Robin Hood
Marc Streitenfeld
" If Streitenfeld is William Tell, be sure to duck once he's going for the apple "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Robin Hood has received its fair share of movie adaptations in the past, and yet Ridley Scott thought it was time to do another remake of it. This time it would be Russel Crowe that would play the outlaw, and both hoped it would bring back the Gladiator feel, look and longing effect that made of the sword and sandal epic such a winner. The difference is, this time the score had to come of composer Marc Streitenfeld who has been scoring for Ridley Scott since 2006.
In fact, if you look at the career of Streitenfeld, it's surprising to discover he has been scoring almost nothing but Ridley Scott Movies since then. The only exception is Welcome to the Rileys of 2010. But instead of that sole entry, Marc's been solely composing music for several strong Ridley Scott movies. That his repertoire didn't exactly brought forward the same strong results made people skeptic whether or not Streitenfeld was capable to bring that Gladiator longing effect in Robin Hood. And you need only one listen to realize it wasn't even a close call.
The problem of Robin Hood is its simplicity. If you compare this with something a Goldsmith, a Kamen or some of the forgotten composers could have composed, then Robin Hood of Marc Streitenfeld feels like yet another missed opportunity. Sure, it will serve its purpose during the film, and even on disc it occasionally made me aware I was listening to music in the first place. But more often than not I had the feeling I was hearing music that was accompanying a B-movie for a Sunday afternoon.
It opens with "Destiny" and soon it shows us the main theme rising out of the moody underscore. That this track isn't a problem necessarily has got to do with the fact what kind of music follows after this. "Creatures" might have a somewhat intriguing effect on you through the flute and vocal effects, it nonetheless is a track that feels completely out of context once you place it besides all the other tracks. In fact, this would have been better in the context of Clash of the Titans, another giant box office disappointment.
"Fate Has Smiled Upon Us" was the first track that people heard of Robin Hood, as it soared over the site of the movie flawlessly. Of course it had to be this track considering it's the most epic selection of the entire soundtrack. Sadly it also brings back memories of Transformers landing on earth. So despite the lovely nature of the beast, be sure to remember where it comes from.
Sadly, it never recovers from this moment, because "Godfrey" continues to show the simplicity of it all. I'm sure it all functions inside the movie for some reason, but to think there are so many composers out there that would have made of this a far memorable score continues to haunt me each time I hear a track of this album. For instance "Ambush" is nothing but a suspenseful track that has one advantage, namely Scottish bagpipe music. And it's always nice to know electronic violins can make a giant leap back in history when it features as emotional counterpoint in "Killing Walter".
There are exceptions however that bring me to the point I'm actually singing along, and those are the beautiful moments in "Pact Sworn in Blood", the intriguing vocal work in "Nottingham Burns" (despite the somewhat simplistic underscore), and I can even appreciate the emotional combination of violin, bagpipe and Transformers music in "Landing of the French". Hell, I can even accept "Clash", which merges choir with Transformers like music and an atonal finish. And yes, I even like the Scottish music, in combination with the vocal and the Transformers like theme in "Merry Men", creating a somewhat enjoyable finish.
And yet those are but a distant memory if you receive its main theme version in "Returning the Crown", because these moments should deliver an impact on you yet fail to do so. The same for the calmer moments in "Planting the Fields" and "Sherwood Forest", tracks that try to deliver a sense of diversity yet fail due to their simple flow and instrumentation. "Siege" is probably the biggest failure of all because it brings forward unmemorable, simplistic action music that would service a B-movie better, especially when it brings forward a totally unfitting heroic version of the main theme.
The bagpipe that merges with suspenseful rhythmic music doesn't necessarily achieve great things for "Preparing for Battle" and I can't even describe why "The Final Arrow" just flew by without me ever noticing what it had to offer.
In the end I'm probably even too generous for Robin Hood, because all I can think of is that simplicity, today's electronic sound and a lack of orchestration and depth takes over what could have been something memorable. Memorable if someone else would have composed it. Like so many of today's blockbusters, we are getting wannabe efforts that don't offer us the expected musical punch back. And sadly forgotten composers like Bruce Broughton, Edward Shearmur, Cliff Eidelman and Robert Folk have to sit back and accept that they can't score a blockbuster movie, because someone with far lesser credentials is scoring it instead.
