> Sorry for the longer wait this time. March has been madness, but here I am
> with another installment in the Poledouris Journey.
> Enjoy!
> ---------
> The previous entries in this series can be found below:
> Part 1:
> https://www.filmtracks.com/scoreboard/forum.cgi?read=139461
> Part 2:
> https://www.filmtracks.com/scoreboard/forum.cgi?read=139645
> Part 3:
> https://www.filmtracks.com/scoreboard/forum.cgi?read=139963
> ---------
> White Fang (1991)
> Oh hey, a family film finally shows up on this journey!
I’m
> not entirely sure whether I’ve seen this particular adaptation of the Jack
> London novel as I have vague memories of seeing a adaptation when I
> was younger, but anyway. This particular one is a Disney production (under
> their Buena Vista label) from the director of Grease, The Blue
> Lagoon (not sure if Fang includes underage nudity or not…) and
> Flight of the Navigator with a cast including young Ethan Hawke
> alongside Klaus Maria Brandauer (Out of Africa), Seymour Cassei and
> James Remar. Released at the beginning of 1991, the film was a box office
> hit despite mixed critical appraisals and earned a sequel in 1994. It also
> features a score by probably the most unlikely duo imaginable: Basil
> Poledouris and Hans Freakin Zimmer.
> To say that the two halves(ish) of this score are not equal would be an
> understatement. Poledouris delivers his usual wonderful combination of
> majestic orchestral writing along with folk and Americana influences as
> heard in Quigley Down Under. His primary theme (“Main Title
> & Opening Credits”) continues the man’s winning streak of the late
> 80’s-early 90’s of coming up with the perfect musical encapsulation of the
> story he is writing for. The only issues here are the short track lengths,
> the repetitive and annoying “Wolf Dance” track and a collection of
> saloon source music, though thankfully the latter is isolated to the end
> of the score presentation this time. While not quite as good as
> some of Polidouris’ other work, White Fang is still well worth
> exploring for both longtime fans as well as newcomers.
> And then there’s the Zimmer “replacement” music.
>
If Poledouris delivered a sweeping, emotionally rich work
> that one can easily imagine fitting London’s novel… Zimmer (with the help
> of a few others including Shirley Walker) goes in the opposite direction.
> The briefing from the studio seems to have been “just follow the
> temp-track” because… oh man… is the Zimmer material wall-to-wall
> temp-track love. From Vangelis to Ennio Morricone to Zimmer’s own prior
> efforts (Driving Miss Daisy and Black Rain show up multiple
> times), the music presented here is a fun listen as standalone
> music simply to hear how the team weaves all of these desperate pieces
> together. Does any of it sound remotely like it could fit a period piece
> about a boy and his wolf!dog? Heck no. Outside of the abundance of synths
> and samples, there’s also panpipes and shakuhachi flute thrown in for good
> measure… which inadvertently seems to foreshadow both The Lion King
> and The Last Samurai (and to a lesser extent Beyond
> Rangoon).
> The current streaming option from Walt Disney Records seems to be the
> contents of the 2012 Intrada release, so the sound quality and music
> presentation is a solid. While I strongly recommend Poledouris’ effort,
> the Zimmer & Co. material is more for the fans of said composer who
> would like to hear a very dated but interesting mishmash of ideas. None of
> it fully gels, mind you, but it is interesting nonetheless. Apparently the
> finished film uses bits and pieces of both composers work which now has me
> even more intrigued to watch it.
> SCORE:
> Poledouris material: 4 1/2 out of 5
> Zimmer material: 2 1/2 out of 5
>
———————
> Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991)
>
The much maligned belated sequel to the much maligned hit
> 1980 romance-adventure film The Blue Lagoon, Return.. is
> essentially the same story but just swap out young Brooke Shields for
> young Milla Jovovich. Looking up the Wiki article apparently these are
> based on a trilogy of novels by Irish author Henry de Vere Stacpoole,
> which makes me wonder if the books are any better than their corresponding
> films. Before moving on to the music, three little tidbits: the director
> of the previously reviewed White Fang was going to make this but
> instead had to be a producer as he was busy making said Alaskan picture,
> Blue Lagoon 2 had been in Development Hell since the early 80’s
> thanks to right disputes between Columbia Pictures and the estate of
> Stacpoole and finally… this has a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Not that RT
> really means all that much, but it’s still hilarious.
