Search - Basil Poledouris :: Robocop [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Robocop [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Basil Poledouris
Robocop [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Genres: Pop, Soundtracks
 
  •  Track Listings (19) - Disc #1

When noted Dutch director Paul Verhoeven moved to Hollywood in the mid-'80s, few could have guessed he would embrace the prevailing action film culture with such unabashed enthusiasm. The assaultive, pulp-on-steroids sensi...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Basil Poledouris
Title: Robocop [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Varese Sarabande
Original Release Date: 7/17/1987
Re-Release Date: 1/27/2004
Album Type: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
Genres: Pop, Soundtracks
Style:
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 030206642926, 4005939642921

Synopsis

Amazon.com
When noted Dutch director Paul Verhoeven moved to Hollywood in the mid-'80s, few could have guessed he would embrace the prevailing action film culture with such unabashed enthusiasm. The assaultive, pulp-on-steroids sensibility of Robocop made it a huge success, but came injected with critiques of American TV and pop culture that were often wrapped in the muscular irony of Basil Poledouris' driving, synth-pumped orchestral score. This new edition of the modern sci-fi classic underscores the point with bonus tracks of the film's jangly TV news and commercial parodies, but it's still the industrial crunch of Poledouris' back-to-the-future neo-modernism that take center stage on this digitally remastered deluxe edition. Powered by an aggressive performance by a then-newly reformed Sinfonia of London and recorded at legendary Abbey Road (the score's frequent metallic percussion is the studio's fire extinguisher being struck with a hammer), Poledouris' music manages to evoke themes of sacrifice and redemption that are as old as the Bible, yet infuse them with a cold detachment that suggests a future of uncertain humanity. --Jerry McCulley
 

CD Reviews

The Great Basil Poledouris Robocop Soundtrack, Short But Swe
dv_forever | Michigan, USA | 02/05/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ok, so let's get things out of the way, this soundtrack is only 42:20 long. Not much perhaps. Certainly not as long as the famous Conan the Barbarian soundtrack by Poledouris. It's not the composer's fault. In Conan the Barbarian, Poledouris was asked by director John Milius to provide as much music as possible to drive the film, like in Star Wars for instance John Williams had the same task given to him by George Lucas. In Robocop it's different, the film is not driven by the music for the most part, it's not saturating the movie all the time but it comes in during some truly dramatic moments and gives the film so much life and power, taking it to another level. Poledouris is awesome, the Robocop theme is one of the most memorable themes ever written for the movies! No doubt about it.



Most of the tracks here are pretty short with little thematic development but there are some great action cues, like track 2 for instance which becomes very mysterious half way through as Murphy and Lewis hunt the bad guys. The final showdown is intense and the music for the scenes when Robocop visits his old home and later when the police force tries to gun him down in the garage are emotionally powerful. The Robocop theme pops in on several tracks on this CD but for the definitive number, go to track 4, titled 'Rock Shop' and hear that theme in all it's resplendent glory. It correlates to the scene where Robocop destroys that cocaine factory and captures Clarence Boddicker! Some really great stuff to blast up on your stereo!



If you love Poledouris and his work for Robocop, you must also have his Conan the Barbarian soundtrack, make sure it's the original Varese Sarabande CD, expensive but worth it."
An Outstanding Score
Inspector Gadget | On the trail of Doctor Claw | 02/07/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"With the monolithical achievement of Conan already behind him, Basil Poledouris served up powerful and emotional score for Robocop. The movie was already great but with such amazing music to stand alongside it how can you NOT get this CD?With two separate themes, one for Murphy and one for Robocop Poledouris bridges together the score with snazzy synthesizer cues and a large orchestra. My fave track is 'Rock Shop'. Robocop's theme makes its first bombastic appearance here. 'Home' features some very sad cues of strings mixed with synthesizer. It perfectly defines Murphy's pain and longing for his old life. 'Showdown' is just pure action, as Murphy takes down his own assassins Poledouris throws all the themes together for a big send off. This is big improvement on the old, out of print CD. Varese Sarabande no offers this score with digitally remastered sound (it's great on a home theatre) liner notes and a few extra tracks of TV jingles featured in the movie that were also composed by Basil Poledouris. Any serious collector of film music should by this score."
A great soundtrack, but new tracks are nothing special
M. Sincic | Naperville, IL United States | 09/04/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a soundtrack collector, I've always had a soft spot for Basil Poledouris. He composes some great action themes, and "Robocop" is one of his best. I bought this CD as a replacement for an old cassette, and it was certainly worth it. However, if you are looking at this for the four bonus tracks, take a pass -- they are very short (clocking in at less than 3 minutes for all four) and add nothing special."