Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you expect to hear a parody score, for there's a fair dose of Stripes and Airplane! squeezed into this wildly schizophrenic romp. Avoid it... if you expect to hear Elmer Bernstein write one last, great Western theme, for his merging of The Magnificent Seven and How the West Was Won here is stunted by the horrific odor of the film's parody requirements. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
Wild Wild West: (Elmer Bernstein) During its run on television during the late 1960's, "The Wild Wild West" was an immensely popular show, living on for decades in syndication. The concept was cool, with two gadget-wielding agents of the American government saving the country in the old West. Many film adaptations of old shows have suffered terrible deaths through the years, but Wild Wild West may just take the trophy. Director Barry Sonnenfeld was typically a safe bet for a good blockbuster at the time, but the combination of Will Smith, Kevin Kline, and Kenneth Branagh in the leading roles, despite the lengthy credentials of the latter two, was almost as disastrous as the script. Few critics spared Wild Wild West their worst marks, lamenting the damage the film could do to the original series. For lack of a better word, this film was stupid. It insulted the intelligence of 8-year-olds and left Will Smith hanging in the awkward position of acting in a film that he obviously knew was awful... and it shows. It's no surprise that Sonnenfeld (or the studio) would turn to veteran Elmer Bernstein for this project. Nearing retirement, Bernstein was still heralded at the time as the foremost living Western composer (despite Jerry Goldsmith and Ennio Morricone's contributions to the genre), and many collectors were enthusiastic to see Bernstein receive a mainstream assignment after several years of disappointments. One thing becomes increasingly clear the longer you listen to his score for the film: Bernstein must have seen it for the flop that it would be, for how else do you explain such a ridiculous score? While some film music collectors maintain that Wild Wild West is a decent standalone Western score, it's far closer to the parody realm than they may want to admit. In some ways, that parody attitude makes Wild Wild West an insufferable listening experience. At the same time, though, the competency with which Bernstein executes that comedy is really enjoyable in other parts. The overall score, as a result, is a mixed bag of old memories, awkward transitions, and elements you wish had been saved for a better picture. With only a month in which to deliver a large-scale score for the film, Bernstein (77 years old at the time) once again employed his son Peter for assistance on some of the cues. Bernstein's themes and motifs would be an amalgamation of previous ideas from his career and others'. His title theme is along the lines of two classics: The Magnificent Seven and, moreso, Alfred Newman's How the West Was Won. A "go get 'em" action motif is lifted directly from his own Stripes score, with several comedy sketches pulling inspiration from Airplane! Instrumental similarities to Ghostbusters are owed to sporadic use of guitars and the usual ondes martenot. A quick motif for the Loveless villain is introduced in the opening titles and receives occasional reference, though the real personality of Branagh's overblown accent is provided in the "Loveless, Hallelujah" choral outburst (along with a quote from Britain's "God Save the Queen") in "Loveless' Plan." An exotic dance piece irritatingly concludes that cue as necessary for Smith's drag impression. Other pieces of comedy come into play when Bernstein overtly addresses Smith's attitude with gospel funk; the electric bass and organ in "Main Title," "West Fights," and "The Cornfield" are nothing better than an annoyance. The two best action cues are, incidentally, those written by Peter Bernstein under the templates established by his father. The enhanced baseline in "Goodbye Loveless," complete with Goldsmith-style cracking of whips, is a highlight. One of the more curious aspects of the Bernsteins' score for this film is the relative lack of incorporation of Richard Markowitz's original theme for the TV series. It's used twice in the film, but does not appear anywhere on the short Varèse Sarabande album. One thankful omission from the score album is Smith's atrocious rap song that best defined the movie for most viewers. Overall, Wild Wild West is a score that can't decide if it's going to be a serious action piece or a comedic parody. As a result, you hear Elmer and his son struggle to adapt previous scores into a film that they must have known would fail miserably. ** Track Listings:
Total Time: 30:12
* Additional music by Peter Bernstein All artwork and sound clips from Wild Wild West are Copyright © 1999, Varèse Sarabande. 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 7/31/99, updated 8/27/07. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 1999-2013, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. |
