Below are more soundtrack reviews of recent and archival releases.

Black Angel (Frank Skinner, 1946) *** The world overturns as a sea storm made its entrance known. Passionately illustrated by Frank Skinner, Black Angel occupies the rush. Then “Kathy and Marty at the Rio’s” offers light dance moves. Meanwhile, voices and sound effects occasionally intrude. The challenge of naked emotion was met by a fearless searcher, hungry to express the untamed desires in human hearts.

The Core (Christopher Young, 2003) **** In The Core, composer Christopher Young engages with the entire anthropomorphic system. Emotion drove the gears, and I occasionally felt tears. For example, “Moved to the Core” achieved the highest impact. Ditto “Tactile Shifts” and “Resurrection in Descent.” Indeed, Young draws inspiration from the operatic and symphonic. Thus, the narrative unfolds with the weight and purpose afforded to Greek tragedy. Any electronic sweetening felt subliminal in line with the orchestral and choral arrangements.

The Doll Squad (Nicholas Carras, 1973) *** More cautious than suspenseful, jazz spikes in a bubbly diversion. Above and below each stylish step, The Doll Squad frames a portrait clouded in make-up and baked in sin. There’s a touch of naughtiness, yet conservative minds won’t flinch. It’s a mild curry at best. A challenger to James Bond? Perhaps not. Composer Nicholas Carras gently prods then moves back so the elephants can hoot and roar. Finally, the dialogue interruptions seem unnecessary.

The Last Castle (Jerry Goldsmith, 2001) **** Solemn and dignified, Jerry Goldsmith’s The Last Castle features restrained, often low-key performances from the orchestra. It’s more than three minutes into “The Rock Pile” before a rousing statement occurs. Even then, it strikes with the fleeting impact of a haiku. Meanwhile, the trumpet idea will be familiar given Goldsmith’s memorable theme for the Rambo movies. Indeed, there's consequence and depth to this score. Emotionally mature, The Last Castle allows Goldsmith to explore new ideas. Also, check out the cue “Battle for the Castle” by Mark McKenzie, another fine composer.

Planet of the Apes (Danny Elfman, 2001) **** Danny Elfman took the revolutionary step of channeling his inner primate. Charles Darwin would be proud. A circumstance ripe for repetition and cliché, Elfman side-steps both by compelling listeners to shuffle at a hypnotic pace. Thus, instruments become beacons of war between humans and those darn dirty apes. Hardly a slave to rhythm or atmosphere, the music for Planet of the Apes evokes an emotional response. It’s the three punch combo jabbing two lefts to the jaw, softening us for the right. I was knocked out by it.

Skyfire (Pinar Toprak, 2019) ** If only composer Pinar Toprak could focus all of her technique and experience into the memorable motif, what music she would make. The problem with Skyfire involves the doomy strings, bass and horns which felt overly familiar. When a composer forgets to establish a thematic base, they can resort to waves of peril or worse. As such, the orchestra moos and growls, yet there’s scant personality. The music could belong anywhere. Given the dramatic potential offered by Skyfire, Toprak squanders the occasion with impulse and cliché. If her work resembles Hans Zimmer and his clones, that speaks more to the misguided principle that safe equals quality. It doesn’t. Moving on, Track 8 doesn’t sound too bad. Fancy not naming the tracks. As action filler, the patterns remain predictable. Meanwhile, Track 14 imitates the two notes which formed a pivotal identity for Craig Armstrong’s The Incredible Hulk. Despite Toprak’s change of direction, the effect seldom invigorates. Thus, unimaginative runs upon hazy architecture deplete whatever pent-up energy was stored between bouts. Actually, the final twenty minutes are the worst given the lamentable timbres which entrap the listener.

Virgin Sacrifice (Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter, 1960) **** What a talented duo! For depth of feeling, creativity, originality and consistency, Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter brought out the best in one another. Their Virgin Sacrifice soundtrack plays seamlessly. The harps tingle as woodwinds high or low deposit dramatic strokes which clarify and enhance the story. A beautiful heart measures both peace and conflict, while two complimentary souls challenge solitary conventions. Poised over the threshold, both men seek a good impression. Only through synergy can they break rocks and define new contours related to the human condition. Thus, Virgin Sacrifice justifies their craftsmanship as a flexible odyssey.

Ivanhoe (Miklos Rozsa, 1952) **** A poem:

The footsteps of history march

Just as worn soldiers parch.

Ivanhoe has the grandest presentation

Rarely promoting disorientation.

Central to Rozsa’s design

Like the elements in wine,

“Lady Rowena” was the tonic

To make matters more platonic.

A nudge into one corner

Might yield a sauna.

Tutored by a classical instinct

The shape of themes clearly linked.

Waterloo (Nino Rota, 1970) *** Time to rhyme:

“On to Brussels” was flat

A bitter journey without a hat.

“Ney’s Cavalry Charge” felt better

Definitely a go-getter.

“Prelude to Battle” was worth the recital

The emotional commentary stirring and vital.

Then “Waterloo Waltz” altered the tune

Both light and airy upon the dune.

“Ride of the Scots Greys”

Bespoke ambient haze.

For “A Field of Death”

Nino Rota took a long breath.

Now “The Duchess of Richmond’s Ball”

Took a resounding fall.

Sounding so far away

A tunnel had the final say.

SCORE OF THE MOMENT

Stigmata (Elia Cmiral, 1999) ***** The element of surprise can trigger unpredictable energies. When composer Elia Cmiral stepped up to the breach, facing Stigmata with all he had, it must have been daunting. As such, he carries a range of emotions and ideas through to their completion. Ergo, he’s like an oil painter who applies the right amount of chiaroscuro to lend a scene atmospheric bluntness. Beginning with empathy, we gain musical context which suggests that evil things might be lurking. While Cmiral doesn’t tip-toe around this, he waits until “Subway Attack” before unleashing the full horror upon us. Even so, volume doesn’t cancel out the lasting grains of humanity. To paraphrase the late Terry Plumeri, the supernatural can liberate musical expression by testing boundaries, unearthing fresh sonorities and activating areas both psychological and sacred. Therefore, risks should be taken for it pays to be bold. To this end, Cmiral creates a textural, aleatoric, thematic, atmospheric, complex and accessible score. Rich tones occupy “Aramaic Script” as shivering echoes both vocal and symphonic hurl us into the void. While numerous horror soundtracks have deconstructed the familiar elements by using them as crutches, such repetition destroys the imagination. Disturbing this trend, Stigmata offers tons of fresh ideas. I was moved, surprised and delighted by the intelligent breakthroughs Cmiral made.