CD REVIEW - THE ESCAPIST


The Escapist
Music by Benjamin Wallfisch
MovieScore Media MMS-09010
20 Tracks 31:06 mins

Having previously released Benjamin Wallfisch's score for 2005's Dear Wendy, MovieScore Media now present his music for Rupert Wyatt's thriller The Escapist, which stars Brian Cox, Damian Lewis, Joseph Fiennes and Liam Cunningham. Wallfisch's score has been nominated for the Ivor Novello Award for Best Original Score, and also received a World Soundtrack Award nomination.
The disc gets under way with the composer's beefy, rhythmic "Theme from The Escapist," which really sets a keen sense of anticipation, continuing into "Diamond." Things quiet down for "Confessional," with its delicate piano and solo soprano, courtesy of the composer and Elenor Bowers-Jolley respectively, though the main theme makes a brief appearance at the end. The nervy mover, "Underground Escape" follows, which is largely percussion-driven, courtesy of Paul Clarvis. "Viv's Lab" is another nervy, though largely more subdued affair, with Wallfisch's piano propelling it. The painfully tense "Lacey Hunted" follows, and then the main theme re-enters in "Lacey Recruited." Percussion again drives "Into the Dryer," with "Sump Chase" initially moving to an electronic rhythm, before percussion returns to drive the track to its conclusion. "The Trade" is a murky affair, and is followed by the all-too-brief, cello-lead "Elegy for Brodie," solo courtesy of Moray Welsh. Intense strings, the like normally associated with the horror genre, accompany "Tony Killed," with the suspenseful "Abandoned Station" following.
Soprano and piano return for "Frank's Vision," with "Wonderment," building with awe-filled strings. Those same strings turn "nasty" again for the following "Train," and then turn their attentions to the main theme once more in "Lacey is Free," which cue then turns almost ethereal, with subdued piano and more awe-filled string-work. The largely subdued "Escalator" ends with an uplifting string crescendo, with soprano leading on from this in "Reunion," which has a real feeling of resolution. The closing cue, "End Credits" sees a final and welcome reprise of the main theme.
Visit www.moviescoremedia.com/escapist.html for more info and sound clips, and to find out how you can download the album, or purchase it on CD.