 |
|
| View Mode |
| Regular | Headlines |
|
| All times are
PT (Pacific Time), U.S.A.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| CD Reviews: Seed of Chucky and Hitman |
| Posted By: Christopher Jenkins on November 1, 2005 - 10:00 PM |
CD Reviews: Seed of Chucky and Hitman
Seed of Chucky (2004) ***
PINO DONAGGIO
La-La Land LLLCD 1033
21 tracks - 53:40
Of all the composers to take a "stab" at scoring a Chucky film, Pino
Donaggio comes to the latest installment with the highest of pedigrees.
Not to detract from previous perpetrators like Joe Renzetti, Graeme
Revell and Cory Lereios & John D'Andrea, but Donaggio is an icon of
musical terror, having worked with the likes of Dario Argento, Brian
DePalma and Lucio Fulci. His association with this fourth Child's Play sequel, however, lends
the proceedings a sophistication they wouldn't otherwise have.
While Seed of Chucky will
never be compared with the work of Hitchcock, it is a movie with
multiple personalities. It's a comedy/horror/tragedy about the ultimate
dysfunctional "plastic" family, and requires an equally colorful score.
The CD opens with "Main Title," an eerie piece for voices, synthesizers
and string attacks that set the mood for the off-kilter adventures of
Chucky, wife Tiffany, and their prodigy Glen/Glenda. While tracks like
"Stark Raving Mad" and "Paparazzo's Delight/Jennifer's Windows/Designs
By Tiffany" further the suspense element of the film with tinkly piano,
sharp strings and electronic pulses, cues like "Our Jennifer" and "
Ordinary Dolls" compliment the dark humor and pathos of the story with
contemplative passages for saxophone, voice and orchestra.
Under the baton of Maurizio Abeni (an underrated composer in his own
right) who conducts the London Symphony Orchestra, Donaggio delivers a
fiendishly clever, modern score that actually works better on CD than
in the film. The liner notes by the composer and writer/director Don
Mancini detail some of the inevitable post-production deviations in the
arrangements.
La-La Land's first rate production values shine once more, with cool
graphics and great sound quality. --
Christopher Jenkins
Hitman/Hitman 2 * 1/2
JESPER KYD
La-La Land LLLCD 1030
Disc One: 12 tracks - 67:49 Disc Two: 20 tracks -
50:41
Following a cheesy sampled gunshot, Hitman
delivers a fun, solid main theme that stays out of looped techno-dance
territory. Unfortunately, a myriad of virtually interchangeable drum
beat and muddy synth tracks follow, until the album finally revives
with a remix of the main theme (which sounds exactly the same and wears
out its welcome at six minutes long). Hitman
2, utilizing a full orchestra, fairs much better, though it's
still hampered by the fact that none of the music is ever allowed to go
in any particular direction. Jesper Kyd shows his competence in
establishing mood, but unless you want to listen to a big orchestra
that fades into the distance, this CD won't hold your attention.
Like most video game score reviews, this one also contains a variation
on the line: "the biggest thing that hampers the score is that the
music cannot underscore any particular action, because it is doomed to
play in the background and loop unobtrusively as you figure out what
takes you to the next level." But I have to give credit where it's due:
The CD remained in my car stereo for a long time because the main theme
is fun to drive to at night. Buy this CD only if you truly believe you
are Agent 47 and need to hear his background music
constantly. -- LG
MailBag@filmscoremonthly.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Today in Film Score History:
April 25 |
|
| Alec Puro born (1975) |
|
| Brian May died (1997) |
|
| David A. Hughes born (1960) |
|
| Franz Waxman records his score for Stalag 17 (1952) |
|
| Gary Hughes died (1978) |
|
| Georges Delerue records his score for L’Homme Qui Revient De Loin (1972) |
|
| Heinz Roemheld's score for Union Station is recorded (1950) |
|
| John Williams begins recording his score for How to Steal a Million (1966) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
