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Review of American Gangster (Marc Streitenfeld)

FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:

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.

FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:

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.  ****

TRACK LISTINGS:

Total Time: 38:47

• 1. The Process (2:12) • 2. Frank Lucas (2:40) • 3. Hundred Percent Pure (2:11) • 4. Fire (1:54) • 5. The Arrival of Spring (1:03) • 6. Suspects (2:01) • 7. Caskets (2:41) • 8. Kill No Cop (2:20) • 9. Shakedown (1:24)

• 10. Turkeys (1:49) • 11. The Fight (3:16) • 12. Headlights (2:19) • 13. The Raid (3:20) • 14. The Morgue (1:30) • 15. Chinchilla Coat (2:42) • 16. Afro Beat (source) (1:45) • 17. Back to Bangkok Blues (source) (2:09) • 18. Hallway (source) (1:42)

NOTES & QUOTES:

The insert includes a list of performers, but no extra information about the score or film.

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The reviews and other textual content contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Christian Clemmensen at Filmtracks Publications. All artwork and sound clips from American Gangster are Copyright © 2008, Varèse Sarabande and cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 4/8/11 (and not updated significantly since).