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Thanks for looking. Knowing you like electronic music a bit, I think you'd like this.

Jerry Goldsmith - Executive Decision (deluxe)

Not one of his best scores, by miles, not one of these, but after having two days to write an article about a new classical album which I first heard, well, yesterday and I literally sent it over an hour ago I need something to get my poor brain back.

The more I listen to the scores Goldsmith wrote for Stuart Baird (who would direct only two movies, US Marshals and Star Trek: Nemesis, both scored by Jerry), the more I am convinced that they were somewhat temped with Hans Zimmer's action scores and contrary to what would happen today, Goldsmith managed to take note of it while retaining his own unmistakable style. Where is the temp influence to be heard? First, the Baird scores are essentially hybrid scores, with the electronics playing a much bigger role than they would in other action scores written all the time (they weren't as omnipresent, and then of course we have Air Force One which has synthesizers, conversely, in much smaller role than before). Second, the main themes are in minor key. Of course nothing new for him, as well, but they are always fairly anthemic, with only the Nemesis theme having a very good translation to more reflective, emotional material (Ideals being a highlight of the final ca 5 years of his career). Third, just single cues: listen to something like U.S. Marshals' The Wrapper, where the trumpet motif and the relationship between the trumpet and the synth basis essentially takes a page or two from Crimson Tide.

These are not among his best scores, but US Marshals is decent, if mindless, fun. And kudos to Goldsmith for finding and walking the tightrope between what the director wanted (to the point that he returned to him in all his directed films; though Nemesis all but ended Baird's directorial career, he's still a working editor though) and maintaining his idiosyncratic voice.

It's interesting that there's occasionally the need to have different scores for different territories.

I can't think of many examples of it happening but I wonder if the reasons for doing it are common for them all.

The Frankel/Waxman duo for NIGHT AND THE CITY was explained in the liner notes but since all my CDs are in storage I can't check.

Harrison's Flowers, in Europe scored by Bruno Coulais, the US score was done by Cliff Eidelman.

Executive Decision IS a good film, though mostly because it manages to avoid being an action film most of the time (it's more of a thriller, because nobody knows who is where for quite a bit of the time and the final setpiece is short and sweet, incidentally, not unlike how a real special operation would go).

The score is just a bit underwhelming because of the more ambient material (and boy it has some, actually the suspense underscore of the Baird scores is among the lesser Goldsmith material, paradoxically, Star Trek Nemesis actually improves on what came before) and because actually due to a certain lack in balance.

I mean, at the end of the day: compare Executive Decision with Air Force One. I'm not even trying to mention stuff like Ghost and the Darkness here. Just compare with a fun actioner like Air Force One, even not taking the McNeely additions in the mix (though they are good to very good). The Sleeper or The Front Gate don't hold a candle to Free Flight or Welcome Aboard, Sir, let alone to The Hijacking.

Scott "I Studied At Juilliard, Why Don't I Get More Assignments" Glasgow? I know he's beloved by reviewers but his often assholish attitude (like, in a now deleted post, accusing Harry Gregson-Williams of ripping off a John Williams cue in The Martian even if the guy who was a long-time assistant and worked on THAT PARTICULAR SCORE was repeatedly telling him that there was no way it would happen as neither Ridley Scott nor Gregson-Williams knew the JW score he'd rip) or admitting that he takes pride in ripping off classical music, even taking literal pages from it? Yeah.

US Marshals has an actual missing theme. Some of the atmospheric material is boring, but I actually like the expansion more than I like the original album. Executive Decision actually has a bit more action in the beginning which makes it more interesting. I guess the problem with that one is that it's not sure whether it wants to be small-scale or over the top and in its worst moments it tries being both at the same time

I feel it's overall very reminiscent of Poltergeist. Not only the Carol Anne theme, but also the dissonant material. You can swap several tracks, and overall it wouldn't feel out of place

NP: UN HOMME QUI ME PLAIT (Francis Lai)

Another Lai favourite while I was it. From 1969, and pointing towards the jazzy stylings of the New Wave films at the time, even if it's more 'popular' in tone than those. Love the baroque jazz melancholy of "Concerto pour la fin d'un amour".

I look forward to the expanded review!

Yes, Lo is definitely worth a listen. I also like his Chasing Ghosts, which is another early one.

Godzilla vs Kong (Tom Holkenborg)

Well, it's better than Justice League (which is not saying much), but you really miss Bear McReary here. He infuses some of the themes, but this guy's action music is so poor. His percussion still sounds exactly the same as Mad Max, and like most of his music it's all so alike. Once again you can switch the music of Justice League and you won't notice.

Mortal Engines, now that was good. This is pretty poor

Still on my roll:

Jerry Goldsmith - Fierce Creatures

First listen. One cute little score

It's great, indeed. And yes, in the expanded form especially.

Jerry Goldsmith - The Challenge

Long time no hear...

5000 character? I've not seen length defined by this. It's usually by number of words.