Tyler's Trilogy of Terror

THIS WEEK'S RECOMMENDATION

Brian Tyler visits the neighborhood of horror in TERROR TRACT, a 2000 horror-comedy-anthology format film directed by Lance W. Dressen and Clint Hutchison (the latter also scripted), about a real estate agent who spooks a couple with tales of the grim fates of the prior owners of a house they are buying. The film starred John Ritter as the realtor.

Composed between Tyler's scores for THE 4^tH FLOOR, PANIC, and PLAN B, this is early Brian Tyler, before he really came into his own with splendid scores for FRAILTY, BUBBA HO-TEP, VAMPIRES: LOS MUERTOS that led to current hits like DARKNESS FALLS, CHILDREN OF DUNE, TIMELINE, and GODSEND. But

Composer Brian Tyler

© Brian Tyler

Much of the score consists of somewhat typical horror music shivering violin glissandi, pounding percussion, rapid piano riffs over apprehensive strings and pounding percussion; but Tyler weaves through it a striking primary theme that is simply exhilarating, crafting a terrific mood of adventure and excitement. In several succeeding cues, the melody is heard as a subtle violin hook that meanders, up and down, to and fro, amid the spookmusic and symphonic attacks; a tendril of melody that reorients the listener and keeps us focused.

The film is patterned after classic anthology films like DEAD OF NIGHT, TRILOGY OF TERROR, Amicus films like THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD and ASYLUM, and Romero's more recent CREEPSHOW, with a trio of horrific flashbacks depicting the stories told to the hapless couple by the realtor, whose present day reality becomes linked to each of the told tales as it wraps around them all. Tyler maintains a straightforward approach in his score throughout; while there are differing moods for each of the three stories, they are not so different as to contrast severely from each other; the score is very much of a whole and musical moods and motifs are carried between the tales.

"Vision" proffers up slowly oscillating strings intonations, spooky and atmospheric. "Tragedy" exudes a fast-paced urgency for violins, tympani and trumpets. "Revenge" lets all loose with a furious parade of dissonance, every wind and wood and bowed and pounded instrument clamoring with onrushing hostility. In "Searching," the orchestra is embellished by a flurry of sinewy violin effects that whoosh and echo and reflect, MATRIX-like, upon themselves; the cue contains some absolutely furious trumpet performances as they blare in abbreviated staccato bursts, maintaining a frenzied cadence until the cue tapers out into a quiet atmosphere of gentle violin and harp. "Wrong Guy" is sheer ominousness, with interminably long string chords that erupt percussively, way later than you'd expect, with sudden revelation.

"The Lake," on the other hand, is an extremely tender piano soliloquy, balanced by acoustic guitar very gentle and soothing, a ravishingly beautiful piece that is among Tyler's finest cues. "Animal Farm" is a short and quiet scherzo for traveling through the country, as charming and intentionally vapid as you might expect, until things begin happening and the orchestra turns suddenly vile and wicked. "Suburbia" (the titles of tracks 12 and 13 appear to have been inadvertently switched) proffers up a 35-second rush of cheerful outdoors melody not unlike "Animal Farm;" "Father and Daughter" is another eloquently gentle melodious track that ends with a quiet whisper of the unnerving atmosphere of "Wrong Guy." In "End Title" both the main his motif, and the score itself, are brought to a very satisfying and broadly climactic conclusion, as the opening theme returns with a 3:34-minute (the CD's longest cue) recapitulation and resolution. "Bobo" is a haunting carnival-like melody for piano, representing the mysterious monkey of the middle story.

One cue, "Killer" (track 23) is recycled from THE 4^th FLOOR, but it seems to fit without sounding out of place. Overall the score is a first-rate composition and a hearty and heartfelt horror score. Tyler is completely in control of himself; the music is calculated and effective, retaining a memorable dynamic and a straight-for-the-throat sound design. Tyler has described the score as homage, and it is partly that, very much in the style of the potently bloodthirsty horror scores of the past, yet with Tyler's own signature overlying much of it.

