Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you seek a redemptive combination of Jerry Goldsmith's swirling fantasy atmosphere, brutal military themes, and complicated layers of orchestral lines in a very engaging and dynamic package. Avoid it... if you expect an abundance of any of the three major themes from Night Crossing, two of which very strong in their addressing of the hopes and fears of those making the daring escape on screen. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
Night Crossing: (Jerry Goldsmith) Based on the dramatic true story of two families' attempts to escape the oppression of the Iron Curtain in 1979, Night Crossing is wholesome entertainment from Disney. With Germany divided by a half-mile wide killing zone with tall walls and gun towers, a small group of average East German folks decide to build a hot air balloon as their method of smuggling themselves to the other side. The daring night attempt initially fails due to burner problems, sending one family's members into hiding while they construct a second balloon with the help of another family. The second escape attempt, this time with the military aware of their plans, is equally perilous, but despite crashing once again, the balloon manages to carry both groups just far enough. Starring John Hurt, Night Crossing was a decent film, though John McGreevey's screenplay is choked with ridiculous dialogue and shallow connections between the primary characters. Countering with a very strong effort is Jerry Goldsmith, who approached the project with an interesting combination of exuberant spirit (inspired likely by the determination of the families and the essence of flight) and militaristic bombast (meant to represent the Communist control of the region). There is even a slightly European sensibility exhibited by the composer in an accordion waltz used as one of the film's primary themes. The overall personality of the music for Night Crossing is adventurous, with a serious tone occasionally soothed by sensitivity that would be expanded upon in The Secret of N.I.M.H. and melodramatic, sweeping drama that in some places offers the same resonance that Lionheart would exhibit in abundance. Trusting his composition to his usual performing group in London, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, Goldsmith writes an unusually complicated score for a film that really didn't deserve such complexity in its music. The composer often created highly layered works for cinematic failures, though unlike the pervasively optimistic and therefore one-dimensional personality of a hyperactive score like Supergirl, Night Crossing actually benefits greatly from the constant flourishes of multi-layered activity. Goldsmith uses fluttering or wildly spinning violin, woodwind, or piano lines around his thematic material to not only accentuate the tension and excitement of the journey, but the concept of uncertain flight. Along with this constantly engaging level of fluid motion in the score's atmosphere, Goldsmith provides three major themes and two related motifs. The most striking of the themes is the one for the oppressive Communist forces and the subsequently tense culture of East Germany at the time. The propulsive, percussion and brass-dominated idea is a direct descendent of the title theme for Capricorn One, using the same driving bass lines of pounding percussion, octave-hopping rhythmic figures, and harsh brass tones. It's a relentlessly brutal theme, among Goldsmith's most powerfully forbidding. The second theme has the least impact in Night Crossing; this delightfully pretty accordion waltz represents the dream of freedom for the families, heard most prominently in "The Picnic," "First Flight," and "End Credits." The third theme is the heart of the score, born during the construction of the balloons and rising with their flight to levels of redemptive fantasy that serve as the inspiration for the similar applications in Explorers. Finally developed into its rewarding stature in "Success," this theme also informs "First Flight" and "Final Flight" with extended renditions of majestic proportions. The two smaller motifs include one built upon the first four notes of the primary flight theme and used to foreshadow the balloons' success ("All in Vain") and another that is essentially a restrained version of the percussion underneath the Communist theme ("Prologue"). All of these ideas merge in the stunning cue "First Flight," a ten-minute delight that includes the most appealing performances of the flight theme. The accordion waltz is the weak link here, and its anchoring of "End Titles" is a bit disappointing despite serving its purpose. More importantly, Goldsmith doesn't allow any portion of Night Crossing to shake the interest of listeners, with effective tension and the complicated layers of activity extending to even the score's less overtly thematic cues. It's a strong hour-long listening experience on album, one that will please those who seek the composer's more intelligently complex works. Intrada Records has released Night Crossing twice on CD, the first time pressing 47 minutes in 1987 (matching their LP record) and then following with a limited product of 59 minutes in 1994. The additional material on the 1994 album is not significant, though the sound quality (utilizing a much better source) is far superior. A learned Goldsmith collector should not hesitate to attempt to locate the rare 1994 product and its superbly dynamic presentation. **** Track Listings (1987 Intrada Album):
Total Time: 47:06
Track Listings (1994 Intrada Album):
Total Time: 59:12
All artwork and sound clips from Night Crossing are Copyright © 1987, 1994, Intrada Records, Intrada Records. The reviews and notes contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Filmtracks Publications. Audio clips can be heard using RealPlayer but cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 7/20/09, updated 7/20/09. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 2009-2013, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. |
1987 Intrada