Domestic Disturbance

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Its been a long time since anybody heard something of Mark Mancina. While the man was obviously working on things, not one single CD stepped in to make us believe it was the truth or just a simple lie. Now in 2001, he still delivered two scores and both cover not directly the genre we are expecting of him, namely a gritty action thriller score and a complete thriller action album which is entitled Domestic Disturbance. Of course the matter is, it remains a thriller score and as usual you get to a certain point where the things become tense, fast or action oriented. So, not a lot has changed there. But in retrospect it is also Mancina's clever use in reversing the temp score into an original and fascinating work on its own. Whether you like the temp score, you hate it or you try to accept it, it doesn't solve the problem in getting something original of a piece that everybody thinks its perfect for. More, whether your intentions are picking it up from the first minute, no doubt that the film was temp tracked with Jerry Goldsmith's amazing Basic Instinct which shows up from begin to end.

The first three tracks are especially the surprise of the score. Here, the main theme of Basic Instinct makes its way into a fascinating, quite original (to the point that it can get original) and very enjoyable theme on its own. Mancina's own version is good and appears frankly a lot of times, the most in the first three tracks of the album. 'Domestic Disturbance' makes clear that Basic Instinct was temp tracked with it but the theme is nonetheless strong on its own and its soft soothing version during 'Guys Sailing' and its reoccurring version during 'Bitter Suite' keeps making the score better then first imagined. Still, the more moody thriller tones creep up and then you get what you expected in the end once, not even Mancina can change that. 'Rick threatens Danny' is the least melodic one of the bunch and uses a flute main theme performance which is spot on The Haunting which of course Basic Instinct was referred to a bit. Still it isn't over, 'Fight / Aftermath' which is the closing track of the otherwise extremely short running album is simply the chase music of Basic Instinct (meaning the excellent chase theme) but again put into good effect by Mancina. And I'm glad that not something of a swelling happy ending moment for once ends the score.

Taste is indeed just right on the money here, but if I were to say that Mancina did everything right and even better then I'm correct to the point of impressions of this score. It is nothing that will blow you away but I'm still surprised to find that the score is better then first imagined. Domestic Disturbance even in the end didn't have a lot of possibilities to go anywhere in the genre, it isn't the task of creating beautiful melodies but if he can create that beauty with interesting if seriously inspired thriller themes, then I'm all for it in the movie and on disc. Even the theme has a good working order after all that time, the sleazy mystery is all in there and its sub theme is well developed that it can surprise me each time. The orchestra is creating a hell of a sound during the louder moments and the recording makes up for that with great sound clarity. Receive during the middle and practically the end the sound that you expected but make sure that begin is well worth the time, because they make the score better and 13 minutes of 29 for a thriller genre is at least more then nothing.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Domestic Disturbance (1.59)

2. Guys Sailing (1.32)

3. Bitter Suite (6.29)

4. Run Away (1.52)

5. Montage / Frank In Action (1.36)

6. Murder (3.02)

7. Rick Threatens Danny (3.41)

8. Frank Flicks Lighter (2.17)

9. Fire Part 1 (1.00)

10. Fire Part 2 (1.46)

11. Frank The Outsider (0.49)

12. Fight / Aftermath (3.05)

Total Length: 29.08

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Mark Mancina ===