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The Departed: (Howard Shore) Hailed as a return to
director Martin Scorsese's great films of yesteryear,
The
Departed is about as critically acclaimed as a film can be. Adapted
from B-grade Hong Kong movie
Infernal Affairs by screenwriter
William Monahan, the film improves upon the original concept with both
superior dialogue and an unquestionably magnificent cast. The setting
has been moved to Boston's Irish American community, ruled by Jack
Nicholson's delightfully ruthless hand. Intrigue is poured into the
cat-and-mouse game of infiltration by moles planted in both the mob and
police force. Even people knowledgeable about the plotline of
Infernal Affairs have proven to be captivated by Scorsese's grand
expansion of the tale, and the film should perform well in the awards
season. The use of music in Scorsese films has always varied widely due
to the different periods in which his films have taken place, though as
per usual in his more modern stories, he utilizes a few choice song
placements that are worthy of notice. In
The Departed, he
incorporates the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" for the third time
(after
Goodfellas and
Casino) and Van Morrison's cover of
Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" during a key scene. The film would mark
the fourth entry in the collaboration between Scorsese and composer
Howard Shore, who has grown to become the director's favorite as of
late. Unlike the somewhat predictable music for their most recent
project,
The Aviator, the score for
The Departed is a
refreshingly strange twist on mob music, quite literally. While it may
not seem logical to any extent on the surface, Scorsese gave Shore the
idea of using tango rhythms to portray the complex dance between
criminals and cops. Shore builds on this relationship by running with
the idea, providing a mob film with a Latin flavor that, for some reason
of perhaps brilliant proportions, seems to work. With the rhythmic
movement of the tango providing the majority of the score's personality
in and of itself, Shore's actual ensemble doesn't have to be large. He
employs four guitarists, the elements of a rock band, and a sizable
string section from an orchestra.
You often read about the perils of minimalistic or
unconventional ensembles; taking a wild chance on a score can be as
equally ineffective as a score that underachieves because of its own
inadequate size and lack of development. Whether you like (or agree
with) the music for
The Departed, you have to marvel at the
versatility of Howard Shore as an artist with the ability to take a
risky idea from a director and make it work. You also have to admire the
fact that the move pays off both in the picture and on album. Casual
collectors of Shore's work will find few, if any, similarities between
this score and the composer's previous efforts. Contemporary at every
moment, the score often combines the traditional acoustic guitars with
their electronic counterparts, juxtaposing the rock band elements with
the elegant string section. The resulting Latin blend, harmonic and
deeply resonating in the bass regions, is remarkably similar to
director/composer Robert Rodriguez's writing. Avid score collectors will
find considerable resemblances to
Once Upon a Time in Mexico from
a few years ago, with parts of the two scores nearly indistinguishable.
The highlights of
The Departed are the rich and tonal tango
performances by multiple guitars at once, including "Cops or Criminals,"
"Command," and "The Departed Tango." Together, these nine minutes are an
extremely easy listening experience on album, and feature the kind of
tonal flair that any tango fan will enjoy. The remainder of the score
functions well, too, but not in as flamboyant a fashion. Solo
performances by Sharon Isbin on acoustic guitar for many of the
conversational or supporting character themes are often generated
without interruption from other players, and while largely harmonic,
they lack the pizzazz to compete with the tango cues. Dissonance exists
in several cues, often aided by the steel/electric guitars that provide
moments of stark reality in the lengthy notes of "344 Wash." The harshly
percussive and keyboarded "Chinatown" is the lone weak cue on the album.
The string ensemble's role increases towards the end of the score,
featured solemnly in their own layers in "The Last Rites." Overall,
Shore's music is admirable in its entirety and enjoyable in parts... one
of those rare total surprises that works.
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| Bias Check: | For Howard Shore reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating
is 3.43 (in 23 reviews)
and the average viewer rating is 3.25
(in 93,154 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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The insert includes a short note from Shore about the score.
