Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you easily appreciate enveloping dramatic scores of sparse but powerful ethnic beauty, for this effort is among John Debney's most passionate, introspective scores of subtle power. Avoid it... if you expect sustained periods of the outwardly explosive scope of the similarly (and, for some, more immaculately) conceived music for The Passion of the Christ. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
The Stoning of Soraya M.: (John Debney) While the timing of the American release of Cyrus Nowrasteh's The Stoning of Soraya M. in the summer of 2009 is noteworthy because of the popular uprising against the religious hierarchy of Iran concurrently dominating the news, the film actually dates back to 2008. If anybody outside of the ancient world of Islam has any doubts as to why the youth of Iran are in the process of stoking a simmering revolt against the country's ruling clerics, then The Stoning of Soraya M. is the account of one reason why. It is no secret that the fundamentalist movement of Islam over the past thirty years has caused widespread oppression of women in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other nations in which strict Islamic law still lingers, but what's unnerving about tales such as the one depicted in this film is the fact that barbaric behavior such as stoning is today still in existence in remote regions of these parts of the world. It's hushed and it's frowned upon, but it still exists. One could say that the entire existence of The Stoning of Soraya M. is based upon an extremely graphic 20-minute stoning sequence at its conclusion, and certainly the popularity of The Passion of the Christ opened the doors to the acceptance of grotesque violence for the purpose of illuminating religious persecution. So graphic and disturbing is this film that critics have been split along lines delineated by their ability to stomach such blood-splattering realism. The story is relatively simple, recounting the reportedly true 1986 death of a woman in a remote part of Iran simply because her husband wanted to trade her in on a child bride. The inaction of her entire town is largely the outrage of the story, though an undercurrent of quiet remorse is a prevailing factor in determining the personality of The Stoning of Soraya M. outside of the violence. It is this spirit of lamentation and suffering that is addressed by John Debney in his score for the film. After researching the musical tones of Iranian culture for the assignment, he not only researched the practice of stoning, but now openly advocates for its abolishment. Given the similarities in the depictions of life and death between this film and The Passion of the Christ, despite the obvious differences in scope, it is perhaps no surprise that Debney rejoined with the producer for this assignment. The score is often described as "The Passion of the Christ-lite," which is accurate in the most basic sense, but sells short the engaging reach that The Stoning of Soraya M. achieves despite its less ambitious stature. While most of the press about The Stoning of Soraya M. has concentrated on the brutal killing scene, the score does not dwell upon the power of that sequence. In fact, Debney handles that scene with only a minimal amount of dissonant disruption of the otherwise harmonic beauty of the remainder of the score, albeit sparse. It is not often that Debney reaches such intimate levels of the soul in his music. Assignments like Cats & Dogs and The Tuxedo don't exactly give him many such opportunities. But from Not Since Casanova in 1988 to The Passion of the Christ more recently, the composer has offered gems of subtle, but glorious personality. His ability to produce evocative environments with solo instruments, balancing beauty with the stark ambience of reality, is one that is explored extensively in The Stoning of Soraya M.. Listeners expecting only the most powerful appeal of the rhythmic portions of The Passion of the Christ will be satisfied by only the "Main Title" cue here. But this score's outstanding performances on cello, oud, violin, and flute, joined by the solemn voice of Tehran-born Sussan Deyhim, present a convincing and bittersweet environment without intrusive pomp. The primary melody is as powerful as any Debney has ever conjured, and it is through the remarkable solo performances (especially by voice and Persian violin) that this idea smoothly and subtly wafts into your heart. A significant orchestral backing (of 80 members) is often present, but is mostly limited to a string section for needed depth in the lower regions (as heard effectively in "The Gentleness of Passing"). The authenticity for the region is convincingly conveyed in a lightly slapping percussion section, highlighting the score's only outwardly dramatic cue, "The Escape," a piece that challenges with the tone of its vocal accents as well. The tender flute and cello performances are reminders of humanity's underlying yearning for good and justice, and it is no surprise that these two elements close out the album presentation. Debney's handling of flute counterpoint has always been one of his greatest strengths. The overall experience of The Stoning of Soraya M. on album is one of underplayed respect, demanding higher playback volumes and the willingness of the listener to be enveloped by the experience rather than thrilled or impressed by it. The score first received positive buzz when clips of its most impressive cues were published on Debney's own website, and a promotional album of eighteen tracks (amounting to 48 minutes) was very sparsely distributed during the first six months of 2009. In June of that year, the Varèse Sarabande label published those identical contents on the first of a series of very limited CDs to accompany commercial download availability of the same material. The CD option of 1,000 pressed copies, only sold through the company site and soundtrack specialty outlets, sold out within days, stirring significant debate about the role of speculators and bulk resellers who use such products as an opportunity to turn significant profits at eBay. While audiophiles will continue seeking CDs until lossless versions of film music (which requires the highest quality of sound more than most other genres of music) becomes the standard for purchase, the download option for The Stoning of Soraya M. will suffice for most listeners who aren't interested in padding the pockets of the private resellers. The "Main Title" piece in particular will be the only cue to recommend to casual masses, though there is enough intelligently designed beauty in Debney's work here to merit an investigation of the entire score by any collector of his music. As long as you don't expect it to rival The Passion of the Christ, The Stoning of Soraya M. will be a most pleasant surprise, a lovely score intentionally meant to contrast the brutality of the film's controversial message. **** Track Listings:
Total Time: 47:50
All artwork and sound clips from The Stoning of Soraya M. are Copyright © 2009, Varèse Sarabande. 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 6/30/09, updated 6/30/09. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 2009-2013, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. |
