Police Academy
Robert Folk
" finally available after many many many years "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
You Told No One?
Not a soul!
Sorry, we have to ignore that. Because we have to tell someone. Police Academy of Robert Folk is finally available, out there after all that time. It was available on bootleg format, in rather surprising good quality I might add. But what that bootleg offered was a compilation of the 6 Academy movies, featuring a bunch of main theme variations. Not the actual score. But now it's here and it's here to stay. Police Academy of Robert Folk is one of those great little treasures. Like The Goonies full of wit, heart and above all marches. I love how an old school march takes over the conscience and becomes a part of filmmusic history. I love how a composer can tackle a crazy comedy like Police Academy with the Elmer Bernstein wit to make it more serious than comedic. And I above all adore how it suddenly transforms into straightforward seriousness when we approach the riots and the finale. All jokes aside, Police Academy is like Cadet Mahoney. Here to stay.
Move out, maggots!
Like the march, the rousing main theme doesn't outstay it's welcome on the disc at all. And even though it's not the greatest version of the series, "Main Title / Night Rounds" starts off the Police Academy flair well. Like it represents "Barbara" floating away in a box, like we're getting a great Toy Soldiers vibe in "The Academy", like it's showing all the gun ho macho behavior of Tackleberry in "Guns / In Drag" and like it gives us the salute in "Straighten Up", one of the many many many many many times we hear that rousing main theme returning. But perhaps we still need to talk about the greatest variation ever of that main theme too. This for Lieutenant Harris and his ever continuing quest to kick the maggots out of his Police Academy. That evil sounding main theme just makes the greatest impact in "Formation / Move Out" to name the most obvious one. In fact it's the only time we hear it.
Mahoney! Remember, that nobody screws with me.
Well, maybe you'll meet the right girl and all that will change!
To continue the quest for truth, the score's full of drums, short fanfares and little flutes signifying the cadets and training in all their glory, sometimes in a great bouncy disco like style in the great sounding "Recruits", or during "Assignment" and "Obstacles" when school just got a little more serious. But if you think marches is all there's to it to Police Academy, then you're wrong. It begins with sleazy romance in "Martin and Company" and "More Martin", blossoming into love in "Regrets", waltzing it's way into a horses arse in "Jam Up", driving forward over feet to give us Christmas delight in "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and much much more.
But all that is history once the score turns completely upside down, namely when the "Riot Starts". Jazzy trumpets, funky percussion and guitars suddenly deliver the expected serious cop music. This is the part I truly love and tracks like "Riot Gear", "SOB", "Match" and "Where's Harris" are incredibly addictive, delivering a new riot theme that changes the score forever. Just listen to the great versions of that riot theme in "Match" and "Where's Harris?" to get a taste of the action.
And what would Police Academy be without the Blue Oyster Bar tune, disguised here as bonus track. Enough to convince Harris there was just some dancing and nothing more.
Drop that stereo before I blow your goddamn nuts off, asshole.
I know people will have their own idea about this score, and some will probably scratch their heads if they see those excellent tracks. But for me, Police Academy is a part of my childhood, and a part of my musical legacy. And now it's finally available just the way I like it. I mean with the riot music and that incredible addictive riot theme in the middle of all that ruckus. It's the main theme and the sudden change of tone that makes Police Academy the score it is today. I know, the theme is kinda slow in the beginning, and I know the score's full of short cues. But you can't deny that it sounds incredible in this re-mastering. Ready to give you maggots the stroll you were looking for.
Favorite Moment - Where's Harris (0.55 - 1.11)
It's a tie between "Match" and this one, housing the 2 most coolest versions of the riot theme. Finally at our disposal.
Track Listing
1. Main Title / Night Rounds (1.52)
2. Rounds Resume / Tackleberry (1.10)
3. Barbara (0.51)
4. Join Up (1.10)
5. The Academy (1.16) Excellent track
6. Recruits (1.54) Excellent track
7. Pussycat / Uniforms (1.56)
8. Assignment (1.20)
9. Formation / Move Out (3.26)
10. Obstacles (2.15)
11. Martin and Company (0.46)
12. Ball Games (0.27)
13. More Martin (0.28)
14. Regrets (1.05)
15. Guns / In Drag (4.01)
16. Warpath (0.28)
17. Improvement (1.15)
18. Jam Up (0.42)
19. Hightower Drive (1.37)
20. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (0.40)
21. Need to Talk / Hightower Leaves (1.16)
22. Riot Starts (1.25)
23. Riot Gear (2.42) Excellent track
24. SOB (0.32)
25. Match (1.44) Excellent track
26. Where's Harris? (2.40) Excellent track
27. Straighten Up (1.26)
28. Police Academy March (1.06)
Bonus Track
29. El Bimbo * (1.49)
* Music by Claude Morgan
Total Length: 44.14
Not a soul!
