Creating a musical around religious figures may seem like quite a wild proposition, but we have seen it succeed time and time again. Jesus Christ Superstar and The Prince Of Egypt, for example, are both members of this niche club.
And, this year, there’s a new entry joining those hallowed ranks. Mona Fastvold’s The Testament Of Ann Lee may not follow a figure quite as well-known as Jesus or Moses, but it is a fascinating tale nonetheless.
It follows the life of Ann Lee, the founder of the fundamentalist Shaker movement in 18th-century England. She believed she was the embodiment of Christ’s second coming, and preached complete celibacy as well as pacifism.
As their name suggests, the Shakers pray by dancing and singing to an almost manic extent, which makes for a kinetic but at times disturbing visual experience.
While the jerking movements of their prayer can feel uncomfortable to watch, Fastvold never tries to mock Lee or her followers. Amanda Seyfried, known for her starring roles in Mamma Mia and, more recently, The Housemaid, dazzles in this titular role with an understated yet powerful performance.
But the soundtrack is the star of the show here. Daniel Blumberg’s score consists mostly of reworked Shaker hymns, consisting of heavily repeated lyrics to capture the meditative state of prayer.
Most of these tracks start quietly, with just a soft single vocal track. Then others gradually join the song, leading to an almost cacophonous wall of chanting that really immerses you in their worship.
Blumberg’s version of I Love Mother in the film is particularly impactful, as it starts with one woman washing dishes in the kitchen and singing almost to herself. Another joins the tune, and we slowly expand to hear the entire congregation celebrating Mother Ann Lee.
This display of dynamics should give your home cinema sound system a real challenge, as the solo voice needs to feel soft but still resonant. On top of that, the overlapping voices still need to feel natural and balance a good amount of emotion without getting overwhelmed by the accompanying instrumentals.
Sadly, it seems that the film will not be getting a physical 4K Blu-ray or even DVD release, but it should be available on streaming in the coming months. And I can already see myself clicking onto it regularly to challenge a variety of AV kits’ handling of the film’s excellent soundtrack.
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