The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
by Alexandre Desplat
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Buy online
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Composed by Alexandre Desplat
Concord Records (2008)
Rating:
8/10
Sound samples below from AmazonMP3
“DESPLAT delivers a handful of well-used themes, motifs and
instrumentation that captures the essence of Benjamin, his circle of friends and
family as well as the film's locale. The end result is a melodic and
introspective musical experience that has its own charm outside the
context of the film.”
The Beautiful Score of Benjamin Button
Review by Christopher Coleman
In the middle of 2008 a teaser trailer was released that got the ‘net buzzing.
David Fincher’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerarld's short story, THE CURIOUS
CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, became one of the year’s most anticipated films. David
Fincher’s unique storytelling ability and creative-eye made him a superb choice
to bring this fantastic story to life. It would be a story that was decidedly
less violent than some of his more famous projects but certainly not less
visually stimulating. As it turns out, while Fincher's rendition is vastly different
from Fitzgerald's original, the film still delivers on many levels. Given the
stylistic and evocative visuals presented in the trailers, hopes of film music
fans around the globe couldn't help but soar. Brought on to the project was a
composer who is considerably adept at bringing a wealth of emotion for films of
this type; one of
Hollywood’s most active composers in recent years, ALEXANDRE DESPLAT.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON is an epic tale of one man’s life…a life
lived backwards of sorts. Born in an old and withered body, but infant in size
and in all other regards, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) begins his double journey
of growing older mentally and emotionally, yet younger physically. His unique
journey which begins in a convalescent home in Louisiana brings him across a
myriad of characters who each have at least one important lesson to teach the
young Benjamin. Among them, he meets the true love of his life, Daisy (Cate
Blanchette). Though they are immediately separated by the most unique of all age differences,
the two destined lovers criss-cross paths throughout their lives. Both
Benjamin and Daisy are set on their own journeys which take them a part, around
the globe, but time and time again, eventually back to each other.
Matching David Fincher's fairy-tale like film is ALEXANDER DESPLAT's enchanting
score. Once again his mininalist approach is a perfect match for the film. Desplat is masterful at capturing the emotional essence of the film with minimal
instrumentation. Although there was an 87 piece orchestra used for this
film, it rarely sounds like it. As his music did in the aforementioned films, only moreso,
DESPLAT's score for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON offers a
magical element to the film. What Fincher accomplishes visually, Desplat does so
through his music. They both create a world that is, at once, fanciful yet
real. For his part, DESPLAT delivers a handful of well positioned themes, motifs and
instrumentation that captures the essence of Benjamin, his circle of friends and
family as well as it's locale. The end result is a melodic and introspective
musical experience that has its own charm outside the context of the film.
The film plays more like a fantasy or extended dream sequence than a
romance in a historical setting. The comparisons to FORREST GUMP could hardly be
me more inaccurate and the many differences between the two are told in their
respective scores. ALAN SILVESTRI's americana-based, inspirational, and
no-bones-barred-emotional score (one that I still admire to this day), has
nothing in common what DESPLAT has done here. Director David Fincher remarked
that THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON was a sort of love-letter to the city
of New Orleans. Helping to convey this idea, as well as the setting for most of
the film, ALEXANDRE DESPLAT employs the use of a variety of saxophones - paying
homage to the home of some of the best jazz music in America's history.
Additionally we hear harmonica's and the occasional accordion, all helping to
ground this film in the deep south of Louisiana.
Thematically, DESPLAT hangs the score heavily upon one idea, but upon more intent listening, there are a few other secondary themes
which are equally satisfying. Of course the dominant theme represents Benjamin
Button.
Our central figure is represented by a simple two-note motif, of which Desplat
remarks "...I composed melodies that could be played both forwards and backwards." The motif is well utilized
from start to finish. The first two-thirds of the film we hear this motif
conveying the innocence and wonder of Benjamin as a young boy in a old man's
body. (see "A New Life" [4], "Alone at
Night" [9], "Daisy's Ballet Career" [15]. Come the final third of the film,
reflecting the Benjamin's state of deterioration of mind and infantile confines, Desplat takes the now
familiar motif and transforms it into something that tells of a growing sense
of loss and sadness. Additionally, he slows the tempo, further underlining
Benjamin's waning days of life (see "Growing Younger" [21] and "Dying Away"
[22].
Beyond these two main musical stems, DESPLAT delivers quite a bit more to sink
our ears into. I could easily remark on some interesting element of just about
every remaining track presented here, but I'll just mention a few of the most
notable. Both Daisy and Mr. Button (Benjamin's father) have themes which feature
the saxophone helping to keep the film connected to its setting ("Meeting Daisy"
[3], "Mr. Button" [7]). "Children's Games" (11) reflects a pure, unadulterated innocence that
immediately reminded me of the memorable scene in E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
where Elliot shows his new friend his toy collection. For a love-story, the love
theme for Benjamin and Daisy doesn't appear as much as one might anticipate, but
when it does, it provides
another few moments of romantic melancholy (see "Meeting Again" [6] and "Nothing
Lasts" [18]. The lone action/suspense piece is "Submarine Attack" (12). This
scene in the movie (coming in when the film is in desperate need of a change of
pace) is given an appropriate piece of music built on bass drum, string slaps
and timpani. Evoking ideas of the far east (not unlike THE PAINTED
VEIL), DESPLAT, writes a very emotional piece for a sequence where Benjamin
Button carries his father out to see the sunrise from a pier just prior to his
death. "Sunrise on Lake Ponchatrain" is a another seemingly simple piece that
overflows with a wealth of emotion and perhaps underscores the
spiritual/reincarnation-like ideas found in the film.
Sadly, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON has not yet received the critical
acclaim due. It is, by far, the most visually stunning film of 2008. While
suffering from scenes that can run too long and a lack of adequate pace change throughout,
the film remains a intriguing tale on youthful innocence, mortality, and the
mystery of life...no matter what direction one may take. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT's patient
and beautiful score deserves more than just a few nominations or honorable
mentions during the 2008 award season. The official soundtrack is a 2-disc release
is a stellar offering from Concord Records. The first containing 60 minutes
of Desplat's original score while the second (not reviewed here, but included in
the track listing below) contains jazz and blues pieces of the era interspersed
with dialogue from the film. The
combination of the two discs will easily satisfy fans of the film. Those of you
who are purely interested in ALEXANDER DESPLAT's sublime score will also find that disc 1
is a sufficient representation.
