each of his compositions to date - Public Access, The Usual Suspects, The Cable Guy and Snow White: A Tale of Terror - have received widespread critical acclaim. Not bad for someone who was originally an editor! Which brings us to his latest effort - Incognito. The film itself was a turgid, melodramatic thriller directed by John Badham and starring Jason Patric as a master art forger who finds himself in mortal danger when one of his "masterpieces", a fake Rembrandt, is mistaken for the real thing. It died a thousand deaths at the box office, and was banished to the video shelves almost as soon as it had opened. But, as is often the case these days, the resulting score CD has taken on a life of its own and has gone on to become one of the most popular and lauded releases so far this year. A thick, potent, richly written orchestral symphony, the score exudes a kind of sinister beauty which musically depicts the modern underworld but also reflects the elaborate era of the master painters themselves. In a wonderful concoction of both these styles, 'Tricks of the Trade' is probably my favourite cue on the album - a powerful, driving, rhythmic cue with a spellbinding, undulating melody offset by inspired accompaniment from a tinkling harpsichord. It is this combination and merging of old and new which is a dominant theme throughout the score. All the cues are stylish and unique, and Ottman's darkly romantic musical tendencies and symphonic style are immediately apparent in many tremendous tracks. Most notable among these are the waltz-like 'The Creation' and 'Re-Creation', which underscore the two central scenes in the movie when Jason Patric is forging his masterpiece. Other standouts include the strangely beguiling 'Research', and the tender, Latin-flavoured finale of 'Change of Fortune'. The action/chase cues, of which there are quite a few, are all fast-paced and exciting and contain an elaborate array of peculiar percussion effects such as woodblocks, rattles, maracas, triangles and a highly unusual "whipping" effect, which can be prominently heard in 'On The Run Again', 'Forgive Me' and 'Bad Deal'. Ottman's orchestrations, by Larry Groupé and Damon Intrabartolo (whom I admit I have never heard of), are original and highly inventive, and make great use of instruments you would never think of using in a gothic-style score such as this (saxophones, Spanish guitars, chiming bells). To be sure, John Ottman will go far, and quickly. His grand, orchestral style is immediately accessible while still remaining musically complex. His melodies are memorable but never simplistic and his obvious attraction to scoring ordinary movies in a new, interesting way means that his music is sure to stay fresh and unique, something quite rare in Hollywood these days. Oh, and just a note of quick advice: for the ultimate listening experience, keep your bass and treble controls at zero!

Track Listing: Running Time: 49 minutes 47 seconds

RCA Victor 09026-68971-2 (1997)

Music composed by John Ottman. Conducted by Larry Groupé. Performed by The Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Orchestrations by Larry Groupé, John Ottman and Damon Intrabartolo. Recorded and mixed by Tim Boyle. Edited by Lia Vollack. Mastered by Hank Waring. Album produced by John Ottman.


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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.