Public Enemies
Elliot Goldenthal
" Playing it safe! "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Michael Mann's latest movie goes about the notorious bank robber John Dillinger. Living openly in 1930s Chicago, he had the run of the city with little fear of reprisals from the authorities. It's there that he meets Billie Frechette with whom he falls deeply in love. In parallel the newly founded FBI organization made it their business and hired Melvin Purvis to hunt down the most notorious bank robber of the 30's. In the end it became another highly respected movie from Mann, capturing strong performances of Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard.
Composer Elliot Goldenthal returns after his respected Heat to team up once again with one of Hollywood's most beloved directors. In the end, it looked like another interesting project for the equally beloved composer. Film noir type, action and suspense, drama and romance. You name it, sometimes movie music can't even have two of these elements combined together. Sadly and I don't know why, but Goldenthal's Public Enemies for whatever reason plays it remarkably safe.
The Decca Records release is a mix of songs and score, and in the end some 20 minutes of Elliot Goldenthal's music is on board. If you think that's not enough, don't expect that the actual presented music saves the day. I found that Public Enemies misses the panache an Elliot Goldenthal can add to a score.
"Drive to Bohemia" offers us soft strings, "Billie's Arrest" soft piano and emotional strings and "Love in the Dunes" meandering strings. And while there's a love theme or presence trying to state the bonding romance, Goldenthal's music plays it safe, perhaps also intended. The return of the lovely music of track 7 is found in "Phone Call to Billie".
Luckily the final tracks bring a little bit more. The urgent "Plane to Chicago" brings us the more interesting underscore of the album and in "JD Dies" we do encounter stronger strings, bringing us a resolving emotional finish of the score. Sadly and it will not be the last time I'll have to say this, but this track is seriously influenced by Hans Zimmer's defining moment of The Thin Red Line. Luckily Goldenthal tries to make the best of it in giving it his own style, but it is still too easy to smell the temp track during it. No composer can escape it I guess.
The remainder of the album is spent on the typical songs of the period, and while fully functional and at times enjoyable, I don't think many fans will be eager to play these while listening to Elliot Goldenthal's score. The opening song of Otis Taylor is definitely one of the best, and the classic of Billie Holiday "The Man I Love" is always lovely to hear, but the remainder is nothing but the expected jazzy songs of the period.
To summarize, it holds too less score to actually recommend it, and it holds very little song material to make it recommendable in the song department as well. And sadly, what's left of actual score by Elliot Goldenthal comes over as functional, enjoyable but also safe. Elliot Goldenthal is one of the few composers who can add depth to a musical score, making it fresh, daring and interesting. This I miss when listening to Public Enemies. I don't think this is the release for Goldenthal enthusiasts, because for that it lacks the typical panache of an Elliot Goldenthal. That's a pity, because he doesn't score a lot of movies in the first place.
Score: ***
Songs: ***
Tracklisting
1. Ten Million Slaves: Otis Taylor (4.09)
2. Chicago Shake: The Bruce Fowler Big Band (3.10)
3. Drive to Bohemia (1.11)
4. Love me or Leave Me: Billie Holiday (3.21)
5. Billie's Arrest (2.20)
6. Am I Blue?: Billie Holiday (2.52)
7. Love in the Dunes (1.50)
8. Bye Bye Blackbird: Diana Krall (3.47)
9. Phone Call to Billie (1.44)
10. Nasty Letter: Otis Taylor (5.05)
11. Plane to Chicago (3.24)
12. Guide me o Thou Great Jehova: Indian Bottom Association (1.37)
13. Gold Coast Restaurant (2.04)
14. The Man I Love: Billie Holiday (3.07)
15. JD Dies (3.56)
16. Dark was the Night, Cold was the Ground: Blind Willie Johnson (3.19)
Total Length: 47.03
Composer Elliot Goldenthal returns after his respected Heat to team up once again with one of Hollywood's most beloved directors. In the end, it looked like another interesting project for the equally beloved composer. Film noir type, action and suspense, drama and romance. You name it, sometimes movie music can't even have two of these elements combined together. Sadly and I don't know why, but Goldenthal's Public Enemies for whatever reason plays it remarkably safe.
The Decca Records release is a mix of songs and score, and in the end some 20 minutes of Elliot Goldenthal's music is on board. If you think that's not enough, don't expect that the actual presented music saves the day. I found that Public Enemies misses the panache an Elliot Goldenthal can add to a score.
"Drive to Bohemia" offers us soft strings, "Billie's Arrest" soft piano and emotional strings and "Love in the Dunes" meandering strings. And while there's a love theme or presence trying to state the bonding romance, Goldenthal's music plays it safe, perhaps also intended. The return of the lovely music of track 7 is found in "Phone Call to Billie".
Luckily the final tracks bring a little bit more. The urgent "Plane to Chicago" brings us the more interesting underscore of the album and in "JD Dies" we do encounter stronger strings, bringing us a resolving emotional finish of the score. Sadly and it will not be the last time I'll have to say this, but this track is seriously influenced by Hans Zimmer's defining moment of The Thin Red Line. Luckily Goldenthal tries to make the best of it in giving it his own style, but it is still too easy to smell the temp track during it. No composer can escape it I guess.
The remainder of the album is spent on the typical songs of the period, and while fully functional and at times enjoyable, I don't think many fans will be eager to play these while listening to Elliot Goldenthal's score. The opening song of Otis Taylor is definitely one of the best, and the classic of Billie Holiday "The Man I Love" is always lovely to hear, but the remainder is nothing but the expected jazzy songs of the period.
To summarize, it holds too less score to actually recommend it, and it holds very little song material to make it recommendable in the song department as well. And sadly, what's left of actual score by Elliot Goldenthal comes over as functional, enjoyable but also safe. Elliot Goldenthal is one of the few composers who can add depth to a musical score, making it fresh, daring and interesting. This I miss when listening to Public Enemies. I don't think this is the release for Goldenthal enthusiasts, because for that it lacks the typical panache of an Elliot Goldenthal. That's a pity, because he doesn't score a lot of movies in the first place.
Score: ***
Songs: ***
Tracklisting
1. Ten Million Slaves: Otis Taylor (4.09)
2. Chicago Shake: The Bruce Fowler Big Band (3.10)
3. Drive to Bohemia (1.11)
4. Love me or Leave Me: Billie Holiday (3.21)
5. Billie's Arrest (2.20)
6. Am I Blue?: Billie Holiday (2.52)
7. Love in the Dunes (1.50)
8. Bye Bye Blackbird: Diana Krall (3.47)
9. Phone Call to Billie (1.44)
10. Nasty Letter: Otis Taylor (5.05)
11. Plane to Chicago (3.24)
12. Guide me o Thou Great Jehova: Indian Bottom Association (1.37)
13. Gold Coast Restaurant (2.04)
14. The Man I Love: Billie Holiday (3.07)
15. JD Dies (3.56)
16. Dark was the Night, Cold was the Ground: Blind Willie Johnson (3.19)
Total Length: 47.03