Lassie
Basil Poledouris
" The best friend gets a friendly score "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Basil Poledouris was always good in scoring family films, so why would he not score the greatest friend of all if he enters our cinema? Again! Lassie is of course widely known as the closest friend you can find today and director Daniel Petrie (Cocoon: The Return) chose the perfect composer for the job. If there is one that can pour emotion and family love into a feature film, it has to be Basil Poledouris for sure. Though the effect isn't earth shattering, the soundtrack listens extremely lovely nonetheless.
The main theme is another warm and lovely creation of the mind of Poledouris, one that feels extremely close to such tunes as Free Willy and Kimberly. Though not a direct winner, it feels perfect for the friendliest collie of them all. It then only brightens the sad "Accident" easily at the end.
The theme gets enough versions during the opening minutes, and its piano version and powerful orchestral version in "Morning Glory" is another easy going charmer. The soft version during "Commitment", the more pumped up version during "Lassie Protects the Herd" and the powerful blowout in "Lassie Saves Matt" show other notable theme moments.
But Lassie is also about adventure and situations that require Lassie's aid and attention. And those actions require a special tone. In "The Diary / Wolf Attack" it's highlighted by a personal adventurous theme (never to be heard again), while "Lassie Protects the Herd" and "Lassie Saves Matt" receives a different adventurous feeling, this through a serious sounding ascending theme. It especially sounds wonderful during the latter track. The lovely warm feelings reign however for the last time in "Return / Reunion", with of course the main theme signing off wonderfully and powerfully again.
The biggest problem of Lassie is that it's rather repetitive after a while. The main theme gets a lot of versions during the score, most of them pretty much the same and apart from the large 10 minute track, the score's pretty relaxing overall. That's one of the reasons why Lassie is charming and lovely but nothing more as well. It's typical Poledouris loveliness that listens perhaps a bit too long for its own good.
Tracklisting
1. Lassie (Main Title) (1.55)
2. Accident (3.13)
3. Morning Glory (2.29)
4. The Diary / Wolf Attack (4.58)
5. New Beginnings (2.52)
6. Commitment (2.41)
7. Lassie Protects the Herd (2.51)
8. Rustling (3.04)
9. Lassie Saves Matt (10.24)
10. Return / Reunion (3.20)
Total Length: 38.02
The main theme is another warm and lovely creation of the mind of Poledouris, one that feels extremely close to such tunes as Free Willy and Kimberly. Though not a direct winner, it feels perfect for the friendliest collie of them all. It then only brightens the sad "Accident" easily at the end.
The theme gets enough versions during the opening minutes, and its piano version and powerful orchestral version in "Morning Glory" is another easy going charmer. The soft version during "Commitment", the more pumped up version during "Lassie Protects the Herd" and the powerful blowout in "Lassie Saves Matt" show other notable theme moments.
But Lassie is also about adventure and situations that require Lassie's aid and attention. And those actions require a special tone. In "The Diary / Wolf Attack" it's highlighted by a personal adventurous theme (never to be heard again), while "Lassie Protects the Herd" and "Lassie Saves Matt" receives a different adventurous feeling, this through a serious sounding ascending theme. It especially sounds wonderful during the latter track. The lovely warm feelings reign however for the last time in "Return / Reunion", with of course the main theme signing off wonderfully and powerfully again.
The biggest problem of Lassie is that it's rather repetitive after a while. The main theme gets a lot of versions during the score, most of them pretty much the same and apart from the large 10 minute track, the score's pretty relaxing overall. That's one of the reasons why Lassie is charming and lovely but nothing more as well. It's typical Poledouris loveliness that listens perhaps a bit too long for its own good.
Tracklisting
1. Lassie (Main Title) (1.55)
2. Accident (3.13)
3. Morning Glory (2.29)
4. The Diary / Wolf Attack (4.58)
5. New Beginnings (2.52)
6. Commitment (2.41)
7. Lassie Protects the Herd (2.51)
8. Rustling (3.04)
9. Lassie Saves Matt (10.24)
10. Return / Reunion (3.20)
Total Length: 38.02