As we are having a wee Kamen revival discussion just now I just wanted to highlight this one. Its a tricky one as its a very short score and full of source songs but just taking Michael’s music and the couple of Nat songs, its always been one of my favourites. It just sums up that dark tragic feel Michael often brought to his non action scores and was at the beginning of his scoring carreer when he was finding his style. For me the whole album is worth having just for the longest track ‘Kings Cross/Follow Anderson’. Apart from maybe the main title of The Dead Zone this is absolutely my favourite Michael Kamen track from all his work. The grim synth darkness at the beginning and then bringing in the saxophone at the end to really twist the knife in the heart. I never tire of it. On rewatching the brilliant film a while back i realised that there really isn’t much more score in there that wasn’t on the album. They reuse themes a couple of times so whats there is pretty much it. Whats there is classic though. Thoughts from Kamen fans.
Haha. Funnily enough, this CD and Crusoe are in the stack I grabbed when I went to get DIE HARD 2, plus the other classics I mentioned elsewhere. I haven't spun it yet (nor even DH2 yet, which was the whole point) but I will report back when I've given it a fresh go through.
Even more funnily enough one I don't have. Perhaps coz of the brevity or songs, who knows. Anyway I have put on the next best thing (that's beginning with an M)- Mr.Holland's Opus!
Kamen also does a spoofy little harpsichord quote of the Mona Lisa song in his Hudson Duc...sorry...Hawk score. I remember singing along to it this week when it came on.
I just watched this film again a couple of weeks ago. It remains a powerful drama, which shines a light on one of the darkest subcultures of our society (and is as relevant now as when it was made).
Kamen's score is adroitly nuanced, and he never over or under-does it. They way he weaves the Nat King Cole tunes in an out of his score is subtle and effective.
I remember when I first saw this movie -- just a few months after having seen Brazil and Highlander -- and thinking "Does Michael Kamen write his own love themes? Or does he just draw on songs?"
I remember when I first saw this movie -- just a few months after having seen Brazil and Highlander -- and thinking "Does Michael Kamen write his own love themes? Or does he just draw on songs?"
I had the same thought!!! "Is Mr. Kamen the go-to guy for adapting popular songs into love themes?"
I for one would champion an expansion of this score, even if it's miniscule; the longest unreleased cue is the one for the foot chase at Brighton, I believe, and "Kings Cross/Follow Anderson" runs a bit longer in the film.
And then he pulled a little ditty from his bottom drawer that would go on to become a Love Song for the ages...and also ensure he wouldn't have to work again, if he didn't feel like it.
Re Kamen adapting existing songs for films he scored... I only saw Someone To Watch Over Me once, at the London Film Festival back in the late 80s, so I can't remember much about the film or its (unreleased) score, but did Kamen also interpolate that films' title song within his score?
I'm just flicking through the Mona Lisa CD booklet, which is coupled with the Stanley Myers/Hans Zimmer score to Castaway and there's some...nice...pictures in there, isn't there. Amanda Donohoe in her prime. Gotta love the female form.
Re Kamen adapting existing songs for films he scored... I only saw Someone To Watch Over Me once, at the London Film Festival back in the late 80s, so I can't remember much about the film or its (unreleased) score, but did Kamen also interpolate that films' title song within his score?
He did not. And the version of that song used in the film was never released either!
Re Kamen adapting existing songs for films he scored... I only saw Someone To Watch Over Me once, at the London Film Festival back in the late 80s, so I can't remember much about the film or its (unreleased) score, but did Kamen also interpolate that films' title song within his score?
He did not. And the version of that song used in the film was never released either!
Sad that this still remains unreleased… not in ‘any’ version. I think its also the only Ridley Scott film that didn’t get a soundtrack?
"Is Mr. Kamen the go-to guy for adapting popular songs into love themes?"
