Composer-conductor Michael Kamen devised the instrumental, “Rowena,” for the soundtrack of the acclaimed 1995 Richard Dreyfuss drama, Mr. Holland’s Opus. A few years later, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra performed the track for the 1998 Michael Kamen’s Opus retrospective album.
REVIEW:
It isn’t distinctive, but composer Michael Kamen imbues “Rowena” with an intriguing sense of melancholy. This somber track conveys a down-to-earth narrative with appropriately poignant touches at the right moments. Though the theme perhaps overstays its welcome, “Rowena” should blend in well with instrumental and classical music playlists.
Released by Atlantic Recording Corporation in 1986, this soundtrack features ten vintage songs by the original artists. The tracks are:
Title: Artist: Running Time:
Everyday Buddy Holly 2:07
Let the Good Times Roll Shirley and Lee 2:22
Come Go With Me The Del Vikings 2:40
Whispering Bells The Del Vikings 2:25
Get a Job The Silhouettes 2:44
Lollipop The Chordettes 2:09
Yakety Yak The Coasters 2:49
Great Balls of Fire Jerry Lee Lewis 1:49
Mr. Lee The Bobbettes 2:14
Stand By Me Ben E. King 2:55
REVIEW:
It’s the kind of album that is easily overrated as nostalgia or simply easy to dismiss altogether. Saved for last, the title tune’s timeless magic is worth the price of admission alone. Yet, apart from Ben E. King’s classy presence, the Stand By Me soundtrack comes off as a merely a sample of American Graffiti’s far more extensive songbook. Even if this compilation is by no means remarkable, its well-chosen assortment offers a pleasant retro-style listening experience. The album’s ridiculously short running time, however, is its biggest detriment. If one doesn’t mind how fleeting this album really is, then it’s likely a worthwhile bargain.
PACKAGING:
All the tracks, artists, and their running times are listed on the case’s back cover. The fold-out booklet includes stills, a track listing; running times; composition credits; and artist credits.
The 1984-86 NBC TV opening credits theme was composed by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter, but, despite the album’s title, it’s not Post’s brief original version. Covering the theme is The Daniel Caine Orchestra for its 1999 instrumental tribute album, NYPD Blue: The Best of Mike Post.
REVIEW:
While a Riptide TV series soundtrack may not exist, this extended cover from The Daniel Caine Orchestra is a virtual replica of Mike Post’s work. For fans seeking this hard-to-find TV series theme, the cover is likely the best available option.
The 1989-93 NBC TV opening credits theme was composed by Mike Post, but, despite the album’s title, it’s not actually Post’s own rendition. In an extended cover, The Daniel Caine Orchestra recreates this tune for its 1999 instrumental tribute album, NYPD Blue: The Best of Mike Post.
REVIEW:
Though it occasionally sounds like a cover, its faithful instrumental sound should please Quantum Leap fans. For anyone seeking this TV series theme, this Daniel Caine Orchestra cover is an excellent option.
BRIAN’S 10-STAR RATING: 8½ Stars
Notes:Post’s brief original version appears on 1996’s Television’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 7: Cable Ready album, which was released in CD and cassette formats. Also, another excellent cover version of “Quantum Leap” appears on the first disc of 2000’s dual-disc Battlestar Galactica: The A-to-Z of Fantasy TV Themes.
As a bonus finale for 1980 Flash Gordon movie soundtrack CD, Mista Lawnge of Black Sheep recorded this re-mix of the film’s opening theme by Queen.
REVIEW:
It’s a shame that the magic of Queen’s version is wasted. Mista Lawnge’s unimaginative remix is the equivalent of hearing a broken record. Wearing thin in seconds, this repetitive hip-hop track seemingly drones on forever. To justify its existence, Lawnge’s homage really should have been trimmed by at least a good two minutes. Including a pathetic warbling of Ming’s dialogue intro, there’s nothing here justifying the price of a download. For your money’s worth, go with Queen’s original version — complete with the gloating Ming (Max von Sydow) & Klytus (Peter Wyngarde) dialogue sample left intact.
BRIAN & ROSCOE’S ODD MOON RATING: 2 Stars
Note: A tantalizing alternative is the digitally-remastered “Flash’s Theme” (simply entitled “Flash”) available on Queen’s 2002 Platinum Collection set. Specifically, the film dialogue sampling is different than the soundtrack version.
For the 2018 sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, actress Lily James (as a young ‘Donna Sheridan’) covers this ABBA tune.
REVIEW:
Lily James’ vocals are ideal for this dreamy Broadway-like ABBA cover. Despite a charming piano-driven melody, this slower-paced track doesn’t emerge as one of the soundtrack’s most memorable efforts. It isn’t James’ fault so much, as the song’s jazzy lyrics tend to be more middle-of-the-pack ABBA. As a download option, this “Andante, Andante,” is a fine choice, but James sparkles on her gentle solo rendition of “I Have a Dream” from this same album.
Recorded by Sunny Day Real Estate, it’s the thirteenth tune on 1995’s Batman Forever movie soundtrack.
REVIEW:
The track is frankly reminiscent of an U2 wanna-be. Though the song doesn’t sound all that original, “8” may well satisfy U2 enthusiasts seeking out a band with a similar creative style. Otherwise, it’s decent filler for the Batman Forever album.
Recorded as the love song for Disney’s 1993 Three Musketeers movie soundtrack (complete with an MTV video), Bryan Adams teams up with Sting and Rod Stewart. Among the albums this ballad later appears on is Adams’ second career retrospective: 1999’s The Best of Me.
