Demolition Man

Elliot Goldenthal

 
" Your basic brilliance with the unusual ruckus "

Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release

We score fans have never questioned Elliot Goldenthal's talent, but accepting his typical style is something that takes time, that asks for perseverance and for a doses of immense patience. And this certain attitude starts to build with a lot of his scores, and no exception is Demolition Man. This score takes the laws of musical stability and acceptance to the highest order, but offers nonetheless some outstanding moments. One thing is clear though, with Goldenthal you have creativity where others wouldn't dare to go.

The score opens like it opened Sphere and Alien 3, meaning with a fanfare laden duel in "Dies Irae (anyone hears the Klopek theme in this one?), but it soon goes into action mode with "Fire Fight". Whatever the case, it is beats and orchestra combining forces. And the electronics take it up a notch when we hear creative sound designs like "Museum dis Duel", "Subterranean Slugfest" or "Obligatory Car Chase". If you think this is rather freaky, you're not insane. Then you've just entered the world of Simon Phoenix' action games.

"Guilty as Charged" goes a long way in revisiting the mood of Sphere and succeeds in doing so, while "Action, Guns, Fun" delivers you the more crazy action music of his Batman scores. "Machine Waltz" by then takes a basic waltz as main melody to an otherwise suspense laden action cue. Whatever the case, creativity knows no boundaries when you're listening to Elliot Goldenthal.

The soft "Meeting Cocteau" is mysterious and acceptable, "Tracking Simon Phoenix" Sphere like in tone, "Flawless Pearl" Batman Forever like and "Final Confrontation" fanfare-terrific. After the obnoxious "Code 187" we come to the piece that will make you a believer of Elliot Goldenthal. I'm sure "Silver Screen Kiss" is an overblown tongue in cheek statement, but it nonetheless gives you amazement in a nutshell.

In a way, Demolition Man is revisiting Goldenthal's more original scores, in another way Demolition Man is doing it too manic. Whatever the case, if you're into creativity and you want action music unlike you've it heard yet, I'll bet Demolition Man will surely deliver something worthy for investigation. However I find it difficult to accept it. Note why "Code 187" still haunts me, because this is truly shocking music. In the end, Demolition Man offers you such good material, it makes me sad I have to hear the harder ones to hear them as well.

Tracklisting

1. Dies Irae (1.52)
2. Fire Fight (1.35)
3. Guilty as Charged (3.57)
4. Action. Guns. Fun (1.26)
5. Machine Waltz (1.56)
6. Defrosting (1.43)
7. Confronting the Chief (0.31)
8. Museum Dis Duel (1.56)
9. Subterranean Slugfest (1.44)
10. Meeting Cocteau (1.42)
11. Tracking Simon Phoenix (3.02)
12. Obligatory Car Chase (3.06)
13. Flawless Pearl (1.15)
14. Final Confrontation (1.55)
15. Code 187 (0.41)
16. Silver Screen Kiss (1.30) Excellent track

Total Length: 30.03
(click to rate this score)  
 
  •  
(total of 17 votes - average 2.79/5)

Released by

Varèse Sarabande VSD-5447 (regular release 1993)

Orchestrations by

Robert Elhai & Lolita Ritmanis