2009 turned out to be one of the best years of the decade for new film music, with several superb soundtracks being written by talented composers all across the world. With European talents such as Marcel Barsotti, Alexandre Desplat, Debbie Wiseman, Dario Marinalli and Philippe Rombi, world music stars such as A.R. Rahman and Joe Hisaishi, exciting newcomers James Peterson, Douglas Pipes and Abel Korzeniowski, and Hollywood stalwarts Danny Elfman, James Horner, Christopher Young, Brian Tyler and Michael Giacchino all at the top of their game, it truly has been a difficult task to weight through everything the year had to offer… so, before the 2009 MMUK Awards are announced, here’s a recap of everything we heard and saw in the past 12 months, including some which didn’t get coverage at the time.
THE UNBORN 
RAMIN DJAWADI
Click here for Clark Douglas’s review of The Unborn.
AFTERWARDS (ET APRÈS)
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Afterwards is a metaphysical romantic drama directed by Gilles Bourdos and starring Romain Duris as Nathan, a brilliant New York lawyer whose personal life has become a mess since his divorce from Claire (Evangeline Lilly), his only love. However, when everything changes when Nathan meets Kay (John Malkovich), a mysterious doctor who introduces himself as a "Messenger" and tells Nathan that he is able to sense when certain people are about to die. This mysterious, moody film has a score by Alexandre Desplat, returning to work with director Bourdos for the first time since the pair collaborated on the score for Inquiétudes in 2003. As with all of Desplat’s work, the music for Afterwards is classically beautiful and effortlessly elegant, anchored by a gorgeous theme for piano, strings and harp first heard in the opening cue, “The Wonder of Life”, and the finale, “Lost”. Unlike many Desplat scores, however, Afterwards is tinged with an almost subliminal sense of quiet melancholy; the music is lovely, but it’s certainly not intended to make you feel especially happy. Cues like “River Flows”, the exquisite “Dandelions”, and the beautiful “White Sands” have a hypnotic, calming effect; subdued, but not sullen, making use of almost minimalistic repeated chords and tones, and soft performances by guitars, harps, solo cello, solo piano, and muted string sustains. Once or twice the music picks up pace and offers a little bit of urgency and boldness. The Birth-like synth pulses in “N.D.E.” and “The Messenger”, and the increased brass element and percussive beats of cues such as “Vision”, “Last Exit to Albuquerque”, “Kind of Red” and “Tell Me When” are welcome variations, adding life to what could otherwise have become a slightly stale score. There is also a distinct jazziness to certain cues, especially in the way muted trumpets and subtle brushed snares are incorporated into cues such as the impressionistic “Crossroad”. Desplat’s use of brass in these cues is, at times, almost Don Davis-like, with chromatic layering effects and stark piano chords giving the music a stressful, somewhat threatening aura. For the most part, Afterwards is a score not given to bold thematic statements or overt sentiment, although towards the end of the album it does become much more dark and propulsive. Nevertheless, it does leave a positive impression with its dream-like textures and delicate orchestrations, and is well worth seeking out for those who think that Desplat is only capable of writing pretty little waltzes. Not a crowd pleaser, but one which can easily be appreciated for its intelligent construct and its adherence to the dramatic turns of the narrative.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Wonder of Life (2:55), 2. Crossroad (4:56), 3. River Flows (2:58), 4. N.D.E. (4:23), 5. Vision (2:03), 6. Dandelions (2:14), 7. Alexander C. (1:23), 8. New Mexico (3:17), 9. Last Exit to Albuquerque (2:13), 10. White Sands (1:17), 11. Kind of Red (5:14), 12. The Messenger (4:48), 13. Tell Me When (2:07), 14. Here & Now (1:18), 15. The Night Blooming Cereus (2:58), 16. Angel Reflections (3:10), 17. The Swan's Song (2:20), 18. Lost (2:53). [Naïve France K1653, 52:54].
HOTEL FOR DOGS
JOHN DEBNEY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Hotel for Dogs is a kid’s comedy adventure based on the novel by Lois Duncan, directed by Thor Freudenthal, and which stars Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin as orphan siblings who, despite the misgivings of their foster parents and their patient social worker (Don Cheadle), start a home for abandoned dogs in a run-down hotel – hilarity, as they say, ensues. The score for Hotel for Dogs is by John Debney, whose choice in films since picking up his Oscar nomination for The Passion of the Christ has been surprising, to say the least. Hotel for Dogs is the latest in a long line of children’s comedies which would seem to be better suited to less talented composers than Debney, who clearly should not be wasting his time writing music for films like this when there are dozens of other movies out there which would benefit immeasurably from his talents. Having said that, Debney is still one of the best out there are scoring this kind of movie, along with the likes of David Newman, Alan Silvestri and Marc Shaiman; he gives these films a lush and appealing Hollywood sweep, and can write a sentimental tune as good as anyone. Hotel for Dogs sounds exactly like you think it would sound: a big orchestra, saccharine-sweet themes, sweeping strings for the heroic moments, comedy caper and rampant mickey-mousing for the action/tension scenes, all wrapped up in that glossy Hollywood sheen. I’m not going to say it’s predictable, but this score could have been written by a computer running the “Family Movie Score 101” program. There are a few moments of note: “Rounding Up the Strays” is a fun cue with a cool bongo beat underneath the action; “Puppy Love” adopts an unexpectedly Gallic tone with a harmonica and fluttering balalaikas; “Kitchen Mayhem” has a vibrant, almost Latino flavor to underscore the ensuing culinary misadventures; and some of the more rambunctious action cues, like “The Bone Chase”, ‘Pound Break Out” and “The Big Run Home”, raise the tempo considerably. At the other end of the scale, cues like “Georgia and Her Hat” and “Dogs Are Taken Away” are gentle and charming, and sometimes even a little bittersweet, especially when Debney utilizes his subdued piano theme, while the finale in “Bernie’s Speech” and “Welcome to the Hotel” has the feel-good tone one would expect. The score for Hotel for Dogs was never released commercially, and is only available as a 60-minute promo pressed by John Debney’s publicists at Costa Communications. Debney fans will undoubtedly enjoy it a great deal, and there are some lovely moments, but on the whole this is a rather predictable powder-puff score that will only really appeal to those who like their film scores on the sweet and sentimental side.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Dinner is Served (2:32), 2. Brother and Sister Cons (1:48), 3. Main Titles (213), 4. Friday’s Kitchen Adventure (2:09), 5. Friday’s Day Out (1:19), 6. Rounding Up the Strays (2:28), 7. A Family Someday (1:18), 8. Puppy Love (1:40), 9. Bernie Picks Up Kids (0:41), 10. Hotel Discovery, Part 1 (2:45), 11. Hotel Discovery, Part 2 (3:17), 12. Stealing Food (1:10), 13. The Strays Introduced (1:53), 14. Hotel Guests (1:54), 15. Rooftop Talks (2:04), 16. Howling Lenny (1:41), 17. Kitchen Mayhem (1:37), 18. The Bone Chase (1:07), 19. Georgia and Her Hat (1:04), 20. No Barking! (0:46), 21. Pet Food Run (0:52), 22. Walking the Dogs (1:31), 23. Brother and Sister Separated (1:44), 24. The Pee Room (1:22), 25. Psycho Sheep (1:10), 26. Dogs Are Taken Away (1:36), 27. Friday Searches (1:37), 28. Together Again (1:50), 29. Pound Break-Out (2:30), 30. The Big Run Home (4:05), 31. Bernie’s Speech (4:13), 32. Welcome to the Hotel (1:09), 33. Hotel Finale (0:43). [Promo, 59:48].
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
MICHAEL WANDMACHER
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A nostalgic throwback to the early 80s era of the slasher film, My Bloody Valentine was the first modern horror film to fully embrace the new 3D craze, shocking its audiences with realistically realized axes and body parts shooting from the screen, as well as with all manner of grisly and gruesome special effects to bring the bloody story to life. A remake of the 1981 classic horror film of the same name, the film is directed by Patrick Lussier and stars Jensen Ackles as Tom Hanninger, a young man who returns to his Pennsylvania mining hometown on the tenth anniversary of the Valentine's night massacre that claimed the lives of 22 people. Despite the original murderer having been apparently killed a decade a go, the murders begin again, and before long Tom finds himself being accused of the crimes. Turning to his old girlfriend Sarah (Jaime King) – who survived the massacre a decade before – Tom sets out to solve the brutal mystery and prove his innocence. The music for My Bloody Valentine is by composer Michael Wandmacher, whose career on the fringes of the Hollywood mainstream has seen him write the scores for films such as Never Back Down, Punisher: War Zone, several re-dubbed Jackie Chan films, and the American Idol spin-off movie From Justin to Kelly. Wandmacher’s music is a prototypical modern horror score, written for a big orchestra and big electronics, that powers and thunders its way through several rampaging cues; the one thing this score is not is subtle. There’s no real main theme to speak of, but My Bloody Valentine isn’t really that kind of score; instead, it’s all about momentum, energy and creating a thick, oppressive atmosphere, and on these terms Wandmacher has succeeded fairly admirably. Cues such as “Left for Dead”, “Be Mine 4Ever” have an excellent rhythmic element, relentlessly moving forward with huge brass clusters and enormous percussive force, much like the ruthless killer the music accompanies. Some of the string dissonances are clever, whining and groaning in the top regions of the register, and some of his instrumental combinations are interesting, but for far too much of the album’s running time the score gets bogged down in fairly standard thriller and suspense music, doing little more than present ambient synth lines augmented by occasional orchestral stingers for minutes on end – “Cage Match” and “Dental Work” are prime examples of this. At the other end of the spectrum, “Prodigal Son” introduces a melancholy, slightly skewed, but nevertheless attractive contemporary piano theme for Tom that eventually becomes a decent soft rock instrumental, and provides a welcome change of pace; the style is repeated in cues like “A Troubled Conversation’ to equal effect. Fans of Marco Beltrami are sure to find much to enjoy in this score, as Wandmacher’s style is similar to that heard in some of Beltrami’s darker scores, and it’s nice to see a composer on the fringes of the mainstream score a fairly major box office hit – the movie grossed over $50 million at the US box office. Unforunately, the score for My Bloody Valentine was never released commercially in stores, but is available as digital download or through Amazon’s ‘CDR On Demand’ program.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Buried Alive (Main Titles) (4:20), 2. Left for Dead (7:52), 3. Prodigal Son (3:48), 4. Human Pincushions (4:17), 5. Asphalt Pancake (1:47), 6. Evidence of Bodies (3:11), 7. A Troubled Conversation (2:08), 8. Cage Match (5:22), 9. One Weird Place (1:08), 10. House of Ill Repute (2:42), 11. Spoiled Chocolate (1:45), 12. Be Mine 4Ever (6:18), 13. Dental Work (4:50), 14. The Wind Up (6:44), 15. Triumvirate (8:14), 16. An Axe to Grind (6:07), 17. First Responder (2:51). [Lions Gate Music, 73:24].
UN HOMME ET SON CHIEN
PHILIPPE ROMBI
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Un Homme Et Son Chien.
INKHEART
JAVIER NAVARRETE
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A vivid fantasy adventure with a literary imagination, Inkheart stars Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Andy Serkis and newcomer Eliza Bennett, in a story about a man whose reading aloud brings characters from stories to life. The film is directed by Iain Softley from the popular novel by Cornelia Funke, and features a rousing original score by Spanish composer Javier Navarrete, his first foray back into the fantasy genre since his critically acclaimed work on Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006. A colorful full-orchestral affair, Inkheart revels in its fantastical storybook heritage, presenting cue after cue of lush, warm, grandiose music that moves easily from romantically sweeping themes to vivid action cues to rich exotica. Navarrete’s liberal use of a soft choir alongside chimes, light percussion, harps and woodwinds gives the whole score a magical air, and several of the orchestral crescendos – such as in “Abandonment”, “Incarceration” and the conclusive “Meadows” – are truly lovely, although the main thematic element does bear a strong resemblance to James Horner’s score for An American Tail. The action music, especially in “Mo Runs Away”, “The Escape” and “Creatures Return Home” is generally energetic and tuneful, although occasionally it becomes quite violent, with thunderous percussion runs giving the cues a real sense of power and urgency. Some cues, such as “Hostages”, occasionally veer into horror music territory, especially when Navarrete incorporates a chanting male voice choir and low, nervous string sustains into the mix. There are also some sequences featuring acoustic guitars, notably in “Ellinor Remembers Resa” and “Hostages”, which give the score a different and interesting color and expand the scope of the music. Similarly, cues such as “Bandits”, “Dejected Dustfinger” and “Jugglers” have a definite sense of the exotic through their vivid use of Middle Eastern shakers, ethnic vocals and lilting string writing. As was the case in Pan’s Labyrinth, the orchestrations throughout the score are quite superb; the piano is used prominently as a rhythmic, percussive base in many of the cues, rather than carrying any specific melody, while the instrumental combinations Navarrete uses - often pitting unexpected instruments against each other, or using an instrument outside of its usual setting - are fascinating, and contribute enormously to the overall depth of the score. Fans of Pan’s Labyrinth, or of scores which take the listener on a journey to faraway places will find plenty to enjoy here, as will those who enjoy scores with wide and varied orchestral palettes that are not afraid to be different.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Front Titles (3:17), 2. Mo Runs Away (4:40), 3. Abandonment (3:22), 4. Ellinor Remembers Resa (3:01), 5. Hostages (2:46), 6. To the Castle (2:07), 7. Mo's Secret (2:10), 8. Bandits (2:19), 9. Dejected Dustfinger (3:37), 10. The Escape (3:26), 11. Off to the Coast (2:05), 12. Jugglers (2:46), 13. Fenoglio Remembers Inkheart (3:41), 14. Rooftops (2:11), 15. Incarcerated (3:21), 16. Dustfinger Escapes (2:49), 17. The Plot (2:46), 18. Creatures Return Home (4:45), 19. Dustfinger Disappointment (3:11), 20. Meadows (3:13), 21. My Declaration (performed by Eliza Bennett) (3:55). [Universal Classics SK 51336, 65:28].
OUTLANDER
GEOFF ZANELLI
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A science fiction Viking epic, Outlander is a genre-bending action movie starring Jim Caviezel as Kainen, a soldier from a faraway planet who crashes his spaceship on Earth in Norway in the year 709, and is captured by the local Norsemen; however, when a deadly alien creature called the Moorwen – which had stowed away on Kainen’s ship – begins a vicious killing rampage through the Viking village, Kainen and the Vikings team up to stop the intruder. The film is directed by Howard McCann, features an eclectic supporting cast that includes Sophia Myles, Ron Perlman and John Hurt, and has an original score by Geoff Zanelli. The score sounds pretty much like you would expect it to sound, and is built around a rousing brass main theme in the finest Zimmer power anthem tradition, which is first heard in the opening “Setting the Trap” and re-occurs liberally thereafter, notably in “Kainan’s Capture”, “Now You Look Like a Viking” and the rousing, conclusive “Kainan Becomes King”. The plentiful action music is loud and driving, and contains an appropriately primal sound that sometimes seems to veer into symphonic rock territory; cues such as “Gunnar’s Raid”, “Tell Me About Your Dragon”, “Interrogating Kainan” and “Killing the Beast” are effective, albeit a little anachronistic, combining modern percussive synthesizers and dynamic rhythms with a growling male voice choir and wailing ethnic horns. The more horrific sequences – “That Was NOT a Bear”, “Into the Moorwen Lair” - tend to comprise mostly of a low, menacing motif for brass, surrounded by all manner of electronic and orchestral dissonances, while the quieter moments, notably during “Gods Be With You” and “Herot Town – 709 AD”, have a slightly more noble, romantic, traditional sound, with a cooing vocalist and warm, brass chords that often grow into something more heroic as the cues progress. There’s not much in the way of location-specific music (not that I know what Viking music really sounds like…), and not much to distinguish it from other similar scores from the Remote Control historical action pantheon such as King Arthur, but it raises the adrenaline in all the right places, and on those terms is entirely successful. Zimmer’s thematic strength and, conversely, his low-key subtlety in the quieter moments is definitely missed, but all in all it’s a rather predictable, enjoyable, check-your-brain-at-the-door action which will undoubtedly appeal to others a lot more than it appealed to me.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Setting the Trap (3:11), 2. Gunnar’s Raid (6:04), 3. The Moorwen Genocide (4:40), 4. Tell Me About Your Dragon (5:17), 5. Gods Be With You (6:11), 6. Crash Landing (5:13), 7. Kainan’s Capture (2:32), 8. Interrogating Kainan (2:05), 9. Herot Town – 709 AD (4:16), 10. Now You Look Like a Viking (2:06), 11. It Was a BEAR (4:48), 12. That Was NOT a Bear (3:49), 13. Into the Moorwen Liar (3:18), 14. Killing the Beast (7:59), 15. Kainan Becomes King (2:37). [La-La Land Records LLCD-1088, 64:06].
UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS
PAUL HASLINGER
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The third film in the Underworld series, Rise of the Lycans features a new actress in the lead role (Rhona Mitra instead of Kate Beckinsale), and is effectively a prequel to the original two films, charting the events leading up to the vampire-werewolf war which dominates the first two installments. Essentially a Romeo and Juliet variation, the film tells the story of enslaved werewolf Lucian (Michael Sheen), who has been the property of vampire elder Viktor (Bill Nighy) since birth, and who falls in love with Viktor’s daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra). Their love, Viktor’s betrayal by his daughter, Lucien’s escape from captivity, and the subsequent execution of Sonja by the vampire lords, sets in motion the centuries-long battle for supremacy between vampire and Lycans. The film is directed by Patrick Tatopoulos and has an original score by former Tangerine Dream member Paul Haslinger, who also wrote the score for the first film. Haslinger’s music, while firmly rooted in the progressive synth style of his work with Tangerine Dream and his own earlier scores, contains an unexpectedly broad and engaging symphonic element; the opening “The Rise of the Lycans”, for example, combines the orchestral and electronic elements well, and despite the still frustrating reliance on synth percussion and harsh, but simple industrial rhythms in the second half of the cue, is much more impressive than one might have expected. Similarly, the central action sequences – “The Arrow Attack”, “Court Battle Suite”, “Storming the Castle” and the conclusive “Per Aspera Ad Astra” – contain much more organic material in terms of orchestral performance than his Underworld predecessor score would suggest, and even work in some sampled choral elements once in a while. It would be interesting to hear what kind of sound Haslinger could create if he left his sequencers at home. That’s the most frustrating thing about Rise of the Lycans: the makings of a pretty decent orchestral action/horror score are all here, but you can’t hear them properly for all the synthetic elements obscuring them. “Lucian and Sonja's Love Theme” and “The Most Precious Thing to My Heart” have a twisted, tortured quality to it, pitting booming solo piano chords against a grungy metallic background, and although they by no means conventionally romantic, they will surely appeal to the Goth/Emo/Vampire youngsters at whom this franchise is aimed. Overall, this one should be in the ‘better than you might think’ pile, considering Haslinger’s reputation, but it still comes across as a missed opportunity, and could have been so much more satisfying had they gone for a composer with a more traditional Gothic sound.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Rise of the Lycans (2:27), 2. Lucian and Sonja's Love Theme (2:05), 3. The Arrow Attack (2:33), 4. The Most Precious Thing to My Heart (1:46), 5. The Wolve's Den (2:05), 6. Lucian to the Rescue (1:51), 7. Court Battle Suite (4:25), 8. Sonja's Trial and Execution (5:26), 9. Storming the Castle (2:52), 10. Per Aspera Ad Astra (6:45), 11. The Rise of the Lycans [Precious Cargo Remix] (performed by Coma Virus) (3:54). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34067, 36:09].
SHADOWS (SENKI)
RYAN SHORE
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Shadows is a Macedonian film directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Milco Mancevski, starring Borce Nacev as Lazar Perkov, a doctor in modern day Skopje who, following his involvement in a deadly car accident, finds his life, his marriage and his career falling apart. However, after an old woman delivers a message to him in an ancient Macedonian dialect, Lazar encounters the seductive, erotic Menka (Vesna Stanojevska), who guides him on a journey to his ancestral home, and helps him learn things about his family’s dark past. The music for Shadows is, somewhat unexpectedly, by American composer Ryan Shore, whose continued efforts to seek out interesting films outside the Hollywood mainstream is commendable. Written mainly for a conventional orchestral complement with an emphasis on strings, the score maintains a string East European flavor through traditional sounding chord progressions and the liberal use of a traditional woodwind instrument – it may be a kaval - that sounds like a variation on a bass flute. Following on the from the main theme heard in the opening “Shadows”, some of Shore’s orchestral textures are gorgeous; the cello performances in “Menka”, “Cadaver” and “Lucky” are sublime, as is the conventionally tender theme in “Propelling”, each adding a great deal to the score’s overall feeling of dark, vaguely ominous, romance. Later, “Police Phonecall” reprises the sweeping main theme for full orchestra, building out of a solo piano to satisfyingly grand proportions. Occasionally, Shore makes use of some stark string-based dissonances in cues such as “Crash”, “Kalina”, “Tunnel Nightmare” and “Lazar’s Building”, reminding the listener than not all is well in Lazar’s world, and which occasionally bring to mind the most textural work of his Uncle Howard. In addition, Shore often incorporates ethereal vocal work into his cues, notably the lively “Appearance”, the aforementioned “Kalina”, the unearthly “Peephole”, and the heightened montage sequences “Following Menka” and “Revelation”, which gives the score a dream-like, almost eerie quality that is very appealing. In the beautifully reflective “Burial”, Shore has his vocalist intone an emotionally powerful of the main theme, before bringing the score to a satisfying close with a recapitulation of the main theme in “Lazar and Dad”. While the overarching sense of darkness and foreboding in Shadows may alienate some listeners, especially those who prefer more warmth in their scores, there’s no denying Ryan Shore’s talent in creating interesting moods, elegant textures, inviting themes, or his command of his orchestra. He really is a talent to watch, and if he has even half the critical and commercial success of his more famous relative, it will be well deserved.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Shadows (1:48), 2. Crash (1:28), 3. Appearance (2:18), 4. Menka (1:30), 5. Cadaver (1:35), 6. Kalina (2:55), 7. Apartment (2:53), 8. Peephole (1:37), 9. Tunnel Nightmare (1:54), 10. Propelling (1:19), 11. Following Menka (2:15), 12. Mailbox (3:55), 13. The Hospital (2:49), 14. Police (1:05), 15. Lazar's Building (1:58), 16. Lucky (3:03), 17. Menka Hangs (1:18), 18. Revelation (4:29), 19. Journey (1:31), 20. Burial (4:54), 21. Lazar and Dad (1:42). [MovieScore Media MMS-09004, 48:16].
TAKEN
NATHANIEL MECHALY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A xenophobic and downright nasty action thriller which somehow became a box office success, Taken is directed by Pierre Morel and stars Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, a former spy with ‘special skills’, who is forced out of retirement when his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped by a sex trafficking gang in Paris. Once in Europe, Mills runs around a lot and fights his way through the French underworld trying to save his daughter, encountering Albanian crime syndicates and evil Arab billionaires and delivering plenty of high octane energy and pithy-one liners, but it all leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, especially with its blatant “all foreigners are evil” undertone. The score for Taken is by French composer Nathaniel Mechaly, who has been working in his native France for several years, but who has never had an international breakthrough until now. A lot of Mechaly’s score is quite soft and understated; the “Opening” and the subsequent “Permission to Go to Paris” are little more than piano chords augmented by a soft string wash, while later cues such as “To the Airport”, replace the piano with a gentle and attractive acoustic guitar. As the score progresses, however, Mechaly introduces a stronger, more urgent electronic element into his music, with energetic synthesized pulses and almost dance music-style rhythms. Cues such as “Pursuit at Roissy”, “Pursuit at the Construction Site”, “Escape from St. Clair” and “Pursuit by the Seine” have the same kind of vibe as John Powell’s Bourne scores, with urgent percussive string writing and electronic beats driving the action along. There is also some rather menacing suspense music, again with a significantly increased electronic element, in cues such as “There’s Somebody Here” and the 6-minute “96 Hours”, which adds a level of tension to the score. These cues work well in context, but they’re not very interesting to listen to on their own terms, and the extended sections of this kind of underscore tend to drag the album down. And that’s really the problem with Taken as a whole; there’s just not enough interesting music on the album to hold the interest for very long. There are a couple of interesting ideas, mostly involving the sentimental piano/guitar stuff and some of the more urgent action cues, but they are dotted around the album so infrequently that waiting for the good material to arrive is a chore when you have to sit through minutes and minutes of the dull synthetic textures that surround them. A couple of songs – “Change” performed by Joy Denalane and Lupe Fiasco, “Tick Tick, Boom” performed by The Hives, and “The Dragster Wave” performed by Ghinzu – round out the album, and are actually pretty good. Change has a cool soul vibe and a strong vocal element, while “Tick Tick, Boom” is great to just rock out to. As I’ve said before, when the best cuts on an album are the songs rather than the score, you know something’s going on.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening (0:56), 2. Change (performed by Joy Denalane feat. Lupe Fiasco) (4:18), 3. Permission to Go to Paris (1:14), 4. To The Airport (1:14), 5. The Concert (0:56), 6. There's Somebody Here (3:27), 7. Pursuit at Roissy (1:10), 8. On the Rooftop (1:44), 9. 96 Hours (6:04), 10. The Construction Site (2:07), 11. Pursuit at the Construction Site (1:29), 12. Saving Amanda (1:18), 13. Escape From St. Clair (1:41), 14. Tick Tick, Boom (performed by The Hives) (3:28), 15. Hotel Camelia (1:41), 16. The Auction (1:41), 17. Pursuit by the Seine (3:15), 18. On the Boat (1:06), 19. The Last Fight (1:54), 20. The Dragster Wave (performed by Ghinzu) (6:15). [Decca/Razor & Tie 478-1128, 46:58].
THE UNINVITED
CHRISTOPHER YOUNG
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of The Uninvited.
CORALINE
BRUNO COULAIS
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Coraline.
THE SECRET OF MOONACRE
CHRISTIAN HENSON
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A British children’s fantasy based on the popular novel “The Little White Horse” by Elizabeth Goudge, The Secret of Moonacre stars Dakota Blue Richards as Maria Merryweather who, following the death of her father, is sent to live at her uncle’s country estate. By reading her only inheritance – an ancient book – Maria learns of an ancient feud between her family and the neighboring DeNoir family over a set of magical pearls upon them by a beautiful and mysterious woman known as the Moon Princess. Slowly, Maria learns that she has been entrusted with finding the pearls and ending the dispute between the clans; but time is running out. The film, which was directed by master animator Gapor Csupo and also stars Ioan Gruffudd, Tim Curry, Natascha McElhone and Juliet Stevenson, has an original score by young composer Christian Henson, who is the son of English actress Una Stubbs. Despite being written for a film the potential to inspire great music, Henson’s score is oddly anonymous. There’s nothing wrong with it per se; it’s performed by a full orchestra with a choir, and has a very pleasing tonal quality with appealing melodies and charming orchestrations. It’s just that, for the most part, it seemed very ‘plain’, with no distinct personality of its own. Some of the cues are nevertheless quite lovely; the sweeping theme in the “Opening Titles” is mysterious and magical, the extended “Into the Book” builds in some lovely vocal writing, prettily delicate orchestrations and more magical crescendos, and the brief “I'm Glad That You're Back” and “Apology Tango” both feature gorgeous duets for cello and piano. Later cues such as “Maria’s Room” continue the sense of child-like wonderment with a light, enchanting touch, while scherzos such as “The Journey to Moonacre”, “Marmaduke Scarlet” and “Setting the Bait” are energetic and playful, with the latter pair incorporating the sound of breaking glass into the percussion section. Some of the action music is also very lively and colorful, notably in cues such as “Into the Forest”, “Maria Escapes”, “Maria is Captured”, and “Little White Horse Leads On/Chase Through the Forest”, all of which clearly highlight Henson’s vivid musical imagination and interesting instrumental touches. The beautiful “Sea Horses” is one of the most enchanting cues on the album, making wonderful use of soulful vocal writing, while the conclusive “All's Well That End's Well” ends the score on a high note with a rousing recapitulation of the score’s main theme. Christian Henson is definitely a composer to watch.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening Titles (2:31), 2. The Journey to Moonacre (1:52), 3. Robin Attacks/Arrival at Moonacre (1:01), 4. Into the Book (3:48), 5. Marmaduke Scarlet (2:12), 6. Maria's Room (1:32), 7. Into the Forest (2:21), 8. The Moonacre Curse (3:11), 9. Milk and Cookies (1:22), 10. Running from Moonacre/Loveday (1:42), 11. The 5, 000th Moon (2:40), 12. I'm Glad That You're Back (0:53), 13. Maria is Captured (4:50), 14. The Two Moon Princesses (1:38), 15. Maria Escapes (5:14), 16. Apology Tango (1:28), 17. Setting the Bait (1:33), 18. The Search Begins (2:05), 19. Robin and Wrolf Are Captured (1:41), 20. Little White Horse Leads On/Chase Through the Forest (5:55), 21. Back Where It All Began (1:41), 22. Maria's Sacrifice (2:08), 23. Sea Horses (2:27), 24. Love Waltz (2:21), 25. All's Well That End's Well (4:14), 26. Stars (2:57). [Movie Score Media MMS-09006, 65:17].
THE INTERNATIONAL
TOM TYKWER, REINHOLD HEIL and JOHNNY KLIMEK
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The International is a contemporary - and somewhat prescient - action movie/political thriller starring Clive Owen as Louis Salinger, an Interpol agent who teams up with a Manhattan district attorney to expose a high-profile financial institution's role in an international arms dealing ring. The film, which also stars Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl and Ulrich Thomsen, was directed by German leading light Tom Tykwer; as he did on his previous movies (notably Run Lola Run and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer), Tykwer teamed up with regular collaborators Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek to provide the film’s score. After the unexpectedly excellent neoclassicism of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, The International is a return to the Heil and Klimek of old, in that it is essentially a synth rhythm score prettied up with a few sampled string lines here and there. Most of the score comprises shifting synth tones, industrial sound effects, and electronic rhythms and pulses, occasionally overlaid with a specific ‘color’ to make each cue a little more unique: tinkling synth strings and piano chords in “Salinger Comes Home”, a more rambunctious rhythm and rumbling timpani in “The Calvini Hit”, a sampled harp in “The Consultant’s Death”. For long stretches, though, virtually nothing happens. Cues like “Salinger in Luxembourg”, “Bugs” and “The Guggenheim Shootout” offer virtually nothing in terms of musical creativity or an emotional connection. They’re just there, like a metronome, presenting the repetitive thump of an internal beat over and over, but doing little else. This score wouldn’t be so disappointing if I didn’t know what these composers were capable of; there’s no personality, no depth, no real point to this score other than to provide the film with tempo, add another layer to the sound effects, and occasionally add a slightly warmer pseudo-human touch to what is otherwise a cold chase thriller. Scores like these really have no reason for existing outside of the film for which they were written; some electronic scores can be very exciting and entertaining, but unfortunately The International isn’t one of them. For long stretches, it’s like listening to an industrial mechanical hum, like the one your microwave might make while cooking your Lean Cuisine. Back to square one for Pale 3, I’m afraid.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Meeting Schumer (1:13), 2. Morgue (1:29), 3. Salinger Comes Home (0:31), 4. Wexler Meets the Consultant (2:04), 5. Salinger in Luxembourg (2:20), 6. Bugs (3:05), 7. The Calvini Hit (6:06), 8. Calvini Crime Scene Investigation (4:48), 9. Security Check (2:17), 10. Driving Into NYC (0:56), 11. The Isaacson Files (1:51), 12. Tailing the Consultant (3:46), 13. Inside the Guggenheim (1:26), 14. The Guggenheim Shootout (6:17), 15. The Consultant’s Death (1:55), 16. On the Way to Moody’s Bail Bonds (1:32), 17. The Wexler Interrogation (1:03), 18. Ella Leaves Lou/Calvini Headquarters (3:15), 19. Istanbul (2:20), 20. Chasing Jonas Skarssen (2:55), 21. End Title (9:13). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6946, 60:22].
