The Skeleton Key
Edward Shearmur
" Believe in Edward Shearmur "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
One of the more interesting thrillers of 2005 is The Skeleton Key, Ian Softley's take on Hoodoo (old African American magic that like Voodoo only works when you truly believe in it). Starring Kate Hudson as a hospice nurse, it's a brooding movie that quite slowly progresses towards a very surprising and interesting end. And it's this climax that makes the movie memorable. In the end The Skeleton Key didn't do that badly at the box office, gathering back its money and receiving nice enough ratings to recommend it for a one time view. Because by that you'll get in contact with Edward Shearmur's smoldering score.
Ian Softley worked with Edward Shearmur before on The Wings and the Dove and K-Pax, and it would be lovely to see them together again on the upcoming project Trap for Cinderella. It could honestly aid Edward Shearmur's career a bit, especially considering he tackled his own rousing voice of 2004 with a counterattacking suspenseful score.
The score album is divided between the intriguing songs that enhance the hoodoo spells and black magic, and the supporting score by Edward Shearmur that digs deeper to uncover the truth behind these spells. The songs and score are scattered throughout the album and one way or another they re imagine us to experience the movie once again, this through the music and the songs of the various blues artists. Whatever your take is on the songs, they are an integral part of the film, even if they don't mesh well together at all.
The score of Edward Shearmur fixates itself however on these particular cues. The guitar heavy "Opening Titles" is still somewhat relaxing and soothing, but the next one "Ben Escapes" is already tasting the darker exteriors of the house. Shearmur's more rhythmic percussion and grittier guitar play already predict dark times ahead. The guitar and percussion in "Violet's Story" do the opposite for a while, but when the suspenseful strings creep in, it changes rapidly and dangerously.
The suspense crawls up towards the attic in "Saving Ben", giving Sheamur enough time to tweak his strings so darkly high that you aren't the only one who wants to be saved. And you'll need your savior once you enter the ring in "The Conjure Room". In here Shearmur tackles every rhythmic sting in the manual, giving you a creepy, atonal and confrontational climax in the outcome (especially once the brass starts meddling with the whole situation). The guitar and weak strings depict some sense of closure in "Thank you Child".
The Skeleton Key is a score made for staying inside a motion picture, and yet somehow works quite well on album for an occasional listen. The songs, though of a vital basis in the film are decent enough on album, but rarely work when one has just encountered Shearmur's brooding and creepy score. They detract more than enhance the experience, and I would suggest to keep them separate from each other. Because it is Shearmur's brooding and suspenseful score that will tickle the interests more here, especially inside an already interesting little suburban thriller.
Score: ***
Songs: ***
Tracklisting
1. Death Letter: Johnny Farmer / Organized Noise (3.39)
2. Opening Titles (3.00)
3. Come On in My Kitchen: Robert Johnson (2.49)
4. Barefoot Dancing: Blackbud (3.42)
5. Ben Escapes (3.12)
6. Do Watcha Wanna: Rebirth Brass Band (3.24)
7. 61 Highway Blues: Mississippi Fred McDowell (3.11)
8. Violet's Story (2.28)
9. Hoodoo Woman (2.45)
10. God Moves on the Water: Blind Willie Johnson (2.59)
11. The Goldrush: Joe Washbourn (4.18)
12. Saving Ben (4.41)
13. Iko Iko: The Dixie Cups (2.04)
14. The Conjure Room (5.53)
15. Conjure of Sacrifice: Walter Breaux, Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, Fawn Lohnee Harris, Eluard Burt II & Alfred Roberts (2.40)
16. Thank You Child (2.04)
Total Length: 52.49
Ian Softley worked with Edward Shearmur before on The Wings and the Dove and K-Pax, and it would be lovely to see them together again on the upcoming project Trap for Cinderella. It could honestly aid Edward Shearmur's career a bit, especially considering he tackled his own rousing voice of 2004 with a counterattacking suspenseful score.
The score album is divided between the intriguing songs that enhance the hoodoo spells and black magic, and the supporting score by Edward Shearmur that digs deeper to uncover the truth behind these spells. The songs and score are scattered throughout the album and one way or another they re imagine us to experience the movie once again, this through the music and the songs of the various blues artists. Whatever your take is on the songs, they are an integral part of the film, even if they don't mesh well together at all.
The score of Edward Shearmur fixates itself however on these particular cues. The guitar heavy "Opening Titles" is still somewhat relaxing and soothing, but the next one "Ben Escapes" is already tasting the darker exteriors of the house. Shearmur's more rhythmic percussion and grittier guitar play already predict dark times ahead. The guitar and percussion in "Violet's Story" do the opposite for a while, but when the suspenseful strings creep in, it changes rapidly and dangerously.
The suspense crawls up towards the attic in "Saving Ben", giving Sheamur enough time to tweak his strings so darkly high that you aren't the only one who wants to be saved. And you'll need your savior once you enter the ring in "The Conjure Room". In here Shearmur tackles every rhythmic sting in the manual, giving you a creepy, atonal and confrontational climax in the outcome (especially once the brass starts meddling with the whole situation). The guitar and weak strings depict some sense of closure in "Thank you Child".
The Skeleton Key is a score made for staying inside a motion picture, and yet somehow works quite well on album for an occasional listen. The songs, though of a vital basis in the film are decent enough on album, but rarely work when one has just encountered Shearmur's brooding and creepy score. They detract more than enhance the experience, and I would suggest to keep them separate from each other. Because it is Shearmur's brooding and suspenseful score that will tickle the interests more here, especially inside an already interesting little suburban thriller.
Score: ***
Songs: ***
Tracklisting
1. Death Letter: Johnny Farmer / Organized Noise (3.39)
2. Opening Titles (3.00)
3. Come On in My Kitchen: Robert Johnson (2.49)
4. Barefoot Dancing: Blackbud (3.42)
5. Ben Escapes (3.12)
6. Do Watcha Wanna: Rebirth Brass Band (3.24)
7. 61 Highway Blues: Mississippi Fred McDowell (3.11)
8. Violet's Story (2.28)
9. Hoodoo Woman (2.45)
10. God Moves on the Water: Blind Willie Johnson (2.59)
11. The Goldrush: Joe Washbourn (4.18)
12. Saving Ben (4.41)
13. Iko Iko: The Dixie Cups (2.04)
14. The Conjure Room (5.53)
15. Conjure of Sacrifice: Walter Breaux, Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, Fawn Lohnee Harris, Eluard Burt II & Alfred Roberts (2.40)
16. Thank You Child (2.04)
Total Length: 52.49