Intro:

While I have been a James Horner fan ever since hearing the music of Jumanji, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West and The Land Before Time as a kid back in the late 90's, most of my exposure to Horner's works have been the more popular or traditionally orchestral efforts that most of us know and adore. Thanks to the increase of titles available on streaming sites and YouTube, over the past handful of years I've begun to dig deeper into the less discussed offerings from the man including some of his earliest works (MAJOR 'thank you!!' to Intrada for their efforts on releasing some of those earliest titles). That said, I realized there were still several titles I'd never gotten around to from the 80's through to the late 2000's which all happened to be available on YouTube currently... so I've decided to explore.

Since it's been a very hot minute since I've done any sort of series exclusively here on the Scoreboard, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to do a mini-odyssey or... journey... if you will. I've curated fifteen scores to hear and will separate each installment into covering three titles a piece. It's a manageable size plus it'll make for a nice five part series. A final note: all of these reviews will be very loose and 'nonprofessional' (i.e, first impression-esque) based solely on the album presentation unless otherwise stated. I also reserve the right to eventually give a 'proper' review to any of these titles at a later date.

Alright, with that out of the way, let's begin!

====================================

*Batteries Not Included (1987)

A Sci-Fi comedy-drama from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment about the residence of an apartment complex on the verge of being torn down that are befriended and helped by small, toy sized benevolent alien spacecrafts, Batteries Not Included is now a largely forgotten effort despite being a box office success at the time. I remember trying to watch this several years ago and ultimately skipping around after trudging through the first 20 minutes or so as the comedy never really landed (heh...) and the film suffered from massive tonal shifts though the visual effects (by ILM) were overall great.. Looking at the Wikipedia page, apparently most critics at the time were likewise unimpressed with this 'glowing' review by everyones favorite Roger Ebert one of the most lackluster endorsements I've read: ''It had a lot of good feelings in it, it had a few nice laughs, it had a few interesting special effects, and...it's better than most of the stuff out there.'

As for James Horner's score, it's a somewhat haphazard mix of the jazz and swing material from Cocoon (1985) mixed with thematic fragments both from that prior work as well as early drafts of ideas that would flourish later in The Land Before Time, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Jumanji. If one is not interested in the retro-styled swing material than about 2/3's of the original album presentation will annoy you as the more traditional Horner material is often surrounded by said stylings, though not as well integrated as in the later ... I Shrunk the Kids. While Horner's strength in writing emotionally resonant melodies is still firmly intact, the whole affair feels like a dry run for future, better projects. Not helping matters is that the typical strong musical storytelling from the composer seems to have been majorly hampered by the aforementioned tonal shifts throughout the picture, which is a shame.

Overall, Batteries Not Included is a firmly middle-of-the-road effort from Horner that while clearly a testing ground for future ideas still manages to work as an entertaining enough standalone work. One last thing, this review is based on the original 1987 album presentation, so I have no idea how the full score as presented by Intrada plays, though considering Clem's review and my own experience with the shorter album, I imagine the '87 presentation is superior.

SCORE:
2 1/2 out of 5

------------------

Red Heat (1988)

Along with Vibes this is another long forgotten film from 1988 that I suppose might still be remembered by some Arnold Schwarzenegger fans.... maybe. Apparently the film is a 'buddy cop' action-comedy affair with a Russian policeman (Schwarzenegger) and a Chicago police detective (Jim Belushi) teaming up to take down a Georgian drug lord (Ed O'Ross)... because of course it is. Directed by Walter Hill (48 Hrs, The Warriors) and produced by Carolco Pictures, Red Heat apparently opened strong in the U.S.A but got overshadowed by Arnold's other '88 comedy Twins (which is also actually still remembered).

Re-teaming with director Hill was James Horner who had scored Hill's 48 Hrs back in 1982 and introduced the composer's somewhat infamous 'synths, sax and steel drums' sound that would reach its pinnacle in Commando (1985). With Red Heat being in the late 80's, the particularly harsh soundscape of 48 Hrs is thankfully toned down though Horner still largely eschews an orchestral presence outside of the opening and closing tracks which liberally borrow from a Prokiev cantata (who would have guessed!). While the orchestra, synth and verbose adult choir make these bookending tracks an easy highlight, they completely clash with darker urban tone of the score contained between them to a laughable degree... though perhaps this was on purpose? Outside of the atrociously jarring saxophone rampage in 'Cleanhead Bust' most of Red Heat is a reworking of Gorky Park (1983) right down to reusing the 'stalking' music in 'Russian Streets' and 'Tailing Kat/The Set Up'.

