Just because a movie’s a critical flop or fails to meet financial expectations doesn’t mean that it can’t have a great soundtrack. Thought M. Night Shyamalan’s “Lady in the Water” drowned in a sea of pretensions? Fair enough, but take another listen to James Newton Howard’s sweeping melodies, which have no trouble staying afloat of their own accord. Could “The Lake House,” the highly touted reteaming of Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, have used a bit more heat? Perhaps, but don’t blame the movie’s score, by Rachel Portman, which generates plenty of romantic warmth. And though “The Black Dahlia” couldn’t solve the mystery of the missing audience (not to mention the killer blows dealt it by the critics), its soundtrack by Mark Isham follows all the classic film noir scoring rules (down to melancholy trumpet solos) and is one of the year’s most vibrant soundtracks.
Here’s a random sampling of these and other recent soundtracks, along with some from upcoming films yet to face critics and audiences:
Two biopics that recently opened in movie theaters benefit from solid musical scores. First up, naturally, is “The Queen” (Milan Records). Though composer Alexandre Desplat hasn’t broken through to mainstream audiences with one of those gut-busting blockbuster scores as of yet, he has built a devoted following for his graceful melodies and densely orchestrated scores. These elements are again present in his compositions for “The Queen,” which focuses on Elizabeth II; as would be expected, the music is both majestic and exceedingly polite (immediately evident in the opening track). But an undercurrent of tension builds as the score progresses (“People’s Princess I and II”). Verdi’s “Libera Me,” performed by Lynne Dawson at the funeral for Princess Diana, is also included.
“Infamous” is another look at diminutive writer Truman Capote and the events surrounding his bestseller “In Cold Blood.” The soundtrack (Milan) mines much wider terrain than last year’s “Capote” and contains songs from the late ’50s and early ’60s and new interpretations of the same. These include Gwyneth Paltrow channeling Peggy Lee via a swing version of “What Is This Thing Called Love?” and Daniel Craig as convicted killer Perry Smith crooning a surprisingly heartfelt country western-flavored “There’s a Goldmine in the Sky” on acoustic guitar. Vintage songs by Dusty Springfield, Sarah Vaughn, Johnny Bond and others are sprinkled throughout Portman’s score.
Portman also has written what may be the most passionate score of the year with her sumptuous music for “The Lake House.” The soundtrack (Lakeshore Records) begins with a quintet of love songs both old and new (including Paul McCartney’s “This Never Happened Before,” and The Clientele’s “Make You Mine”) before sliding into Portman’s lush symphonic score. As usual, Portman has written a gorgeous title melody that permeates the intimate score.
Hard to believe that minimalist composer Philip Glass–noted for his chilly, asymmetrical works with their major/minor intervals, tweeting flutes and thumping brass–would incorporate achingly beautiful and tender music for the surprise hit “The Illusionist?” But such is the case, and like all Glass’ scores, the soundtrack is an outstanding stand-alone listening experience (Rykodisc).
Hollywood likes things in twos, and recently dual examples of film noir arrived in theaters within weeks of each other. But as noted, the less-than-stellar reaction to “The Black Dahlia” shouldn’t take away from its magnificent score by composer and jazz trumpeter Isham. The soundtrack (Silva Records) has all the hallmarks of a great noir score–from Isham’s own forlorn trumpet solos that instantly recall the genre, to the driving, percussive cues that support the film’s big set pieces and crackle with vitality. Think “Chinatown,” “The Grifters” and “L.A. Confidential,” and you’ve got it. And Isham has written a love theme (“The Two of Us”) that holds it own.
“Hollywoodland,” the other recent addition to the canon, gets a much more subtle approach from Brazilian composer Marcelo Zarvos. On first listen, nothing from Zarvos’ restrained symphonic score (Varese-Sarabande) stands out, but repeated listens reveal delicate textures–and nods to the genre with Miles Davis-style trumpet riffs interwoven throughout.
