MOVIE MUSIC UK

Original Review by Jonathan Broxton

Director Robert Altman is equally known for his for his “eclectic” tastes in casting and subject matter as he is for brilliance as a visual dramatist and storyteller. Altman is the man who, in the past, has helmed such notable works as M*A*S*H, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, The Long Goodbye, Nashville and the ill-fated Popeye. Recently, Altman has brought us a scathing satire of the Hollywood studio system in The Player, an examination of life in suburban American in Short Cuts, a look inside the world of high fashion with Pret-A-Porter, and a relatively straightforward court room thriller with The Gingerbread Man. For his latest effort, Altman is returning to the location he visited in Short Cuts by taking a look behind the white picket fences of small town USA in the critically acclaimed Cookie’s Fortune.

As is often the case with Altman’s films, the cast is to die for, albeit less stellar than usual: Glenn Close, Julianne Moore, Liv Tyler, Chris O’Donnell, Charles S. Dutton and Altman regulars Ned Beatty and Lyle Lovett star in this tale of intertwining lives and linked fates. Following the death of eccentric elderly widow Cookie (Patricia Neal), the inhabitants of Holly Springs suspect foul play at the hands of her alcoholic blues-loving lodger, and Cookie’s two self-aggrandising nieces set about removing of the man they have despised for years. However, Cookie’s great-neice Emma, her sheriff boyfriend Jason and assorted locals all fear that someone else may have been involved.

One of the other defining elements in Altman’s work is his choice of music to accompany his films. In recent years, Altman has employed the services of a vast array of composers, including Mark Isham, Thomas Newman, Michel Legrand and Gabriel Yared. For Cookie’s Fortune, the baton has been handed to former Eurythmics front man David A. Stewart, who has recently been making a name for himself as a composer on films such as Showgirls and Beautiful Girls. As much of the film is set in and around a local bar, and as the bar is deep in the heart of Mississippi, the music is blues through and through. A self-proclaimed blues fanatic, Stewart’s music is undoubtedly authentic, but plays much more like a rock concept album than a traditional musical underscore.

Having said that, the opening track – ‘Cookie’ – is a terrific piece. Stewart’s electric guitar riffs and Candy Dulfer’s sonorous saxophone throb to a pulsating percussion and synth beat, giving the music a contemporary, slightly dangerous edge. It’s not conventional track by any means – it sounds more like an elongated instrumental bridge or song intro – but it nevertheless makes for a refreshing change from the big orchestral sounds that dominate most of today’s film music.

Other tracks which emerge in a positive light are ‘Camilla’s Prayer’ and ‘Hey Josie’, which again features instrumental solos performed over a hip dance track; ‘I’m Coming Home’, which slowly develops the main theme into a rousing gospel anthem performed by Ruby Wilson; and ‘A Good Man’ and ‘Patrol Car Blues’, which feature individual performances from U2 superstars Bono and The Edge. Despite their considerable talent, though, their involvement does not make any real difference to the score as a whole – it’s almost as though Stewart rang them up one day and asked them if they fancied coming along and jamming with him.

Many of the cues are also somewhat unconventional in film music terms, and are very unlikely to appeal to anyone who is not already a confirmed fan of the blues. Tracks such as ‘Wild Women Don’t Get The Blues’, ‘Helios’, ‘I Did Good Didn’t I?’ heavily feature sampled spoken vocals overlaying droning synth lines and occasional instrumental solos by Stewart, Dulfer, and their colleagues, while others are simple, homespun guitar-led melodies which, although admirable for their convincing pastiches of style and the quality of their performances, do not leave a real impression.

In the end, Cookie’s Fortune is a mixed bag. Considering the location and overall mood, Dave Stewart has admirably captured the steamy, humid atmosphere of the deep south with sounds that instantly evoke images of that part of the world. I have to admit that, on the whole, rock scores do not appeal to me, but Cookie’s Fortune certainly has it’s moments of musical excellence. Stewart’s rhythms are appealing and his guitar solos are evocative but, having said that, I still don’t think I would have gone out and bought it myself.

Track Listing:

• Cookie (5:30)
• Wild Women Don’t Get The Blues (2:23)
• Helios (1:57)
• Camilla’s Prayer (4:12)
• The Cookie Jar (0:55)
• Hey Josie (2:39)
• All I’m Sayin’ Is This (1:59)
• A Good Man (3:06)
• I Did Good Didn’t I? (2:48)
• A Golden Boat (3:59)
• I’m Coming Home (4:48)
• Willis Is Innocent (0:30)
• Patrol Car Blues (4:44)
• Emma (1:14)
• Humming Home (2:12)

Running Time: 42 minutes 14 seconds

BMG Soundtracks 74321-661102 (1999)

Music composed and arranged by David A. Stewart. Additional music by Steve McLaughlin and Candy Dulfer. Performed by David A. Stewart, Steve McLaughlin, Pat Seymour, Kenny Dickinson, Reece Gilmore, Caroline Dale, Candy Dulfer, Ned Douglas, The Edge and Bono. Special vocal performances by Ruby Wilson, Niecy Nash, Charles S. Dutton, Patricia Neal, Glenn Close, Rufus Thomas and Julianne Moore. Recorded by Nick Addison and Ash Howes. Mastered by Hugh Burston. Album produced by David A. Stewart and Steve McLaughlin.