© 2002 Lawrence Tuczynski
Title: | COMPLETE RECORDINGS: AKIRA IFUKUBE DAIEI SFX FILM MUSIC |
Also known as: | Akira Ifukube: Daiei Fantasy Films |
CD Label: | Futureland |
CD Number: | TYCY5211~5212 (reissue of LD25-5058/9) |
Music by: | AKIRA IFUKUBE |
Number of tracks: | Disc 1: 35 Disc 2: 35 |
Running time: | Disc 1: 61:05 Disc 2: 64:14 |
Number of discs: | 2 |
Year of release/manufacture: | 1992 |
REVIEW |
March 29, 2002 - Courtesy of Robert Storch This 2-CD set contains the complete scores to all three Majin films and is the first of four non-numbered double CD's. Unlike the Akira Ifukube Complete Recordings Volumes 1-11, which focus on his Toho SFX films, the first three non numbered volumes concentrate mainly on work for rival studios, while the fourth CD was a live performance, issued by Futureland to celebrate Ifukube's comeback to scoring Godzilla films again. Released in 1966, the Majin series is about a massive stone sculpture which comes to life. The music by Akira Ifukube is darker, and more "mysterious" in tone then his typical sci-fi scores of the same period. The stone god Majin was portrayed in the films as relentless, invincible and unstoppable, and the music reflects this very well. The main title from the first film is a very good piece, and track #5 will be recognizable to fans as an earlier version to a Godzilla track which is on all the Akira Ifukube Godzilla soundtracks from the Heisei series. The end title to the last film is an early version to the "Kong and Susan" track from "King Kong Escapes", but which actually originated in Ifukube's classical ballet, "Salome", composed in 1948. In my opinion, the music from the first film is the best score, perhaps a result of all three films being released in the same year and Akira Ifukube concentrating harder on his Godzilla and other Toho projects from that period. The music here is very good, but probably works better in the films then as stand alone listening. If you're looking for the rousing marches that Akira Ifukube is known for, you're better off buying his Godzilla soundtracks, although his "style" is certainly evident in these scores as well. This double CD, as well as the earlier version (LD25-5058/9, released in 1988), is extremely hard to find and may be the only source for the "complete" scores to the Majin series. |
COMPLETE RECORDINGS: AKIRA IFUKUBE DAIEI SFX FILM MUSIC Track translations courtesy of Jolyon yates!
Disc 1 DAI MAJIN
Disc 2 DAI MAJIN IKARU (cont) |