RICKY
PHILIPPE ROMBI
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A fantastical French drama from director François Ozon, Ricky stars Alexandra Lamie and Sergi Lopez as Katie and Paco, a single mother and a factory worker in modern, working class Paris, who begin a relationship and have a son together: the eponymous Ricky of the title. However, when baby Ricky begins to behave erratically, and begins to develop lesions on his skin, it increases the stresses on Katie and Paco’s relationship, with Kate accusing Paco of abuse; however, there is more to little Ricky than meets the eye… The music for Ricky is by the exceptionally talented young French composer Philippe Rombi, director Ozon’s composer of choice; this is their sixth film together, following such spectacular efforts as Swimming Pool and Angel. As is always the case with Rombi’s music, Ricky is a gorgeous, thematic delight, filled with expressive piano solos, tender string writing, and a Golden Age sensibility which is simply wondrous. The opening “Ricky Theme” is a slightly melancholic, but utterly beautiful piano melody, innocent and pure, backed with a leisurely string wash and rolling harps; when the melody is taken over by a celeste, and then a lush cello, accented by fluttering piano syncopations, the effect is magical. The score proper is actually a little more spartan, a little more reserved, than one is used to hearing from Rombi. The “Générique Début” re-states the Ricky theme, but in a quite morose arrangement, and it doesn’t appear again until “Nuit Sur le Lac”, and even then it is in a deconstructed form. Many of the other cues, such as “Naissance”, “Les Premiers Jours” and “Premiers Signes” are actually quite gloomy, with very little thematic content, instead being filled with slightly troubling string phrases, skittery piano and harp chords and tinkling percussion effects, mirroring the uncertainty the parents have about Ricky and his ‘special issues’. “Conséquences” and “Le Retour de Paco” even sees Rombi moving into rare action music territory with a vibrant piece that features much more forceful percussion and string writing than we are used to hearing from him. “Evolution” restates the Ricky theme in a magical arrangement for glockenspiel and piano, and everything comes to a lovely conclusion in “La Révélation” and “Générique Fin”, which reprise the main theme with beauty and grace. Rombi’s writing is so clear, so romantic, so elegant, and Ricky is no exception. It’s no wonder he is often referred to as the heir apparent of Georges Delerue. This 30-minute score was only released as a digital download on the Naïve France label, but is available on Amazon and via other major retailers. I highly recommend it.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Ricky Theme (3:49), 2. Pré Générique (0:46), 3. Générique Début (1:12), 4. Naissance (1:10), 5. Les Premiers Jours (1:25), 6. Premiers Signes (2:51), 7. Nuit Sur le Lac (1:31), 8. Julie et Ricky (1:19), 9. Evolution (1:16), 10. Conséquences (3:10), 11. L'Hôpital (1:04), 12. Seule (1:42), 13. Le Retour de Paco (1:24), 14. L'Envol (2:10), 15. La Révélation (2:05), 16. Générique Fin (3:49). [Naïve France Digital Download, 30:43].
CROSSING OVER
MARK ISHAM
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Written and directed by Wayne Kramer, Crossing Over is a story about immigration in the United States, and about how immigrants of different nationalities struggle to achieve legal status in Los Angeles. It follows the lives of several individuals - Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Max Brogan (Harrison Ford), his Iranian-American partner Hamid (Cliff Curtis), a sympathetic defense lawyer (Ashley Judd), and a green card approval supervisor (Ray Liotta) – all of whom experience different aspects of America’s immigration laws during the course of their working lives. The score for Crossing Over is by Mark Isham, who previously worked with director Kramer on The Cooler and Running Scared, and who scored a similar kind of multi-character drama with the Oscar-winning Crash in 2005. Like Crash, Isham’s score for Crossing Over has a modern urban groove to represent its contemporary setting, but unlike its predecessor is flavored with some lovely orchestral textures and instrumental performances to give it heart; this immediately makes the score more appealing and approachable than its sibling. The opening cue, “Crossing Over”, introduces the score’s main recurring element, the first of a series of superb acoustic guitar elements which play over cool synth chords and warm string lines. The acoustic guitar performances return in virtually every cue thereafter, most pleasingly in “Juan Sanches”, “Mireya” and the lovely conclusive “Max Gets Word/End Titles”, giving the score a tonal center which is very pleasing, while rooting it in the musical conventions of the cultures the film examines. The use of a haunting, vaguely Middle Eastern solo vocalist in “A Dinnertime Visit” brings a new dimension to the score; similarly, the solo piano, solo cello and ambient synth accompaniments in “Claire Confesses/Hamid's Sorrow” and “We Will Travel Together, Daughter” add a lush, dreamlike texture that is quite appealing. Later, the synths are used in a harsher way, with industrial textures and bubbly rhythmic writing, giving cues such as “Liquor Store” and parts of “Naturalization” a dangerous urban edge. Crossing Over is a perfect example of how to write a modern, contemporary-sounding score with prominent electronics, and not have it sound dull or fake. Isham’s synthetic sound palette, and his judicious use of live instruments at the appropriate moments, makes this score one of the best of its type.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Crossing Over (2:47), 2. Drive to Mexico (1:37), 3. Juan Sanchez (1:50), 4. A Dinnertime Visit (2:25), 5. Claire Confesses/Hamid's Sorrow (2:21), 6. ICE Raid (1:40), 7. You Look Like You Need a Friend (2:07), 8. Funeral (1:39), 9. We Will Travel Together, Daughter (2:08), 10. Liquor Store (3:05), 11. Tomorrow Was Supposed to Be a Special Day (2:36), 12. Naturalization (5:42), 13. Mireya (2:21), 14. Departures and Beginnings (3:21), 15. Max Gets Word/End Titles (5:06). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6958, 40:45].
STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI
STEPHEN ENDELMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Fifteen years after Jean-Claude Van Damme effectively killed off a potential franchise of films in the original Street Fighter movie, the classic video game returns to the big screen in Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, a rebooting of the story which now focuses on the mysterious female character of Chun-Li rather than the muscle bound General Guile. Directed by Polish action director Andrzej Bartkowiak, it stars Smallville star Kristin Kreuk as Chun-Li, a concert pianist and martial arts expert searching for her father, who has been captured by the evil underworld figure, Bison. The film, which also stars Chris Klein, Neal McDonough and Michael Clarke Duncan, has a score from a most unlikely source: New York-based composer Stephen Endelman, whose film work to date has included such classy projects as The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Came Down A Mountain, Bride of the Wind and Evelyn. This is his first foray into the action genre, and if this score is anything to go by, he clearly has the chops to succeed across multiple genres. Endelman’s action writing just oozes cool; from the growling brass lines, the piano scales bubbling underneath the orchestra, the rambunctious string runs, the rattling Oriental percussion, and the understated, yet appropriate electronic enhancements, Endelman’s score has a life and energy and vitality which is really excellent. The action and suspense cues – like the opening “Chun-Li vs. Bison”, “Bison Takes Over”, “The Montage”, “The Break In”, “Running to Vega”, “Gen Attacked”, “Following Balrog”, and several others – are genuinely exciting and musically interesting, often making use of unusual and unexpected instrumental performances, highlighting Endelman’s engaging mastery of his orchestra and his hitherto undiscovered talent for this kind of musical expression. The main theme, heard in the “Opening Credits” (which is not the first cue on the album) begins heroically, before segueing into a gorgeous, expressive erhu piece. The erhu theme is recapitulated later in cues such as the lovely “Gen is Reborn” the bittersweet “Leaving Home” and the conclusive “Going Home” to excellent effect. The quieter moments of the score are often highlighted by breathy bamboo flutes, soft string lines, or solo piano melodies (clearly alluding to the main character’s history as a concert pianist); “Mom Dies” is a gorgeous example of this. Other moments occasionally recall John Barry’s writing on the Bruce Lee Game of Death movie, especially in his use of wooden percussion under the orchestra in cues such as “Impress Me” and “Chun-Li Training”. One off cues, such as the ultra-groovy finger-snapping “Arrival in Bangkok” or the similar-sounding “Bathroom Fight”, just add to the score’s general appeal. This a surprisingly good score that belies its second rate action movie roots, and will certainly appeal to those who like creative orchestral writing rather than samey synth loops in their action scores; similarly, it will appeal to those who thought Stephen Endelman was only a ‘serious’ composer, who couldn’t let loose and have fun.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Chun-Li vs. Bison (4:08), 2. Chun-Li Captured (1:42), 3. Bison Takes Over (2:57), 4. Opening Credits (2:41), 5. The Montage (3:17), 6. Arriving in Bangkok (1:23), 7. The Break In (1:43), 8. Mom Dies (1:18), 9. Gen is Reborn (1:54), 10. Running to Vega (1:43), 11. Bison's Entrance (2:39), 12. Gen Attacked (1:43), 13. Impress Me (2:33), 14. Following Balrog (1:06), 15. Leaving Home (1:02), 16. Bomb!!! (1:42), 17. The Escape (1:23), 18. Bathroom Fight (0:49), 19. Vega Fight (1:15), 20. Reunited with Father (2:17), 21. Balrog Fight (2:02), 22. Mother's Funeral (1:46), 23. The White Rose (2:56), 24. Chun-Li's Training (1:41), 25. Bison's Meeting (2:23), 26. Story of the Web (1:40), 27. Going Home (2:57). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34068, 54:40].
WATCHMEN
TYLER BATES
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Watchmen.
THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT
JOHN MURPHY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A remake of the classic Wes Craven horror movie from 1972, this new version of The Last House on the Left is directed by Dennis Iliadis and stars Tony Goldwyn, Monica Potter and Garret Dillahunt. Like its predecessor, it examines the lengths reasonable people will take when placed in a life-or-death situation, and explores the human psyche, and its capacity for violence under extreme duress. The basic plot revolves around the suburban Collingwood family – Mom, Dad, daughter Mari – and the disintegration of the family unit that occurs when Mari is kidnapped, attacked and left for dead by a group of violent strangers who take refuge at the Collingwoods’ isolated summer home. The score for The Last House on the Left is by English composer John Murphy, who has been making in-roads into the Hollywood mainstream of late, off the back of successful works such as 28 Days Later and Sunshine. Murphy’s music for The Last House on the Left, somewhat surprisingly, is generally orchestral in nature, albeit with a spooky, subdued, and occasionally quite oppressive atmosphere. The “Open Titles” pit moody instrumental textures against a breathy, ominous synth effect giving the piece a sense of chilly isolation; later, cues such as “Candles” revisit the style, which is occasionally reminiscent of the kind of music Christopher Young would write for a film like this. There’s no recurring main theme to speak of, and much of the underscore proper is given over to suspense and horror cues, which comprise mainly of low, rumbling orchestral lines, gritty synthetic textures, and icy orchestral cues which are clearly designed to create an intense mood of impending danger. Cues such as “In the Woods”, “Saving Mari” and “Looking for Krug” are intentionally harsh and discordant, while the music for the attackers themselves often enters grunge/rock territory, with electric guitars and a drum kit depicting them as dangerous outsiders. Cues such as “The Boathouse”, “Getting Stoned” and “John vs. Krug” have a surly, sneering attitude which is appropriately convincing. Brief moments of orchestral warmth, such as the soothing string chords in “The Pool” the inviting themes in “The House” and at the beginning of “The Boathouse”, or the mourning “After the Attack”, do exist, and seem like oases of calm in the midst of all the anger and anguish. Overall, The Last House on the Left is a score which is wholly successful in terms creating a mood of tension and dread, in addition to having a surprising amount of generally very good and occasionally very attractive orchestral suspense writing, and for this Murphy should rightly be commended, but it’s still not something I’d want to listen to on a regular basis.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening Titles (1:38), 2. The Crossing (2:34), 3. The Pool (0:54), 4. The House (1:29), 5. The Boathouse (2:02), 6. Getting Stoned (1:05), 7. In the Woods (3:40), 8. Are You Ready To Be A Man? (2:28), 9. Killing Paige (1:00), 10. After the Assault (3:19), 11. Dead in the Water (2:13), 12. Candles (3:55), 13. Saving Mari (3:58), 14. Going to the Guest House (2:50), 15. Looking For Krug (3:27), 16. John vs. Krug (2:30), 17. The End (4:07), 18. Opening Titles [Alternate Version] (1:34). [La-La Land Records LLLCD 1092, 44:43].
PHOEBE IN WONDERLAND
CHRISTOPHE BECK
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Phoebe in Wonderland is a family drama examining the life of a 9-year-old girl with Tourette’s Syndrome. Elle Fanning (the little sister of Dakota) stars as Phoebe, an odd and insecure little girl, whose parents (Felicity Huffman and Bill Pullman) are on the brink of divorce, and whose home-stresses manifest themselves through OCD-like behavior. However, when Phoebe discovers acting, and auditions for a part in the school production of Alice in Wonderland, she finally finds a way to cope with her life and her illness. The film, which was directed by Daniel Barnz and won acclaim at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, has an original score by French-Canadian composer Christophe Beck. His music is generally light and airy, making use of gently flirtatious piano lines, idiosyncratic solo violin performances and quirky Newmanesque percussion which features marimbas, xylophones and glockenspiels in prominent roles. The lovely “Main Titles” provide the clearest and most fully developed synthesis of the style, although the overall feeling of whimsy and child-like imagination is retained throughout the score. The majority of the subsequent cues build on this style, presenting half an hour of charming, slightly eccentric music that maintains a sense of innocence. Certain cues highlight a particular instrumental performance or color: “Auditions” features a blustery comic march with heavy pizzicato writing; “Down to Dinner” has a sonorous cello solo; “The Red Queen” has some lively and expressionistic solo violin parts; “I Feel Ugly” has bittersweet piano melodies; “Who I Am” has a beautiful sequence for solo harp, and so on and so forth. The score also has a recurring 4-note motif similar to the one James Horner often uses, which is passed around varying instruments in a number of cues, such as the sprightly “How to Put On a Play”. The emotional high point of the score comes towards the end in the pretty “Realligator”, and it’s all very pleasant and undemanding, but is so insubstantial that it is gone from the memory almost as soon as the score is over.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Main Titles (Phoebe's Theme) (2:49), 2. To Be, or Not To Be (0:54), 3. Auditions (2:13), 4. Go On, Jump (1:23), 5. And Alice? Phoebe (0:47), 6. Down to Dinner (1:13), 7. How to Put On a Play (2:46), 8. The Red Queen (2:41), 9. Looking In (0:47), 10. Humpty (2:11), 11. The Catwalk (1:17), 12. I Feel Ugly (1:29), 13. Nightmare (1:16), 14. Hilary Paces (0:59), 15. Down the Rabbit Hole (1:06), 16. Fired (1:30), 17. Don't Stop (1:23), 18. Who I Am (1:06), 19. Realligator (1:57), 20. End Credits (2:37). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6952, 32:24].
RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN
TREVOR RABIN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A big-budget remake of the classic 1975 Disney film Escape to Witch Mountain, Race to Witch Mountain is directed by Andy Fickman and stars Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as Las Vegas cab driver who gets drawn into an intergalactic conspiracy and, with the help of a beautiful UFO expert (Carla Gugino), must help two alien children (AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig) return to their space ship while avoiding the clutches of a nefarious research company who wants to exploit their powers. The score for Race to Witch Mountain is by Trevor Rabin, continuing his collaboration with the Mouse House that he began with National Treasure in 2004. Rabin’s score is fun and adventurous, rooting in the familiar Media Ventures/Remote Control style that he utilized in scores like Armageddon and others, but with enough of a distinct personality to make it enjoyable on its own terms. As one might expect from a former rocker, Rabin sprinkles electric guitars liberally throughout the orchestral and synthetic performances. The opening score cue, “Into the Fridge”, offers a pretty decent summary of the score in itself, running the gamut from unexpectedly gentle piano and string writing to large-canvas action cues with urgent synth rhythms and sampled brass. Later, action cues such as the “Unidentified Main Titles” (which appears in the middle of the album), “Jack and Kids Escape”, “Burke’s Deal” and “Tracking the E.B.E.'s” keep the tempo high with flashy string writing, cool electric guitar chords and an upbeat pace. The Siphon – the robotic main antagonist of the story – has a mechanized, relentless synth pulse leitmotif which can be heard in several cues, notably “Siphon Searches” and “Excess Baggade”. At the other end of the scale, “Long Goodbye” parts of “Make Me a Believer” and “Stand Off” offer sensitive emotional themes, noble trumpet refrains, choral majesty and a heady dose of Disney heroism (although, again, the sampled instruments often give the score an unfortunately cheap, tinny sound). Overall, Race to Witch Mountain is a fun, but throwaway score, a descriptor which can often be applied to Rabin’s music. It’s hamstrung by its lack of scope and the composer’s unfortunate decision to limit his own sound palette, but it is what it is, and fans of Rabin’s style, or of lighter Media Ventures/Remote Control scores will find plenty to enjoy.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Emergency (performed by Steve Rushton) (2:59), 2. Boogie Woogie Saturday Night (performed by Brokedown Cadillac) (3:30), 3. Southern Nights (performed by Brokedown Cadillac) (3:53), 4. Into the Fridge (6:50), 5. Long Goodbye (3:01), 6. Siphon Searches (4:00), 7. Make Me a Believer (4:09), 8. Bump and Run (1:14), 9. Unidentified Main Titles (3:10), 10. Jack and Kids Escape (2:58), 11. Tell Mr. Wolf I Meant It (0:50), 12. Train Wreckage Survey (0:46), 13. Burke's Deal (4:19), 14. Tracking the E.B.E.'s (2:13), 15. Stand Off (1:48), 16. Tunnel Flight (2:17), 17. Excess Baggage (2:07), 18. Convention Escape (3:12), 19. Meet the Press (1:36). [Walt Disney Records Digital Download, 54:52].
SUNSHINE CLEANING
MICHAEL PENN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A very unusual comedy-drama, Sunshine Cleaning stars Amy Adams as Rose Lorkowski, a down-on-her-luck single mom who, in order to raise the tuition funds to send her young son to private school, starts an unusual business - a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service. With her flaky sister Norah (Emily Blunt) in tow, the newly-named Sunshine Cleaning crew quickly find themselves up to their elbows in all manner of messy situations. The film was directed by Christine Jeffs and features an original score by Michael Penn, the musically-inclined older brother of Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn. Penn’s music is primarily band-based, with guitars, keyboards, drums, a small string section, and doo-dah vocals performing the majority of the score. It’s contemporary, and pretty funky in places, occasionally rising to unexpected heights (such as in the “The Chalk Thing” or “Trestling”), adopting lively country rhythms (“Shrimp Truck”, “Trailer Park”), becoming quite abstract and unusual through the use of sampled effects (“Mrs. Davis”), or bringing a warmer and more sentimental tone through the use of an accordion or an acoustic guitar (“Bloody Bathroom”). The wordless vocal work is occasionally reminiscent of something Simon & Garfunkel or The Beach Boys might use as a backing track or an intro to one of their songs; in fact, that’s pretty much the best way to describe Penn’s score: a 27-minute long intro to a song which never starts. It’s an easy listening album for the soundtrack set, a set of rock and jazz instrumentals which happen to accompany a film; it’s not a traditional film score in any sense of the word, as there are no recurring thematic motifs and it has no formal structure, but it nevertheless makes for an enjoyable and understated 40-minutes of listening when you want a break from orchestral histrionics. Even the songs are pretty good, especially Norman Greenbaum’s classic “Spirit in the Sky”, which never gets old.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Cure for This (performed by Golden Smog) (3:38), 2. The Chalk Thing (1:33), 3. Shrimp Truck (1:32), 4. Bloody Bathroom (1:31), 5. Joe and Oscar (0:40), 6. Trestling (2:45), 7. Perfect Days (performed by Ken Andrews) (4:43), 8. To the East (performed by Electrelane) (4:53), 9. Rose and Mac (2:21), 10. Barcelona (performed by Bodega) (3:03), 11. Some Ice Cream (1:36), 12. Nora Follows Lynn Shower (2:10), 13. Mrs. Davis (2:17), 14. Fanny Pack (0:43), 15. Intro (Stay Here) (performed by Emile Millar) (3:01), 16. Fire (1:36), 17. Winston's Store (0:24), 18. Open for Business (performed by David Maizlin) (1:09), 19. Trailer Park (1:47), 20. Arriving at Fire (1:45), 21. CB Radio and Resolve (3:47), 22. Spirit in the Sky (performed by Norman Greenbaum) (4:01), 23. Introduction (0:51). [Lakeshore Records LKS 34071, 51:46].
DUPLICITY
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Duplicity is a double-crossing spy caper written and directed by Tony Gilroy, who previously worked on films such as Michael Clayton and the Bourne series. Clive Owen and Julia Roberts star as Ray Koval and Claire Stenwick, ex-lovers who specialize in industrial espionage, who team up for one last job: to swindle their respective bosses out of millions of dollars. The film, which also stars Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti, has an original score by James Newton Howard, who received an Oscar nomination the last time he teamed up with Gilroy on Michael Clayton in 2007. Howard’s score for Duplicity is an exercise in funk; it’s a departure from his usual lush orchestral sound, instead making use of a bank of synthesizers and samplers, a jazz combo with plucked basses and blaring horns, and a snazzy, upbeat tempo that is incredibly infectious. In a way, it’s a cross between Lalo Schifrin and David Holmes, revisiting the cool 60s and 70s retro sound that seems to be making a nostalgic comeback in modern film music. Cues such as “War”, “Following Claire”, “The Frame-Up”, the seductive “Miami Hotel” are tremendously stylish, often employing Latin beats and prominent solo instruments alongside the electronic rhythms and jazz stylings to excellent effect. Trumpets, acoustic and electric guitars, groovy pianos, accordions, mandolins, even kettle drums have their moment in the sun, reminding us that before he was a respected orchestral composer Howard was one of the most in-demand pop arrangers in the business. Some of the slightly more serious action-style cues, like “Security Meeting”, “Tully’s Letter”, “The Ghost”, “Safe House” and the wonderfully rambunctious “The Formula”, have a darker tone and a more urgent feel, but still retain their rhythmic panache and overall lightness of touch. The subject of the film may be espionage, but the tone of the film is that of a cheerful caper. Later in the album there are some truly lovely romantic interludes built around a solo acoustic guitar or a piano, notably in “Rome Hotel”, “San Diego Airport”, “Airport Love” and the lithe “A Cream or a Lotion”, which are all quite gorgeous. Although Duplicity is a world away from the sophisticated orchestral writing we are used to hearing from Howard in recent years, it has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience, especially for those whose tastes encompass jazz and world music as much as the classical style.
TRACK LISTING: 1. War (4:06), 2. Following Claire (2:00), 3. Security Meeting (2:49), 4. Split to Rome (2:30), 5. Tully's Letter (1:52), 6. The Ghost (2:48), 7. Rome Hotel (1:38), 8. Back to the Unit (1:44), 9. Split to London (0:47), 10. The Frame Up (2:27), 11. Split to Miami (0:49), 12. Miami Hotel (1:02), 13. Share My Fire (1:27), 14. Bench Mark (0:36), 15. Safe House (2:19), 16. Split to Cleveland (0:48), 17. The Formula (5:50), 18. San Diego Airport (1:24), 19. A Cream or a Lotion? (1:40), 20. Airport Love (1:55), 21. The Real Setup (3:12), 22. Played (1:38), 23. Duplicitá a Due (2:05), 24. Being Bad (performed by Shana Halligan and Kiran Shahani of Bitter:Sweet) (3:00). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6955, 50:26].
KNOWING
MARCO BELTRAMI
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Knowing.
LESBIAN VAMPIRE KILLERS
DEBBIE WISEMAN
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Lesbian Vampire Killers.
SIN NOMBRE
MARCELO ZARVOS
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A thriller about illegal immigrants, Sin Nombre is directed by Cary Fukunaga and stars Paulina Gaitán, a teenager trying to cross the border from Honduras into Mexico and, eventually, the United States by stowing away on a train with her father and uncle. However, Sayra’s already difficult journey becomes deadly when she is targeted by members of a vicious local street gang as part of an initiation rite. The score for Sin Nombre is by Brazilian pianist and composer Marcelo Zarvos, who previously earned acclaim for his scores for The Door in the Floor, Hollywoodland and the TV movie Taking Chance. As one might expect, much of Zarvos’s score is rooted in the musical conventions of South and Central America, with guitars, accordions, ethnic woodwinds and various shakers accompanied by a small string orchestra. The music is big on rhythm, less concerned with melody, but evokes a strong flavor of the film’s geographical location and its people. Cues such as “The Journey”, “Veracruz”, “Sin Nombre”, “Sierra Blanca”, “Prayer” and “Guatemala Crossing” offer a glimpse into the modern musical styles of the region, and range from traditional sounds to contemporary fusion pieces which mix old and new. However, apart from these time-honored sounds, Zarvos impresses with some of this orchestral textures. He gives Sayra a morosely romantic theme for guitar and soft woodwinds in her eponymous cue, “Sayra”. Later, he plays up the danger of Sayra’s situation with low, moody, slightly more conventional orchestral interludes; cues such as “Train Arrival”, “Ride Into the Storm” and “She is Gone” are dark and forbidding, with low brass and turgid string themes presenting an ominous atmosphere. There are also a few moments of unexpectedly excellent dissonance, with “Daydreaming”, “The Attack” and parts of “Orizaba Chase”, “El Sol” and “Migra” standing out for their almost Matrix-esque chaotic collisions of overlapping brass chords, nervous percussion writing and vivid compositional style. This is a score which thrives on the unexpected; a low-budget independent drama such as this would not be expected to contain such challenging orchestral textures or such an excellent fusion of impressionistic scoring ideas with lush Latino rhythms, and Zarvos should be commended for taking the road less travelled. As such, Sin Nombre comes recommended for those with an ear for the unusual.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Journey (2:58), 2. Train Arrival (1:40), 3. Veracruz (1:24), 4. Daydreaming (1:11), 5. Ride Into the Storm (3:05), 6. The Attack (2:22), 7. Sin Nombre (2:20), 8. Tierra Blanca (1:26), 9. Orizaba Chase (3:05), 10. Prayer (1:18), 11. El Sol (2:57), 12. Sayra (1:23), 13. Guatemala Crossing (2:02), 14. The Tower (1:35), 15. Rio Grande (5:02), 16. She is Gone (2:23), 17. Migra (4:24), 18. Sayra in the Church (1:01), 19. Sin Nombre Reprise (2:14). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34072, 43:50].
MONSTERS VS. ALIENS
HENRY JACKMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. One of the biggest grossing films of 2009, Monsters vs. Aliens is an animated family sci-fi comedy about a young woman named Susan Murphy, who is hit by a meteorite from outer space and grows to enormous size. After being captured by the government, she is taken to a secret where she meets a ragtag group of other “monsters” who have also been rounded up over the years; however, the new friends find themselves thrust into the limelight when they are asked to help defeat a squadron of unfriendly aliens arrive on Earth, having discovered the meteorite’s amazing qualities, and wanting it for themselves. The film, which was directed by Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon and has a stellar voice cast including Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Kiefer Sutherland, Seth Rogen and Stephen Colbert, features an original score by composer Henry Jackman. Jackman is the latest graduate from Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control organization, and is making his mainstream film music debut here, having previously worked as an ‘additional composer’ on projects ranging from Pirates of the Caribbean and The Da Vinci Code to The Simpsons Movie and The Dark Knight. Jackman’s score is as lush and lively as one might expect, making use of a large orchestra, choir and electronics to give the fantastical story a human core. Much of his writing is of a similar style to that which composers such as John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams and Ramin Djawadi have written for similar projects; it fits the tried-and-tested conventions of the genre, and while there is nothing inherently wrong with the music in any way, it is tremendously predictable and, at times, a little clichéd. There are lots of “ooh-aah” orchestral and choral crescendos (“The Grand Tour”), a few moments of sweet sentimentality (“Mean To Crush You”, parts of “The Ginormica Suite”), plenty of broad, slapstick action music (“Do Something Violent!”, “The Battle at Golden Gate Bridge”, “Imprisoned By a Strange Being”, “Susan’s Call to Arms”), jazzy themes and bleepy-bloopy comic sound effects for the mischievous monsters (“Meet the Monsters”, “March of the Buffoons”), and the ubiquitous use of a Theremin for the invading aliens, proving once and for all that the world of film music owes Bernard Herrmann a debit of gratitude. It’s all completely inoffensive, and enjoyable enough when taken at face value, but offers nothing in terms of innovation or any real depth, and is as forgettable as a take-out pizza. In fact, that’s a pretty good description of Monsters vs. Aliens: it’s a Big Mac score. Tasty while you’re eating it, but nowhere close to being gourmet.
TRACK LISTING: 1. A Giant Transformation (3:05), 2. When You See (Those Flying Saucers) (performed by The Buchanan Brothers) (2:17), 3. Tell Him (performed by The Exciters) (2:35), 4. A Wedding Interrupted (2:09), 5. Meet the Monsters (2:29), 6. Planet Claire (performed by The B-52's) (4:37), 7. Do Something Violent! (2:07), 8. The Grand Tour (2:10), 9. Oversized Tin Can (3:38), 10. The Battle at Golden Gate Bridge (6:09), 11. Didn't Mean To Crush You (1:51), 12. Reminiscing (performed by Little River Band) (4:14), 13. Imprisoned By a Strange Being (5:28), 14. Galaxar as a Squidling (2:06), 15. March of the Buffoons (5:15), 16. Wooly Bully (performed by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs) (2:21), 17. Susan's Call to Arms (3:02), 18. The Ginormica Suite (5:51), 19. Monster Mojo (2:08), 20. Purple People Eater (performed by Sheb Wooley) (2:15). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34069, 65:47].
