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HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS teaser
© Warner Bros.

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Elfman Meets Lecter in a Tasteful Horror Score

This Week's Recommendation

Danny Elfman's first foray into the dark world of Hannibal Lecter in RED DRAGON, released this week by Decca (289 473 248-2), is a mesmerizingly dark journey into malevolency and dementia.

In RED DRAGON, Elfman follows the work of Hans Zimmer, whose HANNIBAL score was a melodic departure from the norm, and Michel Rubini (who scored MANHUNTER, the first adaptation of Thomas Harris' Red Dragon novel), and especially that of Howard Shore, whose score for SILENCE OF THE LAMBS was, like RED DRAGON, largely a composition of moody chord progressions, shifting melodic fragments, and layered, undulating orchestral patterns. Elfman's score is based on two themes, or more accurately, musical patterns since there's more ambience to them than melody, which are central to the character of Dollarhyde, the predatorial serial killer whose story is the core of the film. On the one hand, we have a heavy, dark, oppressively aggressive chordal motif reflecting Dollarhyde the Dragon what his obsessions lead him to believe about himself, his power, and his delusions. This motif carries most of the film's action and suspense, but set against it is a very fragile, twisted childlike theme, a few relentless plunks from a child's piano, representing the killer's childlike fragility, because, as Elfman describes it, "in the heart of the serial killer is a pathetic little child."

The score [IMG3R]is a broad canvass that Elfman enlivens with a compelling crimson coloration. One Internet reviewer aptly described the RED DRAGON score as "like a dark, twisting piece of thread that slowly unspools." Its themes are subtle and complement more its descending musical darkness than work as interactive leitmotifs. The overall impression is one of brooding atmospherics, a musical harbinger of unstoppable doom. Elfman's music was intended primarily to decorate the dementia of the Dollarhyde character, but in its domineering heaviness it works equally well to represent the brooding, deviously shrewd machinations of Hannibal Lecter as well.

The CD contains a bonus CD-ROM segment, a five-minute featurette about the music made up of interviews with Elfman and director Brett Ratner, plus a quick quote from actor Anthony Hopkins (Lecter), who is shown watching the recording session with the orchestra. Set among shots of that session, Ratner and Elfman describe in brief but fascinating detail their intentions with the score. Ratner explains how he was taken by Elfman's love of Bernard Herrmann, whose Hitchcock scores had been an influence on the director (much of the RED DRAGON score is indeed very Herrmannesque). Elfman relates how he loved working with the Dollarhyde thematic material since he loves villains so much. "He's absolutely conflicted in every possible way. I really got into the character..." Elfman also explains how he made a point of watching SILENCE OF THE LAMBS in order to better understand what Howard Shore had done in that film. "I wanted to be aware of what was there, what I wanted to avoid, and what I wanted to do," Elfman says, citing SILENCE as his favorite Howard Shore score. "I neither wanted to duplicate it nor did I want to put all my energy into trying to simply stay clear of it and avoid it. My challenge was to find a voice that was correct for this movie."

SOUNDTRAX NEWS

This week in L.A., Christopher Young is recording his fourth feature for director Jon Amiel, THE CORE (to be released November). Young collaborated with Amiel previously on ENTRAPMENT, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO LITTLE, and COPYCAT. For THE CORE, Young is incorporating a 103-piece orchestra and full choir into the 95-minute score. Since it was recorded in Los Angeles, however, hefty music union re-use fees for such a sizable ensemble make the release of a commercial soundtrack CD highly unlikely. Young's first project with Amiel, COPYCAT, is considered by many film music fans to be the score that moved the composer of HELLRAISER, VIRTUOSITY, and SPECIES to the A-list and allowed him to go on to compose such notable and varied scores as SWORDFISH, WONDERBOYS, Sam Raimi's THE GIFT, Barry Levinson's BANDITS, and the Golden Globe-nominated music for SHIPPING NEWS.

Don't miss the Sci-Fi Channel's premiere of the Clive Barker cable-TV movie, SAINT SINNER, which debuts on October 26^th and don't miss hearing Christopher Lennertz's score which makes its CD debut on October 15^th from a new label called La-La Land Records (http://www.lalalandrecords.com they've also just released Elmer Bernstein's elusive adventure score, ZULU DAWN). The music is a massive and huge composition featuring orchestra and choir, and is simply a dazzling composition. Barker describes the score as "Truly brilliant. Chris Lennertz has the kind of talent that will quickly put him in the major league of film composers. His work on SAINT SINNER has super-charged the movie, making it a much richer and scarier experience in the process." Lennertz, who also scored the "hot" 1998 TV series BRIMSTONE, explains the process: "In SAINT SINNER there is terror, time travel, religion, turmoil, and of course, the struggle between good and evil... both internally and externally. The musical range spans a full orchestra, intimate chamber pieces, gothic choir, piercing string quartet, and everything in between." With Clive Barker's help, the TV studio was convinced to raise its music budget to permit a full orchestral score, recorded in Hungary with, at its largest, a 72-piece orchestra and a 32-voice choir. La-La Land Records will also be doing a limited edition CD release of Richard Band's cult film scores to RE-ANIMATOR and FROM BEYOND, due out in late October.

