Jerry GOLDSMITH
The Challenge
conducted and produced by
the composer * Orchestrated by Arthur Morton * album produced by Ford A.
Thaxton
PROMETHEUS PCR 505
[60:27]
Purchase from:
Crotchet
Jerry Goldsmith first worked with director John Frankenheimer in the 1950's
on the series Climax! and Playhouse 90. Since then they have
made three feature films together. Seven Days in May (1964) and
Seconds (1966) are both considered classics, while the third film,
The Challenge (1982) is rather forgotten. In the 60's and 70's
Frankenheimer was a master of the terse, hard-edged thriller and action drama,
helming such titles as The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Train
(1964), Grand Prix (1966), French Connection II (1975) and
Black Sunday (1977). Then something seemed to go wrong, and while
he made some decent films, there was nothing approaching the classics of
the first two decades of his feature directing career, at least not until
his unexpected and spectacular return to form with Ronin (1998).
By repute, The Challenge isn't a bad film, but apart from some polished
action sequences and the interest inherent in it's westerner-goes-to-Japan
scenario, there seems to be little to distinguish it from many other violent,
well-made crime dramas. One of the things that does set it apart is Jerry
Goldsmith's superior score. Never before issued on album, this score has
achieved near legendary status among Goldsmith fans, and hearing this first
CD release, it is easy to see why. This is big, rousing action-orientated
Goldsmith, the sort of bold, driving score which has won the composer a
particular following.
All the expected suspense music is present and correct, but it is the action
writing which really delivers, while throughout Goldsmith employs oriental
instrumentation without ever over-cooking the brew. The booklet notes that
much Japanese music is resolutely western in instrumentation, but that the
film composer has to present something that sounds appropriate from the point
of view of a western audience's perceptions of Japan, while not patronising,
stereotyping or resorting to cliché. A tall order, and perhaps only
a Japanese could say how well Goldsmith succeeded.
What is not in doubt is that the resultant CD was worth the wait, being first
rate Goldsmith in a line of percussive, explosive tautly melodic scores from
The Blue Max (1966) to Capricorn One (1978), with even an echo
of Planet of the Apes (1968). There is a love theme in the tradition
of The Wind and the Lion (1975) and several thrilling set-pieces:
'The Wrong Sword', setting the stage with echoes of Papillon (1974)
and The Swarm (1978) for much of the blistering musical drama to follow.
There are 16 tracks in just over an hour, which means that the album has
several quite extensive sequences, 7 of the tracks running (often considerably)
more than four-and-a-half minutes. Occasionally tracks have been combined,
and everything plays in a musically satisfying sequence. The album was produced
from the two original 16 track master tapes, and the sound is crisp, detailed
and has great dynamic impact. It has been mixed in stereo (the film was released
in mono), and processed with the addition of Lexicon digital reverb. Doubtless
some will howl with outrage and demand a 'pure' release of the music, condemning
this 'adulterated' issue. Life is too short to worry about such things. The
debates about the merits, artistic, technical and ethical about such 'after
the event' post production will doubtless run for years, but this album as
produced by Ford A. Thaxton sounds great. The notes by Gary Kestler are
informative and there are well reproduced b/w stills in the booklet. No Goldsmith
fan should be without a copy, but nor should anyone who enjoys first rate
adventure soundtrack albums.
Reviewer
Gary S. Dalkin
