Stepmonster (Terry Plumeri)

 

Todd (Bill Corben) rebels at his father (Alan Thicke) finding a new love so soon after his mother's disappearance, and no one believes his claim that his stepmother-to-be (Robin Riker) is really a monster. Watchable enough (and, given the cast, most fascinating to aficionados of genre cinema and 80s sitcoms), but like most of Roger Corman's kid-centered projects of the time, it can scarcely be called a family movie, with its occasional moments of violence and scantily-clad women.

The late, great Terry Plumeri's fine score (with a dark waltz main theme and a creepy, Beetlejuice-inspired secondary theme) was released in part on an Edel-Cinerama album in 1994 alongside the composer's scores for Final Judgment and The Terror Within II (since released together in full by Howlin' Wolf Records), but there is always room for more.

Stepmonster

composed & conducted

by

Terry Plumeri

1. Main Title 2.40

2. Semantics/Arrival 0.29

3. A Walk in the Woods 1.33

4. Mom's Pep Talk 1.20

5. Life Imitates Art 0.58

6. Failed Bonding 1.35

7. Room for Dessert 1.29

8. Grandpa's Advice 0.41

9. Between Meal Snack 0.27

10. Fish Dinner 1.27

11. In the Doghouse 1.17

12. Astrology Lesson/Night Walk 3.51

13. Photographic Evidence 1.10

14. Bats in the Belfry 1.21

15. Dad Leaves 0.24

16. Yard Work 0.49

17. The Trap 1.06

18. Todd Saves Wendy 1.26

19. Pawn Shop 0.18

20. Shrink Rap 1.50
21. Sold! 2.40

22. Down the Stairs 0.23

23. False Alarm 0.11

24. Wedding Pictures 0.09

25. Reception source/The Missing Piece 1.27

26. Dinner source/Reinforcements 2.34

27. The Real Denise 0.56

28. Final Attack 0.45

29. Father and Son 1.26

30. Reunited/End Credits 4.54 

Surviving the Game (Stewart Copeland)

Homeless Mason (Ice-T) is hired on as a guide for a group of hunters (Rutger Hauer, Gary Busey, John C. McGinley, Charles S. Dutton, F. Murray Abraham, William McNamara), little realizing what kind of game they're after. Ridiculous but entertaining chase thriller, enlivened by a terrific cast and Ernest Dickerson's sharp direction.

Maybe it was Highlander 2 that led some projects to seek out Stewart Copeland, but his mix of jazzy beats and sampled orchestral grandeur makes for a fascinating addition to the film.

Surviving the Game

music by
Stewart Copeland

1. Main Titles 3.44
2. Fast Food 0.38
3. Busted 0.15
4. Mason Rants 0.40
5. Confidence 2.07
6. Goodbye, Hank 0.21
7. The Truck 0.27
8. "His name's Burns." 1.04
9. Plane Ride 3.12
10. "Here's to the turkeys." 0.26
11. The Hunt Begins 1.54
12. Run for Your Life 0.13
13. Breakfast Musings/Pursuit 3.49
14. Looking for Guns/Arson Around 4.32
15. Wolf Whisperer/Into the River 1.16
16. Smoke Break/Griffin Goes Alone 2.46
17. Tree Cigarettes 0.06
18. Mason vs. Griffin 4.21
19. Following Tracks 0.29
20. Setting a Trap 2.24
21. Crossing the Ravine 2.52
22. Rock Climb 1.37
23. Waiting 1.58
24. Mason vs. Wolf 1.22
25. Plane Trap 1.06
26. Mason Survives 1.28
27. Travel Plans 1.19
28. Final Fight 2.12
29. Game Over 1.07
30. End Credits 3.18

Amos & Andrew (Richard Gibbs)

Writer Andrew Sterling (Samuel L. Jackson) is getting settled in his vacation home when he's mistaken for a burglar by concerned neighbors and the ensuing chaos introduces him to petty criminal Amos Odell (Nicolas Cage). It's quite unusual how some movies can go from inconsequential to accidentally relevant over time. A lot of talented people seem lost in this middling comedy, though Cage is fun revisiting (more or less) Raising Arizona's H.I. McDunnough.

Richard Gibbs had an impressive run as a comedy composer in the early 90s and this score is but one example of his talents, with some lively Southern-flavored writing and a catchy-as-hell main theme.

1. Amos Thinks it Over/Home Sweet Home 0.55
2. Intruder! 2.02
3. Hostages? 0.49
4. Night Walk 0.11
5. Police Raid 0.47
6. Lights Out/Breaking News 1.25
7. Andrew is Armed 0.11
8. Race for the Phone 0.27
9. Wrong Man 0.14
10. Police Escort 0.29
11. No Service 0.07
12. Night Patrol 0.40
13. Shots Fired 1.58
14. News Caravan/Call from Tolliver 1.22
15. What's on TV? 0.58
16. The Surrender 1.04
17. Demands 0.16
18. Tolliver Busts In 0.53
19. Calling the Cavalry 0.31
20. Confiscation/Donny on the Move 0.48
21. The Defiant Ones 0.43
22. Get on the Bus/Light 'em Up 1.00
23. "He's got the Chief!" 1.31
24. Rommel Needs a Walk 0.16
25. More Hostages 0.31
26. Donny Takes Control 0.05
27. Making a Deal 3.00
28. Chopper in the Air 0.20
29. Donny Sneaks Around/Chopper Arrives 1.04
30. Grenade Toss 0.41
31. House Full of Cops 1.03
32. Down to Business 0.41
33. The Fight/Some Truth 2.05
34. Bloodhounds/Barricade 0.46
35. News Tape 0.30
36. The Rescue 1.18
37. Andrew's Plan 1.38
38. From Bad to Worse 0.39
39. Ferry Ride 0.43
40. A Little More Work 0.38

