Hart's War
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Composer: Rachel Portman
Lable (Release Year): Decca (2002) Availability: **** Rating: ***1/2 |
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I am sure some film music fans made this comment like I did: "Interesting choice." Director Greg Hoblit used 4 different composers for all of his four feature films (James Newton Howard, Tan Dun, and Michael Kamen for Primal Fear, Fallen, and Frequency respectively). I thought he would use Kamen again since he did such good job on Frequency (Can be heard on DVD as isolated score) and his experience on Band of Brothers. Rachel Portman is better known for her scores for urban comedy and pure drama. In fact, she had never composed a score for a war film before if I am not mistaken. However, I guess it is okay since Hart's War is really a drama about honor and does not sell explosive actions or gun fights. In the liner notes, the director stated he "trusted she would add levels of unexpected texture and mood and emotion to a decidedly masculine and edgy movie, while elevating it to a place unattainable without her intellectual and musical sensibilities." So Greg Hoblit really wanted her because of the nature of the film. As a result, Rachel Portman composed a gentle, moody, and suspenseful drama score that does not even suggest a second of an action sequence. The CD opens with "Final Salute" which is basically the full orchestral version of the main theme. It's gentle and somewhat poignant. The lead instruments are a solo trumpet and the string sections. Courage and honor are exactly what I feel from the theme. Definitely a highlight in her career. "Hart Captured and Interrogated" is a somewhat suspenseful cue with a moderate string rhythm. It reminds me a bit of Gabriel Yared's The Talented Mr. Ripley except it's suspense is not as strong. Most of the suspenseful moments are created by a 2 notes scale progression by the string sections, which is a standard technique. "Visser Testitfies," "Scott Railroaded," and "Blackened Face Testimony" are pure string and piano heavy atmospheric tracks that do not have much thematic materials. They remind me of some of James Newton Howard's suspense scores. "Visser Finds Tunnel" is probably the most intense and suspenseful cue. It dominates with fast string rhythms and some French horns as the back drop. Again, it is enjoyable because of the rhythm but no real melody can be heard. It's probably the most intense cue you would heard from Rachel Portman. "Hart Discovers Tunnel" is a shortened version of the same cue. The main theme reprises in "March to Stalag GA," "Archer Shot Dead," and "'Everything is OK, Tommy" as a more somber and simple version. "McNamara Trades His Life" reprises the theme fully again. In general, the score is suspenseful but Rachel Portman managed to keep it gentle but yet not too soft or boring. It is a good showcase of what a talented composer can do. It is generally enjoyable but there is not much that makes it very special, other than the fact that it is composed by Rachel Portman. If you are looking for a good suspenseful score you may want to check this one out. But if you want bombastic action, you are in the wrong place. | |
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