THE ESCAPIST
BENJAMIN WALLFISCH
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The Escapist is a British drama/thriller directed by Rupert Wyatt and starring Brian Cox as Frank Perry, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence without parole. When he learns that his estranged daughter has fallen ill, Frank determines to make peace with her before she dies; as such, he develops an ingenious escape plan, and recruits a dysfunctional band of fellow prisoners and misfits - Joseph Fiennes, Damian Lewis, Dominic Cooper, Steven Mackintosh - with the unique skills required to help him break out. The score for The Escapist is by up-and-coming British composer Benjamin Wallfisch, who has earned acclaim for his solo work on scores such as Dear Wendy, as well as for his work conducting and orchestrating for Dario Marianelli on Pride & Prejudice, V for Vendetta, and the Oscar-winning Atonement. Written for a full orchestra with emphasis on low, sonorous strings, Wallfisch’s score is strong and muscular, with an unerring internal force. His main theme, heard in “Theme from The Escapist”, is a propulsive piece for driving strings, overlaid by a piano and cimbalom to give it a more melodic touch. It’s an excellent piece, indicative of the masculine, yet somehow shadowy world the film inhabits. The theme re-occurs throughout the score with pleasing regularity, notably in “Lenny Recruited”, as an excellent accelerando in “Lacey is Free”, and in the “End Credits”. Cues such as “Diamond”, “Confessional”, “Elegy for Brodie”, “Frank’s Vision” and “Reunion” feature gloomy pianos, mournful cellos and lonely wordless vocals that embody Perry’s forlorn existence in the inside with a stark, bitter beauty. There are also few moments of quite chilling string-based dissonance and pretty-spooky tension, like the walls of sound in “Lacey Hunted”, “Tony Killed” and “Train”, or the unnerving music box theme in “Abandoned Station”. Unfortunately, there are also a few cues of modern, grungy electronica such as “Underground Escape”, the Brad Fiedel-style “Sump Chase”, and others, which highlight Wallfisch’s talent of writing effective music in multiple styles, but tend to detract a little from the album listening experience as a whole. Overall, though, The Escapist marks another feather in the cap for Wallfisch who, through both his solo work and his regular collaborations with Dario Marianelli, continues to earmark himself as a composer with a bright future.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Theme from The Escapist (1:36), 2. Diamond (0:46), 3. Confessional (2:08), 4. Underground Escape (2:15), 5. Viv's Lab (0:56), 6. Lacey Hunted (1:16), 7. Lenny Recruited (0:53), 8. Into the Dryer (0:31), 9. Sump Chase (3:14), 10. The Trade (1:07), 11. Elegy for Brodie (1:01), 12. Tony Killed (1:21), 13. Abandoned Station (2:50), 14. Frank's Vision (1:06), 15. Wonderment (1:17), 16. Train (0:40), 17. Lacey Is Free (2:35), 18. Escalator (3:14), 19. Reunion (1:19), 20. End Credits (1:01). [MovieScore Media MMS-09010, 31:06].
FAST & FURIOUS
BRIAN TYLER
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The fourth film in the high octane ‘Fast and the Furious’ series, and the second one scored by Brian Tyler, Fast & Furious re-unites Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster, the four stars of the original 2001 hit. In this new film Brian O’Conner (Walker) is again working undercover for the FBI, and approaches street racer Dominic Toretto (Diesel) for help in bringing down a vicious heroin importer. Having scored the third F&F film, Tokyo Drift, for his friend and regular collaborator Justin Lin, Brian Tyler returns to lend his musical voice to the fourth film too. Part of Tyler’s score are scored like a modern day Western, with electric and acoustic guitars pitting themselves against driving electronic rhythms, techno beats and roaring percussion in cues such as the opening “Landtrain”. A lot of Tyler’s action sequences are scored in this way; cues such as “The Border”, “The Tunnel”, “Revenge”, “Accelerator”, “In the Name of the Father” and “The Showdown” combine a relentless forward motion with a raw mechanical undercurrent, often giving way to the rousing, hammering orchestral mayhem one has been accustomed to hearing in other recent scores such as Eagle Eye. Other cues inhabit the world of urban cool, with more techno rhythms and electronic beats giving the world of fast cars and sexy girls an unmistakable air of bad boy appeal. Tracks such as “Fast and Furious”, “Dom vs. Brian”, “Hanging With Dom” and the excellent “Outta Sight”, while not inhabiting the genre of music I often explore, are the epitome of ghetto chic. Thankfully, Tyler also tones down his music once in a while, giving “Letty” a lovely romantic guitar theme, endowing “Suite” with a beautiful, sweeping but downbeat string melody, and giving his listeners a chance to catch their breath, if only for 120 seconds or so. Clocking in 1t 78 minutes, the album for Fast & Furious may prove too much for some listeners; truthfully, the score *does* become a little overbearing by the end, and had some of the repetitious fat been trimmed you could have come away with a hugely enjoyable 40-45 minute album. As it stands, despite the quality of the writing and Tyler’s boundless enthusiasm, this is a score which won’t get much replay value, purely because it’s so exhausting.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Landtrain (6:25), 2. Fast and Furious (2:20), 3. The Border (3:21), 4. Letty (2:13), 5. The Tunnel (3:35), 6. Amends (2:46), 7. Dom vs. Brian (6:51), 8. Hanging with Dom (2:29), 9. Suite (4:02), 10. Revenge (2:32), 11. Accelerator (2:04), 12. Vaya Con Dios (2:00), 13. In the Name of the Father (4:20), 14. Outta Sight (2:59), 15. Brian and Mia (3:18), 16. Tracer (2:04), 17. Letty’s Cell Phone (3:44), 18. Real Drivers (2:30), 19. Fate (4:28), 20. The Exchange (4:15), 21. No Goodbyes (1:23), 22. Vengeance (2:57), 23. Memorial (1:42), 24. The Showdown (2:05), 25. Judgment (1:48). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6960, 78:11].
DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION
BRIAN TYLER
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A big-budget big screen version of the well-loved Japanese anime TV series, Dragonball Evolution stars Justin Chatwin as Son Goku, a young warrior sets out on a quest to collect a set of seven magical orbs that will grant their wielder unlimited power However, not only does young Goku face a race against time to find the orbs, he also faces a dangerous adversary in the shape of the evil and vengeful King Piccolo (James Marsters), who wants the orbs for his own nefarious purposes. The film is directed by James Wong, co-stars Chow Yun Fat, Emmy Rossum and Jamie Chung, and has a lively and energetic original score by the ever-busy Brian Tyler. As rousing adventure scores go, they don’t get much more entertaining than Dragonball Evolution. Oscillating sweeping heroic themes, lush love themes, and pulsating action – often within the same cue – the score is never anything less than breathlessly enjoyable, and although it falls firmly within Tyler’s ‘big orchestral’ comfort zone, he does it with more panache than most. There’s a hint of Danny Elfman’s Batman about the main theme, first heard in “The Legend”, and which occurs regularly in cues such as “Dragonball Evolution”. The action music has a powerful, masculine quality to it, and is awash in tempestuous percussion writing (often with a vaguely Asian twist), jagged string ostinati, a wordless male voice choir, driving brasses, and unobtrusive sampled sound effects which accompany, rather than overshadow his orchestra. Cues such as “Fulums”, “Goku”, “Vengeance”, “Mai vs. Chi Chi” with its Horner-style tubular bells, and the conclusive “Battle” are nice throwbacks to the confident music he wrote for Timeline back in 2003, and it’s good to hear him back in this mode again. Some of the more lyrical and romantic moments are gorgeous, and have an unashamedly epic sweep, most notably during “Master Roshi” (parts of which also recall Jerry Goldsmith’s The Shadow) and “Bulma and Yamcha”. Possibly the only misfires are the couple of harsh techno music tracks which appear out of nowhere in the middle of the album, but I suppose you’ve got to have something for the kids. It’s a shame that Tyler’s better scores are often wasted on films which are beneath him – this one being a case in point – but beggars can’t be choosers, and the beauty of the CD release is that you don’t have to sit through the movie in order to enjoy its music.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Legend (1:13), 2. Dragonball Evolution (3:26), 3. Fulums (5:14), 4. Kaiou Samma (2:34), 5. Goku (3:09), 6. Gohan's Special Gift (0:57), 7. Master Roshi (3:45), 8. The Journey Begins (0:58), 9. Lighting the Torches (2:44), 10. Vengeance (5:55), 11. Chasing Dragonballs (2:41), 12. Lord Piccolo (2:51), 13. Mai vs. Chi Chi (3:55), 14. A Higher Calling (2:03), 15. Body Work (1:26), 16. I Dream of Chi Chi (0:54), 17. Grime Vinyl (1:52), 18. Unwelcome Strangers (2:12), 19. Bulma and Yamcha (1:51), 20. Things to Come (1:42), 21. The Final Battle (6:20), 22. End Game (1:32), 23. Dragonball Evolution Main Titles (1:32). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6954, 60:46].
17 AGAIN
ROLFE KENT
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A funny vehicle for High School Musical star Zac Efron, 17 Again is a new spin on the old ‘body swap’ comedies of the 1980s like Big, combined with the back-to-school nostalgia of Back to the Future. Matthew Perry stars as Mike O’Donnell stars as a sad-sack thirty-something with a dead end job and a bitter ex-wife (Lesley Mann). After a fateful meeting with mysterious a high school janitor (Brian Doyle-Murray), Mike wishes he could be seventeen again, and do over all the things in his life he screwed up the first time around. Magically, the following morning, he wakes up looking like Zac Efron, and with the help of his perpetually nerdy pal Ned (Thomas Lennon), sets about getting his life back. It’s a feel-good, genuinely funny teen comedy, directed confidently by Burr Steers, and which features an original score by Rolfe Kent. Truthfully, score doesn’t play a big part on the film, but the music Kent contributes is generally pretty good. It’s a contemporary score, with a medium-sized orchestra augmented by modern-sounding electronica and guitars. Generally Kent is happy to play along from scene-to-scene, staying in the background with standard mickey-mousing, blustery and bombastic caper music (“Stan Beats Up Mark”), and a few contemporary grooves to move the action along (“It’s Not About Basketball”, “Alex Saves the Game”). One or two of the cues play up the mystical/magical aspect of the story with unexpected beauty, with lush strings and wordless vocals in “Mike Realizes”, chilly mysterioso chords in “Mike Sees the Janitor”, intimate sentimentality in “Mike Cheers Maggie” and “I Lost My Way”, and a satisfying orchestral sweep in the conclusive “Suddenly She Knows”. There is also one unexpectedly lavish action cue in “Mark and Ned Fight”, which is played for laughs on-screen but is quite riveting on CD, and one unexpectedly beautiful – if brief – string elegy in “Sex Ed” which sounds like it should be in another film entirely. It’s all very inoffensive, and at just a hair under 40 minutes never threatens to outstay its welcome, but it’s never going to win any awards, and will most likely appeal to those who enjoy music on the lighter, fluffier side of the film score scale.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening (Game Theme) (0:44), 2. Scarlett (Scarlett Theme) (1:38), 3. Mike Realizes (1:56), 4. The Big Promotion (0:27), 5. Mike Is Wistful (1:21), 6. Mike Sees the Janitor (3:09), 7. Mark and Ned Fight (2:40), 8. Tracking the Janitor/The Trail (1:42), 9. Mark Starts School (1:57), 10. Stan Appears (0:25), 11. It's Not About Basketball (1:51), 12. Sex Ed (0:52), 13. Stan Beats Up Mark (0:53), 14. Scarlett's Garden (1:40), 15. Alex Saves the Game (1:58), 16. Mark Cheers Maggie (1:30), 17. Elfish at Dinner (0:40), 18. Punch/Deer and Lioness (1:32), 19. Manchild Kiss (1:32), 20. Race to the Courthouse (1:06), 21. I Lost My Way (3:35), 22. Mark Practices (0:51), 23. Suddenly She Knows (3:05). [Silva Screen SILCD-1294, 37:04].
ADORATION
MYCHAEL DANNA
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Adoration.
THE POKER CLUB
EVAN EVANS
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A suburban thriller directed by Tim McCann and starring Johnny Messner, Johnathon Schaech and Loren Dean, The Poker Club is the story of four regular guys who get together every week who get together to smoke cigars, drink beer and play cards. One night, however, their weekly get together is interrupted by a home invader, and things go from bad, to worse, to even worse, when they accidentally kill the burglar, and then realize he might not have been alone. The score for The Poker Club is by young composer Evan Evans, who has actually been scoring low-budget and independent films since the late 1990s, but has never before had any of his music released on a commercial record label. Evans’ music consists mainly of sinister thriller music, with baleful string lines and tinkling, unnerving piano and harpsichord chords keeping the listener firmly on edge. For a great deal of its running time, the music barely rises above a whisper, content to keep its distance, creating an oppressive atmosphere or tension and dread, but never entering the realms of pure horror. It’s the kind of music that someone like Howard Shore, or Christopher Young, would write for a film such as this, and that is most definitely intended to be a compliment. When the music does rise to take center stage it impresses: “The Warehouse” uses a pounding piano and chaotic percussion combo to deadly effect; “The Plan” has a darkly operatic sound that is both beautiful and fearsome; “Death and Remorse” has a thick, harsh atmosphere filled with dissonant chords. Later, cues such as “Hot Pursuit” explode into vivid orchestral action, while the conclusive “Bases Loaded” has a sense of impending doom through its staccato phrasing and low-register instrumental performances. This is yet another impressive release from Mikael Carlsson’s MovieScore Media label, whose ability to identify and release music by talented young composers is second to none. Recommended.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Main Titles (2:01), 2. The Warehouse (3:05), 3. The Poker Club (2:27), 4. The Burglar Caught (2:28), 5. The Plan (2:20), 6. Waking Dream: Prank Call #1 (0:50), 7. Family (1:11), 8. Cleanup (0:34), 9. The Note (4:01), 10. Need for Protection (2:32), 11. Trudy (4:43), 12. Death and Remorse (1:12), 13. Hot Pursuit (1:54), 14. Flyball (1:25), 15. Crackhead (0:30), 16. In Trouble (2:27), 17. Bases Loaded (3:44), 18. One More Hand (1:49). [MovieScore Media MMS-09011, 39:13].
STATE OF PLAY
ALEX HEFFES
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A high concept thriller with a stellar cast – Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright-Penn, Jeff Daniels, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis – State of Play follows the fortunes of a team of investigative reporters who work alongside a police detective to try to solve the murder of a congressman's mistress. The film is directed by Kevin Macdonald, who received a great deal of critical acclaim for his film The Last King of Scotland in 2006, and has a score by young English composer Alex Heffes, who continues the collaboration he began with Macdonald on the documentary One Day in September in 1999 and which now spans seven films. Firstly, I wanted to say how gratifying it is when a composer like Heffes is hired to score a major studio film based on his previous relationship with a director, and not replaced by a studio-approved ‘bigger name’. Unfortunately – but not unsurprisingly – Heffes’ music for State of Play is by far the least impressive score of his career to date. Taking its cue from similar scores by composers like Harry Gregson-Williams or Trevor Rabin, State of Play is a modern thriller score, with a small string section augmented by all manner of electronic pulses and sound effects, driving synthetic beats, and electric guitar licks. Far too much of the score is obsessed with rhythm over melody; cues such as “Cal Connects the Evidence” and “Research” do little more than act as an internal metronome for the film, giving the scenes a sense of forward motion and an abstract sense of dedication and resourcefulness, but not much else. It’s not far removed from the scores that often accompany TV police procedural dramas such as CSI, NCIS and Bones, underscoring montages of dedicated investigators examining evidence and poring over computer screens. Granted, Heffes’ music is a little more sophisticated than the episodic TV fare, with the piano, guitar and percussion often building up a decent head of steam, but it’s all incredibly predictable. Once in a while the orchestra rises to take center stage, notably via more expansive string writing during the middle part of “Conspiracy at the Highest Level” and towards the end of “The Cab Ride Home” and “Steven and Cal”. There are also some bittersweet piano and guitar writing, as heard in “The Americana Hotel” and the admittedly rather lovely finale “Writing the Article”, but it’s all too little too late, and the comparative monotony of the majority of the music surrounding it makes waiting for these high spots a chore. There’s just one recurring musical idea holding the score together, but virtually no other identifiable thematic content to speak of beyond the basic instrumental palette and rhythmic parts, and very little engagement of the audience on an emotional level. State of Play was never released on CD, and is only available as a digital download on the Backlot Music label via Amazon and iTunes. Unless you’re a fan of the film, or of dull espionage scores like Spy Game or Enemy of the State, I’d suggest giving it a miss.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening Title & The Ballad of Sonia (2:23), 2. The Apartment (2:58), 3. Cal Connects the Evidence (4:34), 4. Research (4:36), 5. Conspiracy at the Highest Level (5:52), 6. The Americana Hotel (4:00), 7. A Political Suicide (3:32), 8. The Cab Ride Home (4:34), 9. Steven and Cal (4:38), 10. Writing the Article (2:40). [Backlot Music Digital Download, 39:48].
THE INFORMERS
CHRISTOPHER YOUNG
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The second film to be based on one of Bret Easton Ellis’s novels after American Psycho, The Informers is an examination of the hedonistic 80s lifestyles of a group of twentysomethings in Los Angeles who treat life, sex and drugs as disposable commodities. The film, which was directed by Gregor Jordan, has an eclectic cast that includes such luminaries as Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke, Chris Isaak, and the late Brad Renfro. For the music, Jordan hired composer Christopher Young, who rarely gets the chance to take on dark personal dramas such as this, but is often very successful when he does. Young’s score has the same sense of cold detachment that the film does, mirroring both the ‘me-first’ 80s attitudes as well as the unemotionally synthetic musical stylistics that permeated the popular music scene of the era through the New Romantic movement. The textures Young employs throughout the score are clever, pitting various staccato synth pulses against a small live instrumental complement comprising acoustic and electric guitars, plucked basses, keyboards, percussion and vibes, all played with a laid-back cool that captures the lax attitude of the protagonists – to sex, to recreation drugs, to life. Cues such as “Nothing But a Broken Heart”, “Please Me, Please, Please”, “Sex Whenever” are pleasingly melodic, reminiscent of the jazzy music wrote for films such as Wonder Boys, Rounders and The Big Kahuna, although without those earlier scores’ penchants for speakeasy sleaziness. “A Rose in All Things Beautiful” has a lovely, hypnotic piano melody, while other cues such as “No Wicked Way”, “Malibu Dope” and “To Ryder, With Love” have a dirtier, grittier sound with more prominent electric guitar growls, finger snaps and wailing Hammond organs which are very effective indeed. Once in a while the synthetic textures recall the dreamlike tones Young wrote for the little-known Bright Angel back in 1991, which remains one of his great undiscovered works. Although The Informers doesn’t have the personality or beauty of Young’s best works, it’s still a nice change of pace, and continues to establish his credentials for composing great music across multiple genres. As a pure film score, The Informers but doesn’t have a lot to offer, but as a collection of pop/jazz instrumentals, you can’t go far wrong.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Informers (2:45), 2. Nothing But a Broken Heart (1:58), 3. What Was, It Is. What Is, It's Not (4:17), 4. Please Me, Please, Please (2:44), 5. No Wicked Way (2:56), 6. Malibu Dope (3:52), 7. To Ryder, With Love (3:55), 8. Wrecked by Money (2:50), 9. Is She Really? (3:10), 10. Sex Whenever (2:40), 11. A Rose in All Things Beautiful (1:37), 12. Dysfunctional Everything (3:09), 13. Toupee Tango (2:19), 14. Hawaiian Dissonance (3:13), 15. Love is Love is Love (6:43). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34082, 48:08].
OBSESSED
JIM DOOLEY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A film from the ‘psycho bitch from hell’ sub-genre of movies that began with the likes of Fatal Attraction and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Obsessed stars Idris Elba as Derek Charles, a successful executive at a financial accounting company, happily married to the gorgeous Sharon (Beyoncé Knowles), . However, things begin to go wrong for Derek when some innocent inter-office flirting with insecure temp Lisa Sheridan (Ali Larter) leads to stalking, obsession, and more. The film is directed by Steve Shill and has an original score by Jim Dooley, who continues to make a positive impression in the film music world by throwing off the shackles of the Hans Zimmer sound and generating his own musical style. The score opens with a sweetly sinister piano and harp theme in “Girl's Gotta Pay Rent” that sounds more like something Christopher Young might write than anything else; this motif continues through much of the score, insinuating its way into the fabric of the music in a way similar to how Lisa insinuates herself into Derek and Sharon’s life. The lonely piano melody, gently picked harps and strings, and vaguely unnerving tick-tock percussion is very effective at creating a mood of non-specific unease, and for which Dooley should be commended; all the way through cues such as “Lisa Meets Sharon/Blame Shannon” and “If I Were Single” Dooley layers on the thick atmosphere. “A Present for Kyle” provides the first concrete evidence that there is something significantly more dangerous in the offing, with groaning string chords and a slightly more urgent tempo upping the stakes, until the finale in the two “Bitch Fight” cues, when he goes for broke with a couple of flashy action cues that make use of an enhanced synth element and various orchestral stingers. The score for Obsessed was never released commercially, and is only available as a short 26-minute promo through Dooley’s agent and publicist. It’s a shame, because it’s a clever and enjoyable little thriller score which fans of the genre will surely appreciate.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Girl's Gotta Pay Rent/Good Ones Are Always Married (2:41), 2. Lisa BTW (0:58), 3. Lisa Meets Sharon/Blame Shannon (2:07), 4. If I Were Single (2:32), 5. I Would Never Cheat On You/She Grabbed Your Package (2:11), 6. A Present for Kyle (4:18), 7. It's Just the Sprinklers (2:00), 8. Forgot My Purse/Off to My Sister's (2:58), 9. Call Me Back/Champagne Anyone? (2:20), 10. Bitch Fight Pt.1 (1:04), 11. Bitch Fight Pt.2/Just Hanging Out Some More (3:05). [Promo, 26:14].
GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST
ROLFE KENT
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A fun rom-com reworking of the classic Scrooge tale, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past stars Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead, a love ‘em and leave ‘em serial monogamist who, while attempting to stop his younger brother’s wedding, is visited by the ghost of his dead uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas). In life, Wayne was a player like Connor, but in death has seen the error of his ways; now, in attempt to save his younger nephew’s nuptials, Wayne tells Connor that he will be visited by the “ghosts” of girlfriends past, present, and future, who will show him that true love, rather than casual sex, is the way to go. The film is directed by Mark Waters, co-stars Jennifer Garner, Breckin Meyer, Robert Forster and Anne Archer, and has an original score by Scottish-born composer Rolfe Kent. Kent’s score is pleasant, light and airy, with a gentle romantic sweep that recalls the work of composers such as Alan Silvestri and David Newman, and their work in this genre. He uses a moderately-sized orchestra, a jazz percussion section, light guitars and synths, marimbas and other offbeat chimes, and a generally contemporary vibe to score this modern tale of love and redemption. Many of the cues are short and to the point, rarely allowing for any conventional thematic development or extended statements, but there are a couple of interesting cues: “Kaiko Shoots Arrow” is an oriental theme played for laughs; “Jenny and Connor Meet and Spar” and “Jenny and Connor/Wedding Sex” are Thomas Newman-style urban pieces with guitars and offbeat percussion; “Uncle Wayne's Apparition” has a comedic jazzy feel with unusual use of a theremin; “Ghost of Girlfriend Past” and “Ghost of Girlfriend Present” dips their toes into action music territory with low brass chords playing off the mischievous theremin motif; “Leaving Before Dawn” has a pretty, bittersweet piano and woodwind theme; “A Little Honesty” emerges from a quirky plucked electric guitar sequence into something a little more orchestrally meaningful, and so on and so forth. The best music on album actually comes towards the end, beginning with the extended “Pauly’s Theme”, which features a subtly romantic piano melody accompanied by emotional strings and woodwinds. The trio consisting of “Conjuring the Ghost of Future”, “Graveside Epiphany” and “Connor Believes, But Too Late” creep into the horror realm, with the spooky theremin motif playing some darker, almost Arabic-rhythms and strident string and brass writing, presumably to underscore Connor’s realization of the damage he causes through his womanizing ways; it all ends with the upbeat “Pain Beats Regret”, which uses sleigh bells to give a Christmassy feel that is surely an intentional nod to Dickens, and the lovely, sentimental pair “Best Man Speech” and “Jenny and Connor in the Snow”. It’s all very undemanding and, for want of a better word, throwaway stuff that we’ve heard a thousand times before accompanying films like this, but it’s never anything less than pleasant, and a fine album who enjoy easy-listening type scores.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening Title (0:45), 2. Kaiko Shoots Arrow (0:38), 3. Jenny and Connor Meet and Spar (0:56), 4. Uncle Wayne's Room (2:09), 5. Uncle Wayne's Apparition (3:11), 6. Jenny and Connor/Wedding Sex (1:17), 7. Ghost of Girlfriend Past (1:51), 8. The Swings/Young Jenny (3:14), 9. Ignoring Jenny (0:20), 10. Why Woo When We Can Do? (1:23), 11. Leaving Before Dawn (2:13), 12. Bar of Women (0:28), 13. Of Cork and Cake (1:10), 14. A Little Honesty (2:19), 15. Ghost of Girlfriend Present (1:09), 16. Pauly's Theme (2:43), 17. Rain of Tears (1:28), 18. Conjuring the Ghost of Future (2:36), 19. Panic at the Wrong Wedding (0:35), 20. Graveside Epiphany (3:26), 21. Connor Believes, But Too Late (1:29), 22. Pain Beats Regret (4:03), 23. Best Man Speech (1:31), 24. Jenny and Connor in the Snow (2:35). [Silva Screen SILCD-1295, 43:29].
X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The first of several movies intended to reveal the origins of different X-Men characters – and which are, in effect, prequels to the enormously popular X-Men franchise – Wolverine is an action/adventure which follows the fortunes of James Logan (Hugh Jackman), born in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1800s with mutant powers of regeneration; along with his half-brother Victor (Liev Schreiber), Logan fights in the American Civil War, WWI, WWII and Vietnam, using his powers to stay alive, until he is approached by US Army Major William Stryker, who has recognized Logan and Victor’s abilities, and wants them to join his elite mutant commando group. However, Logan quickly realizes that his powers are being exploited, and deserts his Unit, hiding in a remote part of Canada with his girlfriend Kayla; unfortunately for Logan, he soon learns that his past won’t leave him alone. The film is directed by Gavin Hood and co-stars Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, Ryan Reynolds and rapper William Adams. It also has an original score by Harry Gregson-Williams, who becomes the fourth composer to tackle the X-Men series after Michael Kamen, John Ottman and John Powell. Gregson-Williams tackles Wolverine in much the same way as many of his contemporaries have with other super heroes; a big orchestra and choir, overlaid with lots and lots of electronics to appeal to the demographic masses. The main theme for Logan, as heard in the opening “Logan Through Time”, is a low, heroic 7-note brass theme that appears frequently throughout the score, and when he accompanies the theme with a strong mixed voice choir, he gives the main character a powerful sense of destiny; this theme is one of the good things about the score, and when it appears at the core of later cues such as the exciting “Adamantium”, the spooky “To the Island”, and the conclusive “I’ll Find My Own Way”, the score sounds good. Unfortunately, for far too much of the score’s running time, he smothers his decent thematic writing with layer upon layer of harsh synthetic rhythms and grating industrial textures that, while probably appealing to the masses, annoyed me intensely. And it’s regrettable, because some moments of the score are really quite excellent. The Zimmer-style humming chorus and militaristic snares at the end of “Lagos, Nigeria” is self-sacrificing and dignified; the touching love piano and string theme for Logan and Kayla is heard at its best in “Kayla”, and gets a tragic re-airing at the culmination of “Victor Visits”. The majority of the actual action music, however, tends to be of the same mould that Gregson-Williams employed in scores like Enemy at the Gates, Man on Fire, Spy Game, and others, and just churns on relentlessly, being little more than electronic pulses and repetitive orchestral chords. Cues like “Special Privileges”, “Wade Goes to Work”, “Logan Meets Gambit” and “Deadpool” more often than not made my head hurt, which is a shame because there are some interesting orchestral dissonances and rhythmic devices buried beneath all the mud. It’s disappointing, because although none of the previous X-Men scores were truly outstanding, Gregson-Williams has the chops to deliver something a less conservative and predictable than a modern hybrid score that never really develops much beyond being just ‘OK’.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Logan Through Time (4:19), 2. Special Privileges (1:57), 3. Lagos, Nigeria (5:10), 4. Wade Goes to Work (1:28), 5. Kayla (2:53), 6. Victor Visits (2:06), 7. Adamantium (4:16), 8. Agent Zero Comes for Logan (3:08), 9. Logan Meets Gambit (4:34), 10. To the Island (3:46), 11. Deadpool (4:10), 12. The Towers Collapse (3:22), 13. Memories Lost (3:01), 14. I’ll Find My Own Way (1:24). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6967, 45:34].
THE RED CANVAS
JAMES PETERSON
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of The Red Canvas.
STAR TREK
MICHAEL GIACCHINO
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Star Trek.
ANGELS AND DEMONS
HANS ZIMMER
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The second film based on author Dan Brown’s enormously popular series of novels about the adventures of Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, Angels & Demons is actually a prequel to the popular and controversial The Da Vinci Code. Tom Hanks returns as Langdon, who becomes embroiled in another labyrinthine plot of mysteries and clues following the death of the Pope. Before the conclave to choose a his successor can begin, the four senior bishops in line for the position are kidnapped by a group claiming to be the ancient cult of the Illuminati, who want revenge against the Vatican for centuries of persecution at the hands of the catholic church. Directed once again by Ron Howard, the film co-stars Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård and Armin Mueller-Stahl, and sees the return of Hans Zimmer to the composer’s role. The music for Angels & Demons has the same basic formula as The Da Vinci Code, with significant emphasis on string writing, churning rhythmic ideas, and a general classical opulence. The opening cue, “160 BPM”, pits a relentlessly onrushing rhythmic core against clever, echoing contrapuntal choral parts sung in Latin and dark, percussive moments which grow in pace and intensity as the track progresses. It’s an impressive opening. The importance and esteem of the project also attracted virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell, whose superbly realized performances can be heard in several cues, beginning with the “God Particle”. Zimmer’s main theme, which first appears in the second cue, is clearly based on the ‘Chevaliers de Sangreal’ motif from the final of the first film, and provides an important aural link between the two; its graceful oscillations, and Bell’s performances of them, can be heard in several later cues, notably the serene first part of “Science and Religion” and in “Election by Adoration” and the conclusive “503”. The theme also features in a piano-led version at the end of “Air” which is a nice twist, and it’s also worth mentioning the deathly, wonderfully chilling cello writing in “Immolation”, as the fate of the film’s true antagonist is revealed in all its fiery glory. Some of the choral writing has a real sense of power and depth, especially when the male voices rise to the fore signing plainsong accompanied by important-sounding tolling bells, like those at the beginning of “Air”. Zimmer has been writing stuff like this since Crimson Tide, but its overall effectiveness is not diminished. Zimmer often uses synthesized organ effects to further enhance the ecclesiastical overtones of the story and its Vatican setting. Unfortunately, the score does tend to get bogged down in rather too much turgid electronic churning, especially in cues such as “God Particle” and “Black Smoke”, which adopt a rather unfortunate industrial sound that stands massively at odds with the elegance of choral and violin work. And basically, that’s how the score progresses, switching between the droning modernistic suspense cues and more classically-inflected pieces for choir and strings. Bell’s parts, and the choral parts, are lovely, but the album as a whole is dragged down by the ghastly synth effects, which take up too much of the album’s running time, and are impossible to skip because, due to the length of the cues and the way the album is structured, the best bits by and large appear in the middle of cues.
