Richard MARVIN
U-571
OST (PROMO)
RMCD 01
[62:13]
It is unusual these days for a Hollywood blockbuster not to have at least
one soundtrack album, yet this belated release of Richard Marvin's music
from the World War II submarine adventure U-571 is a promo only
issue. For such a successful film this is really quite strange, explained
perhaps by the uninspiring nature of the music. The sequencing of the album
is a further oddity: track 1 is "End Credits #1" while track 5 is "Finale
and Dedication", after which there are a further 18 tracks, leading to "Quiet
Theme (End Credits #2).
The first "End Credits" introduces the main theme, which is the sort of would-be
heroic piece, complete with military snare, which has been overdone to the
point of utter cliché by endless additions to the Star Trek
universe. "Final and Dedication" is big, sweeping and somewhat stirring,
and reminds me very much of some music from a much more respectable film
which frustratingly I can't currently put a name to. The remainder of the
score alternates generic suspense cues with generic action cues, the latter
a relentless barrage of percussion which might serve as a short-cut to on-screen
excitement, but rapidly becomes tedious on disc. There is little in the way
of theme or development, simply another modern all out assault which may
be a little more listenable than Battlefield Earth, but still seems
to equate quantity of sound and fury with quality. Hans Zimmer's
Gladiator, which I actually enjoyed, is subtle by comparison.
In his liner notes director Jonathan Mostow says that may people have told
him they are surprised by how patriotic the film makes them feel, something
he attributes entirely to Richard Marvin's "clever and inspired work." This
is very generous, but Mostow entirely neglects the question of why people,
by which it appears he means the mainstream American audience, should feel
any sense of patriotism watching a film which steals genuine British heroism
and sacrifice and lends it to an America not even in the Second World War
at the time the events occurred. In short, this is an overblown bluster of
a sub (pun intended) Star Trek score for a disgrace of a film. For an exceptional
score for a very different submarine drama try Christopher Gordon's album
from the Hallmark mini-series version of On the Beach, which I also review
this month on FMOTW. Now that is the best new OST I've heard this year.
Gary S. Dalkin
