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June 05, 2006
Entrance Music (For Two Films)
I fear the art of the film score may be a lost one. Producers and directors these days veer toward heart string tugging bombast rather than memorably character and mood driven understatement, capable of surviving as a listenable piece of music outside of the sci fi explosions they soundtrack. Anyone who listens to John Williams CD's around the house may or may not be a serial killer. Adding to the decline is the fact that modern directors like Tarantino and Wes Anderson, who understand the impact of judiciously chosen music, tend to use mainly pop songs or borrowed pieces from old masters for the bulk of their films. So, here's a couple of prime examples of movie music done well, killer on screen, but able to stand alone as compelling tracks.
(Worthwhile to note that both come from genre films geared towards audience shock. Horror/Thriller afficianados know that effective thrills come from the audience imagining what they haven't been shown. Without being able to fall back easily on FX, music is doubly important in cluing the audience into the dread of horrors unseen. )
Krzysztof Komeda with Mia Farrow - "Rosemary's Baby (main title)"
A traditional big studio score from the sixties, close in craft to oddly dreamlike Ennio Morricone work, but with the emphasis on unsettling, more like Bernard Hermann's Hitchcock soundtracks. Komeda flirts more overtly with a pop structure here on the main credits ditty, and landed a #11 hit on the 1968 Billboard charts for his trouble. Apparently alot of old time-y folks liked to get creeped the fuck out. I spent a nice chunk of time trying to pinpoint exactly what was so goose bump inducing about this composition, and I think I got fairly close. As it begins, the icy piano stabs and echo-ed guitar are easily recognizable as standard horror/ suspense backing techniques. This familiar genre shorthand colors the mood towards uneasiness from the get go. But then, plotting a seperate, distinct melodic course is Mia Farrow's reverbed "la la la" refrain. It is sad and pretty, amateurish and a bit childlike. Most of all though, it seems oblivious. The constant la-las evoke a lass lost in tought floating along, humming a nonsense tune to her self. As the track progresses, the string section picks up her melodic line, giving aid and support to her daydreams. But, the discomforting key shocks are still there, just lower in the mix. Subliminal, almost. Something's not right. Like she's got her eyes closed, and her fingers in her ears, unaware that she's skipping straight towards a goddamn demon baby! Wake up Mia!
Buy K Komeda's newly reissued complete Rosemary's Baby score here.
John Carpenter - "Assault on Precinct 13 (main title)"
From the big budget we go to the non-existent budget, as John Carpenter had a hundred grand total to make his 1976 thriller Assault on Precinct 13(which utterly demolishes the recent Ethan Hawke version, by the way) and three days to compose and record a soundtrack, all by himself. So, yeah, no string section. Also out of the question monetarily, and undesired by fans of good taste, was the average 70's action standard of overbearing wah wah funk. Instead, in a necessarily minimal manner, Carpenter chose to capture the urban violence of his street gang epic with brutal fizzed out synths. Basically, what Suicide was doing in NYC, but making it to the screen almost a year before their landmark debut album would see the light of day. The main title music is based on a simple ominous refrain, that repeats consistently throughout this song and the film itself. A skittish beat hovers in the background, nervous, never given release from its tension. Higher octave synths wash over the proceedings occasionally, adding atmosphere. But the main thing is the refrain, relentless and intimidating. A twisted Peter and the Wolf style indentifier for the faceless mob closing in on the film's titular police station. Divorced from it's visual, it still sounds great.
Looking at the iTunes, "Other Listeners Purchased" list for Carpenter's also impressive score to his own Halloween, you'll find a list of seasonal novelty tracks of the "Monster Mash" ilk, suggesting that the casual music fan hasn't warmed to John's obvious musical talent. If you're at all interested in investigating for your self, this song and it's accompanying, only recently released soundtrack are a good place to start. Although it was just released last year, a quick check around to the usual e-commerce suspects came up empty. Happy hunting.
Tags: Krzysztof Komeda, Mia Farrow, John Carpenter, Rosemary's Baby, Assault on Precinct 13, Film Music
Posted by Jeff Klingman at June 5, 2006 12:34 PM
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