Dragonheart

Well, this is a first, a score I enjoy more on CD, than in the film. When watching Dragonheart, I thought the music was a bit lame to be honest. It fitted OK, but didn't seem to be anything memorable and didn't have anything in the way of a decent theme. However, on CD, there is a great central theme, which goes throw many different versions, some grand, some poignant, but all played with great aplomb by the studio orchestra. It is hard to tell some of the action cues as they are somewhat understated. However, cues such as Einon rattle along quite nicely. That particular cue based on what sounds like the same metallic stringed instrument James Horner uses in Titanic, but in a more, shall we say, conventional manner. Much of the music is grand, string versions of the main theme and it is actually quite moving. In that respect, I'm surprised it didn't help the film more than it did. The choir is put to good use, and for once it isn't a heavenly choir. One moment, they might be chanting (as in Einon) which makes very effective backing to action music, but much of the time they are humming in the background. Now that sounds somewhat strange, but the effect is quite magical and is certainly a reasonably ingenious use of the human voice.

The secondary theme is a somewhat more laid back tune, introduced in The Last Dragon Slayer and presumably highlights the somewhat playful tit for tat nature of the relationship between Bowen (the last dragon slayer) and Draco (the last dragon). This, I feel is the only element in the score that doesn't work all that well. It sounds too slapstick for the general, more cerebral and mature nature of the rest of the score. Its first appearance is quite a surprise and not a very pleasant one at that. The orchestration also makes it sound somewhat jokey, the twanging of previously mentioned guitar thing gives it too much of a comical twist for my liking. Perhaps, with a little more sympathetic orchestration it would have worked quite well and been able to tread the fine line between light hearted and comical. I suppose, this is just Edelman's comedy credentials coming to the fore (I don't care for his comedy scores at all I'm afraid). I can thoroughly recommend this score in general though as the comic detractions don't occur as much as the great stuff. It manages to avoid bombast of any type, but is still exciting and contains emotion without being overtly sentimental. Great stuff (shame about the movie, but still, Sean Connery was entertaining.)