Mark Isham - The Hitcher (LP)
- LP
- 1 piece(s)
- 2021
- 14 tracks
- 42 min
- soundtrack
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A harrowing tale of rites of passage!The 1986 Robert Harmon debut theatrical release of his film 'The Hitcher" was met with much controversy due to its unflinchingly disturbed violence, both onscreen, and perhaps most critically, what the viewer was forced into imaging.But time has been kind to this adaptation of the bizarre Eric Red ("Near Dark" and "Body Bags") tale centered upon Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell), en route to California to deliver an automobile. Stopping to pick up a hitchhiker on a barren Texas highway, he learns his new passenger John Ryder (Rutger Hauer) is the archetypical "Wolf In Sheep's Clothing;" a homicidal maniac tasking Halsey to stop him no matter the cost.Hired to score the film was jazz musician and synthesist Mark Isham, who was beginning a career in Hollywood. Initially dismayed by the project, he accepted under Harmon's persuasive suggestions. The resultant score is just as frightening as what is depicted onscreen, abundant with action, drama, horror, regret, and tragedy.Largely constructed upon ambient washes of haunted sonic unease, he aligned with frequent collaborators percussionist Kurt Wortmann, "Bongo" Bob Smith with his W-mu SP-12 drum computer, and bassist Bill Douglas. Isham provided an overall dour mood with the distinct Prophet 5 synthesizer and sampler gear, supported with added Roland, Oberheim, and ARP-2600 equipment.Opening Silva Screen's long-overdue reissue of their 1991 CD is the expansive soundscapes of "Headlights-Main Title," imbued with a lone wolf sense for Isham's Flugelhorn performance for Halsey's lonely journey. Steel percussive snaps appear sporadically, engendering slight suggestions of unforeseen dangers. As Ryder deems Halsey "The Chosen" heir to his evil pursuits, xylophone, sampled and sequenced pulses dance agitatedly. The tired electronics of "Keys" are befitted with an unsettling aura of uncertainty-ambient yet evocative. The glimmering keyboards from Isham's essential "Vapor Drawings" venture return, conjuring an enveloping tone of isolation with abstract, befuddled sounds. "Dust And Gasoline" reinstate the xylophone performances with more aggressive metal percussive devices and strange, curling synth clusters echoing Halsey's growing fear. An austere mood is evoked with the bleak non melodic timbres of a "Dream." The melancholia articulated with Isham's synths for the "Gun" introduces Halsey's theme, with EVI-like emanations perfectly mirroring his anguished turmoil.The slow burn of Isham's take on Red's narrative arc fades to a more deliberately sinister and propulsive blend of drums, steel samples, and blistering "Terminator"-styled sequenced rhythms for the edgy battle between Ryder and the Texas lawmen during the "Cars And Helicopters" assault, an exciting and eerie sequence which afforded Hauer the opportunity to perform his own stunt work.The fatigued music for the "Hotel" sequence showcases the growing bond between Halsey and Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh), another loner sympathetic to his plight. When Ryder is "Transferred" to a jail for his vile criminal behavior, Halsey confronts the handcuffed psycho in a moving scene accompanied by resigned, tense synth work.As Ryder is transported via bus during "Guards And Cards," bewitching, ice cold electronics showcase his unstoppable will as he manages a seemingly impossible escape. When he meets Halsey one last time, snare drums, brooding sequencer taunts and metallic Kraftwerk-styled samples are angry and unforgiving.Left alone in the heated Texas sands, Halsey's theme returns for "The Hitcher-End Credits," as he mourns the loss of life he has witnessed, as well as his devastating spiritual awakening. In typically 1970's fashion, the questions remain unanswered as the electronic undulations can only hint at Halsey's state of mind.Howell returned for an unnecessary and illogical 2003 home video sequel, "The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting," with an entirely different but rich and effective orchestral underscore by the perennially underrated Joe Kraemer ("Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation"), followed by Platinum Dunes' tepid 2007 cash grab remake.Harmon and Isham would reunite for the Jean-Claude Van Damme action drama "Nowhere To Run, the Armand Assante starrer "Gotti," and the psychical but unofficial sequel to "The Hitcher," 2004's "Highwaymen." With nearly two decades of fine horror and thriller scores under his belt including "Kiss The Girls," "Blade", and "Fire In The Sky," Isham extended his approach for Harmon's now cult favorite with a more profound and elaborate sense of doom.One could argue the automobile destructions and their motivations depicted in Harmon's films share traits with David Cronenberg's "Crash," as well as its beguiling metal on metal score by Howard Shore. However, even if you aren't a fan of "The Hitcher," this disc comes warmly recommended to fans of the composer, in particular to those comfortable with his assignments for "The Beast," "Everybody Wins," and "Trouble In Mind."Just don't play it when driving alone!
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