CD Reviews: Jason X and Cast a Giant Shadow

Jason X ***

HARRY MANFREDINI

Varèse Sarabande 302 066 355 2

18 tracks - 68:46

Trapped in video-shelf limbo for nine years, venerable cinematic slasher Jason Voorhees is back for more -- only this time, the unstoppable killer finds himself aboard the starship Grendel, in the year 2455 AD. And -- surprise! -- the ship is populated by nubile teenagers just begging to be offed.

Actually, the movie isn't too bad. Cheesy, sure -- but what can one expect from the ninth sequel to the original 1980 fright-fest Friday the 13th? Harry Manfredini's atonal strings-and-brass stylings have consistently been one of the highlights of this perpetual series, and it's no surprise to find him once again wielding his virtual baton for Jason X ("virtual," because, as with his score for the 1993 opus Jason Goes to Hell, the composer's work for this latest entry is entirely synthesized).

Manfredini has again chosen the interesting (and occasionally thankless) route of synthetically re-creating an orchestral sound, which, to a great extent, was a foregone conclusion -- the time-worn suspense motifs upon which the series relies were originally performed by a (coincidentally) 13-piece orchestra. The new score contains countless references to these motifs, and these retro moments are uniformly excellent, with accurate instrumental voices perfectly replicating the minimalist sound of the original cues. The finest example of this is "Virtual Crystal Lake," written for a clever sequence in which Jason is distracted by a VR version of his old stomping grounds, replete with virtual victims. Needless to say, the famous "ki-ki-ki...ma-ma-ma" vocal effect also appears throughout.

Of interest are the "non-horror" bits, as the "Jason in space" plotline offers the opportunity for new thematic material; it's here that Manfredini's work manages to hit both ends of the spectrum. Certain cues are outstanding, in particular "Nano Ant Technology," a wonderfully ethereal piece with ascending/descending steel guitar and breathy synth ornamentation. "KM Kicks Butt" is fun, with overdriven guitar and rapid-fire bass undercutting Jason's ubiquitous, blaring brass, perfect for the die-hard maniac's duel with a scantily-clad female android. "The Trip to Grendel" is also a good listen, nicely setting the tone with just a hint of frivolity.

The downside: A few cues ("Kinsa Kracks," for instance) utilize painfully phony synth voices. The nadir is "Give Me That Old Time Machete," which starts out promisingly, but lapses into something reminiscent of a Nintendo MIDI soundtrack (though video games do figure into the plot at one point). Other cues, such as "All's Well That Ends...Well?" are less jarring; on the whole, Jason X's tongue-in-cheek take on futuristic adventure may be likened to Newman's semi-satiric work for Galaxy Quest.

Manfredini's done a decent job for yet another whirl through the F13 mythos; alternately corny and moody, it's a perfect fit for this movie.  -- Chris Stavrakis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cast a Giant Shadow *** 1/2

ELMER BERNSTEIN

Varèse Sarabande VCL 0502 1008

12 tracks - 29.36

Cast a Giant Shadow shows off Elmer Bernstein in his dramatic, exuberant mode -- not that this is a place the composer doesn't often visit. But there's actually a lot more to this score than mere bombast. If you can imagine To Kill a Mockingbird filtered through the palette of Saving Private Ryan, or maybe a few of Ron Goodwin's war scores, you'll be approaching the beauty of the quieter, reflective moments in Shadow.

Standout cues include the "Prologue," which begins with an exciting trumpet solo before moving into Copland-esque writing, and finally landing in the comfortable style of '60s underscore. "Fading Dreams" is an interesting set piece that's intimately scored with a variety of solo instruments playing a series of fragmented versions of the main motives of the score. There are other great cues that include a little more overt action music (as in "Victory on the Beach"), but overall, Bernstein focuses more on the internal struggle of the main character.

The biggest quibble here is that this is a woefully brief album. Surely there was something else that could have been coupled with this score in order to fill out the time.  -- Steven A. Kennedy
 
 

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