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Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... only if you're among the few who have seen the production and appreciated the respectfully noble, but restrained and somewhat sparse score. Avoid it... if you're expecting to hear a score equal in melodramatic resonance to Randy Edelman's far more famous Civil War work on TNT for "Gettysburg." Filmtracks Editorial Review:
A theme for trumpet opens the album for "The Hunley" and variants of this moderately heroic, but restrained idea are explored throughout the work. The sparse rendering of "Waves of Brotherhood" signals the loneliness of the underwater grave that awaits the crews of the submarine, and yet, given that the operation of the machine required such close teamwork, a group of three or four horns may have been more appropriate. The light romance work exudes some of the same blatant tugs at patriotic spirit, and Edelman's keyboarded solos are adequate (their highlight comes with "War and Romance"). The action sequences are the score's weakest aspect, with some cues, such as "Final Assault," nothing more than lame in their unexciting rhythms and simplistic orchestration. In his favor, Edelman uses a snare drum (possibly an electronic sample) as a sort of sound effect for rotating propellers, which is an intriguing technique. On the whole, however, Edelman's score lacks the emotional punch to be of great consequence in the film. There is so little music used in the first place that the film seemed lacking in many parts. Several pivotal scenes were absent of any underscore at all, diminishing the impact that Edelman was clearly trying to push with his respectfully noble approach. Even when Edelman's music is featured at the forefront, it refrains from dramatic depth, leaving the film with a washed-out sound that is too cheap for this otherwise impressive production. Hearing this material is a reminder of why Lee Holdridge's fully orchestral and acoustically gorgeous scores for TNT films are vastly superior, especially when matched with historical subject matter. The album release of "The Hunley" runs 40 minutes, but that includes some redundant material. The mix is inconsistent in gain levels, with the piano especially overdubbed at obnoxiously high volumes (the difference in volume during the transition between "Dark Seas (Opening)" and "The Battle Begins in a City of Flames" is irritating). The whole score seems amateurish, and when you consider the simplicity of Edelman's styles to begin with, a lackluster result is no surprise. **
The insert contains a lengthy description of the production as well as a note from Edelman as follows:
"Once again (as with "Gettysburg"), I was able to be involved with a piece of our history, having the tremendous support and passion of Ted Turner who long ago was fascinated by this story. Our collaborations have been periods of personal joy and emotionally rewarding creativity. I hope the listener can feel some of this seeping through the airwaves." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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