© 2000 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title: Tidal Wave
Japanese Title: Nippon chinbotsu
Also known as: Japan Sinks
Submersion of Japan
Tidal Wave(US version)
CD Label: VAP Inc.
CD Number: VPCD-81172
Music by: Masaru Sato
Number of tracks: 34
Running time: 40:56
Number of discs: 1
Year of release/manufacture: 1996
Year Movie Released in Japan: 1973
Year Movie Released in U.S.: 1973

REVIEW

This movie was released in Japan in 1973 with a running time of 140 minutes. It was released later in 1973 in the US but its running time was cut down to 90 minutes. I have never seen the movie but that's some steep cutting.

This score was done by Masaru Sato (sometimes spelled Satoh) who also did several Godzilla scores as well as many of the scores for Akira Kurosawa films.

I actually enjoyed listening to this CD and found it to be one of Mr. Sato's more accessible scores. The music on this disc is mostly comprised of string and woodwind instruments. The instruments are used on some cues to simulate the swelling of tidal waters. Most interesting. The music on this disc is a nice mixture of subtle, serene music and more suspenseful, foreboding type themes. Track 8 in particular is a very slow, beautiful piece of music that invokes a feeling of spring time or the feeling of new love. At over three minutes it's also the longest track on the CD. Most of the tracks here are very short. I guess this is to be expected when you consider that 34 tracks are crammed into a little over 40 minutes.

All in all a very enjoyable CD that's quite listenable as stand alone music. This CD would be especially great to relax to while sitting in a recliner with the lights down low and no one else around to bother you. 


English Title:	Tidal Wave
Japanese Title: Nippon Chinbotsu *1 

Translations by Silver Bridges
 - http://www.silverbridges.com/

1.	Toho Logo:  Title
2.	The Japanese Island Chain
3.	Heading To The Japan Deep *2
4.	Deep Sea
5.	Chaotic Mud Flow I
6.	Chaotic Mud Flow II
7.	Prime Minister Yamamoto's Misgivings
8.	Reiko *3
9.	The Wandering Old Man *4
10.	The Theory of Continental Drift
11.	The Observation Boat's Light *5
12.	Tokyo in Full View
13.	The Great Tokyo Earthquake I
14.	The Great Tokyo Earthquake II
15.	The Prime Minister's Decision
16.	The Destruction of Tokyo I
17.	The Destruction of Tokyo II
18.	Thinking of Reiko *3
19.	The D2 Plan I
20.	The D2 Plan II
21.	Onodera's Cries
22.	The Time Remaining
23.	Reiko *3 and Onodera I
24.	Reiko *3 and Onodera II
25.	The Big Scoop
26.	The Couple Torn Apart
27.	Japan Sinks II 
28.	The Mad Scramble to Escape
29.	The World in Tumult
30.	Ending

[Bonus Tracks] 
31.	"Tidal Wave" Theme I
32.	"Tidal Wave" Theme II

[Songs Not Used in the Main Release]
33.	Escape from Japan
34.	Japan Sinks I

*1  A literal translation of the Japanese title would be 'Japan Sinks'
*2  Apparently the name of an existing undersea trench. 
*3  A popular girl's name in Japan.  Another possible reading for these characters is 'Ryoko'.
*4  Or possibly 'The Wondering Old Woman'
*5  Or possible 'The Observation Boat, Akashi' or 'Evidence from the Observation Boat'