Film Music on the Web, May 1, 2001

Two works you're never likely to have heard of have been unearthed here. Very welcome they are too since they offer a far better display of the composer's ability than anything he's worked on for a few years now. Fire On The Mountain, which comes first, was a 1981 TV movie about an old rancher fending off the US military who want to buy him out of his property. What you therefore get is a gentle rolling feel for the glorious New Mexico mountain backdrop contrasted with bursts of Western cheer for every fluttering Government flag. It's the disc's subtler half, with the mournful piano solo of "Drop Off / Rascal" lingering pleasantly in the memory as well as a flute and strings combination of the utmost delicacy for "Boots / Cruza / Candle".

If that piece weren't obscure enough, Flyers is an IMAX film from 1983 that had an even more limited engagement than a TV broadcast. Its movie within a movie topic is of stunt plane pilots crafting a documentary of what they can do. Poledouris responded with enthusiasm to say the least, making this the engagingly upbeat half of the disc. There are lots of very exciting brass passages, including a comical excerpt from "The Can-Can" during "Stunt Work / More Stunt Work". There's also a regular element of grandeur that you'd expect from a film format designed to dazzle the eye with landscape. This is best shown off in "Night Flight / The Canyon". Then, just when you're enjoying the militaristic highlight "The Test", the album ends. And that's the only disappointment, in that 40 minutes for two projects doesn't feel like you've eaten enough of a very fine meal.

Sometimes one hears a soundtrack from a never-heard-of film and knows at once that the music is so wonderful it just had to be released, never mind that barely a soul beyond the makers of the movie have the slightest inkling it even exists. And sometimes one wonders why music from movies so obscure even the most seasoned film buff has never heard of them should ever be issued. Such is the case here. Which is not to say that there is anything actually wrong with the music on this album, only that it is no better or worse than that from hundreds, if not thousands of other obscure movies, such that one has to wonder just who will want to buy it. One can only assume that in this age of plenty, where virtually everything seems to become available if one waits long enough, the name Basil Poledouris is sufficient to make the album a viable prospect.

The album couples two short scores from the same period in Poledouris' career, the pair further connected by the theme of military aviation. Fire on the Mountain is a 1981 TV movie about the conflict between an elderly rancher (Buddy Ebsen) and the US Airforce, who attempt to compulsorily purchase his land to extend the missile range at White Sands, New Mexico. The score, as presented here, consists of 9 cues totalling 20:42. This is writing dominated by a wistful, Americana main theme that harks back to earlier, simpler times of memory. It is clear that this, which reaches a warm, bittersweet climax in 'Good-bye, O' Horse' will be highly effective in the film itself. It is effective enough, in a rather sentimental heart-wrenching way, on disc. Orchestrated largely for strings and woodwind and harp, with a typically television movie small-scale sound, this is impeccably crafted, melodic and pleasant. Unfortunately there is nothing to seriously warrant replaying, sounding as it does so much like good quality folksy music for untold other heart-warming /breaking television melodramas.

Flyers dates from 1983, and while now equally as obscure as Fire on the Mountain comes from the opposite end of the production scale. This was a 35-minute IMAX drama about a WWII veteran who becomes a stunt pilot for the movies, thus providing the film makers with the pretext for a series of spectacular aerial set-pieces shot for the huge IMAX screen. The score runs 18:52 and comprises 7 tracks and is very much what one would expect, all bar the spark of outright inspiration that would make it special. These are sturdy cues designed to generate either excitement or a sense of wonder at the majesty of flight, and while they presumably do the job in the cinema (complete with assorted 'soaring' clichŽs and wordless male choir), they come across as enjoyable yet not in the same league as composers such as John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith might have delivered around the same period. It may be that for the IMAX format one hopes for truly lavish, bold and epic scoring, yet here that all important sense of vast scale is largely absent. Nor is the score helped by a sound which, on this CD at least, is less dazzlingly rich and rather more hissy ('We'll Talk' is particularly bad) than one would expect from 1983. Indeed, both scores on the album suffer from a sound which might charitably be called 'dry'. Nevertheless this is decent-enough all American film scoring with an attractive main theme, and will no doubt make especial fans of the composer very happy.

Film Score Central, April 12, 2001

While, I am basically familiar with the work Poledouris has done in the last 10 years or so, I have become a fan of his more emotional scores that have that special touch and tenderness of his. Of course, I love his bombastic pounding and last but not least his exciting westerns. All of his work brings something original and creative to the foreground of each and every score he composes. This makes his music standout in my mind, with the likes of Goldsmith and Williams.

A part of his work that I have been getting more and more interested in the last few years happens to be Poledouris' earlier compositions. Sure, I have and get much enjoyment out of the scores to the Conan films, however, it is the likes of The Blue lagoon, Red Dawn, Robocop and Lonesome Dove that have shown me a different type of Poledouris score than I had been used to. Because of this, he is now one of my top favorite composers. Though, I have loved all of it throughout his career, it is this along with his newer works that have grabbed my attention of late. As for this album, the music is the epitome of great Poledouris scoring. First, there are two separate scores included, Fire on the Mountain and Flyers. I love both, to be honest. Their style is similar, Poledouris' overall approach for them is not.

The album actually makes a nice showcase, both of Poledouris' best styles in my mind. First starting with Fire on the Mountain, which is the more lyrical/romantic of the two. Sort of a cross between Blue lagoon, Amanda and Free Willy. Flyers on the other hand, while similar in structure, includes the more action/adventure sound, like Lonesome Dove, Conan and Starship Troopers. In this case, there is an almost military feel to some of the cues. Both work well, with the only problem I find with it, is the occasional hiss that is heard in parts. Fortunately, it is better than most from that time. A longer running length would have been nice, but what is new? This is always the case for me, it seems! Otherwise, this is quite the listen as it is.

