MOVIE MUSIC UK

Original Review by Jonathan Broxton

Sometimes, a film score can reach almost mythic proportions, mainly due to the fact of its unavailability. In recent years, this has not happened – the advent of promos, DVDs with isolated score tracks and those horrible “bootlegs” mean that only a very small number of scores go without any kind of release – legitimate or otherwise. During the 1980s, however, a film score going unreleased was a much more common occurrence, especially if the film was a commercial flop, regardless of the quality of the music. This fate befell John Barry’s score for Raise The Titanic, arguably one of the most requested and sought-after scores in the history of modern film music.

A box-office disaster of epic proportions, Raise The Titanic eventually typified everything that was wrong with the British film industry in the 70s and 80s. With a big budget, big sets, big stars (Jason Robards, Richard Jordan, Anne Archer, Alec Guinness) and the backing of Lord Lew Grade himself, the film was set to smash audience records world wide by capturing the grandeur and adventure of the Clive Cussler novel on which it was based. Unfortunately, like the ill-fated liner itself, the film sank like a stone, mainly due to the film’s dismally slow pacing, the unexpectedly poor acting performances and the overall “shabbiness” of the finished product. The one thing which remained in the audience’s memories, however, was John Barry’s astounding score, the only part of the film which seemed to truly evoke the majesty and grandeur of the beautiful boat and the heroic nature of the attempt to salvage her.

Following the poor box-office response, plans for a soundtrack album were shelved. After almost 20 years, and despite the best efforts of record producers the world over, the master tapes could not be located, and were feared lost forever. Until now, the only available recording of Barry’s majestic music was an 11-minute suite on the Silva Screen album “The Classic Film Scores of John Barry Vol. 1” released in 1993. Then, after personally spending “many a happy hour” rooting through storage crates In London’s Heathrow Airport unsuccessfully searching for the lost tapes, Silva Screen’s James Fitzpatrick finally commissioned conductor/orchestrator Nic Raine to recreate the entire score for a re-recording with the City of Prague Philharmonic. This album is the result of their efforts and, let me tell you, it was worth the wait.

The best thing about Raise The Titanic is the soaring theme Barry wrote to represent the boat herself. Longing, romantic, powerful and passionate as well, the Titanic theme is arguably one of the grandest pieces of Barry’s career, and went on to become a benchmark for all the 80s and 90s themes that are so popular with his fans. It is given its first performance in the ‘Prelude’, a heavenly refrain for a large string section with a sparkling brass counter, noble timpanis and delicious harp waves which seem to evoke the majesty of the open sea. Every subsequent cue in which it appears – ‘The Titanic Uncovered’, ‘Raise The Titanic’, ‘The Titanic Enters New York Harbour’ – gives you a little tingle along your shoulders, before the truly magical finale ‘Thank God For Southby/In The Graveyard/End Titles’ that brings the score to a resounding, memorable close.

Fortunately, the score is not all about a single theme and, as good as it may be, there are other treasures lurking within the album. The melancholy ‘Main Titles/The Mine Shaft’ ushers in the underscore proper with a quietly sorrowful lament for the brass section, a theme which later reappears as the basis for the “Search Motif” in cues such as ‘Deep Quest, ‘Finding The Cornet’ and ‘Deep Quest Explores’. There are some beautiful string, piano and soprano saxophone phrases in ‘All That’s Left’ and ‘Memories of the Titanic’, each tinged with nostalgia and a hint of sadness that seeks to capture the enduring legacy of the Titanic’s heritage. Some of Barry’s familiar staccato action music is present in ‘Dog Attack’ and ‘The Flood’, the latter underscoring the terrible scene in which one of the submersibles exploring the ocean floor implodes under the immense pressure of the water, and there is even an impromptu sea shanty appearing in ‘To Cornwall’ as a musical motif for Alec Guinness’s character.

Wise people always say that “good things come to those who wait”. Soundtrack fans have been waiting a long time for the release of Raise The Titanic, and this album is a very good thing indeed. The cue-by-cue liner notes by David Wishart are first rate, the eerie blue cover design is remarkably striking, the City of Prague’s performances are impeccable (as they always are on Barry scores) and the sound quality is superb. All in all, this is by far the best example of how to successfully re-record a score I have come across to date, and other record labels would do well to follow Silva’s lead.

Track Listing:

• Prelude (1:58)
• Main Title/The Mine Shaft (3:16)
• The Sicilian Project/Dog Attack (2:33)
• The Sicilian Defence/Southby/The Mountain Comes To Us (3:06)
• We’re In Business (1:45)
• To Cornwall/All That’s Left (Memories of the Titanic) (2:27)
• Deep Quest/Flood! (5:26)
• Finding the Cornet/Spy on Board/The Smoke Stack (4:53)
• The Titanic Uncovered (3:58)
• Gene Explores the Titanic/Deep Quest Trapped (3:43)
• Rescue Attempt/Blowing the Tanks (3:50)
• Raise the Titanic/Deep Quest Saved (3:32)
• Memories of the Titanic (2:10)
• Russian Threat/The Titanic Enters New York Harbor (2:58)
• Thank God For Southby/In The Graveyard/End Titles (4:46)

Running Time: 50 minutes 21 seconds

Silva Screen FILMCD-319 (1980/1999)

Music composed by John Barry. Conducted by Nic Raine. Performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic. Score reconstruction and orchestrations by Nic Raine. Featured musical soloist Jan Smolik. Recorded and mixed by John L. Timperley. Edited by Gareth Williams and Ian Shepherd. Album produced by James Fitzpatrick.