Search - :: Dream Lover (1994 Film)

A "Dream" of a Movie Score

Angela D. Mitchell | Hobbiton | 05/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"An accomplished and wonderfully melodic film music composer, Christopher Young is just now getting the attention he deserves, with high-profile scores for such films as "The Hurricane" and "Rounders."But for my money, some of his best scores are the hardest to find, and this is by far my favorite by him. Young is unique among today's film composers for many reasons -- a big one is his love for the waltz, and his ability to use it creatively in everything from "Jennifer 8" to "Species." His melodies are lush and haunting, and yet each score is instantly distinguishable from the other -- a vanishing talent in an era in which film composers seem to be making careers out of borrowing from their own material.Young's score for the underappreciated film "Dreamlover" (a must-see for those who enjoy thrillers or mysteries) emphasizes the film's haunting and seductive elements while also cueing us musically when things may not be what they seem. The opening theme is as lush, melodic and haunting as anything Young has ever written, yet as the action changes, and layer upon layer of intrigue is revealed, Young's score becomes, conversely, less layered, less lush and fantastical, more minimalistic in its approach. As the onscreen dream changes from fantasy to reality, the score also becomes more realistic and spare. By the end of the film the soundtrack is almost Oriental in its simplicity, but is no less beautiful. Then in the somewhat ironic closing them of the "Dreamlover Waltz," the lush piece from the opening -- along with the slightly oriental motifs along the way -- come together in counterpoint to provide a fitting bookend as the film ends. "Dreamlover" is a gorgeous score, and worth the price for anyone who's a collector of film music. With that in mind, don't miss Young's much rarer soundtrack to the film "Jennifer 8," which is equally beautiful, and almost as haunting."