Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #1,863
Written 4/8/11
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Buy it... if you seek a very competent adaptation of Blaxploitation
tones into a rhythmically aggressive, atmospherically creepy orchestral
and synthetic blend.
Avoid it... if the haze of a dirty, murky environment for the
majority of the score cannot sustain your interest after several
engaging cues of distinct 1970's attitude for the title character at the
start.
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| Streitenfeld |
American Gangster: (Marc Streitenfeld) The rise and
fall of legendary Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas inspired this largely
true to life depiction of his exploits in the 1970's. At a time when
Italian and Jewish crime organizations ruled the American drug trade,
Lucas' enterprise was an enormous (and initially disbelieved) step
forward for African American criminal gangs. The key to Lucas' success
rested upon his connection in the shipment of superior, pure heroin
contained in the coffins of dead American soldiers returning from the
war in Vietnam. He diluted this raw material and sold it for incredible
profits on the streets, careful to employ his family and avoid drawing
attention to himself. Eventually, he did attract the curiosity of NYCP
detectives and lost everything when his situation became too complicated
to maintain. This 2007 film follows the cat and mouse game between Lucas
and the primary detective, the two eventually becoming friends and
resolving with the gangster's acceptance of a different world upon his
release from prison in the 1990's. The production of American
Gangster was long a frustrating endeavor for Universal, the helm
originally to belong to Antoine Fuqua in 2004 but whose firing left the
film in re-write limbo for several years. By the time Ridley Scott
agreed to direct American Gangster, concerns about its bloated
budget abounded, but significant critical praise and widespread
recognition at global awards ceremonies helped yield over $260 million
in box office grosses. The concerns about recouping the budget initially
led to a disagreement over the content of the music in the film. Lead
actor Denzel Washington sought a modern R&B-inspired soundtrack to be
written by Jay-Z, and Universal did eventually allow that project to
proceed. But at Scott's insistence, the film's source usage and original
score remained firmly rooted in the sound of the 1970's. Hip hop artist
Hank Shocklee was employed to assemble several newly recorded source
pieces, some of which written by himself, while Scott returned to his
collaboration with composer Marc Streitenfeld from 2006's A Good
Year. The connection between Streitenfeld and the director extended
from Scott's much longer working relationship with Hans Zimmer. For
Scott's Kingdom of Heaven in 2005, Zimmer associate Harry
Gregson-Williams took over that collaboration, but it was a messy
situation to say the least and Streitenfeld's work as musical director
for that film led to more lasting roll. Interestingly, aside from
writing music for the next four Scott movies, the former Zimmer
assistant did not branch out into other scoring assignments over the
following five years.
Of Streitenfeld's limited selection of music created
for these Scott films, however,
American Gangster easily remains
the most effective and engrossing score. The ensemble for the recording
is ambitious, including an 80-piece orchestra, a variety of
synthesizers, a slight choral influence, electric and acoustic guitars,
and the elements you would have normally heard in a 70's funk band. The
general flow of the score moves from the Blaxploitation tones of jazz,
bluegrass, and funk to the orchestral representations of encroaching law
enforcement. The early scenes depicting Lucas' success are rich with
aggressive versions of the Blaxploitation sound, serving up defiant,
cool attitude in a slightly soiled, oppressive atmosphere of layered
sound effects. Pitch-defying wails of police sirens are emulated by
electric guitar, synthesized samples, and even voices, creating a
frightening haze over the more recognizable funk and jazz elements. Some
of these cool but raw sequences for Lucas also feature some form of
orchestral reinforcement, adding depth to the overall work. The "Kill No
Cop" cue is distinctive in its application of creepy vocal tones high
and low to one of the film's most poignant moments. Thereafter, as the
police close in on Lucas' organization (and culminating in "The Raid"),
straight orchestral rhythms of brute force overtake the ethnic elements,
brass especially abrasive in its role. By the almost bittersweet
"Chinchilla Coat," as Lucas' defeat is ultimately confirmed, the score
dissolves into faint hints of past noir-like glory on trumpets and
piano. Even in this cue, however, Streitenfeld's engaging sense of
rhythmic movement (listen to "Caskets" especially for this technique)
does not yield. Also an important cross-over element is the sly theme
for Lucas, opening in Blaxploitation mode with defiant attitude, earning
some contemplative ambient variations in the middle, and being
overwhelmed in its orchestral statements in the latter half. All of
these elements end up overlapping in a glimpse of the past in
"Chinchilla Coat," though anyone seeking only the cultural thrills of
cool demeanor in
American Gangster will be drawn back
consistently to the trio of cues from "The Process" to "Hundred Percent
Pure." The film initially received only a compilation soundtrack album
containing the two original Anthony Hamilton songs (one of which widely
heralded), old genre favorites, Shocklee source material, and two
Streitenfeld cues. Part of the score was made available on a 22-minute
promo that was missing some highlights from the middle, but after its
nomination for a BAFTA award, Varèse Sarabande released over
thirty minutes of Streitenfeld's music with additional Shocklee source
cues. It's a very effective score overall, one that presents challenges
on album because of its distinctive attitude, but you can't help but
admire how Streitenfeld handled this assignment.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
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