The Last House on the Left
John Murphy
" functions very well inside the movie "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Wes Craven is an influential director, and yet I see no reason why even his movies wouldn't receive a remake. And after Alexandre Aja re introduced ourselves to the Hills Have Eyes, director Dennis Iliadis did the same thing with the movie that started it all for Wes Craven, namely The Last House on the Left. I didn't know what to expect, as I've never seen the original movie. But the remake surely blew me away due to numerous things. The violence and the emotion that go hand in hand are but part of the various reasons why many believe the remake to be superior to the original. And it always helps if someone like John Murphy is present to add these emotions through a musical score.
Composer John Murphy is quickly becoming a favourite of many. Maybe City by the Sea didn't do it, maybe 28 Days Later couldn't confirm it, maybe Millions wasn't one that many heard off, but Miami Vice, 28 Weeks Later and Sunshine definitely changed it. And now he was on board a movie that had beauty and shocking material, two extremes which he loves to work on. The result is La-La Land's release of John Murphy's The Last House on the Left.
An eerie note and a relaxing little score, that's how "Opening Titles" puts the wheels into motion. And while "The Crossing" is a dark, moody cue, "The Pool" and "The House" are not. Completely the contrary, it is lovely and soothing. And "The Boathouse" gives the familiar Murphy sound a spin, when it races to the finish line.
But after that the fun's over. Musically and definitely visually. In "In the Woods" the terror begins and the music is attacking and scary, "Are you Ready to be Man?" is sad and ominous while sad and suspenseful combines together "After the Assault". The result is "Dead in the Water", a sorrowful mourning.
Now what resulted here, has a consequence. And John Murphy paints it differently in the second part of the score. "Candles" turns sad and minimalist, "Saving Mari" unbelievable and ominous, "Going to the Guest House" and "Looking for Krug" eerie and on edge.
After the sneaking comes the confrontation. And with "John vs Krug" the attacking John Murphy is now the only style we haven't heard yet. We return after that to the more softer, emotional material, this in "The End". You name it, John Murphy puts a sound to an emotion and this through easily developed cues.
The Last House on the Left is by no means the score John Murphy fans must have, nor it is one of his best. But it functions very well inside the movie, heightening the emotion perfectly in the film. And when listening to it, it is very easy to digest and accept it as a mere background experience that gets the job done. It doesn't have the whopper moments a 28 Weeks Later or god forbid Sunshine has, but it is okay for an occasional background spin.
Tracklisting
1. Opening Titles (1.40)
2. The Crossing (2.36)
3. The Pool (0.56)
4. The House (1.31)
5. The Boathouse (2.04)
6. Getting Stoned (1.07)
7. In the Woods (4.01)
8. Are you Ready to be a Man? (2.30)
9. Killing Paige (1.02)
10. After the Assault (3.20)
11. Dead in the Water (2.15)
12. Candles (3.57)
13. Saving Mari (5.00)
14. Going to the Guest House (2.52)
15. Looking for Krug (3.28)
16. John v Krug (2.32)
17. The End (4.10)
18. Opening Titltes (alt.) (1.34)
Total Length: 46.42
Composer John Murphy is quickly becoming a favourite of many. Maybe City by the Sea didn't do it, maybe 28 Days Later couldn't confirm it, maybe Millions wasn't one that many heard off, but Miami Vice, 28 Weeks Later and Sunshine definitely changed it. And now he was on board a movie that had beauty and shocking material, two extremes which he loves to work on. The result is La-La Land's release of John Murphy's The Last House on the Left.
An eerie note and a relaxing little score, that's how "Opening Titles" puts the wheels into motion. And while "The Crossing" is a dark, moody cue, "The Pool" and "The House" are not. Completely the contrary, it is lovely and soothing. And "The Boathouse" gives the familiar Murphy sound a spin, when it races to the finish line.
But after that the fun's over. Musically and definitely visually. In "In the Woods" the terror begins and the music is attacking and scary, "Are you Ready to be Man?" is sad and ominous while sad and suspenseful combines together "After the Assault". The result is "Dead in the Water", a sorrowful mourning.
Now what resulted here, has a consequence. And John Murphy paints it differently in the second part of the score. "Candles" turns sad and minimalist, "Saving Mari" unbelievable and ominous, "Going to the Guest House" and "Looking for Krug" eerie and on edge.
After the sneaking comes the confrontation. And with "John vs Krug" the attacking John Murphy is now the only style we haven't heard yet. We return after that to the more softer, emotional material, this in "The End". You name it, John Murphy puts a sound to an emotion and this through easily developed cues.
The Last House on the Left is by no means the score John Murphy fans must have, nor it is one of his best. But it functions very well inside the movie, heightening the emotion perfectly in the film. And when listening to it, it is very easy to digest and accept it as a mere background experience that gets the job done. It doesn't have the whopper moments a 28 Weeks Later or god forbid Sunshine has, but it is okay for an occasional background spin.
Tracklisting
1. Opening Titles (1.40)
2. The Crossing (2.36)
3. The Pool (0.56)
4. The House (1.31)
5. The Boathouse (2.04)
6. Getting Stoned (1.07)
7. In the Woods (4.01)
8. Are you Ready to be a Man? (2.30)
9. Killing Paige (1.02)
10. After the Assault (3.20)
11. Dead in the Water (2.15)
12. Candles (3.57)
13. Saving Mari (5.00)
14. Going to the Guest House (2.52)
15. Looking for Krug (3.28)
16. John v Krug (2.32)
17. The End (4.10)
18. Opening Titltes (alt.) (1.34)
Total Length: 46.42