The Dark Knight Rises – Thoughts on the Soundtrack
The music of Hans Zimmer has become indelibly recognized by
both casual movie-goers, and those who take joy in listening to music written
for film. Though, of late, the phrase “As written for film” has become lessened
and abused – and Composers of the Digital Age are no stranger to subjecting
such abuse to film music.
Hans Zimmer’s style of music hasn’t shifted incredibly so
from his last major outing with Christopher Nolan for the film Inception
(2010). It would be dishonest of me to say I found the music for
Inception terrible or unpleasant to listen to, so what I will say that in a
Narrative perspective of film music, Inception didn’t follow to suit. It
accompanied and complimented the dynamic ideas presented in the film, though
without developing any of the themes.
Here in The Dark Knight Rises, Zimmer
exercises his usual techniques and wares, though with some added flare on the
sides. The banging and clanging which you may have heard in On
Stranger Tides covers many aspects of this album – predominately for the
character of Bane and to emphasise the action scenes. I would say that his
approach to composing is sloppy once you consider the world of film scoring –
where the music is made for the visuals. Unlike traditional film composing
where the composer is required to add and accentuate the ebbs and flows of the
narrative, Zimmer will compose something which he thinks sounds good and then,
along with Nolan, they fit it to the film. So where you may have deep thought
and suggestion of other motives in a typical track in, let’s say, John Williams’
Empire
Strikes Back – where we have the tension and growing love between Han
and Leia strained through the music, you will instead here something which just
sounds pleasing without the thought put into it. With Zimmer there’s more style
over substance, not a balance or indeed a reverse of substance over style.
Casual movie goers will find this music pleasing, and probably more so than
thought provoking music from Williams. (I love John Williams’ compositions. For
more on this point see my post Passive
Reaction to Film Scores and The Hidden Gem of Film Music
The added flare I had mentioned a while ago represents the
experimental composition explored by Zimmer for TDKR. You’ll hear this in Mind If I Cut In where we are
introduced to Catwoman’s theme. This is a fairly charming theme which was
rather unexpected of Zimmer. (Mermaids
in
On Stranger Tides is another charming piece, I might also add) Here we
have a reasonably competent theme which progresses in a steady fashion with
some fluttering strings – strings which are also used by Zimmer to describe the
interactions and bond of both Catwoman and Batman. I thought this was a nice
decision on Zimmer’s part and is the first step towards a developmental score
where we are witness to the themes developing along with the characters.
The
only other track which may be of some revelation to Zimmer detractors at how
interesting it could be – is in On Thin
Ice, here we have a sentimental, ethereal version of the main theme (those
two notes usually blast and resonate in the brass section (not too dissimilar to
his Inception theme). On Thin Ice represents a depressed side to Batman and
Bruce Wayne’s theme, which diminishes into a third note – possibly inferring that
there is more to the ideology of who Batman, and who Bruce is and wants to
become.
I was lucky to be part of the score as Hans Zimmer had let
the public record their voices for some choral chanting using a program called
UJAM. The Dehshay Basarah chant is unusually addictive and means ‘He Rises’.
The chanting is sparingly applied though throughout the soundtrack and becomes
a tad bit messy when it transforms and mutates into Banes theme – which isn’t
incredibly strong as a theme for a villain. But I guess it fits his character
to some degree.
The other tracks are really rehashes of music from the
previous films but has been pumped up for this final instalment. Overall, it is
enjoyable as a soundtrack for casual listening – like something you’d listen to
in the car; any thought provoking material is stripped away.
Film/Visual Cohesiveness: 8/10
Rhys’s Rating: 7/10
Track Listing
o
1. A Storm Is Coming (0:37)
o
2. On Thin Ice (2:55)*
o
3. Gotham's Reckoning (4:08)*
o
4. Mind If I Cut In? (3:27)*
o
5. Underground Army (3:12)
o
6. Born In Darkness (1:57)
o
7. The Fire Rises (5:33)
o
8. Nothing Out There (2:51)
o
9. Despair (3:14)
o
10. Fear Will Find You (3:08)*
o
11. Why Do We Fall? (2:03)
o
12. Death By Exile (0:23)
o
13. Imagine The Fire (7:25)
o
14. Necessary Evil (3:16)
o
15. Rise (7:11)
*=Tracks
of Interest