Sorry, we have to ignore that. Because we have to tell someone. Police Academy of Robert Folk is finally available, out there after all that time. It was available on bootleg format, in rather surprising good quality I might add. But what that bootleg offered was a compilation of the 6 Academy movies, featuring a bunch of main theme variations. Not the actual score. But now it's here and it's here to stay. Police Academy of Robert Folk is one of those great little treasures. Like The Goonies full of wit, heart and above all marches. I love how an old school march takes over the conscience and becomes a part of filmmusic history. I love how a composer can tackle a crazy comedy like Police Academy with the Elmer Bernstein wit to make it more serious than comedic. And I above all adore how it suddenly transforms into straightforward seriousness when we approach the riots and the finale. All jokes aside, Police Academy is like Cadet Mahoney. Here to stay.
Move out, maggots!
Like the march, the rousing main theme doesn't outstay it's welcome on the disc at all. And even though it's not the greatest version of the series, "Main Title / Night Rounds" starts off the Police Academy flair well. Like it represents "Barbara" floating away in a box, like we're getting a great Toy Soldiers vibe in "The Academy", like it's showing all the gun ho macho behavior of Tackleberry in "Guns / In Drag" and like it gives us the salute in "Straighten Up", one of the many many many many many times we hear that rousing main theme returning. But perhaps we still need to talk about the greatest variation ever of that main theme too. This for Lieutenant Harris and his ever continuing quest to kick the maggots out of his Police Academy. That evil sounding main theme just makes the greatest impact in "Formation / Move Out" to name the most obvious one. In fact it's the only time we hear it.
Mahoney! Remember, that nobody screws with me.
Well, maybe you'll meet the right girl and all that will change!
To continue the quest for truth, the score's full of drums, short fanfares and little flutes signifying the cadets and training in all their glory, sometimes in a great bouncy disco like style in the great sounding "Recruits", or during "Assignment" and "Obstacles" when school just got a little more serious. But if you think marches is all there's to it to Police Academy, then you're wrong. It begins with sleazy romance in "Martin and Company" and "More Martin", blossoming into love in "Regrets", waltzing it's way into a horses arse in "Jam Up", driving forward over feet to give us Christmas delight in "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and much much more.
But all that is history once the score turns completely upside down, namely when the "Riot Starts". Jazzy trumpets, funky percussion and guitars suddenly deliver the expected serious cop music. This is the part I truly love and tracks like "Riot Gear", "SOB", "Match" and "Where's Harris" are incredibly addictive, delivering a new riot theme that changes the score forever. Just listen to the great versions of that riot theme in "Match" and "Where's Harris?" to get a taste of the action.
And what would Police Academy be without the Blue Oyster Bar tune, disguised here as bonus track. Enough to convince Harris there was just some dancing and nothing more.
Drop that stereo before I blow your goddamn nuts off, asshole.
I know people will have their own idea about this score, and some will probably scratch their heads if they see those excellent tracks. But for me, Police Academy is a part of my childhood, and a part of my musical legacy. And now it's finally available just the way I like it. I mean with the riot music and that incredible addictive riot theme in the middle of all that ruckus. It's the main theme and the sudden change of tone that makes Police Academy the score it is today. I know, the theme is kinda slow in the beginning, and I know the score's full of short cues. But you can't deny that it sounds incredible in this re-mastering. Ready to give you maggots the stroll you were looking for.
Favorite Moment - Where's Harris (0.55 - 1.11)
It's a tie between "Match" and this one, housing the 2 most coolest versions of the riot theme. Finally at our disposal.
Track Listing
1. Main Title / Night Rounds (1.52)
2. Rounds Resume / Tackleberry (1.10)
3. Barbara (0.51)
4. Join Up (1.10)
5. The Academy (1.16) Excellent track
6. Recruits (1.54) Excellent track
7. Pussycat / Uniforms (1.56)
8. Assignment (1.20)
9. Formation / Move Out (3.26)
10. Obstacles (2.15)
11. Martin and Company (0.46)
12. Ball Games (0.27)
13. More Martin (0.28)
14. Regrets (1.05)
15. Guns / In Drag (4.01)
16. Warpath (0.28)
17. Improvement (1.15)
18. Jam Up (0.42)
19. Hightower Drive (1.37)
20. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (0.40)
21. Need to Talk / Hightower Leaves (1.16)
22. Riot Starts (1.25)
23. Riot Gear (2.42) Excellent track
24. SOB (0.32)
25. Match (1.44) Excellent track
26. Where's Harris? (2.40) Excellent track
27. Straighten Up (1.26)
28. Police Academy March (1.06)
Bonus Track
29. El Bimbo * (1.49)
* Music by Claude Morgan
Total Length: 44.14