| CLOSE WINDOW |
|
FILMTRACKS.COM
PRINTER-FRIENDLY VIEW 
Review of Coming Soon: The John Beal Trailer Project (Compilation)
FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:
Buy it... if you seek a distinctly fascinating glimpse into the world
of original movie trailer music.
Avoid it... if the issue of plagiarism bothers you to such an extent that the process of trailer music creation interferes with your enjoyment of it.
FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:
Coming Soon: The John Beal Trailer Project:
(Compilation) For almost all fans of modern film music, trailers have
become a source of double pleasure. Not only do we get to see a preview
of the new film to be released, but we also get to hear the use of some
great (and sometimes frustratingly unknown) music in the trailers. Some
studios, depending on the budget of the project, will license the
recording of a previously available film score theme or classical piece.
Others save money by asking a composer to emulate a well-known piece of
existing music with one that is just barely altered to avoid legal
confrontations. And even others receive completely original music.
Considering the frighteningly bloating prices of licensing fees --some
of which in the hundreds of thousands of dollars-- it is no surprise
that film producers are turning to artists like John Beal to produce
quality original music for their frantic 2-minute creations. As these
producers lean further towards largely orchestral original trailer
scores (with a 90-piece orchestra or more), new challenges are placed on
the shoulders of Beal and other trailer artists. For Beal, however, the
job of completing the best quality trailer in this environment of
lightening speed is just part of the fun. His career includes a handful
of scores for mostly unknown films, only a few of which have been
pressed by the Intrada label. The mass of his contribution to the
trailer realm specifically was the inspiration for a 1998 Sonic Images
2-CD compilation of about 130 minutes of these ideas, taken directly
from source tapes.
This album, which compiles a surprisingly broad collection of Beal's compositions, is perhaps one of the most creatively ingenious soundtrack-related sets to be released in a long time. Not only was it the first such commercial release of its kind, but very few similar promotional products have ever been attempted. It does not play like a promo, nor does it sound like a unified score, but what "The John Beal Trailer Project" has going in its favor is its distinct curiosity factor. With 80 demos, unused, and used selections, the wildly shifting genres of each track forbid you from truly enjoying the album chronologically. For every trailer with a vibrant orchestral recording, there are two that consist of synthesizer arrays and colorful soloists. You can't dismiss the trailers that feature uncontrolled, wailing electric guitars, despite the fact that they quickly irritate you in their sudden bursts. Also important to remember is the time frame in which this music is recorded. Thus, the album is a useful resource and fascinating volume of the film music industry as of the late 1990's. Most film music collectors will be amused by the predictably bizarre requests of the film producers upon a composer like Beal. The issue of plagiarism is always discussed in regards to these requests, but rather than blame the composer for doing his job, notes need to be made about Beal's ability to very creatively and quickly adapt a previous score's theme into a new setting. It takes a significant amount of skill to not only assemble a recreation of another work, but to alter its rhythms and progressions to such an extent as to relieve the legal departments of the studios. While there are some sparse highlights in the largely electronic, completely original works by Beal, the interpolations will be the main attraction. The following is a rough estimate of some of the films with trailer music adapted by Beal from other sources: Black Beauty (CD1, track 1, from Trevor Jones' Cliffhanger), Chaplin (CD1, track 7, from James Horner's The Rocketeer), Deadly Blessing (CD1, track 14, from Jerry Goldsmith's The Omen), Heathers (CD1, track 21, from Danny Elfman's Beetlejuice), Sarah & Jack (CD1, track 27, from Goldsmith's Gremlins and the theme for Terms of Endearment), Miracle on 34th Street (CD2, track 5, from Elfman's Edward Scissorhands and John Williams' Home Alone), The Pagemaster (CD2, track 11, from Williams' Hook), Quiz Show (CD2, track 14, from Ennio Morricone's The Untouchables), School Ties (CD2, track 16, from Robert Folk's Toy Soldiers), Species (CD2, track 22, from Williams' Close Encounters of the Third Kind), Steel Magnolias (TV) (CD2, track 23, again from Terms of Endearment), The Mask (CD2, track 28, from early Elfman works like Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and Face Like a Frog), and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (CD2, track 32, from Williams' JFK). In some cases, Beal has applied this inspiration to original demo recordings that feature a generic genre sound. These include "The Cutthroat" (CD1, track 12, from Mark Knopfler's The Princess Bride), "Last Dogman" (CD1, track 32, from John Barry's Dances With Wolves), "Manhattan Night" (CD2, track 7, from Williams' Nixon and David Newman's Hoffa), "I'll Always Fall in Love with Love" (CD2, track 10, from Enya's "Caribbean Blue"), and "Ocean Song" (CD2, track 30, in part from Horner's Titanic but mostly owing Enya's "Book of Days"). Two specific cues are acknowledged as being direct adaptations of Jerry Goldsmith, including trailers for both Basic Instinct and Judge Dredd (a film for which Goldsmith eventually did not actually write a score) that required re-recordings for varied trailer lengths. As for the integrity of the albums as a whole, there are a few really noteworthy tracks (and sequences), topped by the tracks between Flight of the Intruder and The Hunt for Red October on the first disc. There are other gems mixed within that are certainly worth copying into a collection of your own. Beal's sense of humor is a definite plus, especially in the interpolations; "Three Blind Elfmen" is not to be missed. The rock, disco, and metal genre tracks are unlistenable, but the beauty of this album lies in the fact that you can always be certain that there's another good selection to fast forward to. Overall, it will be interesting if not downright fun, though don't expect many repeat listens. ****
TRACK LISTINGS:
Total Time: 129:06
NOTES & QUOTES:
The insert contains extensive notes about Beal's career and industry,
including the following excerpt by Soundtrack Magazine editor Randall D. Larson:
Copyright ©
1998-2024, Filmtracks Publications. All rights reserved.
The reviews and other textual content contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Christian Clemmensen at Filmtracks Publications. All artwork and sound clips from Coming Soon: The John Beal Trailer Project are Copyright © 1998, Sonic Images Records and cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 10/15/98 and last updated 8/12/07. |
