Released
under SLC's "Toho Science Fiction Cult Movie"
line, the full soundtrack to the Japanese and Hong Kong
production of The Legend of the White Serpent is a real treat for those who might enjoy the slightly dated approach to soundtrack music.
Composed by Ikuma
Dan, the score is very distinct for its excessive
use of the musical saw and the vocal songs inter spliced in the
music, which were done by the lead actress and singer
Shirley Yamaguchi. The themes in general are very pleasant
to listen to as Dan uses a musical style that harks back
to the film scores of the late 1930's and 40's. In fact,
a number of comparisons have been made to other soundtracks
of that period, including the work of the late Disney
composer Leigh Harline who is famous for movies such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Chances are good that Dan was
actually going for a more charming and whimsical score
to match this adaptation of the Chinese fairy tale of
"The Legend of the White Serpent", which is
where the international title comes from. To this effect,
Dan gives an excellent performance as nearly the entire
soundtrack is very pleasant, beyond a few tracks that
are intentionally related to strife the characters are
feeling. To be honest, his work here doesn't quite capture
the majesty of his amazing themes found in Hiroshi Inagaki's
Samurai Trilogy or his work on The
Last War (1961), although this score is still
very much one of the composer's more unique
offerings.
Like other releases in the "Cult"
line, this CD comes with a booklet printed on thick stock
paper that includes: a brief summary of each theme, production
stills (black and white) and a multi-page bio on the composer.
Unlike other discs in the line, though, this CD is actually
packed with music as it runs for 77 minutes long.
Overall, while not the best the composer has to offer, this entry is a bit unique compared to other science fiction scores for the Toho films and is, if nothing else, memorable for that reason.
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