Quigley Down Under
Basil Poledouris
" catchy tunes in an exciting listen (albeit too long) "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the expanded release
Tom Selleck and Alan Rickman star in the 1990 western Quigley Down Under, directed by Simon Wincer. The story is a simple one, Tom Selleck plays Matthew Quigley, a sharpshooter who is hired to rid the land of the aborigines. The moment he refuses to do so he's hunted down by the man who hired him. Rescuing a woman he was ordered to shoot down instead, both of them escape into the brush, making them both now targets. The director Wincer knew exactly who to hire for this gig. After all he got a wonderful taste of Americana the year before when he directed Lonesome Dove, with music by Basil Poledouris. And considering Basil did such a wonderful job on that effort, he got the job to make Quigley Down Under equally memorable.
And that he has, from the moment you spot that incredible catchy main theme of Quigley himself. "Main Title" is the name of that first main theme statement, and soon you'll understand why they call it catchy. The main theme gets an encore immediately after that in "The Fight", preceded by some dancing western theatrics. As expected the theme gets a lot of airtime during the score, most notably in "The Arrival", on guitar in "Native Montage", briefly at the end of "The Fire", softly in "Quigley & Cora" and charming in "The Gift". It of course needs to close the score with style in "Matthew Quigley / End Credits" which it wholeheartedly does.
The first use of Poledouris electronic accompaniment arrives in "The Test" and "Marston's Game" (reflecting the dangerous offer Quigley is getting). And the moment Quigley rejects that offer we get "Quigley Gets Beat Up" and "The Stabbing", tracks the original album didn't reflect upon. "The Stabbing" does introduce us to the second theme of the film, and that's the heroic theme. Exciting and energetic, it fuels the excitement time and time again in such tracks like "Marston's Attack", You'll Be Back", "Under the Boat", and with a variation in "The Fire" whilst being utterly charming in "The Gift". It's biggest version still fuels the adrenaline in the excellent "The Attack".
And then there's the theme representing Crazy Cora, the love interest that Quigley rescues from Marston. Already featured in the very first track, it finally shows to who it's connected to when we hear it in "Cora's Story". It briefly returns in the otherwise atonal "Dingo Attack" and pairs up with Quigley's theme in "Quigley & Cora" and with the heroic theme in "The Gift". It returns for one final statement in the conclusive "Matthew Quigley / End Credits".
Honestly, I don't know if I can recommend this expanded release of Prometheus. It's nice to have, that's for sure but I feel it is too much for its own good. There's not enough variety to keep it interesting and the many many main theme statements and even heroic statements diminish the power of the 2 excellent themes once you hear them over and over again. The Intrada release did it on that part a whole lot better. Plus there aren't really highlights to speak off if one hears those unreleased tracks. It doesn't keep Quigley Down Under however from a much deserved rating, especially because Basil still makes his 3 themes exciting and catchy, and that's still something that makes experiences count. It's just that I will listen to my favourite Quigley Down Under release of Intrada instead if I want to hear what Basil in sharpshooter style sounds like.
