Dang. No love for Puppetmaster? I thought that was one of the most recognizable themes in horror music.
I wrote about "Puppet Master" quite favorably a few posts above yours. The "Main Title" is indeed one of Band's best themes - and his most famous composition - and the score overall is his best synth work. Also, unless I'm mistaken, the choice of synth here was a creative decision and not a budgetary one, which might speak to why "Puppet Master" strikes me as more inspired than his subsequent synth work.
I think "The Resurrected" is OK but its never been one of my favorites. The Main Title is indeed the best cue but it's more or less a variation of Christopher Young's 'Main Title' from "Hellbound: Hellraiser II," and while striking it's also perhaps the only instance in Band where temp track love gets in the way for me.
"From Beyond" is a great score for a terrific and unique horror film. At one point Stuart Gordon was going to direct "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," with Band scoring, but Gordon fell terribly ill during pre-production which led to Joe Johnston replacing him as director, and Horner ended up scoring it. Had Band scored "Honey" it may have led to more Disney films... the mind boggles...
"Mutant" is magnificent. As bobbengan writes, definitely stick to Intrada's release, which sounds great. I have no no idea why the Perseverance sounded so crummy but it's to be avoided.
Also, I just saw that a filmmaker is trying to Kickstarter a documentary about Charles Band's Empire Pictures, which Richard Band will score if it gets funded:
I wrote about "Puppet Master" quite favorably a few posts above yours. The "Main Title" is indeed one of Band's best themes - and his most famous composition - and the score overall is his best synth work. Also, unless I'm mistaken, the choice of synth here was a creative decision and not a budgetary one, which might speak to why "Puppet Master" strikes me as more inspired than his subsequent synth work.
Interesting how our tastes can diverge even when we are fans of the same kind of thing. I honestly can't STAND Puppet Master. I am allergic to most carnival-horror music. And I think the synth work here sounds too cheap and cheesy in comparison with some of his later work (even if it's intentional). It sounds to me like it was based on Hellraiser's Resurrection waltz and just isn't something I can listen to. That's right, I don't mind the Hellraiser influence in Resurrected, but do in Puppet Master - go figure!
I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong at all, just think it's weird that we're so close and yet so far.
Gotta say I'm super intrigued by the lovely orchestral Band score (from a documentary called Home of the Brave in 2003!) at the beginning of your Youtube video here, bobbengan. I wonder if there's any hope of a full score release for this one from Intrada...
Oh wow, that's a blast from the past there. I was in high school when I posted that and had completely forgotten about it. I have no idea where I got that clip... I must have ripped it from his site at the time. As far as I'm aware that score was never released but it certainly sounds a lot better than most of his later-day work. Hopefully there's more out there!
I'm still gunning for MUTANT, HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW, THE ALCHEMIST, GHOST WARRIOR, FROM BEYOND, DAY TIME ENDED and TROLL as Band's overall best efforts. Rip-roaring symphonic scoring for films that don't deserve the effort and craft he put into them (though Ghost Warrior at least has some heart if you can forgive that it's basically THE ICEMAN set in LA and featuring a resurrected samurai instead of a caveman).
THE CALLER is also a really interesting "slow burn" effort that kind of bridged his styles between earlier orchestral music and later synth stuff in a compelling and original way.
I agree with you, and also The Evil Clergyman, which I guess is a more recent composition, displays a good degree of the old Band flair, IMO. But this documentary score with full orchestra from 2003 sounds even better...
I should mention, Mr. Band is a total gentleman and has been source of personal encouragement to me during practically the whole of my career. One of my favorites by him is Puppet Master.
Neat! Was it he who introduced you to the music of Bernard Herrmann, who was your favorite film composer for so long?
Do you have a favorite Richard Band score?
Yavar
He probably did it indirectly, as there are some super fun traces of Bernard in more than a little of Richard's repertoire. As for favorites...man, there are so many good ones. Impossible for me off the top of my head.
Bernard is still a big favorite of mine...I just love the others in my big four better
Iff topic, but today I started watching my Vertigo blu ray again but couldn't past the chase/vertigo scene...I was too inspired to write. I can't choose between that and Rocky as my favorite movies.
THE CALLER is also a really interesting "slow burn" effort that kind of bridged his styles between earlier orchestral music and later synth stuff in a compelling and original way.
Agreed, Bob! The Caller is one of my go-to choices when I want to listen to early 70s Columbo / thriller type music.
I've also been getting a kick out of the recent Intrada Trancer and Arena releases. Guilty pleasures perhaps, but they bring a smile to my face. And I love their release of Band's Stargate SG1 scores. Cold Lazarus is one of my favorite Band scores, synthestra be damned.
As shared in another thread, the 2023 orchestral Richard Band suites performed at MOSMA are now on YouTube.
Fantasy Suite:
Horror Suite:
These suites include some brand new orchestral arrangements of material that was previously recorded primarily or entirely with synth samples. The score that is most enhanced by a purely orchestral arrangement is "Remote" (which appears at 3:50 into the Fantasy Suite) where the added orchestral flourishes really and truly elevate it.
Beyond that, there are beautiful performances of "The Day Time Ended," "Ghost Warrior," and "The Alchemist," among others. Check it out!
I've tried year after year (sampled most of the things suggested in this thread, for example), but so far haven't really found a Band score that I really like. I got a promo of the PRIMEVAL thingie from Silva recently, and I appreciate it trying to approximate the orchestral adventure stylings of its time (with a little bit of Herrmann thrown in), but somehow it feels too "rough" for my taste. But I know I'm the odd one out. I'lll continue to give him more chances.
