Music Composed by Brian Tyler
Rating: *** 1/2

I must confess that when I learned that Brian Tyler was attached to Paparazzi several months ago, I was something less than thrilled. This Mel Gibson-produced B-grade revenge exercise about a Hollywood action star who decides to fight back when paparazzi invade his private life (Gibson seems to be continuing with the thread of noble-celebrities-who-get-brutally-
harassed-by-the-media he started with The Passion of the Christ) seemed to be just the sort of film Tyler should have been avoiding if he wanted to further his career. The release of the film has done little to change my opinion on that matter (I refuse to see it, but after watching the trailer I feel I’ve seen more than enough), but praise should be given to Tyler at least for going above and beyond the call of duty for what this sort of film deserves in a score.

Perhaps I shouldn’t be quite so harsh as the film’s director evidently has some taste in music, as he actively sought Tyler out for the project. The composer was reportedly brought on for his signature aggressive ballsy-ness in action writing and his knack for broad thematic statements. Both are gifts Tyler has displayed in spades multiple times in the past, although in this particular instance I can only really hear the former. Certainly there are motifs that run throughout the score, but anyone hoping for the broad thematic strokes of Children of Dune or Timeline will be in for something of a disappointment. That said, the closest thing this score has to a main theme is featured in yet another return to Children of Dune chord progression. Intended as the more tender theme for the hero and his family (”Awakening”), it does the same thing for Paparazzi as it’s done for every other movie Tyler’s used it in – namely, it brings a quality of great heart and warmth. You’d really think after the millionth time I’ve heard Tyler use that trick, I’d get tired of it, but the truth is that I still haven’t. I could hear Tyler play around with that chord progression for hours and it would never get old. This is not Tyler’s intention this time around, however, as he only occasionally hints at the theme throughout the rest of the score. Other motifs include a slithering atonal effect pops up from time to time for the slithering paparazzi (”Blackmail”), and a rising 3-chord progression (I’m sure there’s a very technical name for this, but my ignorance in music theory betrays me) that graces the best of the action cues. Otherwise, Paparazzi is thematically sparse.

Brian Tyler

But while those hoping for bold themes may be disappointed, those hoping for Tyler’s signature thick frenzied action licks should be pleased. This is a return to the edgy ground Tyler explored in The Hunted, stacked with syncopated dissonant blasts from the orchestra, crashing percussion, and hard-edged electronics (”Cat and Mouse”). True, certain cues seem to borrow ideas from Elfman’s Planet of the Apes and Hulk, but this music is largely marked by Tyler’s distinct personality. If his work here has anything over The Hunted it’s that from time to time Tyler invests an emotional drive to the frenzy that really demonstrates why he’s too good to be working on a film like this. I don’t know how anyone could possibly find a human element in a movie like this, but there are times when Tyler really does manage to bring it out. The aforementioned 3-chord motif that drives a good number of the action pieces is actually quite moving and invests a welcome sense of empathy each time it appears.

However, if the album looses anything over The Hunted, it’s in its lack of intensity. The Hunted was a tight listen that very rarely lost its footing in momentum. Paparazzi unfortunately dilutes the tension with so much underscore that the CD nearly drags its feet to get to the end. Now I generally favor longer soundtrack albums when possible, as I find that they bring the listener closer to the work the composer intended. But even I’m willing to admit that there’s a sizable list of scores that really benefit from tighter pruning, and thriller scores for B-movies probably top that list. Paparazzi nearly drowns in long clusters of low-key underscore cues. None of them are poor by any means – I’m sure that any one of these individual little pieces provides the perfect subtle emotional nudge for the designated moment in the film. Even on an album, any given one of these pieces could be used to great effect as a breather between the aggressive action licks. But taken together, they drag something fierce, and the brevity of each cue’s duration means that nothing really builds to anything before it stops. Sparsely orchestrated and often dominated by soft electric guitar and synths, the underscore vaguely recalls that of Bubba Ho-Tep, but without the melodic drive that made that score so memorable. Nothing ever goes on too long without an action cue livening things up, but the action cues never last long either. Keep your ears perked and there are some moving highlights in the low key sections, particularly when Tyler adds a solo alto vocalist to the ensemble. You just have to struggle a little harder than you probably should to find these highlights.

Also spaced sporadically throughout the album are more pop oriented source pieces, presumably for the glitter and glamour of Hollywood. They’re entertaining diversions, though what’s odd is the gradual shift in the pieces from trendy Hollywood techno to borderline honky-tonk Southwestern jamming. No doubt this has a perfectly sound explanation in the film (or maybe not – maybe Tyler just got bored. Who could blame him?), but the effect is puzzling on the album.

But gripes notwithstanding, while Paparazzi is not a classic, it is a far better score than a film like that deserves. It’s too long, but the short track times work to the advantage of anyone willing to crop this into a tighter more satisfying 30-35 minute album. I’d recommend it, as there is a good deal of fine material here that reaffirms Tyler’s position as one of the most distinct young composers on the rise right now. Those who enjoyed Tyler’s work on The Hunted and Bubba Ho-Tep will likely find something to enjoy here as Paparazzi strikes me as the offspring that might result if those former two scores had sex (it’s not quite as good as either of its parent scores, but that is the inevitable result of film score inbreeding). Ultimately though, I think it’s high time Tyler moved on to better things, and I’d be worried were it not for promising prospects like The Final Cut and Constantine near on the horizon. Until then, scores like Paparazzi will ultimately serve as entertaining footnotes on what will no doubt be one of the strongest careers in contemporary film music.

Music Composed and Co-Orchestrated by Brian Tyler; Conducted by Brian Tyler (Seattle) and Adam Klemens (Prague); Co-Orchestrated by Dana Niu, Brad Warnaar, Christopher Lennertz; Music Mixed by Jeff Vaughn and Brian Tyler; Album Produced by Brian Tyler; Label: Varese Sarabande; Availability: In-print; U.S. Release Date: August 31, 2004.

01. Cat and Mouse (2′22)
02. Aftermath (3′29)
03. Solitude (1′07)
04. The Break-In (1′25)
05. The Awakening (1′35)
06. Turning Tables (3′03)
07. Silent Anger (1′34)
08. Falling (2′13)
09. Taped Evidence (2′25)
10. Questioning (2′26)
11. Taking Rex In (0′49)
12. Realization (1′48)
13. End of the Line (3′36)
14. Discussion with a Detective (0′53)
15. The Telltale Pen (2′31)
16. Celebrity Life (2′47)
17. Garbage Fetish (1′00)
18. Evidence Lost (1′22)
19. Laramie Hitches a Ride (3′17)
20. Batter Up (2′15)
21. Hand in the Air (1′10)
22. Telling (0′43)
23. Premiere (1′23)
24. Scene of the Crime (2′50)
25. Blackmail (1′59)
26. Camera Chase (0′50)
27. Tabloid Exposure (1′49)
28. Adrenaline Force 2 (0′30)
29. Invasion of Privacy (0′34)
30. Intruders (1′41)
31. Fans and Lights (1′33)
32. Resolution (1′57)

Total Playing Time: 57′34