Taken

Taken is what you'd get if you spawned an offspring between Close Encounters of the Third Kind and ET, then expanded it out to a ten times the length of either. Enjoyment depends on whether you buy into the X-Files-with-hugs style; I must admit that I gave up, probably a little too quickly, but it didn't really have the emotional draw of ET or the intrigue and spectacle of Close Encounters, plus the threat of its gargantuan length. Laura Karpman appears to have had a decent career scoring rather less ambitious TV drama, but despite a punishing schedule composing for twenty hours of television here, the results are extremely good.

Other reviewers seem to make much of the score 'only' being performed by a forty piece orchestra, but in truth, it's a more than adequate number and only the occasional lack of weight in the string sound does the size become apparent. In the supposed golden age of television scoring, Jerry Goldsmith and Bernard Herrmann regularly wrote for far smaller ensembles, but I think that most film music fans only consider an orchestra full size if the complement is getting on for treble figures. In any case, a full orchestral sound is only necessary on a few occasions, indeed the Main Title has a playful, but intimate yearning that is most appealing, recalling Elmer Bernstein. This spirited material is soon superseded by darker hues, but it musically sets the scene before the taking begins.

Of course, no story about alien abduction is complete without more disconcerting moments and Implant Mania is most unsettling; the orchestral background is actually quite gentle and warm, but sampled voices are laid on top to great effect. Karpman generally uses just the orchestra to create unnerving passages, notably Tom's Revenge and Allie's Fire. The positive side to alien contact is equally well represented, particularly Mothership Arrival, Mary's Dream and Allie's Miracle. The latter is an especially stirring track, with echoes of Copland - if only in spirit - and, of course, just a touch of John Williams, while still remaining Karpman's own.

For such a long miniseries, it's surprising that the album is less than an hour, but in truth, Karpman covers all the dramatic bases and there is no padding. Sometimes it's best to have an album of highlights and, unlike the series itself, be left wanting more rather than wading through the dull spots. This would be a fine score from a film, but from a time pressured television serial, it's superb and easily the equal to Michael Kamen's sobering, yet uplifting work on Band of Brothers. The mix is occasionally a touch shrill in the louder passages, perhaps trying to compensate for the smaller forces. However, this is not enough to detract from and fine score that is as enjoyable as it is easy to recommend.