Yor, The Hunter from the Future
John Scott, Guido De Angelis and Maurizio De Angelis
" Yor, cheesy movie, John Scott's entertaining orchestral answer, 2 Italians's additional score joke on the side "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
Yor, The Hunter from the Future is one of those bad B-movie films of the 80's, made by the famous Italian B-movie director Antonio Margheriti. The film is listed in the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made list, plus it was also nominated for three 1983 Golden Raspberry Awards: Worst New Star (Reb Brown), Worst Musical Score and Worst Original Song ("Yor's World"). If these guys are referring to the original score of John Scott, then they surely don't know good music if it bites them is the ass. Because Scott's music is without doubt one if the only saving grace of the movie. But then again, very little of Scott's music was used for the film, so why are we surprised that it received a nomination?
Take it from me, John Scott's music is the only saving grace of the film. It's rather noticeable once Scott opens with the main title theme in "Yor's Theme" (revoking the spirit of The Final Countdown's main theme). He adapts this theme in a charming way, often underscoring some kind of love or beauty Yor is feeling. This is heard in "Death Rules this Land" and "At the Waterfall". The actual love theme pops up in "Search for Ka-Laa" and is never heard off again. So I'm betting he didn't find her and stopped searching.
But the catchiest theme or moment surely comes during tracks 11 to 14. In here Scott delivers his own imperial march for the Overlord. Albeit never as good, it is surely a catchy slow marching tune full of darkness and deceit, and it will stay in your head for a long long time. In "Mysterious Island" he blends it with the urgent strings to create some kind of suspense on the island, in "March of the Overlord" and "Reinforced" he lets the theme do the talking instead. These tracks are surely the most memorable ones. And you can add some nice action music to that as well, often bringing enjoyable action fanfares and drum patterns that enlighten just about any good adventure movie of the 80's. "The Revolution Begins" and "Final Battle / Race to the Shuttle" are enjoyable ones in their genre.
Now if the Golden Raspberry Awards decided to nominate this for worst musical score because of the contribution made by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis, then they by might be on to something. In all fairness, you could compare it with Legend. Music by Jerry Goldsmith in one release, music by Tangerine Dream in another. Whatever Scott tried to save with his old fashioned score, Guido and Maurizio De Angelis ruin it with their cheap electronic ambient score. It is not per se atrocious, but it's all mood compared to the actual melodies that John Scott delivered, and it adds nothing than electronic sound design to a movie that probably doesn't deserve better. To compare "The Final Battle" of the 2 with Scott's piece is like comparing a toddler's drawing with a Da Vinci's painting. And please check out the song "Yor's World" too, it reminds me of a karaoke bar performance by some kind of stoned teenager.
In all fairness, Scott's score for Yor, The Hunter from the Future is way too good for a cheesy no good looking B-movie of the 80's. In fact, Scott or whoever decided to throw his music away spared the brave composer the humiliation. But it is Scott's contribution that shows a detailed orchestral finesse that could have made the experience remotely bearable. And like Goldsmith's attempt in Legend, most people never got the chance to hear it in the film. And then I'm honestly glad that Yor, The Hunter from the Future slipped its sorry ass downhill to the depths of the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made list (Minus the Enjoyable of course).
John Scott's Score: ***12
Guido and Maurizio De Angelis's Score: **
Tracklisting
Tracks 1 - 17 composed by John Scott
1. Yor's Theme (1.37)
2. Main Title (Unused) (2.03)
3. Aerial Assault (2.27)
4. Death Rules This Land (4.05)
5. Queen Roa (1.48)
6. At the Waterfall (1.40)
7. Ambushed (2.14)
8. Search for Ka-Laa (1.43)
9. Seaside Idyll (2.44)
10. Journey to the Island (2.23)
11. March of the Overlord (1.18)
12. Mysterious Island (3.11) Excellent track
13. The Revolution Begins (4.09)
14. Reinforced (1.36) Excellent track
15. Final Battle / Race to the Shuttle (5.00) Excellent track
16. Yor's Theme (Reprise) (1.37)
17. Ka-Laa's Dance (Source Music) (2.26)
Tracks 18 - 29 composed by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis
18. Flight From the Cavern (3.28)
19. Get Into the Seaside (1.38)
20. Roa's Death (2.18)
21. The Bombed Village (1.49)
22. Yor and Roat at the Waterfall (1.36)
23. The Journey (2.31)
24. The Final Battle (5.35)
25. Hurricane (2.28)
26. Fight With the Firemen (2.02)
27. Yor's Memories (0.34)
28. The Sacrifice of the Fire (1.49)
29. Yor's World: Oliver Onions * (4.35)
* Lyrics by Barbara Antonia, Susan Duncan-Smith, Pauline Hanna and Cesare De Natale
Total Length: 72.24
Take it from me, John Scott's music is the only saving grace of the film. It's rather noticeable once Scott opens with the main title theme in "Yor's Theme" (revoking the spirit of The Final Countdown's main theme). He adapts this theme in a charming way, often underscoring some kind of love or beauty Yor is feeling. This is heard in "Death Rules this Land" and "At the Waterfall". The actual love theme pops up in "Search for Ka-Laa" and is never heard off again. So I'm betting he didn't find her and stopped searching.
