Wonderful World Composed by Craig Richey
Lakeshore Records (2011)
Rating:
6/10
More soundclips below provided by AmazonMp3
“The greatest asset
on show here is how well the events of the film are translated on to
the score.”
Behind the Smile
Review by Richard Buxton
A perhaps unique, and certainly uncommon compliment that can be attributed to
CRAIG RICHEY’S score for WONDERFUL WORLD is its strong resemblance both the
synopsis of the film and the poster. Merely glancing at the simplistic poster or
taking in a written description of WONDERFUL WORLD’S plot sets up an array of
expectations. From the clean and understated title font and character image
montage, to the curiously depressing sight of a man holding a paper smile to his
face, WONDERFUL WORLD creates a strong sense of familiarity, albeit subconscious
familiarity. The juxtaposition of the title with the clearly forlorn eyes that
sit above the paper smile that seeks to fool you is a trait that can be
instantly recognized as being a part of the score too. CRAIG RICHEY’S score is
one of lies, in that behind the often happy facade lies an ocean of sadness, a
sadness that lingers in the ear of the listener defying their initial reactions.
WONDERFUL WORLD charts the transformation of Ben Singer (MATTHEW BRODERICK) from
dejection and disdain to optimism and love, and while RICHEY’S score doesn’t
quite mirror Singer’s distaste for his fellow humans, it has a consistently
impressive dual personality of joviality and melancholy. As the strings creep in
during the opening moments of “Main Title” (1), the originally playful rhythm is
transformed, suggesting all is not well in this wonderful world. The melody
heard in “Main Title” is then carried over into the “Ben Meets “The Man”” (2) as
the piano further emphasises the gloom of our protagonist. The subtle difference
made by the prominence of the piano works particularly well in highlighting just
how deep Ben’s misanthropic ideals run within. This feat is repeated in “Ben
Gets Fired” (5) as the percussive melody leads to a suspiciously upbeat finale.
The climax of the piece doesn’t go so far as to shout in happiness but suggests
an upturn in mood is to follow.
The arrival of the character Khadi is a pivotal moment in WONDERFUL WORLD’S
story, and it is a moment reflected excellently in the structuring of RICHEY’S
score, so much so that general outline of the film’s events can clearly be heard
taking form as the each tracks is played. “My Name Is Khadi” (6) signals the
arrival of the character of Khadi, and is the defining moment in terms of a
character arc making its presence felt in the score. Despite running for under a
minute, the understated nature is the first moment of true optimism and
happiness. This shift in tone is subsequently heard in each track concerning
Khadi. The playfulness of “Khadi Buys Shoes” (7), the delicate strings of
“Khadi’s Ritual” (10) and the contemplative piano of “Ben & Khadi’s Kiss (11)
all underline the change in Ben and the cumulative effect Khadi has on him.
The importance of Khadi as a character in the music is further highlighted by a
drastic reversion in “Ben Confronts His Ex” (12). The brooding ominous strings
lead into a sparse, almost haunting end that stress the change in the
protagonist. This change is fully realised in “What About The Man” (22), a
dancing, cheery finale to the score and a fitting ending that accentuates the
development of Ben Singer and simultaneously that of the score.
The greatest asset on show here is how well the events of the film are
translated on to the score. The emotions and developments of the characters and
reflected admirably. Putting care into structure, ensuring it mirrors the film
is something all too rare in modern film soundtracks. The only drawback of
RICHEY’S score is the lack of truly standout moments. Forgetting the triumph in
structure, WONDERFUL WORLD has very few, if any motifs or simply passages of
music that are able to endure beyond the moment in which they are listened to.
Recalling any of the tracks is a challenge in itself and a number of the tracks
are far too short to instill anything beyond a glimmer of emotion. Still, if
future scores of RICHEY can combine the care taken to reflect the film in the
music and structure with truly memorable music, listeners are in for a truly
wonderful time.
