Federico Jusid is a composer who has worked on numerous movies and also has scored a multitude of television projects, one of his better known soundtracks is the beautifully emotive and haunting work he did for the Argentinian motion picture THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES which he co-wrote with Emilio Kauderer, but in recent months he has been applauded by collectors and critics alike for his work on the Spanish TV series Isabel and the Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins thriller MISCONDUCT. There is certainly no doubt what so ever that Jusid is a talent to be reckoned with and I hope that in the future his name will be seen on the credits to many a block buster motion picture. I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER is a score that contains a multitude of musical colours, the composer has created a highly emotional work which has at its core a deep and touchingly delicate musical persona that is purveyed by the effective use of woodwind, piano and strings that when combined conjure up an atmosphere and mood that is filled with melancholy and purvey a simple childlike sound. These simplistic thematic notions are affecting and beautiful and work just as a well away from the images on screen as they do with them. There is also another edge or face to the score which is ever so slightly harsher and definitely darker the composer utilizing electric guitar at certain points which is fused with percussion and strings and enhanced further by the use of a scattering of synthetic sounds that do evoke a certain martial style, these harder or more shadowy sounding moments are however in the minority as the majority of the work is filled with effecting and deliciously haunting tone poems, which are intricate and beguiling. We are treated to soaring strings and frail but attractive piano solos which are underlined by woodwind passages that are woven into the fabric of the work. Released in 2010 I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER was the fourth feature film directed by film maker Christian Molina, the film tells the story of eight year old Alex, who seems to become almost obsessed by violent images, he begins to develop communication difficulties with his parents at first after his Mother gives birth to two babies, at first he seems happy to assume the role of the older brother, but soon his outlook changes and he also becomes increasingly detached from the other children who attend his school, he basically hounds his Mother and Father into getting him a Television for his room and then shuts himself away watching violent programmes and becoming more and more caught up with the scenes of violence from all over the world that he is able to see.
He then begins to become increasingly secretive and closes in upon himself and develops a friendship with two imaginary characters one an astronaut the other a cruel sergeant called John Cluster who advises Alex on how he can be a better soldier. The quiet eight year old who dreamed of becoming an astronaut one day has changed into someone who wants to be a soldier and go and fight and destroy the enemies of his country. Federico Jusid’s score underlines perfectly the changes that Alex is going through, it supports, punctuates and enhances wonderfully the storyline without being intrusive or in any way overpowering and gives the film and its storyline a feeling of soul and a greater emotional depth. Recommended, another nice release from Kronos records…
MOVIE MUSIC INTERNATIONAL. (MMI) . 