It is hard to imagine "The Escape Artist" being filmed these days. Based on a novel by David Wagoner, the story is about a young boy who idolises his dead father and wants to follow in his footsteps. His father was an escape artist in the Houdini mold, performing dangerous escapes including being chained and padlocked underwater. The boy understands that his father died performing just such a stunt. The boy practices stunts like these and also goes on to use his lock-picking skills to open safes. You can just imagine film makers thinking of all the potential complaints about encouraging young people to engage in both dangerous and criminal practices. Yet this film was indeed released in 1982, produced by Francis Ford Coppola with a screenplay by Stephen Zito and Melissa Mathison who went on to work on E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
The director was Caleb Deschanel whose composer of choice was Georges Delerue. Delerue at the time had recently won an oscar and moved from his native France to Los Angeles seeking further opportunities. The composer had frequently worked with Francois Truffaut and was well-known for his melodic skills and transparent orchestration, while also capable of finessing some subtle emotional moods. The score for "The Escape Artist" was released previously but has long been unavailable. This review has been prompted by the recent re-release of the film score by Silva Screen Records, complete with new cover and informative liner notes from film and music critic Michael Beek.
The score revolves around two key themes. The Main Title presents the 1st theme on Celeste or similar, a gorgeous but a somewhat melancholy music box sound. Then we're immediately into some tension dischords in "Getting Ready for the Big Time" which then resolves into the second wistful theme on piano with string accompaniment. "Danny's Arrival" is a short jazzy interlude on sax while "Burke & Sybil's Act" is a piece of laid back period source music. "Harry Masters" is a short piece of atmospheric music with harp glissandos before "Leaving the Apartment" picks up and re-orchestrates the 2nd theme. "The Bridal Shop" is all Hitchcockian atmosphere and then "Picking Up Sandra" hears the main 1st theme now on strings.
"The Water Tank" followed by "Drowning" are all about building tension and dread, while "Ted's Rancho" brings some relief in the shape of more light jazzy source music with a simple piano/drum kit combo. "Fritz Threatens Danny" and "Danny's Escape" are both brooding suspense, while "The Secret Revealed / Levitation" is a key moment which brings in the two themes as a temporary resolution. But the story is not yet finished and we have more suspense in "Opening the Safe" and action in "Stu Chases Danny" which uses an urgent version of the 2nd theme. Things are brought to a close in "The Mailbox / End Credits" with a flute/oboe version of the main theme which brightens beautifully in tone becoming more waltz-like for a tutti string conclusion.
That is essentially the film score as presented - some wonderful music with themes that will play in your mind's ear for days after listening. However it does seem a little short until the album presents a number of bonus tracks, including more miscellaneous source music and some demo or alternative takes. It's always interesting to note when an alternate take differs from the final score version. You can laugh at Delerue's impersonation of a student "Practicing the Piano" and the final track allows you to luxuriate once more in the composer's haunting main theme. The album CD is available from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
18-26 bonus tracks:
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