Prince Valiant (Prinz Eisenherz) (1997): (David
Bergeaud) Harold R. Foster's Arthurian comic strip has remained popular
for more than half a century on paper, and the concept has inspired both
live-action and animated adaptations onto the screen. The classic 1954
Twentieth Century Fox version, with an impressive cast and bloated
budget, was for a long time the only
Prince Valiant
representation on film. The 1990's brought new life to the comic in the
form of an animated series that became a staple of The Family Channel.
As could be predicted, the renewed attention to the series caused more
interest to rise for the prospect of another live-action film. In 1997,
director Anthony Hickox, who had envisioned a "Valiant gone James Bond"
kind of twist on the story but encountered understandable resistance,
eventually produced in Germany a more traditional rendering of the tale
(the fact that it couldn't be filmed in its appropriate venue is just
one of the many problems with authenticity that exists here). With
dialogue in English, the film was quick in production, short on money,
and creative in its special effects solutions, and to nobody's surprise,
it disappeared from attention without the fanfare due to the concept.
The task was just as fluid for composer David Bergeaud. Known best for
his work on the television shows "Earth 2" and "The Outer Limits,"
Bergeaud was originally challenged to produce a
Prince Valiant
score that melded traditional orchestral elements with modern rock
instrumentation. Whether such a creation would have turned into a
precursor for Edward Shearmur's
Johnny English in 2003 will never
be known, because as the production of
Prince Valiant ultimately
focused more on a straight, non-Bond portrayal of Valiant, Bergeaud
eventually dropped the rock elements and rendered a solely orchestral
and similarly synthesized score. Given the film's dramatic
post-production edits (which would require six months of additional work
from the composer), the score's mere existence in its current form
serves as testimony to Bergeaud's effort to rearrange his music into a
serviceable form. It may not have catapulted Bergeaud's career the way
similarly undersized productions functioned for the likes of James
Horner and others, but it is worthy of investigation for fans of the
concept.
Producing low budget scores often causes lesser-known
composers to become masters of editing, layering, looping, and
remastering. For
Prince Valiant, Bergeaud worked with a string
orchestra and several specialty instruments, including a harp,
hurdy-gurdy, penny whistle, recorder, viola de gamba, hand organs, and
an array of percussion. Also recorded separately were synthesized brass
samples and keyboarding to provide additional depth. Recreating brass on
a machine is a tricky prospect, because it often doesn't mesh well with
the sound of live string ensembles. In this case, though, Bergeaud used
an effective technique of re-recording all of these elements from
speakers that were playing the sections of the orchestra as if the
orchestra was actually positioned as such in his own studio. The result
is a strong sounding and robust medieval action/adventure score with
excellent reverberation and a somewhat realistic tone that may fool many
listeners into believing that the score was recorded with 120 players.
There are times when the composer reaches for the greatest grandeur of
the Golden Age of film music, and during these moments of fanfare and
action (as in "The Duel"), the sparse nature of the small ensemble can
indeed be heard. Part of this flaw is caused by Bergeaud's consistent
use of romantic, large-scale themes and harmony that indeed recalls the
age of the original Fox production. A very pleasant score in its
harmonious constructs, Bergeaud's work is strong in the heroic and
driving force of its rhythms. The themes pay homage to some of the best,
including Jerry Goldsmith's dreamy subtheme for
Star Trek V: The
Final Frontier (in progression only), but Bergeaud remains fresh
enough in his approach to keep this score distinct. Woodwind solos offer
some of the score's most enticing highlights, including "Back to Life."
It is a fantastic example of a low budget success, proving that
creativity and talent can defeat obscurity and the lack of a large
performing group. On album,
Prince Valiant was the initial
release of Perseverance Records in early 2003 (after some legal
wrangling), with a pressing limited to 1,000 copies in a promotional
format. It sold out in late 2006 and became a rare find. The score is
both a campy and epic tribute to Foster's comic creation, beckoning
adventure enthusiasts who maintain a healthy collection of similar
soundtracks from an age long ago.
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The insert includes vast details about the score and film,
written by author Paul Tonks.
