I've banged on about it before but I would love a release of THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND and CIRCLE OF IRON ( aka THE SILENT FLUTE ), both are excellent scores.
Never heard Barbarosa but I'll take your word that it's good.
and
This is wonderful score. Mr. Smeaton's work in general is worth checking out. I love "The Great Macarthy".
I love The Great Macarthy and The Devil's Playground as well, but my favourite score of his on CD is probably Summerfield. It's a medium sized orchestra, really quite small and eerie at times, but the theme is heart-wrenching. Has one of the best suspense tracks ever - nerve jangling. In stark contrast, Eliza Fraser is paired with it, and that is big orchestra raucous fun.
It's the perfect score to a pretty effective movie...I remember putting this score on a lot of mix tapes in the "old days"
Me too! I love putting this terrific main title track onto mixes for friends who aren't necessarily into soundtrack or symphonic music. It gets them excited every time. I wish we could hear lots more from such a talented composer.
PS This film was a rare instance when even the sometimes irascible Pauline Kael mentioned how fine and effective the score was, in her review of the film. And she was notoriously intolerant of grand, sweeping "movie music." (I say all this speaking as one of her biggest fans.)
Awesome to see this thread revived. I hadn't gone back and read that interview with Bruce Smeaton - it really demonstrates what a devoted and incredibly skilled composer he is. What a nightmare to have to edit your music on the fly with a full orchestra in front of you! There's few who could do that...just a terrific interview all round! Makes me love the score even more.
I was in Primark the other day (with the missus, you must understand) and most of the girls I saw, aged between 14 and 30, were all starting to look like John Lone in ICEMAN!!