Agency (Lewis Furey)

Copy writer Philip Morgan (Lee Majors) is somewhat suspicious of the bigwig (Robert Mitchum) running his ad agency. Canadian tax shelter thriller has its moments, even if it ultimately resembles a lesser variation on Capricorn One.

I had never heard of Canadian composer Lewis Furey before I heard about this film and having seen it, I would love a release of his score; tense, playful and clever.

Agency

music composed by

Lewis Furey

1. "No Sweat" 1.33
2. Main Titles 1.49
3. A Way with Words 0.22
4. Board Meeting 0.19
5. Morgan's Angry 0.14
6. The Funeral 0.55
7. Chocolate Planet? 0.16
8. Brenda at the Tavern 0.19
9. Brenda and Morgan 1.36
10. Goldstein's Worried/Eavesdropping 1:24
11. "Good night, Philip"/Followed? 0.43
12. Here's a Tip 0.12
13. Goldstein's Pad 0.16
14. Sneaking Around 0.24
15. Follow the Princess 0.14
16. Goldstein Chills 0.29
17. "Hear something." 0.12
18. Cop Conferral 0.09
19. Contagious Paranoia 0.44
20. Quinn's Packing 0.44
21. Helpful Article 0.17
22. Ambush 1.45
23. Knock Out 0.07
24. Break-In 1.22
25. Hasty Getaway 1.21
26. The Bar 2.03
27. Morgan's Ride 1.41
28. "Can we talk?" 1.08
29. Stranded 0.15
30. Rough Ride 1.22
31. Morgan, Take the Wheel 0.57
32. Angry Biker 0.25
33. Morgan Returns 1.44
34. "Chocolate Planet" 0.59
35. The Tussle 2.00
36. Another Thread/End Credits 4.21

Nothing But Trouble (Michael Kamen)

What could be worse than getting c-blocked while trying to hit on the cute lawyer (Demi Moore) in your building? Who knows, but they will all happen to financial publisher Chris Thorne (Chevy Chase). Not lacking in imagination (William Sandell's art direction is consistently surprising) or humor (Judge Alvin gets many of the best lines), but Dan Aykroyd's lone directorial effort may be too weird for the room.

The same year that he scored another controversial comic concotion, Michael Kamen provided an off-kilter musical accompaniment to match the film.

Nothing But Trouble

composed & conducted 

by

Michael Kamen

1. Meet Cute 0.16

2. Diane Arrives 0.34

3. Welcome to Valkenvania 1.47

4. Outrunning Dennis 3.48

5. Police Escort 3.03

6. Court's in Session 0.42

7. Listen! 0.06

8. Confined 0.06

9. Bigger Gun 0.14

10. Push the Button 0.02

11. Dinner Belle 0.19

12. Brazillionaires Escape 3.06

13. Dennis Helps 0.11

14. Kiss Therapy 1.00

15. Wake-Up Call 0.49

16. Tour of the House 1.38

17. Look at IDs! 1.37

18. Eldona's Body Work 0.22

19. Slide to Freedom? 1.34

20. Judge Goes to Pieces/Bobo and L'il Debbull 3.36

21. Trespasser 0.10

22. Saving Diane 0.46

23. Late Call 0.37

24. Chris vs. Judge Alvin 1.53

25. "She'll know what to do with him." 0.11

26. Dealer Diane 0.52

27. Passing Sentence 0.11

28. Giving Eldona Away 0.19

29. Chris to Bonestripper 0.51

30. Chris Survives 0.27

31. Here She Is, Miss Gradertine 0.47

32. The Great Escape 6.46

33. Return to Valkenvania 1.22

34. Son of the Great Escape/The Good Life 2.24

35. Hasty Exit 0.04

Here's a sample, for the curious:

On Deadly Ground (Basil Poledouris)

Forrest Taft (Steven Seagal) has made a good living for Aegis Oil, but a vision quest makes him realize that he's helping to destroy the environment. The only way to make things right (apparently) is with an act of eco-terrorism. Another Seagal bonecruncher, but with the pretense of saving the Earth. Ridiculous, but entertaining. If nothing else, the overqualified supporting cast of villains (Michael Caine, John C. McGinley, R. Lee Ermey, Billy Bob Thornton, Mike Starr) makes it watchable.

Basil Poledouris's score is an evocative work, with a surging main theme, Inuit throat singing and some exciting action cues.

