At both the outset and finale, as well as in the middle
of the horrific scenes of devastation, Williams uses the instrument to
constantly remind the viewer and listener that no matter the attention
given to a veteran of such horrors, there will always be trials that
exist within that veteran's psyche. On a technical level, the trumpet is
mixed brilliantly with the ensemble, always front and center with
outstanding clarity, aiding in its effectiveness. The score opens with
the solo trumpet performing its dedicated theme over a droning note of
bass strings and electronics, joined only by a faint single note of
violins in the latter half. The stark realism in this cue is striking.
Almost as striking is Williams' secondary theme, a layered string piece
that represents the more romantic elements of service to one's country,
and the broad scope of not only the war, but of American culture as
well. In "The Early Days," Williams addresses the innocence of pre-war
days as children play war in green yards with this theme. Its
middle-America sincerity is conveyed in its harmonic simplicity and
grand layers of strings. An oboe delicately takes the theme before the
strings hand it over once again to trumpet. This cue spans two separate
pre-war scenes in the film, and cannot be more of a contrast from what
follows. The two engaging war cues represented on the album for
Born
on the Fourth of July are largely unlistenable, but easy to respect.
For the nightmarish "The Shooting of Wilson," Williams cranks up the
same strings to high, dissonant layers, with uncomfortable percussion
blasts, atonal brass, and whining violins offering as unpleasant a five
minutes as possible. The following "Cua Viet River" cue takes the
Americana theme from the early scenes and turns it distinctly tragic and
morbid, as the war tears that innocence away with dramatic thuds under
the languishing strings.
As the primary character is suddenly shot, the themes
are ripped away and replaced with eerie electronic effects, including a
series of whispering voices over random droning notes from the ensemble.
The redeeming "Homecoming" cue inserts new passion into the Americana
theme, introducing a rock rhythm over the trumpet's subtheme from within
the performances of innocence earlier in the film. Even at the end of
this cue, however, the rhythm fades away and leads to the droning bass
and solo trumpet performing the alienation theme from the start. It's a
stark reminder of the horrific journey that continues for the veterans.
Williams can't resist the usual concert suite at the end, of course, and
he opens it with a resplendently lush string performance of the
Americana theme. After the trumpet's upbeat performance of this theme's
secondary passage, Williams allows the track to once again devolve into
the same droning bass note under solo trumpet. If the message isn't
clear by the end of this suite, then you'll probably never get it.
Overall,
Born on the Fourth of July is a very mixed listening
experience on album. As per Williams' score, the two tracks featuring
lengthy performances of the delightfully layered strings for the
Americana theme are easy to enjoy. The remainder of the score demands
respect, and can be appreciated for its effectiveness, but the war cues
are hardly listenable. Also a potential difficulty are the numerous
songs from the film that MCA included on the album release. Before the
25 minutes of Williams' score, eight songs from the 1950's and 60's are
provided. While they are staples of the era, a few of the 50's songs are
insufferable, and all of them detract from the drama of Williams' score.
Still, that score is one that demands respect, regardless of your
ability to enjoy the album to any degree.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
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