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Film Score Monthly Volume 7, Number 8, October 2002 by Stephen Armstrong The screenplay (yes, screenplay-it hasn't been made) for The Fluorescent Shaded Teddy Bear Murders revolves around an island occupied by "insanely beautiful" supermodels who must protect themselves from murderous stuffed animals. And though author Keith Moore hasn't found a buyer yet, in 2001 he composed a score based on his own screenplay (a digital copy is packaged with the score album). In his press kit, he explains, "There's something personally rewarding about sharing my work in this format with the general public, instead of waiting for Hollywood to share it for me." Using the Ztar, "a guitar-shaped keyboard with buttons on each fret instead of strings," Moore layers his music with a wide range of styles-both popular and serious-to create a complex, almost schizophrenic sound. "Sometimes They Say Yes," for instance, juxtaposes jabbing strings, droning Glass-like synths and vocals that betray the influence of Depeche Mode. Similarly, "Can I Smile Now," with its accordion-tinged melody, hearkens back to both the late-'70s New Wave and the balmusette played in Paris Cafes. Frenetic and occasionally charming, this score may or may not sell Moore's script. It does, however, herald the arrival of a capable new composer. Let's hope a copy winds up on the desk of a perceptive producer soon.

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