Larry Groupé - The Contender / Deterrence (Original Motion Picture Soundtracks) (2021) [Hi-Res]

Here is an unusual but very sensible arrangement: two new, related scores on one CD. The Contender and deterrence are the first two feature films by director Rod Lurie, both are political dramas revolving around a different, fictional American president, and both are scored by Larry Groupé. The Contender is a brand new acclaimed Dreamworks political drama starring Joan Allen as the first female US president, supported by Gary Oldman, Jeff Bridges and Christian Slater. deterrence (1999) is a low budget thriller in which a president isolated by a snow storm must resolve a terrorist crisis by phone.

There are 36 tracks on the album, the first 13 of which comprise the short (26:42) score of The Contender. This is a generally under-stated autumnal orchestral work, evoking a similar mood to Christopher Young's The Hurricane (1999) and the more melancholy aspects of John William's Nixon (1995). In his somewhat overstated booklet notes Rod Lurie makes great claims for the distinctiveness of each and every track, claims which are not born out by the unity of the music. Much of the writing is string dominated, or else sets plaintive piano against strings, the often sombre mood illuminated by the brief beauty of the unaccredited wordless soprano on 'Prophecy Fulfilled'. The tracks are short, two longer pieces 'The Real Story' and 'The Speech' offering touches of the all-American bombast for which John Williams is regularly castigated: this is a Dreamworks film, and Dreamworks is Steven Spielberg's studio. 'End Title: Chapel of Democracy' is dignified and reserved, suggesting that over all this will prove a distinguished and serious film. The sound is harsh in places and suffers from occasional distortion. Nevertheless, this is a polished and emotionally refined score, it will find a welcome with those who appreciate traditional Americana.

Where The Contender is orchestral, the 46:03 minutes of deterrence is electronic, performed, mixed and produced by the composer. The sounds used are mainly orchestral and choral samples, making this score sound rather like a demo, as if the budget had allowed these tracks would have been remade with full orchestra and choir. As it is, this is functional, effective, sometimes stirringly portentous suspense thriller music which would be much more enjoyable as pure music had it been re-recorded with 'real' instruments. There is one other serious drawback: an undeniable and very marked similarity between the main title theme of deterrence and the theme by Ron Goodwin for Where Eagles Dare (1968). The similarities, in military snare rhythm bonded to rising brass combining into a mood of building tension and expectation are so striking that I am astonished no one noticed during the production process and proposed a rewrite. I would not suggest any composer would be so unprincipled as to steal another composer's melody, or that, if they did, they would be so stupid as to steal one of the most famous war movie themes ever written. The problem is that once the parallel is noticed, and it is hard not to notice, deterrence, becomes immediately and unavoidably second-rate. The sound is suitably powerful and confrontational, particularly in the percussion department.

Gary S. Dalkin

Tracklist:
01 - Larry Groupé - The Statesman (From "The Contender") (1:33)
02 - Larry Groupé - I Stand For (From "The Contender") (1:17)
03 - Larry Groupé - Timmy Meets The President (From "The Contender") (1:19)
04 - Larry Groupé - Prophecy Fulfilled (From "The Contender") (0:43)
05 - Larry Groupé - Marching Orders (From "The Contender") (1:54)
06 - Larry Groupé - The Real Story (From "The Contender") (5:27)
07 - Larry Groupé - Meet Mr. Makerowitz (From "The Contender") (1:26)
08 - Larry Groupé - The Speech (From "The Contender") (2:52)
09 - Larry Groupé - Nobody's Business (From "The Contender") (1:18)
10 - Larry Groupé - The Deposition (From "The Contender") (0:58)
11 - Larry Groupé - The Portrait Room (From "The Contender") (2:16)
12 - Larry Groupé - Will's Story (From "The Contender") (2:00)
13 - Larry Groupé - End Title: The Chapel Of Democracy (From "The Contender") (3:19)
14 - Larry Groupé - Main Title (From "Deterrence") (3:30)
15 - Larry Groupé - Deterrence (From "Deterrence") (3:03)
16 - Larry Groupé - The Garden Of Eden (From "Deterrence") (2:11)
17 - Larry Groupé - Omari Phone Call (From "Deterrence") (2:45)
18 - Larry Groupé - First Strike (From "Deterrence") (1:38)
19 - Larry Groupé - Lay Down The King (From "Deterrence") (2:50)
20 - Larry Groupé - Contemplation (From "Deterrence") (1:14)
21 - Larry Groupé - Addressing The Nation (From "Deterrence") (1:55)
22 - Larry Groupé - Decision I (From "Deterrence") (1:22)
23 - Larry Groupé - I Hate War (From "Deterrence") (4:08)
24 - Larry Groupé - Omari's Scheme (From "Deterrence") (1:55)
25 - Larry Groupé - We Attack (From "Deterrence") (0:48)
26 - Larry Groupé - Mr. Prime Minister (From "Deterrence") (1:12)
27 - Larry Groupé - Omari's Threat (From "Deterrence") (1:24)
28 - Larry Groupé - The Shooting (From "Deterrence") (1:41)
29 - Larry Groupé - Omari's Last Stand (From "Deterrence") (1:57)
30 - Larry Groupé - Pilots Of Fate (From "Deterrence") (1:11)
31 - Larry Groupé - Phone With Bean (From "Deterrence") (1:30)
32 - Larry Groupé - Enter Mr. President (From "Deterrence") (1:09)
33 - Larry Groupé - Gambling Vs. Certainty (From "Deterrence") (1:12)
34 - Larry Groupé - Report In (From "Deterrence") (2:47)
35 - Larry Groupé - Target Chosen (From "Deterrence") (1:07)
36 - Larry Groupé - The Dark March (From "Deterrence") (3:04)