Star Wars Trilogy (1977-1980-1983)

Star Wars (1977),The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983)

Composer: John Williams

Number of tracks:

Star Wars= 24

Empire Strikes Back= 21

Return of the Jedi= 27

Total time:

Star Wars= 48:15/57:33

Empire Strikes Back= 62:43/61:44

Return of the Jedi= 75:15/74:45

Overview:

In 1977 one of the greatest Sci-fi films was released, Star Wars. The film was a huge box office success spawning a grand total of six films (two sequels and three "prequels"), countless rip-offs and ushering in a new age of visual effects as well as making big, epic orchestral scores cool again. John Williams composed and conducted the London Symphony Orchestra for all six scores in the Star Wars series, creating a complete and complex musical world for a galaxy far, far away......

The scores for the Original Trilogy of films have been released in various forms over the years from short albums to re-recordings. In 2004, Sony Classical released 2-disc editions of the first three scores containing ALL the music from the films including some unused cues. The following review is of these albums.

Review of music:

It's John Williams. It's Star Wars, need I say more? Well, I guess I should. Do yourself a favor: go rent/buy the Original Trilogy of films, watch them and if you like the music in the films, buy the 2-disc albums. You are getting all the music from the movie on 2 discs, so if you like what you hear, you should buy the albums.

Of note: In 1997 RCA/Victor records released special editions of the Original Trilogy scores with extensive liner notes giving a track-by-track rundown of the music. The music quality on the new releases are the same as the old RCA/Victor releases. So, if you can find the older albums, I recommend picking those up instead of the new albums. Unfortunately, the RCA/Victor releases are rare and out of print. If you just want the music, go with the Sony Classical release, but if you want the better package, try to find the RCA/Victor albums.

Review of packaging:

The discs come in a fold-out jewel case with a picture of a character from the film on the discs. The liner notes fold out to make a poster on one side, while containing track listings, times and album credits on the other side. The back of the album contains a picture from the film as well as track listings (with correct times) and brief album credits.

Closing thoughts:

The Star Wars trilogy is by far one of the most recognizable trilogies in both films and scores. John Williams gave some of his best work on the original three films and these scores are something that no soundtrack fan should be without. Even if you don't buy all three albums, at least pick-up Empire Strikes Back: the best the Star Wars music ever got. Period.

Ratings:

4 1/2 out of 5 for Star Wars

5 out of 5 for The Empire Strikes Back

4 out of 5 for Return of the Jedi

Alien review

Alien (1979)

Composer: Jerry Goldsmith

Number of tracks: Disc 1 = 30, Disc 2 = 17

Total time: 76:54/49:26

Overview:

In space, no one can hear you scream......

This cryptic tagline accompanied one of the most frightening Sci-fi/Horror films of the last 3 decades, Ridley Scott's Alien. An equally appropriate tagline would be "In space, no one can hear the score.....", or at least appropriate for soundtrack lovers. As many people know, Jerry Goldsmith was hired by Ridley Scott to score his 1979 horror film set onboard a space freighter with a crew of "space truckers" as the main characters. Goldsmith composed what is arguably one of his finest scores and a triumphant film score masterpiece for the film. Combining eerie mood music with a sweeping main theme and utilizing ethnic instruments along with echoplex effects made Alien a very complex, yet very effective score.

Unfortunately, Ridley Scott and his editor, Terry Rawlings, treated Goldsmith's score more as back-up music than as the intended score. The result was a completely butchered version of Jerry Goldsmith's work that ended up in the final picture. Scott and Rawlings cut up the score, using it in places it was not meant to go, re-arranging pieces, completely dropping some cues and even using three cues from Freud (an earlier Goldsmith score). The greatest change was dropping the last nine minutes of Goldsmith's score in favor of Howard Hanson's Symphony Number 2.

Now, Intrada has released a complete, definitive edition of Jerry Goldsmith's Alien score as it was meant to be heard. Taken from newly discovered 1-inch multitrack tapes, this is the definitive edition of a film score masterpiece.

The following review is of the Intrada 2-disc Alien: the Definitive Edition album.

Review of music:

Disc 1: The Complete Score

This disc contains the score in film order as Jerry Goldsmith originally intended it to be. The disc starts off with "Main Title" which introduces us to the Main theme for the Nostromo and its doomed crew. Low strings and bell strikes open the cue before a solo French horn plays the first statement of the Main theme. The music builds to an uneasy crescendo before a full orchestral rendition of the Main theme appears. Low strings and horns are accompanied by a heart beat like rhythm as an echoplexed two-note brass motif plays, bringing the track to an uneasy close.

The next two tracks, "Hypersleep" and "The Landing" contain variations on the Main theme as well as build a sense of suspense and dread (especially "The Landing"). "The Terrain" (track 4) introduces the whole-tone echoplex effect that will come to define the music for the Alien. "The Passage" introduces the "Alien effect" which Goldsmith created by recording an Indian conch and then running it through an echoplex, giving a strange reverberating sound and then adding sliding strings and whole-tone horns over it. Ridley Scott was so impressed by this sound that he had Goldsmith re-record several cues using the "Alien effect" (these re-scored cues are found at the end of this disc), thus making the effect the "Alien Theme", which was not Goldsmith's intended purpose for it.

"The Skeleton" features the whole-tone repetitions with echoplexed percussion that builds to an almost unbearable level before suddenly ending with a stinger. "A New Face" introduces a motif for the egg chamber first seen inside the derelict ship. The ten highest notes of a harp are played then muffled by a hand after the initial strike. This is then echoplexed giving a wet, bell sound that echoes off and never comes to closure. A sudden stinger at 1:26 signals the appearance of the facehugger from the egg. The cue ends with a sad rendition of the Main theme.

"Hanging On" and "The Lab" contain more atmospheric music for the examination of Kane and a short discussion between Ripley and Ash (Sigourney Weaver and Ian Holm). The serpent (a horn instrument that sounds like a bassoon, tube and French horn combined), didjeridu and Indian conch all make their first appearances together at the beginning of "Hanging On". These three instruments will become the musical sound of the Alien, especially the serpent and didjeridu.