Tracklisting
1. Destiny (3.37)
2. Creatures (2.09)
3. Fate Has Smiled Upon Is (2.02)
4. Godfrey (3.33)
5. Ambush (1.16)
6. Pact Sworn in Blood (2.53)
7. Returning the Crown (1.14)
8. Planting the Fields (1.18)
9. Sherwood Forest (2.20)
10. John is King (4.02)
11. Robin Speaks (2.33)
12. Killing Walter (2.02)
13. Nottingham Burns (2.13)
14. Siege (2.11)
15. Landing of the French (2.49)
16. Walter's Burial (3.05)
17. Preparing for Battle (2.41)
18. Charge (1.20)
19. Clash (2.42)
20. The Final Arrow (2.31)
21. The Legend Begins (1.28)
22. Merry Men (1.49)
Total Length: 51.13
In fact, if you look at the career of Streitenfeld, it's surprising to discover he has been scoring almost nothing but Ridley Scott Movies since then. The only exception is Welcome to the Rileys of 2010. But instead of that sole entry, Marc's been solely composing music for several strong Ridley Scott movies. That his repertoire didn't exactly brought forward the same strong results made people skeptic whether or not Streitenfeld was capable to bring that Gladiator longing effect in Robin Hood. And you need only one listen to realize it wasn't even a close call.
The problem of Robin Hood is its simplicity. If you compare this with something a Goldsmith, a Kamen or some of the forgotten composers could have composed, then Robin Hood of Marc Streitenfeld feels like yet another missed opportunity. Sure, it will serve its purpose during the film, and even on disc it occasionally made me aware I was listening to music in the first place. But more often than not I had the feeling I was hearing music that was accompanying a B-movie for a Sunday afternoon.
It opens with "Destiny" and soon it shows us the main theme rising out of the moody underscore. That this track isn't a problem necessarily has got to do with the fact what kind of music follows after this. "Creatures" might have a somewhat intriguing effect on you through the flute and vocal effects, it nonetheless is a track that feels completely out of context once you place it besides all the other tracks. In fact, this would have been better in the context of Clash of the Titans, another giant box office disappointment.
"Fate Has Smiled Upon Us" was the first track that people heard of Robin Hood, as it soared over the site of the movie flawlessly. Of course it had to be this track considering it's the most epic selection of the entire soundtrack. Sadly it also brings back memories of Transformers landing on earth. So despite the lovely nature of the beast, be sure to remember where it comes from.
Sadly, it never recovers from this moment, because "Godfrey" continues to show the simplicity of it all. I'm sure it all functions inside the movie for some reason, but to think there are so many composers out there that would have made of this a far memorable score continues to haunt me each time I hear a track of this album. For instance "Ambush" is nothing but a suspenseful track that has one advantage, namely Scottish bagpipe music. And it's always nice to know electronic violins can make a giant leap back in history when it features as emotional counterpoint in "Killing Walter".
There are exceptions however that bring me to the point I'm actually singing along, and those are the beautiful moments in "Pact Sworn in Blood", the intriguing vocal work in "Nottingham Burns" (despite the somewhat simplistic underscore), and I can even appreciate the emotional combination of violin, bagpipe and Transformers music in "Landing of the French". Hell, I can even accept "Clash", which merges choir with Transformers like music and an atonal finish. And yes, I even like the Scottish music, in combination with the vocal and the Transformers like theme in "Merry Men", creating a somewhat enjoyable finish.
And yet those are but a distant memory if you receive its main theme version in "Returning the Crown", because these moments should deliver an impact on you yet fail to do so. The same for the calmer moments in "Planting the Fields" and "Sherwood Forest", tracks that try to deliver a sense of diversity yet fail due to their simple flow and instrumentation. "Siege" is probably the biggest failure of all because it brings forward unmemorable, simplistic action music that would service a B-movie better, especially when it brings forward a totally unfitting heroic version of the main theme.
The bagpipe that merges with suspenseful rhythmic music doesn't necessarily achieve great things for "Preparing for Battle" and I can't even describe why "The Final Arrow" just flew by without me ever noticing what it had to offer.
In the end I'm probably even too generous for Robin Hood, because all I can think of is that simplicity, today's electronic sound and a lack of orchestration and depth takes over what could have been something memorable. Memorable if someone else would have composed it. Like so many of today's blockbusters, we are getting wannabe efforts that don't offer us the expected musical punch back. And sadly forgotten composers like Bruce Broughton, Edward Shearmur, Cliff Eidelman and Robert Folk have to sit back and accept that they can't score a blockbuster movie, because someone with far lesser credentials is scoring it instead.
Tracklisting
1. Destiny (3.37)
2. Creatures (2.09)
3. Fate Has Smiled Upon Is (2.02)
4. Godfrey (3.33)
5. Ambush (1.16)
6. Pact Sworn in Blood (2.53)
7. Returning the Crown (1.14)
8. Planting the Fields (1.18)
9. Sherwood Forest (2.20)
10. John is King (4.02)
11. Robin Speaks (2.33)
12. Killing Walter (2.02)
13. Nottingham Burns (2.13)
14. Siege (2.11)
15. Landing of the French (2.49)
16. Walter's Burial (3.05)
17. Preparing for Battle (2.41)
18. Charge (1.20)
19. Clash (2.42)
20. The Final Arrow (2.31)
21. The Legend Begins (1.28)
22. Merry Men (1.49)
Total Length: 51.13