Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if a gorgeous and lushly dramatic cross between Anna and the King, Shadowlands, and George Fenton's later nature documentary music of the 2000's stands to be a safe addition to your collection. Avoid it... if you detest unashamed romanticism and lyrical warmth in their most vibrant orchestral forms. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
Dangerous Beauty: (George Fenton) Powerful prostitutes make up some of the most interesting characters in the history of film, and Dangerous Beauty adapts the partially true tale of "The Honest Courtesan" written by Margaret Rosenthal and gives it the usual preachy conclusion about societal structure that Hollywood adores. In the story, Venice's most famed prostitute has an impressive client list of kings and bishops, as well as a knack for using her intelligence to commit faux pas such as reading, writing, scrapping, and opening her mouth. Her poetry and dominance in her profession made her a silent heroine for the women of 1580's Venice, though she would have given away all of that to be able to marry the man of her dreams. Unfortunately, as he was a statesman, such a marriage was impossible despite his reciprocation, and the prostitute would eventually end up on trail for witchcraft. When the film was still titled The Honest Courtesan, it was meant to be an assignment for composer Rachel Portman, whose work on romantic dramas and comedies had earned her widespread praise and an Academy Award win in the previous few years. Her pregnancy, however, caused the scoring duties to be offered to George Fenton, whose career was defined at the time by lighter romantic comedies and the pseudo-period score for Ever After: A Cinderella Story. His capability in the genre of lush, grandiose romances with a hint of historical significance, though, has proven itself time and time again, and Dangerous Beauty is perhaps the greatest of these triumphs. In retrospect, Dangerous Beauty may have seemed like a logical progression from the tones of both Ever After and Shadowlands, among several others, but this work is better connected to the symphonic majesty that came later with Fenton's massively successful nature documentary music of the 2000's. In meeting the wishes of the director for Dangerous Beauty, Fenton managed to perfectly balance the elements of power, playfulness, and passion, providing one of 1998's most accomplished scores and enjoyable companion albums. While Rachel Portman may have offered an acceptable score for this film, it's hard to imagine that she could have surpassed the magnificence of Fenton's inspiration for the picture. The London ensemble for Dangerous Beauty is of significant size and features an acoustic guitar as its heart. One of the most impressive aspects of the score is its ability to convey convincing classicism without becoming pretentious. The guitar is key to this success, underlining the warmth that the film exudes in its leading duo and their impossible dreams. Fenton writes two major themes for Dangerous Beauty, one for the culture of Venice and one for Veronica, the prostitute. The first theme bubbles along immediately in "Venice Proud and Pretty" but is largely replaced by the Veronica theme introduced in "The First Kiss" and used liberally throughout the score. Fenton alternates between touching solo guitar performances and flowing string fanfares with bold brass counterpoint, never losing touch with the spirit of lush resonance that accompanies every ensemble performance. The score's only truly menacing, minor-key expressions come in "The Plague/Veronica's Arrest" and the two "Imprisonment" cues that follow, the first of which presents a rumbling crescendo that reminds of the opening of We're No Angels. The pivotal moment of testimony in "I Stand Alone for Venice and This Woman" diminishes itself to solitary and tempered timpani strikes. Fenton also infuses Dangerous Beauty with a comedy rhythm under the Venice theme for the two "Duel" cues and the mid-section of the end titles, imitating the style with which Portman likely would have approached the scenes. But otherwise, Dangerous Beauty is a series of one beautiful thematic cue after another. On album, the score is very much the equal of Anna and the King from the following year, but even more consistent in its movement through each track. The cue "The Verdict/End Titles" is the dramatic equal to "The Execution" from Anna and the King, both lengthy tracks that demand inclusion in any film music collection. The piano's performances in the latter score are perhaps a bit colder than the guitar in Dangerous Beauty. Overall, you'll be hard-pressed to find any significant criticism of the Dangerous Beauty score, with a gorgeous and heartfelt attitude that will overwhelmingly please any fan of the composer. If not for James Horner's wildly attractive The Mask of Zorro, Dangerous Beauty might have been the best score of 1998. ***** Track Listings:
Total Time: 67:12
All artwork and sound clips from Dangerous Beauty are Copyright © 1998, Restless Records. The reviews and notes contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Filmtracks Publications. Audio clips can be heard using RealPlayer but cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 4/11/98, updated 3/28/08. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 1998-2013, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. |
