Renaissance Man
Hans Zimmer
" "Hansy comes marching home" "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Director Penny Marshall worked extensively with composer Hans Zimmer for her last 4 films, entrusting him with her movies and allowing him to offer probably some of his most diverse scores of his career. A League of Their Own is of course the obvious one, but there's a great little quality around Renaissance Man that makes it one of those guilty pleasures once a year. Its militaristic approach, its use of war themes and its combination of drama and comedy deliver a feisty sound for a movie that was never fully understood.
Renaissance Man failed at the box office, but for reasons beyond me. Because for me the movie has heart and intelligence, allowing characters to develop in (perhaps) the expected Hollywood way, but when done right it's no shame to do it the one and only old fashioned way. For the music, Hans Zimmer allows himself to dance along with the characters, creating a charming and very thematic approach that keeps the score fresh and entertaining. The change from the mellow opening to a stout patriotic march in "Welcome to the Army" is simply genius, the combination of lightheartedness, emotion (main theme) and gun ho macho behavior is darn right fetching in "Letter from Home", the trumpet in "Serving Your Country" listens soothing and charming, the emotional, the spirited and the beautiful main theme versions are delightful in "To Thine Own Self ...", the wonderful thematic playfulness of "Victory Starts Here" makes it a must to hear on screen, and the proud eruption of the victory theme in "Benitez Does Henry" is a wonderful highlight when Benitez asks the sergeant if it was enough.
The brilliant combination of various chirpy military marches with a brief main theme version in "Everyone is a Hero" is a fun climax to a brief but delightful 34 minute experience. The song by the entire cast (falsely advertised as Marky Mark) is approachable too, if you enjoyed it in the film. But overall there's hardly a false word you can mention of Renaissance Man. It's harmless entertainment and a thoroughly enjoyable thematic experience coming from an age that feels so long ago. But even then, Hans knew it was about letting the emotion run free, thereby creating a delightful character development that the world sadly never saw.
Favorite Moment - Benitez Does Henry (1.57 - 2.28)
What else? It's such a proud and wonderful eruption of the main theme
Track Listing
1. Welcome to the Army (3.55)
2. Letter from Home (4.26)
3. Serving Your Country (4.13)
4. To Thine Own Self... (4.37) Excellent track
5. Stay With Me (2.13)
6. Victory Starts Here (7.30) Excellent track
7. Benitez Does Henry (2.34) Excellent track
8. Everyone is a Hero (4.33) Excellent track
9. To Be or Not To Be: Marky Mark (2.45)
Total Length: 36.46
Renaissance Man failed at the box office, but for reasons beyond me. Because for me the movie has heart and intelligence, allowing characters to develop in (perhaps) the expected Hollywood way, but when done right it's no shame to do it the one and only old fashioned way. For the music, Hans Zimmer allows himself to dance along with the characters, creating a charming and very thematic approach that keeps the score fresh and entertaining. The change from the mellow opening to a stout patriotic march in "Welcome to the Army" is simply genius, the combination of lightheartedness, emotion (main theme) and gun ho macho behavior is darn right fetching in "Letter from Home", the trumpet in "Serving Your Country" listens soothing and charming, the emotional, the spirited and the beautiful main theme versions are delightful in "To Thine Own Self ...", the wonderful thematic playfulness of "Victory Starts Here" makes it a must to hear on screen, and the proud eruption of the victory theme in "Benitez Does Henry" is a wonderful highlight when Benitez asks the sergeant if it was enough.
The brilliant combination of various chirpy military marches with a brief main theme version in "Everyone is a Hero" is a fun climax to a brief but delightful 34 minute experience. The song by the entire cast (falsely advertised as Marky Mark) is approachable too, if you enjoyed it in the film. But overall there's hardly a false word you can mention of Renaissance Man. It's harmless entertainment and a thoroughly enjoyable thematic experience coming from an age that feels so long ago. But even then, Hans knew it was about letting the emotion run free, thereby creating a delightful character development that the world sadly never saw.
Favorite Moment - Benitez Does Henry (1.57 - 2.28)
What else? It's such a proud and wonderful eruption of the main theme
Track Listing
1. Welcome to the Army (3.55)
2. Letter from Home (4.26)
3. Serving Your Country (4.13)
4. To Thine Own Self... (4.37) Excellent track
5. Stay With Me (2.13)
6. Victory Starts Here (7.30) Excellent track
7. Benitez Does Henry (2.34) Excellent track
8. Everyone is a Hero (4.33) Excellent track
9. To Be or Not To Be: Marky Mark (2.45)
Total Length: 36.46