Score soundtracks employing symphony orchestras aren’t for all tastes (and many of those noted here also have had simultaneous song compilation releases). Three worthy efforts that have a contemporary feel are “Running With Scissors,” “The Last Kiss,” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” The first two are song compilation discs, while the latter incorporates score and songs.
The 13-track disc for “Scissors” (EMI America) is a virtual tour of AM radio circa the early to mid-1970s and instantly recalls the period as it goes from the Fifth Dimension’s “One Less Bell to Answer,” to “Pick Up the Pieces” by the Average White Band. The one score cue included by composer James S. Levine (who also writes for “Nip/Tuck”) is out of place but is also a tease until a score soundtrack hits the market.
Zach Braff, star and producer of “The Last Kiss,” (Lakeshore Records) has also produced its angst-driven soundtrack, a virtual catalogue of singer-songwriters (Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann) that rocks out quietly.
Composer Mychael Danna and self-described “eastern block indie rock” band DeVotchka collaborated on the rip-roar-in’ “Little Miss Sunshine” (Lakeshore Records), which bounces along between the instrumentals that percolate with tinkly bell trees and piano (kids will love this) and the additions of other songs used for the movie (“No Man’s Land” by Sufjan Stevens is a favorite). And yes, there’s also the remixed version of Rick James’ “Super Freak” so your family can relive the ironic climax of the movie at will.
Danna is also responsible for the upcoming “The Nativity Story” (New Line Records) which, given the material, is reverent yet realistic in approach. Snippets of traditional holiday hymns (“O Come O Come Immanuel”) are blended with Middle-Eastern-flavored music and played by period-sounding instruments. The expected choral selections eventually make their way into the score but are used sparingly and there is nothing like the vocal overkill found in most religious pictures. After the perky “Sunshine,” last year’s chilly, piano-based “Capote,” the string quartet waltzes of “Being Julia,” and now this, Danna’s certainly proven his musical versatility.
Perhaps one of the most offbeat soundtrack listening experiences this year is provided by “The Science of Sleep” (Astrakwerks). Matching the movie’s constant shift between waking and dreaming and childlike enthusiasm, Jean-Michel Bernard’s score zips around on the disc’s 26 tracks at lightning speed, from the punk sounding “Generique Stephane” to the perfectly dreamy “Stephane Visite Appart.” Dialogue is sprinkled throughout, as are a smattering of carefully chosen vintage songs (including “Coutances,” a lovely, rare track from French troubadour legend Dick Annegarn).
Frequent Tim Burton collaborator Danny Elfman (who should have gotten an Oscar nod last year for one of those wacky tunes for “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory”) momentarily left the film-scoring stage to write the seven movements that make up “Serenada Schizophrana” (Sony Classical). Written on commission for the American Composers Orchestra, the work premiered at Carnegie Hall in 2005. Fans of the composer won’t be disappointed by the work, which expands Elfman’s eccentric melodic signatures to suit the concert hall (“Pianos,” the opening selection, is particularly fine). Naturally, music this good couldn’t be allowed to exist apart from a movie–and many selections were later featured in IMAX’s “Deep Sea 3D.”
Before he became one of the world’s most renowned classical conductors, Andre Previn was a musical prodigy, a serious jazz pianist, arranger, and composer of some of Hollywood’s most memorable, though sadly neglected scores. This may be due to the fact that the films in question were either flops or less than big hits upon their initial release. Now Film Score Monthly is releasing for the first time on CD an expanded edition of one of them, the 1964 Bette Davis thriller “Dead Ringer.” Previn’s signature over-the-top sound–a wall of furious strings moving rapidly up and down the scale, punctuated with huge brass swells and fronted by a solo violin, piano (or sinister harpsichord in this case)–is greatly in evidence here. From the Main Title on, no one but Previn could have written this outstanding score. The disc includes FSM’s usual lavish jewel case booklet, extra music cues and best, bodes well the promise of future Previn scores– “Inside Daisy Clover” or “The Catered Affair,” perhaps.
