Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #1,906
Written 1/20/10
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Buy it... if you easily become encapsulated in piano-dominated
light romance with a fair dose of melancholy heart, in which case this lovely
score is your ticket to late night sorrow.
Avoid it... if you're expecting to hear music with as much dramatic
range as Rombi's classic 2007 score for Angel, which remains a
superior alternative because of its greater exposition of fully
symphonic magnificence.
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| Rombi |
Un Homme et Son Chien (A Man and His Dog):
(Philippe Rombi) A remake of the 1952 film Umberto D., Francis
Huster's Un Homme et Son Chien is best known internationally as
the return of French acting legend Jean-Paul Belmondo to the screen
after seven years of recovering from a debilitating stroke. The film
opened quietly to art houses in France in late 2008 and experienced a
limited theatrical release across Europe in early 2009, failing to
quickly acquire a distributor for an American art house run. Its story
is one particularly appropriate for Belmondo, allowing him to reflect on
his life as an elderly man who is kicked out of his home by his partner
and is only accompanied by his dog. The reflections of his character on
society and those he meets in his waning days have been applauded as
bittersweet because of their representation of Belmondo himself. Absent
a wider distribution, the tearjerker is really known only to fans of the
actor and enthusiasts of composer Philippe Rombi, who is quickly
developing into one of France's foremost writers of romance music for
the screen. Upon the recognition of his entry into the film scoring
scene in the late 2000's, Rombi has competed favorably with Alexandre
Desplat for the title of "France's next Georges Delerue," and while
Desplat has managed to make the transition to international cinema and
major awards recognition, it could be argued that Rombi's more fluid
sense of lyricism is better representative of Delerue's style. His
ability to convey giddy exuberance and solemn heartbreak within the same
beautifully harmonic methodology has been a revelation for collectors of
the late master of romance. Rombi's early ascension culminated in a
gloriously fantastic score for the 2007 romantic fantasy Angel,
merging both the lyrical sensibilities of delicate string and piano
themes in the major key with melodramatic minor-key sequences of ominous
character, even including a light choir with his orchestral ensemble.
Those seeking a reprise of the scope of Angel in Un Homme et
Son Chien will be disappointed, because while the same general
techniques are applied with similar emotional strokes here, the depth of
the music is restrained to far more sparse constructs to reflect the old
man's contemplations. As with anyone competing to take the symbolic
place of Delerue in the industry, evocative themes are an absolute must,
and Rombi provides no shortage of such identity to Un Homme et Son
Chien. Stripped of the fantasy element, the solo performances within
this score are closer in relation to Mediterranean flavor, the piano
carrying the majority of the load.
No less than three major themes and a darker sub-motif
are explored during almost the entire length of the work, yielding few
moments of individual character. The consistency in each of the three
major themes' constructs and orchestration gives the whole a somewhat
one-dimensional feel, though the three more ambitious cues of darker
material help to easy a potentially monotonous presentation on album.
Slight waltz rhythms and perpetually sparse constructs strongly
represent the concept of loneliness, though the Belmondo character is
served with a theme of slightly redemptive bounce. From its full
introduction in "Theme de Charles" to the source-like piano rendition of
"Le Pianiste de l'Hotel" and the burst of glee in the middle of "Final
le Train," this theme gives the score its rare feelings of optimism. The
primary theme is a free-floating idea of greater elegance, rooted in the
minor key and opening and closing the score with its most quietly
melodramatic material (and several performances by lush strings and
woodwinds). A deliberate solo acoustic guitar conveys the theme with
equal emotion in "Seul." Rivaling it in somber appeal is the theme for
his former partner, Jeanne, which occupies three cues early on the album
and offers a phenomenal flute performance in "Charles et Jeanne."
Ironically overshadowing the extremely consistent piano dominance of
Un Homme et Son Chien are the three cues of fuller symphonic
action, highlighted by a rhythmically tumultuous sub-theme that will
appeal specifically to
Angel enthusiasts. The resolute "Rester
Digne" reminds of Stephen Warbeck's
Shakespeare in Love and
"Final - Le Train" touches upon the majesty of John Barry's 1980's
melodrama (with brief chorus). The most striking of these cues is
"Ouverture" and, most specifically, the rambling piano rhythm that opens
it. Ultimately, these short bursts of energy occupy less than ten
percent of an otherwise depressing and minimally rendered score. You may
find yourself seeking out the more active material in
Un Homme et Son
Chien, the cues with an abundance of fluttering treble percussion
and woodwinds (a la Desplat), but even these fail to pull the score from
its intended depths of despair. It's beautiful music, and a decent
international release on album has made it reasonably available, but
expect its intimate portions to dominate. For those who can become
encapsulated in piano-driven light romance with a fair dose of
melancholy heart, this is your ticket to late night sorrow. Only the
score's somewhat repetitive nature and relatively sparse constructs,
despite their necessity for the subject matter, restrain it from a
higher recommendation. Regardless, Rombi continues to step a little
further into Delerue's shoes.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
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