WarGames
Arthur B. Rubinstein
" Some nice moments in an average package. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the collector's edition
Arthur B. Rubinstein takes cue from possible WWIII scenario, writes for massive orchestra, augments all with expanded brass including extra trumpets, trombones plus rare baritone horns! Thematically rich score offers numerous highlights but propulsive, dynamic action cues in second half are stand-outs! If you read this from an online webstore, you are psyched yes? Knowing barely something of the movie and nothing of the music, I was sold. However the taste of a singular individual remains, no matter the charm always something different. Hence the reason I don't see WarGames like it is heralded here. The problem is that this isn't a bad score, but that the highlights are solid moments in an awkward sounding package.
A thematically rich score is one thing, but then the themes must be strong enough to remember them. Without the booklet I would have missed the five themes without a question. That there are numerous themes ('motifs I call theme') is a praise for an album as this, but on disc they are all interwoven into Rubinstein's sound design. A sound design where electronics are even more hideous than those used in Blue Thunder. Where an orchestra isn't that dominating nor propulsive than I would have liked to have heard. Nonetheless the score has several winning moments, but they aren't of the standard I assumed them to be at first.
The beginning of the score isn't a win win situation at all. The drums and suspense Goldsmith opening in "War Games" isn't that incredible and the song which follows this piece is absolutely horrible. Think of "Video Killed the Radio Star" but actually killing it. The electronic sound in "Prinicipal Offic" and especially "A New Grade" is even worse than first expected. It makes Blue Thunder sound like a piece that came from heaven.
A step in the right direction turns up in "History Lesson" where an orchestral rousing score is detected in another (this time more acceptable) song. Here the main theme of David is heard for the first time. From this point on the score becomes distinctly more orchestral. The mysterious flutes in "Home Movie" come straight from of Silvestri's Volcano score while an orchestral rousing affair erupts in "A Game of Chess?". Here optimistic signs of Rubinstein's ideas are welcomed with open arms.
Talking about these optimistic and rousing affairs, remember the following tracks as well; the toying of David's theme in "NORAD" and of the Edge of the World theme in "David Captured", a choral theme for the Russians in "Confidence is High", the harmonica / pastoral sound in "Off to See Faulken" and the rise of the song (Edge of the World) in many calmer tracks, including the lovely send off "End Credits".
We were however informed about the propulsive dynamic action tracks and in these parts they aren't as big as stated, but they sure are interesting and exciting enough to discover. The rise of one of the best themes in this score blesses the action music in "Helicopter Pursuit & Launch Detected" while that same melody is interwoven magically in "Faulken's House" ending. Rubinstein must be heralded for his suspenseful music during the final computer games. "Closing the Mountain" holds many fine (almost the same) Blue Thunder fanfares while "Winner None" is basically a brilliant motif laden affair that grows to an impressive climax.
But this can't take away the sometimes hideous sounding synthesized noises nor the average power coming from the orchestra. The song heard in various guises around the entire score is nice enough and some themes (Faulken's and David's especially) are important enough to remember. The more average motifs (WOPR, gaming, nuclear, mischief, military) are effective to carry the underscore without knowing they're there.
But is this all enough if you expect massive orchestra, expanded brass including extra trumpets, and thematically rich score offering numerous highlights (including propulsive, dynamic action cues)? Of course not. A part of course has got to do with the name. You can't expect Goldsmith/Williams material in a Rubinstein effort. But you can expect something more exciting than this. Of the 34 tracks, practically half is easy forgettable and that doesn't warrant WarGames the classic standard the release is trying to conjure. Some nice moments in an average package, luckily filled with interesting liner notes that produce more information than the score can handle.
Tracklisting
1. War Games (3.41)
2. Video Fever * (2.23)
3. Principal's Office (1.51)
4. A New Grade (2.09)
5. The Games Begin (2.45)
6. History Lesson * (1.46)
7. Home Movie (1.38)
8. A Game of Chess? (3.05)
9. Nuclear Alert (2.59)
10. Walk Thru Norad (2.18)
11. David Captured (3.55)
12. David Searches (1.35)
13. The Sneak (2.22)
14. Norad (0.58)
15. It Could be War (0.43)
16. Confidence is High (1.08)
17. Off to see Faulken (1.07)
18. WOPR (2.13)
19. Maneuvers (1.36)
20. Faulken's House (1.54)
21. Time's Up (0.17)
22. I Can't Swim (1.29)
23. David's Concern (2.21)
24. Helicopter Pursuit & Launch Detected (2.46)
25. Closing the Mountain (1.51)
26. Who's First? (2.06)
27. Joshua! (2.37)
28. It Might be Real (0.58)
29. Tic Tac Toe (1.32)
30. Winner None (1.45)
31. End Credits (3.21)
32. Edge of the World (Choral Version) (2.03)
Bonus Tracks
33. Winner None (Original Version) (1.46)
34. Edge of the World: Yvonne Elliman (1.51)
* performed by The Beepers
Total Length: 68.11
A thematically rich score is one thing, but then the themes must be strong enough to remember them. Without the booklet I would have missed the five themes without a question. That there are numerous themes ('motifs I call theme') is a praise for an album as this, but on disc they are all interwoven into Rubinstein's sound design. A sound design where electronics are even more hideous than those used in Blue Thunder. Where an orchestra isn't that dominating nor propulsive than I would have liked to have heard. Nonetheless the score has several winning moments, but they aren't of the standard I assumed them to be at first.
