Hoosiers

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

In a faze in his career, Jerry Goldsmith kept experimenting with electronics and synthesizers as much as he could. Mostly incorporating them in his scores, sometimes bringing awkward tones to the fore (like the year before that in Legend) or sometimes just pleasant results in Explorers and the year after that, namely Innerspace. And yet why Hoosiers was scored primarily on electronics is a question not answered yet. Just for the sake of it, along with Hans Zimmer, Jerry Goldsmith is a master in using them so precisely that they sound not tacky at all, and just as fun as all the others. Hoosiers or Bet Shot as entitled here is a mere fact that pure synthesized scores can all work when the themes are fun and the product is one of non tacky performance. And for all that, Hoosiers became a small classic in the long line of Goldsmith's career and was nominated for Oscar consideration. But this had more to do with the fact that the score supported a winning movie and supported the movie with a winning attitude. This music never gets downbeat nor depressing and along with the team, had a heart to win. The performance by Goldsmith with just a couple of themes is one of winning consideration and therefore Hoosiers listens as a good old classic fun ride. 'Best Shot' is the main title sequence of the movie and captures all the most important themes of the score, first the electronic upbeat theme, then the actual main theme which is a winning theme that bounces along nicely to the end, reminiscent of Explorers, and then the soaring string theme that would receive momentum in track 7. Its all there for the ride and its a good opening ride for what's to follow.

Actually the theme that opens the score is somewhat in the line of U-571's victory theme, in 'Destroyer Battle' when the ship has been hit, the movie's upbeat theme is in the line of that. But since Marvin had to ape Goldsmith in the first place, we will let that pass by. Further, 'You Did Good' starts soft but then has the main themes of the movie appearing with some Rudy elegance at the end. 'The Pivot' is different in using more rhythm and more quick sports music and is only so good because it uses some different tunes. 'Town Meeting' is rather ethereal and light, with touches of Innerspace in it along with the main theme (soft too) but the big bonus awaits us with 'The Finals' were after several minutes the themes start appearing again, in most thrilling form, with a terrific statement around 9.30 and 10.00 of the soaring string theme of 1. No matter if its done with synthesizers, the effect is glorious and reaches momentum like Rudy did at the end. Actually, both Rudy and Hoosiers have a lot in common. First of all, they are sports scores and the American sports dream is fulfilled with upbeat, heroic and winning music, never a more downbeat moment appears reminding us that perhaps defeat is near. No, its all uplifting and played in a winning mood. But also as Rudy, I have the feeling it sometimes repeats the material a bit too often, like themes which are wonderful but repeated in the first 3 tracks already too much. Therefore a track such as 4 is easier to like then a track like 3, even though they both bring great music. But also just as Rudy, it doesn't matter too much anymore at the end because the positive winning side of Hoosiers is, winners take the pride and glory with them. And Rudy and Hoosiers are winners in sport terms and in musical pleasures.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Best Shot (Theme From Hoosiers) (4.24) Excellent Track

2. You Did Good (7.00) Excellent Track

3. The Coach Stays (2.42)

4. The Pivot (3.27)

5. Get The Ball (1.46)

6. Town Meeting (4.45)

7. The Finals (15.20) Excellent Track

Total Length: 39.38

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=== Link to Composer Site: Jerry Goldsmith ===