The Sender (1982)
Released by La-La Land Records, 2011
12 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 38:17 min.
Music Composed by Trevor Jones

The Sender was a film we stumbled across at the video store, thinking it looked pretty interesting. Not only was it pretty damn good movie, but it also has a great cast of Kathryn Harrold, Shirley Knight, and Zeljko Ivanek in his first starring role. It has remained not only a personal favorite, but one that I think is highly underrated. Then years ago, when I saw that La-La Land was releasing the score, I immediately ordered a copy. It made me realize that one of the reasons the film is so effective is this incredibly somber score from Trevor Jones.

Right from the opening note from a piano, which is then accompanied by some wind instrument (maybe a clarinet?), but it immediately creates this peaceful and almost relaxing feeling. We get the same theme starting again but through a trumpet, or some type of horn, that still creates the same feeling. But then about 3 minutes into that opening Main Title track, you feel a darkness starting to creep in. Not like an “evil bad guy” theme, but just a sense of dread or depression. The rest of the score follows the same path. This isn’t one that will blast your ears but will worm its way inside.

Trevor uses the main theme throughout the entire score, with slight changes here and there, but it still gives off that combination of peace and dread. It’s a very quiet and almost peaceful score but there is just something darker lying beneath the surface, which fits perfectly inside the movie itself.

This is definitely one to have the in background to fill the room with an amazing ambiance that fills the room. You might not even “hear” it, but you’ll feel it.