(The following donated review by Joseph Toscano was moved by Filmtracks to this comment section in August, 2007)
The Green Mile: (Thomas Newman) This score shows Thomas Newman working,
not only his most typical, but his best writing style. The music contained on
this 75-minute CD strongly shouts elements from both The Shawshank
Redemption and The Horse Whisperer, two previous scores by Thomas
Newman which show his excellent style. Instrumental soloist credits are given
inside the CD pamphlet, and this gives one an idea just how many odd instruments
Newman has utilized for this score, much as he did in The Horse
Whisperer. And many sections of the score are performed by swells of lush
strings, as in The Shawshank Redemption. But with these redeeming
qualities from both past efforts, how exactly does Thomas use them in The
Green Mile? And does it hold the score up as good or, perhaps, as even one
of his best?
Firstly, Thomas Newman has never been too strong at laying down themes and
pronouncing them. As usual, there are one or two soft piano themes that Newman
employs in the score. After a few listens, they become easily recognizable, as
is the case with the two afforementioned scores. Newman also introduces a
"playful" theme, complete with Shawshank-style pizzicato strings and
oboes floating around. While it does create a playful mood, it seems a bit too
odd at times; track 10 ("Limp Noodle") and track 12 ("Wild Bill") and just plain
strange. The playful themes Newman uses just aren't as memorable as in
Shawshank. On the whole, the
thematics that are present in this score are forgettable. There is a main theme,
yes, but it's played two or three times through the entire score. Hardly enough
for a theme to be truly unifying.
Newman returns, as was mentioned, to his most typical style of composing. As
such, he employs lush strings to perform certain sections of the score. These
parts are as enjoyable as they are in Shawshank, but they seem to lack
much in the way of coherence. A theme was created in Shawshank with the
use of the strings, but here in this soundtrack, they
just exist without fitting into any pattern. Sure, they sound nice, but they
would sound fantastic with a Newman-esque theme to go along with them.
One thing Newman does greatly in a certain track (track 15) is to create very
intense suspenseful music. He uses a snare drum, as does James Horner, to create
a tense mood. And it works greatly along with the pulsating of the small
orchestra. Newman creates strange noises with different instruments (and perhaps
a very small use of synths) as he's done before to create mood. It works in this
score as well as it did in his past efforts. As such, this score
creates a downright creepy (bordering on depressing) mood.
The Green Mile has been heard before, and its previous incarnation is
titled The Shawshank Redemption. The exception is that the latter was
presented in a more fantastic degree, and is a more enjoyable listening
experience on its own. However, Thomas Newman creates an overly stoic and creepy
mood with this score, and in that, it's very effective. Very effective, indeed,
in the film. But as a stand-alone soundtrack, it doesn't quite stand. ***