On Deadly Ground

composed & conducted

by

Basil Poledouris

1. Main Titles/Rig on Fire 3.48
2. Aegis Flameout 0.47
3. What Did He Say? 0.55
4. Not Worth It 0.18
5. "What does it take...?" 0.54
6. Aegis Oil Commercial 0.47
7. Get Rid of Problems/Checking the Preventers/Torturing Hugh 7.45
8. Minor Oil Spill/Forrest Figures it Out 2.10
9. Forrest Fired 1.04
10. The Rescue 1.31
11. Bear Among Mice/The Search 3.07
12. The Journey 8.06
13. Chief Killed/Forrest Returns 4.54
14. Into the Woods 1.51
15. Storming Hugh's Place 1.31
16. Preferably Dead 0.19
17. Forrest Decides 2.16
18. Preparing for War 1.16
19. Explosive Surprise 1.22
20. Get Out of Here 1.33
21. Springing Traps 0.22
22. Horse Chase 1.40
23. The Silencer 1.27
24. Wasting Mercenaries 2.10
25. Special Number 0.24
26. More Casualties 4.44
27. Elevator Trap 1.30
28. Stone Cold 1.23
29. Jennings Goes Down 5.46
30. The Warning/End Credits 6.24
31. Seagal-Nasso Logo 0.11

Ghost in the Machine (Graeme Revell)

One night, on his way to his latest crime, the Address Book Killer (Ted Marcoux) dies in the hospital. Good news, right? Not so fast. His soul leaves his body and starts roaming the electrical circuits of Cleveland, eager to continue his spree. As a follow-up to the weakest of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, director Rachel Talalay took on this project. Just as dumb as its premise would suggest.

Still, Graeme Revell (where has he gone to?) provided a fine score, highlighted by a wonderfully creepy main title cue.

Ghost in the Machine

music by

Graeme Revell

1. Main Titles 2.59
2. Josh 0.28
3. Dinner at the Yardley's 1.33
4. "Don't touch that." 0.15
5. The Address Book/Bram Walker 0.56
6. Karl 0.52
7. Driving in the Rain 0.18
8. Trip Through the Cemetary 0.56
9. Power Surge 0.55
10. Searching the System 0.24
11. The Address Book Killer 0.26
12. Terry's Records 0.09
13. Overdrawn 0.27
14. Touch the Screen 0.37
15. "What's going on?" 0.35
16. First Name on the List 0.06
17. Microwave Murder/The Nightmare 3.27
18. Karl's Apartment 1.42
19. Terry 0.07
20. The Fuse Box 1.46
21. Arcade Search 0.12
22. Karl's in the Game 0.57
23. Looking for Axle 2.39
24. First Attempt 0.47
25. Second Attempt 0.42
26. Hot Date 0.35
27. "Are you all right?" 0.19
28. Phone Calls 1.38
29. The Baby and the Stove 2.14
30. The Garbage Disposal 0.28
31. The Babysitter 0.20
32. Leaky Dishwasher 1.04
33. Josh Discovers the Pattern 0.19
34. Phone Tag 2.07
35. A Near Crash 1.10
36. Access Blocked 1.26
37. False Alarms 0.58
38. Mom's in Shock 0.17
39. Running the Virus 2.40
40. Final Showdown 7.15
41. The End of Karl 1.24
42. End Credits 4.01

Hudson Hawk (Michael Kamen and Robert Kraft)

Cat burglar Eddie 'Hudson Hawk' Hawkins (Bruce Willis) is barely out of the joint when he gets roped into a weird scheme involving priceless Da Vinci works, the CIA, a millionaire couple and the Vatican. Willis' much-maligned vanity project has its detractors after all these years, but I truly believe it deserves better. Ridiculous, though endearingly so and infinitely quotable. Do give it a shot.

Though best known as an action composer at the time, Michael Kamen got a chance to indulge his wacky side; in addition to clever interpolations of the title song, ambient music reminiscent of Die Hard and a combination love theme/flying theme, he also riffs on a number of musical quotes, from "Mona Lisa" and Beethoven's 5th Symphony to the theme from "The Addams Family".

Hudson Hawk composed by Michael Kamen and Robert Kraft conducted by Michael Kamen
1. Da Vinci's Dealings (Main Titles) 6.04
2. Hawk Flies the Coop 1.39
3. Super Mario Brothers, Too 1.47
4. By the Thumbs/Playing by the Pool 3.21
5. After Hours Tour 1.43
6. Hasty Getaway 1.01
7. The Butler Did It 1.23
8. Breaking News 0.41
9. Sweet Talk/Mayflowers Land 3.29
10. 1-800-GONNADIE 2.15
11. Lost in Candyland 1.26
12. Special Delivery 1.28
13. Board Meeting 0.16
14. Juicy Blackmail 0.17
15. Casing the Vatican 2.34
16. Shake Some Tails 0.49
17. Making a Date 0.40
18. Cardinal, Sin? 0.44
19. Reach Out and Punch Someone 1.23
20. Soft Spot for Rome 0.29
21. Open Sesame 2.25
22. Fishing for the Codex 2.50
23. Healing Touch 1.45
24. Trying Decaf/Classic Sting 1.57
25. Keeping Tabs/Confession 2.12
26. Abusing the Help 2.17
27. Cashing Out 0.44
28. All He Cared About 1.16
29. BFFL: Best Friends Fighting Loudly 1.38
30. A Very Special Night/Rude Awakening 0.58
31. Irrelevant Now 1.21
32. A Bad Migraine 0.59
33. To Castle Da Vinci 1.05
34. Double Crossbow 1.31
35. Blocked Exits 0.16
36. Briefing 0.12
37. Hawk vs. Kaplan/Runaway Limo 3.27
38. Falling to Pieces/Happy Ending 8.41