> As for Poledouris’ score… it’s really good. That said, one can almost feel
> Basil trying to figure out a way to continue the sound of his breakthrough
> effort without just doing a copy-and-paste job. The gorgeous title theme
> from the 1980 picture returns frequently here though a new theme is also
> introduced (“Legend and Main Titles”, “The Children Pray”)
> which continues the trend of Basil trying to out John Barry… well, John
> Barry. Both themes are quite lovely though the original tune is by far
> stronger and completely overpowers the new identity whenever Poledouris
> brings it out. A secondary idea for danger seems to be an overt Bernard
> Herrmann homage with a swirling string figure straight out of
> Vertigo (“Shark on Reef”) while some ethnic percussion flits
> in-and-out of the soundscape for the island locale. Also noteworthy is a
> brief motif for tolling chimes and rolling strings to represent the
> ocean.
> Overall Return to the Blue Lagoon is a rather solid sequel score
> that by all indications completely overachieves compared to its film…
> though that’s really the same story for the 1980 film as well. While not
> reaching the same swooning romantic level as the first effort, anyone
> curious to hear Poledouris in romance mode or wanting a smart continuation
> of the first Blue Lagoon should find plenty to enjoy. Oh, and
> there’s a TON of alternate/bonus tracks at the end of this thing (the
> actual score presentation ends with “Lilli Pregnant”).
> SCORE:
4/5
>
———————
> Wind (1992)
> Well, here’s another movie I only know about thanks to Poledouris doing
> the score and yet probably one of y’all will pipe up with “OH MAN! This is
> my FAVORITE hidden gem flick!!”. 
>
Anyway, Wind is a sports drama inspired by the events
> of the American Yacht Club’s competing in the American Cup… it’s a boating
> race thing, apparently. Directed by Carroll Ballard (The Black
> Stallion (1979), Fly Away Home) and starring Matthew Modine
> (Full Metal Jacket, Stranger Things), Jennifer Grey
> (Dirty Dancing), Stellan Skarsgard (so many flicks…) and Cliff
> Robertson (Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man), the film was produced by
> American Zoetrope aka Francis Ford Coppola’s company… and was a massive
> commercial and critical bomb. The music would thankfully turn out
> better.
> While Basil had been integrating synths into his work from the beginning
> of his career in the 70’s, most of the titles he worked on since gaining
> mainstream success with The blue Lagoon had been orchestra &
> synth hybrids with a few exceptions (RE: No Man’s Land). For
> Wind, Poledouris brings the synths and drum pads front-and-center
> with minimal live performances until the final third where a live ensemble
> enters the mix for an emotional payoff. Sound familiar? This is
> essentially the James Horner drama methodology from the same period meshed
> with Goldsmith’s hybrid approach but done by Poledouris (kinda like No
> Man’s Land being the Horner contemporary thriller sound). I’ll say
> this: when the orchestra enters it works well. That said the majority of
> the work is defined by Basil’s array of synths and samples (including
> panpipes, vocals and guitar) along with a handful of simple though
> effective themes and motifs, including some of the synth percussion
> effects from Hunt for Red October.
>
Speaking of themes, the Love theme sounds like it’s
> desperately trying to be a Horner identity but never quite gets
> there, just always teasing in its opening progressions (“Love in the
> Sewers”, “Sail Locker”, “The Bike Ride”). While
> predominantly synth based scores are not everyone’s “cup of tea”,
> Wind manages to be quite effective with Poledouris’ innate gift for
> melodies helping greatly. As mentioned earlier the finale brings in
> orchestral performers, which are the standout cues along with a few
> earlier racing tracks (“Windward Work” through “Downwind”
> and “Dead Air” through “Irolita”) while there’s enjoyment in
> the panpipe and drum pad usage in cues such as “Whomper Trials”.
> Ultimately Wind is a surprisingly solid hybrid score that while
> perhaps not winning extra points for its complexity, should easily win
> over most with its easily accessible soundscape and amiable
> personality.
> SCORE:
>
4/5
> Note:[/b
> ]
For some reason I originally wrote this a negative review based on
> my initial listen. Thankfully I gave it a second try and rectified my
> mistake to the above review. Funny how first impressions can sometime lie
> to you….
Great write up bud, really dig these scores (though now I'm questioning whether I've ever heard Zimmmer's White Fang...kinda sounds like I'd dig it)
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