Intrada revisits one of its earliest soundtrack releases, for the first time complete and fully remastered! Walter Hill directs, Mario Kassar & Andrew Vajna present, Nick Note, Powers Boothe, Maria Conchita Alonso, Michael Ironside, Rip Torn, Clancy Brown, William Forsythe star, John Milius & Fred Rexer create the story, Jerry Goldsmith composes and conducts. Think of the movie as a modern day western - part tribute to The Wild Bunch and part tribute to military action pictures, set on the Texas-Mexico border. Find Texas Rangers vs drug dealers vs bank robbers and get action galore! Jerry Goldsmith creates a multi-layered score for orchestra plus electronics: One layer features driving staccato rhythms, frequently in basses with electronic percussion, moving the music ever-forward. Another layer features a descending syncopated line that serves as a primary melodic idea, typically heard in French horns or trombones, countering the staccato rhythms. Arguably the most emotional layer is also its quietest: solo trumpet, an all-time favorite color for the composer, plays for the loner-hero of the film, Texas Ranger Jack Benteen (Nick Nolte), intoning the descending melody, then continuing the line upwards into a complete theme. The haunting idea speaks for both inner loneliness and courageous heroism in spite of overwhelming odds. And Goldsmith has still more to offer: A cascading triplet figure from three trumpets with reverb speaks to the secret military outfit built of five presumed deceased army sergeants led by Major Hackett (Michael Ironside) that figure heavily in the action plus a pitch-bending electronic motif playing for Cash Bailey (Powers Boothe) and his drug trafficking enterprise across the border. Spotlights go to an idea introduced late in the score (“No Friendlies”) and ultimately developed in full regalia as the end title itself. Drawn from colors similar to the composer’s celebrated Under Fire, this finale showcases one of Goldsmith’s best architectural devices: Eschewing the customary wrap-up with a medley of themes and motifs, Goldsmith singularly works with one idea, increasing the orchestral density, letting everything build until it ultimately emerges as a commanding theme. This dynamic Goldsmith device lives in a very small family that includes Papillon, The Swarm and In Harm’s Way. This newly remastered 2-CD release includes the entire orchestral score in Goldsmith’s intended film sequence, courtesy Studiocanal, including music never-before released. Several electronic re-scored cues, not part of Goldsmith’s original scoring sessions, follows. CD 2 presents the original album Goldsmith and engineers Bruce Botnick and Bernie Grundman assembled for Intrada back in 1987 when the film was first released, which includes numerous editorial assemblies designed with musicality in mind. New packaging designed by Kay Marshal features the original one sheet art plus informative booklet notes by John Takis. Mike Ross records and mixes, Jerry Goldsmith conducts the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra. Intrada Special Collection 2-CD set available while quantities and interest remain!
