Manfredini Chokes With Latest Film Score

By: Randall Larson
Date: Thursday, August 25, 2005

Harry Manfredini first came into prominence with his fertile and compelling score for the first FRIDAY THE 13TH movie in 1980. His inventive musical approach, which included a haunting ostinato of voices echoing the first syllables of "ki-ki-kill" and "mo-mo-mother" ("Mrs. Voorhees was a woman who heard voices," Manfredini said. "I got the idea from the extreme close-up shots of [her] mouth in the dissolves where she says, 'Kill her Mommy.' I used the first sound of those words...). Manfredini has since scored more than $$ film scores, mostly low-budget, and many plainly within the horror genre, including most of the FRIDAY sequels, SWAMP THING, HOUSE, WOLVES OF WALL STREET, TIMEMASTER, THE OMEGA CODE, and many others. His music, often set in a modernistic Bernard Herrmann mold, have been extremely effective in horror and science fiction fims.

And naturally his latest score is for a science fiction invasion movie this one called CHOKER. This thriller/alien film, written and directed by Nick Vallelonga, and which originally was to have been called OOZE, tells the story of a serial killer who gets a second chance when he is engaged by the government to hunt down and kill alien beings who can only survive by inhabiting human bodies.

He recently completed scoring the romantic thriller, DEATH WITHOUT CONSENT for Vera Chawla. His next assignment is to score Yossi Sasson's horror film DEAD AND GONE, which begins filming in October. Manfredini has read the script and calls the film "A fantastic story that blends creepy, scary. Crazy, horror, gore, humor, irony and sarcasm all into one great story. This is a classic in the making!"

Manfredini on CHOKER and upcoming horrors

Q: How did you get the assignment to score CHOKER?

Harry Manfredini: The project came to me from a dear friend who is a fantastic music supervisor by the name of Mason Cooper. He was going to do some work on it, and called me, saying "You have got to see this film it has your name written all over it." So how could I resist that?

Q: What kind of approach initially seemed appropriate, and how did the approach evolve as you began composing?

Manfredini: There is a review on the CHOKER website from someone that said it all for me. To paraphrase, it was something like 'this film grabbed me like an angry bouncer dragging me out of a club' That was my first impression. I liked the way it was shot, edited, the acting, the lighting, the story; I liked everything about this film. Understand this is not a big film, but it has something about it that just holds you. Secondly, I loved [director] Nick Vallelonga. We hit it off so beautifully from the outset. So how could you ask for anymore? There was a little temp music, which I think was some of the lighter stuff from "Aliens." It did not really do much for the film.

After watching it and talking with Nick I realized that this film has three styles and genres that transition from one to another. The style of editing really moves you around in time, but also it slips through genres. Nick described it as Scifi/Noir, which is a rather good genre description. It starts out as a rather basic 'alien" film. INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS is a film that might come to mind. Then as we get to know our characters, the film takes a turn to a more "film noir/detective/CIA" genre. We are not really sure who the bad or good guys are. Finally, it all comes together in a sort of "Hitchcock/thriller"sense. So there you have it: your basic sci-fi/noir/thriller film!

Q: Those are all genres with which you seem to be quite at home in. What do you feel is distinctive about this score?

Manfredini: The film is different sort of film, so the score needed to be a bit different as well. Since there is such diversity in the genre bending, I mixed some genres of music myself. The score combines minimalism, atmospheric sounds, percussive techno, and lyrical melodic structures.

Q: What kind of instrumentation was used, and how did you develop the musical texture in this film?

Manfredini: The film is totally electronic. The textures evolve as the film changes. The main character, Hud Masters, has a melodic theme played on an off-stage trumpet that permeates the score. There is something strange and unique about him that is slowly revealed through the film. The trumpet blends with the atmospheric sounds for his character. Logan, his beautiful partner, has actually two themes. One is a very simple alternating two note theme that works for her serious, investigatory side; the other is a warm lyrical theme that is evolved in the film as her character is revealed. Russo, has a simple officious brass theme.

