Knight Moves

AMG Review of Knight Moves

William Ruhlmann
All Music Guide

Composer Anne Dudley thanks director Carl Schenkel for inspiration on her score to his thriller about a chess champion and says that in her notes with him she took down the words "very dark ... threatening ... abstract ... classic film noir ... slightly weird." In her score, she tried to match the description by using what she calls a "dark string orchestra with violas outnumbering violins and a disproportionate number of double basses." She also relied heavily on sound effects, clocks ticking, doors slamming, etc. The result is a functional score guaranteed to set your teeth on edge even if the movie doesn't.