# Jimmy Page's Death Wish 2- a look back



## dcoscina (Aug 23, 2020)

I bought this score when I was 14 I think. Even though I was big into full orchestral scores at that time (1980) I like the fusion of guitar work with orchestral effects. The score ages better than the film it accompanies sadly. Herbie Hancock's original score for the first one is terrific too. It was a much better film. But I like Page's use of different guitar techniques and created a signature for Bronson's Paul Kersey that made an indelible impression.


----------



## kgdrum (Aug 23, 2020)

Thanks for posting ,I’ve never heard this.

Jimmy Page is an immensely talented musician and producer,his work with LZ was more groundbreaking than the ordinary Rock band or SuperGroup 👍


----------



## telecode101 (Aug 23, 2020)

..


----------



## dcoscina (Aug 27, 2020)

telecode101 said:


> great soundtrack. i had this on cassette. pretty cool soundtrack for the times. i was a big Zep fan, so that helps too.
> 
> did the film age worse than the music? i dont know. you sort of have to look at it as that was a very different type of American cinema. Pre-Spielberg and crazy block busters to come.


Actually this was 1982 so it was at the height of the blockbusters. The original Death Wish scores by Herbie Hancock (1974) did predate the event films of the summer however


----------



## telecode101 (Aug 27, 2020)

..


----------



## wst3 (Aug 29, 2020)

leaving the blockbuster question for later, I may be in the minority hear, but I found many of the electric guitar parts to be disruptive, and while that could have been the intent, it did not work for me in the context of the film.

There were other composers that used electric guitar as part of an orchestra with better (more pleasing to me anyway) results, Michael Kamen immediately springs to mind.

Page is a remarkably talented guitarist and composer, no question, but this particular project sounded like it was stitched together, sometimes that works, this time it didn't (again for me).


----------



## dcoscina (Aug 29, 2020)

wst3 said:


> leaving the blockbuster question for later, I may be in the minority hear, but I found many of the electric guitar parts to be disruptive, and while that could have been the intent, it did not work for me in the context of the film.
> 
> There were other composers that used electric guitar as part of an orchestra with better (more pleasing to me anyway) results, Michael Kamen immediately springs to mind.
> 
> Page is a remarkably talented guitarist and composer, no question, but this particular project sounded like it was stitched together, sometimes that works, this time it didn't (again for me).


That's fair. I think it was an interesting scoring decision. It does feel tracked on in parts and I wonder if there were re edits or production issues that the film suffered. Or, Page might have been taking the more European approach by scoring the tone of the film rather than individual set pieces that followed the action so closely. I like it as a pure listening experience more than in the film however.


----------



## telecode101 (Aug 29, 2020)

..


----------



## dcoscina (Aug 30, 2020)

telecode101 said:


> of famous guitarists who have done scores, i have heard the works of Lyle Workman, Trevor Rabin and John Leventhal. I think Rabin does great scores. I think Jimmy Page was more of a rock super star they got to do the score. it was more a score for Page and Leppelin fans than a true score that fits the film. Just my 2 cents on it.


yeah his style fit the tone of the film that Winner was going for.


----------



## wst3 (Aug 30, 2020)

I'm going to agree that as a listening experience it is more effective, although a couple of the more abrupt changes are still jarring (to me.)

Trevor Rabin has produced some spectacular scores! I am a big fan of John Levanthal's contributions as a songwriter, player, and producer; his work with Rosanne Cash and Joan Osborne, and especially Shawn Colvin is incredible! I was not aware he worked with film, can you point me in the right directions?

I am familiar with Mr. Workman's scores, but I wasn't a fan of most of the films he worked on.


----------



## telecode101 (Aug 30, 2020)

..


----------



## wst3 (Aug 30, 2020)

Had not heard of the movie, but found some tracks from the soundtrack on YT.

Gorgeous stuff, but I expect no less from Mr. Leventhal!


----------

