Bad Boys
Mark Mancina
" Bad Boys stands for the better action stuff, wacha gonna do about that? "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
What we know is simple, MV/RC composers probably are the only ones who can deliver a proud action score for the recent market of action movies. Meaning the movie has pace and the action just doesn't quit until the bad guys are punched silly by the good guys. In any way, see is what you hear and Bad Boys by Mark Mancina is everything what you read here, only in musical terms.
The reason why the score is so effective and fun is simple to explain. Mark Mancina simply wrote a fantastic action score, with varying themes being delivered on an extremely fast pace. That the soundtrack however took so long to be released is quite frankly a mystery. An action sound/score sells so easily when it came/comes from Media Ventures/Remote Control. However the answer is perhaps because it's just Mark Mancina. If Hans Zimmer's name was attached to it, perhaps it would have been released in a finger snap.
There is still the story of the different releases. At first there was a bootleg that appeared in good sound quality but covered the annoying thing of so called 13 second tracks. Sadly that bootleg was also extremely poorly mixed, because almost each track ended before the piece was actually finished. Later came the DVD release that featured a feature that was intriguing for movie score fans, namely the DVD isolated score. To rip wasn't easy but the sound was perfect. Now comes the score from La-La-Land Records. After Godzilla another award winning release from the label.
I'm glad it is finally here because it's a proud release as well. A soundtrack that does justice tp the piece of work of Mancina. The score opens and closes with the best action music available. The first 2 tracks are simply great. "Prologue / The Car Jacking" is the playful, rhythmic opening scene with the insane babbling of both Smith and Lawrence.
As stated, a brilliant action piece is heard in "Bad Boys Main Theme / Heist", a ferocious looking piece which combines two thematic creations. One the main theme and secondly the other action theme for the break in, getting much more notice in the second part. That the bow isn't tightened all the time is evident in more playful shorter pieces. For instance the playful Caribbean rendition of the main theme in "Jojo, What you Know" and the friendship theme on guitar in many cues, including "He's the Person I'd Call" and "The Boys Find Max".
Or what about the nice but brief guitar version of the main theme in "Into Lois' Apartment?" What's even more catchier is "I Mean Like Funny" that has finger snapping and funky tones presenting Marcus' awkward situation. It's basically to hear these tracks in the best sound quality and best mixing presentation that makes Bad Boys a worthy score on disc.
The middle portion has the same aggressive and fast action music we are hearing the entire time, though simply a bit shorter. Great versions are spotted in "Escape from Julie's" and the expanded version in "Escape From Club Hell / Ether Chase" which is a knock-out of pace, adrenaline and thematic progression. It's all heard in the Media Ventures sense of course.
The thrill behind the action themes and the electric guitars that continue to expand is simply what makes it all so enjoyable. However it is the action music that counts and "Footchase" is probably the best action track in speed and resolution. At the end we have the 9 minute "Hanger Shootout" which doesn't disappoint either. Basically because of the long length the themes can prove their punch simply better.
By then you will not forget the ultimate speed test of "Cobra Chase / Fouchet's Death". Don't forget that the first moment was used with great effect in the trailer of The Rock. It's another insane action track that keeps reminding you who the Speed rocketeer was before John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams were known. Of course the second part has the appropriate calm music which closes the score very nicely with a piano version of the friendship theme.
Basically you know now what Bad Boys II missed when you want to compare the first with the second (apart from the insanely over exaggerated foul humor), namely a thematic driving and pulse pounding score. This action score is a wonderful one, with so much thrills to satisfy the action hero inside you. Enjoy Bad Boys for what it is, a quality piece of action music for the new generation kind of film. It is not Con Air, but I appreciate both and if you appreciate Con Air you will surely appreciate the bad ass quality of two boys destroying everything from freeways to mountain houses (no sorry, that was Bad Boys 2), and hearing the non melodic growls of several composers in it (sorry, again Bad Boys 2). Trust me, Bad Boys is so much more than that.
Tracklisting
1. Prologue / The Car Jacking (4.31) Excellent track
2. Bad Boys Main Title * / Heist (6.07) Excellent track
3. Funky Brothers to PD (0.34)
4. Air Conditioning Inspection * (1.07)
5. Jojo, What You Know (0.39)
6. Dead Guy (4.55)
7. He's the Person I Call * (0.52)
8. Killing Max (4.15)
9. The Boys Find Max (2.29)
10. Into Lois' Apartment (0.49)
11. Escape from Julie's (2.46) Excellent track
12. You're Going to Leave Me Alone? (0.50)
13. Don't Honey Me Baby! (1.01)
14. My Bologna has a First Name? * (4.02)
15. Julie's Got a Gun (0.53)
16. Escape from Club Hell * / Ether Chase * (4.33) Excellent track
17. We Don't Want to Lose You (0.38)
18. Feeling Funny (1.59)
19. Interrogation (0.40)
20. Stakeout (0.53)
21. Tailing Lab Tech / Blown Cover (1.35)
22. Busted * (0.51)
23. Footchase (4.23) Excellent track
24. Fouchet Calling * (0.32)
25. Hanger Shootout * (9.14) Excellent track
26. Cobra Chase / Fouchet's Death (4.40) Excellent track
Bonus Track
27. Bad Boys Main Title (Edited Film Version) (3.36)
* Music by Mark Mancina & Nick Glennie-Smith
Total Length: 70.29
The reason why the score is so effective and fun is simple to explain. Mark Mancina simply wrote a fantastic action score, with varying themes being delivered on an extremely fast pace. That the soundtrack however took so long to be released is quite frankly a mystery. An action sound/score sells so easily when it came/comes from Media Ventures/Remote Control. However the answer is perhaps because it's just Mark Mancina. If Hans Zimmer's name was attached to it, perhaps it would have been released in a finger snap.
