I've loved Maury Laws' RETURN OF THE KING and HOBBIT scores since youth - Especially the dramatic, portentous five-note fanfare that anchors the former score from the onset. Mr. Laws is best-known for his Rankin/Bass collaborations, and among the few live-action films he scored is this obscure 1980 production.
I absolutely love the opening/closing titles as heard in this Youtube video - And apparently about 4 minutes worth oft he score was included on a VERY obscure multi-disk Japanese release some time ago, which I can find no info about save the listing on Soundtrack Collector.
Any thoughts on this, or has anyone seen the full film?
I'll bite though I'm not much help. I don't know this film, but am glad you shared the youtube titles music. Takes me back to the 70's - that wonderful echoey sound of the big sweeping orchestra, with the occasional orientalism.
I too have wished for The Hobbit and Return of the King albums to be released on CD for years. Didn't care about them at the time (never even saw Return until the late 90's). But when my daughter was growing up we used to love playing the DVDs and the whole family can join in on a rousing chorus of "Where there's a whip, there's a way!" and "Down Down to Goblin Town!"
I'd buy just about any Maury Laws that would come out just to show my support.
Also it has a prominent Golden Age sound, even though it was 1980.
Considering how we hear of today's film producers regarding traditional themed music as being a bit old fashioned in comparison to their apparently preferred modern "soundscapes", it would would be interesting to know if the general film industry in 1980 would have considered this score to be a bit old fashioned, as it does sound like something more akin to the compositional style heard a couple of decades earlier.
I dunno, it sounds pretty in keeping with a good number of the more majestic scores of the late 70's and early 80's to me. I'm glad people are liking it - I've also never seen the film and would love to hear more. I love how sweepingly tragic the central harp/string theme is, and yet the thundering timpani and heraldic brass lends an almost anarchic-sounding bravado in the midst of the larger weightiness. Very portentous and impressive music!
Laws' RETURN OF THE KING score is freaking fantastic. Particularly the brass, winds and percussion (recorded in London) really earned their paycheck on this one. The orchestrations are often marvelously detailed and rich and some of the battle cues, for me, easily foreshadow Horner's early action/sci-fi stylings somewhat. Check it out - I think anyone unfamiliar with it will be immediately impressed:
So I wrote to Maury Laws via his website this morning, not really expecting to hear back at all - But I did, within an hour, to disappointing ends regarding not only his Hobbit/Return of the King scores but also this one as well:
Thanks for your comments and appreciation of the music. It’s good to hear.
The scores for The Hobbit and Return Of The King were released on record by Disney but have long ago disappeared from stores. You might be able to find a copy in a used or second hand store. They were released on long playing 33 records….not CDs.
The Bushido Blade was never released for sale to the public. Sorry I’m not able to be of more help.
All best, Maury Laws
I'll see if I can get a little more info out of him though and report back...
Never got around to FLIGHT OF DRAGONS but my understanding both film and score are heavily along the Hobbit/King method of execution, so I'd probably dig it - Cheeky flaws and all, as I'm sure it's rife with (in a loving way)!
I just wrote what I feel to be an earnest, imploring but reasonable and inspiring email to Maury letting him know of the number of people interested in purchasing his past works and that his legacy deserves to be preserved on CD, lest it be lost forever.
Here's hoping for a good discourse with him - I'll report back soon.
Of course, you call all drop him a line of your own if so-desired:
Shock and awe, never heard back from Maury after reaching out again. I guess he's one of those composers who, inexplicably, doesn't seem to have much of a desire to make his back-catalog of work available...