Film and TV composer Steve Bramson has scored his 150^th episode of the TV series JAG, hot on the heels of receiving an Emmy nomination for his 149^th episode. CBS's quasi-fantasy military drama series begins its eighth season this fall, and is one handful of TV shows to incorporate an orchestra into each episode score. "It's a traditional score, and I'm using an orchestra this is how I learned," Bramson said of his JAG music. Producer Donald P. Bellisario has asked Bramson that his score play like an old Hollywood movie. Bramson's music is heavy on brass, emphasizing trumpets to give it a heroic edge, while also relying more on melody than many rhythm-heavy TV scores do. Bramson won an Emmy a few years ago for scoring Steven Spielberg's TINY TOON ADVENTURES, has composed the music for everything from TV's FISH POLICE to the animated feature SCOOBY DOO ON ZOMBIE ISLAND, and he has also been an orchestrator on such scores as APOLLO 13, STARSHIP TROOPERS, and LOST IN SPACE.

Hollywood Records [IMG4L]has released a song soundtrack from the hit TV series SCRUBS a mainstream comedy show which has plenty of fantasy elements in its style. The series eschews traditional scoring for excerpts from songs, from Lazlo Bane's main title cut, "Superman," (incidentally, the music video of that song was directed by SCRUBS star Zach Braff) to songs culled from contemporary artists (many ferreted out by the show's cast). "We consider music a key element of our show, so much that writers, cast members, and producers all scour local clubs and CD racks for bands we feel should be better known," said Bill Lawrence, SCRUBS creator and executive producer. The CD contains the full versions of songs used in the show's first season, plus Colin (Men At Work) Hay's tune, "Overkill," which featured prominently in Braff's fantasies in the second season opener.

As mentioned

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS teaser

© Warner Bros.

Silva Screen [IMG5L]Records has added two new titles to its roster of THE PRISONER soundtrack CDs, with the latest two released Sept 30^th. All three original soundtrack CDs contain original music from the show's episodes plus selected dialog excerpts. The first 5,000 copies sold will include a collectors autograph series card from Cards Inc. On October 28^th, Silva Screen will release The James Bond Collection, a huge 4-CD set of James Bond film music, featuring 54 tracks of main title themes, action cues, love themes, and car/plane/boat/train/space craft chases from 19 films (not all of which is available on the official soundtrack releases from these films), performed by the City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Nic Raine. The specially priced collection is packaged in a deluxe gold box and will contain over 200 minutes of music. See http://www.silvascreen.co.uk or www.buysoundtrax.com. Another new compilation from Silva Screen, The Fantasy Album (FILMCD 1142, conducted by Raine and Paul Bateman),culls excerpts from recent hit film scores such as HARRY POTTER, LOTR, CONAN, LEGEND, WILLOW, HIGHLANDER, and so on. Silva has also re-released John Barry's classic music for the classic Harry Palmer spy adventure, THE IPCRESS FILE, with dialog excerpts (hitherto only available, sans dialog, as an expensive import on MCA Japan).

GNP Crescendo Records has announced The Best of HIGHLANDER, making available for the first time Roger Bellon's music for the long running acclaimed TV series. The CD includes several Celtic standards as well as a varied assortment of underscore styles. Bonus tracks include selections from HIGHLANDER: A CELTIC OPERA. GNP also will release a boxed set of Fred Mollin's soundtrack music from the FOREVER KNIGHT TV series as a 2-CD set. Special guest artists on both volumes are series stars Geraint Wyn Davies, John Kapelos, and Nigel Bennett.

This week [IMG6R]Varese Sarabande has released the John Debney/Christophe Beck score for Jackie Chan's THE TUXEDO and the Don Davis/electronica score to BALLISTIC: ECKS VS. SEVER. Coming up is Graeme Revell's score for the thriller BELOW, reuniting the composer with his director from PITCH BLACK. Although not announced officially yet, word has it that forthcoming in the near future from the Varese Sarabande CD Club will be the long-awaited legit release of Alan Silvestri's PREDATOR score, hitherto available only as a bootleg.

One of Miklos Rozsa's most unique and previously never-available scores will reportedly emerges into the light of CD playback from Film Score Monthly. The John Wayne-helmed GREEN BERETS (1968) featured one of the legendary Golden Age composer's last scores.

The soundtrack of Paul Schrader's Bob (HOGAN'S HEROES) Crane biopic, AUTO FOCUS (Sanctuary 84577) contains only three score cues from Angelo Badalamenti; it's mostly a song compilation.

Our sources report that Howard Shore will replace Elmer Bernstein on the score for Martin Scorcese's new period crime film, GANGS OF NEW YORK.

SuperTracks will issue an original soundtrack to the old anime series, GIGANTOR, featuring both the music from the American broadcast version (presumably the stock music of Winston Sharples, Jr., which was featured extensively) and a suite of music from the original Japanese version.