Quigley Down Under "Intrada release": ****
Quigley Down Under "Prometheus release": ***1/2
Tracklisting
1. Main Title (3.19) Excellent track
2. The Fight (4.57)
3. The Redcoats Move On (1.54)
4. The Arrival (1.52)
5. The Test (1.03)
6. Marston's Game (1.00)
7. Quigley Pans Out (0.48)
8. Quigley Gets Beat Up (1.50)
9. The Stabbing (2.02) Excellent track
10. Desert Trek (2.56)
11. The Aborigines (1.18)
12. Native Montage (2.12)
13. Cora's Story (3.19)
14. Marston's Attack (3.33)
15. Royus Interrupts (1.34)
16. The Cliff (1.08)
17. The Bodies (0.33)
18. The Baby (1.50)
19. You'll Be Back (1.13)
20. Dingo Attack (2.41)
21. The Fire (2.59) Excellent track
22. Under the Boat (3.00)
23. Quigley & Cora (2.37)
24. The Gift (5.26) Excellent track
25. The Warning (1.37)
26. The Attack (2.51) Excellent track
27. The Capture (2.44)
28. After the Gunfight / Freedom (3.35)
29. The Aborigines Return (2.56)
30. Matthew Quigley / End Credits (5.24) Excellent track
Total Length: 75.22
And that he has, from the moment you spot that incredible catchy main theme of Quigley himself. "Main Title" is the name of that first main theme statement, and soon you'll understand why they call it catchy. The main theme gets an encore immediately after that in "The Fight", preceded by some dancing western theatrics. As expected the theme gets a lot of airtime during the score, most notably in "The Arrival", on guitar in "Native Montage", briefly at the end of "The Fire", softly in "Quigley & Cora" and charming in "The Gift". It of course needs to close the score with style in "Matthew Quigley / End Credits" which it wholeheartedly does.
The first use of Poledouris electronic accompaniment arrives in "The Test" and "Marston's Game" (reflecting the dangerous offer Quigley is getting). And the moment Quigley rejects that offer we get "Quigley Gets Beat Up" and "The Stabbing", tracks the original album didn't reflect upon. "The Stabbing" does introduce us to the second theme of the film, and that's the heroic theme. Exciting and energetic, it fuels the excitement time and time again in such tracks like "Marston's Attack", You'll Be Back", "Under the Boat", and with a variation in "The Fire" whilst being utterly charming in "The Gift". It's biggest version still fuels the adrenaline in the excellent "The Attack".
And then there's the theme representing Crazy Cora, the love interest that Quigley rescues from Marston. Already featured in the very first track, it finally shows to who it's connected to when we hear it in "Cora's Story". It briefly returns in the otherwise atonal "Dingo Attack" and pairs up with Quigley's theme in "Quigley & Cora" and with the heroic theme in "The Gift". It returns for one final statement in the conclusive "Matthew Quigley / End Credits".
Honestly, I don't know if I can recommend this expanded release of Prometheus. It's nice to have, that's for sure but I feel it is too much for its own good. There's not enough variety to keep it interesting and the many many main theme statements and even heroic statements diminish the power of the 2 excellent themes once you hear them over and over again. The Intrada release did it on that part a whole lot better. Plus there aren't really highlights to speak off if one hears those unreleased tracks. It doesn't keep Quigley Down Under however from a much deserved rating, especially because Basil still makes his 3 themes exciting and catchy, and that's still something that makes experiences count. It's just that I will listen to my favourite Quigley Down Under release of Intrada instead if I want to hear what Basil in sharpshooter style sounds like.
Quigley Down Under "Intrada release": ****
Quigley Down Under "Prometheus release": ***1/2
Tracklisting
1. Main Title (3.19) Excellent track
2. The Fight (4.57)
3. The Redcoats Move On (1.54)
4. The Arrival (1.52)
5. The Test (1.03)
6. Marston's Game (1.00)
7. Quigley Pans Out (0.48)
8. Quigley Gets Beat Up (1.50)
9. The Stabbing (2.02) Excellent track
10. Desert Trek (2.56)
11. The Aborigines (1.18)
12. Native Montage (2.12)
13. Cora's Story (3.19)
14. Marston's Attack (3.33)
15. Royus Interrupts (1.34)
16. The Cliff (1.08)
17. The Bodies (0.33)
18. The Baby (1.50)
19. You'll Be Back (1.13)
20. Dingo Attack (2.41)
21. The Fire (2.59) Excellent track
22. Under the Boat (3.00)
23. Quigley & Cora (2.37)
24. The Gift (5.26) Excellent track
25. The Warning (1.37)
26. The Attack (2.51) Excellent track
27. The Capture (2.44)
28. After the Gunfight / Freedom (3.35)
29. The Aborigines Return (2.56)
30. Matthew Quigley / End Credits (5.24) Excellent track
Total Length: 75.22