Wolfen
James Horner
" Wolfen run around like Aliens "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The movie Wolfen of 1981 is a movie that you can interpretate in so many ways. Some call it a werewolf film, others a movie where people can exchange the soul of a wolf and become them whenever they want. My money's on the second one. All in all, it's not a bad film but some things feel kinda strange. For instance the relationship between the 2 lead actors (Finney and Venora) takes so many different turns that it's hard believing them (especially when they're suddenly in bed for no apparent reason), another part is that the movie shows you the revelation basically during the last 15 minutes or so, something that couldn't work today. But therein lies also its strength, considering it's the mystery that keeps this film interesting until the end, that and the in zoom camera effect that follows the wolves running around. All in all a decent watch.
For the music, one James Horner was chosen. Fresh off the success of B-movies Humanoids from the Deep and Battle Beyond the Stars, Horner was chosen to put the fear into the suburban streets of the Bronx. And that he has, in the way he only can do it. Now it feels like the most common thing on earth, but back then people weren't too familiar with Horner's re use of ideas, motifs, methods. So just remember that Wolfen is basically Aliens in parts, without the thrilling effect at times.
Opening with the trumpet motif that's used so thrillingly in Aliens action pieces, this time it sets the mystery for what's to come in "Main Title". That mystery continues basically for the remainder of the score, but in "Van Der Veer's Demise" its more the threatening brass and the atonal violins that set the tones of the threat closing in on Van Der Veer. All in all, you can see Wolfen pretty much as a tone setter for Aliens, considering it uses the entire build up, mystery and eeriness of Aliens complete sound design, minus the thrilling action that's more or less absent here. In fact, Wolfen sounds pretty thin (but effective nonetheless) if you compare it with Aliens nowadays.
A bit of thrill arrives in "Wolfen Run to Church", a lot more thrill attacks "Whittington's Death" while "Wall Street and the Wolves basically storms out with Aliens thrilling action music. The climatic final seconds of "The Final Confrontation" brings us towards "Epilogue and End Credits", a culmination of the mystery music, offering sometimes material that we haven't heard before on disc. All the while the mystery surrounds "Indian Bar" (using some pretty nice music, including more Aliens mystery music) and the weird romance brings up a gentle love theme in "Rebecca's Apartment".
Wolfen is once again effective and perfectly entertaining, but somehow it lacks something extra. It uses pretty much the same techniques, it supports the scenes with more or less the same music after a while and the fact of the matter is, it is pretty much Aliens in a nutshell. But that we have to accept, considering it was written before Aliens and people who don't mind a strong rehash of that score will accept Wolfen for what it is, a young, clever and downright entertaining re use score.
Favorite Moment - Wall Street and the Wolves (0.12-2.55)
Aliens in a nutshell, but damn it remains exciting material
Track Listing
1. Main Title (2.25)
2. Van Der Veer's Demise (7.13)
3. In The Church (3.15)
4. Wolfen Run to Church (1.15)
5. Whittington's Death (1.47)
6. Shape Shifting (2.13)
7. Rebecca's Apartment (1.24)
8. Indian Bar (6.54)
9. Wall Street and the Wolves (2.58) Excellent track
10. The Final Confrontation (3.33)
11. Epilogue and End Credits (5.41)
Bonus Tracks
12. Rebecca's Apartment [Original With Trumpet] (1.24)
13. Epilogue and End Credits [Original Version] (5.51)
Total Length: 45.53
For the music, one James Horner was chosen. Fresh off the success of B-movies Humanoids from the Deep and Battle Beyond the Stars, Horner was chosen to put the fear into the suburban streets of the Bronx. And that he has, in the way he only can do it. Now it feels like the most common thing on earth, but back then people weren't too familiar with Horner's re use of ideas, motifs, methods. So just remember that Wolfen is basically Aliens in parts, without the thrilling effect at times.
Opening with the trumpet motif that's used so thrillingly in Aliens action pieces, this time it sets the mystery for what's to come in "Main Title". That mystery continues basically for the remainder of the score, but in "Van Der Veer's Demise" its more the threatening brass and the atonal violins that set the tones of the threat closing in on Van Der Veer. All in all, you can see Wolfen pretty much as a tone setter for Aliens, considering it uses the entire build up, mystery and eeriness of Aliens complete sound design, minus the thrilling action that's more or less absent here. In fact, Wolfen sounds pretty thin (but effective nonetheless) if you compare it with Aliens nowadays.
A bit of thrill arrives in "Wolfen Run to Church", a lot more thrill attacks "Whittington's Death" while "Wall Street and the Wolves basically storms out with Aliens thrilling action music. The climatic final seconds of "The Final Confrontation" brings us towards "Epilogue and End Credits", a culmination of the mystery music, offering sometimes material that we haven't heard before on disc. All the while the mystery surrounds "Indian Bar" (using some pretty nice music, including more Aliens mystery music) and the weird romance brings up a gentle love theme in "Rebecca's Apartment".
Wolfen is once again effective and perfectly entertaining, but somehow it lacks something extra. It uses pretty much the same techniques, it supports the scenes with more or less the same music after a while and the fact of the matter is, it is pretty much Aliens in a nutshell. But that we have to accept, considering it was written before Aliens and people who don't mind a strong rehash of that score will accept Wolfen for what it is, a young, clever and downright entertaining re use score.
Favorite Moment - Wall Street and the Wolves (0.12-2.55)
Aliens in a nutshell, but damn it remains exciting material
Track Listing
1. Main Title (2.25)
2. Van Der Veer's Demise (7.13)
3. In The Church (3.15)
4. Wolfen Run to Church (1.15)
5. Whittington's Death (1.47)
6. Shape Shifting (2.13)
7. Rebecca's Apartment (1.24)
8. Indian Bar (6.54)
9. Wall Street and the Wolves (2.58) Excellent track
10. The Final Confrontation (3.33)
11. Epilogue and End Credits (5.41)
Bonus Tracks
12. Rebecca's Apartment [Original With Trumpet] (1.24)
13. Epilogue and End Credits [Original Version] (5.51)
Total Length: 45.53