Das Experiment des Doktor Caligari
Mac Styran
" Let it invade your mind "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the promotional release
Das Experiment des Doktor Caligari is a sequel to the silent movie The Cabinet of Doktor Caligari, and was part of a graduation exam of Mac Styran and his wife. The movie itself goes about a young man Francis who's trapped in Doktor Caligari's mental hospital. Held against his will to be a part of the Doktor's mad experiments, Francis escapes from the mental hospital, to realize he'll never be the same again out in the open world. Actor, director, visual effects supervisor, Mac Styran delivers all the ingredients in this well shot film. The music itself takes on a life of its own too, once you realize how well it functions inside the film itself.
Having composed the music for Beyond the Ring years before this, I knew what to expect. Music centered around a main theme that carries the whole weight of the score. Performed on the computer, Das Experiment des Doktor Caligari once again proves my theory that Mac Styran understands the basic elements of what a musical score really needs.
And you'll realize this soon enough once you open "Holstenwall" with the basic ingenious warming up of an orchestra, only to dwell deep into the corridors of Holstenwall Sanatorium itself. Here we discover the ingenious march that will be called from now on the main theme of the score. This main theme returns a lot during the score, occasionally supported by sampled choir like in "Main Titles" and "Escape".
Several influential ideas pop up during the score as well. There's a nice moment in "End of the Line" where you suddenly start humming Backdraft for a moment, and in "Never Again / End Titles" Beyond the Ring ideas return to close the score in style with this score's most powerful main theme statement yet.
Some tracks need no information however, as it is clear what "Injection / Transformation" stands for. Because the danger alone that grows from the second minute to its climax speaks louder that words ever could. The short tracks after that show the horrific actions Francis is a part of, only to realize there is love to be found in the darkness too. In "A Tortured Soul", a love of a beautiful woman can even tame the most lost souls. And between this 2 minute colorful antidote, you'll receive the loveliest music of the entire score.
However the coolest moments remain to center around the main theme and its catchy sound. In "Huntdown" the main theme is only heard as a variation during the chase scene, but the religious sound of an organ with additional choir shows you nonetheless a cat and mouse game in motion. In "Confrontation" mystery cloaks Doktor Caligari's intentions, while "The Next Phase" has a playful main theme moment, as the final experiment will change the fate of the Doktor and his experiment forever (hence the reason there's a heartbeat mixed during the fatal twist sequence).
In the end, when I want to compare, I pick Beyond the Ring as my favourite of the two Mac Styran scores. This because Beyond the Ring houses 2 incredibly catchy themes, mixed in a wonderful flowing listening experience. But that was made without the aid of a real live movie. Meaning that's the trouble Das Experiment des Doktor Caligari has to cope with, and in that regard it is understandable the score listens differently on experience. However the score does come with an incredible addictive main theme march, heard magnificently over the main menu until you realize, it has just invaded your mind to never exit it again. Way to go Mac.
Tracklisting
1. Holstenwall (2.13)
2. Main Titles (1.26)
3. Injection / Transformation (3.10)
4. Escape (1.19)
5. Tavern Chaos (0.30)
6. Consequences (0.32)
7. Escalation (0.36)
8. A Tortured Soul (2.20)
9. End of the Line (1.22)
10. Huntdown (3.45)
11. Confrontation (2.45)
12. The Next Phase (3.48)
13. Never Again / End Titles (3.20)
Total Length: 27.06
Having composed the music for Beyond the Ring years before this, I knew what to expect. Music centered around a main theme that carries the whole weight of the score. Performed on the computer, Das Experiment des Doktor Caligari once again proves my theory that Mac Styran understands the basic elements of what a musical score really needs.
And you'll realize this soon enough once you open "Holstenwall" with the basic ingenious warming up of an orchestra, only to dwell deep into the corridors of Holstenwall Sanatorium itself. Here we discover the ingenious march that will be called from now on the main theme of the score. This main theme returns a lot during the score, occasionally supported by sampled choir like in "Main Titles" and "Escape".
Several influential ideas pop up during the score as well. There's a nice moment in "End of the Line" where you suddenly start humming Backdraft for a moment, and in "Never Again / End Titles" Beyond the Ring ideas return to close the score in style with this score's most powerful main theme statement yet.
Some tracks need no information however, as it is clear what "Injection / Transformation" stands for. Because the danger alone that grows from the second minute to its climax speaks louder that words ever could. The short tracks after that show the horrific actions Francis is a part of, only to realize there is love to be found in the darkness too. In "A Tortured Soul", a love of a beautiful woman can even tame the most lost souls. And between this 2 minute colorful antidote, you'll receive the loveliest music of the entire score.
However the coolest moments remain to center around the main theme and its catchy sound. In "Huntdown" the main theme is only heard as a variation during the chase scene, but the religious sound of an organ with additional choir shows you nonetheless a cat and mouse game in motion. In "Confrontation" mystery cloaks Doktor Caligari's intentions, while "The Next Phase" has a playful main theme moment, as the final experiment will change the fate of the Doktor and his experiment forever (hence the reason there's a heartbeat mixed during the fatal twist sequence).
In the end, when I want to compare, I pick Beyond the Ring as my favourite of the two Mac Styran scores. This because Beyond the Ring houses 2 incredibly catchy themes, mixed in a wonderful flowing listening experience. But that was made without the aid of a real live movie. Meaning that's the trouble Das Experiment des Doktor Caligari has to cope with, and in that regard it is understandable the score listens differently on experience. However the score does come with an incredible addictive main theme march, heard magnificently over the main menu until you realize, it has just invaded your mind to never exit it again. Way to go Mac.
Tracklisting
1. Holstenwall (2.13)
2. Main Titles (1.26)
3. Injection / Transformation (3.10)
4. Escape (1.19)
5. Tavern Chaos (0.30)
6. Consequences (0.32)
7. Escalation (0.36)
8. A Tortured Soul (2.20)
9. End of the Line (1.22)
10. Huntdown (3.45)
11. Confrontation (2.45)
12. The Next Phase (3.48)
13. Never Again / End Titles (3.20)
Total Length: 27.06