Watchmen Composed by Tyler Bates
Reprise Records (2009)
Rating: 5/10
Soundsclips provided below by AmazonMp3
“All together, the
original score for WATCHMEN is a diverse experience - pushing into
musical realms mostly untouched by other superhero franchises...For
those who are not so steeped in the lore and history of WATCHMEN,
this might be, save a few select moments, a score best appreciated
within the context of the film.”
Easily the most anticipated film of early 2009 has been Zack Snyder's
WATCHMEN. The original comic series written by Alan Moore, published in
the late 1980s. has gone on to become one of the most popular series ever.
Attempts to make WATCHMEN a film began the early 1990s, traveling through
the hands of top drawer directors such as: Terry Gilliam, Darren Aronovsky
and Paul Greengrass. After a long, tumultuous journey, WATCHMEN finally
landed in the capable hands of director ZACK SNYDER, fresh off his
visual-feast, 300. Not too surprisingly, his frequent collaborator,
composer TYLER BATES comes along for another ride into comic-world come to
life.
Not being a fan of the original comic series, I come to the WATCHMEN feast
without the unbearable weight of over 20 years of fandom and expectation.
It seems the majority of faithful fans have received the film with open
arms...actually pleasantly surprised with Snyder's fidelity to Alan
Moore's original story, themes, and characters. Taking the film on its own
(as I must do), it is a nearly three-hour exercise of superhero depth,
rawness, and brutality unlike any other superhero film to date. The story
is so dense and the themes so many that one viewing can hardly do it
justice. Movies hardly ever capture all of the layers of character of a
well-written novel, even a graphic novel, but WATCHMEN, the film, succeeds
at giving the unacquainted audience a solid moviegoing-experience while
clearly indicating that there is much more to these characters and to this
story than is being portrayed on screen - not an easy feat.
When it comes to the music of the film, my feelings are mixed. The music
for WATCHMEN was publicized months in advance of the film's theatrical
release; touting special edition vinyl, picture discs, and various
editions. One could hardly not build up some expectations for the final
music experience would be. WATCHMEN's soundtrack features a
combination of period pop selections and original score by TYLER BATES.
The eclectic mix of the two helps to brand WATCHMEN as another, unique
Zack Snyder creation. While there is a completely
separate soundtrack release (thankfully) of these songs, their
appearance and contribution to film bears a brief mention here. Perhaps it
was the audio mix or perhaps the songs themselves, but most of the pop
selections are a little too "on the nose." With the exception of the
brilliantly juxtaposed "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole, the other songs
pulled me right out of the scene...calling too much attention to
themselves rather than enhancing the mood or visuals. With such
period-icons such as "I'm Your Boogie Man," "99 Luft Balloons" or "The
Sound of Silence" unashamedly making their presence known, it may have
been the director's intention, then, for TYLER BATES' score to balance
this out.
What helps to separate WATCHMEN for just about any other "superhero" film
I've ever seen, can also be found in Bates' score. WATCHMEN contains a few
instances of heroic action, usually punctuated by shockingly real
violence. We get only a couple of typical, musical "hero moments" in this
score. In "Rescue Mission" (1), we have some heroic-staples such as strong
brass, string swells and chorus undergirded by Bate's signatures:
industrial and grunge elements. "Silk Spectre" (4) clearly hearkens back
to the trend-setting work of DON DAVIS for THE MATRIX TRILOGY with its
reflective brass notes, running harp, cymbal crashes and vocal crescendos.
This is easily the most superhero-like of all the tracks contained on this
release. Beyond this, TYLER BATES does what he does best. He goes on to
create a dark, edgy, but, at times, very interesting tapestry of sonic
threads. We hear bluesy-guitar in "You Quit!" (6), and then a
nostaligic-80s-grunge mix in tracks such as "Only Two Names Remain" (7)
and "Edward Blake - The Comedian" (9). As the film progresses, things
become increasingly tense and dark and, following suit, we hear Bates
bring in more and more dissonance. From "Dan's Apocalyptic Dream" (13)
through to "I'll Tell You about Rorschach" (16), we have a suite of
intensely disturbing stuff. As dark as THE DARK KNIGHT may have been...it
doesn't come close to touching the brutal depths found here. Concluding
the score, TYLER BATES returns to some of the more apprehendable elements.
"Countdown" (17) is a strong action sequence with a powerful symphonic
climax. "It Was Me" (18) recalls elements of the heroic found in "Rescue
Mission," but is shortlived. The score finally ends with a familiar quote
of Mozart's "Requiem" (20) and a small-band instrumental featuring guitar
harmonics, expansive synth, and bass guitar. All together, the original
score for WATCHMEN is a diverse experience - pushing into musical realms
mostly untouched by other superhero franchises. Undoubtedly those who
loved the original novel and/or the film, will likely find this score
embraceable. For those who are not so steeped in the lore and history of
WATCHMEN, this might be, save a few select moments, a score best
appreciated within the context of the film.
