Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #1,026
Written 4/15/97, Revised 4/23/06
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Buy it... if you typically get up and dance to Randy Newman's more
spirited songs and scores.
Avoid it... if Newman's sappy and energetic parody work conversely
makes you want to strangle something.
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| Newman |
Maverick: (Randy Newman) The early 1990's were a
rebirth for the Western genre in Hollywood, and yet while heavily
dramatic Westerns were taking home Academy Awards for Best Picture,
along rolled Maverick, the first comedy Western to take advantage
of the genre's sudden surge of popularity. You really didn't have to be
a fan of the 1950's "Maverick" television series that inspired this
film, though there's a twist at the end of the movie that will please
you if you were. The screenplay by William Goldman takes a page or two
from his own Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but actually has
more in common with his other classic Paul Newman and Robert Redford
collaboration, The Sting. Director Richard Donner teams up again
with Mel Gibson from their Lethal Weapon exploits (Danny Glover
makes a cameo here, too), and Gibson does well in the Bret Maverick role
originally portrayed by James Garner on TV. Garner is given his own role
as a marshal in the new Maverick, and Jodie Foster joins the cast
for what critics generally accepted as a really strong chemistry between
principles. Despite these positive reviews for Maverick, the film
didn't meet expectations in the theatres during the 1994 summer
blockbuster season, and perhaps the film's burdensome length hindered it
more than anything else. With a lighthearted tilt to its genre, Donner
would turn past more successful regulars in the composing field and
choose Randy Newman for the score. Newman had already established
himself as an accomplished songwriter and comedy score composer, though
this was still before he reached his heights in the animated genre. If
you remember back to the Western sub-theme that Newman wrote for
Parenthood's Steve Martin cowboy routine, then consider
Maverick an extension of that idea. There's a lot of sneaking
around, fluffy rhythms, and lighthearted twist of theme throughout
Maverick, with no attempt made by Newman to avoid the obvious
cliches of the genre. Whether you can tolerate this unashamed exuberance
will determin your opinion of the score.
Indeed,
Maverick has its fair share of swinging
rhythms and lofty themes, often bouncing with the same personality as
Newman's animation scores. Mock romance is also aplenty in
Maverick, with "Oh Bret" laying on the heavy Western strings. The
expected array of percussion performs in honky tonk fashion more often
than not, with Newman's persistently rolling rhythms carrying the score
with a remarkably easy pace. His loyalty to title theme is considerable,
with several cute adaptations of the main theme throughout. The
centerpiece of the theme (and the score as a whole) is a rollicking
action piece in "Runaway Stage" that has been adopted as the concert
suite from the score, mixing in the standard wood and metal Western
percussion over an ambitious acoustic guitar rhythm (learned Western
score ears will hear some Elmer Bernstein and Ennio Morricone quotes in
places). After hearing Bruce Broughton's more genuine sound in the same
kind of Western action in the modern era, it's hard to take even
Newman's most substantial cue seriously. There is a darker side to
Maverick, though the peril that Newman conveys in the music is
never as shady as the actual scenarios in the film. One such cue is the
"Opening," in which Newman builds two minutes of suspense worthy of any
decent horror film, and several cues throughout the score follow suit.
Consistent from start to finish is a vibrant orchestral performance,
something absolutely imperative with music as energetic as this.
Conversely, an accurate criticism of
Maverick involves the fact
that the quick pacing of the film doesn't allow many cues to develop
over time, leaving the album listener with 1:00+ minute cues that
alternate between honky tonk atmosphere, sly romance, straight action,
and faux horror. There's even some faux Indian and faux Russian music in
"Joseph and the Russian." The piano-driven Western parody song at the
end ("Tartine de Merde" translates into "Shit Pie") is a clear example
of why some people don't care much for Randy Newman's singing voice, and
perhaps serves as an example of the composer writing and performing
after filling up on some swill at the saloon. Overall,
Maverick
is an effective and lovable score, but requires a spirited mood to
enjoy.
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Bias Check:
For Randy Newman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.15
(in 20 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.11
(in 22,943 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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