"Drop Out" is a very short "jump" cue for when the crew are looking for the facehugger, which drops from the ceiling. "Nothing to Say" consists of the aftermath to the famous "chestbuster" scene with a sad rendition of the Main theme followed by a short statement of the echoing Two-note motif heard in "Main Title".

The next two tracks, "Cat Nip" and "Here Kitty" are virtually identical except for the fact that "Here Kitty" ends with the first statement of the Alien theme. Both cues build tension with uneasy strings and "bubbly" horns, giving an almost nautical sound to the music. Serpent, Indian conch, plucked piano strings, low cellos and blaring horns herald the arrival of the adult Alien at the climax of "Here Kitty".

"The Shaft" (track 15) is one of many highlights from the album as it shows Goldsmith at his best with building tension with minimalist orchestrations. The track features uneasy strings that rise and fall throughout the cue accompanied by low brass. At the halfway mark the serpent enters, letting the listener know that the Alien is near. The music continues to build in intensity before suddenly coming to a stop. Unfortunately, this amazing suspense cue was dropped from the film and replaced with a medley of cues from Freud (1962).

The action finally picks up as the score (and film) nears its climax. "It's a Droid" features screeching and sliding strings, horns, percussion and didjeridu playing the Alien's whole-tone repetition theme. "Parkers Death" features the first full blown rendition of the Alien theme (only hinted at before). Low strings play a furious whole-tone motif beneath rumbling Serpent and didjeridu, giving the musical sound of some giant insect or rattlesnake. Horns and strings take over at the end playing snippets of the Main theme over the Alien theme.

"The Eggs" returns to the music heard in "A New Face" as Ripley discovers what has happened to her crewmates. The cue ends with a string and horn rendition of the Alien theme with serpent playing underneath. "Sleepy Alien" is a short cue of the Alien theme performed by Serpent, didjeridu, horns, strings and percussion. "To Sleep" is a nice respite after the previous tracks. A short rendition of the Main theme is played by French horns giving a sense of closure to the score, though the Serpent appears in the background letting you know the threat is not over just yet.

"The Cupboard" (track 21) brings the Alien theme back with a vengeance as well as the creature's whole-tone repetitions. The creature's theme gets a full statement at the beginning of the track before more expiremental orchestrations take over. The cue ends with a blast from the didjeridu and Serpent. "Out the Door" features a short unused action motif for when Ripley pushes the Alien "out the door". The didjeridu makes its last appearance here under racing strings, finally ending when the creature is destroyed. The last half of the track switches to a soft rendition of the Main theme before closing with the Two-note echoplexed horn motif. "End Title" begins the exact same way the "Main Title" begins before switching to a sweeping, full orchestral arrangement of the Main theme, bringing the score to a triumphant end while also bringing the score full circle. Unfortunately, these last three cues were cut from the film in favor of Howard Hanson's Symphony Number 2.

Tracks 24-30 are alternate versions of "Main Title", "Hypersleep", "The Terrain", "The Skeleton", "Hanging On", "The Cupboard" and "Out The Door" which Ridley Scott asked Jerry Goldsmith to re-record. Tellingly, the alternate versions are not as effective as their originally composed counterparts. Still, it's great to have these alternate cues to compare and contrast.

Disc 2: Original 1979 LP/bonus tracks

The first ten tracks on this disc are recreations of the original LP tracks from 1979. Mostly just suite forms of various cues, it still makes for a fun listen especially after listening to the complete score. Track 11 is the film version of the "Main Title" with the Alien effect and added echoplexed effects. Tracks 12-16 are "demonstrations excerpts" of selected cues demonstrating various instrumentations (an added bonus is that you can hear Jerry Goldsmith talking with Lionel Newman over the loudspeaker). Track 17 is a source cue of "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" used in the film.

Review of packaging:

The discs come in a fold-out jewel case (much like the The Fly/The Fly II 2-disc set) with a 27 page full color booklet. The liner notes are some of the most comprehensive I have ever seen. A short essay on the score's production opens the liner notes before delving into a track-by-track breakdown of every track detailing what instruments are being used, how the strange sounds were created, what the music was suppose to accompany in the film and whether or not the cue was even used in the film. Track times are listed beside each track as well as info on where it can be heard in the film. The booklet ends with a page of album producer Douglas Fake reminiscing on when he met Jerry Goldmsith, which is followed by the album credits.

The back of the case features track listings (with times), two production photos and brief album credits. The first disc is glossy black with white lettering for "Alien" and green lettering for the rest of the disc. Disc two is lime green with the same white lettering for "Alien", but with black lettering for the rest of the information.

NOTE: While not overwhelming, there are a few pictures of the Alien as well as a picture of the "chestbuster" sequence and a robot that looks like a human laying in pieces on a table covered in white "goo". These photos are all thumbnail size, but be forewarned that there are some creepy liner note photos.

Closing thoughts:

This is a truly magnificent album. Both discs have pitch perfect flow, yet each track can be a stand alone experience if you so desire. Jerry Goldsmith's score is both sweeping and horrifying, beautiful and terrible, perfectly capturing the adventure and dread of venturing into the unknown. Using all real instruments gives the score a much more human and sometimes alien feel than other horror scores that rely on synthesizers to deliver the strange sounds. This is also a score that works exceptionally well as a stand-alone listen even without seeing the film (of course, seeing as how most of the music is not in the film, it doesn't make as much difference if you see the film or not).

Alien is a true film score masterpiece. From the orchestrations to the way the music perfectly captures every mood that you need to feel, this is a true "must have" score. A huge thanks to the people at Intrada for releasing this great 2-disc set. Do yourself a favor, go buy this set and then pop the first disc in your stereo and enjoy the voyage into the deep, dark vastness of space..... Very, very highly recommended.

Score:

5 out of 5.

The Fly/The Fly II review

The Fly/The Fly II (1986/1989)

Composers: Howard Shore/

Christopher Young

Number of tracks: Disc 1 = 23 tracks;Disc 2 = 12 tracks

Total time: 37:44/47:43

Overview:

"Be afraid. Be very afraid......"

That was the tagline for director David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of the 1950's Horror classic The Fly. The film follows Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) who has built a teleporting machine in his apartment. After several experiments (not all of them successful), Seth decides to go through himself. Unfortunately, a common household fly gets into the machine with Seth (unknown to the scientist) and gets its particles mixed into Seth's when they come out the other pod. Seth begins to slowly (and graphically) change into a fly-creature and also go insane, much to the horror of his girlfriend Ronnie (Geena Davis).

