This thread reminded me of the gloriously cheesy theme song, which I hadn't heard in 24 years, so I went back and listened to it. Such spectacular, Grade-A 1990s schlock!
Aside from the transcendent power ballad kitsch value, my favorite thing about the song was the bizarre revelation as it was released that the writer "Sam Roman" was a nom de plume and that the song had actually been written by none other than Edgar Bronfman Jr, the owner of Seagram (the owner of Universal at the time).
The score always feels pretty depressing, as does the movie - but that music for the wind tunnel scene and the final blow out is absolutely amazing. Really cool mix of synths and orchestra and the synth percussion that give it a really nice ethereal vibe.
I think Randy Edelman was the best synth/orchestral blend composer long before Hans Zimmer, even to the point that Hans Zimmer ripped off Edelman's music for Broken Arrow.
Randy Edelman also had some great mood pieces for Last of the Mohicans - AND - whereas Hans Zimmer claims to have invented the use of a waltz-like time signature for battle scenes in Gladiator, The Last of the Mohicans prominently featured this technique - not just in Randy Edelman's track from that film "The Courier" that deftly shifts between 4/4 and 6/8 during a fight sequence but also the "Fort Battle" (Trevor Jones') that prominently features the main theme orchestrated as battle music in glorious 3/4.
I wish Edelman had kept progressing as a composer.
I think Randy Edelman was the best synth/orchestral blend composer long before Hans Zimmer, even to the point that Hans Zimmer ripped off Edelman's music for Broken Arrow..
I wouldn't go that far, but he's extremely underrated in that regard.
This thread reminded me of the gloriously cheesy theme song, which I hadn't heard in 24 years, so I went back and listened to it. Such spectacular, Grade-A 1990s schlock!
Aside from the transcendent power ballad kitsch value, my favorite thing about the song was the bizarre revelation as it was released that the writer "Sam Roman" was a nom de plume and that the song had actually been written by none other than Edgar Bronfman Jr, the owner of Seagram (the owner of Universal at the time).
I think Randy Edelman was the best synth/orchestral blend composer long before Hans Zimmer, even to the point that Hans Zimmer ripped off Edelman's music for Broken Arrow..
I wouldn't go that far, but he's extremely underrated in that regard.
Yeah, maybe you're right. I got a little carried away with my anti-Zimmer rant.
I saw this film for the first time yesterday. I didn't notice who was composing it and I wasn't expecting anything memorable.
Well... I was wrong because I was enjoying the score for the majority, along with the movie itself, that I had to listen to it again right afterwards.
I think I noticed it was Edelman whilst not really knowing for sure, as the only other score by him which I really knew well prior to this one, and loved was Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.
I know we've got a lot going on with Rings Of Elven Power and Charlie Brown Pumpkins, but since I've been EACing all my stuff this one had its moment in the disc player again and it's really good stuff! Definitely a good (bad?) example of how overzealous thematic scoring became in the 90s where literally everything had some kind of sweeping theme (swarm of rats? give it a theme!) but hey, Edelman has got some solid composition work here with equally-matched musicianship.
And if you think DAYLIGHT seems off topic from discussing RINGS OF POWER how about this - Viggo Mortensen was in DAYLIGHT and apparently he played some role in the LORD OF THE RINGS movies. So it all comes full circle! Like a ring.