WOLF TOTEM: A PREVIEW OF THE SCORE

[divider]The Wolf: a feared and revered creature[/divider] When Chen Zhen decides venture off the beaten track, he comes face to face with the region's pack of wolves. The fear is expressed by electronic elements not unlike the first part of Braveheart’s famous Revenge cue, when William Wallace slowly walks up to the English fortress after the assassination of Murron. The reference is not without meaning, because we now see two men on horseback riding to face a great many dangers. As the wolves gang up on the young man, the tension kicks up a notch. The electronic elements give way to brilliant orchestral atonality. Shades of György Ligeti (who once was James Horner’s teacher, lest we forget) are present in this scene, in which the character walks to certain death, the music also recalling Ambush from Clear and Present Danger (1994) or the end of Death of Titanic (Titanic -1997).
Fortunately, Chen Zhen’s life is spared both by the wolves and by the spirit of the steppe. In the midst of a moment of spirituality, he sees a vision in the sky. This magic moment, illustrated by strings and synthesizers recapture, in a way, the last notes of Field of Dreams: that final shot where the camera tilts up, revealing the luminous lines drawn in the dark by endless rows of headlights headed to the baseball field.
The next scene reveals Bilig (the eldest of the gang) and Chen Zhen observing the wolves as they hunt and await the right moment to attack gazelles. Horner scores the anticipation with slow string movements. When the wolves prepare to strike down, percussion supports increasingly agitated strings which explode into a fury as the wolves rush towards their prey. The energy produced by the strings reminds us of To The Roof in John Powell’s The Bourne Supremacy (2004).
The killing of wolf pups ordered by the central authority results in two grueling scenes that James Horner scores with admirable restraint. For the first, he uses an intimate trio of harp, flute and strings. In the second scene, when Chen Zhen unwittingly causes the death of the wolf pups, James Horner laments the moment with a heartbreaking sentimental theme. Heavy with sadness, the strings condemn the injustice connected with the massacre of such innocent little creatures.
[divider]Storm and desolation[/divider]Nine minutes! That’s how long this gargantuan piece goes on, depicting the snow storm that takes place midway through the movie. Snow, a frozen lake … references to Sergei Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky abound. James Horner references the famous work in his customary spirit of respect, continuity and progression. To start with, the reference is subtle. Secondly, it is relevant in these circumstances. And thirdly, it is not redundant. Ominous brass announce impending disaster as Annaud paints a surreal image of two horses running on the horizon. The snowstorm rages to the sound of The Perfect Storm (2000), an understandable reference. Then the cavalcade of strings and brass runs for two long minutes before a slight lull. The cue then segues into an obsessive string ostinato and a statement of the main theme that sounds both heroic and desperate. The cue’s percussion-laden end leads us to yet another variation on Horner’s omnipresent four-note motif.
[divider]The hunting of wolves[/divider]This cue of anthology caliber is followed by quiet moments that develop the growing bond between Chen Zhen and his wolf. The main theme matures, much as this little wolf, just waiting to grow up. These are the last carefree moments, as brass and strings soon remind the characters of the threat the wolves face. A lack of food inevitably pushes them closer to populated areas and livestock. Before long, they launch a night attack on a herd, Horner adding to the moment with dark trombones and eerie string ostinatos, portraying the destructive nature of the pack.