31 Days 31 Scores
October 26th
“And don’t even think about anybody coming for you. Not the doctors, not your agent, not your family. ‘Cause I never called them. Nobody knows you’re here. And you better hope nothing happens to me. Because if I die… you die.”
Welcome Back to “31 Days 31 Scores”. In contrast to yesterdays score today I bring you the Marc Shaiman score to the 1990 film “Misery”. The score starts with a very downbeat opening in an almost miserable way. Everything seems sad and foreboding with single piano and strings and later with woodwinds and low brass. There is a sense of danger and anger in “She Can’t Be Dead” with low brass but also a bit of insanity that is just below the surface with strings and percussion and some menacing woodwinds and brass later in the cue. The score is very downbeat and very sinister in parts with low strings and brass crawling their way through “Open House”. A sense of urgency comes through the cue “Go To Your Room” with rapid strings and eventually low brass. The rest of the score continues with the downbeat vibe with strings and an almost sorrowful ending in “Misery’s Return”. In stark contrast to Shaiman’s score to “Addams Family Values”, “Misery” is just that, misery. The score does not really have one bright moment and is mostly just sad with the ending being mostly a twisted action cue with a almost tragic end. “Misery” clocks in at 30 minutes and was released on the Bay Cities label. It too is well over due for a re-release.
Join me tomorrow for more 31 Days 31 scores when we ask the question “My God Brother, What Have You Done? ”