Published on Sep 22, 2004
As much as I don’t really listen to soundtracks like I should —
something a publicist friend of mine will vouch for, given my “to
be reviewed” stack from her — I’ve noticed this year that many of
the discs I’ve listened to have music strong enough to stand on
their own without the aid of the film they’re supposed to go with.
Now, a listener can go into a CD without feeling guilty that they
haven’t seen the corresponding movie.
In the case of
The Village, I’m led to understand I haven’t missed much by
not seeing the movie. Yet James Newton Howard has composed a score
which is hauntingly beautiful, if not a bit scarce, and stands well
on its own.
The overall theme of the music is what I would call
pseudo-classical — that is, orchestral instrumentation with a
classical bend to the playing, yet not strictly classical-type
music. Confused yet? Don’t be — one listen to the music on this
disc (a surprisingly short listen, clocking in at around 43
minutes) puts it all in perspective.
Working with the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra and utilizing the
talents of violinist Hilary Hahn, Howard paints a dark yet
beautiful portrait through his composition and arrangements, almost
soothing the listener yet keeping them slightly on their toes for
danger around the corner. You get that feeling with the opening
track “Noah Visits,” and it is most obvious in selections like “The
Bad Color.”
If there is a fatal flaw to
The Village, it is that there is almost too relaxed of a
feel to this soundtrack. Maybe the overall volume of the
performances needed to be boosted to keep the listener’s attention.
Maybe the soundtrack didn’t need to end on a gentle note with “The
Shed Not To Be Used” — honestly, I was expecting something a
little more powerful to close things out.
The Village is the kind of soundtrack one can have on in the
background while you work, gently easing your mind into your labors
while subtly suggesting that evil is lurking below your desk. (No,
wait, that’s a ham sandwich I dropped down there last week.) Howard
does an admirable job with this score, and is enjoyable without the
benefit of having seen the corresponding film.