The beginning of the score isn't a win win situation at all. The drums and suspense Goldsmith opening in "War Games" isn't that incredible and the song which follows this piece is absolutely horrible. Think of "Video Killed the Radio Star" but actually killing it. The electronic sound in "Prinicipal Offic" and especially "A New Grade" is even worse than first expected. It makes Blue Thunder sound like a piece that came from heaven.
A step in the right direction turns up in "History Lesson" where an orchestral rousing score is detected in another (this time more acceptable) song. Here the main theme of David is heard for the first time. From this point on the score becomes distinctly more orchestral. The mysterious flutes in "Home Movie" come straight from of Silvestri's Volcano score while an orchestral rousing affair erupts in "A Game of Chess?". Here optimistic signs of Rubinstein's ideas are welcomed with open arms.
Talking about these optimistic and rousing affairs, remember the following tracks as well; the toying of David's theme in "NORAD" and of the Edge of the World theme in "David Captured", a choral theme for the Russians in "Confidence is High", the harmonica / pastoral sound in "Off to See Faulken" and the rise of the song (Edge of the World) in many calmer tracks, including the lovely send off "End Credits".
We were however informed about the propulsive dynamic action tracks and in these parts they aren't as big as stated, but they sure are interesting and exciting enough to discover. The rise of one of the best themes in this score blesses the action music in "Helicopter Pursuit & Launch Detected" while that same melody is interwoven magically in "Faulken's House" ending. Rubinstein must be heralded for his suspenseful music during the final computer games. "Closing the Mountain" holds many fine (almost the same) Blue Thunder fanfares while "Winner None" is basically a brilliant motif laden affair that grows to an impressive climax.
But this can't take away the sometimes hideous sounding synthesized noises nor the average power coming from the orchestra. The song heard in various guises around the entire score is nice enough and some themes (Faulken's and David's especially) are important enough to remember. The more average motifs (WOPR, gaming, nuclear, mischief, military) are effective to carry the underscore without knowing they're there.
But is this all enough if you expect massive orchestra, expanded brass including extra trumpets, and thematically rich score offering numerous highlights (including propulsive, dynamic action cues)? Of course not. A part of course has got to do with the name. You can't expect Goldsmith/Williams material in a Rubinstein effort. But you can expect something more exciting than this. Of the 34 tracks, practically half is easy forgettable and that doesn't warrant WarGames the classic standard the release is trying to conjure. Some nice moments in an average package, luckily filled with interesting liner notes that produce more information than the score can handle.
Tracklisting
1. War Games (3.41)
2. Video Fever * (2.23)
3. Principal's Office (1.51)
4. A New Grade (2.09)
5. The Games Begin (2.45)
6. History Lesson * (1.46)
7. Home Movie (1.38)
8. A Game of Chess? (3.05)
9. Nuclear Alert (2.59)
10. Walk Thru Norad (2.18)
11. David Captured (3.55)
12. David Searches (1.35)
13. The Sneak (2.22)
14. Norad (0.58)
15. It Could be War (0.43)
16. Confidence is High (1.08)
17. Off to see Faulken (1.07)
18. WOPR (2.13)
19. Maneuvers (1.36)
20. Faulken's House (1.54)
21. Time's Up (0.17)
22. I Can't Swim (1.29)
23. David's Concern (2.21)
24. Helicopter Pursuit & Launch Detected (2.46)
25. Closing the Mountain (1.51)
26. Who's First? (2.06)
27. Joshua! (2.37)
28. It Might be Real (0.58)
29. Tic Tac Toe (1.32)
30. Winner None (1.45)
31. End Credits (3.21)
32. Edge of the World (Choral Version) (2.03)
Bonus Tracks
33. Winner None (Original Version) (1.46)
34. Edge of the World: Yvonne Elliman (1.51)
* performed by The Beepers
Total Length: 68.11