hough Joel McNeely is a respected Hollywood composer, crafting music for such diverse productions as Virus, The Avengers and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, he has also built a solid reputation for his superb re-recordings of Bernard Herrmann's legendary scores. Previous releases have included Fahrenheit 451, Citizen Kane and, of course, Psycho, but it is the latest installment in this informal series that's especially delightful for science-fiction fans. Bold, bright and unabashedly brassy, this stereo re-creation of melodies from The Day the Earth Stood Still readily reaffirms the fact that this work is among the most influential scores in SF-movie history.
The gripping wail of a theremin (an electronic device that emits a wavering tone) flutters throughout many of the disc's 33 tracks, lending an out-of-this-world air to cuts like "The Flashlight" "Space Control" and "Gort's Rage." At the same time, other tunes display contrasting yet equally captivating textures, with staccato notes generating an ill-omened atmosphere on "Radar," hushed horns lending "Lincoln Memorial" a somber feel, resonant bass governing "The Telescope" and deep percussion imparting eloquent gravity to "The Glowing." Roughly duplicating Herrmann's original instrumentation—which, in addition to a couple of theremins, featured harps, wide-ranging brass, Hammond organs, a pair of pianos and selectively amplified strings—McNeely magnificently reproduces the peril and pleasure that so persuasively saturated the classic performance.
Within the liner notes, a lengthy treatise written by the manager of Herrmann's musical estate dryly examines the cues, at times contrasting specific compositions with moments from Dimitri Tiomkin's accompaniment to another unforgettable 1951 genre film, The Thing From Another World. The 12-page booklet also provides brief comments from the recording engineer, Jonathan Allen, and a listing of the various musicians who participated in the project.
Different from, yet as dynamic as, the original
While the idea of the theremin sonically signifying otherworldly entities has become trite over the years, in the early 1950s the instrument's uncanny whines were altogether avant-garde. Herrmann capitalized on this unfamiliarity, but not without also integrating copious traditional sounds and, despite rather unusual arrangements, comparatively conventional themes. This adroit approach, with its delicate balance of conservative and cutting-edge elements, is stylishly captured on McNeely's reconstruction, which serves as a solid reminder of why the music of The Day the Earth Stood Still is so rightly revered by both science-fiction and soundtrack admirers.
"Prelude and Outer Space" is a nearly perfect balance of elegance and eeriness. An instrumental "scream" opens the piece, fading into the tinkling tones and ethereal electronic noises that introduce the film's key motif. It's a bewitching number that's distinctive and dynamic without being daunting or overly bizarre. "Klaatu" is significantly creepier, incorporating an unsettling hum interrupted by soft notes and quiet wails, just as "Escape" is dominated by sharp horns, deep tuba and haunting drones. "Nocturne" emphasizes fairly delicate effects, depending on quiet percussion and an evocative organ to produce a scary but spellbinding mood, with "Rebirth" utilizing a lonely electric violin as the chief component within its moving, mournful milieu.
Some purists might quibble with McNeely's deviations from the original monaural rendition, particularly regarding tempos, but the updated work definitely preserves the spirit and inimitable power of Herrmann's archetypal masterpiece. Additionally, the album engineer's liner-note remarks in part explain the dilemmas faced by his crew and the logic behind some of the potentially problematic recording decisions. In spite of any discrepancies—which really are quite minor—this fresh reading of The Day the Earth Stood Still remains appropriately thought-provoking and thrilling.