Down Periscope (Randy Edelman)

Rebel naval commander Tom Dodge (Kelsey Grammer) is finally given command of a sub, but it's a rusted wreck left over from World War II. With this ship and a crew of oddballs, can he succeed at wargames and further his career? Nearly twenty years later, this comedy (a sort-of remake of Major League from that film's director, David S. Ward) holds up surprisingly well. There are many laughs among the talented ensemble and Grammer is good in a role quite unlike Dr. Frasier Crane ("Welcome aboard", indeed).

Randy Edelman's score is one of his better works, mostly eschewing the (somewhat distracting) synths that are his trademark and concentrating on orchestra, highlighted by a stirring main theme; almost like his take on the Police Academy march.

Down Periscope
composed and conducted
by
Randy Edelman
1. Main Titles 2.25
2. Returning to Base 0.14
3. Good News 0.54
4. "The USS Rustoleum" 0.40
5. Visiting Winslow 0.08
6. The Right Man?/"Crew from Hell" (Mark McKenzie) 4.23
7. Lt. Emily Lake 0.41
8. Cleaning up the Stingray 0.27
9. Relocation/Pascal Overboard 1.17
10. Laundry Duty 1.01
11. "Prepare for Dive" 2.29
12. "Down to 5-0-0" 3.46
13. Strategizing on the Orlando 0.31
14. "Prepare to Surface" 1.03
15. Running Lights 1.50
16. First Success 0.28
17. Showing Some Flare 0.49
18. Clumsy Kitchen/"Rig for silent running." 2.49
19. Silent Running 2.16
20. Gas Attack 1.25
21. "Course 0-2-7" 0.55
22. "Fight another day." 1.03
23. Sunrise 0.21
24. Captain Pascal? (Mark McKenzie) 1.13
25. "Attempted mutiny" 0.14
26. Walking the Plank 0.47
27. "Welcome aboard, Sir."/"Bizarre and risky." 9.29
28. The Stingray Surfaces/A Shooting Solution 7.52
29. Victory 1.36
30. Dodge's Promotion 2.30

That a specialty label (Quartet) recently - and finally - put out an Edelman score (Pontiac Moon), I think, augurs well for this one.

Undercover Blues (David Newman)

Married spies Jeff (Dennis Quaid) and Jane (Kathleen Turner) just want to vacation in New Orleans with their baby girl. Unfortunately, all manner of ne'er-do-wells refuse to give a moment's peace. Decently entertaining action-comedy gets most of its juice from the bantering of its engaging leads, but ultimately, it's Stanley Tucci who steals the film as the vicious-yet-hapless assassin, Muerte.

There are still many David Newman scores that have yet to see official release and this is top of the list for me. Truly a flavorful score, from its whistled main theme to the clever orchestrations (some Spanish guitar here, a typewriter there).

Undercover Blues
composed and conducted
by
David Newman
1. Main Titles 1.23 2. Walking with the Newmans 0.32 3. "My name is Muerte!" 0.07 4. Stroller vs. Knife 0.35 5. Curious Hobo 0.13 6. "It's a bad world." 0.39 7. A Fair Fight 0.35 8. An Intruder? 1.04 9. C-22 0.58 10. Chopper to Novachek 0.34 11. Foster's Home 0.25 12. Off the Chain 0.42 13. Candid Camera 1.57 14. Muerte Returns 0.55 15. The Next Table 0.09 16. No Sudden Moves 0.26 17. Food Fight 0.40 18. Making Out 0.56 19. Pillow Talk 0.33 20. A Cold One 0.11 21. Tired? Very. 0.51 22. Another Visitor 0.25 23. Buried Treasure 0.30 24. Toy Alligator 0.23 25. The Specialist 0.37 26. Jane's Probe 0.52 27. Extraction 0.10 28. "He's empty." 0.27 29. At the Zoo 0.10 30. Alligator Pit 1.00 31. Rope of Clothes 0.50 32. Dress-up 0.24 33. The Pick-up 1.21 34. Muerte Hangs Out 0.36 35. "I love you very much." 0.58 36. Jeff Sneaks Out 0.24 37. "Follow that cab!" 0.24 38. Louise Walks 0.59 39. The Tracker 0.40 40. Confronting Jane 1.22 41. On the Docks 0.28 42. "Good morning, Mr. Blue." 0.27 43. Catching Up 0.54 44. "You know what to do." 0.59 45. Escape and Gunplay/Mud Fight 5.15 46. Coup de Gras 0.07 47. Last Flight 0.20 48. Setting Sail 0.43 49. Muerte Overboard 0.07 50. End Credits 2.51

Paparazzi (Brian Tyler)

Hot action star Bo Laramie (Cole Hauser) finds himself targeted by a group of scummy paparazzi (because Lord knows there aren't other, bigger movie stars that they could be harassing). What happens when a decent man is pushed too far (and that, for all the world, could be a tagline for one of Laramie's movies)?

