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Don't Say a Word: (Mark Isham) Although promising in its basic
premise, Gary Fleder's
Don't Say a Word attempts to wrap too many sub-plots
around the compelling coercion of a renown psychiatrist into extracting a six-digit
code from the paranoid mind of one of his patients. In yet another role as the
contemporary victim, Michael Douglas is the man pushed to the limit of his
emotional and physical endurance (a Hollywood formula still in use at the time
despite the actor's advancing age). The film was very similar to the other kinds of
nightmarish situations that Douglas seemed enjoy being a part of, and although
Don't Say a Word fared relatively well, it had the misfortune of debuting at
a time when audiences were looking for happier topics in the aftermath of the
terrorist attacks on America one month prior. Along for the ride in a familiar
setting as well was composer Mark Isham, who was a veteran of writing music for
catatonic, urban films of a thrillingly grim nature (with the likes of
Blade
and
The Net already on his resume). Undoubtedly,
Don't Say a Word was
exactly the kind of film that lent itself well to the style of contemporary
suspense that Isham was comfortable producing at the time. The music that he wrote
for the film, as it falls in the very generic genre of thrillers, could easily be
inserted into similar Douglas vehicles like
The Game or
Fatal
Attraction and probably serve just as well. Isham's reputation in some circles
entailed that he was able to produce adequately functional music for the usually
substandard films he worked for, with an occasionally superior score in the ranks.
But that body of work had yet to translate into a popularization of his music
outside of context, and nothing heard in
Don't Say a Word was destined to
change that reputation. The music has brief glimpses of originality and enjoyable
character, but it is ultimately the kind of suspense work that supplements a film
far better than it can solely occupy the airspace in a room. The foundation of the
score is constructed on a basic level with a single piano, providing the delicate
family aspect of the film (as well as the innocent child-like side of the deranged
young woman with whom Douglas' character is forced to interact) with an often
solemn voice. In the conclusive "A Family," the piano is finally allowed a hearty
major-key expression of harmony and a much-needed sense of relief. Until that
point, the score is consistently grim.
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The most favorable aspect of the soundscape for
Don't Say a
Word is actually the employment of synthetic elements, many of which programmed
by veteran electronics artist Jeff Beal. They begin their role immediately on album
with "Heist," a sharp and percussively rapid piece featuring the score's only use
of contemporary rock beats and various looped effects. While fans of traditional
orchestral music may dislike this kind of music in general, its pacing and
programming make it a more interesting experience 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 helps "Heist" stand apart. There is, as to be expected, a
certain amount of electronic droning that occupies a few minutes of predictable and
non-descript underscore, but not in the kind of obnoxious or incredibly dull
fashion that caused Isham's 2004 score for
Twisted to stink up the room. The
highlight of
Don't Say a Word is Isham's subtle, but powerful inclusion of a
light choir. It adds an eerie and almost religious dimension to the score,
something that had been lacking in the high profile Douglas thrillers of years
past. While the album presentation may develop slowly once the first track is
finished, it concludes with a maturation of the choral element. The use of the
choir, which eventually compliments the score's numerous piano solos and soft
orchestral underbelly, culminates in a final track which is as harmonically
enjoyable as any Isham has written to date. His scores have always had a bad habit
of wasting away in their final moments, though the conclusion of the
Don't Say a
Word album offers a positive end to an otherwise gloomy listening experience.
The album was as neglected upon its release as the film had been, finishing behind
all of Varèse Sarabande's other products during that month. Overall, the
middle parts of the album are a completely uninteresting addendum to half a dozen
of the composer's other works. But the opening and closing tracks, with their
vastly different sounds, are keepers on this short product. The entire thirty
minute experience passes very quickly, without so much as a third or fourth cue of
significant volume. It isn't as exciting as many had hoped, but it does show a
glimpse of Isham's known capacity for producing a lovely theme. The brevity and
general lack of inspiring material have probably caused this album to be forgotten,
but there is certainly nothing repulsive about an otherwise pleasant listen for a
lazy afternoon.
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| Bias Check: | For Mark Isham reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating
is 2.9 (in 21 reviews)
and the average viewer rating is 2.88
(in 8,084 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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The insert contains a list of performers (from the American
Federation of Musicians), but no extra information about the film
or score.
