Acclaimed French comedy La Première Étoile ("The First Star") features a charming orchestral score by Hollywood-trained French composer Erwann Kermorvant, whose previous credits include Department 36 and the grand symphonic scores for Ticket Pour L’éspace and Big City. Directed by Lucien Jean-Baptiste and starring Anne Consigny, Bernadette Lafont and Edouard Montoute, La Première Étoile won the grand Prix du Jury and Prix du Public at the International Comedy Festival in l’Alpe d’Huez. It follows the trials and tribulations of a father who takes his family to a ski vacation. The score was recorded in London with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by film music veteran Allan Wilson...

Erwann Kermorvant's soundtrack to La Première Étoile is a bit of a mixed bag. I have to admit that soundtracks to comedy movies are generally not my thing. The majority of them have quirky little themes that are designed to heighten the comedy elements of the movie. While this soundtrack has it's fair share of these, there are still some fine tracks that are worth searching out.

Highlights, for me included:

'Juliette' - This is a beautiful, if short, track that starts slowly and at the halfway mark incorporates a few bars of music that reminded me of David Arnold's score for the James Bond movie Casino Royale.

'Mr. Christmas' - This is about as close to a Danny Elfman track as you can get. An interesting track which is sadly over way too soon.

'Ice Skating' - This has an interesting theme and a truly beautiful section with an incredible chord change (which is repeated a number of times).

'Angels Around Us' - This is the album's shortest track, at 37 sec, but it builds beautifully.

'The First Star' - This is another beautiful track, building on the theme that appeared in 'Juliette'.

'Family Diner' - A mellow track that is only let down by the ending, which trails off just as it starts to get interesting.

Sadly all of the tracks are a little on the short side for Kermorvant to really get into his flow. None of the tracks are longer than 2 min, 15 sec, which is a great shame. And, as the whole album comes in at under 25 minutes in length, it's difficult to really recommend this as an essential purchase.

6

Darren Rea