TRACK LISTING: 1. 160 BPM (6:42), 2. God Particle (5:20), 3. Air (9:08), 4. Fire (6:51), 5. Black Smoke (5:45), 6. Science and Religion (12:27), 7. Immolation (3:38), 8. Election By Adoration (2:12), 9. 503 (2:14). [Sony Classical 88697-52096-2, 54:17].
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN
ALAN SILVESTRI
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A big-budget sequel to the immensely popular and successful family comedy Night at the Museum, Battle of the Smithsonian again stars Ben Stiller as Larry Daley, the security guard at a museum where the exhibits come to life at night. However, when two of his exhibits (and friends) – roman centurion Octavius and cowboy Jedidiah Smith - are accidentally shipped to the Smithsonian, he must break in and rescue them. To Larry’s shock, however, he finds that the exhibits in the Smithsonian come to life too… The film is again directed by Shawn Levy and has a star-studded supporting cast that includes Robin Williams, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais and Hank Azaria, as well as a score by Alan Silvestri, who also scored the original. As was the case with the first film, Silvestri’s score is a playful, magical orchestral affair. The sweeping main theme from the first score re-appears with pleasing regularity, beginning with the opening title, “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian”, and later in cues such as the sentimental “This Night is Their Last”, the majestic “Entering the Air & Space Museum” (which also owes a great debt to Goldsmith), and the big finale pair “Victory is Ours” and “Goodbye”. As one might expect, there’s a fairly large amount of flight and fun caper music, all dancing strings and fluttery woodwinds, but what’s really impressive about the score is just how much fun Silvestri seems to be having exploring different styles: his music is by turns exciting, scary, wondrous, magical, romantic, contemporary, classical, and everything in between, and often in the same cue (qv “I Smell Adventure”). It sounds like a hotchpotch of ideas and, in lesser hands, could have been a mess, but Silvestri somehow has the skill to take all these scattershot musical ideas and turn them into a cohesive whole that flows well. The action music is generally well-staged, from the rousing “The Tablet” that sounds like a refugee from his Mummy score (although it does steal a percussion riff from James Newton Howard’s The Postman) to the militaristic, stirring “Octavius Attacks”, the broad and adventurous “Escape in Wright Flyer”, and the whirligig “I Ride the Squirrel”. Several one-off cues also impress, such as the fife-and-drum pageantry of “To Washington”, the Mission: Impossible techno music in “Getting Past Security”, the driving rock of “On Your Toes”, and the hoo-hah chants and Stargate-style wondrous crescendos of “Finding Jed and the Others”, “He Doesn’t Have All Night”, and the monstrous “Gate to the Underworld”, all of which act as a recurring leitmotif for the Kahmunrah character. As with all Silvestri scores of this type, it is filled with his personal compositional idiosyncrasies, from the familiar chord progressions that he’s used in everything from Judge Dredd to Van Helsing, his string and brass phrasing, and his unique way of writing for brass. It’s nice when composers have a style, and it makes listening to the more orchestral parts of this score like coming home to a friend. Quite unexpectedly, this is a significant improvement on the rather tiresome original, and makes for a fun romp of score.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2:38), 2. Daley Devices (0:36), 3. This Night is Their Last (4:35), 4. To Washington (0:37), 5. Getting Past Security (1:49), 6. Finding Jed and the Others (3:16), 7. I Have Come Back To Life (1:04), 8. The Tablet (3:25), 9. I Smell Adventure (4:31), 10. He Doesn’t Have All Night (1:46), 11. The Adventure Continues (3:25), 12. Octavius Attacks (1:22), 13. Entering the Air & Space Museum (1:32), 14. Escape in Wright Flyer (3:29), 15. Got the Combination (2:19), 16. Gate to the Underworld (1:02), 17. I Ride the Squirrel (1:25), 18. On Your Toes (1:54), 19. The Battle (1:44), 20. Divide the House (1:28), 21. Victory is Ours (1:19), 22. Goodbye (2:43), 23. Museum Open Late (2:02). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6969, 50:01].
TERMINATOR: SALVATION
DANNY ELFMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The fourth installment in the long-running Terminator film franchise, Terminator Salvation picks up the story following a nuclear holocaust, caused by the Skynet automated defense system that played an important part in the original trilogy. John Connor (Christian Bale) has survived the blast, and is now struggling to bring together a rag-tag band of human survivors to battle against the immense, unstoppable machines that now control the world. The film was directed by Charlie’s Angels helmer McG, and co-stars Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin and Bryce Dallas Howard. Joining the Terminator lexicon for the first time is composer Danny Elfman, replacing Marco Beltrami (who composed the third film’s score), who himself replaced Brad Fiedel, who composed the original movies’ iconic musical accompaniment. Unlike Fiedel, whose approach was all electronic, Elfman expands the palette considerably, with a full orchestra sitting comfortably alongside various synthetic and sampled effects, metallic percussion and rapid, mechanized tempos that recall his work on earlier scores such as Planet of the Apes. The main theme is a low, darkly heroic motif for brass, recognizing the troubled boldness of Connor himself; it appears in several cues as a marker for Connor, and provides with the score with a recurring – if a little understated – anchor. It’s soft, bittersweet recapitulation in the conclusive “Salvation” is especially nice. Action cues such as “The Harvester Returns”, “Hydrobot Attack” and “Final Confrontation” are brutal and complicated, with scintillating string runs and dominant brass triplets playing over the vicious percussive writing. In the Hydrobot cue especially, Elfman’s brass writing is exceptional, playing at the absolutely lowest reaches of their registers for extended periods of time. It is perhaps disappointing that there is no real recurring thematic construct for the terminator machines themselves, beyond the obvious textural choices of using plentiful metallic percussion, but these cues are very good for what they are, and then the main John Connor theme appears it gives the score a lift. The down-time (of which there is a surprising amount) tends to feature tender acoustic guitars prominently; “Fireside”, “Farewell” and others are really quite lovely, and clearly evoke the music of Gustavo Santaolalla, who McG originally wanted to score for film – and, no, this is NOT a joke. The other slightly disappointing aspect to the score is the complete lack of acknowledgment of Fiedel’s classic music for the original two films. Neither the main theme nor the five-note percussive stamp appear in Elfman’s score, which from my point of view is a somewhat unsatisfactory drift away from the franchise’s established and popular sound.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening (6:01), 2. All is Lost (2:45), 3. Broadcast (3:19), 4. The Harvester Returns (2:45), 5. Fireside (1:30), 6. No Plan (1:43), 7. Reveal/The Escape (7:44), 8. Hydrobot Attack (1:49), 9. Farewell (1:40), 10. Marcus Enters Skynet (3:22), 11. A Solution (1:44), 12. Serena (2:27), 13. Final Confrontation (4:14), 14. Salvation (3:05), 15. Rooster (performed by Alice In Chains (6:16). [Warner Bros/Reprise 519707-2, 50:24].
DEPARTURES (OKURIBITO)
JOE HISAISHI
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 2008 Academy Awards, Departures is a gentle, moving Japanese film directed by Yôjirô Takita, starring Masahiro Motoki as Daigo, a professional cellist who, following the break-up of his orchestra, moves back to his hometown and takes a job as a "Nokanshi", an undertaker’s assistant who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. The score for Departures is by the wonderful Joe Hisaishi, whose reputation in the west continues to grow, mainly as a result of his regular collaborations with legendary Anime director Hayao Miyazaki. Departures, however, is a very different score from the likes of Ponyo or Princess Mononoke. Taking his cue from the fact that the principal character is a former cellist, Hisaishi’s score is steeped in sumptuous performances from that instrument. The effortless elegance in Hisaishi’s writing is always a delight to experience, and Departures is no difference. He accentuates his cello performances with delicate, tinkling pianos and dream-like strings, giving the whole score a faraway, wistful quality that is very appealing. Cues such as “Nohkan”, the playful “Goodbye Cello”, the swooning “Beautiful Dead” and the joyous “Ending” are simply gorgeous. “On Record” and “Ave Maria” are probably the best cues on the album, the former being a simple yet supreme duet between cello and piano that melts the heart, while the latter begins as a reflective cello solo, before gradually picking up the entire orchestra on its way to a superb conclusion. Elsewhere, the brief piano themes in “Kaisan” and “Kizuma” are very pretty, while, later cues such as “Model” and “Washing” and “Gui Dance” have mischievous pizzicato elements, woodwind waltzes and spiky rhythms that reminds us that a sense of humor is often necessary to cope with loss. There is so much beauty and effortless grace, such a richness of texture and instrumental performance in Joe Hisaishi’s music, it’s amazing he hasn’t been discovered by the wider world (although I’m almost glad he hasn’t, lest he be forced to be untrue to his voice). Departures marks yet another magnificent example in his already swollen filmography. Recommended.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Shine of Snow I (1:14), 2. Nohkan (3:12), 3. Kaisan (0:55), 4. Goodbye Cello (2:18), 5. New Road (1:17), 6. Model (0:49), 7. First Contact (1:53), 8. Washing (0:36), 9. Kizuna I (1:59), 10. Beautiful Dead I (3:14), 11. Okuribito (On Record) (1:53), 12. Gui-Dance (2:28), 13. Shine of Snow II (2:27), 14. Ave Maria (Okuribito) (5:31), 15. Kizuna II (2:06), 16. Beautiful Dead II (2:39), 17. Father (1:42), 18. Okuribito (Memory) (4:12), 19. Okuribito (Ending) (4:59). [A&M Records UMCK-1268, 45:24].
DRAG ME TO HELL
CHRISTOPHER YOUNG
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Drag Me To Hell.
UP
MICHAEL GIACCHINO
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Up.
LAND OF THE LOST
MICHAEL GIACCHINO
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A big-budget remake of the classic 1970s TV series, Land of the Lost is directed by Brad Silberling and stars Will Ferrell as Dr. Rick Marshall, a world renowned scientist and paleontologist who, along with his beautiful research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist called Will (Danny McBride), is sucked into an intergalactic wormhole and is transported to an alternate universe where dinosaurs still rule the world. Played as much for laughs as it is its action/adventure element, Land of the Lost was critically mauled and, as a result, became a spectacular box-office flop; this unexpected lack of quality also transferred itself to Michael Giacchino’s score, which marks one of the few instances where his music doesn’t quite hit the spot. Much of the music is percussive and rhythm-based, with unusual instrumental textures flittering amongst the generally quite low-key orchestral performances. Parts of it reminded me of Jerry Goldsmith’s Planet of the Apes, especially through the use of non-traditional percussive items, and in the way the woodwinds and pianos are used for rhythm and texture rather than melody. Every now and again there’s an interesting instrumental touch or rhythmic device that raises the stakes, like the banjos and guitars in “A Routine Expedition” and “The Cosmic Lost and Found” for example. Similarly, a couple of action cues (“The Greatest Earthquake Ever Known”, “The Ones That Got Away”, “Undercover Sleestak”, the thrilling “Stakbusters”) and a couple of fanfare-type pieces (“Matt Lauer Can Suck It”, “If You Don’t Make It, It’s Your Own Damn Vault”, the angelic “Crystal Clear”) have a sense of life and energy, and contain some large-scale brass performances that are again quite Goldsmithian in their construct, and are especially redolent of some of the maestro’s more unconventional 60s and 70s scores. Later, the evil Sleestaks have their own musical identity with a wailing theremin and gruff, menacing vocals which come to the forefront of cues such as “Sleestak Attack”, which are quite effective in creating an atmosphere of otherworldly danger. The problem, really, is the complete lack of a cohesive style from one cue to another. Land of the Lost is an ‘everything including the kitchen sink’ score which changes style constantly, leaving the listener uncertain of where the score is heading. Worst of all, though, is the fact that for long periods of time the score is actually rather dull, which is something I never thought I would write in relation to a Giacchino score. It’s difficult to pin down the actual reasons why this score failed to engage me, because some of the 60s action licks are great, and the ensemble performing the score would in other circumstances have made for interesting listening, especially in the hands of a composer like Giacchino. Mainly, I think its scattershot attitude and somewhat muddled structure made it seems less than the sum of its parts, despite some of those parts being enjoyable on their own terms.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Swamp and Circumstance (1:25), 2. The Lighter Side of Archaeology (1:03), 3. Food Coma for Thought (1:01), 4. A Routine Expedition (0:48), 5. The Greatest Earthquake Ever Known (3:12), 6. Matt Lauer Can Suck It (1:22), 7. Chaka Chasedown (0:43), 8. The Ones That Got Away (4:17), 9. Enik Calls for Marshall (1:16), 10. Sleestak Attack (2:01), 11. Enik the Altrusian (3:20), 12. The Cosmic Lost and Found (1:34), 13. When Piss on Your Head Is a Bad Idea (3:54), 14. A New Marshall in Town (1:37), 15. Pterodactyl Ptemper Ptantrum (0:42), 16. The Crystal Cave (1:43), 17. In Search of... Holly (1:34), 18. Undercover Sleestak (2:18), 19. Never Trust a Dude in a Tunic (4:17), 20. If You Don’t Make It, It’s Your Own Damn Vault (2:40), 21. Holly Mad As Sin (0:50), 22. Sleestak Showdown (0:53), 23. Stakbusters (2:33), 24. Fight Fight Fight (1:27), 25. Crystal Clear (2:31), 26. Mystery Cave Reunion (1:22), 27. Ready and Will (1:36), 28. End Credits Can Suck It! (3:26), 29. Pop Goes the Sleestak (0:16), 30. A Routine Expedition (Version 1) [BONUS] (0:50), 31. The Devil’s Canyon Mystery Cave (Version 1) [BONUS] (2:04), 32. Crystal Clear (Film Version) [BONUS] (2:19). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6975, 60:54].
MOON
CLINT MANSELL
Review by Jonathan Broxton. An existential sci-fi drama written and directed by Duncan Jones (formerly known as Zowie Bowie, and son of rock icon David Bowie), Moon stars Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell, an employee of Lunar Industries who is coming to the end of his three year stint working at a gas production facility on the moon. As the sole employee of the lunar station, and with limited communication possible with Earth, Sam spends most of his time conversing with GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey), an intelligent super-computer programmed to attend to his needs. However, after Sam is knocked unconscious in accident, he awakens to find that he is no longer alone on the moon, and slowly begins to realize that his world is not what he thought it was. The music for Moon is by the increasingly popular English composer Clint Mansell, who over the past few years has attracted positive press and numerous fans for his work with director Darren Aronofsky on scores such as The Fountain and The Wrestler. I have never bought into the hype about Mansell, having consistently found his music to be cold, mechanical, themeless, ambient nightmares which stand completely at odds with everything I love bout film music. Unfortunately, Moon is much of the same. Predominantly electronic with occasional interludes from a solo piano or a small string ensemble, the Moon scores groans and whines its way through 55 interminable minutes, with virtually no redeeming qualities; it was all I could do to sit through this score a couple of times to write this review. The one track of note is “Memories (Someone We'll Never Know)”, in which Mansell writes a simple piano theme filled with soothing chords which, despite remaining on the austere side, is a major improvement over pretty much everything else on the score. When it picks up a solo cello accompaniment in the second half of the cue, the effect is quite pretty. There are a few other moments in which Mansell introduces the piano; in the opening “Welcome to Lunar Industries”, and later in “We're Not Programs, GERTY, We're People” for example, the piano acts as a kind of recurring metronome. There is also an unusual, dreamlike music-box theme in “The Nursery” that is unexpected. However, for the most part, the score is a nightmare, a thematic wasteland that just drones on and on, offering virtually no melody, no harmony, and nothing remotely tangible with which to connect.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Welcome to Lunar Industries (7:12), 2. Two Weeks and Counting (2:00), 3. I'm Sam Bell (3:44), 4. I'm Sam Bell, Too... (5:05), 5. Memories (Someone We'll Never Know) (4:52), 6. Are You Receiving? (3:17), 7. Can't Get There From Here (3:17), 8. We're Not Programs, GERTY, We're People (5:10), 9. The Nursery (3:45), 10. Sacrifice (3:03), 11. We're Going Home (3:41), 12. Welcome to Lunar Industries (Three Years Stretch...) (10:04). [Black Records CMCD001, 55:10].
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A remake of the classic 1974 film of the same name, The Taking of Pelham 123 is a taut thriller about a gang of criminals led by mastermind Ryder (John Travolta), who hijack a New York City subway train, holding the passengers hostage in return for a ransom. However, Ryder doesn’t count on coming into contact with subway dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), whose normal work day suddenly turns into a battle of wits. The film was directed by Tony Scott, co-stars Luis Guzman, John Turturro and James Gandolfini, and has an original score by Scott’s composer of choice Harry Gregson-Williams. Whereas the original Pelham 123 has a groundbreaking jazz score from David Shire, Gregson-Williams version is a fairly straightforward modern thriller score; orchestra, grungy electronics and urban rhythms with not much in the way of strong thematic writing, but with a cool, pulsating core to maintain the energy levels. The opening cue, “Something on the Track”, exemplifies much of the score by being a combination of all these things, and later cues such as “The Train Leaves the Station: continue the trend. One or two cues incorporate some interesting electronic textures to play up the subterranean setting, such as a screechy effect that sounds like the brakes of a tube train, or a percussion item that sounds like a chain being rattled. Some of the mid-album cues, such as “Rigged Contracts” or “All Others Pay Cash”, are ambient mood-setters, with tinkling pianos and subtle string and synth chords shifting through the electronic pulses and effects; it’s effective, but not especially interesting. Half way through the wonderfully-named “An Ass Model Named Lavitka”, and later in “Money Run” and “The Lights Are All Green”, Gregson-Williams engages in some driving hard rock material of a style I have never heard him write before, and which is pretty authentic, but will not appeal to the majority of score listeners for its lack of a classical approach. It is not until the final moments of “Manhattan Bridge” and the conclusive “You a Yankees Fan?” that Gregson-Williams allows his more melodic side to take center stage, presenting a lovely, if a little bittersweet, piano and string melody to underscore the film’s emotional finale. The Taking of Pelham 123 is a rather middle-of-the-road score, neither offensive nor particularly enjoyable, and it’s only Gregson-Williams’ talent as a composer which stops it from being deathly dull. If you enjoyed his work on films such as Spy Game, Déjà Vu, or Man on Fire then this kind of thing will also appeal to your sensibilities; for everyone else, it’s a non-essential purchase.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Something on the Track (4:36), 2. It's Me, Man! (4:09), 3. Rigged Contracts (3:44), 4. An Ass Model Named Lavitka (6:25), 5. Money Run (1:04), 6. Garber Meets Ryder (3:06), 7. All Others Pay Cash (5:37), 8. The Train Leaves the Station (3:51), 9. The Lights Are All Green! (5:14), 10. Manhattan Bridge (5:06), 11. You A Yankees Fan? (1:59). [Columbia Records Digital Download, 44:51].
YEAR ONE
THEODORE SHAPIRO
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A high concept comedy directed by Harold Ramis and starring Jack Black and Michael Cera, Year One follows the fortunes of two prehistoric hunter-gatherers named Zed and Oh, who are banished from their tribe after eating from a forbidden tree, and embark on all manner of adventures, meeting the historical Biblical figures Cain and Abel, becoming slaves in the ancient city of Sodom, and falling in love with two fellow slaves, Maya and Eema. Despite taking a number of peculiar liberties with classical bible stories, following a very odd timeline, Year One features a quirky supporting cast (Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria, Juno Temple, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and even Vinnie Jones), and was a surprising box office success during the summer of 2009. The score for Year One is by Theodore Shapiro, who seems to be stuck in a rut of scoring big-budget comedies, despite his talent in other genres. As is always the best way with comedies, Shapiro scores it straight, writing music for a full symphony orchestra augmented by various ancient and Middle Eastern percussion and woodwind items to give the score a sense of time and place. The “Main Title” is actually quite impressionistic and unusual, sounding like a variation on Jerry Goldsmith’s sparse Planet of the Apes music, before exploding into a section for frantic tribal chanting. The tribal music features prominently in several cues, including the authentic sounding “Jackal Dance”, but there are several lovely moments too; the delicate piccolo melody in “Hunters & Gatherers”, the sweeping first half of “Yak Attack”, or the unexpectedly sexy “Holy of Holies”, which becomes a quite erotic-sounding dance track by the end of its four minutes. In addition to this there is some unexpectedly large scale action as well, in cues such as “Hut Burner”, “Flight from the Village” (although this is spoiled by electronic finish), “Virgin Sacrifice”, and the unexpectedly epic “Zed to the Rescue”. Of course, there is also a fair bit of mickey-mousing and light-hearted caper music to underscore Zed and Oh’s comic misadventures, and quite a bit of the music that is basically Shapiro’s approximation of modern Arabic dance music; cues like “Bazaar”, “The House of Adam”, “Abraham and Isaac”, and especially “The Gates of Sodom”, which I guess is supposed to be Shapiro’s take on Caananite sleaze. Some of this kind of writing sounds just a little too contemporary and out of place when compared to the rest of the album, but it’s all very fun and undemanding. I just wish Shapiro would be given the opportunity to use his not inconsiderable talent on something with more meat.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Main Title (1:30), 2. Hunters & Gatherers (0:37), 3. The Forbidden Fruit (2:11), 4. The Jackal Dance (1:34), 5. Hut Burner (0:20), 6. Flight from the Village (1:23), 7. Bazaar (1:04), 8. Yak Attack (2:32), 9. The House of Adam (1:05), 10. Looking for Abel (1:17), 11. Meet the Hebrews (0:29), 12. Wine and Spongecake (0:41), 13. Zed and Lilith (0:49), 14. Abraham and Isaac (1:12), 15. Sargon Attacks (1:57), 16. Reading the Entrails (1:09), 17. Virgin Sacrifice (2:27), 18. The Gates of Sodom (1:13), 19. Welcome to Sodom (1:08), 20. The Holy of Holies (4:36), 21. The Royal Orgy (2:31), 22. A Royal Reprieve (1:28), 23. Zed to the Rescue (6:07), 24. The Chosen Ones (4:00). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34090, 43:20].
CHÉRI
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Chéri.
MY SISTER’S KEEPER
AARON ZIGMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A moving family drama directed by Nick Cassavetes from the popular novel by Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper tells the story of Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin), the youngest daughter of Sara and Brian Fitzgerald (Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric). The unique thing about Anna is that she was conceived solely to be a blood and tissue donor for her elder sister Kate (Sofia Vassilieva), who has leukemia; now, at the age of eleven and having undergone dozens of medical procedures in order to keep her sister alive, Anna seeks out successful lawyer Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin), with a view to hiring him to earn medical emancipation from her mother. The sensitive score for My Sister’s Keeper is by Aaron Zigman, working with director Cassavetes for the third time following John Q and The Notebook. As one might expect, Zigman’s score is highly emotional, playing on the tragic circumstances of the film and the heartbreaking decisions made by the characters therein; written for a decent-sized orchestra that emphasizes strings, woodwinds and piano, but utilizes virtually no brass, Zigman starts with the solemn, tear-jerking, but undeniably beautiful “End Title”, and continues from there, never missing an opportunity to wring every possible emotion from his listeners. The main theme – a simple, recurring three note motif – features prominently in the score, and is often accompanied by soft guitar chords, both acoustic and electric. Cues such as the “Opening”, “Looking at the Journal”, “Prom Night”, “Taylor Dies” and the poignant “The Last Goodbye” are wistful but attractive, and provide the score with a strong emotional core. Later cues such as “Visiting Relatives” and “The Courtroom” add a layer of synths and occasionally a wordless vocal behind the instruments while picking up the pace of the performance a little, giving the cues a more contemporary vibe. In many ways, My Sister’s Keeper comes across as a blend of Gabriel Yared and Rachel Portman, combining the former’s string writing with the latter’s piano melodies, although it’s never as emotionally devastating as either of those composers can be. Fans of downbeat modern instrumental writing will find plenty to appreciate, even if the overall mood of the score is somewhat depressing.
TRACK LISTING: 1. End Title (5:49), 2. Opening (3:14), 3. Thoughts (1:00), 4. Taylor & Anna (2:03), 5. Visiting Relatives (3:58), 6. Bloody Nose (1:05), 7. Young Kate (0:44), 8. Anna on the Floor (0:48), 9. Looking at the Journal (2:48), 10. Sorry About Kate (0:30), 11. Prom Night (2:21), 12. Taylor & Anna Talking in Bed (0:56), 13. Taylor Dies (1:19), 14. The Beach (0:50), 15. Narration (1:16), 16. The Courtroom (1:30), 17. Will You Wait For Me? (1:07), 18. The Last Goodbye (3:04). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6977, 34:22].
THE STONING OF SORAYA M.
JOHN DEBNEY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A devastating drama exploring the subjugation of women in modern day Iran, The Stoning of Soraya M. is a tragic look at how women are mistreated under the stifling confines of Islamic Sharia law. Jim Caviezel stars as Freidoune Sahebjam, a journalist travelling through a remote part of Iran, when his car breaks down near a small village. While looking for help, Sahebjam is approached by a local woman named Zahra (Shohreh Aghdashloo), who tells him the story of her niece, Soraya (Mozhan Marnò), who was stoned to death by her husband, who wanted nothing more than an easy way out of his marriage. While not based specifically on any one story, it’s easy to see parallels between Cyrus Nowrasteh’s film and real-life cases such as that of Du'a Khalil Aswad, who was stoned to death in Iraq for supposed adultery in 2007. The music for this important film is by John Debney, tackling one of the few ‘serious’ films since his Oscar nomination for The Passion of the Christ in 2004. In many ways, The Stoning of Soraya M. is a close cousin to the music of The Passion of the Christ, as it uses a similar orchestral palette, similar ethnic instruments, similar vocal stylistics, and is similar in tone throughout. As one might expect, Debney’s music is highly emotional, reveling in the terrible tragedy of the central story, but whereas Passion of the Christ ultimately told a tale of hope, and has some truly beautiful moments, The Story of Soraya M. is beautiful in a bleak, poignant way. The centerpiece of the score is the 13-minute “The Stoning of Soraya M.”, which acts almost as a lament for the dying, never reveling in the horror of the scene, but instead treating Soraya’s fate as a quiet, defiant tragedy; there is a sequence for solo cello half way through the cue which is simply heartbreaking. There is a haunting quality to much of the rest of the music, often achieved through a pairing or combination of somber cellos, wailing ethnic voices, lutes, duduks and various middle-eastern percussion. Cues such as the “Main Title”, the desolate “They Looked Away As I Died”, the tragedy-laden “Death of Hashem's Wife”, the disquieting, synth-enhanced “The Beating” have a great deal of power and weight, but are far from easy listening, although later cues such as “The Meadow” have a more conventional beauty, and highlight Debney’s lush woodwind writing. This is an important score for an important film, but may be heavy-going for some listeners, as the overwhelming sense of despair doesn’t let up for the entire running time.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Main Title (3:12), 2. She Lies by the River (2:54), 3. Soraya's Theme (0:46), 4. The Meadow (1:41), 5. They Looked Away As I Died (2:06), 6. Death of Hashem's Wife (3:43), 7. Digging Graves (1:49), 8. Concubine (1:03), 9. Your Mother's Ring (1:19), 10. Waiting (1:41), 11. The Beating (2:36), 12. The Verdict (2:03), 13. I'll Tell the World (1:47), 14. Saying Goodbye (2:46), 15. Dead Woman Walking (1:13), 16. The Stoning of Soraya M. (12:50), 17. The Gentleness of Passing (1:59), 18. The Escape (2:35). [Colosseum MO-4201-2, 48:03].
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
STEVE JABLONSKY
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS
JOHN POWELL
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The third film in the series of director Carlos Saldanha’s popular Ice Age animated features, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs continues the adventures of sarcastic woolly mammoth Manny (Ray Romano), irritable saber toothed tiger Diego (Dennis Leary) and scatterbrained sloth Sid (John Leguizamo). With Manny and his mammoth mate Ellie settling down and starting a family, Sid decided he wants a family of his own; as such, he steals some dinosaur eggs to raise. However, a visit from the eggs’ real mother results in Sid being taken to a lush and strange underground ‘lost world’, causing Manny, Diego and the others to mount a rescue. After scoring the successful second Ice Age movie, The Meltdown, in 2006, John Powell returns for a second tilt at the wheel here. As is always the case with his animation scores, the music is lively, large-scale, fully orchestral, and runs the gamut of emotions and styles, often within the same cue. As good as the music is, there is always a slightly disjointed, scattershot feel to his scores for films like this, which makes any kind of contiguous enjoyment difficult. Having said that, there are still some excellent individual moments, especially in his light-hearted woodwind writing and the gently prancing romantic rhythms that appear in cues such as “Pregnant”, or the gentle romance of cues like “Nite Nite”. Some of the larger scale action material, in cues such as “Egg Roll”, “Playground”, “Flower of Death”, and the über-heroic “Buck’s Theme” sees the orchestra rampaging through light-hearted but frenzied rhythms, some of which are reminiscent of his work on Chicken Run, and are great fun indeed. The dinosaurs which form an important plot of the film have their own material, a mass of pounding jungle drums and impressive brass blasts which make cues such as “Momma”, “Plates of Woe”, “Battles” and “Rudy Fight” unexpected dramatic highlights. There are even some occasional choral outbursts, notably in the lavish “Dinosaur Vista”, “Campfire Stories” and “To the Portal”, which are enjoyable in the moment but tend not to leave any real lasting impression due to their brevity. The only real coherent piece of thematic development occurs in the 7-minute “End Credits” suite which is quite superb. And that’s the problem with Ice Age scores in general; they are throwaway orchestral fluff, mickey-mouse extravaganzas which highlight the moment, but are immediately forgotten. The style is so all-over the place, jumping from pastiche to pastiche, with excellent moments sometimes lasting no longer than 30 or 40 seconds, it’s frustrating to sit and listen to.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Code Blue (1:44), 2. Pregnant (1:56), 3. Leaving the Herd (1:50), 4. The Cavern (0:33), 5. Magic Eggs (0:13), 6. Egg Roll (2:08), 7. The Cliff (0:19), 8. Sid’s Kids (1:36), 9. Nest (1:22), 10. Playground (1:34), 11. Scrat Finds Furry Love (0:41), 12. Momma (3:38), 13. Entry to Lost World (1:36), 14. Dinosaur Vista (0:34), 15. Meet Buck (2:59), 16. Flower of Death (2:49), 17. Nose Job (1:35), 18. Trek (1:00), 19. Chasm of Death (0:22), 20. Big Smelly Crack (3:10), 21. We Shall Raise Them Vegetarian (2:20), 22. Campfire Stories (1:19), 23. Flashback (0:59), 24. Nite Nite (0:45), 25. You'll Never Tango (0:48), 26. Herd Crossing (0:37), 27. Plates of Woe (3:58), 28. Battle Cry (0:16), 29. Buck's Theme (0:38), 30. Battles (4:05), 31. Over the Falls (0:13), 32. Rescues (3:33), 33. Alone Again (performed by Chad Fischer) (1:54), 34. To the Portal (0:54), 35. Rudy Fight (2:12), 36. Farewell (1:42), 37. Out of This World (0:33), 38. Buck Returns (1:08), 39. Welcome to the Ice Age (1:58), 40. At Home with the Scrats (0:26), 41. The Call of the Siren Acorn (0:16), 42. True Love for Our Hero (0:23), 43. End Credits (7:00), 44. You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (performed by Lou Rawls) (4:26). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6978, 74:02].
