Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

The soundtrack Dragonheart is the best score of Randy Edelman, that is what people claim. Now 3 years before that score there was another name related topic scored by electronic wiz kid Edelman. Take away heart and add a subtitle and you receive Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. Still, literally it might feel that the heart is away but there is still enough feel running through Dragon to make it a memorable listen and I truly mean that for the fans of his style. Okay, so not everyone thinks this man can score but I believe there are many who loved a particular piece of music found in the trailer of Forrest Gump, and if you loved that thing you will go ape wild with the multiple results in the soundtrack of Edelman. Sometimes all what people need is a moment that tingles their interest so strong, they will love no matter what that follows it. Let the trailer music do the magic for the film, it will also stir up the interest of where it came from initially. If you know what Edelman does then you can expect it in Dragon also, only lighter on the irritating electronic tension style and more on the thematic quality side. It isn't still supreme like for instance Dragonheart but you will do no wrong when you encounter the things that make the score breath. We have an almighty action / heroic theme that starts and ends the score, most notably running during 'Dragon Theme / A Father's Nightmare' and 'The Dragon's Heartbeat'. Leave the electronic sounding negativism out of it and enjoy the theme for all its tone.

But the main reason why Dragon receives more positive remarks is its full blooded fanfare of pride and emotion. If the music can do it for a trailer of one of the best movies of the '90, why would it fail in the context for what it was created for. In the end it makes the score only better and the result is truly amazing in 'Bruce and Linda', 'The Premiere of the Big Boss' and The Dragon's Heartbeat'. Still, what some will disgust is the rather uninteresting droning stuff found in 'The Challenge Fight Warm - Up', 'Fists of Fury' and 'Fighting Demons' but truth be told, I heard worse, especially coming from Edelman himself. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story was composed during the year he tackled Gettysburg. And then people simply stand up and salute while the theme springs instantly into the soul. Edelman isn't the best but the themes he usually comes up with are worthy of praise and he did no wrong in that good old '93. If I had to say where this score was going to, then perhaps closest to Daylight which was also not that bad, but Dragon has still more fire and in the end much more personality. So skip the last track, being a karaoke Asian song which can easily make one faint and let the music work as it is supposed to do. Meaning don't skip the bad things, don't repeat the good ones and give Edelman for once a break. He did do good things in his compositional career and I consider Dragon a part of that time. Oh, and has someone got the 'from Chinese to English' dictionary yet, some of these titles are ... weird, almost foreign hah!

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Dragon Theme / A Father's Nightmare (3.32)

2. Yip Man's Kwoon (2.25)

3. Lee Hoi Chuen's Love (2.08)

4. Bruce And Linda (2.41) Excellent Track

5. The Challenge Fight Warm - Up (2.12)

6. Sailing On The South China Sea (2.10)

7. Fists Of Fury (1.15)

8. The Tao Of Feet Kune Do (2.13)

9. Victory At Ed Parker's (1.30)

10. Chopsaki (1.09)

11. Brandon (2.02)

12. The Mountain Of Gold (0.41)

13. The Premiere Of The Big Boss (1.41) Excellent Track

14. Fighting Demons (2.33)

15. The Dragon's Heartbeat (5.05) Excellent Track

16.First Date (2.11)

17. The Hong Kong Cha - Cha: Lynn Ray and Xiao Fen Min (3.43)

Total Length: 39.54

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Randy Edelman ===