The Adventures of Pluto Nash (Promo)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

John Powell is the craziest composer there is. Or better rephrased, he can create crazy music like no other and come away with it in the best possible sense. Rat Race was a case in point where he let just everything loose and the extravaganza was unseen comical energy. With The Adventures of Pluto Nash it is the same, but here he adds a more crazy edge of funky Latino music, wacky synthesizer tones and techno vocals but altogether, you just find it cool and funky. But above all, there is one thing to remember of the movie and that is the unbelievable sensational theme John Powell wrote for the movie. While not artistically grand and perhaps a close cousin to many other themes he created, just the tone of this blazing trumpet theme is too good for the failed Ron Underwood flop that is Pluto Nash. Hearing it in the begin over the main titles, during the many action chases and at the end is what makes the movie still somewhat bearable. The music was unfortunately never released and a promo surfaced within some due time, with one being the mono version (which you basically can't listen to) and one with 37 minutes of vibrant energy in the best sound quality imaginable. And while the theme isn't heard so often as it appears in the movie, after multiple listens, there is more then the main theme alone and you will find a distinct line in the crazy music that Powell creates, even if you will not hear it the first or second attempt. Altogether, you can not find a more then crazier score that comes of sounding that cool, with the main theme guiding that coolness up front. 'Main Title' is the one and only track that blazes its coolness and with every possible instrument, it amazes you. From synthesizer whooshes, blazing trumpets to piano it builds to the awesome theme, catchy as hell and too cool for words. Once more the performers of the brass had to go to the maximum to perform this, just like with the theme of Sinbad. Of course the energy is as fast as fun as Chicken Run thereafter.

The next tracks don't come of sounding as good as that, '7 Years Later / Bruno' is just sound effects that simply sound loud and 'Investigation' is the same but with the added techno vocals. But the wild ride of the action music is as uncontrollable to the senses than to the brain. You basically hate and love it at the same time. 'Bomb / Chase' uses variations on the theme and the energy is just massive during 'Ambush', which also adds electric guitar stuff blowing you for an instance away, and luckily only for an instance I say. But 'Moon Travel' is the tip of the iceberg, as much as you hate it, you love it because the wild energy and non melodic stuff shifts from one tone to the other. Its only successive because John Powell wrote it. Any other composer would fail if he dared to compose something like that. Anyway, it has Rat Race influences and cool main theme statements which work well on the amusement factor. 'Mom / Escape' is cool too and uses once more the main theme in a changed version. But truly the craziness is also the change of tone, a Hawaiian piece with acoustic guitar and on conga rhythms is heard in 'The Vanice Beach' while Latino trumpets blaze the heights of 'Casino' away. Only 'The Plan' comes of sounding soft, with a secondary theme receiving some small sweetness with a light choral accompaniment while it is reprised with larger sounding greatness after a while ride in 'The Great Rex Carter'. The problem is, even though the choir sounds huge, the sound can not take the mass and sounds dampened and non clear to give the track its blow, even though lovely soft main theme statements finish the track in good style. Funky, crazy, wild and cool, the energizer bunny in The Adventures of Pluto Nash would fall dead if he tried to follow the pace of this score. Some people will hate it, and others will fall for it. Just to hear Powell doing it is enough occasionally and, just that main theme in blazing clarity is enough to seek the promo if you are nuts for the theme too.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (2.41) Excellent Track

2. 7 Years Later / Bruno (1.32)

3. Bomb / Chase (2.48)

4. Ambush (1.31)

5. The Vanice Beach (1.31)

6. Investigation (1.22)

7. Mom / Escape (2.57)

8. Rowland Is Dead (1.52)

9. Moon Travel (6.15)

10. The Plan (2.35)

11. Casino (1.26)

12. Get The Truth (0.57)

13. The Great Rex Carter (9.11)

Total Length: 37.09

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

=== Link to Composer Site: John Powell ===