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Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... for the lyrical title theme if you're a sucker for such romanticism from James Horner's strings. Avoid it... if ten minutes of that pleasant lyricism does not merit another 30 of underdeveloped and unguided action ideas. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
In 1993 and 1994, Horner had a tendency to provide scores that exhibit the composer in "auto-pilot" mode. His work for Clear and Present Danger and The Pelican Brief, both related to A Far Off Place in their suspense and action roots, are restrained by the composer's seemingly lazy inability to kick his music into a higher gear and provide the kind of originality that was heard from him before and after this period. While its title theme is more unique than many during this time, A Far Off Place continues many of the same orchestral ideas that Horner has relied upon time and time again to produce a merely sufficient and functional score for his assigned films. This title theme is both lyrical and romantic, appropriate for the setting, and containing the kind of deep string-based heart that suits a children's film. Its appearances in the opening and closing, as well as "The Elephants" and "Gemsbock Gift" are easy highlights of the score. In the score's slower adaptations of this theme (for broad strings and woodwinds), Horner takes no instrumental chances. To represent the landscape, Horner throws in the shakuhachi (which is somewhat unrelated to this locale), some African drums and rattles, and other light percussion. In this department, Horner misses the target, wasting an opportunity to extend beyond his usual collection of sounds to produce something as vivid as, for instance, Jerry Goldsmith's The Ghost and the Darkness. Moments of fright and action revert to familiar snare rhythms and the crashing of piano and chimes. The rumbling piano is joined by harsh brass and generic drum rhythms in cues such as "Attacked from the Air," and in this and many of the other action sequences, A Far Off Place suffers from an inability to maintain a mood for any great length of time. This is a shame, because as he does in many of his animated children's film scores, Horner introduces many intriguing ideas; in this project, though, he fails to deliver extended development of any of these ideas outside of the title theme. Like the film, there's a slightly schizophrenic aspect to the score in that you can enjoy a truly uplifting string rhythm in "Gemsbock Gift" and then be struck down by the opening clangs of the following cue, "The Swamp," which ends in a huge, simultaneous minor/major key chord for the entire orchestra. Overall, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly where this score fails to meet its expectations. A very strong title theme with an extended performance in the final cue raises A Far Off Place to average status. ***
The insert contains information about both the score and film, including the following note from executive producer Douglass Fake: "The stunning visuals of A Far Off Place cried for a major score of symphonic proportions James Horner responded with a monumental work, centered around a rich and sweeping primary theme and including some fierce action material. The resulting score to A Far Off Place is rich, serious, sometimes powerful and relentless, sometimes tender, always magnificent. Horner was keenly aware of the strong dramatic story line that prevailed amidst the inherent visual images and adventure that unfolded across the Kalahari Desert. His score reflects the tragedy setting the drama into motion, those dangers such a perilous trek would involve and the respect and friendship that blossoms amongst the three youths In pursuit of both safety and justice. The picture opens on a peaceful scene of elephants at water, the score introduced by flute and percussion. Poachers appear with rifles, chainsaws. Horner scores this idyllic moment turned violent with a brutal eruption of percussion, piano, low brass and strings. Trumpets against stark piano and chime chords followed by a swelling of strings, soon lead to the first statement of the theme as the "Main Title" appears on screen. Horner returns to quote portions of this theme several times, in a gentle varient to underscore the growing relationships during "Gemsbock Gift" with a bolder stroke for "The Elephants." The action sequences are scored in a harsh, often very powerful and dramatic manner. In "The Slaughter" that sets the story into motion, and the following act of retaliation by Nonnie, the scoring is hard, tense, and exciting. In "Attacked from the Air" the score conveys both the action on screen with serious brass and percussion material over racing piano, and the strong drama of Nonnie finding out whom was responsible for the death of her parents. In "The Swamp", a highlight of the score, Horner brings to play powerful material for the entire orchestra as Harry and the dog both struggle to survive, all culminating in a spectacular chord, simultaneously major and minor. Harry is snatched out of death's jaws, the dog leaps to safety alongside him, and in a splendid musical moment trumpets burst forth with a resolution to this chord in the major. With a happy finale to the adventure, the main theme emerges in a full and complete statement, a rich and sweeping cessation to the story, asoaring and expressive finale to the score." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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