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FILMTRACKS.COM
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Review of Paparazzi (Brian Tyler)
FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:
Buy it... if you want to be driven to action by an aggressive
orchestral, electronic, and highly percussive score that takes its foot
off the gas only for a few cues of generic melodic beauty.
Avoid it... if that same mean-spirited aggression, relentless in its sonic depth and propulsive rhythms, leaves too little of the thematic integrity that casual Brian Tyler fans appreciate.
FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:
Paparazzi: (Brian Tyler) Given the highly
publicized events surrounding Princess Diana's death and a considerable
number celebrity lawsuits involving nosey paparazzi photographers, it's
surprising that Hollywood took this long to strike back with a film like
Paparazzi. For people familiar with the celebrity scene, the
premise is believable; a dashing actor with newly achieved fame becomes
the victim of hoards of paparazzi, his family eventually severely
injured in a car crash because of them. Whether or not you believe the
tale from here on is your decision, but the actor exacts his revenge
upon the paparazzi by plotting their individual demise, and the film
becomes an exploration of integrity and the concept of revenge in usual
vigilante form. In his mainstream directorial debut, Paul Abascal had a
propulsive vision of the movement of his film, with the paparazzi
swarming like insects and the cascade of emotions of the film's
protagonist taking the story down some very dark alleyways. For the
score, Abascal wanted music that was both highly aggressive in rhythm
and melodic in style. Composer Mark Isham had originally been attached
to Paparazzi, but given the desires of the director, Isham's
style could not have been a more ill-advised match (especially with his
awful Twisted score earlier in the year being completely devoid
of rhythm or theme). Rising star Brian Tyler was contacted for the job
based on a sampler of Tyler's talents that contained music from his
previous suspense and action efforts. The early years in his career were
mostly defined by his prolific work in the thriller genre, setting
himself apart from other young composers with the quality of his ideas
in otherwise stale projects. Between the sharp edges of Darkness
Falls and smooth lines of Children of Dune, Tyler's abilities
suited Abascal's wishes well, and both the director and composer gave
the result of their collaboration rave reviews once their work was
finished.
Tyler assembled a pair of sizeable orchestras (recorded in Prague and Seattle, an odd combination that did, however, allow for a longer album release), a significantly larger than normal percussion section, a solo vocalist, and several electronic instruments (from keyboards to guitars) to provide the full spectrum of emotions necessary. The result of this combination of forces is a score that, as Tyler explains, is very richly layered, both in instrumentation and in the alteration and mixing of all of those elements into one very thick sound. While Tyler also states that the score is thematic, the two recurring themes (one for the primary character and the other for the paparazzi) are only very loosely interpolated throughout the length of the score. An alternating minor/major key motif sets the main rhythm of the score throughout and continues to enhance the drive behind the perilous good-versus-evil psyche of the film. The more sensitive theme for the family seems less developed, if only because its progressions are so generic that they simply bleed into tonal ambience, but the idea does assert itself clearly in three or four cues and can usually be found when the solo female voices are present. One way in which Tyler certainly did succeed in meeting Abascal's request is in the extremely aggressive demeanor of the score. There is substantial malice throughout this music, both in the pace of the rhythms and in the extensive mixing process during which Tyler highlights the harsher edges of each instrumental section. Also resulting from those mixings are sound effects that often rumble, tick, and clang in tandem with the traditional percussion section of the orchestra, almost as to emulate the sounds that still cameras made in that generation. Each relatively short cue presents itself in a slightly different variation of mixing, almost as though Tyler was experimenting with the ingredients as the film progressed. Despite the extensive lengths to which Tyler went to produce a locust-like "sonic image" for the paparazzi, the score is ultimately not one of memorable creativity, though. Rather, its 70-minute length (translated to 57+ minutes on album) wears you down with the force of its own attitude and momentum. Within the aggression, Tyler does occasionally let rip with a slightly more stylish variation on his tone of vengeance, and these moments often include a heavier reliance on the electronic instruments rather than the orchestra. The "Celebrity Life" and "Premiere" cues (along with, to a lesser extent, "Fans and Lights"), for instance, are appropriately cool for the circumstance of Hollywood glamour, all the while maintaining the fast pace of both the contemporary lifestyle and chase at the heart of the film. As usual, Tyler re-arranged the cues for the album presentation, emphasizing the softer moments of the score near the beginning of the album. Still, the first six or seven cues very effectively alternate between drive and passion, beauty and that invigorating aggression. As the album progresses at its consistently heightened volume and pace in the second half, it does run the risk of aggravating the listener, even with a few minimalistic interludes interspersed. This attribute isn't as much a complaint as it is a comment about the nature of the beast. Despite the composer's own affinity for fast cars, Paparazzi may not be a score you wish to drive to, because Tyler very effectively boils your blood with his action sequences. The only outright complaint about the score points, ironically, to its most beautiful cue. Featured in "The Awakening" is one of those overly simplistic melodies with lovely solo voice that Tyler has a tendency to write, and this one just happens to emulate Armageddon and foreshadow his Rambo score a bit too much for comfort (it also was clearly aped by Brian Transeau for Stealth the next year). Additionally, an argument could be made that Tyler didn't sufficiently offer a distinct enough sound effect (or orchestral effect) to convince the listener that the photographers are indeed insects. Overall, Paparazzi is a very effective score, and the diverse ranges of sound heard in its impressive opening to the album will set you up for disappointment over its static consistency in the latter half (much in the same way the Timeline album was arranged). That said, Tyler's score still exudes a depth of sonic manipulation that will, along with its breakneck rhythms, at least keep you interested until the end. ***
TRACK LISTINGS:
Total Time: 57:34
NOTES & QUOTES:
The insert includes a note from the director about the score.
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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 Paparazzi are Copyright © 2004, Varèse Sarabande and cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 9/4/04 and last updated 10/10/11. |