Less a movie than a rant on behalf of Hollywood stars who hate having their privacy invaded...and it's an absolute blast. Guilty pleasures don't come much guiltier.

Brian Tyler wrote a lively score for the film, its highlights including a creepy buzzing motif for the paparazzi and a rising 'realization' motif for Dennis Farina's Detective Burton.

(Okay, I admit this is something of a cheat since the score was released, but, a long time ago at FSM's message board, there was a thread that invited posters to create new track listings for existing soundtracks. I channeled my inner Michael Giacchino - only to find that he had an inner freak - and this is what I came up with for this.)

1. Bo-lden Shower (Cat and Mouse) 2.22
2. Detractors of Photography (Aftermath) 3.29
3. Bad Reflection (Solitude) 1.07
4. The Walls Have Eyes (The Break-In) 1.25
5. Coma Chameleon (The Awakening) 1.35
6. Baiting a Master (Turning Tables) 3.03
7. Rude Rolex Rider (Silent Anger) 1.34
8. Hanging by a Thread (Falling) 2.13
9. Candid Cameras (Taped Evidence) 2.25
10. Finding a Victim (Questioning) 2.26
11. Somebody's Wife (Taking Rex In) 0.49
12. Bo Knows Vengeance (Realization) 1.48
13. Bo Wrecks Rex (End of the Line) 3.36
14. Hospitalty (Discussion with a Detective) 0.53
15. Autograph Book 'em (The Telltale Pen) 2.31
16. Soccer? Riot! (Celebrity Life) 2.47
17. Rex Trashes His Scene (Garbage Fetish) 1.00
18. Planted and Payoff (Evidence Lost) 1.22
19. Rock the Boat (Laramie Hitches a Ride) 1.17
20. WonderBo (Batter Up) 2.15
21. Briton? He's Speared (Hands in the Air) 1.10
22. Nobody Got Hurt (Telling) 0.43
23. Laramie in La-La-Land (Premiere) 1.23
24. Piqued in the Valley (Scene of the Crime) 2.50
25. Homemade Sex Tape (Blackmail) 1.59
26. Drive-by Shooting (Camera Chase) 0.50
27. Bo Laramie's Punch-Out (Tabloid Exposure) 1.49
28. Ladder Alone (Adrenaline Force 2) 0.30
29. Get Shorty (Invasion of Privacy) 0.34
30. Fear Abby (Intruders) 1.41
31. Blood Red Carpet (Fans and Lights) 1.33
32. Tyler's Final Fade-Out (Resolution) 1.57

BTW, here's the film order: 29-16-27-17-26-2-3-25-14-22-28-7-8-12-24-6-21-15-4-30-19-20-1-9-10-18-13-11-32-5-23-31.

Deal of a Lifetime (Amotz Plessner)

All Henry Spooner (Michael Goorjian) wants is the love of his classmate Lori (Shiri Appleby). Enter Jerry (Kevin Pollak), who has a devil of an offer to make. (Yes, I went there.) Yet another variation on "Faust", this direct-to-video flick is largely forgotten today...and with good reason: it's a bland, slipshod affair. However, Pollak is a hoot as Jerry and makes the film well worth the price of seeing it for a few bucks on YouTube.

As with the lamentable Addams Family Reunion, Amotz Plessner tried valiantly to lend some credibility to an inconsequential mess with an enjoyable score. Seriously, why don't more people know about this guy?!

Deal of a Lifetime
composed & conducted
by
Amotz Plessner
1. Main Titles/Reporting to Work 4.08
2. Inspecting the Coffee 0.14
3. Bob Calls Jerry 1.34
4. Jerry Meets Henry/Just Say Yes! 2.44
5. Henry's Perfect Paper 1.08
6. The Right Answer 0.09
7. Drawing a Blank 0.12
8. "Well Done, Mr. Spooner" 0.14
9. Henry and Foster Chat 0.28
10. Locker Room Rumble/Talking It Over 0.59
11. Bullies' Remorse 0.29
12. "Here Comes Cinderella" 0.10
13. Henry and Lori/We All Scream... 2.01
14. The I Scream Man/The Bowtie/Studying 1.55
15. "Tell Me About Henry" 1.15
16. Friendship Lost/The Salad Cart/Love Found 2.06
17. Jerry Calls Tina 1.17
18. Henry's Makeover 2.38
19. Jerry Busts Henry 0.18
20. "What's It Gonna Be?" 0.44
21. Henry Says No 0.51
22. Jerry Plots Revenge 2.05
23. Jerry the Vandal 2.21
24. Another Speech 0.55
25. Henry Has No Pants 0.21
26. Tina Gets Her Contract 1.21
27. Jerry Steals the Speech 0.40
28. Lori Dumps Henry 0.28
29. All Alone/Henry Signs 3.25
30. Henry's Speech 1.46
31. Henry Confesses/Jerry's Back 2.01
32. Tina Talks to Henry 2.03
33. Tina Confronts Jerry 2.59
34. Contract in Ashes/Back to Normal 1.44
35. The Young Man and the C- 1.13
36. Tina's Redemption 1.54
37. Jerry's Penance/End Credits 3.21

Mixed Nuts (George Fenton)

Lifesavers is a suicide hotline comprised of a small but dedicated staff. Unfortunately for them, amongst the well-meaning oddballs in their lives, they must contend with their eviction...on Christmas Eve. Fresh off of the success of Sleepless in Seattle, the late Nora Ephron (with her sister Delia) adapted a 1982 French film and while it was hardly her best work, the film is occasionally funny, with a fine ensemble giving it their all.

