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Artist:
Genre:
Pop
Duration:
Label:
Hollywood Records
Release:
Mar 1996
iTunes:
No
Summary:
I'm not kidding. Today I was watching the DVD of "The Rocketeer" (which I'd rented; the movie's terrific and should really have a special edition DVD, but I digress), and this music actually put a lump in my throat and made me all teary-eyed! The main theme, as orchestrated by Horner, is truly, without a doubt, one of the most MOVING pieces of music I have heard in my lifetime. There's something very "Americana" about the theme; although it sounds as if it's inspired by aviation pioneers like Howard Hughes, men who dreamed impossible, crazy dreams which actually worked, it quite literally sounds like the American Dream, interpreted musically. It's one of those classic pieces of music that can be used in a myriad of other purposes; it's quite similar in spirit to Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, John Williams' Olympic Fanfare, or Jerry Goldsmith's orchestration of the National Anthem as heard in "Poltergeist" -- it's THAT good. It has also been used by Disney in its Paris theme park and at EPCOT Center, for the Fountain of Nations -- obviously Disney knows a terrific theme when they hear it.
There's only been one other piece of music, or more specifically motion picture score, which has had a similar effect on me (eliciting tears just by hearing it), and that's John Williams' scoring for the portion of "E.T." where E.T. and Elliott say goodbye (and even then, I'm probably choked up because the music reminds me so much of the movie; Horner's Rocketeer score doesn't have quite that same effect, which is actually a good thing -- it means the theme is non-specific to the film). Listening to this film, my mind's eye pictures jaw-dropping widescreen Technicolor helicopter shots of corn fields, the Smoky Mountains, Washington DC monuments, the Grand Canyon, the Mississippi River, and my mind's ear hears a James Earl Jones narration about the things that made America, along with quotes by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. It's just incredible, what James Horner's been able to do here, all for a fun comic-book film about a guy who finds a special rocket pack that allows an individual to fly.
Like the Rocketeer himself, this music truly SOARS! Don't hesitate to put this in your collection! I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
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