There are other themes that have less importance. Some have a weirdness to them, others are more lyrical. There is a three-part contrapuntal thing that underscores dialog when it delivers plot information. So you can see there are a lot of things going on. I'm not so sure how evident they all are, but they are there.

When the Cd comes out, I hope to actually add some of the dialog with the music. I think that might be interesting in some places.

Q: How closely did you work with Nick Vallelonga?

Manfredini: After the first

meeting, Nick left me alone for about a week, and then I played him some of my ideas. At that point, he said, "you see more in this film than I do." So he left me alone to do the job. When I was done, he came back and we listened and talked. There were a few little things to change. Nick likes music. He likes a lot of music. He likes big. In some places I got a little too subtle for his taste. So I added a bit more to the energy.

I am going to do more pictures with him, so I guess we really hit it off well. He is a great talent, and a great guy. I am very fortunate to get to work for him.

Q: How would you describe the score's thematic elements and their interplay?

Manfredini: There are two things at work here. The first is the way the picture and story are told. By that I mean the way it slides from genres. It is a gradual and feathered type of thing. The second thing is that my themes are not long or involved they are simple and direct. The Hud theme is the only thing that has length, and that does play throughout the film. The other themes are very simple and are, in many ways, just musical colors, so they easily work in with each other and with the film. If you keep your material simple, it will be easier to manipulate and create musical narrative that interplays with a film that is bending genres.

Q: What was the most challenging on this score?

Manfredini: I think once I had my material set, which took a about a week, the challenge was to fill the film with music. Nick wants a lot of music. There is really good dialog and it is delivered well. There are also long stretches where there is no talking at all, and the music grabs the story. So the challenge was to write under the dialog with out ever getting in the way of it. Most of the time composers hate writing under dialog. Often it is only there to try to make the dialog seem less offensive, or quicker. In this film, I think you are interested in what people have to say. So I have to be there, but not be there. Music that is felt, but not heard.

Q: Since CHOKER, you have gone on to begin work on DEAD AND GONE, a film you have described as a classic in the making. How have you supported that claim with your score?

Manfredini: I haven't started the score yet, so I can't really answer that. But here is what I can tell you: I have read the script. Harry Shannon is an old and dear friend from the Carolco Picture days. He is a very successful author of horror and mystery. Go to www.harryshannon.com for a taste.

This script has a quality to it that makes it a classic. It is scary and creepy, witty and sarcastic. It is simple but textured. It keeps your interest with a varied arsenal of visual and verbal techniques. Okay that's the script. Now let me tell you about Yossi Sasson. He's a bright and talented young man with great style and vision. He gets it. Don't believe me? Go to www.darkhaze.com and look at his work. He has it.

So, take these two elements and add me to the list and "badabing, badaboom" you have a classic!!

Q: What type of music is right for a horror film nowadays? What is your approach in providing a unique yet workable score for a film like DEAD AND GONE?

Manfredini: The score to this film will be unique. First of all Harry Shannon, was the head of music at Carolco, he is a writer, performer, actor, the whole thing. So we talk on a musical level. He knows me well. Without revealing much about the film, there is a dark "backwoods" thing, with some very strange goings on, with a just amazingly wry and sadistic sense of humor. We have some aural surprises already in place. I am excited to add to Yossi's visual sense. It will be classic. Right up there with my FRIDAY THE 13TH "ki ki ki" stuff? I don't know yet, but very possible.

For more information on Harry Manfredini, including sound bytes from his scores, see: www.harrymanfredini.com  

For more information on the movie CHOKER, see: www.chokerthemovie.com  

For more information on the movie DEAD AND GONE, see: www.deadandgonethemovie.com  

Recommended Soundtrack sources:
www.buysoundtrax.com  
www.intrada.com  
www.screenarchives.com  
www.footlight.com  
www.arksquare.com/index_main.html  (Japan)
www.intermezzomedia.com  (Italy)
www.moviegrooves.com  
www.moviemusic.com  

For questions or comments, contact the author at Soundtrax@cinescape.com