The Avengers (1998)

Joel McNeely

 
" Joel McNeely, you're needed. "

Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release

The movie The Avengers (not to be mistaken for the 2012 Marvel box office cannon) was a 1998 film adaptation of the British television series of the same name (which aired in the 1960s). It starred Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman, Sean Connery, Jim Broadbent and Fiona Shaw, and it had the incredible gift to ridicule every single one of them on screen. Not the least Sir Sean Connery when he had to act in the now classic bear scene (which surely goes down in history as one of the worst moments ever to be put in a film). Anyway, the movie was a critical flop, didn't salvage much from its box office trip and was already seriously cut down in length to lure people to the cinema.

This 30 minute cut also had a large impact on Michael Kamen's already composed score. Considering he didn't have time to rescore it (scheduling conflicts), the people went to look for a different composer who had to get the job done in a short amount of time. And composer Joel McNeely turned out to be the saving angel. Furthermore, thank god it didn't undermine the experience whatsoever. We open with a mysterious "Main Title", just igniting enough of the spy 'James Bond' sound at the end to get an early kick out of it, followed closely by the brilliant propulsive "Prospero Lab Destruction", a cue that returns with the main theme of the film and a propulsive action rhythm that ridicules most of today's action music without a fight. Damn, oh how I miss the good old days.

The 2 protagonists receive their own sound in the upcoming tracks, though the refined charming and playful interludes of "John Steed, I Presume" linger in the mind longer than "Meet Emma Peel" (something that the film does reverse rather well I might add). This gets an encore by real live organ in "DeWinter Castle" and a furious reprise during the second part of "Sir August's Garden". And need I say more, the action music surely sparkles during the entire soundtrack. The jazzy trumpet counterattacking the rhythmic brass surely stands for "Chasing Teddy Bears", and what can be said about the crazy energy (slightly comical and enhanced by electronics) that gives sizzling energy to "Flight of the Mechanical Bees" (again music you will not hear anymore today). And get ready for more of that amazing riveting pace in "Emma's Balloon Escape" (with full on atonal brass straight out of Terminal Velocity).

The score shifts between the mysterious (slightly darker) underscore in "Stairway to Madness", romantic relief in "Are You All Right?" and wondrous strings for the weather effects in "The Final Conflict", conflicting in some amazing fanfares near the end as well.

What The Avengers lacks in melodic construction, it fixes by sheer intelligent writing. This is the kind of music that you don't hear from a composer who has 2 months to write it all down, so why is it that we hear it coming from a man who probably had mere weeks instead? I'll tell you why, because Joel McNeely is that kind of composer. A composer who grew up in the good old days, when film-music was still important to be intelligent and complex. Joel McNeely has such a rugged side in his music that it can be overtly complex for the melodic soul, but through the detailed rough exterior it creates a mind blowing propulsive listening experience that can ignite any room in the house. And that's what The Avengers basically is, offering propulsive rhythms for the action scenes and intelligent underscore for its story telling. Enough to win the award for only redeeming element of the movie, enough to reinforce my cry to bring Joel McNeely back to the world of film-music. Seth MacFarlane has done that in 2014, now the producers must have the only common sense to keep him there as well, by allowing him to write his music. Not a fan of The Avengers in general, but I'm still blown away by the detailed action music. Enough to recommend people to at least give it a try.

Favorite Moment - Emma's Balloon Escape (2.51 - 4.24)
Ow baby, how I miss rhythmic balls to the walls action music

Track Listing

1. Main Title (2.52)
2. Prospero Lab Destruction (3.51) Excellent track
3. Meet Emma Peel (1.09)
4. John Steed, I Presume? (2.51)
5. DeWinter Castle (2.08)
6. Sir August's Garden (4.22)
7. Chasing Teddy Bears (4.22)
8. Flight of the Mechanical Bees (3.04) Excellent track
9. Into the Love Maze (3.56)
10. DeWinter's Waltz (1.25)
11. Stairway to Madness (2.41)
12. Invisible Jones (3.53)
13. Emma's Balloon Escape (4.18) Excellent track
14. Are You All Right? (2.30)
15. Avenging Crimes (5.09)
16. The Final Conflict (7.22)
17. Aftermath (1.05)
18. The Avengers Theme * (1.25)

* Composed by Laurie Johnson for the original TV series

Total Length: 58.23
(click to rate this score)  
 
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(total of 4 votes - average 3.75/5)

Released by

Compass III COMO100 (regular release 1998)

Conducted by

Joel McNeely

Orchestrations by

Joel McNeely & David Slonaker