The Informers (Soundtrack) by Christopher Young - Review

Greed is good. Sex is easy. Youth is forever. Only if you're uninformed.

Review by Vince Chang

THE INFORMERS is a 2009 film directed by Gregor Jordan. The script was written by Nicholas Jarecki and Bret Easton Ellis, who wrote the original series of short stories back in 1994. The film contains 7 of the 13 linked, short-stories found in the original book. The stories make up a broader slice-of-life snapshot of an entire week in the lives of social circle of people who represent everything from the cream of the crop to the scum of society. The plot creeps forward mostly just by showing their interactions amongst themselves, always in morally deficient ways. An entire subplot involving vampires was cut-out, presumably because a supernatural theme seemed too out of place for a live-action movie adaptation. The film was given only a limited release on April 24, 2009, in 482 select movie theaters across the nation, and maybe rightfully so, since it received scathing reviews by critics and the general public. While best known for his works in the horror-genre with credits to titles such as DRAG ME TO HELL, THE GRUDGE (the original and sequel), and THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE, veteran composer CHRISTOPHER YOUNG was brought on to undergird the darker textures of the film's plot. As a memorial note, this was Brad Renfro's final film before he died on January 15, 2008 of a heroin overdose.

Electric guitar, keyboard synth and bass are the dominant forces in this entire soundtrack, with sparse percussion in the form of triangle, cowbell, and other obscure instruments. There is also prominent use of echo and stereo panning, especially in “What was, it is. What is, it's not” (Track 3). Most of the tracks are slow paced, with many Latin rhythms incorporated via percussion and electric bass. The result is a soundtrack that consists of soft rock combined with elements of samba, salsa and tango. The track titles mostly consist of explicitly sensual references (“Please me, Please, Please”), hinting at the many love scenes throughout.

Read the full review