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Orchestrated by:
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Thomas Pasatieri
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Co-Produced by:
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Bill Bernstein
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Release Date:
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June 25th, 2002
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Availability:
Regular U.S. release.
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Filmtracks Editorial Review:
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Road to Perdition: (Thomas Newman) The collaboration between composer
Thomas Newman and director Sam Mendes continues with Road to Perdition.
It was their pairing just a few years ago for American Beauty that earned
them both the most heightened critical and popular recognition of their careers.
While Road to Perdition may be a 1930's Midwest gangster film in setting,
the core of its drama is still rooted in the same genre of family tragedy that
made American Beauty into an enticing experience. Newman's score for
American Beauty has taken on a life of its own, with a newer generation
of his fans becoming attached to his style electronic keyboarding that would
continue in Erin Brockovich and Pay it Forward. Whether Newman is
experimenting with these kinds of synthetic scores or building upon his more
largely established fan base with his complex orchestral works, he always
concentrates heavily on character development and tackles setting and time as a
secondary task. Not only is Road to Perdition a return for Newman to the
vastly complicated orchestral works of his past, but it also features some of
his most dynamic and successful character development in years.
Once again, the film's heart is constructed with a somber tale of loss and
revenge. The Tom Hanks character, a hitman of high talents, becomes the victim
when the majority of his family is similarly killed, and thus he and his
remaining son go on a journey of revenge, discovery, and healing in the same
dark underworld. Thomas Newman's score, therefore, is no walk in the park. Not
only is his aim to compose music to accompany the tragic events on screen, but
to also illuminate the thinking of the primary character. Thus, his music for
Road to Perdition is jumpy, unorthodox, melancholy, and colorful all in
one. For fans of Newman's American Beauty styles, Road to
Perdition is surprisingly similar in its experimental rhythmic approach, but
is performed this time by a full, orchestral ensemble. The dark and constantly
somber tone of Newman's Road to Perdition is balanced by a fascinating
infusion of innovative instrumentation. His use of percussion and electronic
accompaniment offer a touch of style to nearly every cue, and the ethnic echos
meant to represent the characters' Irish-American roots play an even greater
role. A wide range of soloists perform such instruments as the Uilleann pipes,
low and high whistles, Irish bouzouki, pang glocken, hurdy-gurdy, sponge, and
ewi, among countless others. Newman, while often criticized negatively for his
experiemental minimalism in recent scores like In the Bedroom, makes the
best of his instrumental knowledge for Road to Perdition, with several
cues that literally crawl with a bizarre array of sounds and rhythms. A lazy
trumpet is a continuous reminder of the setting and time, keeping the score
rooted just enough to its American locale. The entire effort is restrained,
except, perhaps, for the two or three frenetic action cues ("Dirty Money" and
"Shoot the Dead") that explode with Newman's colorful talent. These rhythmically
choppy, but tense explosions of sound from the ensemble are the score's best
personality, and are probably the most interesting --if nothing else-- cues of
Newman's recent career.
The score is lacking in the thematic side, though several partially developed
themes are woven deeply into the string performances that meander throughout the
score. Road to Perdition is a work that may sound simple and restrained
during a casual listen, but its ability to maintain an emotional atmosphere of
this seasoned depth should not be ignored. If Newman's talent for composing the
best in human character is indeed his specialty, then maybe it's easier to both
hear and enjoy that talent when he is given a full orchestra and an ensemble of
soloists. His music, while disturbing in its introspective and moody spirit, has
several moments of beauty in Road to Perdition, including the cues "The
Farm," and "Cathedral." The album for Road to Perdition --featuring
vibrant sound quality-- does great justice to Newman's score and the source
music from the film. The lengthy album offers a healthy dose of Newman's work
(especially compared to his shorter works of late) as well as a handful of more
lively jazz of the era from the likes of the Charleston Chasers, Fletcher
Henderson and his Orchestra, and Chicago Rhythm Kings. The scene in which Hanks
and Paul Newman perform a piano duet in the film is included at the end of the
album as well (yes, the two of them are really performing that short piece).
Between Newman's somewhat upbeat resolution in his finale score cue and the
Hanks/Newman duet, the album ends on a surprisingly warm note. Otherwise, it is
a somber, though fascinating score. It will very much please those Newman fans
awaiting a return to the complex string composition of The Shawshank
Redemption. Even at the least, the score for Road to Perdition shows
us that Newman's innovate styles are still ready to be realized, and that the
orchestra is the best way for him to convey those ideas. This score will likely
be a welcome relief for traditional Thomas Newman fans. ****
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Viewer Ratings and Comments:
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• 1. Rock Island, 1931 (3:22)
• 2. Wake (1:55)
• 3. Just the Feller (2:44)
• 4. Mr. Rance (1:38)
• 5. Bit Borrowers (2:25)
• 6. Murder (In Four Parts) (7:54)
• 7. Road to Chicago (3:06)
• 8. Reading Room (1:25)
• 9. Someday Sweetheart - The Charleston Chasers (3:06)
• 10. Meet Maguire (1:44)
• 11. Blood Dog (1:06)
• 12. Finn McGovern (2:11)
• 13. The Farm (2:09)
• 14. Dirty Money (3:10)
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• 15. Rain Hammers (2:41)
• 16. A Blind Eye (2:27)
• 17. Nothing to Trade (2:25)
• 18. Queer Notions - Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra (1:20)
• 19. Virgin Mary (2:40)
• 20. Shoot the Dead (2:25)
• 21. Grave Drive (1:20)
• 22. Cathedral (2:40)
• 23. There'll Be Some Changes Made - Chicago Rhythm Kings (2:59)
• 24. Ghosts (3:40)
• 25. Lexington Hotel, Room 1432 (1:45)
• 26. Road to Perdition (3:55)
• 27. Perdition Piano Duet - Tom Hanks/Paul Newman (1:39)
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The insert includes a list of performers, but no extra information about the film or score.
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