The score by George Fenton was mainly there to plug in the holes between a well-chosen assortment of songs, but it is engaging and ably interpolates a number of holiday chestnuts (personal favorite: the pounding take on "The Twelve Days of Christmas" in "Revenge of the Bladers").

Mixed Nuts
composed & conducted
by
George Fenton

1. Bladers Lose Their Tree 0.21
2. Requiem for a Tree 0.39
3. Phillip Comes Back 0.31
4. Christmas Eve Eviction 0.15
5. Felix 0.15
6. Gracie Storms Out 0.14
7. Chasing After Gracie 0.37
8. Catherine's Sadness 1.42
9. Fruit of the Month 0.32
10. Still Stuck 0.04
11. Rescuing Mrs. Munchnik 1.24
12. Locked Out 0.32
13. Felix Flips Out 0.12
14. Knocked Out 0.07
15. Phillip and Catherine Head Out 0.41
16. Dressing the Tree 0.09
17. Dr. Kinsky's Office 0.26
18. "Who is it?" 1.03
19. Gracie's Story 0.36
20. Catherine's Makeover/Wishing 1.29
21. Lonely Night 0.28
22. "Catherine, is that...you?" 0.59
23. Felix Runs for the Gun 0.36
24. Raining Fruitcake 0.13
25. "What can I do you for?" 1.15
26. Felix Returns 0.11
27. It's Not a Toy 0.33
28. Gracie Empties the Gun 0.13
29. Chris's Bad Luck 1.30
30. Phillip and Catherine 1.06
31. Gracie Has an Idea 0.47
32. Moving the Tree 0.32
33. Revenge of the Bladers 0.50
34. Felix on the Roof 0.37
35. Phillip Saves Felix 2.29
36. Gracie's a Hero...and a Mother 2.43

Big Trouble (James Newton Howard)

There's a nuclear bomb loose in Miami. Soon to be drawn into its orbit are (bear with me) a reporter turned adman, his surly son, a well-to-do couple, their snarky daughter and maid, a Fritos-craving homeless guy, a pair of cops, a pair of FBI agents, a pair of lowlifes and a pair of hitmen. Sounds convoluted, but trust me, it's not. Adapted from Dave Barry's novel, this is one of the most underrated comedies of recent memory, bursting with great lines and enacted by a fantastic ensemble. What's more, it makes for an interesting companion piece to some of the films director Barry Sonnenfeld shot in the 80s (Raising Arizona, Throw Momma from the Train).

Eschewing the orchestral writing for which he is best known, James Newton Howard provides a lush assortments of styles, from a tropical-sounding love theme to scoring for big band and Hammond organ.

1. "My name is Puggy..." 1.09
2. Eliot's Deeber Fever 1.25
3. The Stupid Geo/"Second Chance" 0.56
4. Henry and Leonard/Puggy Arrives 1.29
5. Bar Fight O.40
6. Moving the Bomb/Puggy Sees Nina 1.29
7. Foot Fetish/Roger and the Toad 1.50
8. Men with Guns 1.04
9. Chaos at the Herk's 1.05
10. Miami's Finest 0.19
11. Where's Nina? 0.57
12. "...another shooter" 0.27
13. Eliot and Anna 1.00
14. Lunch is Served 0.38
15. Arthur the Target 0.26
16. To the Jolly Jackal 0.39
17. The Bomb 0.18
18. Insecurity/The Wormhole 1.30
19. The Stick-Up 1.08
20. "Edzackry" 0.08
21. Henry and Leonard Arrive 0.31
22. Home Invasion 0.58
23. "Die Hard situation" 1.29
24. The Escape 1.24
25. Taking the Shot 0.49
26. The Chase 2.44
27. To the Airport 0.35
28. Flight Schedule 0.27
29. Bag Check! 1.06
30. Free Parking 0.33
31. "Strip Search!" 0.43
32. Loading the Suitcase 0.48
33. "Your jurisdiction" 0.42
34. Take-off 0.18
35. "The plane is in the air." 4.05
36. Water Snake 0.37
37. Happy Landing 1.03
38. "...a new beginning" 0.27
39. End Credits 6.47

The film was released ten years ago today, and the score is high on my list of 'probably never going to be released, but I can still hope' film scores.

