American History X

American History X is in my opinion one of Anne Dudley's absolutely finest and most effective scores. The way the music works in the film is just wonderful - it turns an already good movie into a brilliant movie experience. A film that it is hard not to take to your heart and learn something from. A film that will haunt you long after it has ended. Mostly because of three things - Edward Norton, in one of his best efforts; The tragic story; and finally Anne Dudley's score, which is highly emotional, powerful and elegiac. Something achieved mostly thanks to the sound of the boys choir, which Dudley chose for its pure sound to represent the naive and insecure the younger brother Danny, portrayed by Edward Furlong. "I've tried to represent this by keeping the choir melodic and beautiful whilst all around mayhem erupts in the orchestra", as Dudley writes in the liner notes. But the orchestra also helps out in making this score so big and powerful - thick strings, heavy timpani and loud brass give the music a very epic sound, which certainly isn't what I expected to hear in this film.

"Playing to Win" is a glorious and magnificent cue, full of pride and excitement. It builds towards a wonderful climax and is without doubt a real highlight in the film and on the soundtrack. This is the only cue in the score that lacks the tragic and dramatic sound. Sombre and dark are two words that describes the rest of the score pretty well. Especially the choir parts make this score quite depressing listening to. In many ways this is a score that is easier to appreciate in the film, than on CD, primarily thanks to its dark nature. The closing "Benedictus" is a wonderful, emotional cue, which features the soft sound of the boys choir, together with the entire orchestra, as well as intimate piano.

As Anne Dudley's score for The Full Monty apperantly was considered to be top Academy Award material, I find it hard to understand why the music for American History X wasn't even nominated. The Academy walks in mysterious ways...