Customer Reviews

Alice et Martin (1998 Film)

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Romance,both as an ideal and as a goal to be obtained is as pleasurable as it is painful. Such truth is not lost on Phillipe Sarde, one of the cinema's most underrated composers. His work has always been masterful, but no more so than it is with the great Andre Techine. Like the Hitchcock-Hermann collaboration, Sarde knows how to grab the essence of the film and run with it, expanding on themes brought up in the film and taking them to another level. Just try to imagine 'RENDEZ-VOUS'without the melancholy of the music, or 'THIEVES'without the urgency of the music, or even 'SCENE OF THE CRIME' without it's opulent turmoil so expertly expressed in the score. Why Sarde has not been sought out by the rest of the filmworld is beyond me and if you listen to this score, you'll see why.

The score for 'ALICE ET MARTIN' both honors the film but more importantly (perhaps), it stands on its own legs as a work. The score starts off with an upbeat track of urgency, then it slides comfortably into a soft arragement, only to unnerve the listener by inserting a tango-like theme and even a bit of jazz. Number seven on the score comes from the film 'RENDEZ-VOUS', a VERY different film from 'ALICE ET MARTIN', making one question why it is used here. Never the less, it is a beautiful and haunting tune for piano. The score travels in some dark territory and emerges at the end with Bach, perhaps hinting at some hopeful journey into light(?). While the film 'ALICE et MARTIN' is less than perfect (and this is coming from someone who loves Techine), the score is not and I highly suggest the soft of heart own it.

What can one say about the talents of Philippe Sarde at this point in his career? He continues to master melody, mood, and emotion as few others can. A genius at composing for character-driven films, he continues his exploration of the soul and spirit in Alice et Martin, another collaboration with Andre Techine. The music is somber, melodic, and extremely beautiful. The London Symphony performs, as well as Sarde himself in a charming piano solo.

The disc is difficult to find; the devoted will want to seek it out. Not to be missed!