But the catchiest theme or moment surely comes during tracks 11 to 14. In here Scott delivers his own imperial march for the Overlord. Albeit never as good, it is surely a catchy slow marching tune full of darkness and deceit, and it will stay in your head for a long long time. In "Mysterious Island" he blends it with the urgent strings to create some kind of suspense on the island, in "March of the Overlord" and "Reinforced" he lets the theme do the talking instead. These tracks are surely the most memorable ones. And you can add some nice action music to that as well, often bringing enjoyable action fanfares and drum patterns that enlighten just about any good adventure movie of the 80's. "The Revolution Begins" and "Final Battle / Race to the Shuttle" are enjoyable ones in their genre.
Now if the Golden Raspberry Awards decided to nominate this for worst musical score because of the contribution made by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis, then they by might be on to something. In all fairness, you could compare it with Legend. Music by Jerry Goldsmith in one release, music by Tangerine Dream in another. Whatever Scott tried to save with his old fashioned score, Guido and Maurizio De Angelis ruin it with their cheap electronic ambient score. It is not per se atrocious, but it's all mood compared to the actual melodies that John Scott delivered, and it adds nothing than electronic sound design to a movie that probably doesn't deserve better. To compare "The Final Battle" of the 2 with Scott's piece is like comparing a toddler's drawing with a Da Vinci's painting. And please check out the song "Yor's World" too, it reminds me of a karaoke bar performance by some kind of stoned teenager.
In all fairness, Scott's score for Yor, The Hunter from the Future is way too good for a cheesy no good looking B-movie of the 80's. In fact, Scott or whoever decided to throw his music away spared the brave composer the humiliation. But it is Scott's contribution that shows a detailed orchestral finesse that could have made the experience remotely bearable. And like Goldsmith's attempt in Legend, most people never got the chance to hear it in the film. And then I'm honestly glad that Yor, The Hunter from the Future slipped its sorry ass downhill to the depths of the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made list (Minus the Enjoyable of course).
John Scott's Score: ***12
Guido and Maurizio De Angelis's Score: **
Tracklisting
Tracks 1 - 17 composed by John Scott
1. Yor's Theme (1.37)
2. Main Title (Unused) (2.03)
3. Aerial Assault (2.27)
4. Death Rules This Land (4.05)
5. Queen Roa (1.48)
6. At the Waterfall (1.40)
7. Ambushed (2.14)
8. Search for Ka-Laa (1.43)
9. Seaside Idyll (2.44)
10. Journey to the Island (2.23)
11. March of the Overlord (1.18)
12. Mysterious Island (3.11) Excellent track
13. The Revolution Begins (4.09)
14. Reinforced (1.36) Excellent track
15. Final Battle / Race to the Shuttle (5.00) Excellent track
16. Yor's Theme (Reprise) (1.37)
17. Ka-Laa's Dance (Source Music) (2.26)
Tracks 18 - 29 composed by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis
18. Flight From the Cavern (3.28)
19. Get Into the Seaside (1.38)
20. Roa's Death (2.18)
21. The Bombed Village (1.49)
22. Yor and Roat at the Waterfall (1.36)
23. The Journey (2.31)
24. The Final Battle (5.35)
25. Hurricane (2.28)
26. Fight With the Firemen (2.02)
27. Yor's Memories (0.34)
28. The Sacrifice of the Fire (1.49)
29. Yor's World: Oliver Onions * (4.35)
* Lyrics by Barbara Antonia, Susan Duncan-Smith, Pauline Hanna and Cesare De Natale
Total Length: 72.24