This 1995 Japan-Australia co-production follows a cute golden retriever puppy who jumps into a basket held aloft by balloons and drifts into the Outback where he enlists the help of a parakeet to teach him how to survive. After a series of playful and risky adventures, Kulta gets homesick and begins the long walk home. As you’d expect, the music is happy and heart-warming, although some tracks hint at the danger Kulta also encounters. The triumphant music that closes the score lets you know Kulta makes it home safely.
All music composed and arranged by Oshima except for 3 funky instrumentals credited to a group called Piranianzu. There are also 2 vocals (including a sappy version of "We’ll Sing in the Sunshine.")
Since the animals are all voiced by English-speaking actors, the film could easily be released in other countries too. It appeared in the US in 1997 where it was re-named "Napoleon" and given a new score by Bill Conti.
23 tracks on Pony Canyon CD# PCCA 00720. Released in 1995.
Link is in spoiler.
password=crybaby
In Paradise, we have a lovely impressionistic piece – again, barely over a minute but glittering Debussy-esque French orchestration, a gorgeous melody in soprano vocalise, first closed-mouth and then at the climax open-mouthed.
The main theme is used, but not too much.
The whole thing is just gorgeous. Unmistakeable Oshima melodies, check. Action, check. Mystery, check. Triumph, check. Insanely detailed orchestration, check. Coherence, check.
Thank you so much. 🙂
———- Post added at 11:12 AM ———- Previous post was at 10:59 AM ———-
Ah, that theme in "Neverending Earth" makes a cameo in ARC THE LAD as well!
———- Post added at 11:12 AM ———- Previous post was at 10:59 AM ———-
Ah, that theme in "Neverending Earth" makes a cameo in ARC THE LAD as well!
Aaargh, so that’s where I heard it before! It was familiar to me, I just couldn’t place it… I was thinking one of her documentary scores; Planet Of Life or Data Map… but there it is with some slight changes to rhythm as "From The Beginning"! It gets a much broader, more involved outing there… maybe Oshima liked it so much that she recycled it in Arc so she could record it again a few years later with a bigger orchestra. It must drive you nuts when that "great theme" inspiration hits and your current project has a crappy orchestra. A few years later you’ve got the Warsaw Philharmonic sitting there… you can hardly blame composers for slipping a bit of vanity in there from time to time.
Throw a great comment about the score by tangotreats…even more so!
I’m humbled, thank you. 🙂
All I usually get are PMs from people who want to cut my cock off because I don’t like Hans Zimmer!
Very much in agreement with Tango, this is a brilliant Oshima score and way up there in my stupendously large and evergrowing Oshima folder. Even more outstanding if you consider that this was early in her career and already timeless gold… how I love this woman!
狂太?
Then again, we know she’s been regularly composing since the 1970s… see this early Oshima – she was JUST SEVENTEEN when she wrote her piece on this album… and Herr Salat did actually send me another LP with an even earlier work of Oshima’s, which I totally forgot to transfer! I will rectify that in the next week! 😀 (So sorry, mate…)
Oshima in 1978 – Thread 180250
Edit: Here’s a very, very rare picture of Oshima aged 16:
Here is the earliest known recorded composition of Michiru Oshima. This is an all-electronic piece, performed by Oshima herself, called "Gloria". It won her an Outstanding Performance Award at the 1977 International Electone Festival, at the age of 16. (There’s more by Oshima on the LP [thanks Herr Salat!!!!] but I wanted to get this out there now to give you a taste.)
I don’t think there’s MUCH, if any, of what we now know is Oshima’s style on display here… her later piece from 1978 is a little more individual… whilst she hasn’t found her compositional voice by this point, it’s nonetheless professional and exceptionally well done. There’s more Tchaikovsky in there than Oshima… particularly Symphony No. 5!
Oshima, listed as "Senior High School Student", was given in English:
(Michiru Oshima) has been playing Electone for 10 years. Presently in an advanced Electone course in the Yamaha Music School. Travelled to France in 1976 with the JOC and received much praise. Her hobbies are participating in the tea ceremony and typing. "Gloria" is an expression of the joy resulting from the human effort to rise above suffering and sadness.
https://mega.nz/#!FxhjUSxT!kNNlu88eJF5BHArqyqZivxNKTp7ebRj6Dsj1esTA1Jo
ST
Many thanks in advance,
ST 🙂
grateful thanks in advance