Arthur B. Rubinstein (1938-2018)

It was on a Sunday afternoon in 2009 that I met Arthur B. Rubinstein. I had already obtained his soundtracks for Blue Thunder and WarGames (not to mention Whose Life is it Anyway? which had just been released by FSM and was being sold at Dark Delicacies) and I was waiting to have the booklets of the latter two autographed. When my turn came, I introduced myself. He mention that my name was part of a mountain. I had no idea how to respond to that, so in the seconds after I must've seemed like some kind of fool.

Still, his knowledge of that spoke somewhat to the multi-layered methods by which he created his scores. You listen to any cue in WarGames and there is not a note wasted. The various motifs and how they interact with one another are quite impressive. I had (and have) no problem saying that they don't write scores like this anymore. (I already have it, but I do hope that Intrada plans a re-release so that others can hear what I do.)

Based on these scores, I became determined to listen to as much from him as I could. About the only CD of his I don't have in some capacity is the "Observations" concert CD from Intrada. There are a number of film and TV projects he's worked on and, with such a unique compositional voice as his, I'm gonna watch and track-listing-document them all. (I still can't believe he scored three episodes of "Tiny Toon Adventures", but then a lot of 'wait, they worked on this?!' names did this show.)

Some of my favorite musical moments of his:

• The Hard Way - Though I have issues with the Party Crasher, I can't deny that Rubinstein gave him the film's most interesting music, his insistent electronic motif sounding quite effective, especially the synth fiddle added to it in "He Dead/She Dead". I also love the downbeat version of Nick's theme in "Killer Lang" (next to John Scott, Rubinstein was a master at this).
• Fake-Out - One of more forgotten films he's scored, but there's much to recommend it, from the bouzouki and harmonica combination of "Periscope (Ride a Car Top)" to the supposed "Theme from Fake-Out" that was recycled for the short-lived genre series "The Phoenix".
• Another Stakeout - Not much of a movie, but the score is fantastic. I especially love the bluesy/gloomy "Main Titles" and the rollicking "It's a Dirty Job".
• "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" - Honestly, this suite says more than words ever could.
• Blue Thunder - Electronics figure in this score heavily (and appropriately), with the orchestra gradually taking over. Remember what I said earlier about the downbeat version of the main theme? The end of "Thermographics" is another sterling example. Also, "River Chase" may be one of best action cues of the 1980s.
• The Best of Times - A pair of fine themes for this football comedy: a determined one for Jack and a wistful one for Reno. Also, the use of "Pomp and Circumstance", slowed down and slinked up for one scene ("Make-Up Sex"), is quite canny. 
• Nick of Time - A fascinating thriller score, highlighted by its opening cue, a neat mix of strings, percussion, horns and chimes...and the vocals of a little girl.
• WarGames - Perhaps, his magnum opus. The main titles, which shifts from a grim march to something almost parodistically patriotic, the seemingly silly songs which hint at the tension to come, the wandering motif for Joshua, the exciting, "Scarecrow"-like music for David's NORAD escape, the percussive climax...

He will most certainly be missed.