Despite the clear influence of Gorky Park it's the heavy use of Synclavier and shakuhachi flute (yes, even for a story with Russian roots) that will likely stand out for most listeners. For fans of Avatar the Synclavier usage in the second half of the score will be very familiar with the minor key 'breathing' effect used to mask a variant on the Danger Motif. Ultimately Red Heat is more of an odd curiosity in Horner's late 80's output than anything else with the urban thriller-action sound handled FAR better in both Gorky Park and Commando while the omnipresent appearance of the shakuhachi flute becoming comical fairly quickly. In short this one Horner effort than can be easily skipped without missing much... though maybe checkout that opening track to see where the Russian Anthem from Enemy at the Gates originated from... at least in Horner's career, that is.

Score:
1 1/2 out of 5

--------------------

Class Action (1991)

A courtroom drama directed by Michael Apted (Gorky Park, Gorillas in the Mist, The World is Not Enough) and starring Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Class Action follows the story of a lawsuit filed against an auto company after a deadly accident. Despite receiving positive reviews at the time the film seems to be largely forgotten now with even Horner's score hardly mentioned by anyone... but is that a crime within itself or not?

The quick answer is no, not really. Fans of airy, dream-like synth or keyboard based scores will likely get more out of this than most (especially if one is named Riley....) as Horner firmly sets the soundscape within longlined keyboard performance accompanied by woodwind solos or soft sax. When listening to the opening of the album one might be lulled into thinking this will be a pleasant relaxation score, which it is but also that's all it is which by the time the end credits role around one can't help but wish something more had happened. Of note is that the Main theme is a variantion on one of the themes from Field of Dreams, though somehow stripped of that scores heart and soul which massively diminishes its emotional impact here. In the end Class Acction has an admittedly pleasant atmosphere but also can't exactly be recommended too highly when the material is so stagnant and (most importantly) has been done better elsewhere.

Score:
2/5

---------------

P.S,

Sooo, after writing this I realized Robert has started his own Horner Odyssey. >_

(Message edited on Monday, May 20, 2024, at 10:02 p.m.)

> *Batteries Not Included (1987)

I have this one at ***1/2 after finally getting to it a few years ago, though I can't recall a note of it offhand. The Intrada expansion does contain several noteworthy cues, and it's probably a superior listening experience IMO.

> Red Heat (1988)

> Along with Vibes this is another long forgotten film from 1988 that I suppose might still be remembered by some Arnold Schwarzenegger fans....maybe.

I don't think the film that gave us COCANIUM! can be considered truly forgotten.

> Class Action (1991)

I don't know this one, but given your rating I'm probably unlikely to prioritize hearing it. Although as my response to Robert's rundown revealed I've already heard Humanoids of the Deep, so can I really say I've made better use of my time so far?

> I don't think the film that gave us COCANIUM! can be considered truly
> forgotten.

Thank you for dredging that up from the depths of my mind; now I'm sitting here trying not to snicker thinking about Arnold's delivery of that line

> I have this one at ***1/2 after finally getting to it a few years ago,
> though I can't recall a note of it offhand. The Intrada expansion does
> contain several noteworthy cues, and it's probably a superior listening
> experience IMO.

Hmm, I might try listening to the Intrada album at some point then, though... it's definitely *not* a priority.

> I don't think the film that gave us COCANIUM! can be considered truly
> forgotten.

I've never seen nor heard about Red Heat outside of our community (including our local reviewers) that largely only bring it up because Horner scored it. To that end, I consider it a "mostly forgotten" endeavor.

> I don't know this one, but given your rating I'm probably unlikely to
> prioritize hearing it. Although as my response to Robert's rundown
> revealed I've already heard Humanoids of the Deep, so can I really
> say I've made better use of my time so far?

Ha! Well, Class Action is definitely a more pleasant and low-key rewarding experience than Humanoids..., which should definitely speak volumes coming from a horror score fan.

