Mark Knopfler
Cal

Once the first step is taken, the second certainly becomes easier. A deduction that comes almost naturally after listening to the soundtrack of CAL. After lending his services to the Scottish director Bill Forsyth for the films LOCAL HERO and COMFORT AND JOY, Mark Knopfler accepts the proposal of the Irish director Pat O'Connor for another film – CAL – a psychological drama that earned the talented Helen Mirren the award for best actress at the 1984 Cannes Festival. The compelling story between Cal (played by John Lynch), a young IRA terrorist, and Marcela (the widow of a policeman killed by the same Irish paramilitary organization) attracts and involves, even if the sentimental aspect becomes moderately prominent, it does not affect the essence of the topics it tackles, remaining of current interest. The story captivates the viewer from the first to the last minute, thanks to a meticulous direction where the first steps taken by O'Connor as a director earn him a pass for a career only just beginning. Attention to detail is confirmed in the matching of images and music, where the Scottish guitarist shows a particular flair for sealing with his music even the scenes that at first glance might seem accessory to the story.

The setting in the Emerald Isle is perceived with the sweet sound of the unmistakable uillean pipes (played by Liam O'Flynn) in "Irish Boy" and the suave keyboard carpet (with a budding Guy Fletcher) and guitar accompaniment with delicately plucked notes, which allow Mark Knopfler to be recognized as author, conductor, and producer - as has been the case for some time. Crystalline pure sounds of the unmistakable six strings are noticeable in the subsequent "The Road," whose harmonizations of the main theme generate listening pleasure inversely proportional to the brevity of the piece. Despite the intensity of the narrative and always considering a basic sonic homogeneity, the interludes (such as "A Secret Place/Where Will You Go?" and "Potato Picking") always manage to generate a rejuvenating pleasure in the listener, born from delicate and light atmospheres, contrasted by the rusty and unexpected "Fear and Hatred," capable of conveying with tact and taste the latest Dire Straits. Music able to go beyond the intended purpose of serving as a background to images, capable of creating at first glance, settings out of reality but succeeding in the precise task of letting the imagination soar high among lush landscapes and in the perpetual search for that irresistible peace that is vainly sought and seems to become achievable through the clear sound gradually taking shape, dominating the entire album. With awareness, it can be stated that we are still far from the polished symphonic orientation of Knopfler's soundtracks that will follow, and to which the listening (and acquaintance) of the maestro Ennio Morricone will have contributed not a little, in favoring this particular sound timbre. Celtic sounds take the upper hand and perhaps a few more electric flashes wouldn't have hurt, even though two tracks like "Father and Son" (the dreamy bagpipes subtly dominate) and "The Long Road" (an example of emancipated traditional folk), are examples of captivating and uncontaminated music, leading to an appreciation of the work as a whole.

CAL, which is the second opportunity to listen to MK as a soundtrack composer, gently distances itself from what was done for the ecological tale of LOCAL HERO, showing itself for its entire instrumentation as an original and noteworthy musical chapter.