100 Modern Soundtracks
Philip Brophy, May 2004
1844570142 £13.99
When starting to read Brophy's expertly-informed analysis, something becomes eminently clear: the 'film soundtrack' being referred to here is not simply the cleverly-chosen selection of pop hits available on the ubiquitous tie-in CD, nor is it the more 'respectable', orchestra-laden scores so beloved of the Oscar committee. Brophy uses these pages to reclaim the term, to wrestle it way from the modern vernacular. For 'soundtrack' it might be wise to read 'soundscape', the culminative effect of every recorded sound effect, every intonation of dialogue reading and - yes - every piece of music suitably affixed to the scenes in question.
Brophy's passion for the subject is clear, and while the BFI-endorsement often results in somewhat pseudo-intellectual sentiment, his sheer energy and enthusiasm never fails to shine through. The voice of the author is indelibly stamped over the choices of films merited for inclusion - the book takes the form of an alphabetical excursion though these movies, each being allocated two to four pages of insight. This is undoubtedly the most arguable aspect of the book: whilst Brophy finds a lot to say about films such as Contact , Face/Off and Resident Evil , a number of potentially more interesting soundscapes spring to mind, the works which spawned them - American Beauty , Jurassic Park , Ichi The Killer, a multitude of others - conspicuous by their absence. Then again, it is definitely refreshing to see mainstream cinema dealt with in such a manner, and maybe such arguments are what Brophy had intended to provoke: a reassessment of the way in which certain films are perceived. It is an intention in which he overwhelmingly succeeds, rarely setting a foot wrong in his professional, reasoned yet often surprisingly literary prose.
The impression is given that the construction of the book was a slowly-structured, piecemeal affair; certain films capturing Brophy's imagination at certain times and therefore finding themselves subject to further investigation. This is certainly something that is reflected in how the reader approaches the book - 100 Modern Soundtracks is not a continuous, narrative or particularly unified text and therefore does not demand that mindset to enjoy. Readers may well find the book to be a wholly reflexive experience - reading Brophy's thoughts on a particular film could inspire a critical re-watching, whilst on the other hand viewers may finish watching something for the first time and find themselves reaching for Brophy's volume, eager to double-check if that particular piece of cinema has merited inclusion. It is to Brophy's credit that he is fully aware of the confines of his format, that he works well within his structural medium.
As ever with a good deal of BFI Volumes, 100 Modern Soundtracks will be largely perceived to be a purely scholarly work, an aspect of the readership which Brophy clearly has in mind (a teacher himself, he acknowledges the constant inspiration of his 'hyperactive take-no-shit students'). Yet this would be a shame, as Brophy's passion itself is enough to carry the book into the realms of the more casual readership, as well as inciting a greater appreciation for the overall role of sound in cinema. Which - as anyone who works in the much-overlooked arena of soundwork will tell you - is no small deal indeed. C. J. Davies
100 American Independent Films
Jason Wood, May 2004
1844570061 £13.99
Essentially a pocket-guide for the true film nut, 100 American Independent Films chronicles the most influential and iconic 'indies' from the last twenty-five years. Listed are the films you know - Reservoir Dogs, Blood Simple, The Evil Dead - and the ones you may not, such as Juice, Poison or Variety . That you may never have heard of half of these films can be explained by writer Wood's sixth rule defining an indie movie as being 'poorly distrubuted, if at all. If it found success it was against common wisdom, and by luck, fluke and happenstance'. All 100 films started out small this way, but some found financial or critical success and some did not.
Freelance film-consultant and documentarian Jason Wood takes time in his introduction setting ground rules as to what makes an indie movie an indie movie, but also has the wisdom to make some exceptions. Films such as Steven Soderbergh's Schizopolis or Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights actually had studio funding, but defy the normal Hollywood narratives in such a way as to render them with an 'indie spirit' that allows them to be included here.
Each film has two pages documenting its gestation, storyline and ultimate effect on pop-culture. It's nice to see something as recent as Donnie Darko get a mention as it just goes to show how fast a small indie movie can become a global icon. There's an element of elitism in Wood's choices here too, which he also wisely acknowledges (after all, this book is aimed at such a narrowly focused readership it would be redundant to stray from the main topic). Thus there is no dumbing down and it's refreshing to read a book where the reader is treated like they really know their stuff. So 100 American Independent Films is a solid, if not expansive read. Tom Ramsbottom
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