PUBLIC ENEMIES
ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Public Enemies.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
NICHOLAS HOOPER
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
ORPHAN
JOHN OTTMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Evil movie kids: don’t you just love ‘em? From Regan in The Exorcist and Damien in The Omen to those freaky twins in The Shining and anything starring Macaulay Culkin, the murderous minor has been a staple of the horror genre for decades, playing our worst fears and nightmares. The latest addition to the list is Esther, the protagonist of the film Orphan. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard and the truly menacing 12-year old actress Isabelle Fuhrman, Orphan tells the story of a typical husband and wife Kate and John Coleman who, having lost their unborn child, instead decide to adopt a young girl instead; subsequently, into their lives comes Esther, a seemingly angelic child from an orphanage. However, before long, alarming events occur, leading the Colemans to think that there may be more to Esther than meet the eye... The music for Orphan is by John Ottman, who has scored films of a creepy nature before, and scored them very well. Unfortunately, Orphan will likely not be joining the likes of Apt Pupil, Gothika and Hide and Seek as a career-high genre effort. The problem with Orphan is the unexpectedly harsh electronic element, which dominates and overpowers Ottman’s orchestral writing to such an extent that, for the most part, you can’t actually hear what Ottman was doing. The opening title, “Orphan”, is a prime example of which, in which Ottman’s dark string and vocal and writing is completely ruined by a mass of bubbling, groaning electronics that take whatever brooding atmosphere Ottman was trying to create and ruins it entirely. The only cues on the album which really retains any semblance of themselves are the lovely “Suite for Jessica and Max” and the dreamy “Silent Story/Max's Theme”, which have some gorgeous idyllic string, piano and woodwind writing, and some lilting guitar elements, but are unfortunately in no way representative of the rest of the score. The piano – a plot device – forms a great deal of the bulk of the score proper, which Ottman accompanies with various eerie synth lines, glassy electronic textures, plus a few moments of harsh dissonance and atmospheric growling to underline the fact that all is not well with little Esther, as in cues such as “Destroying the Evidence”, “Something Nice” and the ear-splitting conclusive pair “Finding Max” and “The Cold Shoulder”. Again, though, it always seems to be the electronic element of the score which dominates the sound palette, overpowering whatever subtleties or nuances Ottman was trying to create elsewhere. It’s a shame, because Ottman has always been rather good at this kind of thing, and for his efforts to be so obfuscated by cheap-sounding synth is especially disappointing.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Glory of Love (performed by Isabelle Fuhrman) (0:24), 2. Orphan (2:04), 3. Suite for Jessica and Max (5:27), 4. Opening/Labor of Love (2:35), 5. Not Your Average 9-Year-Old (3:59), 6. Silent Story/Max's Theme (3:34), 7. Saint Marianas (1:32), 8. Destroying the Evidence (3:09), 9. Painting a Story/Esther Comes Home (2:51), 10. Something Nice (5:36), 11. Wet the Bed/Black Light (2:43), 12. Snooping (1:48), 13. Finishing the Job (3:08), 14. Finding Max (3:44), 15. The Cold Shoulder (3:07), 16. The Glory of Love (performed by Orphanesta featuring Krystle Warren) (2:49), 17. Orphan's Revenge (performed by John Ottman vs. Mark "Dog" Sayfritz) (3:38), 18. The Glory of Love (performed by Jimmy Durante) (2:48). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6981, 54:56].
THE UGLY TRUTH
AARON ZIGMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A modern day battle-of-the-sexes comedy, The Ugly Truth stars Katherine Heigl as Abby, a TV producer with a disastrous romantic life, whose world begins to change when a misogynistic shock-jock named Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler) is hired to present a segment on her morning news show. Mike, who claims to be an expert in knowing what a man really wants from a woman, offers to help Abby woo the man of her dreams: a hunky doctor who lives in the same apartment building. Despite her misgivings at Mike’s sexist outlook on life, Abby agrees, but in spite of their initial mutual dislike, the more time Abby and Mike spend with each other, the more romantic sparks between the mis-matched pair start to fly. The film is directed by Robert Luketic, and is scored by the ever-busy Aaron Zigman. The brief score only lasts for 38 minutes, but has 35 tracks, which by mathematics alone tells you that it’s a spotty, quick fire score that barely registers enough time for proper thematic development, instead going for the quick laugh or comedy stinger, or brief scene-setting interludes. It’s a generally entertaining score, a combination of gently romantic themes and more contemporary writing, often with a Latino flavor or a particular beat to give it a kick. Cues such as “Flicking the Bean”, “The Dinner” and “Black Dress” have a sexy groove, while “Abby & Mike in LA”, “Jello Twins” and “Your Replacement” amp up the electric guitar use for a more urban sound. The likes of “Abby Calls Colin”, “Post Kiss” have a light-hearted caper feel through the use plucked string instruments, guitars, marimbas and other light percussion, as well as occasional tango rhythms, while cues such as “The Ugly Truth”, “Who Would Love” and “The Kiss” are the most tender elements of the score, and will likely appeal to score fans the most, with their soft string, guitar, piano and woodwind writing and general air of whimsical romance. It’s all very pleasant and undemanding, and occasionally quite cool, and is exactly the kind of music one would expect to hear in a throwaway romantic comedy of this kind, but it’s never going to set the world on fire, and Zigman has written much much better. One thing the score does have going for it, however, are some deliciously perverse cue titles; I mean, really, who doesn’t love a score with tracks such as “Thank Your Pussy for Me”, “Oral Sex” and “Naked Weather Girl”?
TRACK LISTING: 1. Flick the Bean (1:08), 2. Abby Calls Colin (2:02), 3. Abby & Mike in L.A. (1:17), 4. Post Kiss (2:08), 5. Bad Date (0:42), 6. It's a Lie (1:52), 7. Cat Person (1:05), 8. Get the Stain Out (0:32), 9. The Dinner (2:34), 10. Jello Twins (1:11), 11. Tease (0:54), 12. Abby Calls Mike (1:52), 13. The Ugly Truth (2:10), 14. Duck Cacciatore (1:15), 15. Thank Your Pussy for Me (0:36), 16. Champagne (1:03), 17. Earpiece (0:46), 18. Spazzy Dance (0:14), 19. Your Producer (0:39), 20. Closet (0:46), 21. Black Dress (0:45), 22. Frowny McFlaccid (0:28), 23. Right This Way (0:31), 24. Who Would Love (1:11), 25. New Theme (0:31), 26. Goodnight Then (1:20), 27. Oral Sex (0:22), 28. Cat Escapes (1:51), 29. Naked Weather Girl (0:37), 30. Tahoe (0:37), 31. Ratings (0:27), 32. Your Replacement (0:33), 33. The Kiss (1:28), 34. Abby & Mike Banter (0:35), 35. Abby & Mike Rant (2:06). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34076, 38:08].
ADAM
CHRISTOPHER LENNERTZ
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A small scale romantic drama about a man suffering from Asberger’s Syndrome, Adam stars Hugh Dancy as the titular character, an introverted young man with awkward social graces, who develops a relationship with equally shy Beth (Rose Byrne), a young woman who lives in the same apartment building, who is recovering from her own damaged past relationship. Director Max Mayer’s film, which also stars Peter Gallagher and Amy Irving, takes a gentle look at the life of Asberger’s sufferers, proving that all relationships – no matter what the hurdles – can be overcome by love. The score for Adam is by Christopher Lennertz, who has hitherto been better known for his large-scale action scores for video games and for his work on big-budget comedies such as Alvin and the Chipmunks and Meet the Spartans. Adam is a small-scale score for a small-scale film, intimate and introspective, written for a small string orchestra and solo piano and guitar. The thematic writing is lovely; the central “Adam’s Theme” has an ironic, almost comical feel to it, portraying the central character is a lovable eccentric, humanizing his character. Its recapitulations in cues such as “Adam at Home”, “Adam’s Planetarium”, the bittersweet “Testimony/Adam Gets Fired”, the tender “The Kiss”, and the downbeat “I Can't Go/Beth Leaves” give the score a thematic anchor which is very welcome. Adam’s interactions with his hesitant love interest infuse the score with Thomas Newman-style suburban percussion elements, adding marimbas and various rattles to underscore their hesitant courtship in cues such as “Adam Meets Beth” and “Adam Explains Asperger's”. Conversely, the unnerving, anguished side of Adam’s life comes starkly to the fore in nervous, unsettling pieces such as “Clocks” and “Watching the Children”, which reinforce and remind the listener that Asberger’s Syndrome is still a debilitating mental illness, and not a quirky character trait. “The Journey”, the longest cue on the album, and “Beth Reflects” have some gorgeous violin and cello passages weaving in and of the montage, which add another level of understated beauty to the score. The score concludes with an original song called “So Many Things to Tell You”, written by Lennertz in collaboration with Faroese singer/songwriter Teitur Lassen, and which quite lovely, in a bleak sort of way. The whole score is a world away from the large-scale action work of his video game scores such as Gun, Warhawk or Quantum of Solace, but creating this kind of intimate atmosphere is arguably a more difficult task, and proves that Lennertz is well on his way to becoming the next composer to make the successful leap from games to major feature films.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Adam's Theme (3:17), 2. Adam at Home (1:25), 3. Adam Meets Beth (2:10), 4. Clocks (1:37), 5. Adam's Planetarium (2:32), 6. At the Park (1:35), 7. Testimony/Adam Gets Fired (2:15), 8. Watching the Children (1:34), 9. Adam Explains Asperger's (0:52), 10. Life with Beth (1:23), 11. Window Washing (1:40), 12. The Hug (0:35), 13. The Kiss (1:25), 14. What Are You Going to Do (1:02), 15. Adam Preparing/The Courtroom (2:23), 16. They Fight/Return to the City (1:19), 17. The Journey (4:57), 18. Beth Reflects (1:31), 19. I Can't Go/Beth Leaves (3:21), 20. To California (1:45), 21. So Many Things to Tell You (performed by Teitur) (3:20). [Promo, 41:58].
ALIENS IN THE ATTIC
JOHN DEBNEY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A family sci-fi adventure, Aliens in the Attic follows in the footsteps of films like Jumanji and Zathura in pitting a group of resourceful children against a group of fantastical creatures invading their home. Carter Jenkins, Austin Butler, Ashley Boettcher and Ashley Tisdale from the High School Musical series star as a quartet of kids who discover that their summer home has become infested with knee-high aliens who want to take over the world. The film is directed by John Schultz and has a fun, if a little derivative, score by John Debney. Written for a full and lavish symphony orchestra, Aliens in the Attic spends quite a bit of time channeling both Danny Elfman and Bernard Herrmann, mainly through its liberal use of a theremin to depict the alien invaders. The problem with the score – as is often the case with children’s films – is that the score leaps around from style to style so rapidly that it quickly loses its center. Case in point: the “Main Title” features everything from modern pop-rock, pseudo-classical comedy caper music, spooky woodwind-led ‘creepy’ music, all in the space of three and a bit minutes. Debney’s scores for films like these are always workmanlike and effective, but on album it suffers badly from its acute musical schizophrenia. One or two tracks to stand out as being especially notable: action cues such as “Anti-Gravity”, “Nana Barges In”, “Jake After Assassin”, “Kids Swing Into Action” and “Fight of the Giants” often contain large-scale, Cutthroat Island-esque orchestral licks, occasional bursts of choral majesty, and an unexpectedly powerful drive which are quite satisfying and fun. Elsewhere, some of the eerier, more atmospheric parts of cues such as “Aliens on the Roof” manage to create a sense of tension without truly scaring the kids, while most of the rest has a synthesized drum-beat undercurrent to root the score in contemporary times, or an intentionally over-stated electronic pulse or sound effect to reminds listeners that these are aliens we’re dealing with here. There’s nothing inherently wrong with Aliens in the Attic in any way; other than its everything-including-the-kitchen-sink attitude, its main problem is that it sounds like any one of a dozen children’s adventure scores, and despite being very well composed, polished and slick, suffers from a real lack of an individual identity.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening (1:42), 2. Main Title (3:17), 3. Nate and Family Arrive (1:07), 4. Aliens on the Roof (2:33), 5. Roof Fight (3:32), 6. Aliens in the Attic (0:53), 7. Anti-Gravity (3:03), 8. Aliens in the Vents (1:15), 9. Remote Control Ricky (0:43), 10. Hannah Meets Sparks (1:35), 11. Kids Meet Sparks (1:59), 12. Interrogation (2:10), 13. Nana Barges In (2:58), 14. Sheriff (1:01), 15. Jake After Assassin (0:25), 16. Kung Fu Fight (2:52), 17. Let’s Go Save the Planet (1:55), 18. Building Sizematron (1:00), 19. Mentos Attack (1:07), 20. Giant Skip (0:50), 21. Kids Swing Into Action (1:17), 22. Beacons... Fireworks (0:43), 23. Tom Shoots Skip (0:45), 24. Fight of the Giants (2:14), 25. Sparks Waves (2:27), 26. The End?? (0:34). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6982, 43:57].
G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA
ALAN SILVESTRI
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
JULIE & JULIA
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Julie & Julia.
A PERFECT GETAWAY
BORIS ELKIS
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A honeymoon on an idyllic Pacific island turns deadly in A Perfect Getaway when two pairs of newlyweds – Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich, Timothy Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez – discover to their horror that a serial killer is stalking and murdering tourists on their holiday hideaway. Written and directed by David Twohy, the man behind the Chronicles of Riddick, A Perfect Getaway was an unexpected box office success; it also marked the mainstream debut of Russian composer Boris Elkis, a classically trained composer who previously worked as a synth programmer and arranger for Graeme Revell for many years. The opening cue, “A Perfect Getaway”, introduces the main theme, a slurred, insistent, rattling string motif accompanied by various electronic enhancements and synthesized effects (including a synth choir), which gives the piece a sense of impending dread. Some of the string and piano textures in cues such as “Wedding”, the upbeat “The Island”, the lush “Secret Falls”, the dreamlike “Mall Flashback”, and the conclusive “Kauai Sunset” are quite pretty, although even here the music tends to have an ominous undertone, and this carries through to the bulk of the score proper, which oscillates between low-key orchestral textures augmented by electronics, and all-out action and thriller cues during which, more often than not, the orchestra takes a back seat to Elkis’s drum loops and industrial-style sound design. Cues such as “Crazy Nick” build the tension, “Goat Hunter” breaks it with almost a comedic scherzo that stands at odds with the rest of the score, but the likes of “Killers Captured”, “Gina Runs”, “Nick Gets Shot” and the ballsy “Nick Resurrected” raise the stakes with thrusting action material, propulsive electronic enhancements, a relentless tempo, and occasional vocal embellishments. It’s a shame that most of the action material is dominated by electronics when Elkis clearly has solid orchestral chops, but budgetary constraints and director’s wishes always come first. It’s not original, but it’s certainly effective, and really that summary best describes Elkis’s score as a whole; by and large it’s better than most of the action music Graeme Revell has produced in recent years, and if Elkis can break out into different genres, and showcase his orchestral writing while leaving his synths at home, in time I can see him having a decent future in the industry.
TRACK LISTING: 1. A Perfect Getaway (2:07), 2. Wedding (2:45), 3. The Island (2:12), 4. Hitchhikers (1:10), 5. Secret Falls (1:35), 6. Cidney Undresses (0:45), 7. Kale's Pack (1:04), 8. Crazy Nick (1:51), 9. Cidney's Story (2:41), 10. Cliff Attacks Ranger (1:01), 11. Goat Hunter (2:08), 12. Cliff & Cidney in a Tent (1:24), 13. Killers Captured (3:11), 14. Trail End (2:22), 15. Wedding Pictures (1:02), 16. Gina Runs (3:10), 17. Killer Flashback (2:35), 18. Mall Flashback (2:38), 19. Pier & Beach Flashback (2:32), 20. Crazy Love (1:09), 21. Nick Gets Shot (1:47), 22. Gina Looks for Cliff (1:55), 23. Cliff Climbs the Cliff (3:24), 24. Nick Resurrection (1:09), 25. Nick & Cliff Fight (1:11), 26. Sniper Showdown (1:41), 27. Man in Full (1:50), 28. Kauai Sunset (1:17). [Relativity Media Soundtracks, 53:26].
CAPTAIN ABU RAED
AUSTIN WINTORY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The first film made in Jordan for over 50 years, Captain Abu Raed was that country’s first ever Foreign Language Film submission, at the 2008 Academy Awards. Directed by Amin Matalqa, the film stars Nadim Sawalha as the titular character, a cleaner at Amman’s International Airport, who after finding a discarded pilot’s hat in the trash, is mistaken for a pilot by some local children, who he then regales with fantastical stories of his world travels. Eventually, Abu strikes up a friendship with a boy named Murad, who is being abused by his drunken father. After one particularly violent episode, Abu vows to try to help Murad and his mother escape from their domestic hell. The score for Captain Abu Raed is by Austin Wintory, a young Colorado-born composer who had long been a prominent member of the online film music community prior to embarking on his career as a film composer. Written for a large symphony orchestra, Wintory’s music sparkles with life, wit and vitality, and has a sophistication and thematic strength that belies the composer’s comparatively tender age. Cues such as “The Storyteller” are energetic, carefree dances that reflect the film’s setting, while cues such as “Tea with Um Raed”, “The Two Captains” and “Goodbye” have a high quota of emotional pathos, which is achieved through tender string writing, delicate harp solos, and an overall air of thoughtfulness, clearly alluding to the unconventional relationship between Abu and Murad. Wintory is also not averse to peppering his score with action material, with “Escape” standing out for its thrusting string rhythms and sense of urgency. The few concessions to traditional Arabic music are limited to the use of certain percussion items, and a few rhythmic ideas that crop up in cues such as “Airport Revelations” and “Abu Murad”; otherwise, this is a defiantly Western-sounding score that has a clear, straightforward emotional narrative that will certainly appeal to many. The conclusive “In the Fog” features a wordless soprano vocalist to superb effect, giving the album a sensitive, reflective conclusion. This is a superb debut score from Wintory, a kudos should also be given to the producers at BuySoundtrax Records for giving a hitherto unknown composer some exposure to the mainstream film music world. I’d keep my eyes and ears peeled for more music from Wintory in the years to come.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Prologue (0:32), 2. Tea with Um Raed (2:09), 3. Finding the Hat (0:55), 4. Meet Captain Abu Raed (1:00), 5. The Storyteller (1:56), 6. More Stories (1:29), 7. Lost Bag (0:13), 8. The Two Captains (1:56), 9. Amman (0:54), 10. Dreams of Flight (0:36), 11. Airport Revelations (2:06), 12. Abu Murad (0:41), 13. Candy Men (0:23), 14. Forgiveness (0:45), 15. Tea with Nour (2:30), 16. New Morning (1:51), 17. Rite of Passage (1:21), 18. Tareq's Farewell (0:58), 19. Temptation (2:44), 20. Escape (1:59), 21. Goodbye (3:10), 22. A New Beginning (0:55), 23. Epilogue (1:27), 24. In The Fog (End Titles) (3:36). [BuySoundtrax Records BSXCD 8858, 36:06].
DISTRICT 9
CLINTON SHORTER
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of District 9.
THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE
MYCHAEL DANNA
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of The Time Traveler’s Wife.
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
ENNIO MORRICONE and VARIOUS ARTISTS
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s sixth film, Inglourious Basterds is a World War II movie with attitude. Set in mainland Europe at the height of the conflict, it stars Brad Pitt as Aldo Raine, the leader of a crack platoon of Jewish-American soldiers who have dubbed themselves ‘the Basterds’, and who actively seek out and savagely kill as many German servicemen as possible, with the intent of creating fear and discord amongst the troops. His opposing number is Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), a cruel and ruthless SS officer also known as ‘The Jew Hunter’, whose actions in murdering the family of a young Franco-Jewish family comes back to haunt him when the only survivor, a young girl named Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent), embarks on a plot to assassinate Hitler at the premiere of a Nazi propaganda film. Unusually for Tarantino, he actively sought out composer Ennio Morricone to score his film, but was unable to secure his services due to a scheduling conflict with his score for the Giuseppe Tornatore film Baarìa; instead, he did what he always does: score the film with a lavish temp-track from cult European and blaxploitation movies from the 60s and 70s. It’s difficult to judge the soundtrack in a conventional way, as this is not a conventional soundtrack, but anyone who enjoys the work of the composers featured here, or of Tarantino’s mix-and-match soundtracks, are still likely to find plenty to enjoy. Ennio Morricone’s four cuts, which come from the films The Big Gundown, Revolver and Allonsanfàn, give you an idea of the kind of score Morricone would have written had he been hired to write the entire thing; a lot of it is the nervous, spaghetti-western inspired music with the twangy guitars, stark woodwind writing, and the unconventional choral and vocal performances that characterized his output throughout much of the 1960s. The “Surrender” cue has a quite epic and expansive scope, and “Un Amico” has a romantic Euro-pop sweep, while “Rabbia e Tarantella” slowly builds from a staccato piano motif into a glorious, expansive orchestral march of great flair, energy and memorability. Curiously, “The Verdict” from The Big Gundown features an undisguised excerpt from Beethoven’s Bagatelle in A Minor (“Für Elise”) that is quite eerie in this context. Charles Bernstein’s “White Lightning”, a cool western groove with more twangy guitars and hollow-sounding vocal scats, also featured on the Kill Bill soundtrack and is clearly a Tarantino favorite. Gianni Ferrio’s “One Silver Dollar” is also in the Morricone western mode, albeit with a prominent harmonica solo that gives it an unexpectedly appropriate French lilt. Jacques Loussier’s main theme from Dark of the Sun employs unusual meters and rhythmic devices to create an unsettling mood, while Lalo Schifrin’s “Tiger Tank” from Kelly’s Heroes has a dominant sense of brutal, brass-led bluster. There are also several songs, from Billy Preston’s funkadelic vocals on “Slaughter”, to David Bowie’s psychedelic “Cat People”, and even a couple of German-language salon songs recorded in the period and performed by Zarah Leander, Lilian Harvey and Willy Fritsch. It’s all very unconventional, anachronistic and self-referential, but it’s the way Tarantino thinks, both as a director and as a creator of the musical tone of this films; as a conventional soundtrack, and despite the presence of excellent music from the likes of Morricone and Schifrin, it’s likely too bizarre for score fans to appreciate, but as a glimpse into the mind of Tarantino it’ quite fascinating.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Green Leaves of Summer from “The Alamo” [Dimitri Tiomkin] (1:55), 2. The Verdict from “The Big Gundown” [Ennio Morricone] (1:14), 3. Main Title from “White Lightning” [Charles Bernstein] (2:55), 4. Slaughter from “Slaughter” [Billy Preston] (4:24), 5. The Surrender from “The Big Gundown” [Ennio Morricone] (2:48), 6. One Silver Dollar from “Blood for a Silver Dollar” [Gianni Ferrio] (2:05), 7. Davon Geht Die Welt Nicht Unter from “Die Große Liebe” [Bruno Balz and Michael Jary, performed by Zarah Leander] (2:06), 8. The Man With the Big Sombrero from “Hi Diddle Diddle” [Phil Boutelje and Foster Carling, performed by Michael Andrew and Samantha Shelton] (1:50), 9. Ich Wollt Ich Wär Ein Huhn from “Glückskinder” [Hans-Fritz Beckmann and Peter Kreuder, performed by Lilian Harvey and Willy Fritsch] (2:45), 10. Main Theme from “Dark of the Sun” [Jacques Loussier] (3:11), 11. Cat People (Putting Out the Fire) from “Cat People” [David Bowie] (4:10), 12. Tiger Tank from “Kelly’s Heroes” [Lalo Schifrin] (1:17), 13. Un Amico from “Revolver” [Ennio Morricone] (2:35), 14. Rabbia e Tarantella from “Allonsanfàn” [Ennio Morricone] (3:53). [A Band Apart/Warner Bros. WB520377, 37:08].
THE FINAL DESTINATION
BRIAN TYLER
Review by Jonathan Broxton. As if they hadn’t squeezed enough life out of this franchise yet, The Final Destination – the fourth film in the horror movie franchise – again follows the fortunes of a set of teenagers who cheat death, but then find that Death doesn’t like being cheated, and sets out to claim them anyway. The film is directed by David R. Ellis and stars Bobby Campo as college student Nick O'Bannon who, while attending a NASCAR race, has a premonition that a car wreck will cause a stand to collapse, killing himself and his friends; he convinces everyone to leave before the disaster occurs, but in the weeks following the event, his friends all die one by one in freak accidents. The late, great Shirley Walker set the musical tone for the first three Final Destination films prior to her untimely death in 2006, and her mantle has now been picked up by the resourceful Brian Tyler, who seems to be specializing in scoring later entries into movies franchises with strong musical identities. As is usually the case with Brian Tyler horror scores, The Final Destination is LOUD, and often makes liberal use of rock stylistics, wailing electric guitars, and a heavy electronic undercurrent, as evidenced by the gut-busting opening “The Final Destination”, or the softer “Moment of Joy”. The more orchestrally-dominated pieces have a sinister heaviness to them, with surging string rhythms and snarling brass accompaniments, albeit again underpinned by an incessant contemporary synth pulse. Cues such as “The Raceway”, “Nailed”, “Car Washicide” and “The Movie Theater” are breathlessly entertaining, and are occasionally come across as a combination of the horror music Tyler wrote for things like Darkness Falls, crossed with the relentlessly energetic action music from Eagle Eye, which can only be a good thing. Some of the brass writing – especially in cues such as “Revelations”, “Flame On” and “Sushi for Everyone” – is quite magnificent, giving the score a sense of horrific power, almost acting as a leitmotif for the ever-present spectre of death. A few moments of emotional string and piano-led downtime in “Memorial”, “George is Next” and others, allow the listener to regain their faculties, before the score heads off on another rampage; the more dissonant cues, such as “The Salon” and “Death of a Cowboy”, whine and growl in the depths, getting under the listener’s skin. Tyler brings everything together in the epic 13-minute “Final Destination Suite” at the end, which restates and builds upon all the main moments of the score. It’s all very effective stuff, but with a running time of 64 minutes, does out stay its welcome a little, and by the end of the album you are quite relieved it’s all over and done with. A little judicious pruning might have made the score a tighter listening experience, but the music itself is generally very good, and occasionally rather excellent.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Final Destination (2:56), 2. The Raceway (3:07), 3. Memorial (2:46), 4. Nailed (3:22), 5. Nick's Google Theory (1:30), 6. Revelations (2:28), 7. Raceway Trespass (1:39), 8. Stay Away From Water (2:38), 9. Flame On (1:43), 10. Moment of Joy (1:17), 11. Signs and Signals (2:51), 12. George is Next (1:12), 13. Car Washicide (3:05), 14. Newspaper Clues (1:57), 15. Premonition (1:50), 16. The Salon (3:53), 17. Questioning (1:04), 18. Death of a Cowboy (2:08), 19. Gearhead (1:56), 20. Sushi for Everyone (2:53), 21. The Movie Theater (3:03), 22. You Can't Dodge Fate (1:28), 23. The Final Destination Suite (13:29). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6983, 64:15].
HALLOWEEN II
TYLER BATES
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Cult director Rob Zombie’s ultra-violent re-imagining of the classic Halloween legend continues with Halloween II. Picking up immediately from where the last film left off, the film stars Scout Taylor-Compton as Laurie Strode, who has been taken to hospital to recover from the wounds inflicted on her by her psychotic, murderous brother Michael Myers (Tyler Mane). However, Laurie’s recuperation is short lived when the supposedly dead Michael returns, very much alive, intent on reuniting with his sister, even if it means murdering everyone in the hospital who stands in his way. Despite an idiosyncratic cast that includes Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif and the director’s wife Sheri Moon-Zombie, Halloween II was called a “brutal, bloody, badly executed mess“, and was a comparative box office failure. The same adjectives could apply to Tyler Bates’ score. I mustered up the intestinal fortitude to listen to Bates’ first Halloween score in 2007, and to prove how much I love you all and what I’m willing to subject myself to for my art, I did so again here, several times. My masochism clearly knows no bounds. The modern reworking of John Carpenter’s classic Halloween theme is fine, despite being accompanied by all manner of industrial sound effects. Unfortunately, the rest of it is simply abysmal; a collision of industrial white noise and synthesized sound effects masquerading as music. It grinds and groans and moans and pounds and rumbles and mutters unnerving in your ear. Occasionally it leaps into action with a screeching stinger, and as such cues such as “Rabbit in Red” or “Van Kill” could make the unwary leap from their comfortable chair. However, other than the Carpenter theme and a brief moment at the beginning of “Brackett Finds Annie”, there’s no melody, no harmony, and nothing that is actually discernible as being music. In short, it’s an absolute wasteland, a complete abomination devoid of anything remotely resembling musical composition. It’s like listening to the internal workings of a broken storage heater for an hour. I you value your sanity, I suggest giving this one a wide berth. I’m not kidding. The half star rating is simply to recognize that Bates didn’t butcher Carpenter’s theme beyond recognition.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Halloween Theme 2009 (3:04), 2. I Killed a Man (1:29), 3. White Horse (2:18), 4. Stairs (4:04), 5. Love Shack (3:09), 6. I Won't Let You Down (1:37), 7. Killing Field (2:35), 8. I Found Boo (2:31), 9. Rabbit in Red (7:30), 10. Can I See the Pig? (1:21), 11. Van Kill (1:17), 12. Surveillance (2:28), 13. I'm Angel Myers (1:39), 14. Brackett Finds Annie (5:21), 15. We Are Family (2:21), 16. H1 Killing Spree (7:56). [iTunes Exclusive Digital Download, 50:40].
TAKING WOODSTOCK
DANNY ELFMAN
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Taking Woodstock.
GAMER
GEOFF ZANELLI AND ROBB WILLIAMSON
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Gamer.
9
DEBORAH LURIE AND DANNY ELFMAN
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of 9.
WHITEOUT
JOHN FRIZZELL
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Whiteout.
