For some reason, John Barry's music is generally more familiar than his name.
Anyone who attends movies regularly will recognize his style, full-bodied orchestrations led by powerful, slow-to-build brass sections. Yet his name has escaped the average moviegoer, unlike such contemporaries as Henry Mancini, John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith. And, more recently, Danny Elfman and Randy Newman.But Barry's work goes back to the early '60s and includes, in my opinion, the two best James Bond scores - "From Russia With Love" and "Goldfinger."
In fact, I was a bit disappointed that pieces from those films were not included in his new collection, "Moviola." Fans who enjoy his themes for "Dances With Wolves," "Out of Africa" and "Somewhere in Time" won't be, however. "Born Free" is also included.
New arrangements of tunes from "Body Heat" and "Midnight Cowboy" are especially striking, as are such less familiar pieces as "Mary, Queen of Scots," "Frances," "The Cotton Club" and the TV miniseries, "Moviola." The lone nod to Bond is "We Have All the Time in the World," from "On Her Majesty's Secret Service."
Barry's score for "Chaplin" (the main theme is also included on "Moviola") is another good score, with a soft, sad lament as the central tune and some of Chaplin's own music incorporated here and there. I didn't, however, care for the Robert Downey Jr. pop interpretation of "Smile."
STANLEY CLARKE; "Passenger 57" (Slamm Dunk/Epic) * * *
Like the movie, Stanley Clarke's music for "Passenger 57" is snappy, no-nonsense and jazzy, a tone set by the terrific theme, "Lookin' Good."
Unlike the film, the soundtrack doesn't have idiotic plotting to deal with. It's a decided advantage.
"Lisa" provides a nice-and-easy romantic theme, "Cruisin' " offers a New Age-style calm-down piece and "Rane to Plane" is upbeat and feverish. The rest are alternately easygoing and thrilling (in particular, "Big Fall").
This is a very good repeat-listener.
WOJCIECH KILAR, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (Columbia) * * 1/2
The music from Francis Ford Coppola's recent adaptation of "Bram Stoker's Dracula," by Wojciech Kilar, is alternately enjoyable and annoying. Best are the flamboyant opening theme ("Dracula - The Beginning"), a tense and moody cut ("Vampire Hunters"), a lovely theme ("Love Remembered") and a lilting variation on the main theme ("Mina/
Dracula").
Worst is an obnoxious series of music, sound effects and disturbing noise ("The Ring of Fire"), a silly conceit that weakens the overall impact of the album. Annie Lennox's "Love Song for a Vampire" is an agreeable bonus.
MARC SHAIMAN; "A Few Good Men" (Columbia) * *
The tough, vital theme that runs through Marc Shaiman's music for "A Few Good Men," with its militaristic overtones and intense piano and orchestral variations is really very good. Unfortunately, however, that's all there is, in endless, redundant replays that become less interesting as the album progresses. Wait for this one to hit the discount bins. (Better yet, go see the movie - it works better in context.)
VARIOUS ARTISTS; "Toys" (Geffen) * * * 1/2
Trevor Horn, Hans Zimmer and Enya are the chief contributors to this collection of music from Barry Levinson's opulent failure, "Toys." Like the film, there is promise in every element on display here. But where the film quickly falls apart, this musical collection succeeds very well.
The assembly line lyricism of "The Happy Worker," sung by Tori Amos; Enya's haunting "Ebudae"; Julia Migenes and Hans Zimmer beautifully performing "Alsatia's Lullaby"; Robin Williams and Joan Cusack, along with Thomas Dolby, doing the MTV bit, "The Mirror Song," and many more make for most enjoyable listening, in a funky-New Age kind of way.
This one gets lots of repeat plays at my house. And not just by me.