Flashnotes - July 2002

Last Flashed:
October 19, 2003

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Dutch writer/director, Vincent Bal, brings Annie M. G. Schmidt's classic book, Minoes, to the Netherlands big screen.  Minoes is a cunningly clever tale about Minoes, a feline's, mysterious transformation into the young lady, Miss Minnie.  Minoes/Minnie's feline-to-human struggles are underscored by the jazzy compositions of Peter Vermeersch.  Portions of the score take on a comedic, almost orchestral, "cartoony" quality, but the bulk of the 36 minutes are performed by the jazz-ensemble, The Flat Earth Society.  The performance of the Vermeersch's compositions effectively communicate the curious and mysterious ways of the cat society, not to mention the sometimes quirkier, human society they interact with. In the end, Minoes is a nice, lighthearted diversion from the average soundtrack experience, but certainly not the sort that will drop one's jaw.  This soundtrack has been released by Zonk! Records and is not available in North America; however it can be purchased from the Belgian online music dealer, Proxis.be. 

» Purchase at Proxis.be (Belgian Site)

"Aren't you dead?"  Well, the persistent, seemingly immortal, stalker Michael Myers is back...again.  Of course with each installment of the Halloween series, originally launched way back in 1978, John Carpenter's haunting piano theme is "resurrected" and brought back to the forefront of horror-seeking audiences.  For Halloween Resurrection, composer Danny Lux (veteran tv-composer for shows such as Boston Public, Dawson's Creek, and Ally McBeal), is the man behind the rest of the score.  Unfortunately, Halloween Resurrection has been sliced and diced by film-critics and Lux's clichéd score will most likely be treated likewise by the typical film score fan.  Be this as it may, horror-flick junkies might find the endless dissonance and countless orchestral eruptions to their off-beat liking.

» Purchase at Varese Sarabande

Composer Klaus Badelt continues to increase the value of his stock as his second big-budget score of 2002, K-19: The Widowmaker, is released by Hollywood Records. While surprising many with his memorable score for the ill-fated Spring flick, The Time Machine, Badelt latest project shows that his earlier effort was no fluke.  Despite containing flashes of  previous Media Ventures' endeavors, most notably:  Gladiator and Crimson Tide, Klaus Badelt keeps from merely presenting a clichéd rehash of either score.  Further, one can find common ground with Basil Poledouris works such as Les Miserables and, of course, Hunt for Red October.  K-19:  The Widowmaker features an "old world" feel that stays faithful to the ominous and tragic subject of the film and could be considered superior to its submariner-predecessors in many ways.  Hollywood Record's presentation of the score is top notch as the two included suites give the listener a sizeable sampling of Badelt's intricate work.  K-19:  The Widowmaker may turn out to be one of the best listens of the Summer of 2002!

Track 6 - Heroes |  Track 8 - Capt. Alexi Vostrikov  |  Track 10 - Reactor

» Purchase at Amazon.com  

Thomas Newman's latest project, Road to Perdition, finds the composer returning to a more traditional score after his last effort, the eclectic and edgy The Salton Sea. Road to Perdition is a dynamic fusion of elements from the composer's distinctive "darkened Americana" sound from hit films such as The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile with his recent post-mod style heard from American Beauty, Erin Brokovich, and Pay it Forward.  With a bold, Celtic element the takes on a stronger thematic presence than Newman has delivered in some time.  Still, encompassing the score is a dark timbre that fits the exceptional film like a glove.  Odds are Road to Perdition should please both fans of both the pre and post American Beauty era.

Track 1 - Rock Island, 1931 |  Track 4 - Mr. Rancé  |  Track 7 - Road to Chicago

» Purchase at Amazon.com w/ soundclips

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