BRIGHT STAR
MARK BRADSHAW
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A lush, but ultimately tragic costume drama based on the life of 19th century romantic poet John Keats, Bright Star tells the story of the passionate but ill-fated relationship between Keats and a flirtatious, forward-thinking fashion designer Fanny Brawne, which would be cut short by Keats’ death in 1821 at the age of just 25. Directed by Jane Campion and starring Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish as Keats and Brawne, Bright Star has received a great deal of critical acclaim for its lead performances, with Cornish especially tipped for Oscar recognition. The music for Bright Star is by young Australian composer Mark Bradshaw, who collaborated with director Campion on several short films, and wrote music for several Australian theater productions prior to working on this, his first major feature film. The gimmick of the album is that all but three of the cues on Lakeshore’s album are overlaid by recordings of lead actors Whishaw and Cornish reading some of Keats’ most famous poetry. While this makes perfect sense in the context of the film, and allows fans to be reminded of the film’s most romantic content, it unfortunately detracts enormously from Bradshaw’s music, often obscuring some of the most beautiful writing on the CD, notably “Bright Star” and the conclusive “Ode to a Nightingale”, which would otherwise have been wonderful, especially with the addition of solo vocalists in the latter. Bradshaw’s music – that we can hear - is rooted in the ‘contemporary classical’ style, with a small chamber orchestra augmented by a solo harpsichord, solo violin and low synth drones, which give the whole affair a dreamy, slightly timeless air that is quite appropriate given the quixotic nature of Keats’ poetry. The opening “Negative Capability” and, later, “Letters” are the best examples of the general air of the score, more textural than theme-driven, and never truly embracing a full romanticism, instead remaining aloof and distant. Later, “Return” and “Convulsion” continue the distant style, with more shifting cello chords, some quite stark and abrasive, while “Bright Star” is more lyrical, with a wandering solo violin theme lamenting Keats’ impending demise. The best track on the album is the gorgeous “Yearning”, which after a few moments of narration presents an extended sequence of unsullied orchestral music for a weeping violin that is simply sublime. An album for fans of the film, then, but those seeking only the music will probably be left disappointed due to the unthoughtful album presentation.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Negative Capability (3:55), 2. La Belle Dame Sans Merci (2:28), 3. Return (0:58), 4. Human Orchestra (performed by Samuel Barnett, Mark Bradshaw, Cameron Woodhouse, Ben Whishaw and Daniel Johnston) (1:48), 5. Convulsion (0:52), 6. Bright Star (1:49), 7. Letters (3:49), 8. Yearning (2:24), 9. Ode to a Nightingale (5:24). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34105, 23:27].
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS
MARK MOTHERSBAUGH
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.
THE INFORMANT!
MARVIN HAMLISCH
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of The Informant.
JENNIFER’S BODY
THEODORE SHAPIRO and STEPHEN BARTON
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A lascivious comedy horror from Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama, Jennifer’s Body stars the delectable Megan Fox as the eponymous high school cheerleader who, following an encounter with a member of a rock band whose bite is worse than his bark, becomes a literal man-eater, and begins seducing, and then slaughtering her male classmates. The film, which also stars Amanda Seyfried as Jennifer’s geeky best friend Needy and Johnny Simmons as the ill-fated boyfriend Chip, has an original score co-composed by Theodore Shapiro and Stephen Barton. Channeling its self-aware, hipster attitude, the score is actually a rather unconventional horror effort; low on theme, high on atmosphere, and with a definite rocker’s edge to go with the film’s contemporary style. The rock band instrumentation – electric guitars, drums, keyboards, and so on – are amped up in many of the cues such as “Devil’s Kettle”, “Sandbox Love”, the enigmatic “Scrubbing the Floor”, the aggressive “Death of Colin” and “Levitation”, the seductive “Pulling Hair”, the quietly euphoric “The Pool”, and the bittersweet “Chip Dies”. A lot of the action and suspense music tends to be of the grungy, atmospheric kind, with very little traditional orchestral input: cues such as “The Fire”, “Swing Shift”, and “Ritual Sacrifice” are little more than ambient synthesized tones and chords, and are not especially interesting, although the rhythmic “Library” does offer an interesting new texture. A creepy Chris Young-style piano motif first appears in the opening “Hospital”, and re-occurs later towards the end of “Swing Shift”, and in “Finding Jonas’ Body”, “Out the Window” and others, but it’s one of the few moments of conventional thematic content in the score, which is disappointing for a composer of Shapiro’s talent. In fact, the entire thing is rather dull, and with no real thematic content or musical key to latch on to, is barely worth seeking out. None of the score was included on the popular and widely-available song compilation CD; this score promo, which also includes the excellent original rock song “Through the Trees”, written by Ryan Levine and performed by the fictional band Low Shoulder on-screen in the film, was distributed by Shapiro’s agents for awards consideration.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Hospital (3:08), 2. Cell Hallucinations (0:35), 3. Devil’s Kettle (0:34), 4. The Fire (1:02), 5. Escaping the Fire (0:57), 6. The Cool Van (1:21), 7. Swing Shift (5:04), 8. Sandbox Love (1:04), 9. Scrubbing the Floor (0:44), 10. Seducing Jonas (1:01), 11. Eatin’ Jonas (0:55), 12. Finding Jonas’ Body (0:46), 13. Up the Stairs (2:55), 14. Death of Colin (2:30), 15. Road Accident (2:39), 16. Ritual Sacrifice (3:06), 17. Death of Ahmet from India (2:32), 18. Out the Window (1:53), 19. Library (2:04), 20. Pulling Hair (0:43), 21. Jennifer & Chip (1:17), 22. Jennifer’s Lies (1:19), 23. Needy Looks for Chip (1:13), 24. The Pool (2:31), 25. Skewered (0:56), 26. Chip Dies (1:19), 27. Box Cutter Fight (0:50), 28. Levitation (1:28), 29. Back in Solitary (2:23), 30. Through the Trees (written by Ryan Levine, performed by Low Shoulder) (5:04). [Promo, 53:53].
COCO AVANT CHANEL
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Coco Avant Chanel.
BAARÌA
ENNIO MORRICONE
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Baarìa may well be the first instance of a director – in this case Giuseppe Tornatore – making a film about what is effectively his own life story. The film is a reflection and love letter to the island of Sicily, and depicts two childhood friends, Peppino and Mannina, who grow up to be lovers. The story spans three generations, from the 1920s to the present day, and is set in the town of Bagheria (known as Baarìa in Sicilian dialect), where Tornatore grew up. The film stars Francesco Scianna and Margareth Madè, and has an original score by the legendary Ennio Morricone, who has been Tornatore’s musical muse for over 25 years, through films such as Cinema Paradiso, Stanno Tutti Bene, The Starmaker, The Legend of 1900 and the Oscar-nominated Malèna. Despite being 81 years old, Morricone’s talent shows no sign of waning. The 10-minute “Sinfonia per Baarìa” is a quintessential Morricone piece, romantically sweeping with prominent strings, dancing woodwinds, and the familiar lyrical chords, but interspersed with the moments of dissonance that make his music so unique and compelling. New additions to the canon in this score’s case are the lamenting male vocalist intoning over the music in what I assume to be the Sicilian dialect, and the subsequent ethnic woodwind writing which gives the theme a distinct North African flavor. Unfortunately, the later half of the cue is rather oddly obscured by various dialogue clips and sound effects, including trains, chickens and waves lapping, which does spoil the mood somewhat, but thankfully all the main material is re-stated in the meat of the underscore itself. There is some truly soaring music to be heard in this score; cues such as “Baarìa”, “Brindisi” and “Racconto di Una Vita” are heart-meltingly gorgeous, and showcase Morricone’s unashamedly emotional thematic writing at its very best. The music becomes wistful, almost idyllic, during “Il Corpo e la Terra” and “Un Gioco Sereno”, both of which make use of sunny, lilting guitars and playful woodwinds. Other cues are more strident; the superb “Ribellione”, “La Visita” and “Un Fiscaletto” feature another one of the wonderfully pompous marches that Morricone has written so well over the years, while “Lo Zoppo” is a punchy action cue filled with slashing, propulsive string writing, off-kilter rhythms and howling trumpets. It’s all really quite excellent, and highly recommended for those who have appreciated Morricone’s work over the years. Quite how much longer Morricone can go on is unknown; according to the Internet Movie Database, Baarìa is the 492nd project in a long and illustrious career that stretches back to 1959, and if he were to stop now he would have left one of the most indelible marks on the cinema of any composer in history. But, if after almost 500 scores and 40 years, he can still write music as beautiful and engaging as that heard in this score, I hope it never ends.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Sinfonia per Baarìa (10:59), 2. Ribellione (3:32), 3. Baarìa (2:27), 4. Il Corpo e la Terra (2:35), 5. Lo Zoppo (0:59), 6. Brindisi (3:02), 7. Un Gioco Sereno (2:16), 8. La Visita (2:47), 9. Un Fiscaletto (1:28), 10. Racconto di Una Vita (3:27), 11. La Terra (1:51), 12. Verdiano (1:48), 13. Baarìa (performed by Banda Musicale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri) (3:11), 14. Oltre (performed by Banda Musicale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri) (1:15), 15. Prima e Dopo (performed by Banda Musicale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri) (2:25), 16. I Mostri (1:58), 17. L'Allegro Virtuoso di Zampogna (2:23), 18. A Passeggio Nel Corso (2:50), 19. Il Vento, Il Mare, I Silenzi (2:23). [Image Music 0201482IMA, 53:36].
PANDORUM
MICHL BRITSCH
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The latest ‘haunted house in space’ film to play on cinema screens, after the genre was set in motion by the likes of Alien and, later, Event Horizon, Pandorum stars Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster star as a pair of astronauts who wake up from suspended animation with no memory of who they are, where they are, or what happened to the other 60, 000 passengers on their enormous space ship. Exploring the passageways of their industrial vessel, the pair quickly realizes that they are not alone on the ship, and are soon engaged in a desperate battle for survival against a deadly foe. Well received as an effective sci-fi horror, the film marks the first English-language film of German director Christian Alvart, as well as that of his regular collaborator, composer Michl Britsch, whose debut mainstream work this is. As one might expect given the subject matter, Britsch’s score is thick with heavy atmospherics and textured electronic sound design that rumbles ominously away for a good chunk of the album’s running time. The orchestral part of the score tends to mirror this style, groaning away dissonantly for a lot of the time keeping the score overwhelmed with its darkly oppressive mood. When it kicks in, some of the action writing is actually pretty decent. The second half of the opening “All That Is Left Of Us” works in a staccato string ostinato and some interesting vocal textures, and parts of “Hunting Party”, “Biolab Attack” and “Kanyma” revisit the style and build up a decent head of steam. One of the few comparatively lyrical moments comes via “Tanis Probe Broadast”, which introduces a lighter string motif and gentler rhythms. Unfortunately, many of the other cues have a rather ghastly industrial edge that makes them difficult to appreciate; cues like “Pandorum”, “Shape”, “Kulzer Complex” and the wonderfully-titled “Fucking Solidarity” have all manner of grinding rock, metal and electronic effects – including some that sound like ambulance sirens and clocks ticking – which are quite dispiriting, despite their effectiveness in context. It also doesn’t help that the score runs for nigh on 71 minutes; this much musical groaning and moaning is a lot to handle over such a long period of time. Fans of more ambient music, especially in the horror genre, may find something to appreciate here, but I found it to be a rather frustrating affair, with the score’s high points separated by far too much deathly droning.
TRACK LISTING: 1. All That Is Left Of Us (2:43), 2. Pandorum (3:58), 3. Anti Riot (4:17), 4. Shape (2:03), 5. Hunting Party (2:48), 6. Kulzer Complex (4:40), 7. Tanis Probe Broadcast (2:01), 8. Scars (2:19), 9. Fucking Solidarity (3:28), 10. Gallo's Birth (2:22), 11. Biolab Attack (2:25), 12. Kanyrna (3:21), 13. The Stars All Look Alike (4:31), 14. Boom (3:54), 15. Reactor (4:07), 16. Skin on Skin (3:21), 17. Fight Fight Fight (2:55), 18. Bower's Trip (7:50), 19. Discovery End Credits (7:55). [Königskinder Music KK-010, 70:58].
SURROGATES
RICHARD MARVIN
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Surrogates.
MAO’S LAST DANCER
CHRISTOPHER GORDON
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Mao’s Last Dancer.
A SERIOUS MAN
CARTER BURWELL
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A wry black comedy from the critically acclaimed Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel, and set in 1967, A Serious Man tells the story of an ordinary Midwestern man named Larry Gopnik, who watches helplessly as his life unravels around him: his wife Judith has left him for one of his colleagues, his feckless brother Arthur is sleeping on his couch, his son Danny is flunking out of school, one of his students is blackmailing him, and his pretty neighbor is not helping matters by continually sunbathing in the nude. It’s a typically quirky look at life, relationships, and the extraordinary situations in which everyday folks sometimes find themselves, and has been heavily tipped to be a major player at the 2009 Oscars, with lead actors Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Sari Lennick and Fred Melamed all receiving a great deal of critical acclaim. Returning for his 14th career collaboration with the Coen Brothers is composer Carter Burwell, who responded to the Coen’s film with one of his traditionally sparse and understated works. Written for a small chamber orchestra with emphasis on harp and strings, Burwell’s music is quiet, intimate, small-scale, but surprisingly tender, despite containing all the usual bass-heavy stylistics one has come to associate with his work over the years. The harp is actually the cornerstone of the score, plucking away and wandering aimlessly through the score, much like Gopnik wanders aimlessly through his life. Cues such as the opening “A Marvel”, “Green Lawns”, “Thirst”, “The Roof”, “The Mentaculus” and the conclusive “A Serious Man” pit the harp against various orchestral textures – strings here, pianos there – in an intentionally dull reflection of 1960s suburbia. It’s not especially interesting, because it’s not meant to be, but it also makes the CD soundtrack a little bit of a chore to listen to; only in the extended “A Serious Man” does Burwell allow his theme to develop any sense of scale or emotional content beyond the norm. Later, cues such as “Knock Knock”, “Uncertainty” are brief, moody atmosphere pieces, while pieces like “Good Riddance/The Canal” have a sense of urban decay through the increased use of electric guitars and a soft-rock attitude. A couple of pretty decent Jefferson Airplane songs add to the period setting, but it’s all too understated to really leave any kind of lasting impression; as such, A Serious Man will probably only appeal to fans of Burwell’s work, or of the movie itself.
TRACK LISTING: 1. A Marvel (1:16), 2. Knock Knock (0:52), 3. Green Lawns (0:51), 4. Good Riddance/The Canal (2:46), 5. Somebody to Love (performed by Jefferson Airplane) (2:58), 6. Blue Skies (0:39), 7. Rabbi Sting 1 (0:24), 8. Thirst (0:48), 9. Uncertainly (0:52), 10. The Roof (1:42), 11. Comin' Back to Me (performed by Jefferson Airplane) (5:16), 12. Rabbi Sting 2 (0:18), 13. Thinking (0:31), 14. The Mentaculus (1:21), 15. Seriously (0:20), 16. Canada (2:05), 17. Today (performed by Jefferson Airplane) (3:02), 18. Sanctum (1:05), 19. A Serious Man (2:45), 20. Dem Milner's Trern (performed by Sidor Belarsky) (3:45). [Lakeshore Records LKS-34111, 33:36].
TRICK ‘R TREAT
DOUGLAS PIPES
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Trick ‘r Treat.
ZOMBIELAND
DAVID SARDY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A raucous comedy-horror with a significant splatter factor, Zombieland stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin as the four human survivors of an apocalypse in which a Mad Cow-like disease has turned the majority of the world’s population into flesh-eating zombies. As the four brave heroes track across America, only their resourcefulness and their improvised weaponry stand between them and their being eaten by the walking undead… and hilarity ensues. The film, which has been called the American answer to Shaun of the Dead, is directed by Ruben Fleischer, and has an original score by composer and former record producer David Sardy, who first came to prominence with his Vegas jazz score for the film 21 in 2008. The score starts with an ear-splitting electric guitar rendition of the Star Spangled Banner overlaid with various electronic stingers; from this bizarre beginning, the score develops into a rather unconventional electro-rock horror score in which electric guitars and beds of synthesizers compete with sampled sound effects and the smallest hint of an orchestra in an effort to build the most peculiar cacophony imaginable. There is no real melody or thematic presence, just a set of seemingly unconnected vignettes that add a new level of disturbia to the already wacked-out movie. I actually really dislike this kind of scoring, which relies solely on ambience and texture to generate its atmosphere. Sardy’s not a composer, he’s a record producer with a very expensive set of keyboards, and it shows. Cues such as “Cardio”, “406”, “Carpush Manwich” and “Zombie in the House” are nothing more than disjointed explosions of noise, while others – such as “The Standoff”, “Escalade Sting”, “Smash the Van” – are little more than extended rock song intros, with no musical sophistication whatsoever. It wouldn’t be so bad if the score actually tried to be something other than another layer of sound effects, but the lack of ambition shown by Sardy and his director is, unfortunately, indicative of a more worrying trend in the film music world at large. It’s all quite dispiriting, really, and one which most score fans would do well to avoid.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening (2:51), 2. Cardio (2:29), 3. The Standoff (1:29), 4. Escalade Sting (0:35), 5. Hostess Truck (0:28), 6. 406 (2:10), 7. Carpush Manwich (1:41), 8. Grocery Store (2:09), 9. Marriagable (2:46), 10. Girls Abandon Guys (1:01), 11. Smash the Van (0:28), 12. Walk ‘n Talk (1:04), 13. The Yellow Hummer (0:31), 14. Clown Dump (0:41), 15. H3LP (1:33), 16. Gas ‘n Gulp (2:05), 17. The Quiet Game (1:09), 18. Zombie Kill of the Week (0:12), 19. Zombie Kimosabe (0:54), 20. Searching the Murray House (1:03), 21. Zombie in the House (0:59), 22. Monopoly (1:06), 23. Pacific Playland, Pt. 1 (2:52), 24. Pacific Playland, Pt. 2 (2:02), 25. Columbus Alone (0:30), 26. Pacific Playland, Pt. 3 (2:03), 27. Pacific Playland, Pt. 4 (4:30), 28. Estasi Dell Anima (1:54), 29. Clown (1:30), 30. Rat Scare (0:37), 31. As Close As I'll Ever Get To Home (0:56). [Relativity Records RMG 1004-1, 46:18].
AGORA
DARIO MARIANELLI
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Agora.
AN EDUCATION
PAUL ENGLISHBY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A coming-of-age drama set in England in the 1960s, An Education stars Carey Mulligan as Jenny, a precocious 16-year-old schoolgirl with a talent for playing the cello, who falls in with a crowd of socially privileged, upper class friends, who want to expose her to a richer, more fulfilling cultural life than her drab suburban life would otherwise allow. Gradually, and despite the misgivings of her staid father (Alfred Molina), Jenny falls for the suave and charismatic David (Peter Sarsgaard), who despite being twice her age, promises her a better life. However, the more Jenny finds out about David and his companions, and specifically how they make their money, the more she has to make difficult choices. The film, which is directed by Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig from Nick Hornby’s popular novel and co-stars Olivia Williams, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike and Emma Thompson, has been critically lauded on both sides of the Atlantic, and looks set to feature prominently at the 2009 Academy Awards. The film’s score is by English composer Paul Englishby, writing the second major score of his career after having spent several years as an arranger and orchestrator in the British film industry. His five tracks amount to just over 11 minutes of original score, and are mainly based in the piano and strings idiom, and play in quiet counterpoint to Jenny’s romantic adventures. “David and Jenny” features a pretty, idyllic wandering flute piece; “Waltz in the Street” has a delicately optimistic piano theme which gradually builds into a gently opulent string-and-woodwind waltz melody; the titular “An Education” is a typically carefree English piece for the full orchestra that lightly threads its way through a fluttery, optimistic main theme that is quite lovely; “Letters” is more downbeat, with a morose, occasionally quite stark piano and cello combo that adds a touch of pathos to Jenny’s troubled relationships; “Jenny’s Theme” itself is more innocent, and the central piano melody has a touch of Forrest Gump about it. Also included on the album are a couple of period-style original songs, including the seductive, jazzy “You've Got Me Wrapped Around Your Little Finger” performed by English blues singer Beth Rowley, and the smoky “Smoke Without Fire” by soulful Welsh vocalist Duffy. There are also several other cuts from the period itself, by artists as varied as Mel Tormé, Ray Charles, Brenda Lee and Billy Fury, as well as a couple of instrumentals by Percy Faith and Vince Guaraldi. It’s all very light and undemanding, richly rooted in the period in which the film is set, but a pleasant enough diversion, especially for fans of the critically acclaimed movie.
TRACK LISTING: 1. You've Got Me Wrapped Around Your Little Finger (performed by Beth Rowley) (2:58), 2. On the Rebound (performed by Floyd Cramer) (2:07), 3. Sous le Ciel de Paris (performed by Juliette Gréco) (3:19), 4. Comin' Home Baby (performed by Mel Tormé) (2:41), 5. Teen Scene (performed by Hunters) (2:04), 6. Tell the Truth (performed by Ray Charles) (3:03), 7. Sweet Nothin's (performed by Brenda Lee) (2:23), 8. Maybe Tomorrow (performed by Billy Fury) (2:12), 9. David and Jenny (1:29), 10. Sur Les Quais du Vieux Paris (performed by Juliette Gréco) (3:04), 11. Theme from A Summer Place" (performed by Percy Faith & His Orchestra) (2:22), 12. A Sunday Kind of Love (performed by Beth Rowley) (3:18), 13. Since I Fell For You (performed by Vince Guaraldi Trio) (4:21), 14. Waltz in the Street (1:22), 15. Smoke Without Fire (performed by Duffy) (4:00), 16. Your Heart Is As Black As Night (performed by Melody Gardot) (2:43), 17. An Education (3:11), 18. The Letters (3:28), 19. Jenny's Theme (1:33), 20. J'Ai Deux Amours (performed by Madeleine Peyroux) (2:58). [Decca D001341502, 54:56].
COUPLES RETREAT
A.R. RAHMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Couples Retreat is a comedy about three couples – Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman, Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis, Faizon Love and Kali Hawk – who, in order to help save the marriage of their friends Jason Bateman and Kristin Bell, agree to travel to a tropical-island resort for a vacation. Once on the island they meet the island’s patron, Sctanley (Peter Serafinowicz), who forces all the couples to engage in all manner of unusual “therapy sessions”… with hilarious results. The film is directed by Peter Billingsley, still best known for his performance as Ralphie in A Christmas Story when he was 12 years old, and has an original score by last year’s double Oscar-winner, Indian composer A.R. Rahman. For him to choose a throwaway romantic comedy like Couples Retreat as his first mainstream Hollywood feature might seem a little peculiar, but it’s actually not that much of a stretch. Throughout his career in India Rahman has mixed scoring serious dramas and action films with comedies and musicals, and he’s simply expanded his repertoire to include mainstream American films. It also helps tremendously that parts of Couples Retreat are genuinely lovely. The tour-de-force cue is the “Jason & Cynthia Suite”, an emotional, full-orchestral piece that any Hollywood composer would be proud to call their own. Building from intimate acoustic guitars, it gradually swells and grows into a wonderful, spine-tingling romantic celebration of love and life, and dispels entirely the notion that Rahman is a one-trick pony, and finally shows American audiences why he is so revered and in demand in his homeland. The rest of the score similarly impresses; “Tour of the Villas” restates the lush part of the love theme with a bubbling tropical percussion undercurrent and a wholly unexpected erhu solo, “The Waterfall” gives the main theme a shimmering, enticing gloss; “Jason and Cynthia Piano Theme” has a sensitive solo piano, cello and oboe recapitulation; and the conclusive “Animal Spirits” is a toe-tapping, hand-clapping, wholly intoxicating calypso celebration. As if that were not enough, “Itinerary” adopts an almost mock-Russian aspect with its waltz-time seriousness, “Undress” revisits the striking sounds of India with which Rahman is most associated; “Sharks” has the choppy string writing reminiscent of John Williams in the score’s one action cue; and the various cues which feature the mysterious Marcel (“Meeting Marcel”, the superb “Intervention”) make use of throat singers, exotic woodwinds, dark and tumultuous string writing, and generally oppressive atmosphere. Even the songs are really good; “Sajna”, the opening track, features a lovely performance by R&B vocalist P.J Morton and a dream-like texture clearly modeled on Latika’s theme from Slundog Millionaire; “Kurukuru Kan” is a similarly exotic, yet soothing African jam with an Indian lilt; and “Na Na” is a reggae-inflected good time sunshine song reminiscent of artists such as Pato Banton or Shaggy. It’s impossible to overstate how impressive this score really is, and anyone who figured Rahman to be a Santaolalla-style flash in the pan unworthy of his Oscar would do well to seek this out and see what kind of music he is actually capable of writing.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Sajna (performed by P.J. Morton) (3:40), 2. Kurukuru Kan [Afro Nisha] (performed by A.R. Rahman) (2:52), 3. Jason & Cynthia Suite (5:13), 4. Na Na (performed A.R. Rahman, Vivian Chaix, A.R. Ameen, Clinton Cerejo and Dominic Cerejo) (3:01), 5. Tour of the Villas (2:55), 6. Meeting Marcel (3:30), 7. Itinerary (3:18), 8. Undress (1:33), 9. Sharks (2:48), 10. Luau (performed by John O'Brien) (3:30), 11. Salvadore (performed by Kailash Kher and Vijay Prakash) (2:24), 12. Intervention (2:44), 13. The Waterfall (1:22), 14. Jason & Cynthia Piano Theme (2:31), 15. Animal Spirits (3:34). [Relativity Records 500131, 45:09].
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN
BRIAN TYLER
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Law Abiding Citizen.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
CARTER BURWELL
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A children’s fantasy based on author Maurice Sendak’s well-loved, but long-considered un-filmable novel from 1963, Where the Wild Things Are is a fable about a disobedient young boy named Max who, after an argument with his mother, creates his own fantasy world inhabited by giant, ferocious creatures who crown him king. Directed by Spike Jonze, the creator of such imaginative films as Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, the film has a superb voice cast (James Gandolfini, Catherine O’Hara, Forest Whitaker) supporting child actor Max Records, and features original music by composer Carter Burwell and songwriter Karen Orzolek, better known as Karen O alongside her band, The Kids. The widely-available song soundtrack features 13 original songs by Karen which are all very pleasant. Burwell’s score was released on a different album, and comprises just 26 minutes of original music, including one cue – “Lost Fur” – which also appears on the song CD. As is often the case with Burwell’s music, it has a sparse, under-orchestrated sound, in this case comprising a small string section, standup bass, a small woodwind section, guitars, piano, harp, synths, and various twinkly percussion instruments to give the score a fantastical feel. The familiar chord progressions, harmonies and heavy bass that are present in almost all Burwell scores are again present here, but where Where the Wild Things Are differs is in its increased sense of childlike innocence. Cues like the aforementioned “Lost Fur”, “This is Your World” and “I’m Done” are simple, appealing guitar, woodwind and piano combos with a jazzy, soothing aspect, while others such as “Sailing” and “Taming” have a magical feeling, mainly through Burwell’s use of shimmering chimes, undulating cello lines and occasional breathy, scatty vocals. One or two cues raise the roof – “Max Joins” has a playful tempo and more ebullient guitar writing, while “Dirt Clod Fight” features children whooping and hollering over the top of an upbeat, raucous rock piece – and occasionally the thematic writing has a vague Irish, or Northern European lilt, like his scores for Fargo or Miller’s Crossing, but not as pronounced as either of those works. Nevertheless, it allows the score to develop a slightly different tone, illustrating that – in Max’s world – he is very far from home. Despite all this, and true to form, I still find myself unable to truly warm to Burwell’s music, which remains emotionally aloof and just too arsty-quirky for my taste. Like a great deal of Burwell’s music, it’s all just a little too sterile, a little too clinical, a little too detached for me to truly connect with it, and despite its critical success won’t get much replay value here.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Lost Fur (1:09), 2. Sailing (2:14), 3. Follow the Fires (2:54), 4. Max Joins (0:59), 5. When You Have A Problem (1:31), 6. Taming (3:09), 7. This Is Your World (2:06), 8. Dirt Clod Fight (3:26), 9. I'm Done (0:37), 10. Carol's Dark Night (2:45), 11. Lost Fur Reprise (1:16), 12. We Love You So (4:40). [DGC/Interscope, 26:46].
AMELIA
GABRIEL YARED
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Amelia.
ASTRO BOY
JOHN OTTMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. An animated action adventure based on the classic 1950s Japanese cartoon series, which was itself loosely based on the Pinocchio story, Astro Boy tells the story of a robot child who is created by a genius scientist named Dr. Tenma after Tenma’s son is killed in an industrial accident. However, having been rejected by his family, Astro embarks on a planetary voyage of discovery, and uses his incredible powers to become a world famous super-hero when an alien race threatens Earth. Alongside an impressive voice cast that includes Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Charlize Theron, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland and Nathan Lane, director David Bowers sought out composer John Ottman to write the film’s original score. By far the strongest part of Astro Boy is its main theme. In the “Opening Theme” is builds from a soft, cooing choir, into a brassy, swashbuckling piece for the full orchestra which is tremendously fun and maddeningly infectious. It appears frequently throughout the score, forming the centerpieces of excellent cues such as “Astro Fles!”, “Toby’s Destiny” the rollicking “Saving Metro City”, and soaring “Theme from Astro Boy”. Tonally, Ottman’s score is similar to the music John Powell provides for similar genre films, although whereas Powell’s work tends to be quite haphazard, Ottman’s cues tend to be longer and allow for more thematic development, which is very pleasing. There is more than a hint of Carl Stalling in some of the whirligig orchestrations, with rambunctious rhythms and expressive timbres, although to Ottman’s credit he never really strays too far into the world of Mickey Mousing. These are tempered by some rousing, John Williams-inspired heroic interludes, and even a touch of Miklós Rózsa pageantry in “Reluctant Warrior” which is thoroughly entertaining. Some darker material involving male voice choirs and more dissonant orchestral performance appears in “Start It Up” and “Egg on Hamegg”, the full-on action music in the likes of “Final Sacrifice” is loud and engaging, while the occasional electronic enhancements in cues such as “Blue Core Pursuit” gives the score a nostalgic, appropriately cheesy space-age ambience. There’s even some dirty-sounding Raymond Scott-style jazz in “One of Us” which adds further to the score’s retro feel. Astro Boy is one of the most impressive, purely enjoyable Ottman scores for quite some time; the performances by the London Symphony Orchestra are superb, the themes are strong and memorable, and the simple, straightforward, heroic emotions are a great deal of fun.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening Theme (2:06), 2. Astro Flies! (3:14), 3. Start It Up (3:57), 4. Morning Lessons (1:50), 5. Blue Core Pursuit (3:58), 6. Designing Toby (4:48), 7. I Don't Want You (1:22), 8. One of Us/Meeting Trashcan (2:29), 9. I Love Robots/Hamegg's Story (2:21), 10. The RRF/New Friends (2:58), 11. Reviving Zog (1:59), 12. Reluctant Warrior (4:43), 13. Cora's Call (2:27), 14. Undercover Robots (0:51), 15. Egg on Hamegg (3:29), 16. Toby's Destiny (4:31), 17. Saving Metro City (3:47), 18. Final Sacrifice (2:47), 19. Robot Humanity (3:23), 20. Theme from Astro Boy (4:34), 21. Bonus Track: Robots Are Our Friends Infomercial (written by John Ottman & Kristopher Gee) (1:27). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6989, 63:01].
