Mom and Dad Save the World
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Mom and Dad Save the World
Deathstalker (1983) - :yes: awesome
Ator 2 (1984) - very low budget, cheesy affair, but still fun to watch
Legend (theatrical cut) - I like the Tangerine Dream score much better, definitely fits with the visuals
As big a fan of TD as I am, and I really like their score to this film, the Goldsmith score is more fitting when you see the more serious, better and longer edit of the film that should have been. The theatrical version of this film is a crime.
I can't really make my mind up which version is better. I'd have to sit down and watch them both back to back.
I watched the original version I don't know how many times growing up. Dozens. I turned a blind eye to how disjointed and rushed it felt, despite having production value unrivaled, to this day, among fantasy films of its like. I turned a blind eye to the camp and anachronism and overall cheese that seemed to subvert all the effort put into making it.
Sometime around 1994 or so a friend introduced me to the Jerry Goldsmith score. I hated it. I listened and tried to picture scenes in my head with that music, often based on the track titles, and it just didn't work. Finally, about a year ago I got the "ultimate edition" BD, or whatever it was called, and it's a completely different film. In particular, Mia Sara's character now has actual relevance to the story besides being the target of sentiment like "this is all your fault, you stupid bitch." The film also gains a more true epic feel, in terms of pacing and gravity, that's more appropriate for the level of production value. It's not a long-form music video anymore.
And while the moments of camp and anachronism aren't exorcised from this version the expanded footage has softened the blows of these moments such that they don't feel quite as groan inducing. I can't ever watch the theatrical version again.
edit: it's worth noting, this is one of Pinewood Studio's proudest moments in film. All over are publicity photos and materials related to Legend, because the whole thing, every scene, was shot on one of their stages and not in the lush British countryside surrounding the studio. Simply amazing.
I don't see it as a music video, I think the TD score gives it a dreamlike quality. As for camp, cheese and anachronism.. after having just watched Ator 2 and Legend back to back... yeah. Any version of Legend is leagues ahead of its competitors.
The dreamlike quality of the electronica score, however, prevents it from achieving the fullness of its epic potential, while dating it to the '80s, not because of the sound per se but because of the audacity and lack of taste in its coupling with period narrative for anything but intentional kitsch (it's not ridiculous like the Alan Parsons score for Ladyhawke but the DNA of the idea is just as bad). It fits the theatrical version that was engineered by tasteless producers, bringing down the film and trying to sell to a young audience. It doesn't fit and wouldn't have ever been appropriate for the film that Ridley Scott actually made. At the same time, the Goldsmith score is completely inappropriate for the tone and chopped up pacing of the theatrical version.
I love Tangerine Dream and own more of their music than any other band or composer, nearly forty albums. They are, or were, amazing in the '70s and early '80s (before they went digital), especially when they were the trio of Peter Baumann, Edgar Froese and Kris Frank. I'll still listen to their score now just as a sort of concept album and for what it is as its own thing.
edit: the difference between Ridley Scott's true vision for the film and what some asshole released to theaters is far greater than, for instance, the difference between the theatrical and Redux version of Copolla's Vietnam epic. That's just a longer version of the same movie. The theatrical version is actually better, tighter and not a diminished version of what could have been. I'd say the difference between the theatrical and "ultimate" answer-print release of Legend is twice as big as the difference between theatrical and "director's cut" of Blade Runner. At least twice. Blade Runner went from being a great film to an even greater film with its own revisionism. Legend is finally pretty damned good and can break free from being simply a guilty pleasure, forgotten, ignored or simply acknowledged for the sake of completion-ism.
^Very well thought out post. I'll have to watch the director's cut again, now.
I'm hopeful that finally seeing "The Cabal Cut" will have as big a change on my opinion about Nightbreed, which I wasn't really impressed with beyond the classic Elfman score. I'm hoping that the darker, earlier cut of The Dark Crystal that you can see some of online gets a similar sort of restoration.
Studio executives suck ass.
The Bodyguard (1992) - decent thriller, although the romance part was lame and cliched. I actually don't mind the Whitney Houston songs. Also reminds me of In the Line of Fire a bit (although that was the far superior movie). 6/10
Red Sonja (1985) - not bad actually.. a decent 'warrior chick' type movie, with a supporting role by Arnold.
This is the End - hilarious!
The Rock - fuckin classic!
Old boy (remake)
Someone marry Barry
Predator...still really entertaining, despite the campy dialog and macho posturing throughout. Great score. Like the next film I watched, it doesn't compress well so much of the film is murky and soft and smeary on Youtube-like digital HD cable. I wonder if it looks any better on BD.
Twister...also, really entertaining despite the often silly things people say. Great score too, especially Eddie Van Halen's soaring instrumental during the closing credits. Every time I hear this track I can't help but think what a waste, all those years doing Van Halen songs when he could have been making music. This movie doesn't compress well at all and has looked horrible in every digital version I've ever seen compared to the CAV laserdisc release from the mid 1990s.
Django Unchained
If grass is in the field...oh wait, everybody shaves now.
Under the Skin
lawless
Unbreakable