Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Now, I do think that Hercules isn't the biggest sensation on TV. The show isn't bad and some things do simply work, the hero with muscles will attract the women's eye, the fans can like the various landscapes and series and for the real men there always seems to be a beauty walking around. After seeing several episodes I noticed easily the music behind the series, the music of Joseph LoDuca. LoDuca is known with Sam Raimi fans for his extensive collaboration on The Evil Dead films. When Raimi went to Television, LoDuca followed and scored both Xena and Hercules. Which score or series received the best music isn't obvious to me but I do know which score received the best main theme. Hercules did and that theme alone let me to purchase the soundtrack. Now after multiple listens, I still find Hercules: The Legendary Journeys a tough score to grade. Why you will find out eventually but something keeps telling me that LoDuca simply didn't convince me of his talent. Sure, the man has obvious talent but it seemed to me that four episodes can not give me the satisfaction I require, but lets just try shall we.

The first Episode (Hercules and the Circle of Life) is probably the one containing the best music. Having the best use of main theme in the first track and various good melodic moments, it is easy to enjoy the whole combination. A choir in introduced briefly in 7 with great effect and track 9 'The Cure' is the best part of the score. But sadly this entire 3 minute piece is a serious rip off (yes James Horner territory) of 'Red Route 1', found on Basil Poledouris' The Hunt for Red October. I am not telling a lie, the building movement of score, the choir which makes it heavenly at occasions, this is note by note the same thing for at least a minute and a half. Of course it blesses a score like this but its not from LoDuca and if people assume this, it feels entirely inappropriate. The second episode (Hercules and the Lost Kingdom) is much less enthralling. Consisting of one excellent track, the whole part bores rather quickly from start to finish. LoDuca uses a different set of sound, in fact some tracks do get the bouncy nature (11 and 14) and 'Destiny Theme' uses a classic vocal to support this scene emotionally and works very nicely. But the highlight is sadly another rip off. 'A New Day' is deeply and I mean deeply influenced by James Horner's Krull, the women chanting and the theme which is not far away from Horner's main theme graces the scene and in fact has a hell of a choral depth, but is not truly original stuff.

We move on to the third episode (Hercules and the Amazon Women) and it starts promising with another bold choral moment in track 20. The entire part isn't as stimulating as that but brings at least some solid music. It is influenced in the jungle territory, for instance the interesting track 'Journey to Gargarencia'. But some tracks simply don't deliver (mainly the last) and sadly we haven't got a last ditch of excellence in the final track of that episode, though it isn't bad. Track 25 by the way has a bit of Aliens. But episode four is truly the worst (Hercules and the Underworld): the first track is nice but then the dark and truly obnoxious tone sets in, scary sound effects, mixed vocals, it all contributes to make it unsatisfying. 'The Chasm' is dreadful and another rip off joins the field. This time Wojciech Kilar's Bram Stoker's Dracula appears almost identically in 'Forked Tongues'. Sad to say it, but I have heard other people mentioning that there are many other variations to be found, of scores I haven't heard so far. So it is difficult to say in person that this is truly satisfying for an Original soundtrack. LoDuca's overall impression is grand and for a Television series, the orchestral and choral depth is gratifying but the things that satisfied me were the main theme and the rip offs' of music. The first part amused me, and several other moments but I was at the end more frustrated then happy, making this score something for the fans of Television music in general and of course LoDuca connaisseurs.

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Tracks

Single Disc

Hercules and the Circle of Life

1. Main Title (1.04) Excellent Track

2. Hail, Hercules (1.10)

3. Fight In Hera's Temple (1.52)

4. Phaedra (3.03)

5. House Of Prometheus (1.19)

6. More Time / Tickle (2.21)

7. The Circle Of Fire (1.32)

8. Zeus vs. Hercules (1.55)

9. The Cure (3.12) Excellent Track

Hercules and the Lost Kingdom

10. The Runners Part 1 (1.27)

11. The Runners Part 2 (0.56)

12. Destiny Theme (3.02)

13. Battle With The Blue Priest (3.14)

14. The Slave Bar (1.25)

15. First You Then Stew (1.32)

16. The Runner Arrives (1.11)

17. The Cowherds Way (1.31)

18. A New Dawn (2.57) Excellent Track

Hercules and the Amazon Women

19. Hercules Fanfare (0.32)

20. Prologue (1.47)

21. Preparing For Battle (2.44)

22. Battle With The Beast (1.39)

23. Journey To Gargarencia (1.42)

24. The Escape (1.17)

25. Battle With Hera (2.47)

26. Hyppolyta (2.06)

Hercules and the Underworld

27. Iole (2.32)

28. The Chasm (1.56)

29. Alien Cloak (1.52)

30. Forked Tongues (1.56)

31. The Old Woman (1.50)

32. Cerberus (1.33)

33. Delirious Deianeira (1.16)

34. End Title (1.06)

Total Length: 63.50

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