Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you can accept a collection of somewhat unrelated but at least characteristic representations of Thomas Newman's early 1990's mannerisms in a clinically uninvolved package. Avoid it... if you demand warmth and lyricism where little was possible, Newman's approach viable and occasionally stirring but failing to engage you emotionally in a meaningful, cohesive narrative. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
The Iron Lady: (Thomas Newman) For comedians, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom supplied over a decade of raw material for jokes pertaining to women in politics who have more balls than their male peers. Less funny for British progressives were Thatcher's hard-line conservative policies, some of which were credited with assisting the country in recovering from economic woes in the early 1980's but others blamed for the demise of a conservative movement that matched that of Ronald Reagan in America at the same time. Her tough, polarizing stance against trade unions, government handouts, and the Soviet Union, along with her disastrous and short-lived poll tax at the end of her term, earned her the nickname "The Iron Lady" and the respect and hatred of many of her constituents. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the 2011 biographical movie about Thatcher by director Phyllida Lloyd, The Iron Lady, is the fact that it was released while the former Prime Minister was still alive, prompting her children to proactively defend their mother's legacy by denouncing the picture as leftist distortion of the famous conservative figurehead. The script of the movie handles Thatcher's life by utilizing a series of flashbacks to cover important events from her teenage years through her time in office, with a significant portion dedicated to the Falklands War in 1982. The most highly advertised aspect of the production was, of course, the performance by Meryl Streep in the primary role, and the talented veteran studied for that role to such an extent that she even attended a session at the House of Commons to view how a British prime minister interacts in that setting. It shouldn't be surprising that her performance was applauded universally by critics despite the shortcomings of the rest of the film. In its entirety, The Iron Lady did not fare particularly well in reviews, in part because of the picture's attempt to clinically approach such a controversial leader. Thatcher remains such a divisive historical figure that any film about her was destined to be met with the same kind of wide-ranging response one has come to expect with a film about America's George W. Bush. While it had been speculated that composer Alexandre Desplat would be the natural choice to once again provide the music for a film about a famous Brit in the government, the assignment went to Thomas Newman. At one time an Academy darling of the orchestral realm, Newman spent much of the 2000's writing for highly eclectic ensembles, and The Iron Lady represents another of his occasional returns to his early 1990's styles. While there are elements common to Newman's usual array of abnormal instrumentation for scores of the prior decade, The Iron Lady does not emphasize them to any consequential degree. Newman's plucky rhythmic sense returns as expected, but mostly via symphonic performances. The structural techniques heard in this score are traceable to any number of prior Newman works, including his tendency to write cyclical ascending phrases for strings with solo accents to represent evocative subject matters. The score's first of two recurring themes of note is, not surprisingly, exactly one such phrase of four ascending notes on strings over a bed of plucked low strings, solo string ostinatos, and a variety of ticking organic and synthetic elements that, along with some ambient dissonant tones, create the feeling of government mechanisms at work. This theme is introduced lightly in "Grocer's Daughter" before being adjoined with the technically precise but rather cold accents in "Nation of Shopkeepers" and "Statecraft." The light-footed, rhythmic nature of this identity will, ironically, please Desplat collectors. A more dramatically lyrical theme on restrained strings carries over from "Swing Parliament" to "Steady the Buffs," in which the reprise follows a dynamically raucous passage of violin solos. A handful of other singular motifs include a soft harp and string idea in "Denis" and a lovely piano piece of pure Newman magic in "The Twins" that is unfortunately neglected elsewhere. Outside of these passages, the score meanders significantly through a series of "stream of consciousness" moments that vary in their saturation with Newman's trademark mannerisms. The pair of "The Great in Great Britain" and "Discord and Harmony" clearly emulate (or mock, for some) the classical and military stature of yesteryear for Britain. The latter cue erupts with full adult choral accompaniment late, an impressive diversion for Newman, and the humming tone of these singers returns in the latter half of "Steady the Buffs." Not all is entirely pleasant, the pair of "The Difficult Decisions" and "Exclusion Zone" forcing the music into synthetic territory and, in the case of the latter, a sequence of ominously blaring brass over militaristic snare rhythms. The assassination attempt in "Grand Hotel" is treated to an obnoxious, pulsating electronic effect with dissonant tones over the top. In between all of these cues are several nearly inaudible placeholders of little value to the greater work. Newman has succeeded in capturing some of the basic essence of the pomp and drama necessary for The Iron Lady, but his music is ultimately as coldly clinical as Thatcher's demeanor, never allowing its fleeting moments of warmth to develop into a satisfyingly engaging narrative. Enthusiasts of the composer will appreciate the return of his early 1990's mould, but that alone cannot support a rather disjointed overall package. *** Track Listings:
Total Time: 54:42
All artwork and sound clips from The Iron Lady are Copyright © 2011, Sony Classical. The reviews and notes contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Filmtracks Publications. Audio clips can be heard using RealPlayer but cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 12/28/11, updated 12/28/11. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 2011-2013, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. "You never see a picture of Margaret Thatcher strapping on a dildo." |