POPE JOAN (DIE PÄPSTIN)
MARCEL BARSOTTI
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Pope Joan.
THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT
STEPHEN TRASK
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Another film cashing in on the currently de rigeur vampire craze, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is directed by Paul Weitz and stars Chris Massoglia as a young boy named Darren, who meets a mysterious man named Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly) at a travelling freak show, who is revealed to be a vampire. After his best friend Steve (Josh Hutcherson) is bitten by Crepsley’s poisonous spider, Darren makes a deal with Crepsley: if he saves his friend’s life, he will leave his hometown and join the Cirque du Freak as an apprentice vampire. The music for The Vampire’s Assistant is by young American composer Stephen Trask, whose prior experience includes working on films such as Dreamgirls, In Good Company and The Station Agent, but who has never tackled a score of this size and scope before. While certainly impressive in terms of the orchestral forces in play, Trask’s score suffers from a distinct lack of a unique personality. Each cue seems to have developed independently of all the others, and as a result there is very little cohesion in terms of the overall score structure beyond the nature of the instrumental palette itself. Part of Trask’s brief seems to have been to reflect modern urban teenage life as well apart from the supernatural elements, which has resulted in cues such as “College! Job! Family!”, which have a sprightly rhythmic content and a clear Thomas Newman/American Beauty vibe. There are also several cues which feature prominent guitar performances, notably “You Can’t Just Leave”, once again alluding to the rock music sensibilities of the lead characters. Having said that, several cues do contain some quite impressive material. The opening “The Vampire’s Assistant” has an urgent tempo, a gothic atmosphere, and some powerful brass writing reminiscent of Elliot Goldenthal’s Interview With the Vampire. The action music in cues such as in “Octa Escapes”, “Graveyard” and “The Vampaneze Attack” are lively and full of kinetic energy, often making use of xylophone and other light percussion items to keep the tempo frisky. One or two cues feature a wailing female vocalist playing off brooding orchestral chords, notably “Destiny”, “Sneaking Out”, “Book of Souls”, “Limousine” and “I Have Returned”, giving the Cirque du Freak itself an exotic, gypsy-like flavor. Cues such as “What I Was Meant For” have a low-key, unsettling piano motif that is pretty in itself, but through its setting adopts a sinister, aged romantic tone. The conclusion, in “Blood Brother Reunion” and the epic, stirring “The War Begins” revisits the Goldenthal-style action material from the opening cue, and represents some of the most powerful and enjoyable music on the CD. In many ways, The Vampire’s Assistant is frustrating mixed bag. Parts of it are generally quite impressive and enjoyable, and it’s good to see Stephen Trask being given projects which require this much musical meat, but it never quite lives up to the potential of the source material, as has too much ‘anonymousness’ to be truly engaging.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Whistle Song (1:38), 2. The Vampire's Assistant (2:46), 3. College! Job! Family! (1:15), 4. Destiny (1:30), 5. Sneaking Out (1:34), 6. The Show: Welcome/The Wolfman/Dance of the Bearded Lady/Octa's Jig (3:43), 7. Obsessed (1:43), 8. Book of Souls (0:50), 9. What I Was Meant For (2:54), 10. Limousine (2:58), 11. Octa Escapes (2:49), 12. The Vampire's Bargain (3:13), 13. You Held Your Breath, Right? (0:49), 14. You Can't Just Leave (3:24), 15. Graveyard (2:52), 16. The Cirque du Freak (1:53), 17. I Have Returned (1:02), 18. Not Drinking Blood? (2:46), 19. New Pants (1:15), 20. Rooftop (2:05), 21. Blood Will Have Blood (2:01), 22. Headache for Nothing (1:09), 23. The Vampaneze Attack (4:44), 24. Don't Go Home/Little Vampire (3:56), 25. Blood Brother Reunion (2:40), 26. The War Begins (9:24), 27. Vampire Bird (3:27). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6990, 70:20].
THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL
JEFF GRACE
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A chilling horror movie from writer/director Ti West, The House of the Devil stars Jocelin Donahue as Samantha, a teenage college student who takes on babysitting jobs to earn a bit of extra cash. When she is hired by the Ulman family (Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov) on the night of a lunar eclipse, Samantha’s part time job quickly becomes a living nightmare after she learns that she is to be the victim of a satanic ritual. The music for The House of the Devil is by up-and-coming composer Jeff Grace, who scored West’s previous films Trigger Man and The Roost, both of which were also released on the MovieScore Media label. Much like the film itself, Grace’s score is a nostalgic throwback to the early-80s heyday of the ‘teenager in peril’ horror genre, albeit with a very classy, classical feel. Written for a chamber-sized orchestra with emphasis on icy-pretty strings and piano, Grace’s score revels in a sense of morbid, gothic beauty, unsettling the listener with quiet, intimate orchestral lines that elicit a sense of disquieting tension through subtle shifts in key, instrumental phrasing, or the inclusion of atonal chords under the melody. Cues such as “Family Photos” and “Meeting Mr. Ulman” expertly raise the anxiety levels to almost unbearable heights, despite being occasionally rather attractive. There is some gloriously dark and sinister dissonant writing in “Mother”, “Chalice” and “Lights Out”, a cacophony of screeching strings, snarling brasses and tumultuous percussion writing – perfect for Satanism! – before returning to the attractively sinister thematic writing in the conclusive “The House of the Devil”. This double-header album also features 12 cues from Grace’s score for director Graham Reznick’s 2008 horror/mystery I Can See You, about three young advertizing execs who venture into the woods for a photo shoot, and never come out. It’s a very different kind of score, heavy on electronics and percussion writing (“Today in New York City”, “Doug Escapes”), heavy on distorted pianos, violins, and other general dissonance (“Pitch Meeting”, “Looking for Doug and Summer”, “The Cliff”), and more interested in ambient synth tones than memorable melody (“Summer Day”), but it certainly highlights Grace’s versatility. When taken together, both these scores clearly indicate that Jeff Grace is a composer of considerable talent, especially in the horror genre, and who has a bright future ahead of him.
TRACK LISTING: THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL: 1. Opening (1:10), 2. Family Photos (2:24), 3. The View Upstairs (1:45), 4. Original Inhabitants (3:05), 5. Meeting Mr. Ulman (1:12), 6. Keep the Change (1:12), 7. Footsteps (1:27), 8. Mother (3:07), 9. Chalice (0:51), 10. On the Run (3:45), 11. Lights Out (3:04), 12. He's Calling You (1:50), 13. The House of the Devil (5:49), 14. Mrs. Ulman (2:04). I CAN SEE YOU: 15. Today in New York City (2:24), 16. Pitch Meeting (2:53), 17. Summer Day (6:22), 18. Looking for Doug and Summer (1:35), 19. Doug Returns (1:26), 20. Doug Escapes (1:28), 21. Where Are You Now? (2:59), 22. The Cliff (4:05), 23. Evening Fog (1:59), 24. I Can See You (0:57), 25. Swimming Hole (4:24), 26. Passing Trees (1:11). [MovieScore Media MMS-09026, 64:28].
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
ALAN SILVESTRI
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of A Christmas Carol.
THE FOURTH KIND
ATLI ÖRVARSSON
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A terrifying supernatural horror film supposedly based on true events, The Fourth Kind stars Milla Jovovich, Will Patton and Elias Koteas, and is set in the isolated fishing community of Nome, Alaska, where over the course of the last 40 years there have been multiple reported cases of alleged possession, alien abduction, supposed murders, and government conspiracies to keep the story quiet. While the ‘factual basis’ of director Olatunde Osunsanmi’s film remains questionable, the film has frightened a good number of cinematic audiences across the world; contributing enormously to this is Icelandic composer Atli Örvarsson’s original score. Written for a small orchestra judiciously augmented by various electronics, percussion items and unsettling vocal effects, The Fourth Kind is an effectively unnerving score that is often as cold as the Alaskan tundra in which the film is set. The opening of “Flight to Nome” is a chilly, haunting piece for strings, electronics and ghostly vocals that sets the tone for the horrors to come; the, insistent urgent string rhythms in the cue’s second half continue through “Owolowa”, adding a level of palpable apprehension, and the darkly dramatic brass theme which appears at the end of that cue is an album highlight. Explosions of frighteningly vicious dissonance occur in “Hypnosis” and “They’re Not From Here”, cues which are not easy to listen to or enjoy, but which provide the score with the palpable sense of terror the film requires. These are tempered by more lyrical moments of piano-led thematic writing, such as that found in “Ashley”, or recapitulations of the evocative choral work, in cues such as “Completely Surreal” the excellent “Torn Apart” (which becomes a strident action cue during its later stages), or the conclusive pair “Northern Lights” and “Conclusion”, which somehow manage to successfully achieve the right balance between relief and anxiety. Nothing about The Fourth Kind is groundbreaking, or even especially original, but it’s a solid, enjoyable horror score, and it is to Örvarsson’s credit that his music remains emotionally effective and texturally interesting throughout, especially when you consider the general dearth of good, modernistic horror writing that exists in Hollywood today.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Flight to Nome (3:09), 2. Owolowa (3:58), 3. Hypnosis (2:45), 4. The Owl (2:53), 5. Ashley (1:40), 6. Completely Surreal (3:58), 7. They're Not from Here (2:46), 8. The Fourth Kind (2:45), 9. Torn Apart (4:31), 10. Abduction (4:27), 11. Northern Lights (4:06), 12. Conclusion (2:41). [Varèse Sarabande VSD-6995, 39:39].
THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS
ROLFE KENT
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Contrary to popular belief, The Men Who Stare At Goats is not a film about the life story of my good friend and esteemed colleague James Southall; instead, it is a comedy-drama about the US government’s experiments in psychic warfare. Directed by George Clooney’s longtime writing partner Grant Heslov, it stars Ewan McGregor as Bob Wilton, a reporter in Iraq who thinks he may have uncovered the story of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady (Clooney) a slightly deranged former US army officer who claims to have been part of a top-secret project to equip the military with soldiers capable of paranormal powers. With a quirky supporting cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey and Robert Patrick, The Men Who Stare At Goats has all the right credentials to become a cult hit; along for the ride is composer Rolfe Kent. Kent’s score mirrors the slightly surreal, eccentric tone of the film, flitting from style to style, but always remaining on the quirky side of things. In “Opening Titles: A Run At the Wall”, “Cloudbursting on the Road”, “Escaping the Kidnappers” he is in pseudo-spy caper mode, with bass flutes, jazzy string writing and ‘sneaking around’ music leading the way; in the similar-sounding “Hitching a Ride/We Are Jedi” Kent makes use of a solo vocalist intoning nonsense words on the top of the music, which raises the eccentricity levels up a notch further. Cues such as “From Ann Arbor to War”, “Bill's Speech/A New Kind of Warrior” and “There is No Mission?/The Goat Lab” have a clear Thomas Newman/American Beauty vibe, with marimbas and guitars, sprightly rhythmic writing, and an occasional jazzy overtone that is often reminiscent of Kent’s score for Sideways. Some of the more sensitive, pathos-driven moments feature delicate pianos and strumming guitars, such as in “Without Bill the Jedi Changed”, while the lush “Oasis”, “Jedi Prayer” ans “Releasing the Goats” have a more conventional symphonic sweep which is very satisfying. In addition, as one might expect given the film’s geographical setting, a lot of the music has an intangible Middle Eastern quality, either through certain woodwind phrasings, the use of ethnic percussion, or particular chord progressions. Tracks such as “The Echmaer Technique” (which also uses the sounds of knives being sharpened!), “A Night at Mahmoud’s” and “Desert Ride” are the best examples of this kind of writing. It’s all very light and undemanding, but also a little generic, which ultimately makes the score rather forgettable. The story itself is so unconventional that creating an overarching musical mood was always going to be difficult, so instead Kent treated the film as a series of comedy vignettes, which works in context, but never fully transfers over to a cohesive listening experience.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Opening Titles: A Run At the Wall (1:24), 2. From Ann Arbor to War (2:05), 3. Lyn Shows the New Earth Army Manual/Bill's Epiphany (2:05), 4. Bill's Speech/A New Kind of Warrior (1:40), 5. Cloudbursting on the Road (0:52), 6. Hitching a Ride/We Are Jedi (2:43), 7. Dolce (1:05), 8. The Echmaer Technique (0:54), 9. Escaping the Kidnappers (1:18), 10. Gas Station Shootout (2:27), 11. A Night at Mahmoud's (1:52), 12. Without Bill the Jedi Changed (0:53), 13. Desert Ride (1:52), 14. There is No Mission?/The Goat Lab (1:16), 15. Lyn Stares at the Goat (1:06), 16. Oasis (1:15), 17. The Base, and Bill (1:31), 18. Do You Believe in Redemption? (0:47), 19. Jedi Prayer (0:58), 20. LSD in the Water (1:31), 21. Releasing the Goats (4:08), 22. Writing the Story (0:44). [ABKCO B-002-TVOCTI, 34:26].
2012
HARALD KLOSER and THOMAS WANDER
Review by Jonathan Broxton. The disaster movie to end all disaster movies, 2012 is an apocalyptic action adventure directed by Roland Emmerich who, not content with destroying New York twice in Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow, or destroying most of the United States in Independence Day, has now gone one better and destroyed the entire world. The film is based on the old legend of the highly accurate calendars created by the ancient Mayan civilization which ‘ran out’ in the year 2012, causing some to believe that they predicted the end of the world, and stars John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton and Oliver Platt as the men and women caught up in the global cataclysm. 2012 marks the second instance of composer Harald Kloser also being responsible for the film’s screenplay after his debut work 10, 000 BC last year. Naturally, he also writes the film’s score, with assistance from his regular collaborator, fellow Austrian Thomas Wander (who changed his surname from Wanker, for obvious reasons). Given the nature of the film, one would expect 2012 to be a monumental, apocalyptic action score of the highest order. In fact the right raw materials are in place - large orchestra, choir, appropriate electronic enhancements, large cinematic canvas on which to paint – but it’s actually an enormous disappointment. The problem with 2012 is the sheer lack of imagination; it’s just so predictable and so characterless as to be stupefying. It wants to be heroic, wants to be stirring, wants to be epic, but ends up sounding like a bad parody of itself. It’s patriotic wallpaper covering the cracks in the film, hoping no-one will notice how bland it is, because it’s loud and fast and tonally pleasant and manages to find the chord progressions that push the right emotional buttons of the audience. Even the action cues – “Spirit of Santa Monica”, “Run Daddy Run”, “Leaving Las Vegas”, “Saving Caesar” and others - which are normally a mainstay of scores like this seem by-the-numbers, as of they were written by a piece of software called EpikSkore101 rather than a living, breathing composer. To be fair, some of the cues do contain some attractive (if, again, staggeringly generic) moments, notably the choral parts of “Ashes in D.C.”, “Nampan Plateau”, “Open the Gates” or “2012: The End of the World”, but these moments are few and far between. Ironically, the most entertaining track on the album is actually the superb modern rock song “Time for Miracles”, written by former Eleven members Alain Johannes and the late Natasha Shneider, and performed by American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert. If that doesn’t tell you something, nothing does.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Time for Miracles (performed by Adam Lambert) (4:43), 2. Constellation (1:30), 3. Wisconsin (1:14), 4. U.S. Army (2:20), 5. Ready to Rumble (1:42), 6. Spirit of Santa Monica (1:21), 7. It Ain't the End of the World (performed by George Segal and Blu Mankuma) (2:52), 8. Great Kid (2:17), 9. Finding Charlie (1:45), 10. Run Daddy Run (1:14), 11. Stepping Into the Darkness (1:35), 12. Leaving Las Vegas (1:44), 13. Ashes in D.C. (4:19), 14. We Are Taking the Bentley (3:43), 15. Nampan Plateau (2:51), 16. Saving Caesar (2:09), 17. Adrian's Speech (1:42), 18. Open the Gates! (2:16), 19. The Impact (1:49), 20. Suicide Mission (2:06), 21. 2012: The End of the World (1:24), 22. Collision with Mount Everest (1:09), 23. The End is Only the Beginning (5:44), 24. Fades Like a Photograph (performed by Filter) (4:19). [RCA Records 88697-61243-2, 57:48].
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Fantastic Mr. Fox.
BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS
MARK ISHAM
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Despite being nominally based on the massively controversial Harvey Keitel movie from 1992, this new version of Bad Lieutenant has virtually nothing in common with its predecessor. Directed by Werner Herzog, it stars Nicolas Cage as a drug-and-gambling addicted New York detective named Terrence McDonagh, who travels to a post-Katrina New Orleans to help solve the murders of five Senegalese immigrants. With an eccentric supporting cast that includes Val Kilmer, Eva Mendes, Fairuza Balk, Xzibit and Brad Dourif, the film was barely released in theaters in America, scraping a paltry $1.3 million at the box office. The score for the film is by the talented and versatile Mark Isham. His music is rooted in the moody, jazzy noir sound that has permeated much of his work in the crime genre throughout the years, and prominently features a solo trumpet, his signature calling card. Cues such as the opening “Trolling”, “Lonely Terrance” and “Snake in Water” reflect The Big Easy’s gritty underbelly through the use of low, ominous strings and metallic percussion, while the trumpet reflects the city’s established association with jazz music while acting as a sober leitmotif for the lieutenant himself. Other cues, such as “Scene of the Crime”, “Stake-Out” and “More Prowling”, are livelier, with smart rhythms and tinkling cimbaloms that occasionally adopt an almost comical air, while still retaining the general sense of danger lurking in the shadows. Once in a while Isham turns the mood on its head, using identical orchestrations in a different setting to elicit a darker, more threatening mood, such as in “Alligator and Boots” and the excellent “Drugs and the Spider Web”; these cues are very effective indeed. Although it doesn’t have the swagger of The Cooler or the out-and-out brilliance of something like The Black Dahlia, there’s still plenty of good stuff to be found here, especially for fans of Isham’s crime thriller scores, and it’s a shame it has not been released. An 8-minute suite of music from the film was created especially for fans by Isham himself, and is available for download via his website; this full score promo was released through his agency for awards consideration purposes.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Trolling (3:46), 2. Scene of the Crime (2:51), 3. Meet Big Fate (1:46), 4. In the Crib (1:50), 5. Lonely Terrace (1:24), 6. Alligator and Boots (2:50), 7. Snake in Water (3:57), 8. Stake-Out (1:43), 9. More Prowling (2;24), 10. Silver Spoon (1:34), 11. Interrogation (1:30), 12. Searching for Daryl (1:38), 13. Drugs and the Spider Web (3:10), 14. Bad Dave (4:17), 15. Bad Lieutenant – End Credits (2:19). [Promo, 36:59].
NEW MOON
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of New Moon.
RED CLIFF
TARÔ IWASHIRO
Review by Jonathan Broxton. An epic historical Chinese action-adventure directed by the legendary John Woo, Red Cliff stars Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen and Zhao Wei and, with an estimated budget of US$80 million, is the most expensive Chinese ever made. It tells – on an enormous scale - the essentially true story of the fall of the Han dynasty at the end of the second century AD; specifically, it follows the machinations of different political leaders and military strategists from various ancient Chinese kingdoms, all of whom want to inherit the power that would come with the unification of the country in the aftermath of enormous Battle of Red Cliff, in which a million soldiers fought. Having spent millions on lavish costumes, staggering production design, and a literal cast of thousand, Woo chose Japanese composer Tarô Iwashiro to compose his film’s sprawling score. Despite having written music for over 40 films since making his debut in 1992, Iwashiro is virtually unknown in the west; having heard his music for Red Cliff, this could all change very soon. Anyone familiar with the Western-style music of composers such as Tan Dun or Shigeru Umebayashi will understand what Red Cliff sounds like; huge orchestra, sweeping themes, a large helping of traditional Chinese instruments alongside the western symphony, and a rather ‘old fashioned’ feel which, ironically, makes the music actually sound fresh and vital when compared to more electronic modern scores. The opening theme, “The Battle of Red Cliff”, is dignified and heroic, and its tonalities form the cornerstone of the rest of the score, which is just as dignified and heroic throughout. Some of Iwashiro’s action writing is superb, often making use of aggressive war drums and heraldic brass phrases to rouse the troops into action. Cues such as “On the Battlefield”, “Shooooot!”, “Closing in Upon the Enemy” and “Beyond the River” are excellent pieces full of driving rhythms and trumpet fanfares that are very impressive indeed; elsewhere, “Decision for Justice” features a clever heraldic brass triplet, keeping time under the rest of the music. At the other end of the scale, cues such as the beautiful “Light of the Evanescence” have a more romantic, tender, noble sweep, with lilting strings and harp glissandi; the increased brass presence in the otherwise similar “Shadow of the Evanescence” is simply outstanding; the prominent woodwinds in “Precious One” give the score a much needed moment of gentleness and intimacy; the interplay between oboe, harp and strings during “In Loneliness” is simply delightful. There is also a nimble scherzo in “Secret Stratagem”, which dances through the orchestra with lightness and energy, underpinned by woodblocks and other tapped percussion items, contributing further to the sprightliness of the piece. Even the two Chinese-language songs at the end, performed by Tibetan singer Alan (who is female), are really lovely. This is a very impressive international debut score by Iwashiro, which will undoubtedly appeal to anyone who likes their film music on the larger, thematic side, especially when it has an Oriental flavor.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The Battle of Red Cliff (3:05), 2. On the Battlefield (8:43), 3. Light of the Evanescence (2:32), 4. Shadow of the Evanescence (2:26), 5. Shooooot! (1:43), 6. Decision for Justice (3:58), 7. Secret Stratagem (1:51), 8. Closing in Upon the Enemy (4:13), 9. Unseen Locus (3:01), 10. Precious One (5:22), 11. Sound of Heartstrings (1:35), 12. In Loneliness (5:35), 13. Beyond the River (4:19), 14. Red Cliff (End Roll Version)/Theme Song of Part I [Asia Version] (performed by Alan) (7:12), 15. Outroduction of Legend (5:16), 16. Red Cliff – River of No Return(End Roll Version)/Theme Song of Part II (performed by Alan) (3:32). [Silva Screen SILCD-1296, 64:23].
NINJA ASSASSIN
ILAN ESHKERI
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A martial arts action adventure directed by James McTeigue (the director of V for Vendetta), Ninja Assassin follows the fortunes of a young man named Raizo who, having been trained as a ninja since he was a small boy, grows up to be one of the deadliest assassins in the world. However, when his Master orders the murder of Raizo’s best friend, he turns his back on the clan that raised him; suffering a crisis of conscience, he teams up with a beautiful Interpol agent intend on bringing the ninjas to justice. The film stars Raine, Naomie Harris, Randall Duk Kim and Rick Yune, and has an original score by English composer Ilan Eshkeri, the former protégé of the late great Michael Kamen who has been making a name for himself in recent years off the back of projects such as Hannibal Rising and Stardust. On Ninja Assassin, Eshkeri has clearly tried to tap into the urban zeitgeist, and then tried to marry that musical sound with the synthesized action stylings of Hans Zimmer and his associates; he was not entirely successful, although some of the score is enjoyable in a brainless crowd-pleasing kind of way. Much of the music has a relentless, pounding nature, with electric guitars and synthesizers intoning persistent rhythms over the dense orchestral base. After the meandering opening cue, “Ninja Assassin”, Eshkeri lays it on thick in “Training”, which combines synth power anthems with taiko-style drumming in a way that is actually quite impressive. He really goes for broke in later cues, notably “Escape from Safehouse”, “Soldiers Attack”, and the never-ending “Raizo vs. Ozuno/Freedom”, which are cacophonies of noise, rhythm and energy, again featuring all manner of throbbing guitars, electronic pulses, and orchestral stabs. It’s breathless stuff, and certainly generates plenty of volume, but subtlety is not one of its strong points. To reflect the eastern inflections of the score, Eshkeri occasionally adds a brief flutter from a wood flute, or a tinkling samisen, or another oriental instrument, but these are mere accents, and never really make any kind of impression on the music. The album concludes with a set of songs from artists as varied as The Human League, David Bowie and hip-hop superstar Xzibit, some of which are decent, some of which are hideous. I’ll leave you to make up your mind which are which. If you like your music loud, violent, and unremitting – basically, the aural equivalent of shots of adrenaline directly into your cochlea – then Ninja Assassin could well be the perfect score to wake you up in the morning. Otherwise… well, lets just say that you might need some aspirin aftwerwards.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Ninja Assassin (6:17), 2. Training (6:35), 3. Kiriko Runs (2:26), 4. Mika's Apartment (4:43), 5. First Kill (1:26), 6. Skyscraper Rain (3:24), 7. Escape From Safehouse (6:30), 8. Healing (5:14), 9. Soldiers Attack (3:15), 10. Raizo vs. Ozuno/Freedom (7:09), 11. Being Boiled (performed by The Human League) (4:17), 12. Helden (performed by David Bowie) (6:03), 13. Shazam! (performed by Spiderbait) (2:06), 14. The MC Remix (performed by Ryuzo) (3:56), 15. Legacy (performed by Raekwon featuring Xzibit & Murs) (3:45). [iTunes Digital Download, 67:06].
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
RANDY NEWMAN
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of The Princess and the Frog.
THE ROAD
NICK CAVE and WARREN ELLIS
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A harrowing post-apocalyptic drama based on the acclaimed novel by Cormac McCarthy, The Road stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as an unnamed father and son desperately trying to survive in a North America ravaged by the aftermath of nuclear war, avoiding gangs of lawless cannibalistic killers, seeking shelter from desperately cold weather conditions, and constantly pushing south in search of food, and other survivors. Director John Hillcoat’s bleak film is a meditation on life, on the retention of humanity in the face of desperation, and the lengths to which people will go to protect their families. For the music, Hillcoat once again turned to songwriter and musician Nick Cave and violinist Warren Ellis, who worked on Hillcoat’s previous films The Proposition and To Have and To Hold. Like the film itself, Cave’s music is desolate and unforgiving, a bleak and dour musical depiction of a bleak and dour world. His score is mainly string based, with textures here and there for woodwinds, piano and, oddly, a tinkling celesta-type instrument that occasionally creeps into the mix, giving the score a child-like feeling. The majority of the score is thematically limited, and is instead content to present a series of ambient, almost droning orchestral textures, although there are one or two cues that stand out. “The Road” is a restrained, minimalist piano piece overlaid by a yearning solo violin that seems to lamenting the loss of the world, and acts as the score’s main recurring thematic element. Variations on this style of writing appear later in cues such as “The Real Thing” and “The Far Road”. Later, cues such as “The Cannibals”, “The House”, the nervous, rhythmic “The Journey”, and the horrific “The Cellar” are filled with eerie electronic loops, thumping percussion, string-based dissonance and disturbing sound design elements that recall Jonny Greenwood’s work on There Will Be Blood, and successfully depict the horror of the cannibal gangs that the father and son must avoid. The few moments of additional warmth come in cues such as “The Mother”, “Memory”, the surprisingly lovely “The Church”, and the conclusive “The Beach”, which incorporate hesitantly tender cello solos, gently sweet piano melodies and a less harsh aspect. However, even in cues such as these, the respite is fleeting; Cave knows that his protagonists are living in a hellish environment, and the music doesn’t allow them to rest for long. This isn’t a score which will appeal to score fans who enjoy tender, lyrical music; although the melodic core is always there, Cave intentionally makes a lot of his music cold, distant, unapproachable, and a little on the harsh side. While this suits the film to a tee, and although I liked it a lot, it doesn’t make for easy listening.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Home (2:04), 2. The Road (3:40), 3. Storytime (2:25), 4. The Cannibals (2:04), 5. Water and Ash (1:30), 6. The Mother (2:46), 7. The Real Thing (2:32), 8. Memory (3:42), 9. The House (3:16), 10. The Far Road (2:45), 11. The Church (1:34), 12. The Journey (4;14), 13. The Cellar (1:08), 14. The Bath (2:31), 15. The Family (3:41), 16. The Beach (3:45), 17. The Boy (3:11). [Mute Records 5099960770325, 46:47].
ARMORED
JOHN MURPHY
Review by Jonathan Broxton. An action thriller directed by Nimród Antal and starring Matt Dillon, Jean Reno and Laurence Fishburne, Armored is a story about a guard for an armored truck company who is coerced by his veteran co-workers to steal a truck containing $42 million, with deadly consequences. The score for the film is by British composer John Murphy, whose stock in Hollywood continues to rise off the back of successful films such as Guess Who, 28 Days Later and this year’s Last House on the Left. Murphy’s music is a workmanlike modern urban thriller score, filled with electronic grooves and synth pulses, atop a standard string orchestra to humanize the sound. The opening “Morning” is actually quite good, with a recurring three-note string motif overlaid by sexy electronic tones that set the scene well, especially when it comes back in later cues like “Warehouse” and the conclusive “The End”. Urban rock and hip-hop rhythms dominate much of the rest of the score, with “Ty’s Decision”, “Ty Saves the Cop” and others having a sense of swaggering cool about them. The action music, in cues such as “Armored Truck Chase”, “Fake Heist”, “Black Van” and “Ty Runs”, is one step removed from the familiar Remote Control sound, combining relentless rhythms and rock guitars with a propulsive beat to keep the energy levels high. It’s certainly not as obnoxious as it could have been, but still could leave the unwary with a headache. And so it goes… the tone of the score doesn’t really change much from cue to cue, with Murphy emphasizing the urban setting and grittiness of the story throughout the score’s 40 minute running time. I’m sure it’s very effective in context, and in many ways it doesn’t make a bad listening experience, mainly because of Murphy’s insistence on remaining tonally centered throughout; thankfully, he never goes down the very easy ‘sound effects as music’ road that often plagues scores like this, and always keeps his score melodic, even when it moves into the hardest of its rock/electronica moments. It also helps that I don’t mind listening to rock instrumentals anyway, but I can certainly see where this will only appeal to a small section of the soundtrack-buying public.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Morning (3:11), 2. Armored Truck Chase (2:38), 3. Ty's Decision (3:29), 4. Fake Heist (1:37), 5. Getting Cover (2:42), 6. Ty Saves the Cop (2:16), 7. Federal Reserve (2:27), 8. Work (1:36), 9. Black Van (1:50), 10. Warehouse (2:04), 11. Stashing the Cash (1:09), 12. Get the Kid Outta the Truck (3:18), 13. Ty Escapes (2:09), 14. Killing Dobbs (3:06), 15. Booby Trap (1:38), 16. Ty Runs (2:20), 17. The End (3:21). [La-La Land Records LLLCD-1122, 40:59].
