For whatever
reason, the original Futureland release of Son of
Godzilla (TYCY-5352) became
one of the hardest CDs to find from the 1993 line up.
To that point, it's nice to see the entire soundtrack
get a much deserved re-release 11 years later. Anyway,
this score marks the third by composer Masaru
Sato in the
long running Godzilla series. Sato has a very distinct
style compared to series regular Akira
Ifukube and
ends up being the perfect fit for this 1967 production. The
composer weaves a very playful score for this picture,
which listeners experience right off the bat with the
"Main Title", that seems right at home with
the subject matter and the tropical setting. I'm not
sure how much of this is due to my own experiences,
but this score always manages to give me a nostalgic
sense of childhood, in particular the "Main Title" and
the more whimsical theme for Minilla. Sato
has managed to craft a number of excellent cues for this
score, such as the ever memorable theme for the Kamacuras,
the rousing "Experiment Preparation" and "Godzilla
vs. Kumonga", which was later reused for King Caesar's
battle with Mechagodzilla in Godzilla
vs. Mechagodzilla (1974). Another
thing that I always get a kick out of is Sato's update
of his Godzilla theme for this particular entry. Taking
the gothic, almost dirge-like theme he established
for the character in Godzilla
Raids Again (1955), the composer has greatly
increased the tempo while adding additional instruments
to the mix. The result, which is heard on "Parent Godzilla
Comes Ashore", is almost unrecognizable from its source,
unless played back-to-back, but ends up being the perfect
fit for this film as it still contains an element
of dread while not seeming out of place in the context
of the rest of the music. Another track worth singling
out is the ever majestic "Ending" theme. This cue starts
off with a slow, sorrowful tone, yet gels with the rest
of the score thanks to the use of trumpets and the way
it majestically transitions into the very upbeat part
in the cue where the submarine emerges. All in all, it's
simply a beautiful sounding track.
In terms of the added content, this disc includes five
bonus tracks not found on the earlier Toshiba disc. The
first of these tracks, interestingly, seems to indicate
that the second half of the
"Snowflakes on the Southern Sea" cue is actually a recycled
version of "Parent Godzilla Comes Ashore" except slowed
down. The remaining four tracks are standard outtakes
that feature minute differences from the final version
that most probably won't pick up on unless hearing the
two side-by-side.
Overall, it's hard to say how much of my general enjoyment
of this CD is due to nostalgia.
To Sato's credit, he certainly illicits this feeling
from his work much more than any of the other Godzilla
soundtracks manage to evoke. Regardless, there are enough
fantastic cues included here that the score as a whole
gets a pretty sound recommendation.
Rating:  |
|