The CD includes notes from Tyler about the score, notes about Tyler from his webmaster, Ryan Keaveney, and notes about the film and its music from directors Hutchison and Dreesen, and producer Gregg Daniel.

www.lalalandrecords.com

For those who haven't seen SPIDER-MAN 2 yet (or for those who did but didn't stay through the end credits), the cues "Special Delivery" and "Take Girl" are credited to John Debney, while "The Demonstration" and "Runaway Train" are credited to Christopher Young and Danny Elfman. The "Demonstration" cue and most likely the other two were probably used in the temp track and the filmmakers became married to it, and licensed those tracks for the new film.

Long out of print, and previously a highly-sought-after collector's item, (selling for as much as $2,500!), Basil Poledouris' [IMG3R]revered orchestral score to the 1988 cult, sci-fi/action sensation CHERRY 2000, (starring Melanie Griffith and directed by Steven de Jarnatt has been rescued from oblivion in a shining, newly remastered with seven never-before-released tracks! Described by Poledouris as a "mixture of Mozart, Morricone, and Moroder," this unique score combines orchestra and a tasteful smattering of synth to define and enrichen the film's futuristic western motif. This CD also features Poledouris' high-octane, electronically propelled score to the 1987 crime/actioner NO MAN'S LAND, written by Dick Wolf (LAW & ORDER) and starring D.B Sweeney (EIGHT MEN OUT) and Charlie Sheen (PLATOON). This previously out-of-print, newly remastered score includes the now-legendary "Payoff" track, which was used to complement the "Crazy Ivan" sequence in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER. www.buysoundtrax.com

The Emmy nominations are in, and here are the music nominees:

Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore)
DEAD LIKE ME (pilot episode) (Stewart Copeland)
LINE OF FIRE: EMINENCE FRONT (Larry Groupé)
PANDEMIC - FACING AIDS: UGANDA/THAILAND (Philip Glass)
THE SIMPSONS: TREEHOUSE OF HORROR XIV (Alf Clausen)
STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE: SIMILITUDE (Velton Ray Bunch)
24: 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM (Sean Callery)

Outstanding Music Composition For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special (Dramatic Underscore)
DANCE IN AMERICA: LAR LUBOVITCH'S "OTHELLO" (GREAT PERFORMANCES) (Elliot Goldenthal)
ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME (Bruce Broughton)
FALLEN ANGEL (Ernest Troost)
HELTER SKELTER (Mark Snow)
THE LAST KING: PART 2 (Rob Lane)
THE NAZI OFFICER'S WIFE (Sheldon Mirowitz)

Outstanding Music Direction
THE 76TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS (Marc Shaiman/Harold Wheeler)
CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON (Ian Fraser)
HARRY CONNICK, JR.: "ONLY YOU" IN CONCERT (GREAT PERFORMANCES) (Harry Connick, Jr.)
THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS (Elliot Lawrence)

Outstanding Music And Lyrics

THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS: ABRACATASTROPHE (Song: Wish Come True!) (Guy Moon/Butch Hartman/Steve Marmel)
FUTURAMA: THE DEVIL'S HANDS ARE IDLE PLAYTHINGS (Song: I Want My Hands Back) (Ken Keeler)
SESAME STREET PRESENTS "THE STREET WE LIVE ON" (Song: The Street I Live On) (Mike Renzi/Lou Berger)
THE SIMPSONS: THE PRESIDENT WORE PEARLS (Song: Vote for a Winner) (Alf Clausen/Dana Gould)
UNTIL THE VIOLENCE STOPS (Song: Because You Are Beautiful) (Toni Childs/David Ricketts/Eddie Free).

Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
DEADWOOD (David Schwartz)
MONK (Randy Newman)
MONSTER HOUSE (Daniel MacKenzie)
NIP/TUCK (Gregory Slay/Jeffrey Cain/Cedric Lemoyne)
TWO AND A HALF MEN (Chuck Lorre/Lee Aronsohn/Grant Geissman)

- courtesy musicfromthemovies.com