Caldera Records presents Christopher Gunning's original score for the motion picture Under Suspicion from 1991, directed by Simon Moore and starring Liam Neeson, Laura San Giacomo and Kenneth Cranham. Neeson plays a former cop who now works as a private investigator whose main job it is to collect evidence of adultery for his clients who wish to settle divorce cases. Neeson’s character runs into trouble soon though when he orders his wife to go to a hotel room with a well known painter in order to take photographs of the two and sell them to the wife of the painter. Things get nasty when the pair are shot dead – and one of the prime suspects is the investigator himself...

Christopher Gunning delivers a dark and brooding score for Under Suspicion. The album contains 19 tracks (48 min, 09 sec). The final track (3 min, 21 sec) is a brief interview with Gunning and his recollection of working on the score. It's a shorter interview than we usually get with these releases, but it's no less interesting.

At times you can clearly feel the spirit of Bernard Herrmann running throughout the score. 'Love - But Did He Do It?' is probably the most obvious example of this. The score has a prominent and very memorable main theme which is woven beautifully through the album's duration.

There are many standout moments, but probably the most notable is 'Frank Racing to the Hanging'. Here Gunning composes a 7 min, 25 sec mini masterpiece; a slow build that reaches a satisfying crescendo.

Other highlights include 'Suspicion and Romance' and 'Tony and Angeline', which brought to mind Angela Morley's score for Watership Down (1978). In addition 'Murder' reminded me of John Williams's work on Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

Gunning turns in a beautiful collection of themes and Caldera Records give it the treatment it so richly deserves. All soundtrack collectors should add this to their library.

9

Darren Rea