Bone Daddy (1998)
... aka Palmer's Bones (USA: video title, according to http:www.imdb.com)
Director: Mario Azzopardi
No score soundtrack available
Music clip 1, 3'40" (1.68Mb @ 64kbps)
BRIEF REVIEW
Rutger Hauer plays William Palmer, Chicago's former chief medical examiner, who has made his name as an author of books concerning a real mass murderer who delivered his victims' bones, surgically removed from their live bodies, as gifts to the police. In a final book, Palmer tells of the murderer's capture, but in reality this is not so, and after a period of inactivity the killer begins again.
The premise is sickening, the supporting acting bordering on poor, and the plotting neither builds enough tension nor ends satisfactorily. More positively, Beck's music is given some reign, particularly in the drawn-out opening and closing titles, in order to do much of the work on atmosphere the film so desperately needs, and accurately mirrors the Se7en-like dark tones of the cinematography. Beck's style may have some similarities to that used in Angel, but here at least there are distinct recognisable themes - the trudging guitar-thud funeral march contrasted slightly with a softer, melancoly string/oboe-dominated variant. Also included are a number of eerie husky or thumping sampled sounds which add to the score's distinctiveness in the genre. Notably, Beck transitions from the film's end to end titles with his trademark choral 'Agnus dei'. This (0'10"), the main theme (eg. at 0'20"; 2'39") and its variant (1'16") can be heard in this extended clip, together with a bridging section featuring synth chorus and wood blocks (1'50", an instrumental colour used elsewhere).
Webmaster's note: A bare-bones (pardon the pun) DVD of this film is available at mid-to-budget price. Younger readers please note the rating (USA: R, UK: 18)
Full music credits: