The Relic

The Relic was a typical monster movie of the 90's, with good special effects (courtesy of Stan Winston), a typical build up and the appearance of beloved and not beloved characters all in one fairly entertaining design. The movie was perhaps too dark during most of the scenes to see everything clearly, but I've seen worse than The Relic. Sadly it didn't do too well at the box office, but it did bring John Debney back to the masses after his collaboration on Sudden Death 3 years before that. After The Relic, John Debney worked together with Hyams one last time, namely on End of Days.

The Relic never saw an official release (though roaming around the catacombs of the internet on a promo), until La-La Land released it early January 2013. Considering it stayed hidden for that long, it somehow made it clear The Relic was not the hidden treasure of John Debney's career. And this 60 minute listen confirms it. One of the problems is the lack of diversity, specifically for the first 45 minutes of the film. It all centers around a constant returning 3 note motif that perfectly sums up the mystery that stands for The Relic. It's perfect and basically the only element that's worth remembering of the first 10 tracks, but it also listens exactly the same in any of those tracks. No louder performance, no variation, and constantly found in the vicinity of eerie strings, creepy atonal outbursts or low moody underscore. No change until the beast will finally reveal itself.

And that pretty much happens in "Shut it Down / Deadly Shadow / Leftovers / Guided Tour / Lights Out", 8 minutes where the 3 note motif pops up alongside more growing suspense and loads of shrieking attacking strings. And as the first 10 tracks tended to repeat oneself, expect the horror to do the same. Atonal outbursts, shrieking strings, all without a single change in tone, pace or style. It's all damn effective and I can even enjoy it wholeheartedly, but those 40 minutes say exactly the same as 2 tracks of 3 minutes each. So expect the finale "Striking Back / Face to Face" to appear the fastest, the loudest, the most shrieking of all, without a singular moment of change.

Meaning, there's a 5 minute end credits piece that perfectly sums up what you need to remember of The Relic (mostly for the action version of the 3 note motif that finally brings us the change we were looking for). Which makes a 60 minute presentation practically obsolete. Again, I wasn't bored when listening to this 60 minute presentation whatsoever, but there is really no need to hear it, because 1 track sums it up perfectly. The Relic is therefore food for monsters and John Debney fans who have seen the film and enjoyed it.

Favorite Moment - End Credits (1.32 - 1.59)
Though we have heard it endless times before, the 3 note motif is finally and solely used as an action version here

Track Listing

1. The Ritual (3.51)
2. A Desperate Search (2.07)
3. Grim Discovery (1.30)
4. Kothoga * / The Crates / The Incinerator / Ford Checks Out / Studying the Leaves (2.16)
5. Something in the Stairwell (1.35)
6. Through the Lab / Skyline / Lab Analysis (1.27)
7. Exhibit Preview (3.02)
8. Dark Signs / The Lair / Just A Maniac (3.20)
9. The Relic Restored / The Patrons Arrive / Big Beetle Surprise (2.37)
10. Search Dogs / Hormones (1.43)
11. The Scent / Contact / Margo Lost (2.34)
12. Shut it Down / Deadly Shadow / Leftovers / Guided Tour / Lights Out (8.28)
13. Electrical Work / Hammered Steel / The Callisto Effect (5.24)
14. Torches / The Devil's Desserts (1.59)
15. Swatted (3.23)
16. Tunnels (5.20)
17. Striking Back / Face to Face (8.40)
18. Lucky Bullet (0.55)
19. End Credits (4.59)

Bonus Track
20. Lucky Bullet (Wild Alternate Version) (1.23)

* = not used in film

Total Length: 62.12