Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (Bootleg)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Bill & Ted got two adventures, and even if they felt like something in the line of Dude, Where's my Car or Wayne's World today about two not very bright souls, it actually felt cool and good at the time (actually still is). Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are both simple yet rocking stars which get to the future or past in the first and even in the second they face the grim reaper (even if he's a softie just like them) and both movies are featuring the score of composer David Newman. Normally they are both featured on one bootleg but I have just the first adventure, entitled Excellent Adventure. While this score is probably one of the few listens I totally enjoyed and on the other end forgot to listen to during it, it is even more difficult to grade it as a film score when you don't have nothing to guide it by. I got this score without artwork, tracktitles and didn't remember much of the movie (I'm the kind of person who needs tracktitles). So I solved it by looking to the movie, giving the tracks the titles and order they deserved and then this score actually becomes twice the experience you wanted in the first place. The score has the typical Newman touches with the fanfares, the energetic feel, the occasional use of more emotional soft touches and other brief comical signs, all together they make Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure work. Perhaps not in high standards but definitely in "bogus", "party on" and "excellent" standards like Bill & Ted so eloquently put it, due to the short length and acceptable quality of both the material and sound.

The score starts with the typical Newman style in 'Jail Rescue' before some electronic beats and electric guitar take over, signaling the rock status of the two heroes, again repeating the beat in 'Meeting Rufus and Ourselves' and 'Thank You San Dimas High!'. Some good orchestral fanfares with a fast rhythm (a la The Cowboy Way) open 'Western Bar Fight' while Faltermeyer like electronic signs and more Labyrinth like score begin to unravel in 'Let's Get more Historical Figures'. Some of the best signs of both the main theme in 'From History to History' and 'Deep Trouble / Escaping the Execution' are heard, with the last track covering for the final minutes some of the best fanfares to showcase for. Especially after the more emotional touch, these fanfares are great to enjoy. 'From the West to the Middle Ages / You Killed Ted' even has some light synthesized choir while the final track brings some of the weirdest tones to the fore (also ethnic touches for Genghis Khan with the main theme). Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures is such a score you listen to and you simply accept it, because it is just such a score for an '80 film. You don't expect brilliance so you don't need it to entertain yourself, further it was one of Newman's earliest goofy but pleasant entries in the film industry so it is just fine to accept. However, it is also a bootleg you have to take with the perks and if people expect something riveting, then forget is. This score is simply easier to like then an entry from either Ducktales or Mathilda. So for an acceptable early no brainer (party on dude) film and listen, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure works to please me on a normal scale, meaning for die hard Newman completists, it is a try to consider.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Jail Rescue (3.33)

2. Meeting Rufus And Ourselves (1.56)

3. Western Bar Fight (2.27)

4. Let's Get More Historical Figures (2.22)

5. Thank You San Dimas High! (0.28)

6. From History To History (2.27)

7. Deep Trouble / Escaping The Execution (8.28)

8. From The West To The Middle Ages / You Killed Ted (6.23)

9. Genghis Khan / Fixing The Cab (4.56)

Correct Order: (2 - 6 - 4 - 3 - 8 - 7 - 9 - 1 - 5)

Total Length: 33.22

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

=== Link to Composer Site: David Newman ===