Digimon: the Movie (Udi Harpaz and Amotz Plessner)

(Plot information gleaned from IMDb, because there is no way I'm scouring my brain to recall information about this movie on my own.) Three stories, substantially edited down from three films: "The first involes an encounter with a digimon of the third kind. The two kids Kari and Tai, raise this fast growing digimon from egg to giant monster. It's a good thing it showed up too, as an awsome fight ends this segment. The second of the movies involves Tai and Izzy. Some sort of computer virus sweeps th internet. It turns out to be a digimon. The digimon are uploaded to the internet and Tai tries to get others to help. Matt and T.K. help as well, with some more outstanding fight scenes. The third and Final segment starts in N.Y. with Kari and T.K., now years older, and they see 2 digimon fighitng and a kid with them. They try to follow him and they get there friends to follow as well. One of the new digimon belongs to Willis, the other, does as well, except this digimon seems to have a virus." - user name chrombot

I haven't seen this in a decade, but I recall it being not that bad for what it was...as long as you were cautious enough to bypass the first few minutes. (Those who've seen it know what I'm talking about. Those who are curious, trust me on this. It's not worth finding out.)

As with a number of Saban-produced family features around this time, the music is lush and exciting, a fine collaboration between the underappreciated Udi Harpaz and Amotz Plessner.

Digimon: the Movie
music by
Udi Harpaz & Amotz Plessner

1. Introduction/The DigiEgg 1.38
2. The Egg Hatches 3.18
3. Coramon in the City/Digimon Fight 7.04
4. Computer Virus 0.57
5. Internet Glitch/The Digimon 2.38
6. Everyone's Unavailable 3.10
7. Digimon Fight #2 3.32
8. Internet Battle/Rebooting 3.44
9. Multiplication/Backwards from Ten 2.39
10. It's Over 1.33
11. Going Digital/Omnimon 2.07
12. Glitch Destroyed 1.34
13. Meet the Team 2.38
14. A Trip to Colorado 5.35
15. Digimon Fight #3/Another Ride 3.09
16. Willis' Story 2.52
17. "He'll Find Us" 1.41
18. Final Battles/ "Time to Heal" 8.08
19. Finale/Another DigiEgg 1.21

Pieces of the score have made their way to YouTube, but I would love a full release of this delightful score.

The Shadow (Jerry Goldsmith)

The time: the 1930s. The place: New York City. Playboy Lamont Cranston (Alec Baldwin) has another identity, fighting crime and clouding men's minds as The Shadow. But has he met his match in the devious and equally skilled Shiwan Khan (John Lone)? Underrated adaptation of the pulp character is a great deal of fun; beautifully made and well-cast, even if many of the players (including Tim Curry, Ian McKellen, Jonathan Winters, James Hong and Peter Boyle) aren't given much to do.

Though a number of his scores have been released on specialty labels in the last few years, this is at the top of my wish list for Jerry Goldsmith's sterling output.

The Shadow
composed & conducted
by
Jerry Goldsmith

1. The Poppy Fields 3.13
2. Rude Awakening 1.40
3. The Tulku 2.45
4. Cement Shoes 1.14
5. Taunting Duke 0.52
6. Forced Confession 1.25
7. Freeing Dr. Tam 0.31
8. "The Shadow knows" 1.27
9. "There is no Shadow 0.26
10. Lamont Meets Margo 0.55
11. First Date 1.45
12. Vision of Fire 0.39
13. Tomb of Temujin 1.05
14. Khan Awakes 1.56
15. Grim Discovery 0.28
16. Margo's Feeling 0.57
17. Unlucky Day 1.18
18. The Sanctum 3.30
19. Shiwan Khan 4.07
20. Flying to Destiny 0.33
21. Bronzium 0.56
22. Summoning Reinhardt 2.31
23. "You will forget about me" 0.25
24. The Shadow Appears 0.33
25. Chest Pains 3.37
26. Margo's Mission 2.33
27. "You're the Shadow" 1.30
28. Tailing Lamont 0.43
29. Sun Yet Kitchen 0.30
30. "Oh, that knife" 3.01
31. The Monster Within 2.24
32. A Flying Leap 1.12
33. Tanked 4.02
34. Bad Memories 1.57
35. Breaking News 1.00
36. The Hotel Monolith 5.20
37. Tailing Claymore 0.35
38. Claymore's Exit 1.00
39. Battling the Phurba 3.09
40. Chasing Khan 1.39
41. Disarming the Bomb 1.18
42. Mirror Attack 0.56
43. Frontal Lobotomy 2.26

Call me overconfident, but I really think that this is the year that this release will come to fruition.

Addams Family Reunion (Amotz Plessner)

It's the summer of 2001. I run across a movie on what was once called Fox Family (good times...). It's called Addams Family Reunion. Sounds worth a watch, right? Yeah, not really. It's a direct-to-tape mixture of painful sitcom writing (See, the Addamses are invited to a family reunion...for the normal Adamses - one 'd'. Let the madcap wackiness begin!), cheap CGI effects and some talented performers (Tim Curry, Daryl Hannah, Ed Begley Jr., Ray Walston, Kevin McCarthy, Estelle Harris, Clint Howard).

Unlike every other aspect of this misbegotten affair, the music by Amotz Plessner can stand shoulder to shoulder with Marc Shaiman's amazing work on the two theatrical films.

