Of the two, I'd have to rate OMEGA MAN the better score. But that's probably because I've seen the movie about a hundred times and only saw THE CHALLENGE once.

It looks like OMEGA MAN has just about every cue from the movie and adds a few more from scenes not used in the original release to fill out the 60-plus minute running time. The music from the eight-track tape Neville plays at the beginning is even included. Also, for those of you who didn't like the ending music, the producers here have included the original reprise of the Neville theme that the Hollywood suits ditched in favor of the more "festive" children's theme used in the released version.

I can't heap enough praise on this score. It covers many genre's: classical, jazz, contemporary (70s). For me the most haunting part is the street fight in front of the toy store -- musically describes Neville's isolation in his fight against the Luddite "Family."

My 5-year-old son was even taken with the music, prompting me for "what's happening now, Dad," everytime the music changed. Of course, I was able to "tell the story" while the soundtrack played. This one's going to be right up there with CONAN THE BARBARIAN in my favorites list.

THE CHALLENGE will require some additional listening. I popped it into the stereo during dinner with the wife and kids -- kinda distracting, but I wanted to listen to it on the BIG speakers. I'll need to see the movie again -- hope it's available -- because so much of my listening pleasure is tied to the images the music is scored for.

THE CHALLENGE rates with UNDER FIRE and WIND AND THE LION as one of Goldsmith's "ethnic" scores. What I'm saying is, if you're a Goldsmith fan, this is a must-have.

Marc
NP: THE OMEGA MAN (I love this score!!)

Dammit Marc. Stop mickey-mousing around like Chuck.

You said: "So much of my listening pleasure is tied to the images the music is scored for."

It pains me to hear you say that, Marc. It tells me that you're not a true music-lover. You're just using soundtracks as an associative device. You're just using soundtracks as a mnemonic adjunct to the video. And I don't dig that. You should listen to music independently of movies. Don't be just another video-junkie. Marc, I'm only telling you this for your own good. You're in dire need of psychiatric counseling from Yoda-Heston.

YES, I only use movie music as a pneumonia device to mentally cough up images of Charlton Heston wasting black-robed, hooded Luddites.

GUILTY AS CHARGED! What is my punishment?

Will I be denied the opportunity to listen to wonderful scores such as US MARSHALS, PUSHING TIN, BATMAN AND ROBIN, and others that I've never seen and probably won't see?

I can live with that.

'(Charlton) Heston got the production going after reading (Richard) Matheson's novel during a plane trip. "The most interesting element of the story from an actor's point of view is the last man on Earth is a fantasy idea that almost everyone thinks about. The idea of never having to have our clothes laundered because when our shirt gets dirty you just toss it away and go in the store and pick up a couple more . . . the idea of being the last man on Earth is kind of a staggering, almost God-like identity. We had a lot of interesting ideas like he talks to himself a lot, which you do when you're alone, and if you're always alone, you would do it more. He plays chess with himself with his military cap on the bust of Caesar, and I think that's all very good stuff."'

'For Heston, the political elements were a natural outgrowth of the story. "I've been a conservative all my life, and in my view a conservative does just that: he tries to conserve civlization. And that's what Neville is trying to do."

'It is a strange hybrid of conventional film score, wordless rock opera and highly dramatic cocktail music.'

'The score essays a light pop vibe in keeping with the music of the period whle remaining highly dramatic and effective . . .'

I don't really hear a "samba" rythm. I do hear a syncopated rythm in both the "Family" theme, which is dark; and the "Childen's" theme which is bright.

As for the ending:
'Neville's theme plays in a melancholy treatment for piano, strings and guitar as Dutch and the children find Lisa and the expiring Neville. Neville's theme returns in a rhythmic, downbeat treatment that was meant to continue through the end titles.

'In the film, this concluding statement of Neville's theme was replaced by a final tag of the children's theme, an upbeat coda that played ironically over the final, symbolic image of Neville crucified in a fountain of his own life-giving blood. Both the unused and the used end titles conclude this album, in that order.

'"I think we wanted the downbeat ending and the distributor insisted on the other one," (producer) Walter Seltzer recalls. "Playing that upbeat music over a man who's basically being crucified seemed a little weird to me, but then the whole picture was kind of weird, so I couldn't complain. I know Heston and I wanted the downbeat end title."'

Hmm, no mention of KFC or KRWFR.