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“Howard Shore's
score does little to lift the levels of emotion in the film or
become some saving grace for the project.”
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Flimsy Mimzy
Review by Christopher Coleman
 Robert
(Bob) Shaye may be more recognizable as the studio executive who was smart
enough to back Peter Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS film trilogy. Then again
he might be more recognized for his current legal battles with Jackson
over monies elegedy due to the director. Or he might be known now for
holding up THE HOBBIT...or at least a proper Hobbit to be done by Peter
Jackson and crew. Almost anyway one looks at it, Bob Shaye's name is
forever tied to Peter Jackson. Beyond his dealing with Jackson, Bob Shaye
has been busy - busy with a new film that he is helming as director. What
better way to help dilute any notoriety than to direct a picture -
hopefully a successful one.
Bob Shaye's most recent venture is a film that has been sitting on his
studio's back-burners for the better part of 10 years. It's a story that
he read many years ago and desired to turn into a feature film, but the
story just wouldn't lend itself to a satisfying, hollywood-conclusion.
After several iterations by several different writers, THE LAST MIMZY
finally made it to the big screen in 2007.
This family-centric film focuses on two children who come across a special
box of toys and are changed (or are able to discover) incredible abilities
within themselves. The two become a part of a millenia-old project
spanning both the vastness of space and extraterrestial life to a warm and
cuddly bunny. Save the bunny...save the universe.
Having seen and heard, first-hand, the musical magic created for THE LORD
OF THE RINGS, Bob Shaye selected composer HOWARD SHORE to provide the
score for THE LAST MIMZY. Unfortunately, THE LAST MIMZY is a much more
straightforward sort of film that apparently only required a few basic
themes and subtle underscore. within the film itself, Shore's music barely
registers with the viewer and when it does, it is always one of his two
main themes that get the attention.
One can hear vestiges of the style and technique applied to THE LORD OF
THE RINGS or more recently A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE or SOUL OF THE ULTIMATE
NATION, but both of the two main themes fall short of just about anything
from those two efforts in comparison. The theme of Mimzy is introduced in
track 1, "Mandala" and it, along with the theme representing the two
children (first heard in Whidbey Island (2)) are used quite often through
the first 2/3s of the film and subsequently released soundtrack. As the
movie progresses there is naturally a building of tension and is of course
reflected in Shore's score. While I'd be hesitant to call this a "bad"
score, I would call it a "boring" one. Granted, family-films are have not
really been Howard Shores milieu, but the music just doesn't have the
emotional bite that one would expect and hope for from Howard Shore.
The general premise of THE LAST MIMZY actually held a lot of promise. It's
not hard to see where director Shaye wanted to go with it. Sadly, in the
end, the film comes off rather flimsy. Further,
Howard Shore's score does little to lift
the levels of emotion in the film or become some saving grace for the
project. It's almost impossible not to wonder what a Steven
Spielberg would have done with a film like this (particularly in the 70s
or 80s). And naturally we would then further wonder what a John Williams
would have done with it in that very same era. Of course it is unfair to
compare all of his subsquent efforts to his great Tolkien/Jackson Opus of
the early 2000s, but Howard Shore, like Williams, did decades ago, has now
set a new bar of expectation for every project his name is attached to.
Perhaps better things are in store as Shore reunites with director David
Cronenberg for EASTERN PROMISES (2007).
Rating: 4/10
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Track Listing and Ratings |
|
Track |
Track Title |
Track Time |
Rating |
|
1 |
The Mandala |
1:37 |
*** |
|
2 |
Whidbey
Island |
3:21 |
*** |
|
3 |
Under
the Bed |
2:46 |
** |
|
4 |
Cuddle |
1:27 |
** |
|
5 |
Beach |
1:59 |
** |
| 6 |
Scribbles |
2:38 |
** |
| 7 |
Blackout |
3:16 |
** |
| 8 |
Palm Readings |
4:12 |
** |
| 9 |
I Love the Word |
0:52 |
** |
| 10 |
Help! |
1:20 |
** |
| 11 |
I Have to Look |
4:09 |
** |
| 12 |
Can I Talk? |
5:25 |
** |
| 13 |
Eyes |
2:15 |
** |
| 14 |
The Tear |
4:07 |
** |
| 15 |
Through the Looking Glass |
5:02 |
** |
| 16 |
Hello - I Love You (Roger Waters) |
6:16 |
*** |
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Total Running Time (approx) |
44 minutes |
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