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| Young |
Murder in the First: (Christopher Young) Rarely
referenced but quite memorable in its acting performances and
examination of the penal system,
Murder in the First was a failed
1995 historical drama starring Christian Slater, Kevin Bacon, and Gary
Oldman. Bacon's character is sent to the gloomy Alcatraz prison in 1938
for stealing $5 to feed his sister, and after years of solitary
confinement he commits murder and is put on trial for that crime. The
attempt by his attorney, played by Slater, to gain the trust of the
prisoner, as well as deal with the almost delusional torments of that
man, are the focus of the film. While positive criticism met
Murder
in the First, especially in regards to Bacon's performance and
outstanding art direction, the film fell into immediate obscurity. The
same could be said of Christopher Young's music for the picture. Much
praised, it too never gained mainstream appreciation. Young was best
known in both the industry and the public eye as a master of the horror
and suspense genres, bursting into the limelight a decade earlier with
rowdy orchestral feats of terror. For fans exclusively familiar with
this genre of writing from Young,
Murder in the First is a
striking change of direction. A dozen years later, sadly, the same
statement still applied, with Young's career flirting with mainstream
action films but never grasping heavy dramas in the way that he
accomplished with
Murder in the First. In the decades before or
after, Young has rarely hinted at the same level of beauty and solace
that is heard throughout this score, and a rare album release has added
to the futility of the score's plight. The ensemble for the recording is
non-traditional in that it features a massive string section but no
brass or woodwinds. Solo contributions by harp, piano, and timpani are
evident, but sparse. An adult chorus is a key factor in providing a
gorgeous hint at salvation despite the film's dreary circumstances (much
like the choral parts of James Newton Howard's
Flatliners in
terms of style). A few source cues utilize a smaller, more complete
orchestra for mock newsreel material. In terms of ambience, however, the
score's restraint is an asset that lends credibility to its dramatic
aspirations.
Young writes three themes for
Murder in the
First, though only two are easily identifiable. The opening cue,
"Murder in the First" presents the respectful title theme for solo
string layers during its first two minutes before launching into the
"Redemption" theme that flourishes in the track of that name at the end
of the album. The title theme receives significant treatment by solos
from each sub-section of the strings, culminating in a poignant finale
in the last minute of "Back to the Rock." The "Redemption" theme is
first given its full string and choral rendition in "The Truth Be Known"
before; the chorus only makes a few contributions to the score, but its
presence is immensely powerful. Its performances aren't intense, but
their grim respect matches, in many ways, the tones that John Williams
achieved later with his hymn for
Saving Private Ryan. The third
theme is more of a longing motif on the layered strings that is used in
the score's bleakest moments. Outside of the cues that offer the
"Redemption" theme with the choral ensemble, it's difficult to pinpoint
distinct highlights in the remainder of the underscore. Young so
consistently maintains a very slight, but impressive presence of
harmonious strings that the score has no distinctly weaker points.
Interestingly, the grim moments of torture in the film are not
represented by equally brutal cues, at least not as heard on the album.
The listening experience is disrupted significantly by the two newsreel
source cues, and despite Young's ability to very accurately imitate
their style, their length makes them a daunting obstacle. The remaining
forty minutes occasionally meander in barely audible depths, but
otherwise are a thematic delight. Listeners who appreciate fine string
solos will be pleased by
Murder in the First, though the score's
definition by some fans as a "classic" is perhaps promising too much.
It's certainly a score of magnificence in several places, but its own
understatement in performance depth restrains its dramatic potential. A
rare commercial album from France has added to the mystique of this
score through the years.
Murder in the First remains a highlight
in Young's career, though with stiff competition from a variety of great
scores in 1995, it rarely receives the recognition it deserves.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
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| Bias Check: |
For Christopher Young reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.4
(in 25 reviews)
and the average viewer rating is 3.1
(in 9,010 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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The insert includes no extra information about the score or film.
