Thanks to Jessica Stan for sending this in.
Composed by Masaru Sato, this score sees Sato in his groove. Here he embraces more of the big band style that he would become so popular for while shedding the more traditional scoring he had employed for most of the 1950’s. That is on display right from the start with the very rousing and trumpet-led “Title Credits”, which is also the highlight theme from this soundtrack. While this is the best version of that motif, it is present throughout most of the score, also appearing in “Ronin Arrives”, “Bodyguard Sale” and as small snippets in other tracks as well.
In general, the soundtrack employs a lot of trumpets and drums. “Big Trouble” is a track that puts that on full display, with extremely prominent trumpet and drum work that carries the track. I don’t want to give the wrong impression, though, as instrumentation present is varied, in fact even organs (sounding almost like calliopes) make an appearance. Generally the latter is more to ramp up the comedic elements, although not always successfully. “Bribery Contest” is probably the best example of that, which crescendos into a rather ludicrous and overpowering segment with an organ that isn’t the most pleasant to listen to.
While most of the score is a bit on the rousing and boisterous side, Sato does show some range here. The “Unexpected Hostage” is a short but great theme that utilizes string instruments for something that sounds a bit majestic yet tragic.
As for bonus content, there is an unused track here although it’s oddly placed amongst the main score. It’s “Hostage Exchange 4”, which despite the numbering is quite different from the other themes with that name so it’s a nice bonus feature. Beyond this, there are also a number of alternate takes and isolated sounds related to themes. There are also a few alternate tempos, which is something I’m not used to seeing on these releases, but they are best described as small snippets where they are experimenting with a different tempo. The disc also has a rehearsal track for the “Title Credits”, which is interesting and only rough in one spot where the instrumentation misses. Finally, there is also the trailer music, which is derived from The Great Kurobe (1961). Surprisingly, the sampled theme from that film is very close to a part of the “Title Credits”, and could be seen as almost an early version of the motif.
Bottom line, a solid Sato score. Of all of the composer’s work for Kurosawa, this is probably not just the biggest crowd pleaser but also the one that works the best as a stand alone experience. |