Our theme of soundtrack reviews continues with a film perhaps as equally well known for it’s soundtrack as it is for it’s alluring cinematography and quirky direction. Amélie is a French film from 2001, which brought largely unknown actress Audrey Tatou to the world’s attention. It depicts a whimsical Parisian lifestyle which is underlined by it’s score. So give it a listen, and read our review below…
Blossoming love
Legend has it that director Jean-Pierre Jeunet happened upon the music of Yann Tiersen while driving with an assistant who put on a CD while considering composer Michael Nyman for the role of scoring his film. To see how well Nyman’s music can work for the cinéaste, do watch James Marsh’s fascinating documentary Man On Wire. So the origin of the film’s soundtrack mirrors it’s theme of serendipity itself! Described as a comic fable, the picture swaggers with a Gallic charm complemented wonderfully by Yann Tiersen’s warmly inviting score. The film is as idiosyncratic as it’s musical accompaniment, matching the melodic subtlety with themes of blossoming love. The Parisian street accordion is a starting point and familiar motif throughout.
La jeune Amélie
Amelie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way, discovers love. Although the casting (especially the charming lead role of Audrey Tatou) and Jeunet’s direction are superb, the music is an essential ingredient in the mix. Some tracks are from existing Tiersen albums while others are composed especially for the film. Amelie is well-liked in her community and develops an ambition to help others, the enigma however is whether she willing to face her own problems. It may sound serious, but it is deftly directed with a lot of humor. “Amelie’s Waltz” is the main character’s theme, featured in three different versions in varying degrees of intensity and is central to the film. Arranged for accordion by Tiersen, the instrument features prominently throughout, giving a distinctly French feel to the film. Waltzes feature prominently throughout the soundtrack and can range in style from moody minimalism to a laid-back, bittersweet intensity. This gives a merry-go-round feel, accentuating the characters experience of the whirlwind of life.
Regard!
There are a number of “oldies” throughout the soundtrack. Guilty is a romantic song from 1931, sung in English and complete with original “old-record” sound and minor scratches. The first of two oldies on the soundtrack it emphasises the timeless quality of the movie which feels to be set several decades ago despite containing modern cars and gadgets like mobile phones. The director has created a fantastical world of dreams in which Amelie’s adventures can unfold. Her failed writer, hypochondriac father suppressed her childhood by his mistaken concerns of a heart-defect. After returning a long-lost childhood treasure to a former occupant of her apartment, she sets out on a mission to become “godmother of the rejected”, anonymously helping her various acquaintances using fantasy and little tricks. When Amelie finds and album of photos of an intriguing collector that collects rejected photos from photo-booths, she seeks him out and falls in love.
Effronté
There are some melancholic modern classical pieces which fit well with the story of the shy waitress, who although changes the lives of others around her, must struggle with her own isolation. Multi-instrumentalist Tiersen’s work has encompassed everything from classical to pop and rock genres and it shows through throughout the soundtrack which is generally fun in mood, but tinged with sadness and with a touch of the supernatural thrown in for good measure. It ends up being a perfect mix of modern European classical and experimental music, but maintains a pastoral and definitely French feeling throughout. The waltzes would fit well in any period film, which compliments well because Audrey Tatou looks like an old movie star put into a post-modern film, in fact it should be noted that Tatou’s influence and impact on the success of this film.
Répertoire
The music of the soundtrack enhances the movie by clarifying a line on the spectrum between melancholy and carefree. Even the sadder moments are tinged with a kind of Gallic acceptance, c’est la vie! Without a doubt, the director Jean-Pierre Jeunet did a spectacular job of movie making but without the music of Yann Tiersen, it would never have been as powerful. The soundtrack is highly recommend as something quite original in the world of movie scores. It’s a must-see film and once you do you will want the music. Download it here. If you want to see (or hear) his other work, check out the film Goodbye Lenin which he has also scored. Below is a video from Tuning Spork records – Jay Haze reconstructing one of Tiersen’s compositions. Lovely stuff, enjoy.
Yann Tiersen – Official Website
Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain – IMDB
Tags: Amélie, Audrey Tatou, France, French, Jay Haze, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Love, Michael Nyman, Soundtrack, Tuning Spork, Waltz, Yann Tiersen
