Buy it... if you are enamored with tender, heartfelt small-ensemble scores rich with melody and/or Elmer Bernstein's trademark use of the ondes martenot.

Avoid it... if you've found little to excite you from Bernstein's low-key dramatic works of the late 1980's and 1990's.

Bernstein

Frankie Starlight: (Elmer Bernstein) Not even all the mysticism in the stars could save Frankie Starlight from total anonymity. Based on "The Dork of Cork" by Chet Raymo, the adaptation for the big screen by Raymo and Ronan O'Leary was an anticipated arthouse film released during the awards season in late 1995. Michael Linday-Hogg's film meanders through decades in the lives of a dwarf and his mother, with the modern-day dwarf, a successful but reclusive author, serving out the tale in flashback format. A voice-over narrative tells of the mother's journey from France during World War II to Ireland, where she gives birth to the illegitimate dwarf, and the two eventually settle in Texas, where the dwarf becomes the author and narrator. Woven throughout the film is the dwarf's interest in amateur astronomy, and the constellations are used to draw connections between the seemingly random circumstances of life. The messages work to some degree in Frankie Starlight, but many of the connections are missed, and for a number of reasons, the film failed. Foremost in criticism was the performance of French La Femme Nikita star Anne Parillaud, whose unexpressive performance as the mother left her entire storyline flat. Matt Dillon's fake Southern accent didn't help much, either. But the most problematic aspect of Frankie Starlight was the lack of cohesion between the lessons of the stars and the lessons of life, leaving the film with plenty of spectacular, singular moments, but no overarching connectivity. Aiding in many of the individual moments is a delightfully simple score by veteran composer Elmer Bernstein, who had decided to shed his reputation for scoring comedies in favor of projects with the genuine drama of Frankie Starlight. His score for the film seems, on the surface, to mirror the simplicity of the plot's message, though Bernstein kicks in just enough variation to provide a stellar effort.

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There is no attempt made by Bernstein to score the various locations in the film with different sets of themes or instrumentation. His role in the project is to keep the focus rooted in the author's recollections and lessons of life. A certain amount of whimsy is required whenever constellations determine much of any story's direction, and Bernstein provides that magic in the form of the ondes martenot, performed as always for Bernstein by Cynthia Millar. The theremin variant is a common participant in Bernstein's scores from 1985 to 1997, though Hoodlum would usher out the instrument as Bernstein's career would fade in the late 1990's. The ondes martenot has always had an "other-worldly" aspect to its sound, which is why it worked so well in The Black Cauldron and Ghostbusters, and its use here is well balanced and effective in the wondrous moments of star-gazing. The only questionable use occurs during the operatic song performance (by Belinda Pigeon) of Bernstein's title theme in "From My Window," in which the ondes martenot's own nearly vocal effect sometimes clashes with the singer's voice. The theme that Bernstein wrote for both the song and the title of the film is among the last great themes of his career (and depending on your opinion of Far From Heaven, Frankie Starlight's title could indeed feature Bernstein's last great theme). Incorporated throughout the score, this theme is as delicate and gentle as any ever put to screen, and, from the solo piano performances to those by the full ensemble, it maintains the affable nature of the score at every moment. The only full ensemble renditions of the theme exist in the opening and closing cues, but feature a restrained majesty that will be adored by any Bernstein collector. More interesting, perhaps, are the short deviations of genre that exist throughout Frankie Starlight, including a militaristic comedy theme in "Visions" that has shades of Robert Folk's In the Army Now, as well as the "At Play" and "Wild Ride" cues, which feature a refreshing rhythmic increase in pace. A small ensemble suits the score well, and the sound quality that had been so elusive in Bernstein's 1980's scores is much improved here. There isn't an unpleasant moment in this score, though it won't excite you much either... tenderness is key. ****   Amazon.com Price Hunt: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Elmer Bernstein reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.33 (in 18 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.19 (in 9,458 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.