JCVD
Gast Waltzing
" This is not just jazz, this is in your face jazz! "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
If you think you have seen everything you need to see of Jean-Claude Van Damme, guess again. JCVD is simply proof there is still a fire burning in the heart and mind of Belgium's biggest star in Hollywood. What you know of him is that he can fight, deliver a punch and do a double salto back kick to shut up his opponents. After all you don't need to act but to react to do those physical stunts. But now JCVD takes away the fights, punches and adds suspension, heart, emotion and the mere fact Jean-Claude is just a simple man, who wants what he deserves. Respect.
Well respect to JCVD and the filmmakers because this is a movie you need to see. At least if you think Jean-Claude can't hack it. Here he hacks it all right and you receive a man of flesh and blood, delivering a heartfelt restrained performance. The context of the whole picture is actually Jean-Claude asking for respect, especially to his home country Belgium. And in a way he is right in criticizing us. Now with JCVD he gives you not only an intelligent downright brilliant monologue of honesty and truth, but also a movie experience that shows sometimes the good lies in the unexpected. And Gast Waltzing adds to that a surprising unexpected score.
For me Gast Waltzing isn't a stranger anymore, especially after his wonderful George and the Dragon. But MovieScore Media shows you how much difference there is between an orchestral epic adventure score and a sizzling dark jazzy suspenseful score. And JCVD starts something like this.
Basically with jazzy melodies and drum rhythms in "JCVD Theme". This is however not the opening theme you hear in the first minutes of the movie, that song isn't discovered on the album at all. The blazing cool "JCVD Theme II" and reprise in "JCVD Theme III" at least give you a nice representation of what you can expect of musical tone in the film.
There was a great amount of wonderful percussion that really nailed the tension in several scenes. The opening of "Get Him" is an example, the second part of "Eh Monsieur Van Damme" does it even better. Further along we have jazzy underscore in "Eh Monsieur Van Damme", "State of Siege" and suspenseful jazzy underscore in "Palindrome", "Hoodheaded Fight / Gunshot" (with amazing trumpet blasts and drums) and "Hey Man!".
But Waltzing does more with the jazz than just suspense or underscore. There's a lovely laid back attitude in "Discovered" while the long "Menace and Execution" adds for the very first time strings to the score, unleashing an unsatisfying resolution to the whole hostage situation.
There's something so cool about it when you listen to JCVD. It literally is music you don't hear a lot anymore today. The jazzy underscore, blasting trumpets and percussion is so cool in the movie, igniting the tension in the scenes very well. And on CD it is just the exact same experience. JCVD is an album that listens extremely cool on CD, but adds that something extra in the actual film. This is not just jazz, this is in your face jazz. And MovieScore Media knew exactly what to do with it.
Tracklisting
1. JCVD Theme (2.10)
2. Get Him (1.54)
3. Family Card (2.17)
4. Eh Monsieur Van Damme (3.25)
5. JCVD Theme II (1.43)
6. State of Siege (2.57)
7. Palindrome (1.22)
8. Negociator (1.18)
9. Hoodheaded Fight / Gunshot (1.23)
10. Naked Parliament (1.51)
11. Hey Man! (1.02)
12. Discovered (4.21)
13. Let's Go For It! (2.24)
14. Première Liberation (2.45)
15. Menace and Execution (9.45)
16. JCVD Theme III (2.03)
Total Length: 42.46
Well respect to JCVD and the filmmakers because this is a movie you need to see. At least if you think Jean-Claude can't hack it. Here he hacks it all right and you receive a man of flesh and blood, delivering a heartfelt restrained performance. The context of the whole picture is actually Jean-Claude asking for respect, especially to his home country Belgium. And in a way he is right in criticizing us. Now with JCVD he gives you not only an intelligent downright brilliant monologue of honesty and truth, but also a movie experience that shows sometimes the good lies in the unexpected. And Gast Waltzing adds to that a surprising unexpected score.
For me Gast Waltzing isn't a stranger anymore, especially after his wonderful George and the Dragon. But MovieScore Media shows you how much difference there is between an orchestral epic adventure score and a sizzling dark jazzy suspenseful score. And JCVD starts something like this.
Basically with jazzy melodies and drum rhythms in "JCVD Theme". This is however not the opening theme you hear in the first minutes of the movie, that song isn't discovered on the album at all. The blazing cool "JCVD Theme II" and reprise in "JCVD Theme III" at least give you a nice representation of what you can expect of musical tone in the film.
There was a great amount of wonderful percussion that really nailed the tension in several scenes. The opening of "Get Him" is an example, the second part of "Eh Monsieur Van Damme" does it even better. Further along we have jazzy underscore in "Eh Monsieur Van Damme", "State of Siege" and suspenseful jazzy underscore in "Palindrome", "Hoodheaded Fight / Gunshot" (with amazing trumpet blasts and drums) and "Hey Man!".
But Waltzing does more with the jazz than just suspense or underscore. There's a lovely laid back attitude in "Discovered" while the long "Menace and Execution" adds for the very first time strings to the score, unleashing an unsatisfying resolution to the whole hostage situation.
There's something so cool about it when you listen to JCVD. It literally is music you don't hear a lot anymore today. The jazzy underscore, blasting trumpets and percussion is so cool in the movie, igniting the tension in the scenes very well. And on CD it is just the exact same experience. JCVD is an album that listens extremely cool on CD, but adds that something extra in the actual film. This is not just jazz, this is in your face jazz. And MovieScore Media knew exactly what to do with it.
Tracklisting
1. JCVD Theme (2.10)
2. Get Him (1.54)
3. Family Card (2.17)
4. Eh Monsieur Van Damme (3.25)
5. JCVD Theme II (1.43)
6. State of Siege (2.57)
7. Palindrome (1.22)
8. Negociator (1.18)
9. Hoodheaded Fight / Gunshot (1.23)
10. Naked Parliament (1.51)
11. Hey Man! (1.02)
12. Discovered (4.21)
13. Let's Go For It! (2.24)
14. Première Liberation (2.45)
15. Menace and Execution (9.45)
16. JCVD Theme III (2.03)
Total Length: 42.46