There is still the story of the different releases. At first there was a bootleg that appeared in good sound quality but covered the annoying thing of so called 13 second tracks. Sadly that bootleg was also extremely poorly mixed, because almost each track ended before the piece was actually finished. Later came the DVD release that featured a feature that was intriguing for movie score fans, namely the DVD isolated score. To rip wasn't easy but the sound was perfect. Now comes the score from La-La-Land Records. After Godzilla another award winning release from the label.
I'm glad it is finally here because it's a proud release as well. A soundtrack that does justice tp the piece of work of Mancina. The score opens and closes with the best action music available. The first 2 tracks are simply great. "Prologue / The Car Jacking" is the playful, rhythmic opening scene with the insane babbling of both Smith and Lawrence.
As stated, a brilliant action piece is heard in "Bad Boys Main Theme / Heist", a ferocious looking piece which combines two thematic creations. One the main theme and secondly the other action theme for the break in, getting much more notice in the second part. That the bow isn't tightened all the time is evident in more playful shorter pieces. For instance the playful Caribbean rendition of the main theme in "Jojo, What you Know" and the friendship theme on guitar in many cues, including "He's the Person I'd Call" and "The Boys Find Max".
Or what about the nice but brief guitar version of the main theme in "Into Lois' Apartment?" What's even more catchier is "I Mean Like Funny" that has finger snapping and funky tones presenting Marcus' awkward situation. It's basically to hear these tracks in the best sound quality and best mixing presentation that makes Bad Boys a worthy score on disc.
The middle portion has the same aggressive and fast action music we are hearing the entire time, though simply a bit shorter. Great versions are spotted in "Escape from Julie's" and the expanded version in "Escape From Club Hell / Ether Chase" which is a knock-out of pace, adrenaline and thematic progression. It's all heard in the Media Ventures sense of course.
The thrill behind the action themes and the electric guitars that continue to expand is simply what makes it all so enjoyable. However it is the action music that counts and "Footchase" is probably the best action track in speed and resolution. At the end we have the 9 minute "Hanger Shootout" which doesn't disappoint either. Basically because of the long length the themes can prove their punch simply better.
By then you will not forget the ultimate speed test of "Cobra Chase / Fouchet's Death". Don't forget that the first moment was used with great effect in the trailer of The Rock. It's another insane action track that keeps reminding you who the Speed rocketeer was before John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams were known. Of course the second part has the appropriate calm music which closes the score very nicely with a piano version of the friendship theme.
Basically you know now what Bad Boys II missed when you want to compare the first with the second (apart from the insanely over exaggerated foul humor), namely a thematic driving and pulse pounding score. This action score is a wonderful one, with so much thrills to satisfy the action hero inside you. Enjoy Bad Boys for what it is, a quality piece of action music for the new generation kind of film. It is not Con Air, but I appreciate both and if you appreciate Con Air you will surely appreciate the bad ass quality of two boys destroying everything from freeways to mountain houses (no sorry, that was Bad Boys 2), and hearing the non melodic growls of several composers in it (sorry, again Bad Boys 2). Trust me, Bad Boys is so much more than that.
Tracklisting
1. Prologue / The Car Jacking (4.31) Excellent track
2. Bad Boys Main Title * / Heist (6.07) Excellent track
3. Funky Brothers to PD (0.34)
4. Air Conditioning Inspection * (1.07)
5. Jojo, What You Know (0.39)
6. Dead Guy (4.55)
7. He's the Person I Call * (0.52)
8. Killing Max (4.15)
9. The Boys Find Max (2.29)
10. Into Lois' Apartment (0.49)
11. Escape from Julie's (2.46) Excellent track
12. You're Going to Leave Me Alone? (0.50)
13. Don't Honey Me Baby! (1.01)
14. My Bologna has a First Name? * (4.02)
15. Julie's Got a Gun (0.53)
16. Escape from Club Hell * / Ether Chase * (4.33) Excellent track
17. We Don't Want to Lose You (0.38)
18. Feeling Funny (1.59)
19. Interrogation (0.40)
20. Stakeout (0.53)
21. Tailing Lab Tech / Blown Cover (1.35)
22. Busted * (0.51)
23. Footchase (4.23) Excellent track
24. Fouchet Calling * (0.32)
25. Hanger Shootout * (9.14) Excellent track
26. Cobra Chase / Fouchet's Death (4.40) Excellent track
Bonus Track
27. Bad Boys Main Title (Edited Film Version) (3.36)
* Music by Mark Mancina & Nick Glennie-Smith
Total Length: 70.29