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Review of The Man in the Moon (James Newton Howard)

FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:

Buy it... if you're intrigued by a good cross between the small town romance techniques of Rachel Portman and the instrumental creativity of Thomas Newman.

Avoid it... if light folk rhythms with wild mandolin, guitar, fiddle, and exotic flute are too much of a contrast to the score's soft string and woodwind melodies.

FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:

The Man in the Moon: (James Newton Howard) A qualified success with critics, The Man in the Moon failed to make the same splash with audiences, perhaps because of the film's tragic ending. Director Robert Mulligan has several times addressed issues of young emotions in his films, including To Kill a Mockingbird and Summer of '42 with similar success. For The Man in the Moon, his film explores the story of a family in a small American town during the 1950's. The two teenage daughters, and their relationship with teenage boy who moves into a nearby home, are developed with remarkable depth and sincerity, aided by a strong cast performance. The lessons of life, as well as the trials of being a teenager, are subjects well treated in The Man in the Moon, though those lessons are learned in a considerably unpleasant way. The shocking tragic events in the latter half of the story turned away audiences, and the film has gone largely forgotten. Even in the world of film scores, The Man in the Moon doesn't raise much interest. Composer James Newton Howard had not yet hit blockbuster status in Hollywood, though he had impressed knowledgeable collectors over the previous few years with his work. At a time when his scores were often electronically defined or devoid of easy melodic structures, The Man in the Moon was a departure for him, and even when you look back at the score in context with twenty years of his career, it stands out as one of his most touching and romantic small-scale ventures. Unashamed country heart is not a typical sound for Howard, and his down-to-earth music here is an interesting cross between the back door romance techniques of Rachel Portman and the instrumental creativity of Thomas Newman.

The resulting score won't knock you off your feet, but it makes for a very pleasant half hour of listening. The thematically rich score is lead by woodwind solos of primary ideas, often fleshed out by straight forward string accompaniment. The scope of the score is not large; it sometimes exercises the restraint that you would expect from a small chamber ensemble, but its extremely smooth-flowing melodies compensate well. Solo piano and violin contribute to the more melancholy performances, leaving you with dignified solace in "The Graveyard." In its progressions, the primary theme has some trademark characteristics of Howard's usual form, though outside of these faint reminders, The Man in the Moon gives you no other hints that it is a Howard work. This characteristic especially applies to the more folksy, upbeat moments of the score. For the numerous bright moments in the film, Howard responds with a second melody the flies with delight and enthusiasm in each of its performances. Highlighted by an ensemble of guitar, mandolin, exotic flute, and light percussion, these cues, beginning with "Back Door," are both effective in their folk rhythms and their ability to highlight the excitement in a young person's life. The exotic flute is perhaps the most interesting aspect of The Man in the Moon, performing solo after a few outbursts of folk rhythms, and despite its obvious misplacement in culture, it does seem to evoke the right atmosphere in the wooded environment of the countryside in The Man in the Moon. Both the soft string-backed melodies and folk tunes experience significant variations throughout the score. A wild fiddle and accentuated role for the guitar makes for an explosive and humorous folk piece in "My Goodness." If The Man in the Moon has a significant weakness, it is the score's alternation between these two conflicting styles on the album, which rearranges the cues out of film order. Also to be contended with is the screeching, dissonant string cue for the scene of tragic death in the film (which is unfortunately placed right in the middle of the album). Overall, The Man in the Moon is an easy Howard score to enjoy, though you better be ready to appreciate light folk rhythms before searching for the 30-minute, out of print album.  ****

TRACK LISTINGS:

Total Time: 31:19

• 1. Dani Brings Court Water (3:38) • 2. Back Door (1:22) • 3. First Kiss (1:51) • 4. Lovemaking (1:05) • 5. My Goodness (1:15) • 6. The Walk (1:16) • 7. The Pond (0:59) • 8. Dani Remembers (1:32) • 9. The Funeral (2:57)

• 10. Daydreaming (1:22) • 11. Court's Accident (3:03) • 12. End Titles (2:34) • 13. Go Home (1:11) • 14. Girls in Hallway (0:34) • 15. Dani and Dad (0:29) • 16. Swimming Hole (1:25) • 17. Dani Sees Court (1:24) • 18. Graveyard (3:12)

NOTES & QUOTES:

The insert includes no extra information about the score or film.

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