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Co-Produced by:
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Jay Gruska
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Album Produced by:
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Nick Redman
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Release Date:
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November, 2003
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Availability:
The album is a "Limited Collector's Edition" of 3,000 copies and is available only through the label's site or through online soundtrack specialty outlets. Catalog number: VCL 1103 1026
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Sorry, there are no commercial ordering options for this title. However, you can
search for this title at the soundtrack specialty outlets listed on the Filmtracks Links Page. |
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Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you are a James Horner completist and you enjoy his early
rhythmic action on electronic pads and steel drums.
Avoid it... if you expect a superior, paramilitary superhero score
along the lines of Predator or Rambo.
Filmtracks Editorial Review:
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| | Horner | |
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Commando: (James Horner) By 1985, Arnold Schwarzenegger
was determined to take on an acting roll in which he could not only kick
butt, but also show a softer side not seen in The Terminator or the
two Conan films. It marked the beginning of the series of films that
Joel Silver would produce for 20th Century Fox, leading to the
Predator and Die Hard franchises. Thus, for the actors
(including Alyssa Milano as the daughter of Schwarzenegger's character, John
Matrix), the studio, the producer, and even the composer, Commando
was an important stepping stone on the path to bigger and better things.
This isn't to say that Commando itself was a classic; in fact,
despite the larger-than-usual arrays of explosions and locales, the film is
nothing more than another simplistic paramilitaristic joy ride... an excuse
to show the same building exploding nine different times from nine different
angles. Because it was a formula film, even down to the dumb dialogue,
two-dimensional characters, and 70's-ish camera placements and editing, it
basically fit into the same category as the Predator and Rambo
series. But unless you could get into the mood of that late-night TV style
of goodguy versus badguy assaults with huge caches of weapons, then
Commando bordered on the silly and stupid (certainly, it was by no
means as good that the other two military super-hero series mentioned
above). Composer James Horner was at a time in his career when he was just
beginning to show that he was in the mainstream to stay. He had garnered
considerable attention for his Star Trek scores, and 1985-1986, with
Commando sandwiched in the middle, would confirm Horner's placement
with Cocoon, An American Tail, and Aliens, which was
nominated for an Academy Award. Despite using these mainstream films to
accelerate his career rise, Horner was still earning his salary composing
for some wretchedly hideous films as well. Arguably, Commando could
be considered one of them, and Horner's score reflects the same
quality.
If you're looking for military superhero music like that
for Predator and Rambo (both exemplary offerings by Alan
Silvestri and Jerry Goldsmith), then be forewarned that Commando is
nowhere close to being in the same league. Horner's score is a relentless,
rather unintelligent sound effect that monotonously bumbles along in the
background of Commando, with no real identity outside of its own
all-too-consistent sound. Aside from two performances of a love theme by the
strings of an orchestra, Horner's score is one long cue of unabashed
Caribbean action, with electronic drum pads (oh, you gotta love those
1980's, no?), steel drums, electric guitars, keyboards, and the same sax
motif mixed into half a dozen cues for a snazzy flair of style. The
Caribbean feel of the score isn't really that appropriate for the Latin
American location of the film, but who cares? The majority of the duties in
Commando are shared by the pads, steel drums, keyboards, and synth
rhythm effects. The last part consists of tingling rhythmic effects meant to
crudely accentuate the slick weaponry in the film (can we say "Uuuuuzi"?).
If Horner had varied these rhythms to a greater degree from cue to cue, then
Commando might actually be an interesting listen. But only a few cues
differ from the norm; the "Surprise" cue, by far the highlight of the score
with its whole notes of orchestral bass under the action, features some
intentional distortion (slurring of brass in the editing room, mainly) that
places the score in its era. The "Matrix Breaks In" cue has some vocal
humming and a much-needed respite from the hard rhythms. The final cue, 14
minutes long, is a force to be reckoned with, and features a two-note brass
rhythm/motif that is distorted under the usual Caribbean meanderings. It
also solidifies the performances of Horner's usual shakahachi flute (already
there in 1985 for Horner), which is an equally curious ethnic choice of
instrument. The love theme, for the daughter's character, is heard only at
the beginning and end of the film, and represents the only moment when the
small orchestra exists apart from the electronics. Overall, Commando
is a preview of ideas heard in Aliens and, mainly, Red Heat,
but stands as a rather uninspiring and tedious listening experience on its
own. In 2003, after snippets of it appeared on bootlegs for years, the
Varèse Sarabande Club released the score in full. Horner's stylish,
contemporary entries of the 1980's had a tendency of being a difficult
listen, especially with his dramatic scores maturing at such an outstanding
pace, and Commando is thus a score to skip. **
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Viewer Ratings and Comments:
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• 1. Prologue/Main Title (3:58)
• 2. Ambush and Kidnapping (2:35)
• 3. Captured (2:14)
• 4. Surprise (8:19)
• 5. Sully Runs (4:34)
• 6. Moving Jenny (3:44)
• 7. Matrix Breaks In (3:29)
• 8. Infiltration, Showdown and Finale (14:33)
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The insert includes detailed information about the score and film.
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