Monster: (Brian Transeau) The story of American
serial killer Aileen Wuomos was not destined to be pleasant in its
adaptation to the big screen, but actress Charlize Theron's highly
acclaimed (and almost unrecognizable) performance of the 1980's
prostitute who went on to kill seven men into the 1990's carried the
production to resounding fiscal success beyond the arthouse target
initially set by writer/director Patty Jenkins. The lead performance
alone put 2003's
Monster on the mainstream map and, despite its
ultimately depressing reflection of the real life woman's crimes of
passion and necessity, has earned long-standing respect. The brutality
of Wuomos' life is countered by her affection for her lesbian lover
(played by Christina Ricci), protecting her even as she testifies
against Wuomos in the court case that would eventually lead to her
execution. The style of the film was intimate in each of its production
values, and an understated score by famed producer and
electronica/trance artist Brian Transeau (known as BT professionally) is
integral to that appeal. Transeau has never been known first and
foremost for film scores; he is better recognized for his production for
famous singing artists, a steady stream of solo works as an electronic
pioneer, and, while not his intent, a DJ. His dabbling in the movie
industry began in 1999 and reached its most active in the early 2000's,
with projects ranging from
The Fast and the Furious to
Stealth (sometimes overlapping with David Arnold on some of his
assignments) before returning his independent projects in the second
half of the decade. At the height of his film scoring period came
Monster, a soundtrack that likely represents more time spent on
its creation and recording than any of his other scoring endeavors.
Restricted to a minimal acoustic and electronic ensemble, Transeau
decided to take advantage of improvements in technology and cost to
record his entire work for
Monster in DTS 5.1 surround mixes and
eventually provide those recordings to the public on a commercial DVD
release of the score. Of all of Transeau's film scores,
Monster
has by far received the best and most lasting treatment on album,
including a strong push for awards consideration at the end of 2003,
though the material on these products (featuring some of the composer's
well known stutter-edit technique) will likely attract infinitely more
attention from his own fanbase than traditional soundtrack
collectors.
It's safe to say that the majority of Transeau's
approach to
Monster resides comfortably in the realm of
electronic sound design. His music has always been more listenable than
that his contemporary peers who have made the same shift to film scores
(Cliff Martinez in particular), and
Monster reinforces this
stance. While predictable band elements make up the bulk of the depth in
the score, the composer adds a Hurdy Gurdy for an other-worldly sound
throughout the work, as well as piano and manipulated string and guitar
techniques for occasional accents. Together, the small handful of
performers keeps the score inexpensive and contemporary, and while the
Hurdy Gurdy was considered the centerpiece of the score's unique
approach to the topic, the overall work sounds quite conventional. The
tone of the score is where the surprise exists; instead of formulating
extended sequences of droning to represent the morbid and depressing
nature of the plot, the composer instead, at the urging of the director,
established a more hopeful tone to reflect the main character's desire
for a better future. As such, the majority of
Monster is
remarkably pleasant, producing long cues of easy listening during the
performances of the score's love theme. That primary thematic identity
also helps shift focus to the positive, highlighted by "Ferris Wheel."
Only in the rape and killing scenes, as well as the conclusive courtroom
material (in which the love theme has been boiled down to its most stark
performances), does Transeau apply uncomfortable dissonance of a
simplistic nature. The rest of the score almost seems too free-flowing
for the demeanor of this film, though there are times when a little
pizzazz in solo performances pulls this score from atmospheric haze.
Both "Turning Tricks" and "Job Hunt" (the latter an interesting
keyboarded stab at Thomas Newman territory that instead curiously sounds
like Basil Poledouris'
Wind) are worth revisiting. Ultimately,
the score is fine for a casual background listening experience, but it
never adheres to any of the characteristics of structured film music
that some will expect; it thus plays like a solo compilation effort that
never reaches too high or low on the scales of volume and passion. A
70-minute promo from the composer in late 2003 was adapted into a
75-minute official CD release in 2004 that also included extended
versions of the complete score on a DVD with the aforementioned 5.1
sound. Of all the scores that
need DTS 5.1 treatment,
Monster isn't anywhere on the list, but it's a nice perk. BT fans
will rejoice with this safe pick.
*** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
The 2003 studio promo contains only a plain, white cover sleeve with no
extra information about the film or score. The packaging of the 2004 DTS set is
confusing, with the cover printed (or inserted into the jewel case) upside down.
The set's insert does include a note from BT's co-arranger and assistant about
the film and score.
