Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #995
Written 10/1/99, Revised 10/11/07
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Buy it... if you seek one of David Newman's most accomplished
ventures into dramatic genres, with uniquely intriguing instrumental
combinations that cross cultures with surprising ease.
Avoid it... if hearing David Newman write essentially a
quintessential Thomas Newman score runs counter to the flightiness that
you expect and love from David's work.
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Brokedown Palace: (David Newman) Director Jonathan
Kaplan takes audiences on what was a familiar ride in the late 1990's:
Westerners are mistaken as criminals and thrown into a grungy East Asian
prison with no hope of release. In Brokedown Palace, Claire Danes
and Kate Beckinsale are two young women on vacation in Thailand when
they are unsuspectingly planted with heroin and are caught by police who
seem all too enthusiastic about placing them in a 33-year prison
sentence. The dynamic between the two stars, including their attempts at
coming to terms with their bleak future, leads the film down a troubled
and bittersweet path. Kaplan, who had worked several times with composer
Jerry Goldsmith in the 1990's, chose David Newman for the task of
providing Brokedown Palace with a highly textured score. It has
been commented many times through the years that the result that Newman
provides for the film would make anyone wonder if Kaplan had mistakenly
thought he had hired David's younger brother, Thomas, for Brokedown
Palace's music is far more consistent with Thomas' style than
David's. With films like Return to Paradise, Red Corner,
and Beyond Rangoon following similar ideas, it's not surprisingly
to hear the Brokedown Palace score explore many of the same
ideas. David Newman has, for most of his career, been stuck in the realm
of ridiculous comedies and action flicks, though this score was part of
a concerted effort in the late 90's to branch out from that reputation.
As such, Newman's approach to Brokedown Palace is far more
complicated. He delicately weaves several motifs in and out of his music
for the film, attempting to capture all of the native elements while
also playing to the frivolous activities and eventually frightened
personalities of the young women. It is a score that requires several
listens before every aspect of it can be appreciated. Upon the first
casual listen, it might seem to consist of only a small ensemble of
basic orchestral and electronic elements in an awkward mix of industrial
and organic tones. Newman employs, however, a large array of percussive,
electronic, and solo instruments with a medium-sized orchestral group of
players and together the score sustains interest by constantly utilizing
parts of these elements in succession.
Rather than stirring up a lot of noise, the unimposing
theme heard best in "Your Friend is Pardoned" early on the album weaves
in and out with seamless accuracy. There are three distinct
personalities in this score that are constantly trading places, and, in
some cases, battling with each other. The first element is that of the
Far East. Native woodwinds, led by bamboo flute, and whimsical string
solos are punctuated by sparing use of a female vocal and a consistently
stimulating orchestral percussion. Secondly, the "American girl"
motif is an industrial drum and bass beat with attitude that asserts
itself for the girls throughout the score; the tone of these sections
will remind heavily of similar usage by Graeme Revell and Craig
Armstrong. Finally, the dark and emotionally draining interludes of
quiet oppression are balanced with the occasionally touching and sweet
orchestral moments, offering the sequences most resembling Thomas
Newman's occasionally stark work. Moments of electronically adventurous
excitement are countered by heartbreakingly serious moments of
orchestral contemplation. In the end, these depressing cues of
underscore constitute the majority of the score. However, there are
numerous moments of intrigue to keep the album enjoyable. The score is
seemingly arranged out of order on the album to provide for a better
listening experience. The result of the shuffling is a strong six
minutes at the start and an even stronger ten minutes at the end. It is
at the start and finish of the album where the mass of colorful clashes
between the Far East and American motifs collide. In very simple terms,
Brokedown Palace is a twist on Hans Zimmer's
Beyond
Rangoon, but without the powerful base, heavier on the authentic
native instrumentation, and more subtle in its themes. It won't
overwhelm the listener, but it will likely leave a lasting impression if
you turn up the volume and allow it to build its mood gradually. The
cultural crossover effect will retain the interest of those who study
the constructs of film scores as well, with ideas greater in depth than
many other scores from 1999. With the commercial album featuring none of
Newman's score, only a promotional release from the now-defunct Super
Tracks label exists. Fans of Thomas Newman, more specifically than those
of his brother, should give this one a spin.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
Bias Check:
For David Newman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.17
(in 12 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.27
(in 19,654 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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