Magic
Jerry Goldsmith
" Duality ala Goldsmith "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
Magic is again one of those multi dimensional efforts that Jerry Goldsmith tackled so easily, tackled so well. At one end it's a personal drama, at another a dangerous path towards insanity. And Magic delivers on the drama (which is the better material, "Memories", "Appassionata"), yet both these cues are interrupted by the zaniness of the harmonica, the threat of the descent. And that threat is the more effective side of the score. At one end you can only marvel and dream of this duality, at another you wished the darkness wouldn't touch such beautiful cues. I know filmmusic can of course never tackle a musical idea like that. It always needs to follow the path of the film, and yet this makes it for me really hard to totally fall in love with Magic. This newly released version of La-La Land promotes itself as the bringer of additional music (which is insane considering it's only 26 seconds longer than the Varèse Club release). But it's of course the newly remastered version that makes Goldsmith's score finally available once again. Like Link it has an effective side I admire from the perspective of the film. But I don't like hearing it. The beauty of several tracks show once again Goldsmith's quality to pour heart in any genre, but this darkness is of course not something I admire as pure enjoyment. No Magic is more for the people who admire the craftsmanship and effectiveness of a score above anything else.
Goldsmith's music is effective where it needs to be.
Several cues deliver minutes of truly wonderful beauty.
Sadly the dark uneasiness interrupts the beauty all too often.
For the unreleased material you don't have to do it. For the sound probably yes (though I can't compare with Varèse's release).
Track Listing
1. Main Title (2.05)
2. We're Gonna Be a Star * (0.26)
3. Corky's Retreat (2.57)
4. Didn't Remember Me (1.53)
5. Memories (2.54)
6. What Can't You Explain? (0.58)
7. Appassionata (2.09)
8. Let's Take Off (0.56)
9. One Chance (1.11)
10. Stop the Postman (1.52)
11. The Lake (2.49)
12. The Ruse (1.30)
13. Duke's Catch (1.39)
14. Blood (1.06)
15. Duke's End (1.06)
16. Two Birds With One Stone (0.46)
17. I'll Tell (2.43)
18. Fats Blows the Whistle (1.45)
19. The Wooden Heart (2.40)
20. Us Was You (1.19)
21. End Titles (2.16)
22. Previous Act (source) (2.42)
23. Next Act (source) (2.42)
* Previously unreleased
Total Length: 42.24
Goldsmith's music is effective where it needs to be.
Several cues deliver minutes of truly wonderful beauty.
Sadly the dark uneasiness interrupts the beauty all too often.
For the unreleased material you don't have to do it. For the sound probably yes (though I can't compare with Varèse's release).
Track Listing
1. Main Title (2.05)
2. We're Gonna Be a Star * (0.26)
3. Corky's Retreat (2.57)
4. Didn't Remember Me (1.53)
5. Memories (2.54)
6. What Can't You Explain? (0.58)
7. Appassionata (2.09)
8. Let's Take Off (0.56)
9. One Chance (1.11)
10. Stop the Postman (1.52)
11. The Lake (2.49)
12. The Ruse (1.30)
13. Duke's Catch (1.39)
14. Blood (1.06)
15. Duke's End (1.06)
16. Two Birds With One Stone (0.46)
17. I'll Tell (2.43)
18. Fats Blows the Whistle (1.45)
19. The Wooden Heart (2.40)
20. Us Was You (1.19)
21. End Titles (2.16)
22. Previous Act (source) (2.42)
23. Next Act (source) (2.42)
* Previously unreleased
Total Length: 42.24