The film was a success in 1986, spawning a sequel in 1989: The Fly II directed by Chris Wallas, the special effects master who created all physical effects in first film. While both films are highly gory and thus not recommended, there is one thing to recommend and praise about both films: their respective scores.

David Cronenberg turned to his long-time composer collaborator/friend Howard Shore to score The Fly. For The Fly II, Christopher Young was brought onboard to give a more traditional horror score. Both composers contributed amazing multi-dimensional scores, worthy of any collector's collection.

NOTE: The following review is of the 2005 2-disc re-release of both scores by Varese Sarabande. Both albums have been digital remastered for better sound quality.

Review of music:

Disc 1- The Fly

Howard Shore approached the film as though he was scoring an opera (much like he would later do for Lord of the Rings). This approach is immediately obvious in the opening track, Main Title with the full horn section playing before giving way to the strings and lighter horns playing a six-note melody. A five-note ascending and descending theme in the brass appears halfway through the track before returning to the quieter six-note theme.

The album consists of a variety of different emotions: soothing, melodic pieces (the Last Visit, Particle Magazine, Ronnie's Visit, The Street), ominous "creepy" cues (Stathis Enters, Phone Call, The Jump, Armwrestle, The Ultimate Family) and grand operatic moments (Plasma Pool, The Creature, Finale). Howard Shore relies heavily on the strings to give the basis for the score with horns and other instruments entering when needed. This gives the score a slightly different sound than most horror works.

The last two tracks are of particular note: The Ultimate Family is a slowly building horn and string piece. As the cue progresses, more layers are added and the tension mounts before suddenly coming to an end. The Finale features the most operatic moments on the entire album as a reprise of the five-note theme takes center stage. The music shifts to the lighter theme heard in the middle of Main Title before ending with the horn blasts heard at the beginning of the album.

While the quality of Shore's writing is exceptional, there are some problems with the album. The tracks are all rather short (all under 3:00 with the longest being 2:49) and seem to be placed in a hap-hazard manner, meaning the album does not have the best flow. Also, the album is on the loud side. Most likely due to the EQ being off (a similar fate befell the first Pirates of the Caribbean album)

Disc 2 - The Fly II

Taking a completely different approach than Howard Shore, Christopher Young composed a traditional horror score for The Fly II using full orchestra and synthesizers to great effect. The Fly II (main title) introduces the Main theme, an alternating three-note theme played in the strings and horns that becomes central to all the tracks on the album. Come Fly With Me is a melancholy string piece that introduces the Love theme.

Fly Variations features various versions of the Main theme as well as some Bernard Herrmann-esque orchestrations. Musca Domestica Metastasis features the first obvious use of synths mixed with orchestra for a very eerie sounding cue which sounds similar to James Horner's Aliens. The Spider and the Fly and Bay 17 Mysteries contain a playful motif with some amazing string work. More is Coming, The Fly March and Bartok Barbaro feature heavy percussion, synths and orchestra mixed together to create a driving musical landscape.

Accelerated Brundle Disease returns to the creepy atmosphere of Musca Domestica, though this time relying more on strings and low horns. The Fly theme gets its most powerful rendition in What's the Magic Word?. After a build up of percussion, the full string and horn sections perform the Main theme accompanied by swirling strings (think Vertigo) and full percussion. A soft string-only version of the Main theme closes the track. Dad brings the album to a close with a string chorus and cellos playing a melancholy rendition on the Main theme.

The Fly II is actually an improvement over The Fly in both sound quality and album flow. The Fly II is a great, complete listening experience unlike The Fly where you feel like you're missing something.

Review of packaging:

The discs come in a fold-out jewel case with a 6 page booklet. The liner notes mostly consist of interviews and history of the two composers, only barely hitting on the scores. There are some interesting facts about both composers that are revealed, though. One item of note: the first page of the booklet features a photo of Jeff Goldblum in a crouching position inside one of the telepods..... nude. No vital organs are seen (thanks to Mr. Goldblum being in a crouching position.)

The back of the album features tack listings (with correct times) and album credits. Also, both discs are a glossy black with green lettering.

Closing thoughts:

Two albums for the price of one, this two-disc set is well worth the investment. While I personally believe Mr. Shore's The Fly is slightly overrated, it is still a great orchestral work from a master pre-Lord of the Rings. On the other hand, I feel that Mr. Young's score to The Fly II (as well as many of his other works) is highly underrated. So, you're getting one overrated score and one underrated score, but both are great in their own way.

Unless you just can't stand Horror scores, I highly recommend picking this set up before it goes out of print.

Score:

4 out of 5 for the set

3 1/2 out of 5 for The Fly

4 out of 5 for The Fly II

An American Tail 2 review

An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West (1991)

Composer: James Horner

Number of tracks: 14

Total time: 56:39

Overview:

1991 saw the release of the inevitable sequel to 1986 hit An American Tail..... An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West. Once again produced by Steven Spielberg, this sequel is for all practical purposes a remake of the first film. The only big difference is that the story is about moving from the city to the West, while the first film was about immigrating from Russia to America.

The plot is relatively simple: The Mousekewitz's have settled in the slums of New York where living is bad. After an attack from the local cat gang, most of the mice decide to head out West where a new town is being built called "Green River". On their way out West, Fievel falls off of the train (this time not by his own fault) and has to make his way to the town and warn the other mice of a plan by the local cats to turn them into "mice burgers". There are also other plot lines including: Tanya (Fievel's older sister) becoming a singer, Tiger having several comical misadventures on his way to "Green River"and Fievel meeting his hero, an over-the-hill dog sheriff named Wylie Burp (voiced by the late, great James Stewart).

Most of the principal voice cast returns to reprise their roles from the first film. Also, of more importance to us, James Horner returned to continue and expand the musical pallet from An American Tail. Taking the Old West feeling of the film and intergraiting it into the score, Horner composed what is arguably one of his finest scores. Horner combines the familiar themes from the first film while also seamlessly adding new themes and paying homage to many past western scores. The end result is a masterful score that even tops the original.