Percepto Records has also announced CD releases of the Frank LaLoggia thriller, FEAR NO EVIL (a terrific orchestral store from this director-composer hyphenate), THE GHOST & MR. CHICKEN (with music by Vic ADDAMS FAMILY Mizzy), and Mizzy's THE BUSY BODY paired with THE SPIRIT IS WILLING. Percepto is also distributing elusive European soundtracks, such as the new release 4.3.2.1...Morte (Perry Rhodan), with music by Anton Garcia Abril and Marcello Giombini. See www.percepto.com.

Upcoming Scoring Assignments: Jerry Goldsmith is set for the Michael Crichton film, TIMELINE. X-FILES composer Mark Snow is scoring the new Warner Bros. live-action futuristic superhero TV series, BIRDS OF PREY, which debuts next week (Oct 9^th, specifically). The next Pixar film, FINDING NEMO, will retain the talents of another Newman. Instead of Randy (MONSTERS, INC., TOY STORY) or David (A BUG'S LIFE), the new film will feature the work of Thomas Newman the last of the Newman clan to do an animated score.

New Film Music Books

Take a [IMG7L]trip down memory lane with a new film music book devoted to examining and appreciating the brilliance, the art, and the science of cartoon music. The Cartoon Music Book, edited by Daniel Goldmark and Yuval Taylor (A Capella Books, 2002). Available through www.amazon.com or via Independent Publishers Group at www.ipgbook.com, The Cartoon Music Book pays overdue homage top the musicians whose on-demand, on-deadline compositions have kept us laughing for years, with pastiche scores and songs from Elmer Fudd's "Kill the Wabbit" to THE SIMPSONS' rousing Disney parody, "See My Vest." Featuring contributions from more than 20 writers, the book is a collection of essays that provide a thoroughgoing examination of cartoon music from Disney to Hanna Barbera, Warner animation to Japanimation. The editors have compiled a massive amount of work that leaves little relevant material out, although some segments (anime, in particular) seem to be covered awfully quickly. But the authoritative book brings together so much fascinating material that it's hard to really complain. It includes Q&A interviews with such composers as Carl Stalling (Chuck Jones cartoons), Hoyt Curtin (THE FLINTSTONES, JONNY QUEST, THE SMURFS), Alf Clausen (THE SIMPSONS), former Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh (KING OF THE HILL, RUGRATS), Richard Stone (ANIMANIACS), and appreciations of (or by) other notables including Scott Bradley (TOM & JERRY), Raymond Scott (he never wrote music for cartoons, but his tunes have been heard in everything from BUGS BUNNY and PORKY PIG to DUCKMAN and THE OBLONGS), William Lava (ROAD RUNNER), Maury Laws (RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, FROSTY THE SNOWMAN), Winston Sharples (CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST), and also provides overviews of the music of such animation studios as Disney, Fleischer, and Warner Bros. Individual essays cover the music of FANTASIA, rock and roll cartoons, THE SIMPSONS, and REN & STIMPY. It's topped off with a select discography of cartoon music and a notable bibliography of further references. Absolutely fascinating, and a long overdue appreciation of the efforts of these dazzling but often little-known composers and their work.

If you're a musician with sights on Hollywood or simply like to dabble with music in a home studio, a new book by John J. Volanski may help you move in that direction. Titled Sound Recording Advice (Pacific Beach Publishing; available through www.amazon.com), Volanski, a long time electrical and audio engineer, helps would-be composers navigate their way through the acquisition of recording equipment and setting up a home recording studio for hobby or business pursuits. This 336-page paperback book is an easy-to-follow, do-it-yourself manual that contains plenty of up-to-date advice for the neophyte as well as the experienced musician seeking to establish a home recording studio.

Film Music on DVD

Coinciding with [IMG8R]the forthcoming release of the third installment of Godfrey Reggio's visual documentary trilogy, this one called NAQOYQATSI (see Soundtrax column for 8/21/02), MGM has released the first two films, the groundbreaking KOYAANISQATSI (1983) and its 1988 follow-up, POWAQQATSI (both titles come from the Hopi Indian language and suggest the theme of Reggio's visual documentaries) in beautifully restored widescreen editions. Included on both DVDs is a substantial interview segment in which Reggio and composer Philip Glass, whose investment in the films goes way beyond simply providing accompanying music, but who truly provided the soul of Reggio's cinematic vision, describe their endeavors in detail. Reggio articulately conveys what he had in mind for the films and describes their metaphysical and sociological implications in separate interviews on each disc; Glass describes his role working with Reggio, his part in shaping the final film, and his approach in composing the music for each film as well as the third picture. Particularly of note, on the POWAQQATSI DVD, Glass describes how the typical film composer's process was reversed for the film's striking opening scene, shot in a gold mine in Brazil. Glass composed the movement for this segment of the film based upon photos Reggio took during an earlier scouting trip. The music was recorded and was given to the cameraman on site, who listened to it on headphones while filming the final footage.

Soundtrax is our bi-weekly Movie Soundtrack column.