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Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you enjoy aggressive and frenetic suspense scores for large symphonic ensembles. Avoid it... if you demand a sizable and distinct theme to your action scores. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
Rather than providing a distinct theme for any of the film's characters, Broughton offers a series of four notes that is really only heard in full in the opening and closing titles, with mutated inclusions throughout the score's contents. On the other hand, an alternating piano motif of 16 notes serves as the score's true identity, fitting more gracefully into more subtle places and translating well in wild string and brass performances. Those rambunctious action sequences are highlighted by "Chopper Chase" (before the train enters the film) and "Nelson, Then Katherine" (the finale action scene), both of which exploding with raw, rhythmic energy and both of which, ironically, re-scored and then butchered in the final cut by Hyams. The director reportedly preferred the more jarring effect of single blasts from the full ensemble --adding accent to each glimpse of a bad guy or other scary element-- rather than allowing Broughton's music to simply establish an overall mood with a consistent rhythm. To his credit Hyams may have recognized that Broughton used an effective technique with his orchestral blasts in Narrow Margin, one in which only the lowest and highest ranges of the orchestra produced the sound (omitting the middle ranges... sort of like a shriek of good and evil at once). But Hyams was dead wrong on the quality of Broughton's original cues. As it was originally written, the Narrow Margin score is among Broughton's strongest works. But with both original and alternate cues cut, moved, and/or deleted, Broughton was best to try to forget about the project and move on; one cannot hear the best result of his work by watching the film. As the 14th installment in Intrada Records' "Special Collection," Narrow Margin is presented with both original and alternate cues for the listeners to judge. The sound quality is so clear that you can even hear the nearly inaudible, whispering strings at the start of the titles and alternate end credits. The album is highly recommended to suspense enthusiasts, especially with the possibility of the 1,500 copy run of the CD selling out like other recent Intrada specialties.
Music as Heard on Album: **** Overall: ***
The insert includes detailed information about the score and film from Bruce Broughton and the producers of the album, as well as a list of performers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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