Con Air--------
Trevor Rabin & Mark Mancina

I just gotta print this:

"Con Air is unfortunately just the newest in the recent trend of loud, obnoxious, electronic soundtracks."  --  Christian Clemmenson
For more comedic remarks, see:  http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/con_air.html


 What seems to be people's problem with synthesized scores?  I've heard ludicrous claims such as "it sounds like Shirley Walker's 'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm,'" when, in fact, they share a four-note sequence with said notes possessing different durations.

If that is honestly considered plagiarism in this business, EVERYONE does it!  But since I've never heard of other older composers as being copy artists (except James Horner, but I'll get into that another time), it just tells me that people are out for blood when it comes to the Zimmer conglomerate.
 

Wake up, ladies and gentlemen.
 The main theme, considered by some as being a series of "griding noises," only proves that Mancina and Rabin actually tried (and succeeded) in making a new kind of theme.  They actually experimented.  You wanna call that plagiarism?  You just might be wrong.

Granted, ConAir was not the worlds greatest film, or even the greatest ACTION film.  I didn't really take anything away from it, but it was fun.  And it was a "loud, obnoxious" movie, so why is this score considered to be so bad in the "higher circles" if it only represents the film it goes with?

Standing alone, it's one of the best pieces of driving music I own.  That earns 3 stars right there!

Aside from the main theme, the album is fairly coherent.  There are about 5 main themes, and they all come together in Track 13, Battle in the Boneyard.  My favorite moment on that track is at the 3:43 mark.  Triumphant transition.  Gives me chills.

The only thing it lacks is some more real instruments.  I love synthesizers, but I think some real strings or real brass or real percussion would have helped give ConAir a fuller sound.

Rating(out of 5): 


Like to add your review to this page?   E-mail me.  I will publish your review or a link to your review.  However, I will not publish reviews of MY review.  That's because it's either ignorant or preaching to the choir.

In the realm of aesthetics, there are no rights and wrongs.  Only opinions.

Track listing:
   Total time -- 44:57

1. Con Air Theme  1:31
2. Trisha  1:04
3. Carson City  3:04
4. Lear Crash  4:44
5. Lerner Landing  3:28
6. Romantic Chaos  1:22
7. The Takeover  3:52
8. The Discharge  1:09
9. Jailbirds  :59
10. Cons Check Out Lerner  1:55
11. Poe Saves Cops  2:25
12. The Fight  :22
13. Battle In The Boneyard  7:41
14. Poe Meets Larkin  1:14
15. Bedlam Larkin  :49
16. Fire Truck Chase  4:22
17. Overture  4:18
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