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Was listening to the CD yesterday. What a gorgeous score this is.
Very nice CD presentation but a little short. Left me wanting more.
Maybe La-La-Land could do an expansion as they did with JNH's Wyat Earp and Grand Canyon?
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I never got around to buying the soundtrack CD until about 7 months ago, and immediately made an iPod playlist, including, between "The Final Climb" and "End Titles," Aaron Neville's haunting "Ave Maria," as heard in the film. But I wish they could have included it on the soundtrack CD just as it is heard in the film. One of these days I'm going to record the audio off the DVD and add THAT more seamless version at the end of my "Alive" playlist.
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Posted: |
Aug 11, 2015 - 9:08 AM
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By: |
bobbengan
(Member)
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Now that this film is on Netflix instant watch, at least in the US, I finally got around to seeing it.
Man, what a clunky beginning - Some of the worst line deliveries in any major motion picture I've ever seen. I thought Frank Marshall's direction in CONGO was some of the poorest I'd ever seen in a film of that caliber, but the first thirty minutes or so here give that entire film a run for its money. Good thing he soon went back to producing, where his skill sets are clearly of a vaster magnitude.
The films improves as it progresses. The last reel effectively moved and galvanized me, due mostly to the dedicated performances from the whittled-down cast, the existential slant to the dialogue, and the music. The rescue at the end could have very easily been overly "inspirational" and cheesy in that very silly 90's fashion, but it's handled well and when the (spoilers) helicopter doors slide open and Ethan Hawke's character beams down on the survivors - That's just a great moment. If only the first 45 minutes or so of the film weren't so... Ineffectually acted (largely) and directed.
Now - Howard's score. It's freaking great, I'm not much more sure what I can say.
After years of listening to it on CD it's great to have some context for the music. Beside the fan-fucking-tastic end title cue, "It's God" is a magnificent piece on its own, but in context it really does a number. There are a few more sparser variations on that wonderful theme heard elsewhere but I do wish Howard got a little more mileage out of this melody, because it's evocative or the human spirit is almost transcendental.
While I'm the first to usually roll my eyes at expanded 90's scores when there are so many totally unreleased gems from the 70's and 80's and elsewhere in need of a release at all, I would definitely welcome an expanded upgrade of this one. There's an architecture to the score lost somewhat on that old 30 minute album, and the omission of the rescue/finale music has to be one of the most glaring album omissions ever.
But moreover, it's a high water mark in JNH's career as a composer, from a time period when he was really on fire and stretching his wings in a great way. He really knew what he was doing here and precisely where the film's heart is, or was trying to be (a better director probably could have moved mountains), and wrote music that spoke to that spirt of human vitality with marked aplomb.
The careful spotting is also a wise and appreciable asset to the music as a whole.
Excellent score. Any other thoughts?
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JNH has a way with mountain scores! I'd love to get expanded editions of both Alive and Vertical Limit...
Yavar
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