What A Good Score! – #33: Subway by Éric Serra
An occasional series here at "Off The Tracks". Listening back to classic movie scores and discussing their significance; the memories they spark.
Éric Serra is a French composer, and I was hipped to his work through his lasting collaboration with Luc Besson; Serra is a very adaptable composer — need lite jazz, he’s got you, need electro, ambient and minimalism (maybe even all at once?) Well he’s got you. He writes songs. He makes warm instrumentals, he gives you big strong themes, and stays totally out of the music — his music only ever dominating if that’s what you’ve asked for. I’ve been a fan of his work since I can remember.
Subway is a film I’ve only just seen — for the very first time. But as a kid I was obsessed with it, the cover in the video store somewhat freaked me out, but always kept me curious. It’s a brilliant, mad, fun film, not really like anything else at all.
But I’ve been a fan of the score for years; picked it up way back — on sale — and because I love the work and shared Besson/Serra vision across things like Nikita, The Big Blue and The Fifth Element, I was in! In fact, when I finally sat down to watch the film, I was somewhat convinced I had seen it. So strong is the music and imagery in my mind…
Anyway, I wasn’t disappointed with the movie at all, but if I had been I feel like I still would have had the music.
There’s weird, wonderful 80s jazz fusion (Congabass), there’s hooky, catchy instrumental ‘pop’ (Dolphin Dance), there’s the sort of classic 80s movie-montage pop-rock banger that was in every other movie (Guns And People). Although this one really is a banger. And there’s funky cyberpunk electro-pop (Masquerade). It all folds in on itself, so the jazz-tinged pieces make way for some slightly sharper edges, but there’s always a warmth to Serra’s songs and cues and grooves. In that way his film music reminds me of Bob James’ TV soundtrack work.
I love the mood of these pieces, and how so much depth, and intuitive empathy feels instilled in pieces like Childhood Drama, how funky and cool — whilst sitting completely out of date/time — pieces like Man Y are.
It’s funny revisiting this album now having seen the images it was created to accompany. That’s what I love about soundtrack music (as I said here).
And I have kept listening to Serra throughout his career — amazing music that lives on its own but is also so connected to the movies.
I could have chosen almost any of the collabs with Besson, but now that I’ve seen the film, this is the one where, for me, it all started. I loved this music before I know what it meant, I guess; or at least I attached my own meaning to it. Now it feels brand new all over again.
What A Good Score is a new series here at Off The Tracks – looking at movie soundtracks, the good, the band and the astounding…
