Quigley Down Under

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Basil Poledouris has changed film music, in his own bombastic way of course. He leaped miles ahead with Conan the Barbarian (supporting the score with orchestral and choral delight), bombast and electronics surfaced in Robocop and lets count Quigley Down Under with Lonesome Dove for the western adventures, just like other great composers changed the surface too. Lonesome Dove, a dramatic western soundtrack received critical acclaim but what Quigley Down Under should receive is applause for its entertaining background, no doubt to say that Poledouris created a score that entertains, amazes and survives as one of the classic entries in his career, same about the main theme, a motif I already adored when I was 12.

Indeed there are few main themes that captured my attention as Quigley's one, it isn't mastery in all movie music proportions but simply well composed and fun. Now, almost 9 years later the score hasn't lost its charm and certifies that Basil Poledouris is still one of movie music finest in the genre, and sadly he hasn't composed more scores like these. Quigley Down Under consists of three themes, mainly found in any movie we have the main theme, the love theme and the heroic theme. The main motif representing Tom Selleck alias Mathew Quigley is downright entertaining, a western but heroic motif sounding respectful for the main person it supports, discovered in 'Main Title', 'Matthew Quigley' and almost in any track. The love theme is softer, a bit forgotten at the end but still representing Poledouris with a knack for these moments, 'Cora's Story' for example brings a fine moment. And last but not least the thrilling tempo that supports the driving energetic heroic theme, 'Marston's Murderers' and the highlight performance in 'The Attack', including a variation in 'The Fire', supporting each standard of the good old Basil Poledouris' composition style.

The comical heroic western material, mainly discovered in scores such as City Slickers 1 and 2 of Marc Shaiman gets equal attention in 'The Fight', its short, it doesn't bother a bit and it brings more fun to the entire western concept. For 40 minutes, the score succeeds to impress you with each moment, and all the tracks maintain to bring solid if even perfect music for the movie. I was surprised to discover that it was fairly simply to obtain this soundtrack (including for a fair price), and thanks to Intrada people can hear this wonderful music. Once again they present charming, entertaining good old film music, and simply to repeat the enthusiasm of my inner self, it is worth it. Basil Poledouris hasn't scored a lot of highlights lately, his latest of that nature is For Love of the Game, so it would be interesting for fanatics to pick it up, these titles don't reappear like that, and simply my inner self again, Quigley Down Under is 40 minutes of entertaining quality movie music.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (3.20) Excellent Track

2. The Fight (4.58)

3. Native Montage (2.13)

4. Marston's Murderers (3.34)

5. Cora's Story (3.21)

6. The Fire (3.00) Excellent Track

7. The Gift (5.27)

8. The Attack (2.52) Excellent Track

9. The Capture (2.45)

10. Freedom (3.36)

11. Mathew Quigley (5.24) Excellent Track

Total Length: 40.56

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Basil Poledouris ===