A Simple Plan CD Review
by Jon and Al Kaplan
A Simple Plan ****
Music by Danny Elfman
Compass III COM 0105. 14 tracks - 43:53
Danny Elfman's score for Sam Raimi's "A Simple Plan" is an
exceptional work of craft and intimacy. The orchestration and ambiance
of Elfman's music not only support the snowy landscape but also help realize
the opposing forces dealt with by the film's main characters, played effectively
by William Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, and Bridget Fonda. Compositionally,
Elfman continues to grow in all facets, first off by emphasizing color
changes and careful textures over full orchestral passages. However, these
textural sections are not simply interesting filler, instead built out
of small motivic cells that form the backbone of the score. Secondly, Elfman
has learned to get tremendous mileage out of the simplest motives, in some
cases practically building entire scores on one or two intervals. His new
approach does not focus as much on harmonic movement as it does on pyramid-like
passages where voices enter in a staggered fashion and proceed in diatonic
variations on his motives and at varying rhythmic values.
The Main Title track of A Simple Plan cycles through Elfman's main ideas
of the score. It is a fine stand-alone piece with clear textures and ideas
that force and merit attentive listening. The orchestration is rather unusual,
focusing on a large flute section, strings, guitar, and a detuned piano.
Elfman begins in simple meter but soon introduces a three note, triplet
flute motive that suddenly shifts the cue into a compound, plaintive setting.
As this texture develops into a hypnotic, repeating passage, Elfman introduces
the main theme of the score. This melody is built around a slowly unfolding
minor second and functions in the notoriously ambiguous major-minor tonality.
The underlying harmonies are basically diatonic and functional but the
contrapuntal texture makes them less obvious and in some respects irrelevant.
Elfman favors horizontal writing throughout the score, but his tendency
to remain diatonic indicates that he never really abandons vertical thinking.
The textures he establishes in the Main Title are most effective in that
the consist of both repeating motives and unpredictable entrances, making
for a stable but ever changing palettes over which he layers his melodies.
The marvel of the new Danny Elfman sound is that in these textures, despite
a large a number of simultaneously sounding ideas, there is present an
unquestionable clarity in each line and in the overall result. His voice
is perfectly suited to films that function on more than one level because
it is capable of expounding on all of these layers at once. Elfman's title
music sets the perfect stage for the events Raimi and his crew set forth
to share with audiences. It is also technically sound and extremely sensitive
to Bill Paxton's important voice-over that suggests the morals of the film.
The secondary theme of the score is also prominently introduced in the
main title cue. The melody consists of a repeating idea based on a minor
second and a minor third. The harmony is primarily built on mediant relationships
and becomes clearer and more predictable in this section. Several factors,
including the clash between minor and major ideas, the precise orchestration,
and the general shape of the motive make this passage highly reminiscent
of Thomas Newman's work on "Shawshank Redemption." Its appearance
here in "A Simple Plan" may be a coincidence or a case of temp-track
disease. However, Elfman is said to refuse to listen to temp tracks, and
the theme in question does share characteristics with the rest of the score
and with much of Elfman's recent work. He deserves the benefit of the doubt
despite the fact that "Shawshank" was tracked (at the very least)
into the previews for "A Simple Plan."
The orchestration of "A Simple Plan" is perhaps as important
as any facet in its composition and in the dramatic response it creates.
Elfman's choice of emphasizing the breathy low register of the flute (and
alto flute) and high strings easily contribute to the cold and desolate
scenery and to the questionable morals depicted on screen. The detuned
piano, guitar and sampled percussion offer a look further into the setting,
while commenting on the backwoods and off-kilter nature of the characters
and the situations they find themselves in. Brass is used sparingly, tastefully
and mostly just as color and effects. Also, many of the motives in the
score are specifically associated with a certain instrument or effect,
as in the detuned piano motive that opens the score.
Every cut on the "A Simple Plan" album is well-conceived and
an entertaining listen. The two main themes are turned into an arsenal
of interesting fragments and combined to make for one effective and cohesive
cue after the next. The score also features another important thematic
idea used to represent Thornton's Jacob character and his simple dreams.
It is essentially a slow repeated minor third over a sparse accompaniment
of changing harmonies and can be found, among other places in Track 9.
The three main motives in "A Simple Plan" are all basic extrapolations
of the same basic melodic idea, and other such motives appear (though less
frequently) in the score. Sometimes these fragments recall pleasant moments
from recent scores like "Dolores Claiborne" and even old favorites
like "Batman Returns." The close relationships between all the
motivic material in this soundtrack prevent it from seeming cluttered with
ideas, despite the fact that so many of these melodic and textural concepts
are quite worthwhile and memorable as individual entities.
Other highlights on the CD include "Tracks in the Snow," the
underscore for the climactic sequence of the film. This cut is a dramatic
masterpiece when synched to film and is a genuinely frightening, frenetic
work on its own. It summarizes important motives while building tension
to its highest level in the movie. Elfman's dramatic sense is witnessed
at it's best in this sequence. While the music builds at various junctions
it in no way sabotages the timing of the crucial moment in the scene (as
effective as Goldsmith's conclusion in LA Confidential) and instead comments
pensively after the fact.
The final cue of underscore in the film, "End Credits," is
highlighted by rich, full-blown versions of Elfman's most important material.
The shift in gears that accompanies Paxton's final fireplace extravaganza
is remarkably effective and the final voice-over sequence boasts the secondary
theme grounded fatefully in the low register by a tonic pedal (as Paxton
returns to his "normal" life).
Danny Elfman's work on "A Simple Plan" is truly remarkable.
It is technically flawless and dramatically supportive, never interfering
with dialogue or reminding the audience that they are watching a Hollywood
product. Its plaintive and unsettling style is a perfect match with the
story and its organic nature and interesting orchestration makes for a
wonderful listen on the album, even for those who have not seen the film.
The only real flaw with the Compass Records release is the absence of the
short but brilliant "Paxton rides the snowmobile" cue from the
CD. After eleven cues by Danny Elfman, adventurous listeners will find
three songs used as source music.
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