Title: Patrick
Year: 2013
Composer: Pino Donaggio
Pino
Donaggio is an Italian composer who has had surprisingly plenty international
success and is still writing film music in his 70s. A remake of an Australian
supernatural horror film of the same name also received a score by him. The
original Patrick had a score by the
band Goblin in its Italian release but Donaggio’s score bares no resembles to
their style. It’s dark, orchestral music reminiscent of works by Bernard
Herrmann with some added modern electronics. Unfortunately is a bit too
anonymous to leave a lasting mark.
Deadly needle opens the score with ominous strings that lead
the way to musical knife stabs with electronic effects. After a pause, the main
theme is introduced with a 4-note horn-call. A more longlined version is then
heard on the piano supported by a solo cello and later moving to the string
section. That peaceful mood doesn’t last long though because Car scene offers the first signs of
fast-paced action music once again with underlying electronic additions. The
main theme is used as an action-motif here in a fashion similar to Jerry
Goldsmith’s thematic writing.
Most of the
album’s duration is devoted to horror/suspense music with occasional bursts of
action. The lift begins with ticking
mystery writing once again reminiscent of Goldsmith. After a few brassy main
theme statements it cools down to uninteresting territory. Kathy enters opens with some powerful action music but
unfortunately it once again flops before reaching full satisfaction. Similar
jagged, string-heavy action writing is the basis of both Cassidy dies and You decide.
The mystery aspect of the score is exploited in Patrick computer with twisted harmonies bordering tonal and atonal writing
and Telepathy beach which includes
lengthy main theme statements disturbed by weird electronic effects and cluster
harmonies. Telekinesis is one of the
score’s most effective suspense cues with the emphasis on strings once again
with repeating lines growing in intensity with varying electronics and changes
in pace finally resolving into a more straightforward action cue.
Fortunately
the saving grace for the score is the melodramatic romantic material that gets
its first go in First day that
wanders a while before releasing the main theme with a more attractive style.
The strings in this score in particular have a very classic film music feel and
heighten the listening experience. Kathy
meets Patrick includes an absolutely lovely flute melody that is
disappointingly interrupted by a sudden horror movie sting. That melody is
reprised in Patrick spits museum that
turns into the most romantic theme of the album after a moment of rugged action.
Though it’s over-the-top writing, it’s just so nice to hear some proper
orchestration and romantic chord changes in a modern film score. Lighthouse offers more of that lovely flute
and harp work before reprising some of the chord progressions of the romantic
theme that lead to a mysterious conclusion. Another frustrating cue is Kathy’s imagination which begins with
beautiful main theme moments that are ruined by either lame melodrama or mediocre
suspense. After a disappointing second half, the score redeems itself during
the last two tracks. Kathy back to work changes
from full action unnoticeably into more romantic music with movement and ends with the final horn-call stinger. The last cue includes a full orchestra version of
the main theme and finally a lovely reprise of the romantic material of track
6.
The album
is way too long to sustain the large quantity of music and hence can be a quite
tedious experience at times. The suspense scoring is the stumbling block of it
all but luckily the romantic undertones offer at least some enjoyment. Overall
Donaggio did an average job that really offered nothing new but just enough to
work within the picture.
Rating: ***1/2
Tracklist:
1. Deadly needle
(03:45) ****
2. Car scene
(01:54) ****
3. First day
(04:02) ****
4. Kathy meets
Patrick (02:20) ****
5. The lift
(03:58) ***
6. Patrick
spits museum (03:15) *****
7. Kathy enters
(02:37) ***
8. Cassidy
dies (02:54) ***
9. Patrick
computer (02:38) ****
10.
Telepathy beach (02:18) ****
11. Telekinesis
(04:52) ****
12. Cassidy
visits Kathy (02:38) **
13. Waveform
Crazy (01:52) **
14. Lighthouse
(03:48) ***
15. Kathy’s
imagination (03:57) ***
16. Nurse
Williams dies (04:12) ***
17. You decide
(03:59) ***
18. Kathy
back to work (02:15) ****
19. Dream
or reality (04:21) ****
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