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| CD Reviews: Capricorn One and The Fantastic Four |
| Posted By: Stephen Woolston on September 18, 2005 - 9:00 PM |
CD Reviews: Capricorn One and The Fantastic Four
Capricorn One **** 1⁄2
JERRY GOLDSMITH
Intrada Special Collection Vol. 21
26 tracks - 56:31
Capricorn One needs no
introduction. A conspiracy era drama filled with gripping tension and
sweaty climaxes, it led to one of Jerry Goldsmith's most famously edgy
scores. It has a fast metabolism. It has themes with instant impact.
And it resolves those themes with force.
The original album release is well known to be a truncated, more
symphonic re-recording. It has a fuller, more rounded sound and
eschewed the fragmented feeling of the original film cues, but it left
out some layers of texture. Only in hearing this Intrada release (of
the original film sessions) is it so evident that Capricorn One actually employed the
same kind of innovative sounds as Planet
Of The Apes and The Mephisto
Waltz. Only in hearing this true version is the extent of
otherworldly electronic augmentation evident. It may sound less
symphonic and more disjointed than the re-recorded album, but it also
sounds more innovative and conceptually clever.
The content of this score basically passes between four experiences:
statements of oppression (the faceless bad guys and their black
helicopters); slow boil tension; character themes ("Kay's Theme," to be
specific); and high-adrenaline action. Every element is masterfully
written. Even so, there was one track on the re-recorded album that was
particularly loved, because it is possibly the pinnacle action track of
Jerry Goldsmith's whole career, "Break Out." That track is so edgy, so
masterfully constructed to such a rousing climax that it simply must
get your juices flowing. If it doesn't, check your pulse. That track is
actually a mix of two original film session cues ("Hide And Seek" and
"Breakout").
This is an exciting compact disc with artwork and notes worthy of the
music they compliment. Simply a must-have CD.
-- Stephen Woolston
The Fantastic Four *** 1/2
JOHN OTTMAN
Varèse Sarabande 302 066 667 2
14 tracks - 45:13
Okay, let's get it out of the way right up front: The Main Titles from The Fantastic Four (which include
the fanfare for the titular heroes) sound remarkably like the theme
from X-2. It is because these
are both Marvel Comics creations or because they were both composed by
John Ottman? It's probably a combination of both. The first time I
heard the Fantastic Four theme
it was distracting, but with each subsequent listening, the theme takes
on more of a personality of its own.
The Fantastic Four received
lousy reviews and proceeded to draw record crowds and help turn the
tide in lackluster 2005 summer box office. Directed by Tim Story of Barbershop fame, this long-awaited
film version was lambasted mainly for the cartoon quality of its
quartet of heroes, which is ironic indeed. There is a definite lack of
gravitas to the proceedings, but maybe that's because Batman Begins and other recent
superhero films took the opposite approach.
Ottman's joy of writing superhero action music is evident in the
majority of the cues. Because of the film's generally comedic
atmosphere, the music is a bit less-serious than X-2. The start of "Cosmic Storm" is
probably the most relaxed cue ever found in an Ottman action/thriller
score. Even when it underscores the actual radiation bath, it isn't as
bombastic as you'd expect. In fact, the approach to the score reminds
me more of the John Williams Superman
style (no, I'm not comparing the two) than the more recent super-hero
approach to Daredevil or The Punisher. That said, the
seven-minute "Battling Doom" throws every style into the fray at once,
and it's easy to get to lost in the bombardment. "Fantastic Proposal"
is a rousing finale to the CD and the movie.
With the eventual sequel, Ottman should be able to dig a bit deeper,
especially if the movie offers a more charismatic villain than Dr.
Doom. -- CW
MailBag@filmscoremonthly.com
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Today in Film Score History:
February 8 |
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| Akira Ifukube died (2006) |
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| Joe Raposo born (1937) |
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| John Williams born (1932) |
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| Johnny Mandel records his score for Drums of Africa (1963) |
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| Lalo Schifrin begins recording his score for Earth II (1971) |
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| Planet of the Apes released (1968) |
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