This is another entry in my Complete Score Breakdown Series, focusing on the complete scores to films that have had abbreviated previous releases or have gone unreleased.
Today we are looking at Freedomland (2006) by James Newton Howard.
James Newton Howard’s Freedomland, like The Interpreter and a few others, definitely qualifies as a LJS – a Lonely James Score. A score by the composer that I love so much but is virtually never spoken about by any other film music fan that I know of, and well…it makes me a tad lonely in enjoying it. But no matter! Perhaps this CSB, if nothing else, will encourage at least one person to check out this very moody, moving, mature score. This modern racially-charged thriller score tends to follow the standard JNH thriller format – orchestra and electronics doing their dance with some really nice themes, some epic powerful moments and some delicate quieter moments, this time around with a bluesy, piano-led vibe. I’ve probably said this countless times in describing Howard’s gift as a composer, but again here with Freedomlandwithout question, he is able to effortlessly and with distinction cut right to the heart and soul of a picture, to intelligently convey the most crucial and significant truths through his music, whether on a large orchestral canvas or a small synth palette, continuously reinventing himself and creating new strokes of expression.
My favorite track on the Varese Sarabande CD, “Freedomland”, is kind of unlike anything I’ve heard from Howard. It has sort of a spiritual angle (due to the presence of a priest and his prayer for the missing child), it’s uplifting, lyrical, and enchanting. Quite simply it’s one of the finest cues Howard’s written in his entire career, and just listening to it makes you feel absolutely great. “Riot” is also a very poignant, touching, still track – similar to the recent JNH Nightcrawler track “The Shootout” – in it’s gently wafting choral vocalizing backed by light strings and synth. The track plays out beautifully in the film: all music, no dialogue or sound effects, as the soothing music plays agains the violence of the race riots onscreen. On a side note, I would indeed compare Freedomland to Nightcrawler in a number of ways and I think those that enjoy the more recent score would do well to check out Freedomland.
Considering how much I enjoy this score, I was intrigued about the idea of doing a CSB to learn how much music might be missing…
The Varese CD, which really doesn’t contain a bad track at all (great cue selection there), runs 45 and ½ minutes. The complete score in the film runs nearly 68 minutes, resulting in approximately 22 and ½ minutes of unreleased score. This is all very varied missing material, from more fast-paced energetic score to contemplative thematic material for Julianne Moore and Samuel L. Jackson’s characters to further explorations of sounds and motifs already existing on CD. A good number of the unreleased cues from the score are nice, substantial pieces too, not too many short little cues, making their absence even more unfortunate and conspicuous. While there are no edited-in-film CD tracks or alternate film versions, there are a total of four extended film versions of CD tracks.
As you might imagine by reading this CSB, I personally would push hard for an expansion of this score, because it’s a score that means a lot to me and I would love to have a crack at the unreleased material, which I think would be wonderful to hear. Hopefully one day; I’m sure the film will slip into the realms of forgotten pictures but I sincerely hope the same will not happen to its score…
CURRENT CD RELEASE RUNTIME: 45min 30sec COMPLETE SCORE RUNTIME: 67min 55sec
UNRELEASED SCORE RUNTIME: 22min 25sec
Complete Score Cue Titles and Cue Times (unreleased cues named by me for the sake of identification):
+ – previously unreleased (or includes previously unreleased material)
1. Main Title (3:40) 2. Respond (1:43) + 3. Carjack (0:38) + 4. The Lie (4:00) + – (extended film version of CD track) 5. In Motion (2:00) + 6. Unrest (5:50) + – (extended film version of CD track) 7. Taking Brenda Home (1:56) + 8. Brenda’s Apartment (2:43) 9. Following Lorenzo (0:52) + 10. Get Some Sleep (0:42) + 11. Father and Son (1:00) + 12. Did They Arrest Anyone (1:54) 13. Ticking Time Bomb (1:54) + 14. Rafik Is Arrested (4:05) + – (extended film version of CD track) 15. Not Giving Up (1:08) + 16. Freedomland (7:10) + – (extended film version of CD track) 17. Inside Freedomland (2:45) 18. Brenda Comes Clean (1:26) + 19. You’re Inside the Wrong Park (3:53) 20. What Have I Done? (4:48) + 21. Burning (4:14) 22. Riot (4:10) 23. I’ll Come See You (2:20) 24. Little Angel (2:50)
Current CD Release Track Titles and Track Times:
1. Main Title (3:46) 2. The Lie (3:01) – (edited from film version) 3. Brenda’s Apartment (2:30) 4. Unrest (4:30) – (edited from film version) 5. Did They Arrest Anyone (2:19) 6. Rafik Is Arrested (2:12) – (edited from film version) 7. Freedomland (6:04) – (edited from film version) 8. Inside Freedomland (3:06) 9. You’re Inside the Wrong Park (4:04) 10. Burning (4:28) 11. Riot (4:27) 12. I’ll Come See You (2:24) 13. Little Angel (2:48)
You are not alone DeputyRiley. I like this score too. And my favorite track is also "Freedomland" This scene's music made me buy the cd. Great score from JNH.
You are not alone DeputyRiley. I like this score too. And my favorite track is also "Freedomland" This scene's music made me buy the cd. Great score from JNH.
I'm not alone on this one?!?!
Thanks for chiming in, Luigi! Glad to hear someone else enjoys this one. You have wonderful taste. Yes, that track "Freedomland" is a true gift from the composer, a wonderful piece.
It's like Nightcrawler you say!!?? Hmmmm, I will deffo have to check out the film and music.
I think that it is, yes. A bit softer perhaps, a bit blues-ier, but I'd say they are quite close. Please, once you've had a chance to listen and compare, let me know your thoughts, I'd be very interested! The film itself is decent, interesting but uneven.
