TRAUMFABRIK the movie looks like an interesting piece of cinema, filmed in the German language, it is a romantic drama set in the early 1960.s that tells the story of a young German film studio extra, who attempts to re-unite with the love of his life who is a French girl, but they have been separated by the construction of the Berlin wall. Directed by Martin Schreier, it is by the look of the excerpts I have been able to catch an adventure which is relentless and inventive. This is essentially a love story and is told against the background of one of the most prestigious and oldest film studios in Europe, THE DREAM FACTORY which was the Babelsberg Studio that stood on the Traumfabrik site. It is in many ways also a love story from the view of the director as the movie tells of the impact of movies and also the way in which they were made. It is a magical and affectingly nostalgic account of movie making that just happens to be the background to an emotive and affecting story of love lost and separation.
The score is by composer Philipp Noll, reflects the nostalgic and romantic content of the story that we see unfolding on screen. The composer has done a marvellous job in creating not one film score or employing one style, but he has fashioned mini scores within the score to suit and support each scenario and situation, which ranges from Pirates to Romans and more. All the way through the score we are treated to rich and colourful sound that is vibrant and beautiful, overflowing with a lush and inventive collection of themes, that are grand, sombre and robust, plus there are also romantic and poignant interludes which seem to pop up and swell into full blown lush and luxurious thematic pieces that I am sure the likes of Max Steiner would have loved. There is even a Spanish flavoured cue, with flamenco sound, performed by guitar and percussion. The cue that refers to Pirates is a typically swashbuckling and a Williams-esque type composition, with rousing strings and dramatic brass, DIE RACH DER PIRATENBRAUT, could be John Debney or Hans Zimmer and also the aforementioned John Williams, it has that robust and driving sound right from the opening bars and sets the scene whisking the listener off immediately to the Caribbean with Galleons cannons blazing and flying jolly rogers. The PROLOGUE opens the orchestral score, although a short-lived affair, it is filled with an air of fragility and emotion. Piano and strings combine and are supported by voices for this poignant piece, enticing one into a musical treasure trove that is entertaining and sumptuously inspiring. This is a work that is varied and colourful, filled with a literal smorgasbord of musical sounds, styles and textures.
Every cue is different but at the same time the score gels throughout, the composer creating a work that I think will be hailed by many as one of the best scores thus far in 2019. There is I can honestly say not one cue on the soundtrack that I would skip, the song SEE YOU AGAIN is well performed by vocalist Helene Fischer and has to it a sound not unlike one of the ballads from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. My recommendation to you is seek out this score, listen, digest and enjoy.
MOVIE MUSIC INTERNATIONAL. (MMI) . 