REVIEW:
Deploying an upbeat approach, it treads the same chivalrous turf as Peter Cetera’s “Glory of Love” ballad, which serves as the love theme of 1986’s Karate Kid, Part II. Working off a catchy melody, the good-spirited harmony amongst Sting, Stewart, and Adams remains this track’s best asset. Mostly deferring to his two cohorts, Adams’ husky vocals deliver solid support in the choruses.
However, the Three Musketeer-themed lyrics, unfortunately, are so schmaltzy that the tune risks becoming a real eye-roller. There’s no doubt that the intent was to copycat Adams’ 1991 “Everything I Do (I Do It for You),” but Adams and co-writer/producer Robert “Mutt” Lange don’t come close to recapturing their hit song’s magic. The forgettable “All for Love” just isn’t in the same league, especially with a string of half-hearted clichés that the Sting-Adams-Stewart trio are stuck pitching.
If “Everything I Do (I Do It for You)” hadn’t already existed, this knock-off might have well taken its place as Hollywood’s best swashbuckling love song. Instead, “All for Love” only ages so well for an even more hollow reason than listeners practically tasting the syrupy lyrics. This mercenary tune plays like it’s the equivalent of Adams, Sting, and Stewart cashing their hefty paychecks.
Released in 1992, this Laserlight Digital album consist of instrumental fifteen covers of mostly familiar sci-fi movie and television themes. The ‘synthesizer realizations’ are attributed to “G.S.O.” Its tracks, run times, and original composer(s) are the following:
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark 2:32John Williams
2. Blade Runner 3:19Vangelis
3. Alien 2:36Jerry Goldsmith
4. Return of the Jedi (aka Luke & Leia) 3:48John Williams
13. Star Trek: The Motion Picture 2:58Jerry Goldsmith & Alexander Courage
14. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 2:17John Williams
15. War of the Worlds 3:00Leith Stevens
Notes:The flashy cover art montage is credited to “A. Backhausen” and “Köln.” Track 3 mistakenly refers to Jerry Goldsmith as ‘John Goldsmith.’
REVIEW:
For an upbeat movie/TV tunes album, its bag of tricks has some surprises. Tracks 1-3 are traditionally performed, sounding precisely as one might expect. Tracks 4-6, however, mimic Meco’s disco adaptations more than John Williams. Still, Track 4’s energetic take on Return of the Jedi (Luke & Leia) is more engaging than Williams’ yawn-inducing original. Despite its pleasant sound, the unremarkable Track 7 (as well as Tracks 11-12) evidently spawned from an obscure German TV series, Space Patrol Orion, which debuted in late 1966 (coinciding with the original Star Trek series).
Track 8, too, mimics a Meco-style cover of Battlestar Galactica. It’s pretty good, at least as compared to Track 13’s Star Trek, which is bubblier than champagne (again, think Meco). At the risk of a migraine headache, beware of the grating Track 14, which includes what oddly sounds like high-pitch bird-trilling. Hence, it’s one Close Encounter too many.
Like the first few tracks, Track 9’s The Unending Story impressively recreates the original version. Track 10 evidently originates from the mid-80’s German film, The Noah’s Ark Principle. While it delivers the album’s most unique theme, its sound is still reminiscent of background music one might overhear at an 80’s-era video arcade.
Rather dubiously, the only vocals (who is actually singing remains a mystery) are heard in Track 15. After a dramatic intro, War of the Worlds then kicks over to insipid disco vocals about invading “men from mars.” One can imagine Bill Murray’s Nick the Lounge Singer from a 70’s Saturday Night Live crooning this tune in a cheap bar somewhere. If anything, this tongue-in-cheek track belongs to those sci-fi aficionados who believe the moon really is made of cheese.
For its overall consumer value (at least, up through Track 12), Science Fiction Movie Themes allows listeners to experience some instrumental standards in a funky European disco-style.
PACKAGING:
The tracks and running times are listed on the back cover. The tracks are also listed on the disc itself. Though the cover artwork montage is stellar, its inclusion of a Poltergeist (1982) image is deceptive, as the film’s theme isn’t included. Despite its billing, 2001 – A Space Odyssey (1968) isn’t show up on this album. either. The album insert is a Laserlight catalog.
Note:The album’s advertised claim of a fifty-nine-minute running time is off by ten minutes.
Produced by Madacy Special Products in 2002, this obscure cover album is performed by the 101 Strings Orchestra. The ten tracks, original composer(s), and run times are:
1. The X-Files (TV Theme)Mark Snow 3:24
2. Men in BlackDanny Elfman 2:38
3. Deep ImpactJames Horner & Will Jennings 4:19
4. 2001: A Space OdysseyJohann Strauss II 1:25
5. The Twlight Zone (Movie)Jerry Goldsmith 5:44
6. The Twlight Zone (TV Theme)Marius Constant 0:45
7. CocoonJames Horner & Will Jennings 6:28
8. Total RecallJerry Goldsmith 2:20
9. AlienDavid Sylvian & Jerry Goldsmith
10. Star WarsJohn Williams 8:04
REVIEW:
As an instrumental collection, it offers some good background. Bolstered by solid sound quality, the 101 Strings Orchestra isn’t hampered by any weak spots. The only drawback is an ultra-generic and slightly misleading album title (since a few TV shows are included). A few tracks, unfortunately, are too brief, but the compensation is Track 10’s extended Star Wars medley. Science Fiction Movie Music isn’t worth purchasing a new copy, but, as a garage sale or thrift store find, it’s nifty.
PACKAGING:
The CD doesn’t list the tracks or running times. No further information was available.
