1 |
Erica |
2 |
The
Tunnel |
3 |
Gun
Shop |
4 |
Corner-Shop
|
5 |
The
Stranger Within |
6 |
Death in the Subway |
| 7 |
Back to the Crime Scene |
8 |
On
the Prowl |
9 |
Alone |
10 |
Death
in the Car Park |
11 |
No
Going Back |
12 |
I
Saw Nobody, Nobody Saw Me |
13 |
Wedding Cards |
14 |
Identity Parade |
15 |
Car Jam |
16 |
Phone Messages |
17 |
Retribution |
18 |
The Aftermath |
SOUNDTRACK REVIEW:
If you have watched this angst-ridden movie starring Oscar
winner Jodie Foster, you’d realize how violence and
rage are recurrent themes in this Neil Jordan-directed film.
But surprisingly, this 45-minute soundtrack album resonates
with gentle and calming underscores which are therapeutically
soothing to listen to on a hectic day.
Opening
the disc is a restrained “Erica” which introduces
the frequently heard motif, which isn’t really a memorable
theme because it’s basically a restrained tune that
moves stealthily with the rhythm. The first hint of action
comes at “Gun Shop”, where restrained cello is
accompanied by synthesizers in this harmonic collaboration
of instruments.
There
are many tender moments in Dario Marianelli’s composition.
The Oscar nominee (Pride and Prejudice) is garnering increasing
attention in Hollywood for his compositions like V For Vendetta
(2005) and Atonement (2007). While the cues for this soundtrack
are not exactly outstandingly memorable themes, they are comforting
to listen to. “The Stranger Within”, “Alone”
and “No Going Back” are such cues which make for
satisfying late night listening, which is actually quite apt
to the film’s theme of Foster playing a radio show host.
But
when there are so many mildly tranquil moments, energetic
tracks like “On the Prowl” and “Retribution”
stand out because they provide the much-needed jolt in an
otherwise moodily weighty album. Our favorite is “Car
Jam”, a three-minute track which jumps straight into
the action with its steady tension-filled beats and straining
strings. It is cues like that which engage us throughout this
somewhat underdeveloped album.
ALBUM
RATING:
Recommended Track: (15) Car Jam
Review
by John Li
|
