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Composed and Produced by:
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Mark Isham
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Conducted and Orchestrated by:
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Ken Kugler
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Release Date:
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October 16th, 2001
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Availability:
Regular U.S. release.
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Filmtracks Editorial Review:
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Don't Say a Word: (Mark Isham) In yet another role as the contemporary
victim, Michael Douglas is a man pushed, as they say, to the limit of his
emotional and physical endurance. And once again, Mark Isham is ready to score a
catatonic film of a thrillingly grim nature, with scores for modern subject
matter films like Blade and The Net already on his resume. The
film is very similar to the other kinds of nightmarish situations that Douglas
seems enjoy playing in, and the film also lends itself well to the kind of
contemporary suspense score that Isham is capable of producing. The music for
Don't Say a Word, as it falls in the very generic genre of thrillers,
could easily be inserted into The Game or Fatal Attraction and
work probably just as well. The film Don't Say a Word has fared
relatively well, though in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United
States, general interest in thrillers has been down this autumn season on the
whole (in favor of flightier, happy films... no surprise there). The score is
equally neglected, finishing behind all of the other new releases by the label
Varèse Sarabande during the past month.
The reputation of Mark Isham in some circles is that he produces adequately
fuctional music for the films he works on, with occasionally superior work. But
that body of work has yet to translate into a popularization of his music on
record albums. The score for Don't Say a Word really is no exception to
that reputation. The music has brief glimpses of being original and enjoyable,
but is ultimately the kind of work that supplements a film far better than it
can solely occupy the airspace in a room. Isham begins at a basic level with the
piano, providing the delicate family aspect of the film (as well as the
child-like side of the deranged young woman with whom Douglas' character is
forced to interact) with an often solemn voice. In the final track, the piano
finally leads to a hearty major-key conclusion and a sense of relief. The
synthetic elements, many of which programmed by veteran electronics artist Jeff
Beal, are actually a favorable aspect of the score. They begin the album with
the "heist" cue, a sharp and percussively rapid piece, featuring the album's
only display of contemporary rock beats. While traditional orchestral fans may
dislike this kind of music in general, its pace and programming make it a more
interesting listen than the rest of the score. The electronics persist in a
number of following tracks, but not with the same kind of rhythm or intensity
that made the first track stand out. There is, as to be expected, a certain
amount of electronic droning that occupies a few minutes of typical and
non-descript underscore.
The highlight of the score is Isham's subtle, but powerful inclusion of a light
choir. It adds an almost religious edge to the score... something that has been
lacking in the high profile Michael Douglas thrillers of years past. While the
album may begin slowly once the title track is past, it finishes with a
maturation of the choral elements. The use of the choir, which eventually
compliments the piano solos and orchestra, produce a final track which is as
thematically enjoyable as any Isham finale to date. His scores have had a bad
habit of wasting away in the final track, however the final track of the
Don't Say a Word album offers a positive end to an otherwise gloomy
listening experience. Being no fan of Isham's music myself, I found the middle
parts of the album to be a completely uninteresting addendum to half a dozen of
the composer's other works. But the opening and closing tracks --for vastly
different sounds-- are keepers on this short album. The thirty minute album
passes very quickly, and without so much as a third or fourth loud cue. It isn't
as exciting as expected, but it does show a glimpse of Isham's further
capabilities for producing a lovely theme. The shortness and general lack of
inspiring material have probably caused this album to lag behind, but there is
certainly nothing repulsive about it... so if you have the cash, it could be an
enjoyable listen for a lazy afternoon. ***
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Viewer Ratings and Comments:
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• 1. Heist (6:02)
• 2. Elisabeth (4:40)
• 3. Kidnapped (4:28)
• 4. A Body (1:37)
• 5. Hart Island (3:38)
• 6. Subway (4:06)
• 7. Mishka (3:13)
• 8. A Family (3:24)
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Insert offers no extra information about
the film or score, except for a full list of performers from the American
Federation of Musicians.
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