| CLOSE WINDOW |
|
FILMTRACKS.COM
PRINTER-FRIENDLY VIEW 
Review of The Score (Howard Shore)
FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:
Buy it... if you desire a consistently propulsive background
listening experience in the form of light jazz rhythms, 1970's styles of
progression, and hints of noir tension.
Avoid it... if you expect this score to rise above its workmanlike efficiency and offer a dynamic personality that can elevate it beyond the potentially tedious levels of monotony heard in its highly consistent tone.
FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:
The Score: (Howard Shore) Great casts can easily be
wasted with a substandard script, and Frank Oz's poorly paced The
Score, riddled with unnecessary plot twists at the end, does exactly
that. Both Robert De Niro and Edward Norton, playing characters at
opposite ends of their careers in high crime, sleepwalk through the
film. It also represented the end of the line for the legendary Marlon
Brando, whose ego, despite his close proximity to death, was still so
difficult to manage (especially with the man insisting on walking onto
sets with his penis hanging out, even after his abuse of his body had
long ago turned him grotesquely obese) that he refused to perform his
small role for The Score if the director was in the room. The
entire production revealed itself to be a disappointment, a potentially
incendiary caper gone sour. For composer Howard shore, The Score
also represented an end of a line, so to speak, because this was his
last mainstream work before he would stun the world with his music for
Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
later that year. Until that point, he had acquired the nickname of "cult
scorer" in some circles because of the kinds of films he had chosen to
score in the 1990's. Like Carter Burwell, in many ways, Shore's
assignments typically hinged on the outer borders of the mainstream and
were difficult to appreciate on album more often than not. His style of
writing lent itself to obscurity, for he wasn't the type to embrace
bombast or melodic theme. But his scores always had a gritty edge to
them, and The Score is a perfect example of that. While his music
for Lord of the Rings did finally bring Shore's career the
recognition many thought it had already deserved, there was hope that
The Score would actually be that popular vehicle. It didn't turn
out as such, but while many of Shore's scores aren't good listening
experiences when divorced from their films, The Score is an
exception. Because the veteran criminal portrayed by De Niro also
happens to own and run a jazz club in Montreal, Shore appropriately sets
the mood of the score to a fast paced, jazzy, urban atmosphere with a
hint of noir style. Seasoned film score collectors will find this music
to be an intriguing mix of Burwell's complicated structures (and
brooding tone in parts) and the flair of David Holmes' snazzy material
for the Oceans Eleven franchise.
Shore maintains a very light, but tensely exciting set of rhythm movements in the percussion section for nearly every cue. While there is no title theme with any grand sense of melody, Shore offers a staggered, cascading six note sequence, often with the brass, that permeates every corner of the score with a distinctly 1970's style (best heard in "Bye Bye"). Some of the percussive underscore is high strung and an obviously tense accompaniment for the sneaking around on screen, though some of the cues, such as "Flashback," exhibit more of a standard jazzy nightclub feeling, relying on bass, guitar, drums, and vibes to carry the constant background rhythms. The mysticism about the lifestyle of the master criminal is enhanced by a hint of electronic programming used in a sort of awe-inspiring pseudo-choral effect during many of the cues, also enhancing the often cold side of technology and the big city. Shore's music does incorporate a moderately sized orchestra, however the moments of orchestral involvement beyond the routine emphasis on certain bass notes are often flat in tone. This problem especially occurs during louder (almost hypnotic) repetitive performances of the six-note theme, such as the conclusion of "Run Late." Better in their adaptation to album, though, are the strictly jazz movements, with a muted trumpet providing a sophisticated noir aura to the complex criminal action. The nearly constant volume and rhythm, which is more intense for a prolonged period than you may expect, makes the album for The Score an extremely listenable one. The pace goes largely uninterrupted, highlighted by such tracks as the relentless "Files" and the stylish "Run Late," keeping the tapping foundation of the music moving at all times. The downside of that same characteristic of the music, though, is the fact that there is nothing overtly dynamic about Shore's score outside of those rhythmic devices. This is an example of an album that definitely did not need to be any longer, and it could have even benefited from being trimmed down to a 25 to 30 minute presentation. At almost 40 minutes in length, it could easily become monotonous for some listeners. If you don't pay too close attention to it, though, it could be an energizing and motivating background listening experience. There have been some complaints voiced about certain source jazz and songs heard in the film that were omitted from the Shore-only product. But it is an album that should appeal to more than just Shore's close group of early collectors. ***
TRACK LISTINGS:
Total Time: 38:37
NOTES & QUOTES:
The insert includes a list of performers, but no extra information
about the score or film.
Copyright ©
2001-2024, Filmtracks Publications. All rights reserved.
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 The Score are Copyright © 2001, Varèse Sarabande and cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 7/24/01 and last updated 2/8/09. |
