The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Composed by: Howard Shore
Release date: June 29, 2010
Amazon page.
Amazon users rating: 2,5 out of 5 stars.
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All About Soundtracks Review:
The third (and better) book of the Twilight Saga was brought to the big screen through the vision of David Slade (also director of Hard Candy and 30 Days of Night). This movie differs from its predecessors in its faster pace and less melodramatic romanticism. This includes tough decisions about growing up and a big battle at the end. Howard Shore is then more than obviously in his comfort zone to score this movie.
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His score is by far more mature and subtle than the other scores by Carter Burwell (relying too much on electric guitars and synths) and Alexandre Desplat (professional but way too melodramatic).
Howard Shore creates a theme for Bella, heard first in solo piano in Compromise/Bella’s Theme, which is romantic without being cheesy. This theme is very pleasant and exposes dedication and love in a more restrained way. This symbolizes the maturing of Bella’s character as she faces her choices. A beautiful rendition comes in Bella’s Truck/Florida, and a less subtle string rendition in Wedding Plans (the title of the cue explains it all). Bella’s theme though is mostly absent from the score, as this one has other two main driving forces.
Jacob’s theme is melancholic in the fashion of Desplat’s score, but, as said, much more subtle. First heard in electric guitar, reprising the instrumentation of Carter Burwell’s Twilight, in Imprinting, creates an obsessive atmosphere. Two beautiful renditions in strings, heard in First Kiss and The Kiss, being the last one the strongest, can just break your heart as Bella does with Jacob. In Wolf Scent, this theme is subtly presented in clarinet, being an example of how perfect can be an underscore by Howard Shore.
Obviously, the best of this score are the action cues, and the action motif Shore created is simply addictive, and might remind some of the action cues for the new Batman movies by Hans Zimmer and James Newton-Howard, especially in the first cue, Riley, a perfect opening to the score. Howard Shore combines a strong, muscular string section with synthetic percussion and electric guitars, fusing the first two scores of the saga. The newborn vampires are also symbolized by a strident distortion in high strings. This action theme is also present in Victoria and Mountain Peak, but its obvious climax is the cue The Battle/Victoria vs. Edward.
The last cue, Wedding Plans, transits perfectly in a song by indie band Metric, that does not feel obtrusive, because it’s actually a translation of the Bella’s Theme into a song (pretty much what Howard Shore did with Gollum’s Theme in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, but here it’s a rock song).
The piano solos of Bella’s theme and Jacob’s theme (respectively, in Compromise/Bella’s Theme and Jacob Black) are so tender, yet juxtaposed to the violent presentations of the action theme. The back stories of two characters, Rosalie and Jasper, present in cues with their names, function almost as mini scores, with so complete themes and such clever instrumentation.
In short, Howard Shore maintains the score dynamic and fast-paced, even when it’s not action what comes into play. There are some moments of underscore that will not immediately grab your attention but will also not disappoint. This score is far better than the Twilight score, and also uses electric instrumentation, and also much more structured than Alexandre Desplat score for New Moon, that failed in the action sequences.
Restrained and subtle, yet strongly narrative, this dark score fits the movie, is better than its predecessors and proves once again that, if the Twilight Saga movies could be just as good as the music they have.
Downs: the restrained (yet sensible) music of Howard Shore might unplease some listeners, especially given the fanbase of these movies.
Noteworthy tracks: all of them.
Score note: 8/10
Preview:
Track 1 - Riley
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