> ====================================

> *Batteries Not Included (1987)

I don't remember much of this, other than a generally affable demeanor. Horner really shown in these sorts of projects! Also, love that damned-by-faint-praise Ebert review XD

> SCORE:
> 2 1/2 out of 5

> ------------------

> Red Heat (1988)

Yeah, a film with a primo Schwartzenegger quote isn't fully forgotten! But by the same token, I also don't know *anything* else about the film from pop culture osmosis, so there you go. This is an oddball score genre from Horner, all hail those steel drums! Enjoyable if you're in the right mood, maddening otherwise. I'd probably rate this higher... if I remembered much about it lol. Yeah, my impression was that it lacked the verve of his other scores in this genre. Fun, but ultimately inessential.

> Score:
> 1 1/2 out of 5

> --------------------

> Class Action (1991)

A pleasant enough drama score, I've heard it a couple times and retained little other than a general "enjoyed it".

> Score:
> 2/5

> ---------------

> P.S,

> Sooo, after writing this I realized Robert has started his own Horner
> Odyssey. >_

In cases like this, I think back on this meme, which sums up author vs. audience reactions to similar works (and which sums up my opinion on "redundant" odysseys):
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/holy-shit-two-cakes

> Intro:

> While I have been a James Horner fan ever since hearing the music of
> Jumanji, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West and The Land
> Before Time as a kid back in the late 90's, most of my exposure to
> Horner's works have been the more popular or traditionally orchestral
> efforts that most of us know and adore. Thanks to the increase of titles
> available on streaming sites and YouTube, over the past handful of years
> I've begun to dig deeper into the less discussed offerings from the man
> including some of his earliest works (MAJOR 'thank you!!' to Intrada for
> their efforts on releasing some of those earliest titles). That said, I
> realized there were still several titles I'd never gotten around to from
> the 80's through to the late 2000's which all happened to be available on
> YouTube currently... so I've decided to explore.

> Since it's been a very hot minute since I've done any sort of series
> exclusively here on the Scoreboard, I figured this would be the perfect
> opportunity to do a mini-odyssey or... journey... if you will. I've
> curated fifteen scores to hear and will separate each installment into
> covering three titles a piece. It's a manageable size plus it'll make for
> a nice five part series. A final note: all of these reviews will be very
> loose and 'nonprofessional' (i.e, first impression-esque) based solely on
> the album presentation unless otherwise stated. I also reserve the right
> to eventually give a 'proper' review to any of these titles at a later
> date.

> Alright, with that out of the way, let's begin!

> ====================================

> *Batteries Not Included (1987)

> A Sci-Fi comedy-drama from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment about
> the residence of an apartment complex on the verge of being torn down that
> are befriended and helped by small, toy sized benevolent alien
> spacecrafts, Batteries Not Included is now a largely forgotten
> effort despite being a box office success at the time. I remember trying
> to watch this several years ago and ultimately skipping around after
> trudging through the first 20 minutes or so as the comedy never really
> landed (heh...) and the film suffered from massive tonal shifts though the
> visual effects (by ILM) were overall great.. Looking at the Wikipedia
> page, apparently most critics at the time were likewise unimpressed with
> this 'glowing' review by everyones favorite Roger Ebert one of the most
> lackluster endorsements I've read: ''It had a lot of good feelings in
> it, it had a few nice laughs, it had a few interesting special effects,
> and...it's better than most of the stuff out there.'

> As for James Horner's score, it's a somewhat haphazard mix of the jazz and
> swing material from Cocoon (1985) mixed with thematic fragments
> both from that prior work as well as early drafts of ideas that would
> flourish later in The Land Before Time, Honey, I Shrunk the
> Kids and Jumanji. If one is not interested in the retro-styled
> swing material than about 2/3's of the original album presentation will
> annoy you as the more traditional Horner material is often surrounded by
> said stylings, though not as well integrated as in the later ... I
> Shrunk the Kids. While Horner's strength in writing emotionally
> resonant melodies is still firmly intact, the whole affair feels like a
> dry run for future, better projects. Not helping matters is that the
> typical strong musical storytelling from the composer seems to have been
> majorly hampered by the aforementioned tonal shifts throughout the
> picture, which is a shame.