Review of the music:

1. Dreams to Dream (Pop version) (4:40)

The radio version of the main song from the film, sung by Linda Ronstadt. Several minutes longer than the film version and heavy on the synthesizers, this version of the song is good, but lacks the emotional power of Tanya's version. Fortunately, since this is the only Pop song on the album, you can simply skip this track and get to the orchestral pieces.

2. American Tail Overture (Main Title) (7:07)

The main title begins exactly the same way that the main title for An American Tail starts, though with a slightly different orchestration. A solo violin opens the track playing the main theme before the rest of the orchestra joins in at 0:15. The Family theme follows, but instead of surging into Fievel's theme, is interrupted by percussive hits (sounding like a whip crack) and a short jaunty melody. The music turns ominous at 1:05 as the opening dream sequence unfolds with Fievel rescuing Wylie Burp from the Cactus Cat Gang. At 1:29, a short heroic motif is introduced for Fievel. The Wylie Burp theme is introduced on harmonica at 2:04, right before an orchestral swell as we realize the opening has been a daydream. The Main theme returns at 2:34 before Tiger's theme (the melody to A Duo) makes its first appearance. The Two-note motif appears at 3:35 followed by a new little motif, the Remembering motif (3:58). The bridge from Never Say Never makes its first appearance at 4:04 followed by the bridge to Somewhere Out There.

At 4:33, a short rendition of Somewhere Out There sung by Tanya begins before getting cut off. The Family theme returns at 5:05 before a short piece of Western music enters at 5:20. The Main theme and bridge from Never Say Never follow as well as the first statement of Dreams to Dream at 6:00. The music is interrupted by anvil strikes, muted horns and racing strings as a train passes overhead (6:13). The music returns to normal at 6:27 and ends the same way the "Main Title" from An American Tail ended.

3. Cat Rumble (7:30)

The first action cue on the album, this track contains the music for the attack on the mice by the local cat gang, led by Cat R. Waul. The track begins with a jazzy number before the Main theme enters at 0:33. The music quickly returns to the jazzy melody of Cat R. Waul's theme (a piece sounding similar to Powerhouse 9), but with a much more aggressive sound to the orchestration. Tiger's theme appears for a short time at 1:10 before the music switches back to the evil cats jazzy, yet driving theme. The Main theme makes a short comeback at 1:33 before an aggressive orchestral build-up. The Heroic Fievel theme reappears at 2:21 before an ominous build up of horns. A screeching violin enters at 2:53 before the strings enter playing a fast tempo version of the Main theme. Percussive chaos erupts at 3:33 as the Mousekewitz's try to outrun one of the cat goons, barely making it into the sewer in time. A short statement of Cat R. Wauls jaunty theme appears at 3:50 before a short action piece takes over as the Mousekewitz's are swept through the sewer accompanied by racing strings and horns (sounding similar to the action music in Star Trek II).

The music finally calms down at 4:53 with a string statement of the Main theme before the Western music finally takes center stage at 5:08. Banjo, strings and harmonica play the melody to Way Out West (this will later be referred to as the "West theme") before a short rendition of Cat R. Waul's theme appears performed by various horns (6:00). After a short respite, the Western music returns with banjo, tuba and harmonica before a short statement of the Main theme in the horns closes the track.

4. Headin' Out West (2:33)

We begin with a soft statement of Tiger's theme followed by a short rendition of the Main theme in the strings and violin. The music quickly esclates in an energetic melody before the orchestra crescendos at 1:00. Now we get our first statement of the new Sequel theme performed by the full orchestra with banjo and harmonica accompaniment. A short, tender statement of the Tiger theme closes the track.

5. Way Out West (1:44)

The first of three songs featured in the film, Way Out West is this film's No Cats In America. The song begins with a chorus saying "way out west... way out west..." as horns sound in the background (sounding reminiscent of a train). After this short introduction the mice begin singing. In many ways, this song is better than No Cats in America. The overall mood of the song is much more fun and upbeat. The sequence in the film is also more comical.

6. Green River/Trek Through the Desert (5:40)

Violin and strings open this track with a sorrowful version of the Main theme before the full orchestra enters with an upbeat rendition of the Sequel theme (0:31). The strings return with a sad statement of the Main theme followed by the first appearance of the Tarantula theme (an off-kilter version of Cat R. Waul's theme). The West theme reappears at 1:50 before getting cut off by an ominous four-note motif and the reappearance of Cat R. Waul's theme (2:14-2:58). A short statement of the West theme follows before switching to a solo violin playing the Main theme as Fievel treks through the dessert (3:17-3:48).

Tiger's theme returns at 3:55, sounding a tad tipsy as the cat starts seeing various mirages (3:55-4:40). The Remembering motif returns for a short statement at 4:45 before the horns start playing a descending motif as Tiger wanders through a desert canyon. A bit of orchestral goofiness happens at 5:13 as a buffalo skeleton begins to move behind tiger. The orchestra rises, then falls, then rises again before finally breaking out into a fast rendition of Putting on the Ritz. A final jazzy horn blast and percussive hit bring the cue to a close.

7. Dreams to Dream (Tanya's version) (2:30)

THE version of Dreams to Dream, sung by Cathy Cavadini (the voice of Tanya in the film). As mentioned in my review of An American Tail, this song actually has its origins in the track The Market Place from the previous film's soundtrack. Of course, the motif has been slightly rearranged and lengthened to make this song.

I personally prefer this song to Somewhere Out There, probably because there are no annoying child vocals. Also, the string work is beautiful. Anyway, this is the standout song from the album and definitely worth a listen.

8. Building A New Town (2:42)

The Wylie Burp theme opens this track, performed by whistling and minor string accompaniment. The full orchestra enters at 0:23 playing an energetic version of the West theme and Sequel theme (1:07). A full rendition of the Main theme and Family theme appears at 1:21, played slightly faster than usual. The Sequel theme returns at 1:50 followed by a last statement of the West theme, which closes out the track.

9. Sacred Mountain (2:20)

A slight revision of the music heard in The Storm from the previous album, this track features ominous music as Fievel tries to make his way through the desert at night without being eaten by wild animals. Most of the music here sounds reminiscent of the "creepy" music from Aliens (1986)

10. Reminiscing (2:11)

A solo horn with light string accompaniment open this track playing the melody to Dream to Dream. The full string section enters at 1:10 and repeats the melody before ending with a statement of the Remembering motif (1:48). The bridge to Never Say Never played by the strings brings the track to an end.

