I was just relistening to it yesterday, and next to DEATH BECOMES HER, this is arguably Silvestri's most Bernard Herrmann-inspired score. Lots of agressive percussion, but also plenty of intensely subdued "breathing" effects (i.e. chord-stop effects) that Herrmann used to do.
It's an uneven listening experience, but the highlight for me is unquestionably "Nazi Bookstore". How unashamedly patriotic!
I could be without the Ice-T title track, although I actually like some of Ice-T's other work.
Pretty good action score from Silvestri, but 'Blake Gets The Point' is the true stadnout track. It makes it to every Silvestri compilation I have done! A five-minute orchestral juggernaut, be careful listening to this while driving and it is absolutely an action highlight for dear 'ol Alan!
I used to hate this score. It seemed as though the music was going all over the place. Then I started listening a little closer, and I noticed that the main theme is developed fairly well throughout the score, and the rhythmic action music also builds upon itself before coming to an extremely frantic conclusion. Not a great score, but a good one.
That rap track was bad enough for me to sell this. I'm happy with the main title on the Voyages compilation (which is the only really good part of the score for the most part anyway, IMO)
I always think of Ricochet as one of my favourite scores from Silvestri. I agree with that Herrmannesque quality of the music, which may explain why I like it so much, since I 'm a Herrmann nut!!!! And Blake gets the point is a easily the highpoint of the whole score. But I agree, Gladiator fight is equally standout. I remember when I saw the film for the first time, and not knowing who was the composer, I recognised Silvestri's trademark style in just a few seconds. I told everyone on the room before the credits appeared, and when "Music by Alan Silvestri" popped in, everyone was amazed!!! No one writes action music like Silvestri (Goldsmith apart, of course)!!!!
Thor, it's great to see you, too, and thanks for saying hi! Has it really been YEARS since I last posted here? I guess it has. Anyway, I let real life distract me from all the fun and great conversation that goes on here. But it's great to be back!
And none of that dingleberry stuff, my old friend. I'm older and wiser now. I refuse to stoop to the level of such crude and unbecoming humor.
By the way, I experienced a terrific bowel movement this afternoon.
This is a solid score for an aweful movie. With a movie with Denzel as the lead, one wonders where it did go bad. Silvestri's music is the only saving grace and even the score was tampered with in post production. The Nazi Bookstore cue (which is terrific piece) was dropped from the film and great "Blake Gets the Point" plays differently in the final sequence in what seems to be an alternate version than the one on CD. Ah well, at least we have the album thanks to Varese!
Re-listening to this now (the superb "Nazi Bookstore" track that I wish could have lasted longer!). My opinion is still pretty much the same as when I posted this thread.
I just watched this "potboiler" from 1991, and it's not without its values. Both Washington and Lithgow deliver solid peformances, although Lithgow is always a little over-the-top in his bad guy roles. Ice-T is pretty funny as a "benign" drug lord too.
I always get a kick out of these "come-back" movies where the protagonist's life is taken away from him bit by bit, but where he ultimately pulls his shit together and justice is served in the end.
Silvestri's score is - as previously mentioned - pure Herrmann pastiche. The opening titles, in particular, sounds like it was culled from NORTH BY NORTHWEST or something.
I couldn't hear the "Nazi bookstore" music in the actual scene, however. Was it cut from the movie?
I've had this score since it was released (same for Death Becomes Her). Haven't listened to the album in a long time, but the main title is a Silvestri favorite for me that I remember well, and I enjoyed the title sequence in the film. Entertaining, well-shot thriller. Lithgow is hammy and great when he plays psycho.
I was just thinking the other day about how awesome his Main Title is for this one. Those awesome sharp horn bursts are one of my favorite Silvestri trademarks.
I have a strange story about this score (or was it Silvestri's Shattered? No, I think it was Ricochet.) In the mid 90s, a friend of mine and me visited a CD store in Oslo. My friend had a certain film music interest (not as much as me of course) and he found Ricochet very cheap in the store. He decided he wanted to buy it, and brought the cover to the counter. But what happened? The guy working there actually didn't find the CD, so my friend had to go home without Ricochet.
I wonder what had happened if he had bought it. Maybe he would have been a massive film music fan today? (He's not, by the way...)
I have a strange story about this score (or was it Silvestri's Shattered? No, I think it was Ricochet.) In the mid 90s, a friend of mine and me visited a CD store in Oslo. My friend had a certain film music interest (not as much as me of course) and he found Ricochet very cheap in the store. He decided he wanted to buy it, and brought the cover to the counter. But what happened? The guy working there actually didn't find the CD, so my friend had to go home without Ricochet.
I wonder what had happened if he had bought it. Maybe he would have been a massive film music fan today? (He's not, by the way...)
Just watched this movie. A fantastic score by Alan Silvestri, and he's growing to become among my favorite composers. I picked up the Varese CD for cheap several months ago, and I ought to pull it out and give it a spin now.
Is there any score material that's not on the Varese disc? If so, perhaps La-La Land could do an Expanded Archival Collection release... although between Dutch and Eraser expanded, I think I'll have my fill of Silvestri for a while.
