Local Hero

After the international success of Dire Straits’ Love Over Gold, bandleader Mark Knopfler took a sabbatical to compose music for Bill Forstyth’s 1983 film Local Hero. Beyond adding atmospheric color to this beguiling tale of a small Scottish town, the score stands on its own as an evocative, subtly-textured showcase for the guitarist’s composing gifts. Knopfler’s pieces draw upon Celtic elements, with intimations of the blues flashing in the Highland mists he conjures up. He enlists the aid of bandmates Alan Clark and John Illsley (on keyboards and bass, respectively) to fill out the mostly guitar-centered melodies, creating a shimmering wash of sound on “Stargazer” and invoking rugged Northern coastlines on “Rocks and Thunder.” Tracks like “Wild Theme” highlight his deft finger-picking and ruminating melodies. Gerry Rafferty (of “Baker Street” fame) contributes his vocals to “That’s The Way It Always Starts,” a Latin-shaded serenade. Knopfler has since taken on other worthwhile cinematic projects, but this poignant and often magical recording continues to represent his soundtrack work at its finest.