11. The Girl You Left Behind (1:40)

The last song on the album (and in the film) is a catchy number sung by Tanya at Cat R. Waul's saloon. The song is really quite goofy, but works nonetheless both on the album and in the film. Believe it or not, the Sequel theme comes from the melody to this song. James Horner was able to take a jaunty, goofy song melody and turn it into an amazingly moving main theme.

12. In Training (1:48)

This is the music for the training montage for when Wylie and Fievel are teaching Tiger to be a dog. The track starts off with a steadily building fiddle motif before a percussive hit at 0:09 signals the change to action music, sounding vary similar to Aaron Copland's Rodeo. The Sequel theme appears at the half way point of the cue, with a statement that sounds like something from Elmer Bernstein's The Magnificent Seven. The track ends with a build-up of percussion and strings before coming to a sudden stop.

13. The Shoot-Out (5:27)

The big climatic fight of the movie, this track has all the hallmarks of a Horner action piece. The track opens with an ominous build of low strings and light anvil strikes as our heroes approach the villains outside of the saloon. The jazzy horns of Cat R. Waul's theme appear at 0:31 before building in intensity and finally giving way to a short statement of the Heroic Fievel theme (1:21). The following few minutes of music consists of a back-and-forth between Cat R. Waul's theme, the Heroic Fievel theme and Copland-esque Western music. The Main theme gets an action treatment at 2:57 with a short interlude of bell strikes before returning at 3:22. The Heroic Fievel theme returns for a short statement at 3:45 before getting interrupted by the Tarantula theme and a sped-up rendition of the action music from "In Training" as Tiger saves Miss Kitty. The Sequel theme returns at 4:36 before ascending and descending strings take over followed by a short jazzy horn piece and a final percussion and horn motif, bringing the track (and the shoot-out) to a close.

14. A New Land- The Future (8:15)

A three-note motif (sounding identical to the three-note motif in Field of Dreams) opens the track on woodwinds. A sentimental rendition of the West theme appears at 0:47 performed by harmonica, choir and strings before building to a climax at 1:27 which surges into a jaunty version of the Sequel theme. The music quiets back down at 2:20 with a full orchestral rendition of the Sequel theme with banjo, harmonica, strings and horns. A long suite of the orchestral music to Dreams to Dream begins at 3:17-6:14, so if you just want to hear an orchestral rendition of the song, this is your chance.

The music returns to the mandolin and string piece heard at the end of the first film at 6:15 followed by the bridge to Never Say Never. A solo violin enters at 6:56 playing the Main theme, but in a slightly different way. Strings and woodwinds return to close the track with a heartfelt rendition of the Two-note motif, bringing the album and the film to a close.

Review of packaging:

The CD comes in the typical jewel case with a two page booklet. The liner notes are very minimal: Track listing (no times or track numbers), brief album credits and on the back cover, film credits. The back of the case contains track listings (once again, no times or track numbers) and album credits.

Closing thoughts:

One of the few "Must have" Horner albums, this soundtrack has it all: action, goofy orchestral moments, fun songs, heartstring tugging moments and just an overall sense of fun. James Horner took everything that was great about An American Tail and added homages to various Western scores to create a truly powerful and moving score. Hard to believe both American Tail scores belong to kids movies....

One final note: this album is sadly out of print. You can find used copies on websites such as Amazon.com or screenarchive.com, but be prepared to pay between $25.00 to $45.00 for a copy. It's well worth the investment, though. A very, very highly recommended album.

Score:

5 out of 5

An American Tail review

An American Tail (1986)

Composer: James Horner

Number of tracks: 14

Total Time: 49:55

Overview:

In 1986, James Horner composed two of his best remembered scores: Aliens and An American Tail. The two scores could not be further apart not only in the films they accompany, but also in the mood and orchestrations. This review is of the soundtrack album for An American Tail. My review of Aliens can be found on the homepage.

An American Tail follows the story of the Mousekewitz family (talking mice) as they journey from Russia to America. Along the way, Fieval (the adventurous son) gets separated from his family. The majority of the film is Fieval going through different adventures trying to get back to his parents. The film was directed by Don Bluth and produced by Steven Spielberg (the first of many Spielberg-produced animated films). This was also James Horner's first foray into animation. Horner treats the score for the film more as a live action drama than a cartoon, which produced a very deep, heartstring tugging score.

Review of the music:

1. Main Title (5:07)

The track begins with a solo violin accompanied by a mandolin playing the Main theme. The full orchestra enters at o:45 and performs a statement of the Main theme before french horns, mandolin and choir introduce the Family theme (the bridge from Somewhere Out There). The orchestra takes a more playful tone at 1:50 playing Fieval's theme before the full orchestra returns accompanied by bells at 2:40. At the 3:10 the violin returns to the forefront as the music begins to calm down. The mandolin returns to take center stage at 4:00 playing a whistful piece as the Mousekewitz family dreams of America. The track comes to an end with a Two-note string motif* giving a thoughtful, yet sad sound to the cue.

* This Two-Note motif appears in multiple Horner scores: Field of Dreams, An American Tail 1 & 2, Land Before Time, Jumanji, Cocoon 1 & 2, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and the PageMaster to name a few. It's usually used to punctuate an emotional moment in the film. It is a very effective little motif that sadly has not been used much in recent years.

2. The Cossack Cats (2:15)

A short action cue, Cossack Cats features all the trademarks of Horner action scoring. Racing strings, horns and bell strikes keep the action moving as Fieval's theme drifts in and out. The track ends almost as soon as it has begun with the Two-note motif heard at the end of the previous track as the mice decide to leave for America.

3. There Are No Cats In America. (3:00)

The first of many songs on the album (and in the film), No Cats In America is a jaunty tune as the mice sing about coming to America and finding "The streets paved with cheese". It's a fun and funny song that illustrates the fanciful ideas that the immigrant mice have of America.

4. The Storm. (3:59)

As the title suggests, this is the music for when Fieval gets swept overboard during a storm on the trip to America. The track starts off with a mysterious swirl of strings as horns play a descending four-note motif. The mood becomes much more serious at 1:11 with the appearance of percussion and wordless vocals. The strings return to play the Main Theme at 2:22 before being overpowered by anvil strikes, horns, wind machine and wailing vocals that sound almost like cats. The track ends with a broken statement of the Fieval theme as the music fades out.

5. Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor. (2:44)

Strings and horns open this track playing a very sad theme before violin and mandolin enter playing the Main theme at 0:27. The music then shifts into a choral arrangement of the opening theme to this cue. Strings return at 1:50 reprising the theme orchestrally and closing out the track.

6. Never Say Never. (2:25)

A much needed break from the heartstring tugging nature of the previous track, this is another song from the film, sung by Christopher Plummer and Phillip Glasser (Henri and Fieval, respectively). The chorus to this song is used several times later in the score and also appears in An American Tail 2. Unfortunately, Fieval's voice is irritating if you dislike "child vocals", as I do.

7. The Market Place. (3:02)

This tracks opens with swirling strings and loud horns before calming down at 0:12. Fieval's theme makes a welcomed return as the main piece heard in this track, with the chorus from "Never Say Never" added to the end of the theme. At 1:37, a short, sweet motif is introduced that will later become the basis for "Dreams to Dream" in the next film. The theme from track 5 returns at 2:17 and plays through once before the Two-note motif returns in the horns and strings, closing the track.

8. Somewhere Out There (Film Version). (2:40)

The big song from An American Tail, this version of "Somewhere Out There" is sung by Phillip Glasser and Betsy Cathcart (Fieval and Tanya). A very touching song, only hampered by the squeaky child vocals.

9. Somewhere Out There (Pop Version). (3:59)

The hit radio version of "Somewhere Out There" sung by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram. A good rendition of the song, though missing the power of the film version. Probably thanks to no orchestra on this version.

10. Releasing the Secret Weapon. (3:38)

The only other action cue on the album, the music sounds like an unused piece from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Within the first minute, we're introduced to a Chinese-esque motif used for the villainous cat in the film (unfortunately, none of this character's music is on the album). The orchestra builds until erupting into an action motif at 1:30, followed by a short off-kilter rendition of the Main theme. The music calms down at 2:40 followed by a short rendition of "No Cats in America" and one last statement of the villain's motif before closing.

11. A Duo. (2:38)

The last song in the film and on the album. This song is sung by Phillip Glasser and Dom DeLuise (Fieval and Tiger). The song is about how two people that are supposed to be enemies according to nature can actually be the best of friends. It's a fun, upbeat song much in the same vein as "Never Say Never".

12. The Great Fire. (2:54)

Low strings and ominous horns are on full display in this track. Short renditions of the Main theme appear throughout the track before the music crescendos at 2:05. Horns and choir signal the spreading of the fire before the music comes to a close.

13. Reunited. (4:44)

The "Dreams to Dream" melody starts this track off before the Family theme returns at 0:40 played by horn with synths and mandolin accompanying. A sad violin version of the Main theme appears at 1:40 before the Fieval theme returns at 2:02. The sad violin version of the Main theme returns at 2:25 and builds until being joined by the full orchestra in a triumphant rendition of the theme at 3:18. The Family theme follows before the track closes with the mandolin music heard at the end of the "Main Title."

14. Flying Away and End Credits. (5:59)

Shimmering synths and brass open the track accompanied by racing strings, giving an energetic start to the music. A string version of the bridge from "Never Say Never" appears at 0:25 before the Family theme returns in the strings and horns. The choir returns at 1:10 before the music crescendos into an energetic rendition of Fieval's theme (1:40). The Main theme returns to the forefront at 2:50 performed by the full string section before the Family theme makes another appearance at 3:30 performed by French horn. The mandolin motif heard at the end of "Main Title" returns one last time at 3:55 followed by the full orchestra playing the "Never Say Never" bridge. The violin/mandolin rendition of the Main theme returns at 4:40 before the Two-note motif makes its final appearance, performed by the horns at 5:10 and thus bringing the album to a close.

Review of packaging:

The album comes in the typical jewel case with a 6 page booklet. The liner notes include album credits, a list of the songs (including times and who performed the songs) and several full color photos from the film. The back of the booklet consists of film credits. The back of the album features track listing (with times) and brief album credits, as well as a picture of Fieval.

Closing thoughts:

Without a doubt, An American Tail is one of James Horner's best 1980's scores. Unfortunately, the album suffers from some strange layout (putting both versions of "Somewhere Out There" in the middle of the album), too many songs compared to score tracks and the use of child vocals. Granted, to most people the child vocals probably won't matter, but for people who dislike that sort of thing (me included) it detracts from the songs and album as a whole.

Besides those small issues, I highly recommend picking this album up if you can. It's a true gem from not only the 80's, but also from James Horner's early "Golden Age". Fortunately, all the small problems with An American Tail would be fixed with An American Tail 2, a true "must have" Horner score/album.

Score:

3 out of 5

Field of Dreams review

Field of Dreams (1989)

Composer: James Horner

Number of tracks: 13

Total time: 50:31

Overview:

The 80's was a great time for film scores, especially James Horner compositions. In this one decade, Mr. Horner composed 11 amazing scores. Yes, he reused themes and motifs from earlier works, but in the 80's Mr. Horner was still able to create amazing and moving scores that not only fit their respective movies like a glove, but were also great stand-alone pieces.

In 1989, Field of Dreams was released. The film follows an Iowa farmer (Kevin Costner) who decides to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield after hearing a voice that says "If you build it, he will come". The film was a success and the score was nominated for an Academy Award. James Horner takes a different approach when it comes to the score, skipping over orchestral arrangements for synthesizers and woodwinds. Surprisingly (and thankfully) the end result is an amazingly heartwarming score.

Review of the music:

"The Cornfield" opens the album with woodwinds, piano, synths and a solo trumpet playing the main theme. The music then shifts to a long piano piece at 1:27. Droning synthesizers and strange woodwinds enter at 3:40 as Ray (Kevin Costner) hears the voice in the field. "Deciding to Build the Field" introduces the second main theme played on piano along with a descending three-note motif. This three-note motif will not only be used often in this score, but also appear in several later compositions. The music takes an unexpected turn towards pop music at 2:15 as drums, electric and acoustic guitars, piano and synths play an energetic theme as Ray "builds the field". Synths return to the forefront at 3:50 playing the second main theme and closing the track.

