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
Part 4: https://www.filmtracks.com/scoreboard/forum.cgi?read=140222
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Robocop 3 (1993)
The fact that Paul Verhoeven’s hyper violent and scathingly satirical 1987 Sci-Fi/action flick spawned a franchise of sequels, TV shows, toys and comic books is simultaneously kinda baffling yet also unironically plays into the very themes of that original film. Anyway, a 1990 sequel was made without Verhoeven’s involvement that continued the hard R rated violence and satirical tone of the first film which, while not setting the box office ablaze, apparently did well enough to green light a third entry. A third entry that was forced to be a PG-13 offering instead of an R and feature various elements to tie into the concurrent toy line. Yep, it’s one of those. When the film finally released in ’93 after delays thanks to Orion Pictures going bankrupt, it did “meh” at the box office which canned the franchise until a reboot 2014… which also didn’t go anywhere.
After not being available for Robocop 2, and thus getting a score by Leonard Rosenman instead, Poledouris made a triumphant return for this third outing… which also continues the trend of Basil getting stuck with vastly inferior sequels to projects he previously worked on. Stylistically Robo 3 feels like a merging of the first score with Poledouris’ more robust dramatic side heard in his work from the prior three or four years (Quigley, Farewell to the King, White Fang). The end result is a more orchestral forward score that emphasizes the drama and downplays the satire, for better or worse. Thematically Poledouris brings back most of the core themes from the first film while adding a handful of new identities for various characters and concepts ranging from good (the delicate theme for Nikko, that Farewell to the King & pre-Starship Troopers idea for the Rebels) to decent (the militaristic piece for the new baddies) to just… OK (looking at you, stereotypical Asian motif).
As with his other, better works Poledouris makes extensive use of all these themes and motifs with some really nice orchestrations including some very 90’s Goldsmithian mixing of synths and orchestra (“Robo Recalls/Murphy Is It You?” particularly sounding like The Shadow). If one disliked the more raw soundscape of the 1987 original, then I can see Robocop 3 being an improvement for you. As for me, I prefer that slightly more raw ’87 take as well as the satirical commercial cues instead of the lighter, kiddie music that occasionally pops up here for… well, the kid character. Still, if you like Poledouris and his Robocop music, still give this a chance and just forget about the Rosenman sequel and that awful 2014 installment….
SCORE:
3/5
NOTE:
There are two albums available for Robocop 3, the original short 1993 release and a complete Deluxe Edition from Varase Sarabande. The latter has superior sound quality and gives a fuller view of everything Poledouris was doing in the score, though the shorter ’93 album is perhaps the better listening experience delivering an adrenaline pumping highlight reel.
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Free Willy (1993)
Or Michael Jackson’s favorite kind of sale.
O.K, I swear I won’t make anymore MJ jokes in this review. Just had to get one out at the start.
A highly profitable installment in the ever popular “a boy and his…” subgenre of coming-of-age and family friendly films, this is another one of those “essential” 90’s flicks that I’ve still never seen. Produced in part by the Donner’s (Richard and his wife) and featuring a very early 90’s cast including Lori Petty, Michael Madsen, Michael Ironside and Danielle Harris, Free Willy was a massive commercial success and has been cemented in Pop culture thanks to the iconic “orca jumping over young boy” climatic scene. It also features a soundtrack that mixes oddly sensual R&B tunes in the front half with Poledouris’ score in the second, bookended by “Will You Be There” performed by Michael Jackson… which was apparently a massive radio hit despite having never heard of it before? EDIT: Oh, apparently it was originally on his 1991 album Dangerous.
Anyway, Basil’s score is a delight.
A mixture of Wind with the orchestral weight of Blue Lagoon and some of the synth effects from Hunt for Red October, this is probably the best sounding/mixed version of Poledouris’ hybrid sound I’ve encountered on this journey. The themes are also great, though that shouldn’t be much of a surprise by now, with Poledouris’ effortlessly weaving the two primary ideas together in the closing “Farewell Suite” to maximum emotional impact. There’s a few instances of a very synth-Pop style rhythm which might be off-putting to some sensibilities, but honestly given the contemporary setting of the film it works fine. Overall Free Willy is great family friendly score from Poledouris and yet another case on this journey where I regret having never heard it before now.
SCORE:
4/5
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On Deadly Ground (1994)
I have never watched a single Steven Seagal film. Ever.
Apparently Basil scored two of his flicks in the 90’s, though, and I’m hoping Under Siege 2 is a vast improvement over On Deadly Ground because this one is very.. eh? The film was apparently a vanity project for Seagal with the man starring, directing and producing with a supporting cast including Michael Caine as the villain (!!) in a story about fighting against corrupt oil business in Alaska. The film was a commercial and critical failure.
Unfortunately Poledouris’ score seems to have also suffered as the work is largely thriller material anchored by a “do Rambo, but don’t make it LOOK like you’re ripping off Rambo” primary theme (“Main Titles”) before all musical hell breaks loose in the second half. There’s some valiant attempts by Basil to add authentic Inuit elements into the score, which honestly makes up most of the highlights particularly in the mystical “The Journey” cue, but gets shortchanged by a weak recording and an undersized (and not particularly good) ensemble. It’s by no means the worst music you’ll ever hear, but at nearly 80 minutes long on the Deluxe Edition album, this can be a repetitive chore to get through despite Basil’s best attempts. While the recording quality isn’t as crisp, I highly recommend going with the shorter 30 minute album for a concise “best of” from On Deadly Ground. Besides that, this is an interesting if ultimately frustratingly slight look at Poledouris essentially trying to do a Goldsmith action-thriller.
SCORE:
2 1/2 out of 5
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