Inchon is probably one of my favorite scores by Goldsmith. I never saw the movie (I don't think it was even released in France), but from the very first time I heard the Goldsmith score, I was enthralled.
"The composition itself is adequate in every one of its tasks, but not particularly memorable in any of them, either" ?! Really ?! I listened to both the original release and the Intrada remastered 2 CD version.
I can only say that that main theme, with its percussions, has stayed with me for the last 30 years ! I am no musician, I can't analyse music with any kind of technical savvy or knowledge, but what I know is how I react to music, especially soundtracks. And even if the INCHON score is not, as a whole, the very best Goldsmith ever wrote, I still think that his main theme is one of the most striking (no pun intended !) pieces of film music I have heard since I started listening a little more "seriously" to soundtracks, and possibly one of his best.
I have always thought that whenever Goldsmith went "native", he touched brilliance, especially when he played on asian motives (as in Rambo 2 and 3, Mulan, The Mummy or The Wind and the Lion). And that theme, with its dry percussions, is, to my ears anyway, no less than genius.
I have searched for that score for about 20 years, and got my Intrada 2 CD set this tuesday. It did not disappoint, and confirmed my memories. Brilliant at times, ok for the most part. ANd one absolutely memorable theme.