Platoon / Salvador
Remastered reissue


Prometheus Records (0687563003855)
Movie | Released: 2006 | Film release: 1986 | Format: CD
 

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# Track   Duration
Salvador
1.Main Title2:32
2.El Playon2:16
3.At the Border1:12
4.The Road Block1:22
5.The Assassination2:03
6.Carlos is Dead0:52
7.Tanks and Troops1:22
8.Salvador1:01
9.Goodbye, Maria1:38
10.Siege at Santa Ana3:18
11.The Mourners1:22
12.Love Theme - Finale4:24
 
Platoon
13.Main Title2:27
14.Bunker to Village3:32
15.Sorrow1:58
16.Barnes Shoots Elias/The Turning Point5:21
17.The Soul of an Innocent2:38
18.Killing Barnes/Aftermath1:59
19.Finale5:54
20.Adagio for Strings (Barber)(Narration: Charlie Sheen)6:51
 54:01
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Platoon / Salvador - 08/10 - Review of Tom Daish, submitted at (English)
This album represents Delerue's two collaborations with director Oliver Stone and while both are somewhat similar - generally elegaic and sombre - they are not perhaps the most typical Delerue scores ever. Indeed Salvador starts in almost Goldsmithian style with a harsh and percussive main title, with off kilter rhythms that almost give the impression that the orchestra will stop playing together at any point. Of course, this doesn't happen, but it just demonstrates how edgy the music is. The motifs it contains are repeated a couple of times again, most notably in The Assassination. One motif that could almost drive one crazy is a repeating violin motif that is introduced in Siege at Santa Ana, it repeats almost continually with the same triplet motif over the entire percussion and brass choir. It sounds rather strange and almost becomes a bit annoying after a while.

The love theme is introduced in a gentle acoustic guitar solo in At the Border and gives the Latin edge to the score which more readily defines the location of the film. It is the choral intonations of this theme that are the definite highlight of the score. The choir is actually introduced as a lyrical overtone to a more lyrical passage during Salvador, but during the last tracks is when it comes fully into life. The Love Theme and Finale really is the highlight of the score, a gorgeous piece for strings and choir, but all written so that the choir doens't merely copy the strings, but plays in wonderful counterpoint.

Platoon was, by all accounts, a less pleasurable experience for Delerue due to the constant re-writing that Stone insisted on for the central Adagio theme. Stone had fallen in love with his temp track and as such asked Delerue to write something so close to Barber's composition that it is quite infuriation that Stone didn't rely on Delerue's own talent. Having said that, Delerue's compostion is suitably intense and beautiful, most notably in the lengthy Barnes Shoorts Elias. This is a more cerebral score than Salvador, but does contain a few edgier episodes. Bunker to Village has a vague ethnic use of whistle and percussion that functions as a suspense cue, with eerie strings and tapped wood block. There is little variation between these two ideas that contrast each other nicely, although I definitely think it will be the wonderful string interludes that will stick in the mind the longest.

The album is rounded out by Delerue's musical nemesis, if you like, in the shape of Barber's now rather infamous Adagio for Strings. I always felt that it was a somewhat overrated piece of music, nice though it is. In many ways Delerue's music is more affecting than Barber's and is woven into the rest of the score rather beautifully. The inclusion of the Adagio for Strings here is more of an interesting archival feature for completeness than a necessary addition to Delerue's lovely score. The addition of narration by Charlie Sheen only reduces its impact musically and as such can most likely be skipped by all but the most ardent fans of the film.

The sound on Salvador could be better and does rather give the impression that a little more remastering might have brought the music to life a little more. In all fairness, most of the best music is given a better reading with better sound on the London Sessions Volume 2 compilation, which provides a lengthy and gorgeous sounding suite that encapsulates all the major motifs and themes. Platoon has better sound and is the more affecting score. However, yet again, most of the important material is woven into a superbly arranged suite on the first London Sessions album. Of course, Delerue fans won't want to pass up the chance to have both scores and their appearance on a single disc is a definite bonus.

Other releases of Platoon (1986):

Platoon (1987)
Platoon (2018)


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