> Overall, Batteries Not Included is a firmly middle-of-the-road
> effort from Horner that while clearly a testing ground for future ideas
> still manages to work as an entertaining enough standalone work. One last
> thing, this review is based on the original 1987 album presentation, so I
> have no idea how the full score as presented by Intrada plays, though
> considering Clem's review and my own experience with the shorter album, I
> imagine the '87 presentation is superior.

> SCORE:
> 2 1/2 out of 5

> ------------------

> Red Heat (1988)

> Along with Vibes this is another long forgotten film from 1988 that
> I suppose might still be remembered by some Arnold Schwarzenegger fans....
> maybe. Apparently the film is a 'buddy cop' action-comedy affair with a
> Russian policeman (Schwarzenegger) and a Chicago police detective (Jim
> Belushi) teaming up to take down a Georgian drug lord (Ed O'Ross)...
> because of course it is. Directed by Walter Hill (48 Hrs, The
> Warriors) and produced by Carolco Pictures, Red Heat apparently
> opened strong in the U.S.A but got overshadowed by Arnold's other '88
> comedy Twins (which is also actually still remembered).

> Re-teaming with director Hill was James Horner who had scored Hill's 48
> Hrs back in 1982 and introduced the composer's somewhat infamous
> 'synths, sax and steel drums' sound that would reach its pinnacle in
> Commando (1985). With Red Heat being in the late 80's, the
> particularly harsh soundscape of 48 Hrs is thankfully toned down
> though Horner still largely eschews an orchestral presence outside of the
> opening and closing tracks which liberally borrow from a Prokiev cantata
> (who would have guessed!). While the orchestra, synth and verbose adult
> choir make these bookending tracks an easy highlight, they completely
> clash with darker urban tone of the score contained between them to a
> laughable degree... though perhaps this was on purpose? Outside of the
> atrociously jarring saxophone rampage in 'Cleanhead Bust' most of
> Red Heat is a reworking of Gorky Park (1983) right down to
> reusing the 'stalking' music in 'Russian Streets' and 'Tailing
> Kat/The Set Up'.

> Despite the clear influence of Gorky Park it's the heavy use of
> Synclavier and shakuhachi flute (yes, even for a story with Russian roots)
> that will likely stand out for most listeners. For fans of Avatar
> the Synclavier usage in the second half of the score will be very familiar
> with the minor key 'breathing' effect used to mask a variant on the Danger
> Motif. Ultimately Red Heat is more of an odd curiosity in Horner's
> late 80's output than anything else with the urban thriller-action sound
> handled FAR better in both Gorky Park and Commando while the
> omnipresent appearance of the shakuhachi flute becoming comical fairly
> quickly. In short this one Horner effort than can be easily skipped
> without missing much... though maybe checkout that opening track to see
> where the Russian Anthem from Enemy at the Gates originated from...
> at least in Horner's career, that is.

> Score:
> 1 1/2 out of 5

> --------------------

> Class Action (1991)

> A courtroom drama directed by Michael Apted (Gorky Park,
> Gorillas in the Mist, The World is Not Enough) and starring
> Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Class Action follows
> the story of a lawsuit filed against an auto company after a deadly
> accident. Despite receiving positive reviews at the time the film seems to
> be largely forgotten now with even Horner's score hardly mentioned by
> anyone... but is that a crime within itself or not?

> The quick answer is no, not really. Fans of airy, dream-like synth or
> keyboard based scores will likely get more out of this than most
> (especially if one is named Riley....) as Horner firmly sets the
> soundscape within longlined keyboard performance accompanied by woodwind
> solos or soft sax. When listening to the opening of the album one might be
> lulled into thinking this will be a pleasant relaxation score, which it is
> but also that's all it is which by the time the end credits role
> around one can't help but wish something more had happened. Of note
> is that the Main theme is a variantion on one of the themes from Field
> of Dreams, though somehow stripped of that scores heart and soul which
> massively diminishes its emotional impact here. In the end Class
> Acction has an admittedly pleasant atmosphere but also can't exactly
> be recommended too highly when the material is so stagnant and (most
> importantly) has been done better elsewhere.

> Score:
> 2/5

> ---------------

> P.S,

> Sooo, after writing this I realized Robert has started his own Horner
> Odyssey. >_

Hahaha well there's no such thing as too much Horner! Especially since we aren't getting any new ones

Loved the write up and stoked for the series, along with Roberts!