Chris Franke Night of the Running Man

I understand Chris Franke is a very busy man at the moment, which could well be the reason why a much anticipated live reappearance in the UK has still not come to fruition. Now this would not be so bad if the fruits of his labour were the type of compositions which mesmerised us on 'The London Concert'. But alas this is not the case, and the lucrative soundtrack work is taking priority - and I suppose who can blame him? 'Night of the Running Man' is the latest, and with track titles such as 'Couple Argument' and 'Surprise/Girl Beating/End Fight' it's clear that we are in for another compositional finger buffet, with a myriad of flavours satisfying a multitude of tastes. As soundtrack work goes, CF has the technique off to a fine art. The cut and thrust of action, and the tenderness of affection, are all tackled with skill and expertise and there is no doubt that aural wallpaper of this quality would grace the most demanding of films. However, it's difficult to suppress frustration when in amongst the fanfare snatches, booming drums and gripping effects blossom melodies which deserve room to grow - yet are cut off in their prime. Tracks 4 & 14 prove that the form displayed on 'Pacific Coast Highway' is not totally lost, but at 2:07 and 1:48 respectively they are brief respites. Those who enjoyed or admired his previous soundtracks will approach this with relish. Me, I'd rather dust off a classic TD album to remind me of just what this man is really capable of. (GG)

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