"Shoeless Joe" (track 3) returns to the mysterious nature of "The Cornfield". Synths play the main theme and three-note motif accompanied by a steady heartbeat-like percussion and chimes. "Timeless Street" introduces a new theme for "Moonlight" Graham (Burt Lancaster). Piano and synths play the main theme and the new Doc Graham theme before closing with airy synth noises. "Old Ball Players" takes the score into a completely different direction with jazzy horns (mainly sax) playing a laid back, mello cue as the old baseball players play a game in the baseball diamond Ray built.

"The Drive Home" returns to more contemplative music as Ray reminisces about his Dad and their rocky relationship. A statement of the second main theme appears near the end of the track. "Field of Dreams" (track 7) is a guitar instrumental of the main two themes along with a few statements of three-note motif mixed in. Woodwinds (buried in the background) give a whistful feeling to the cue. "The Library" returns to the up-beat theme heard in the middle of track 2 played on synths with some acoustic guitar and woodwinds backing up the synthesizers.

The next two tracks, "Moonlight" Graham" and "Night Mists" (tracks 9 and 10) returns to the main theme, Doc Graham theme and three-note motif. "Doc's Memories" opens with anvil strikes (think Aliens) before surging into a string rendition of Doc Graham's theme. The cue ends on a slightly sad note. Track 12 "The Place Where Dreams Come True" contains the music for the last 9 minutes of the film. All the themes that have appeared throughout the score make one last appearance here played by a full string section and horns (the first time a real orchestra has appeared in the score). The main theme and second main theme get the royal treatment here as does the three-note motif (still played on synths). The track comes to a close after a heartfelt rendition of the second main theme followed by the three-note motif and a short two-note motif (heard at the end of An American Tail 1 and 2) as the film ends. "End Credits" revisits the opening credit music, but after the great finale of the previous track, the music seems to almost ruin the mood.

Review of packaging:

The CD comes in the usual jewel case with a fold-out booklet. The liner notes consist of album credits, track listings (with times) and a review of the film by Roger Ebert that appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times in 1989. The back of the case contains track listings (with times) and film credits.

Closing thoughts:

Field of Dreams is not for everyone's taste (both film and soundtrack), but if you don't mind blatant use of synthesizers and heart string tugging scores, this album has a lot to offer. This was a score composed during Horner's "Golden Age" (1982-1995)* and is definitely one of his best works. Are there re-used themes/motifs in the score from earlier films? Yes, but it's still a great score/album. Also, this is the perfect example of how to use synthesizers in a score. Too bad Mr. Horner didn't take this approach with Titanic....

* My own definition of when James Horner composed his best works. This is solely based on my own opinion.

Score:

4 out of 5

The Dark Knight review

The Dark Knight (2008)

Composer: Hans Zimmer and James Newton-Howard

Number of tracks: 14

Total time: 73:37

Overview

In 2008, the team behind the blockbuster 2005 film Batman Begins returned to make the inevitable sequel about the Caped Crusader.... The Dark Knight. One of the most intense and dark superhero films yet, The Dark Knight (TDK for short) was a financial and critical success and became one of the highest grossing movies of the year. Fortunately for us, Hans Zimmer and James Newton-Howard also returned to compose the score to the film and created one of the best scores of 2008.

Taking everything from Begins, re-working and re-orchestrating themes, adding new themes plus recording with a larger orchestra gave TDK a much more polished, cohesive and epic sound than it's predecessor. Better album layout also helped to make the album a much better listening experience than Begins.

Review of music:

1. Why So Serious? (9:13)

The album begins with a suite of the Joker's motifs. The track starts with a solo electric cello that has been run through massive amounts of distortion playing one slowly ascending note. Distorted electric guitars join the cello at 0:30 giving a larger sound to the motif until the cello reaches an unbearable level of intensity before coming to an end as racing violins enter at 1:10. This one-note motif is the Joker's main theme and reappears throughout the album. Various harsh electronics run throughout the track. A few motifs of note: a jarring percussive assault at 2:30 and a descending, reverse version of the Two-Note theme at 7:31. The track ends with repetitive statements of the reverse two-note theme and jarring percussion which lead into the next track.

2. I'm Not a Hero. (6:34)

This track begins where Why So Serious? ended. Low strings play a version of the Rising Hero theme (now Harvey Dent's theme) while horns add the Two-Note theme over the strings. An electronic version of the Anxiety motif races beneath. The Anxiety motif returns to the strings before the "Bat Flap Effect" returns at 1:40. A string version of the Rising Hero theme appears at 2:14 before being overtaken by the "Bat Flap effect". The Two-Note theme weaves it's way throughout the track until finally getting a triumphant statement accompanied by pounding percussion at 5:34. A short statement of the new Batman theme closes the track.

3. Harvey Two Face. (6:15)

As the title of the track suggests, this is a suite of Harvey Dent's music. The Harvey Dent theme is actually a slightly re-orchestrated version of the Rising Hero theme from Batman Begins. The theme was given to Harvey since the music did not fit the character of Batman for TDK. The cue begins with a soft string rendition of Harvey's theme with light percussion in the background. The strings give way to a short piano rendition of the theme before low horns enter, giving a slightly more sinister edge to the music. Low strings, percussion and horns enter at 1:58 playing an aggressive version of Harvey's theme before the percussion fades out at 3:20. Piano returns playing a sad version of the theme similar to the beginning of "Barbastella" from Batman Begins. A grand statement of the Wayne Family theme appears at 5:10 and closes the track.

4. Aggressive Expansion. (4:35)

An epic rendition of the Two-Note theme similar to the end of "Barbastella" opens this track before calming down to a slow rendition of the Harvey Dent music. The track takes a dark turn at 2:10 with a short electronic percussion loop before a piano enters playing a short passage. The Anxiety motif, strings and hard percussion appear at 3:10 and build to a pounding statement of the Joker theme at 4:22, bringing the track to a close.

5. Always a Catch. (1:39)

A short cue of Joker music, the track begins with the Joker theme and sudden bursts of percussion every few seconds until 0:35. The horn and string motif heard at the beginning of "Nycteris" brings the track to a close.

