Many of the great directors from our time have latched onto a composer of choice for their films.  In recent years, Martin Scorsese has done the same and has teamed up with composer Howard Shore for his recent set of films.  After an indirect collaboration in "Gangs of New York," and more of a straightforward production with "The Aviator," Shore's impact had been duly noted in Scorsese's work. Along with that now comes "The Departed," a film that many claim has the director returning back to his roots of visceral filmmaking.

 

While this film has been compared to Scorsese's best film "Goodfellas," I see it as a different movie altogether for a few reasons.  For one, it's more of a fictitious crime saga (though inspirations from Whitey Bulger and the Boston mafia can be seen) and secondly, there is a different type of intensity wrapped around it.  Third, the music in this film offers less song material and more work from the composer, Shore. Lastly, lets not forget that this is in fact a remake from the Chinese production, "Internal Affairs."

 

The score material can be best described as an urban tango with moments of reflection and contemplation.  As nutty a statement as that may be, the rhythm of the score is such that one can almost dance to it.  Shore uses a heavy influence of strings in this effort, with the melodic notes of the guitar at the forefront.  Shore uses consistent instrumentation to deliver the main theme throughout the life of this score.  While this may seem to have tedious implications, it never really feels too repetitive.  Shore toggles the tempo between reflective chords and melody to keep things fresh enough for enjoyment.

With the amount of music in this soundtrack, it's refreshing to see that Scorsese recognizes the impact that a composer can bring to a film.  With over 13 tracks on the score album, and many of its cues offering a satisfying length, this is a soundtrack that will bring a curious enjoyment to most.  Shore fans especially will be delighted to hear his take on this genre and will be able to appreciate the original approach.  Please note, however, this is not an intense listening experience, rather, it's one of introspection and drama.  Perhaps the only thing I wish I could have heard was more of an irish blend of music added to the proceedings.

The main impact I was left with following my session with this score was that Boston never sounded more exotic! The approach of creating this style of music seems to have been done so to add a direct counterpoint to the action taking place on the screen. So in the end, instead of a generic sounding piece, we are treated to a score that has its own identity.

Final Score: Howard Shore impacts "The Departed" with a very stylish type of music that is easy on the ears.  It's catchy, melodic, and probably not what one would expect from an urban crime drama.  It's worth a listen.