CD Reviews: Insomnia and The Scorpion King and The Missing
Insomnia *** 1/2
DAVID JULYAN
Varèse Sarabande VSD 6357
18 tracks - 57:06
David Julyan's third collaboration with director Christopher Nolan (after
Following and Memento) is another exercise in haunting slow-burning
tension. The Al Pacino/Robin Williams psychological crime thriller noir
certainly called for something broody and bleak, and the composer delivers
a string-laden symphony of dread.
Sitting somewhere between Cape Fear and Vertigo, Insomnia's
debts to Herrmann are never in doubt, but Julyan's compositions are respectful
of and complementary to Benny's canon of Hitchcock soundtracks, rather
than straight homage or rip-off a la Pino Donaggio's Brian de Palma work.
The slow deliberate strings of "Opening Titles/ Blood drips" drag us
into the gloom, counterpoised by a separate volley of more frantic strings.
"Kay's Theme" develops from a bank of ethereal sounds to a simple echoing
piano melody, while "Kay's Bag" makes a transition from Badalamenti-style
underscore to full flourishes from the strings. Oh, and dig that fantastic
use of the drums on "Fog," pounding its way through the synthy soundscape.
The standout track is "Walter's Lake House" (at 5:47 it's also the longest
on the album), a full-blooded piece that builds up from the slow strings
and then drags in the secondary themes, drops back to quiet percussion
and finishes on a note of unresolved dread. "Closing Titles" is the obligatory
medley, fusing the preceding tracks and reminding us of the quality of
the lush work Julyan has delivered.
Julyan fans will be pleased that this is an all-score album, unlike
the Memento soundtrack that featured "music for an inspired by"
and had its running time bolstered by not entirely relevant pop tracks.
This is a worthy successor to Memento, but be aware that the track
listings do give away key plot points. -- Nick Joy
The Scorpion King ***
JOHN DEBNEY
Varèse Sarabande 302 066 368 2
14 tracks - 39:57
John Debney's score for The Scorpion King is a lot like the film
itself. It's big, it's bold, and it doesn't have a whole lot of depth,
but it's still well executed and delivers good, honest fun. The first track,
titled "Boo!" makes extensive use of power chords and heavy metal riffs
(fairly unusual in an orchestral score, though you do hear electric guitars
more often in concert music nowadays). After the heart-thumping, percussion-driven
main title, the metal makes a brief reappearance before vanishing almost
entirely in favor of the sweeping musical melodrama that wouldn't sound
out of place in a Conan film.
Debney, whose recent projects include The Princess Diaries and
The Emperor's New Groove, tends to score films that are big in scope,
where his brightly tinted, broadly stroked themes can be used to best effect.
The Scorpion King score in particular is like John Williams on steroids.
This is especially evident in the standout cut "Balthazar Arrives," which
includes a ton of bold brass motives and vocal support from the Hollywood
Film Chorale, along with many shifts in direction that still manage to
maintain a consistent mood. The track's a little over three minutes long,
but it feels longer because there's so much writing packed in. This material
accompanies the climax of the film, a massive nighttime sword-and-sorcery
set piece that takes place in the streets of an ancient city, and Debney
follows the action well. The following and final track, "The Scorpion King,"
boasts a sweetly romantic melody that remains firmly within the epic sphere.
One might argue that Debney doesn't break any molds with this score
-- and in doing so one would basically be right. But, there's no question
that if you're in a receptive mood, The Scorpion King is an enjoyable
flick, and Debney's score an appropriate match and enjoyable listen.
-- Genevieve Williams
The Missing ***
BRUCE SMEATON
One M One 1024
12 tracks - 41:17
The Missing is a thriller about a priest who heads into the mystical
underbelly of the Australian outback in search of his missing daughter.
If you didn't know otherwise, Bruce Smeaton's score would have you thinking
that the film is more a grand and elaborate ghost story than a personal
trek. I can't say how this music actually works to picture, but a cursory
glance at Australian reviews reveal that the music's eclecticism may be
in turns rewarding and frustratingly intrusive. Divorced from the film,
the score is worth a listen.
Smeaton's style has a definite European flavor, particularly that of
Richard Rodney Bennett and Nino Rota (and their work on '70s Agatha Christie
films). There's a marked quasi-Baroque feel to much of the string writing.
Throughout the album, the main thematic idea provides something to anchor
the listener and offers nice contrast with the fascinating aleatoric outbursts
in tracks like "Nightmare and Visions." Other highlights include the "Opening
Titles," where a theremin teams with an organ, and "A Killing Ground,"
a truncated orchestral scherzo.
The Missing recalls some of the best orchestral writing of the
1970s while adding contemporary ideas and strange combinations of instruments.
It's not often one finds a score that makes fluent use of everything from
full orchestra to theremin, and piano to didgeridoo. This album is a fine
representation of Smeaton's work, alternating between the slower, sometimes
dissonant but often gorgeous thematic materials and the more exciting action
cues. The beautiful waltz, "Dancing on the Sand," is a fine take on the
form, in the same league as the great waltz from Murder on the Orient
Express. In fact, if you are a fan of that score, you're sure to appreciate
The Missing. This would also make a fine companion to Percepto's
The Changeling, released earlier this year. You can order The
Missing at: http://www.1m1.com.au -- Steven A. Kennedy
MailBag@filmscoremonthly.com
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