6. Blood on My Hands. (2:15)

A solo horn and strings open this track before low horns enter and play a very subdued version of Harvey Dent's theme (0:30) accompanied by a string section. A piano closes out the track with cello playing a soft rendition of the Two-Note theme in the background.

7. A Little Push. ( 2:42)

We return to the Joker and Hans Zimmer's sound design for the character in this track. The cue opens with dissonant sounds and sliding strings before hitting a crescendo at 0:25. Strange electronic ticks and scratches along with deep end bass hits follow. The music hits another crescendo at 1:30 followed by the reverse Two-Note theme (one of the Joker's motifs) and various electronic effects. Nervous strings bring the track to an uneasy ending.

8. Like A Dog Chasing Cars. (5:02)

The Anxiety motif opens the track racing through the strings as horns play the reverse Two-Note theme accompanied by steady percussion. At 0:40 the Two-Note theme appears in the horns playing counter to the Joker's reverse Two-Note theme with the original Two-Note theme finally overpowering the Joker's motif. The music continues to build in intensity until finally exploding into full action at 1:06. Pounding percussion and the Anxiety motif play under the Two-Note theme and a short statement of the opening to the Rising Hero theme in the strings before the first triumphant rendition of the Batman theme appears in the horns (2:11). The new Batman theme is an alternating three note/two note piece that perfectly reflects the character in TDK. It sounds both heroic and yet sad at the same time.

The Batman theme is played in full by the horns with pounding percussion and the Anxiety motif racing beneath it. The Joker's music reappears at 3:37 with racing violins followed by a few repeats of the descending Two-Note motif. The track ends with barely audible low percussion as the track fades out.

9. I Am the Batman. (2:00)

A short cue of mostly abstract string pieces, the Joker's theme appears at 1:05 before getting cut off by the "Bat Flap effect" at 1:39. This ends the cue as the Joker theme fades away.

10. And I Thought My Jokes Were Bad. (2:29)

Another short track, this time full of action music. The "Bat Flap effect" and Anxiety motif start off the cue before strings enter and play a variation on the Anxiety motif. The action motif heard in "Antrozous" from Begins makes an appearance before the "Bat Flap effect" takes over which leads to the jarring percussion blasts of the Joker heard at the end of "Aggressive Expansion". Uneasy strings play as the track fades out.

11. Agent of Chaos. (6:55)

The descending string motif heard during the burning of Wayne manor and also heard during "Myotis" is the central piece in this tense track. A piano rendition of the Love theme from Batman Begins plays between bursts of aggressive string work playing the descending motif. The Joker's theme appears at 2:30 after an intense cello build up which leads to a short respite with strange sound effects before intense action music returns. A driving, percussion-heavy rendition of the Harvey Dent theme appears at 4:10 before a short phrase of the Joker theme brings the action to a close. The last two minutes of the track is a slight re-orchestration of the funeral music from Begins (heard at the beginning of "Eptesicus").

12. Introduce A Little Anarchy. (3:40)

The "Molossus" of the album, this track begins with a rising crescendo of horns before the familiar action motif enters. Steady percussion and the Anxiety motif keep the track moving as various statements of the Two-Note theme, Batman theme and Joker theme weave in and out of the track. After a short rendition of the Joker theme (2:55), a descending four note motif enters and brings the track to a close.

13. Watch the World Burn. (3:47)

Taking the score into much darker territory than previous tracks, this cue features a dark version of Harvey Dent's theme played by a full string chorus with a steady percussion loop buried in the background. The track has an ominous and tragic tone to it, befitting the fate of Harvey Dent at the end of the film. The strings continue to build on each other and finally reach an almost unbearable level of intensity before suddenly coming to an end.

14. A Dark Knight. (16:16)

The longest, and by far the greatest, track on the album. The track begins with low strings playing the Two-Note theme before a solo cello and horn enter playing a sad rendition of the Batman theme. The Anxiety motif plays throughout in the strings along with percussion when needed. The cello and horn are joined by the rest of the orchestra as heart racing percussion enters at 3:03. The descending four note motif accompanies the percussion as well as several statements of the Two-Note motif before the action comes to an end at 3:44. Four descending statements of the Two-Note theme are made by the horns before the strings return playing a sorrowful version of the Batman theme at 4:30. After the strings complete the Batman theme, percussion returns to join the strings and horns as the music slowly begins to build up before taking a decidedly darker tone at 8:30. The descending four note motif returns in the strings accompanied by a low bass note on the fourth note. The Anxiety motif returns also as the descending four note motif repeats itself several times before climaxing at 10:40. The Joker's theme appears again and plays until the descending four note motif in the strings emerges from the Joker music at 11:15. The alternate Two-Note theme also returns between statements of the four note motif before it comes to a close at 12:50.

The descending four note theme begins again at 12:54, but this time in a slowly building action piece with the Anxiety motif racing beneath. Heavy percussion enters at 14:00 before an epic rendition of the Two-Note theme with the new electronic Anxiety motif running beneath it enters at 14:22. After four statements of the Two-Note theme, the track begins to fade out... but not before a short statement of the Joker theme appears in the background as the music fades out.

Review of packaging:

The CD comes in a jewel case with a 14 page booklet. The liner notes consist of album credits, track listing (no times) and a paragraph from director Christopher Nolan talking about how he was honored to work with Hans Zimmer and James Newton-Howard and how proud he is of their work on the film. Full color pictures of the principle cast are also scattered throughout the liner notes. The back of the album gives track listings (no times) and film credits.

Closing thoughts:

Some disagree, but I personally believe this is one of the greatest scores of the last decade. Hans Zimmer and James Newton-Howard have created a score that tops Batman Begins in every way. The album is constructed perfectly. From the pieces used to the flow of the album, this is how a soundtrack release should be done. I'm not sure how many others feel this way, but I personally think the album of TDK is actually better than the score used in the film. Especially "A Dark Knight", that one track captures the feelings of the end of the film perfectly. Too bad they didn't use it in the film....

If you can't tell by now, I highly recommend this album. If you can get past the strange sound design for the Joker (and just skip over "Always a Catch" and most of "Why So Serious?"), then the album has a lot to offer. It's deeper than most scores, which means you can always find something new in the score each time you listen to it. Highly recommended.

Score:

5 out of 5