Addams Family Reunion
composed & conducted
by
Amotz Plessner

1. Mailman Chase/Special Delivery 4:43
2. Fester's Creation/Addams Family Tree 4:33
3. The Grandparents Arrive 2:14
4. Dinnertime! 1:06
5. Dreams of Old Age 1:36
6. Meddling Montage 0:47
7. Dance Macabre 0:45
8. Good News 1:00
9. Preparing to Leave 1:36
10. Mailing Mix-ups 1:24
11. Primrose Resort 0:21
12. Touring the Resort 1:47
13. Pugsley's in Love 0:25
14. Of Adams and Addams 3:03
15. Meeting the Kids 0:23
16. Hair Patrol 0:38
17. Wednesday's Croquet 0:18
18. Houseguests 1:40
19. Schemers 0:57
20. "The Will!" 0:08
21. The Victor 0:27
22. Gomez the Marksman 0:51
23. Showdown 1:23
24. Lurch to the Rescue 1:05
25. Dad's New Do 0:12
26. Grandma's Hospitality 0:54
27. The Contest 1:13
28. The Tennis Match 2:42
29. Blue in the Face 1:17
30. In for a Shock 0:42
31. Couples 0:52
32. Lurch's Romance 0:29
33. Goin' on a Dig 0:19
34. Night Search 0:45
35. Butcher's Loose 0:29
36. Trying to Escape 1:24
37. Running and Hiding 1:41
38. Gomez vs. Dr. Phillip 2:33
39. On the Run/Under Arrest 2:19
40. Lurch Sleepwalks/Thing Caught 0:27
41. Behind Bars 1:09
42. The Pound/Shock Therapy 1:28
43. Seeking Justice 1:04
44. Free to Go 0:06
45. Racing to the Rescue 0:28
46. Saving Lurch 0:39
47. Butcher Attacks 0:28
48. Playing Outside/Dr. Phillip's Treatment/Together Again/Drivin' Fools 3:33
49. Home Again 0:51
50. Power Outage/Fireworks 1:23
51. Finale 0:45

This was one of several direct-to-video movies produced by Haim Saban. The library of Saban products is now owned by Disney. I get the feeling that it could be many, many years before people even give scores like this a second thought. With music as good as this, I think it'll be worth the wait.

Super Mario Bros. (Alan Silvestri)

Another space-filling post courtesy of me.

Like a lot of kids, I played the "Super Mario Bros." video game. At the time, I was jazzed to see the movie. Looking back, even with its many flaws, I can't bring myself to hate it. It's so endearingly cheesy.

The cast has been fairly vocal about their distaste for this film (John Leguizamo's chapter in his book "Pimps, Hos, Playa Haters and Other Hollywood Friends" is especially entertaining). Then again, there's been a princess named Daisy tromping around Mario games for roughly the last decade. Like it or not, this movie's made something of an impact.

One of its strongest elements, by far, is Alan Silvestri's score. The bouncy main theme is temped in a little too much, with little variety in the orchestration (sort of like the love theme from Silvestri's The Mexican, but there's some fine action scoring, especially in the big climactic scenes.

Super Mario Bros.
composed & conducted
by
Alan Silvestri

1. Main Titles 4:01
2. Navigational Instincts 0:53
3. Iggy and Spike 0:18
4. "There she is!" 0:10
5. After Daisy 0:22
6. Invitation to Dinner 1:18
7. Another Kidnapping 0:17
8. Strange Fossils 0:58
9. Sabotage! 1:08
10. Knocked Out 0:37
11. To the Other Side 1:27
12. "What is this place?" 1:02
13. King Koopa/"Where's the rock?" 2:09
14. "Plumber alert." 0:19
15. Losing the Rock 1:11
16. Under Arrest 0:20
17. The Missing Girls/Police Station 0:29
18. Booking the Brothers 0:41
19. Firing Squad? 0:18
20. The De-Evo Chamber 0:35
21. The Escape 0:38
22. Prison Swing 0:58
23. Wild Car Ride 3:47
24. "Come with me." 1:12
25. Koopa's Command/Lena's Story/Wandering the Desert 1:31
26. Yoshi/Daisy Meets Koopa 2:30
27. "Plumbers!" 0:27
28. Imprisoned/Hitching a Ride 2:08
29. Escaping the Goombas 1:19
30. Koopa Chats with the King 0:45
31. Koopa Tower 0:08
32. The Super Mario Brothers 0:06
33. Lena Makes a Decision 0:18
34. "Am I interrupting?" 0:11
35. Lena Attacks Daisy 0:55
36. Iggy and Spike Help Daisy 1:09
37. Family Reunion 0:43
38. Flying Lesson/"My father." 2:03
39. "Lena has the rock." 0:49
40. Luigi and Daisy Caught 0:37
41. Lena Arrested 0:10
42. Escape from Goomba Barracks 1:12
43. Mario vs. Koopa/After Lena 4:11
44. Return to New York 0:37
45. "We're merging!" 1:09
46. Scapelli De-Evolved 0:17
47. Back to Koopa City 1:16
48. De-Evolving Koopa 0:51
49. The End of Koopa 1:55
50. Farewells 2:02
51. "I believe." 0:18

Disney's grip on their film scores has grown refreshingly loose over the last couple years, so don't count this one out.