As always, Prometheus has done a outstanding release. I have to ask, have they ever done otherwise? From what I have heard, it would seem the answer is no! The packaging is great. Which includes incredible liners from our own Jonathan Broxton. His descriptions of both films and scores are helpful and much welcomed to a person much like myself, who did not know much if anything about these two titles. The sequencing is good, helping the album develop throughout. There is some nice artwork as well. A great release all around.

The only nitpick I can think of is, why name this Flyers? Especially when Fire on the Mountain looks to be the highlighted score here. Not that it matters of course, just wondering is all! When it comes down to it, it is just nice to have yet another Poledouris work available. We should consider ourselves lucky that this has been released.

Overall, the album comes highly recommend as well as the Prometheus release of Amanda. Fans of Basil Poledouris and film music in general should look at these at some point in the future. The disc has a lot of great cues and makes for a excellent 40 minute listen. I'd love more, though the way it is here works! It is not too short, nor is it too long. Just about perfect, for these virtually unknown films.

Hey, this is Basil Poledouris! So, most definitely give it a try. I doubt most will find fault with this album, at the very least there are some cues that should make it worth the trouble to pick up. These are two scores that really deserve longer releases, Hopefully, we will see just that.

Music from the Movies, April 9, 2001

Basil Poledouris' career stretches back to the early Seventies, but did not really start moving until the early Eighties with his scores for The Blue Lagoon and Conan The Barbarian. During this period the composer scored lots of interesting projects and with this CD Prometheus release two almost forgotten gems from this period. The first score on the CD is from a "farmer versus the might of the military drama" set in New Mexico and starring Buddy Ebsen and Ron Howard. This score is wonderful example of the composer's style typifying the American dream and the country's great outdoors, which Basil Poledouris later developed so successfully for films like Lonesome Dove, Lassie and Amanda. The gentle orchestrations use oboe-string combinations to generate a mellow tone, which have marvellous undertones of Copeland-esque cowboy themes. Fire In The Mountain is a superb, gentle score with some rich, passionate music.

The second score is a wonderful contrast and is from one of the early IMAX films, which were used to showcase this impressive media by startling the audiences with exciting and visually dramatic effects. Flyers was one of the most impressive of these films, including many spectacular shots of early piston and modern jet aircraft, as well low flying through amazing scenery. Obviously these scenes demand impressive music and Basil Poledouris provides a stunning and highly varied score that is full of drama and stirring sequences (to be developed many years later for scores like Flight Of The Intruder) along with some great touches of humour. The music references the varied backgrounds involved in flying history as well as graphically illustrating the successes and failures that befall aviators. For such a short score there is an awful lot packed in and some excellent cues packed with heroic brass and suspenseful percussion.

Film Music Review, April 8, 2001

Here is another in the well produced series from Prometheus. A previous release last year featured another fine score by Basil Poledouris: AMANDA from the mid-1990s. This latest release has two of his earlier scores: FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN from 1981; and FLYERS, an IMAX film from 1983. Both are very fine scores, although on the short side musically speaking.

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN was based on a highly praised environmental novel by Edward Abbey. Unfortunately, when the TV movie starring Buddy Ebsen and Ron Howard was shown in 1981, it received little attention and has yet to be released on home video or DVD. But that doesn't matter much because this is a very enjoyable score, full of warmth and easygoing melodies featuring just a few solo instruments. As Jonathan Broxton mentions in his incisive notes: "Poledouris's music romanticises the setting, using the familiar set of orchestrations (strings, oboes) often used by composers wishing to depict natural beauty and idyllic rural settings." Broxton also gives ample credit to the way Poledouris uses his main theme introduced in track one, "The Ride" (2:19). One example of the main theme's subtle use is in track 3: "Drop Off/Rascal" (3:01) with prominent solos by flute, piano, and strings. Another easygoing theme is brought in for track 4: "Gracias" (3:42). One of the loveliest track in the score is number 7: "Mountain Lost" (2:22), with harp and woodwinds slow moving along with great tenderness. The next track, "Good-bye Ol' Horse" (2:50), has another statement of the main theme and it's a beauty. The theme is heard for the last time with a quicker rendition for the brief End Titles (1:03).

Turning now to the other score, FLYERS was one of many IMAX features from the 1980s and it proved to be quite popular. The story concerns a bunch of stunt pilots making a movie and features lots of dangerous aerial scenes. The score is quite good with a great deal of variety. It begins with track 10, "The Carrier"/"Coming Home" (4:17), going from a martial cue for the prologue and then moves on to the title theme - a very lovely second theme making prominent use of clarinets. The next track also has two cues: "Stunt Work"/ "More Stunt Work" (2:31) and has a light and airy feel to it, including a sly reference to the French Can-Can music. The remaining tracks are also well done, with the title theme appearing again in track 14, "We'll Talk"/ "Coming Home II" (1:40). In the next track, "The Test" (3:55), there is an insistent beat pattern in the strings with trumpets and horns. Broxton describes this cue as "the grand finale of the movie, and which underscores the death-defying mid-air plane switch." This music is noble and heroic like the action scene itself. The final track, "Soaring" (1:42), uses the "Stunt Work" and "Coming Home" themes and nicely brings the score to an end.

The CD booklet has a colorful cover design which highlights FLYERS over FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN. That's not such a bad idea because I found FLYERS to be a more enjoyable score. But the other score is also quite good.

The major drawbacks are the scarcity of both these films to watch on video or DVD, and the brevity of this soundtrack CD. But I would still recommend them to Poledouris fans or those in search of something a bit different from today's pounding synth scores.