| As the title may
suggest, this CD has the music to the adventures on Fort
Boyard. Usually, they are excellent moody atmospheric
soundscapes which suit the game in question almost
perfectly. However, what are they like when taken out of
the television and put into your stereo? Let's begin with the cover and layout:
actually pretty damn nice, capturing the essence of the
atmosphere nicely. The front cover shows the Fort at low
tide whilst a faint overlay of la Horologue du Tigres
over it. The back has a clepsidre with the tracks listed
along either side of it's hourglass shape. The inlay
shows various shots of the inside of the Fort with a
track listing.
You're probably after a track
listing then.
1) La cles de Fort Boyard (Generique)
The theme tune of the show and it takes the slightly
bleak version of 1995, the year of the Renaissance, if
you like. Good, but not as grand as the one they have
today (which in essence is just a cleaned up version of
this anyway).
2) L'homme de la tour
The Man of the Tower, or the Pere Fouras music
to the leyman. Nice sort of desert island theme thing.
3) Course d'un point a un
autre
The imaginatively titled Running From One Point
on the Course to another. Should you ever want to listen
to the music all the way through then, well, here you are.
4) Boyardesque
The music in the background when Patrice introduces the
team at the opening of each show or the music for the
outside ledge walking game to anyone who hasn't seen the
French show. Lots of boomy drums, harps and strings.
5) Natationissimo
The swimming for the key music. Alright if you
like it, I suppose.
6) La Trapeze
Ah! The first REALLY meaty song and regarded by
many fans to be their favourite tune. Very Gothic with
lots of synths, a sort of choir effect in the background
and the rather shocking change of pace about two thirds
through the tune. Marvellous.
7) Timbalissimo
The drum beats from the theme tune over and over and over
again. Well, it's a drum doing the same rhythm for a
minute and a half with an occassional change of
background drumming. It's your choice. This is the music
for the Lobster Pot adventure in the French show and
music whilst spelling the word in the Treasure Room.
8) Preludissimo
Another goodie, this was played originally in
1993 when introducing the team and the charity (that year
was the first time celebs played for charity, you see)
and has since been demoted to playing during the show's
after-game action replays. An excellent emotion led piece
with lots of piano tinkling and synth strings.
9) Saute Arene
The music whilst waiting for someone to do a
bungee jump. Not really much of a tune but it's got a
nice atmosphere.
10) Marche des Tigres
The other running round the Fort tune but with a
sort of theme tune parody and the extended version on the
CD is the surprise hit. Nice and rowdy, builds up nicely
to a peak and has a constant drum rhythm to it, along
with those synth strings again. The name, the March of
the Tigers suits it nicely. But of a rushed end, though.
11) I'arcours flou
Arianne's music. Nice and Gothic. Not much of a
tune really but works excellently for atmosphere all the
same.
12) Les Serpents
Again, not much of a tune but very, erm,
Egyptian.
13) Le Pirate
It's Jaba the Pirate's theme! It's about thirty
seconds!
14) Surplombissimo
Now this is nice. This is the tune for the
Overhang game. Takes a while to get going but when it
does... Nice tune, shame about the game, really. Strings
and lots of creaking.
15) Inutillissimo
Now, they haven't used this on the show many
times, to my knowledge just for an intro and for the
Giant Crossbow game which they've played once in recent
years. Nevertheless, this is genius, basically. It
reminds me of Booty Call by All Saints, except is much
better, obviously. Very pizzicato, if I've spelt that
right.
16) Ratman
Does exactly what it says on the tin, although
it hasn't been used for a fair while. Not as good as the
March of the Tigers.
17) Variation No 1
This is great, rousing piano led rock classical
piece used in the deathslide to the Ship. One of my
favourite tunes, this.
18) Pigeonissimo
Very pretty but a bit pointless really. The tune
from 1995 when they release the pigeon from the Ship and
flies back to the Fort to give the team the clue. They
got rid of it after that year.
19) Guitare Gitane
The short Spanish guitar piece that introduces
the Gypsy. It's about twenty seconds long...
20) La Bohemienne
... but leads into her proper theme for her
bonus game. Again, not much of a tune but the Spanish
Guitar is nice with lots of swirly synths in the
background. It's a better version than the one for La
Sauvaggeonne, the Wild Woman from earlier years.
21) Cablocypede
The Cable Cycle. This is another great one,
begins like ET then just goes mad.
22) Le Surplomb
The old overhang music until they decided they
needed to change the game because it was rubbish. They
then used this for the tightrope walk, La Funambule and
it's stunning. Both epic and atmospheric and suits the
tightrope walk better than it does an overhang. It really
captures the idea of walking on a tightrope that's 60-70
ft off the ground...
23) Monte filet
Climbing up the rope net in the French version,
although what you hear on the show isn't the half of it.
Let's just say that I was surprised by the full version.
24) Appetissimo
The tigers want to eat you whilst inside that go
cart cage you know, and this is the tune to prove it. I'm
not sure how much I like it to be honest. Very drum led.
25) Featuring Virus -
"Le Rap du Fort"
The finest piece of French rapping I have ever
heard. The only piece of French rapping I've ever heard.
They use this for the end credits in the French show as
of 1999 and it works better than any of that rubbish they
used for Gladiators.
So what do I think of it then? Paul
Koulak: genius, but however my opinion is biased because
I love the show. There are a couple of gripes though,
namely where is the music for the Flooded Rooms? The Rope
Crossing music? The mock horror of the Searching Head?
Three glaring omissions sadly and three omissions I'll
shall have to punish sadly. But still, if you like the
show then I can heartily recommend it, although you'll
have to import it from France because there is no way it'll
be released in Britain.
Verdict: 8/10 - Great stuff,
but why oh why leave some of the best somgs out?
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