BROTHERS
THOMAS NEWMAN
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Brothers is the latest film from acclaimed director Jim Sheridan, whose previous efforts include My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father. A remake of film director Susanne Bier's 2004 Danish film Brødre, it stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire as brothers Sam and Tommy Cahill; Tommy is in jail for robbery, Sam is a United States marine serving in Afghanistan. When Sam’s helicopter is shot down in action, everyone presumes him to be dead, and Sam’s wife Grace (Natalie Portman) turns to the recently-released Tommy for comfort in grief. Gradually, Tommy and Grace form a new relationship… only for their lives to be shattered when a very-much alive Sam returns home, having survived the helicopter crash and spent months in the hands of Afghan militants. The score for Brothers is by Thomas Newman, his only work of 2009, and like much of his recent work goes down the ambient, modernistic path rather than the symphonic stylings that his fans enjoy so much. To be fair, a big score would not have suited a film like this; the synths, guitars, and light metallic percussion effects ground the film in a modern setting, and give the story the gritty, edgy sound that director Sheridan needed to make his film believable. Regrettably, this makes the score as a listening experience a little dull, with very few cues rising out of the realm of ‘ambient textures’ and into anything more interesting. The opening “Homecoming” presents the film’s nominal main theme, a series of moody electric guitar chords augmented by brooding synth chords, setting the scene for the dramatic nature of the film to come, and which are repeated later in the “Main Title” and the conclusive “What Happened?”. Cues such as “Bad News”, “Uncle Tommy”, “Ice Skating” and “Snowman” do have a more lively aspect, and while still reliant on electric guitars and Hammond organs, do at least offer some down-home rock/country grooves which are fun to hear. Unfortunately, the majority of the remaining cues are little more than exercises in rhythm and texture, with synth percussion and eerie electronic sound effects taking precedence, creating a sense of tension and drama for the Afghanistan scenes, and the subsequent pressures between the siblings. As much as I understand the way Thomas Newman works, and why these scores sound the way they do, I can’t help missing the other Thomas Newman, who writes filled with melody and passion and emotion. Sit this one on the shelf alongside the likes of In the Bedroom, Little Children, Towelhead and Revolutionary Road, in a pile marked ‘appropriate for the film, but ineffective away from it’.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Homecoming (1:50), 2. Bad News (1:01), 3. Uncle Tommy (2:41), 4. Afghanistan (1:23), 5. In The Hole (0:41), 6. Sold (1:27), 7. Ice Skating (1:02), 8. Not Another Word (0:53), 9. Brothers (Main Title) (1:59), 10. No Value (1:49), 11. The Pipe (2:42), 12. Snowman (0:48), 13. Night Graves (1:05), 14. War Hero (0:49), 15. What Happened? (4:43). [Relativity Media, 24:53].
CRACKS
JAVIER NAVARRETE
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A British drama based on the novel by Sheila Kohler and directed by Jordan Scott, Cracks is a coming-of-age tale about a group of girls attending an elite boarding school in England in the 1930s; an established clique of girls idolize their enigmatic swimming instructor, Miss G (Eva Green), but the long-established order is upset following the arrival at school of a beautiful Spanish girl named Fiamma (Maria Valverde), who piques Miss G's interest, and arouses tensions and feelings of jealousy in the other girls. The score for Cracks is by Spanish composer Javier Navarrete, who received a great deal of critical acclaim and an Oscar-nomination for his score for Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006. Navarrete’s music for Cracks is very classical, almost to the point of being old-fashioned. Written almost entirely for a string orchestra, woodwinds and piano, it paints a picture of the school’s boarding school as somewhere out of touch with reality, an idyllic fantasyland where the girls play, safe from the world at large. It’s also very English-sounding, in that intangible way, such that one can imagine a composer such as Patrick Doyle, or Rachel Portman, or George Fenton having written the score. Fiamma, the tragic Spanish girl at the center of film’s story, has her own theme, a slightly withdrawn waltz-like theme for pianos that is pretty, in a sad sort of way, and eventually grows to encompass a sweeping, albeit rather foreboding, string accompaniment. Cues such as “Lustful Thoughts”, “Radfield Sets the Standard”, “Midnight Swim” are exquisite, with dancing pianos and light, effervescent woodwind accents that create an atmosphere of carefree, youthful idyll. There is some darker material too, as the green-eyed monster of jealousy raises its head, and cues such “Stories of Africa”, “It Is Not Forever” and “Out of Bounds” reflect this, emphasizing more dramatic and sonorous viola and cello writing, but in no way losing the overall beauty of the piece. Other moments of note include the prancing pizzicato strings in “The New Girl”, which are so insubstantial one fears they might break; the cascading, lilting violin performances in “The Sultan and the Diamond”, which are subtly exotic; and the almost subliminal electronic accompaniment in “Jealousy”, which reminds me of Maurice Jarre’s score for Dead Poets Society, and adds a level of disquiet to the score. Cracks is a truly lovely score, and comes highly recommended, although I would extend a word of caution to those who like a little more pizzazz in their film music, as for the duration of its length it does tend to present a very consistent ambience, with very little variation in tone, pacing or instrumentation.
TRACK LISTING: 1. The School (1:09), 2. Lustful Thoughts (2:20), 3. The New Girl (1:19), 4. Fiamma's Theme (3:51), 5. Radfield Sets the Standard (1:39), 6. Fascination (3:06), 7. The Sultan and the Diamond (2:29), 8. Midnight Swim (2:09), 9. Suspicion (1:34), 10. School Photograph (1:02), 11. Stories of Africa (1:13), 12. Still Water (1:14), 13. It Is Not Forever (2:24), 14. Cracks (1:43), 15. Here Be Monsters (1:27), 16. Across the Ocean (1:44), 17. Fiamma's Return (1:32), 18. To Dive Is to Fly (1:49), 19. No Promises (1:56), 20. Jealousy (1:24), 21. St. Agnes Eve (2:06), 22. Gypsy Dance (1:49), 23. Seduction (2:19), 24. Desperation (2:11), 25. Ruin (2:11), 26. Out of Bounds (2:43), 27. Forever (2:49), 28. Open Water (4:43). [Varese Sarabande VSD-6993, 57:55].
EVERYBODY’S FINE
DARIO MARIANELLI
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Everybody’s Fine is a rather belated English-language remake of director Giuseppe Tornatore’s classic 1990 Italian film Stanno Tutti Bene, which was scored by Ennio Morricone; this new version is directed by Kirk Jones and stars Robert De Niro who, having been recently widowed, decides to make up for lost time and sets off on a road trip intending to re-connect with his estranged children Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell. Dario Marianelli’s score for Everybody’s Fine adopts a similarly whimsical tone to its illustrious predecessor, with light woodwind, piano, string and guitar writing to accompany Frank on his journey of self-discovery and reconciliation. Cues such as “Frank's Journey Begins” and “Telephone Poles” are warm, pleasant and pretty, with softly romantic orchestrations and a light, agreeable tone; the delicate woodwind writing in “Leaving New York” is also quite delightful. Cues such as “Trains” and “Hole in One” are slightly perkier variations on the same set of orchestrations, playing up the comedic aspects of the story a little more vibrantly, while cues such as “You Will Become an Artist”, “Why Did You All Lie to Me?” and the touching “A Hospital Visit” are slightly more dramatic and melancholy, often making use of a subtle synth tone under the acoustic instruments to create an almost subliminal mood of sad reflection. Once in a while Marianelli even uses a solo child’s voice to add another layer of thoughtful pathos so the music. The prominent emotional content of the score rises slightly towards the end, beginning in “Some Nightmares”, and reaches its zenith in the lovely finale of “David’s Painting” and “Christmas Together”. In the bigger scheme of Dario Marianelli’s career Everybody’s Fine is a lightweight, throwaway score, with nowhere near the orchestral sophistication or thematic strength of scores such as V for Vendetta, The Brothers Grimm, Pride & Prejudice, Agora or Atonement; nevertheless, it’s still a charming 34-minute diversion that makes for pleasant listening, and is an ideal example of Marianelli’s softer, more lyrical side.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Frank's Journey Begins (1:51), 2. Trains (1:05), 3. You Will Become an Artist (2:07), 4. Leaving New York (1:50), 5. Hole in One (0:52), 6. Telephone Poles (3:08), 7. Robert's Rehearsal (3:33), 8. Some Nightmares (3:29), 9. Why Did You All Lie to Me? (4:22), 10. A Hospital Visit (3:48), 11. David's Painting (5:54), 12. Christmas Together (2:08). [Varese Sarabande VSD-6999, 34:07].
UP IN THE AIR
ROLFE KENT
Review by Jonathan Broxton. Up in the Air is the latest film from writer/director Jason Reitman, whose previous films included Thank You For Smoking and Juno. It’s a comedy-drama starring George Clooney as a business executive who spends half his life travelling around the country; he lives out of a suitcase, eating at airport cafeterias, allowing him the freedom to never make a commitment. However, just as a corporate re-shuffling threatens to end his nomadic lifestyle and tie him to a desk, he meets and falls in love with a fellow frequent traveler in the shape of the comely Vera Farmiga. In addition to boasting Awards-caliber performances from Clooney, Farmiga, and supporting actors Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman and Sam Elliott, the film has an eclectic soundtrack which makes use of many contemporary pop and rock songs alongside an original score by Rolfe Kent. Kent’s contribution to the album is limited to just two tracks: “Security Ballet” and “Lost in Detroit”, amounting to just 3 minutes of score. The music is quite rhythmic and funky. “Security Ballet” has all manner of shakers and percussion items, and bubbly/gurgly, almost tribal effects, alluding to the fact that making your way through airport security these days is akin to making your way through hostile territory; “Lost in Detroit” replaces percussion with an acoustic guitar, plucked bass, cello and synth drones, again in more rhythmic than thematic style. It’s all very inconsequential, with no real meat on its bones, and although the film itself is likely to contain more music, score fans will find little to appeal to their musical sensibilities on the album. The songs are all decent enough, and generally tend to be in the guitar-driven folk rock and soft rock idiom; anything by Crosby Stills & Nash is always a decent listen, and the soft, moody instrumentals by San Francisco-based musician Charles Atlas are also pretty good in an easy-listening sort of way.
TRACK LISTING: 1. This Land Is Your Land (performed by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings) (4:28), 2. Security Ballet (1:31), 3. Goin' Home (performed by Dan Auerbach) (4:54), 4. Taken At All (performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) (2:56), 5. Angel in the Show (performed by Elliott Smith) (2:36), 6. Help Yourself Sad (performed by Brad Smith) (3:23), 7. Genova (performed by Charles Atlas) (7:36), 8. Lost in Detroit (1:36), 9. Thank You Lord (performed by Roy Buchanan) (2:26), 10. Be Yourself (performed by Graham Nash) (2:58), 11. The Snow Before Us (performed by Charles Atlas) (3:13), 12. Up in the Air (performed by Kevin Renick) (5:29). [Warner Bros, Time].
INVICTUS
KYLE EASTWOOD and MICHAEL STEVENS
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A true life drama directed by Clint Eastwood, Invictus tells the story of the country of South Africa, and its emergence from of social, political and sporting exile imposed on it during the Apartheid years, which was lifted following the release from jail of Nelson Mandela in 1990. Specifically, it tells the parallel stories of Mandela’s first years as president of the newly-democratic South Africa, and the South African rugby union team’s victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was seen as turning point in the modern history of the nation. The film stars Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon as South African team captain François Pienaar, and is scored by Eastwood’s son Kyle Eastwood and his regular musical partner Michael Stevens. Like most of the scores for Eastwood movies, the music is low-key and understated, with emphasis on piano and soft strings; the opening “Invictus Theme” has a soft, melodious refrain for jazz trumpets, the melody of which bears a coincidental but unfortunate resemblance to the popular opera stanza ‘O Sole Mio’. Most cues feature subtle drums, tribal rhythms and chanting vocal effects to give a splash local color to the orchestral palette, such as in “Siyalinda”, the softly appealing “Thanda”, the slightly more unnerving “Enquena”, and the uplifting “Ukunqoba”. Probably the most conventionally attractive piece is the warm and uplifting “Madiba’s Theme” (Madiba is the Zulu name for Mandela himself), which provides Mandela with a dignified, hopeful musical accompaniment which is entirely appropriate. In addition to Eastwood and Stevens’ score there are also several tracks performed by South African boy band Overtone in collaboration with vocalist Yollandi Nortjie. “9,000 Days” is based on the main Invictus theme and is wonderful; a soothing, emotional piece with a jazzy, bluesy feel and obvious literary allusions, the latter coming from its use of the original William Earnest Henley poem from which the film draws its title. The song “Colorblind” is also very good in a middle-of-the-road kind of the way, and could well receive Oscar attention. Some of the other songs highlight the group’s a cappella talent and lovely vocal harmonies, notably their rendition of the South African national anthem “Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika”. It’s all quite pleasant really, an easy-listening album with subtle African inflections which is never going to set the world on fire, but is respectful of its subject matter and appropriate in its tone. By far the best score of young Eastwood’s career to date.
TRACK LISTING: 1. 9,000 Days (performed by Overtone with Yollandi Nortjie) (3:14), 2. Invictus Theme (4:09), 3. Colorblind (performed by Overtone) (3:24), 4. Siyalinda [The Waiting] (2:28), 5. World in Union ‘95 (performed by Overtone with Yollandi Nortjie) (3:50), 6. Madiba's Theme (1:17), 7. Hamba Nathi (performed by Overtone with Yollandi Nortjie) (1:35), 8. Thanda [Love] (2:08), 9. Shosholoza (performed by Overtone with Yollandi Nortjie) (3:30), 10. Inkathi [Time] (2:34), 11. Olé Olé Olé - We Are the Champions (performed by Overtone with Yollandi Nortjie) (2:06), 12. Enqena [Anxious] (0:59), 13. The South African National Anthem (performed by Overtone) (1:57), 14. Ukunqoba [To Conquer] (2:32), 15. Victory (performed by the Soweto String Quartet) (4:01), 16. Xolela [Forgiveness] (1:54), 17. The Crossing [Osiyeza] (performed by Overtone with Yollandi Nortjie) (2:18), 18. 9,000 Days [Acoustic Version] (performed by Emile Welman) (3:13). [New Line Records/Watertower Music, 47:09].
THE LOVELY BONES
BRIAN ENO
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A supernatural drama based on the massively popular novel by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones tells the story of a teenage girl named Susie in 1970s suburban America who, after being brutally raped and murdered, watches from heaven as her family and friends go on with their lives, and tries to help her family solve her murder, while she herself comes to terms with her own death. The film is directed by Peter Jackson, and stars Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz as Susie’s parents, Susan Sarandon as Susie's grandmother, Stanley Tucci as murderous pedophile George Harvey, and Saoirse Ronan as Susie herself. The score for The Lovely Bones is by the groundbreaking British musician and producer Brian Eno, who has worked extensively over the years with artists as varied as Talking Head, David Bowie and U2, but whose work in film has been quite limited. As the acknowledged creator of and pioneer in ‘ambient music’, Eno’s score is, of course, ambient. The eight unnamed cues on this promo CD are actually very attractive in a low-key, understated way, and make excellent use of a small, intimate ensemble that includes a reduced-size string orchestra, acoustic guitars, pianos, subtle synths, light metallic percussion, and distant-sounding themes that create an atmosphere of stillness and calm. The solo piano motif in the second, sixth and seventh tracks are quite lovely, but change to become more threatening and ominous in the third, most likely to represent the omnipresent danger presented by George Harvey throughout the course of the film. The fourth track has a hazy, dream-like texture, which is quite appropriate for the subject matter, while the conclusive eighth track repeats the main melody with an insistent pop-like undercurrent beat that adds a sense of relief, resolution and closure to the score. All in all, it’s very impressive indeed, and clearly indicates why Eno is generally considered a pioneer in this style of music; the pleasant ambient textures are very relaxing, and the otherworldly tone of the score is very appealing indeed, which is saying something for someone who easily finds this style of writing to be somewhat dull. The score for The Lovely Bones has not been released commercially; this short 15-minute promo score was produced by Eno and his agents for awards consideration purposes only.
TRACK LISTING: 8 Unnamed Cues [Promo, 14:40].
A SINGLE MAN
ABEL KORZENIOWSKI
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A Single Man is based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood, and marks the directorial debut of writer/director and former fashion designer Tom Ford. Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, it tells the story of a British college professor George (Colin Firth) who, following the death of his long-time homosexual partner, struggles to find meaning in his life. The film is already a critical success, with Colin Firth tipped to receive his first Academy Award nomination for his performance, and has also seen recognition for the score by 37-year-old Polish composer Abel Korzeniowski, who received a Golden Globe nomination for his work. Korzeniowski’s score is best described as a combination of the string-based classicism of Michael Nyman and the minimalism of Philip Glass, albeit with much more beautiful themes and a warmer, more inviting tone than either men usually produce. By far the most notable piece is the lush and opulent second cue, “Drowning”, which opens with a mesmerizing harp glissando, before launching into a glorious waltz theme, full of rich harmonies, dancing violins, and velvety cello chords that are simply magnificent. Later, cues such as the graceful “The Stillness of Mind”, “Snow”, “Daydreams”, the joyous “Swimming”, the unbearably poignant “And Just Like That”, the expressive “Sunset”, and the stark, rhythmic “Clock Tick” feature some truly wonderful string writing, often prominently featuring gorgeous cellos, and are based around repeated motivic cells of recurring material, over which the main solo instrumental melody is laid. It’s an enticing, thoroughly engrossing sound, which is technically minimalist, but reaches far beyond the staid sterility that some minimalist pieces can have. Other cues, notably “Becoming George”, “Mescaline” and “Going Somewhere”, replace the strings with a lilting piano line to equally positive effect, although more often than not the piano is not meant to be romantic, but to be somewhat more introspective. In addition to Korzeniowski’s score, the album also features three cues from Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi, best known to audiences in the west for his score to House of Flying Daggers in 2004. Umebayashi’s main contributions are beautiful “George’s Waltz” cues, delicate pieces full of weeping violins and a stately, refined air. His other major contribution, the cue “Carlos”, is no less beautiful, and features another sumptuous cello performance that simply shines. The album is rounded out by several source music cuts from artists as varied as Etta James, Booker T. & The MG's and even an opera track from Catalani’s La Wally performed by Miriam Gauci, all of which are fine, but this is all about the score. With this score, and the animated sci-fi film Battle for Terra earlier in the year, Abel Korzeniowski has announced himself to the film music world in the loudest possible voice, and I can’t wait to hear what he does next.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Stillness of the Mind (3:54), 2. Drowning (1:48), 3. Snow (1:15), 4. Becoming George (3:51), 5. George's Waltz I (written by Shigeru Umebayashi) (1:40), 6. Daydreams (2:16), 7. Mescaline (3:10), 8. Going Somewhere (1:59), 9. A Variation on Scotty Tails Madeline (written by Shigeru Umebayashi) (1:52), 10. Carlos (written by Shigeru Umebayashi) (1:01), 11. La Wally (performed by Miriam Gauci) (3:29), 12. Stormy Weather (performed by Etta James) (3:10), 13. Green Onions (performed by Booker T. & The MG's) (2:54), 14. Blue Moon (performed by Jo Stafford) (4:39), 15. Swimming (1:39), 16. And Just Like That (4:53), 17. George's Waltz II (written by Shigeru Umebayashi) (3:18), 18. Sunset (2:59), 19. Clock Tick (2:07). [Relativity Media, 51:54].
AVATAR
JAMES HORNER
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Avatar.
NINE
MAURY YESTON
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A big-screen version of Maury Yeston’s classic 1982 Broadway musical, Nine tells the story of a celebrated Italian movie director, Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis), who despite enjoying unparalled success in his work, is nevertheless suffering from a mid-life crisis; as such, he seeks solace in the company of a multitude of very different women: his wife Luisa (Marion Cotillard), his mistress Carla (Penelope Cruz), producer Liliane (Judi Dench), film star Claudia (Nicole Kidman), fashion journalist Stephanie (Kate Hudson), prostitute Saraghina (Stacy Ferguson), and even his mother (Sophia Loren). The story is loosely based on Italian auteur Federico Fellini’s semi-autobiographical film 8½, and is directed by Rob Marshall, who previously directed the screen version of Chicago, and Memoirs of a Geisha. Each cue is a bravura performance by the actors in question; there is very little thematic overlap between the songs, and as such each effectively a standalone piece, but each of them is very strong. After a sweeping orchestral and wordless vocal introduction in “Overture Delle Donne”, Lewis takes over in “Guido’s Song”, a jaunty, humorous reflection of a man unsure of his place in the world. Penelope Cruz is sassy and seductive and not wearing any clothes in “A Call from the Vatican”. Judi Dench espouses the delights of old fashioned Parisian music hall with full-throated gusto in “Folies Bergère”. Black Eyed Peas star Fergie shows her impressive vocal talent in the forceful and florid “Be Italian”. Marion Cotillard fills Luisa’s first song, “My Husband Makes Movies”, with a sense of resignation and a rising bitterness at her husband’s infidelities, before eventually cracking in the brilliant, emotionally devastating “Take It All”. Kate Hudson’s song “Cinema Italiano” was created especially for the movie, and does not appear in the Broadway show; it’s the most recognizable element of the film, and is sung by Hudson with an infectious salsa-flavored 1960s retro pop feel, espousing as it does the iconography and chic of Italian cinema from the period. It will be nominated for an Oscar. Sophia Loren adds a touch of the worldly wise to her tender lullaby “Guarda la Luna”, and Nicole Kidman is calm and intimate and vocally precise in the lovely “Unusual Way”. The minimal score for the film is by Italian composer Andrea Guerra, but none of his music appears on the accompanying soundtrack. Really, unless you’re a fan of Broadway or modern musical theater in general, then Nine is unlikely to appeal to many score fans; personally, however, I like a bit of musical camp and pizzazz every now and again, and as such I thought it was eccellente.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Overture Delle Donne (4:07), 2. Guido's Song (performed by Daniel Day-Lewis) (3:41), 3. A Call from the Vatican (performed by Penelope Cruz) (3:40), 4. Folies Bergère (performed by Judi Dench) (4:42), 5. Be Italian (performed by Fergie) (4:12), 6. My Husband Makes Movies (performed by Marion Cotillard) (4:48), 7. Cinema Italiano (performed by Kate Hudson) (3:13), 8. Guarda la Luna (performed by Sophia Loren) (3:10), 9. Unusual Way (performed by Nicole Kidman) (3:26), 10. Take It All (performed by Marion Cotillard) (3:03), 11. I Can't Make This Movie (performed by Daniel Day-Lewis) (2:11), 12. Finale (3:35), 13. Bonus Track: Quando Quando Quando (performed by Fergie) (3:15), 14. Bonus Track: Io Baci, Tu Baci (performed by The Noisettes) (3:24), 15. Bonus Track: Cinema Italiano [Ron Fair Remix] (performed by Kate Hudson) (3:25), 16. Bonus Track: Unusual Way (performed by Griffith Frank) (3:42). [Geffen Records, 57:35].
THE YOUNG VICTORIA
ILAN ESHKERI
Review by Jonathan Broxton. A British costume drama directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, The Young Victoria tells the story of the early life of the soon-to-be Queen Victoria, who ruled Britain for 63 years from 1837 until 1901, and enjoyed a great life-long love with her consort, Prince Albert. Emily Blunt plays Victoria as a young romantic, deeply in love with Albert (Rupert Friend), both before and after her accession to the throne. The film, which was co-produced by Martin Scorsese and Sarah Ferguson (formerly the Duchess of York), features a plethora of British senior actors in supporting roles, including Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Paul Bettany, Mark Strong and Julian Glover, has rich and opulent production design and costumes, and has a strong score by British composer Ilan Eshkeri. As one might expect given the nature of the film, the score is very classical, very regal, very English, and very romantic; it’s also very beautiful in parts, especially in the sequences which depict the budding relationship between Victoria and her handsome German prince. Several cues are direct adaptations of classical standards. The opening cue, “Childhood”, features a stirring performance of the traditional British coronation anthem, Handel’s Zadok the Priest, and “The King’s Birthday” adapts several classic Strauss waltzes into an Edwardian party mix, while other cues intentionally invoke the stylistics and melodic strength of Antonin Dvorák, Henry Purcell, as well as a direct reference to Franz Schubert’s “Swan Song” in the cue of the same name. Eshkeri’s main contributions are the two themes for the central personas, “Go to England, Make Her Smile” and “Down the Stairs”. The two characters are defined by two specific instruments: shimmering harps for Victoria, and elegant pianos for Albert; at the beginning of the score they play in separation, eventually drawing together in a series of delightful duets to illustrate the couple’s courtship and marriage; the sunny and idyllic “Honeymoon” and the conclusive “Victoria and Albert” are perfect examples of this. The music is gorgeous, and in addition to the main instruments makes wonderful use of tender strings, deftly textured woodwind performances, and just the tiniest hint of brass. Cues such as “Albert Returns”, “Archery”, “Letters from Victoria”, “Letters from Albert”, the stunning “Marriage Proposal” and the emotional “Assassin” are beautifully romantic, while later cues such as “Lord Melbourne” are lively pastiches of the classical style, and further highlight Eshkeri’s talent for opulent thematic beauty. Only in “Riot” does Eshkeri attempt anything a little more vigorous, adding a more urgent percussion element to slightly more frantic string writing. The song at the end, “Only You”, performed with ethereal intimacy by Irish vocalist Sinéad O'Connor, is based on the main theme for Victoria, and is simply lovely, easily one of the best songs of the year. The Young Victoria really is the absolute antithesis of Eshkeri’s other 2009 score, Ninja Assassin, and as much as the two scores highlight the composer’s versatility and talent across multiple genres and styles, I much prefer the music heard here.
TRACK LISTING: 1. Childhood (3:09), 2. Go to England, Make Her Smile (Alfred's Theme) (1:08), 3. Down the Stairs (Victoria's Theme) (0:57), 4. The King's Birthday (6:00), 5. Swan Song (2:27), 6. The King is Dead (3:07), 7. Buckingham Palace (1:07), 8. Lord Melbourne (1:07), 9. Albert Returns (1:56), 10. Archery (1:19), 11. The First Waltz (1:45), 12. Rainy Gazebo (1:59), 13. Letters from Victoria (1:18), 14. Constitutional Crisis (2:20), 15. Riot (1:38), 16. Letters from Albert (1:19), 17. Marriage Proposal (3:56), 18. Honeymoon (2:18), 19. Assassin (4:03), 20. Victoria and Albert (3:33), 21. Only You (Love Theme from The Young Victoria) (performed by Sinéad O'Connor) (5:18). [EMI 696-7622, 51:44].
THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS
MYCHAEL DANNA and JEFF DANNA
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
SHERLOCK HOLMES
HANS ZIMMER
Click here for Jonathan Broxton’s review of Sherlock Holmes.
SCORES WE HEARD BUT DID NOT REVIEW
- Film Scores
- $9.99 – Christopher Bowen
- ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKUEL – David Newman
- AMUSEMENT – Marco Beltrami
- BATTLE FOR TERRA – Abel Korzeniowski
- BEHIND ENEMY LINES: COLOMBIA – Joseph Conlan
- BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT – David Shire
- BODYGUARD: A NEW BEGINNING – Stuart Hancock
- THE BOOK OF KELLS – Bruno Coulais
- THE BOYS ARE BACK – Hal Lindes
- BROTHERS AT WAR – Lee Holdridge
- BRÜNO – Erran Baron Cohen
- CHILDREN OF THE CORN – Jonathan Elias and Nathaniel Morgan
- CLIVE BARKER’S BOOK OF BLOOD – Guy Farley
- COCO CHANEL & IGOR STRAVINSKY - Gabriel Yared
- CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC – James Newton Howard
- THE COUNTESS – Julie Delpy
- DE L'AUTRE CÔTÉ DU LIT – Éric Neveux
- DEUSYNLIGE - Johan Söderqvist
- DESERT FLOWER – Martin Todsharow
- THE DEVIL'S TOMB – Bill Brown
- EARTH DAYS – Michael Giacchino
- ECHELON CONSPIRACY – Bobby Tahouri
- EFFI BRIEST – Johan Söderqvist
- FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING – Ben Mink
- FRANKLYN – Joby Talbot
- THE GENE GENERATION – Scott Glasgow
- GRACE – Austin Wintory
- HACHIKO: A DOG’S STORY – Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
- HENRY MAY LONG – Max Richter
- HILDE – Martin Todsharow
- THE HILLS RUN RED – Frederik Wiedmann
- THE HURT LOCKER – Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
- I LOVE YOU BETH COOPER – Christophe Beck
- I LOVE YOU, MAN – Theodore Shapiro
- I SELL THE DEAD – Jeff Grace
- IMAGO MORTIS – Zacarías M. de la Riva
- IN THE ELECTRIC MIST – Marco Beltrami
- IT’S COMPLICATED – Heitor Pereira and Hans Zimmer
- KILLSHOT – Klaus Badelt
- KNIFE EDGE – Guy Farley
- LA PREMIÈRE ÉTOILE – Erwann Kermorvant
- L’AFFAIRE FAREWELL – Clint Mansell
- LAID TO REST - Deadbox
- THE LAST STATION – Sergei Yevtushenko
- L’ARMEE DU CRIME – Alexandre Desplat
- LE BAL DES ACTRICES – Gabriel Yared
- LE HÉRISSON – Gabriel Yared
- LE PETIT NICOLAS – Klaus Badelt
- LIFE IN ONE DAY – Johan Hoogewijs
- LOVE HAPPENS – Christopher Young
- LUCKY LUKE – Bruno Coulais
- MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY – Austin Wintory
- MARIA, IHM SCHMECKT’S NICHT! – Niki Reiser
- MY LIFE IN RUINS – David Newman
- MY ONE AND ONLY – Mark Isham
- NEW IN TOWN – John Swihart
- NO-DO – Alfons Conde
- PERSÉCUTION – Éric Neveux
- POST GRAD – Christophe Beck
- SAMMEN - Johan Söderqvist
- SCOOBY-DOO: THE MYSTERY BEGINS – David Newman
- THE SOLOIST – Dario Marianelli
- SOLOMON KANE – Klaus Badelt
- A TALE OF ULULU’S WONDERFUL FOREST – Joe Hisaishi
- TANNÖD - Johan Söderqvist
- TRIANGLE - Christian Henson
- UNDER THE SEA 3D – Micky Erbe and Maribeth Solomon
- UNDERGROUND – Stuart Hancock
- VANVITTIG FORELSKET - Johan Söderqvist
- WELCOME – Nicola Piovani
- Television Scores
- BEST: HIS MOTHER’S SON – Daniel Pemberton
- BREAKING THE MOULD – Benjamin Wallfisch
- CAPRICA – Bear McCreary
- EMMA – Samuel Sim
- GREY GARDENS – Rachel Portman
- OCCUPATION – Daniel Pemberton
- THE PRISONER – Rupert Gregson-Williams
- TAKING CHANCE – Marcelo Zarvos
- TRUE BLOOD – Nathan Barr
- UN VILLAGE FRANÇAIS – Éric Neveux
- Game Scores
- DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS – Inon Zur
- HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE – James Hannigan
- NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN – Chris Tilton
- WOLFENSTEIN – Bill Brown
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