The Gene Generation | ||
 | Composer: Scott Glasgow Label: Varese Sarabande Release Date: 2009-03-17 Producer: Scott Glasgow Performer: Scott Glasgow Buy this soundtrack:   | 1 Rating   |
 Track Listing | ||||||||||
| 01 Prologue (0:00) 02 The Aereann Flyer (0:00) 03 Josephine (0:00) 04 Michelle (0:00) 05 DNA Hacker (0:00) 06 Assassins (0:00) 07 Healing Wounds (0:00) 08 Tracking (0:00) 09 Growing Up (0:00) 10 Geisha Assassin (0:00) 11 The Transcoder (0:00) 12 Reprogrammed (0:00) 13 Attraction (0:00) 14 Sex & Violence (0:00) 15 The Last Mission (0:00) 16 Searching the Apartment (0:00) 17 The City of Olympia (0:00) 18 Feeding Josephine (0:00) 19 Solemn (0:00) 20 Tea Talk (0:00) 21 Rescuing Jackie (0:00) 22 Alley Fight (0:00) 23 Consequences (0:00) 24 Thanks (0:00) 25 Friends Say Goodbye (0:00) 26 The Walls of Demeter (0:00) 27 Passes to Demeter (0:00) 28 Deadly Fight (0:00) 29 Reunion (0:00) 30 Final Conflict (0:00) 31 Mutation Death (0:00) 32 Ashes to Ashes (0:00) 33 Michelle's Theme (0:00) Total Length: 00:00 | ||||||||||
More Soundtracks by Scott Glasgow Reviewed by Scott - Grade: A Dark and moody score adds an entirely new character to this indie film.The Gene Generation is an independent futuristic biopunk sci-fi film released in 2008. Given that the budget was roughly $2.5m USD it manages to create an incredibly satisfying experience. Compare that to the $6m budget of The Room (2003) now dubbed the worst movie ever made and you will know what I mean. While the plot is thin, the storyline completely scattered all over the place, and the dialogue incredibly weak I was actually really entertained by the film and when it ended, I was craving more. It is a fresh and unique gem in a Hollywood full of cookie cutter drivel. One of the biggest reasons for this was the haunting score by Scott Glasgow. In my opinion, there are three primary characters in the film. Michelle (played by the sultry Bai Ling), the city of Olympia (great low budget CGI from Worldwide FX) and Glasgow's mesmerizing music. I strongly believe that the music in this film elevated it to a higher level and added layers of complexity that helped it escape the low budget feel. Glasgow perfectly paints a Blade Runner style backdrop for an asian martial arts hacker assassin longing to escape a futuristic city of darkness drowning in its own despair. The score is no doubt mostly synthesized, but there are definitely recorded vocals and instruments that leap out at the listener all mixed down to create a seamless listening experience that fits extremely well with the moving images. Crying female vocals, middle eastern percussion, strings, horns, erhu, pipa and guzheng style instruments are masterfully blended with low frequency ambience to create this dark love story. Typically, the themes around the city panoramics are sweeping and grandiose with heavy percussion to coincide with the visuals of massive ships flying overhead and the camera tracking to various sections of this world. Highlights of the score include 'Aereann Flyer' as an example of sweeping CGI music, 'Michelle' that sets the asian tone of despair, and 'Ashes to Ashes' that creates a moving epilogue to the film as she stands atop a building releasing ashes into the wind. This final track elegantly moves to a last panoramic as we see Michelle in the Aereann Flyer escaping the despair below her and starting a new life. The main theme that Glasgow has created involves three primary sounds. I think one is the erhu, flute, and piano all set against a background of orchestra strings. This theme is carried throughout the score and represents the true love theme. An example of this is 'Attraction' which is the first main interaction between Michelle and Christian. Bai Ling does the best she can with the weak dialogue, but in the end it works because of Glasgow's music. In a similar vein, the best track of the entire score is 'Tea Talk'. Sadly this piece does not appear to be used in the film. The flute has familiar overtones of Braveheart's 'The Secret Wedding' with the way it sustains and plays out but it is unique enough to distance itself from being a rip off. It is updated, fresh, and enchanting. You really feel that Michelle yearns for the touch of a man. What makes 'Tea Talk' so special is how perfectly Melissa Kaplan's vocals weave in and out of the music in an almost seemingly passionate embrace. Clocking in at 1 hour and 10 minutes, the score is well worth the purchase if not for 'Tea Talk' alone. It can be played in the background while you are working, falling asleep, driving to work, or just trying to relax. I've done all of those to this score. Gene Generation is definitely left open for a sequel and if they end up making one, the producers would be extremely wise to get Glasgow back and give him a full orchestra so his talent can be truly unleashed. But please hire a better script-writer. Just shoot me an email, I am more than happy to write, read or do markups - SERIOUSLY! :-) More Movie Soundtracks
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