Crazy People
Cliff Eidelman
" crazy mixed bag doesn't quite gel "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
Quartet Records gave us a nice lovely surprise in 2013. They released one of Cliff Eidelman's unknown scores and one of the final movies Dudley Moore acted in before he started appearing in television series. Crazy People is a typical film of the 80's, about a guy who reaches a breaking point, suddenly starts advertising the truth and gets fired for being too offensive. He eventually ends up in a mental institute. Of course then suddenly everybody wants to see honest to god commercial advertising, making him once again the hot talk of the town. Crazy People didn't fare well, but at least it starred the lovely (still) as hell Daryl Hannah (of Splash and Kill Bill fame).
Now, don't expect Cliff Eidelman thematic wonders from this. Expect rather comedic gag music that musically offers a smile here and there. Running along quite fast, "Main Title / Madison Avenue" perfectly describes Emory Leeson (Dudley Moore) losing it on the freeway, and Eidelman fills in the tantrum with hints of crazy jazz (somehow reminiscent of the opening cue of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) and racing comical scherzo's. This gets repeated treatments in "The Breakthrough" and many more times after that. It's only in a rare occasion that the theme suddenly sounds much more attractive, like through piano in "Feeling Lost".
The moment Kathy (Daryl Hannah) enters his life, the music gets a little warmer and lovelier. But there's always a sense of some craziness around, like in the first part of the long "Honest Ads / Emory and Kathy Talk". But gradually the theme loses a bit of that crazy nuttiness and develops to a more comical happy tune. Like at the end of this long cue.
Overall, Crazy People tends to offer a schizophrenic combination of the calmer Kathy cues, and the more bouncy main theme of Emory, never quite soothing the experience as one might hope of a Cliff Eidelman score, though Kathy tries her best in "Kathy Talks About Adam", "Hold Me" and "Emory Leaves". And it's there where the love theme is formed, getting a completely unexpected orchestral heroic blowout in the amazing and highlight cue "Kathy is Saved". Honestly, where this comes from I don't know, but suddenly Eidelman does deliver that honest to god orchestral pleasing heroic encore that this album desperately needed as treatment.
In a way, it's hard to grade Crazy People, because the main theme does tend to start to annoy you a bit after a while, all the while the softer material is pleasant though unmemorable. And then there's that sole orchestral blow out that actually doesn't fit with all the rest. It feels like it's too long, too much, too diverse, I mean it's such a mixed bag. And though perfectly effective for the film I presume, I somehow have a hard time recommending it.
Track Listing
1. Crazy People Logo (0.20)
2. Main Title / Madison Avenue (2.51)
3. The Breakthrough (2.11)
4. Off to Bennington Hospital / Kathy Brings New Hope (0.57)
5. Honest Ads / Emory and Kathy Talk (7.07)
6. You're Fired (1.21)
7. Dance of the Crazies (0.55)
8. Separation (1.04)
9. We Can Do Ads (0.43)
10. Kathy Talks About Adam (2.59)
11. Success (0.55)
12. Hold Me (0.39)
13. We're Nobodies in the Big Parade (0.42)
14. A Surprise (0.29)
15. Cars (5.01)
16. What Happened? / Up to Tyrant (1.02)
17. Feeling Lost (1.21)
18. Emory Leaves (2.40)
19. Emory Uncovers the Truth (1.58)
20. Kathy is Saved (6.00) Excellent track
21. Sony, Our Eyes Are Closer (0.33)
22. The Hello Song * (0.57)
23. End Title (2.44)
Bonus Tracks
24. The Breakthrough (Alternate) (1.42)
25. Kathy Brings New Hope (Alternate) (0.49)
26. Honest Ads / Emory and Kathy Talk (Alternate) (7.22)
27. You're Fired (Alternate) (1.21)
28. Kathy Talks About Adam (Alternate) (3.31)
29. We're Nobodies in the Big Parade (Alternate) (0.45)
30. Solo Upright Piano 1 (0.59)
31. Solo Upright Piano 2 (1.22)
32. Solo Upright Piano 3 (0.08)
* Composed by Cal DeVoll
Total Length: 63.28
Now, don't expect Cliff Eidelman thematic wonders from this. Expect rather comedic gag music that musically offers a smile here and there. Running along quite fast, "Main Title / Madison Avenue" perfectly describes Emory Leeson (Dudley Moore) losing it on the freeway, and Eidelman fills in the tantrum with hints of crazy jazz (somehow reminiscent of the opening cue of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) and racing comical scherzo's. This gets repeated treatments in "The Breakthrough" and many more times after that. It's only in a rare occasion that the theme suddenly sounds much more attractive, like through piano in "Feeling Lost".
The moment Kathy (Daryl Hannah) enters his life, the music gets a little warmer and lovelier. But there's always a sense of some craziness around, like in the first part of the long "Honest Ads / Emory and Kathy Talk". But gradually the theme loses a bit of that crazy nuttiness and develops to a more comical happy tune. Like at the end of this long cue.
Overall, Crazy People tends to offer a schizophrenic combination of the calmer Kathy cues, and the more bouncy main theme of Emory, never quite soothing the experience as one might hope of a Cliff Eidelman score, though Kathy tries her best in "Kathy Talks About Adam", "Hold Me" and "Emory Leaves". And it's there where the love theme is formed, getting a completely unexpected orchestral heroic blowout in the amazing and highlight cue "Kathy is Saved". Honestly, where this comes from I don't know, but suddenly Eidelman does deliver that honest to god orchestral pleasing heroic encore that this album desperately needed as treatment.
In a way, it's hard to grade Crazy People, because the main theme does tend to start to annoy you a bit after a while, all the while the softer material is pleasant though unmemorable. And then there's that sole orchestral blow out that actually doesn't fit with all the rest. It feels like it's too long, too much, too diverse, I mean it's such a mixed bag. And though perfectly effective for the film I presume, I somehow have a hard time recommending it.
Track Listing
1. Crazy People Logo (0.20)
2. Main Title / Madison Avenue (2.51)
3. The Breakthrough (2.11)
4. Off to Bennington Hospital / Kathy Brings New Hope (0.57)
5. Honest Ads / Emory and Kathy Talk (7.07)
6. You're Fired (1.21)
7. Dance of the Crazies (0.55)
8. Separation (1.04)
9. We Can Do Ads (0.43)
10. Kathy Talks About Adam (2.59)
11. Success (0.55)
12. Hold Me (0.39)
13. We're Nobodies in the Big Parade (0.42)
14. A Surprise (0.29)
15. Cars (5.01)
16. What Happened? / Up to Tyrant (1.02)
17. Feeling Lost (1.21)
18. Emory Leaves (2.40)
19. Emory Uncovers the Truth (1.58)
20. Kathy is Saved (6.00) Excellent track
21. Sony, Our Eyes Are Closer (0.33)
22. The Hello Song * (0.57)
23. End Title (2.44)
Bonus Tracks
24. The Breakthrough (Alternate) (1.42)
25. Kathy Brings New Hope (Alternate) (0.49)
26. Honest Ads / Emory and Kathy Talk (Alternate) (7.22)
27. You're Fired (Alternate) (1.21)
28. Kathy Talks About Adam (Alternate) (3.31)
29. We're Nobodies in the Big Parade (Alternate) (0.45)
30. Solo Upright Piano 1 (0.59)
31. Solo Upright Piano 2 (1.22)
32. Solo Upright Piano 3 (0.08)
* Composed by Cal DeVoll
Total Length: 63.28