I’m typing this as quickly as my limited ability allows; a storm front has moved into The Valley Of The Sun, and I wanted to get this out before The Claw gets too achy to write.

I got to see a work print of THE SUM OF ALL FEARS tonight…..

….and it was very, very, very damned good.

I think that the movie opens late next month; I will certainly be seeing it again, and only partially out of the natural curiosity to note what changes have been made between tonight’s showing & its eventual release.

First off: much as I’d love to be more specific about all of the many reasons that I flat loved this movie, I really don’t want to create spoilers for anyone. So….

The performances were very good, particularly Morgan Freeman, Liev Schreiber (cast as Tom Clancy’s “fix it” man, John Clark, and surprisingly good in the role), and the actor portraying the newly-empowered Russian president (sorry, but I didn’t get his name – there were no end titles, and his name was not a familiar one in the otherwise powerhouse cast; he looks quite a bit like a thinner, more dour, somewhat younger Barry Corbin from WARGAMES and TV’s NORTHERN EXPOSURE). Ben Affleck acquits himself well in the Jack Ryan role - with one small caveat: it was weird to see fresh young Affleck being called DOCTOR Ryan. Yes, I KNOW many people acquire their Doctoral degree before age 30, and perhaps it’s just me; but it was distracting and sort of incongruous every time his character was referred to in that manner. Sorta like Will Smith as a high-powered attorney (!!!) in ENEMY OF THE STATE. For those worried that he is just too young for the role, period, I am not giving anything away to note that his character is far less advanced within the machinations of the CIA than he has been portrayed in all of the other filmic Tom Clancy adventures……less a seasoned expert than a knowledgeable, workaday office drone. This adds some believability relative to his age (as well as serving the improved youthful filmgoing demographic that the film’s creators and/or studio no doubt desired with this change; the film’s story, however, is resolutely intelligent and adult). Amanda Peet is OK as his girlfriend/wife-to-be, but I had some of the same believability issues with her – her character is supposed to be a second-year medical resident – and she didn’t really do anything spectacular with what is, admittedly, perhaps the smallest role in the film. James Cromwell and that fella that portrayed the crooked D.A. in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (sorry, no name again) are pretty sharp. Additionally, it is always nice to see ANIMAL HOUSE’s erstwhile Daniel Simpson Day (“D-Day”), Bruce McGill, getting work.

I like a couple of this director’s other films, but nothing in either SNEAKERS or FIELD OF DREAMS prepared me for Phil Alden Robinson’s work in this movie. A really, really assured directorial effort here. He seems to be deft with his performers in drawing strong work out of them, and it would not surprise me at all to find that his reputation is one of being an “actor’s director”. This print was too early for me to speak definitively about either the editing or the photography (outside of my gripe with some bleached-print artsyness; can we PLEASE give this “trick” a rest?), but the story was well served by its visuals.

This was not temp-tracked with anything I could recognize; and, if my conversation after the screening with some of the people from the studio is on the level, the score as heard in the film is the release version (sans edits, of course). If this really is the case, get ready Jerry Goldsmith fans – this is a GREAT score! One track in particular, over a montage of action and a rendition of the national anthem, is as propulsive and compelling percussive as anything Jerry Goldsmith has done in two decades. TOTALLY neato.

I’m writing all this at least partially in hopes that more folks might be curious to see this film when it arrives. I think that it richly deserves some business. Unfortunately, both the movie’s subject matter/plot and some of the shocking events depicted will, in my opinion, limit its appeal and repeat business this close to the tragedy of September 11th. That would be too bad, because this is a very fine film.

Please go see it.

I've never been a huge fan of the Clancy films -- I think Red October is strangely overrated and haven't seen either of Ford's for many a year -- but I dig Affleck (!), and both Sneakers and Field of Dreams were extremely solid films.

I'm even more pumped for Goldsmith's score, but it must be said that I'm remaining a little pessimistic (as always) here, mainly because I was told by someone (you know who you are ) who heard Goldsmith's The Last Castle early how amazing it was. And it was, well, good -- let's leave it at that.

Fair bet that it'll lose about 20 minutes by May 31st; but I really don't know how that'll happen without truncating the narrative flow.

GOOD movie.

I love The Hunt For Red October and thought the other films were ok but this is indeed good news.

On the other hand, I caught Changing Lanes today, and it once again proved why I like Affleck. Sure, he does some Hollywood trash (thanks to Mr. Bay), but his relationship with Kevin Smith has amounted to some great results, and here he proves that he can do drama as well.

I know taste is a very subjective thing, so I can't guarantee your satisfaction with some promise to refund your money, or anything ('sides, I need my pennies for honeymoon in June!).

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Originally posted by Hasta:
With this, [b]Spider-man, Episode II, and that new Woody Allen movie next month, it should be a good time for us fans.[/B]

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Hasta, I agree on your The Hunt For Red October opinion. I too think it is a little over rated. I hope Tom Clancy blows us away with this film.

DON

Goldsmith's score was just right for it - the main theme (from his song "If We Could Remember") is really really good, and the rest of the music was "typical Goldsmith", but QUALITY "typical Goldsmith". I found the use of SILENCE rather interesting too - it's nice to see a film that doesn't need wall-to-wall music, and give your ears a break to focus on the dialogue.

Here's hoping that, between bad STAR WARS movies and good comic book adaptations, THE SUM OF ALL FEARS doesn't get lost in this season's theater shuffle.

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Originally posted by dgoldwas:

I found the use of SILENCE rather interesting too - it's nice to see a film that doesn't need wall-to-wall music, and give your ears a break to focus on the dialogue.

Dan

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that's refreshing to hear regrading a contemporary movie like this. Of course the was the WAY in the early 70's to mid 80's. I think the entire first half hour of Papillion is scoreless as is the bulk of the three hour Patton. Imagine how much score would be shoe-horned into such a film if it were made today. Even documentary-style films such as Schindler's list and Saving Private Ryan had over an hour of score.

It's good to hear some restraint was exercised in Sum oof All Fears.

Reviewer Robert Koehler writes:

"Jerry Goldsmith's Score will especially bring joy to fans of his great '60s-era work"

GREAT film. Affleck was surprisingly good, Morgan Freeman played Morgan Freeman (and was superb as usual), and Liev Schreiber just kicks ass. Horrifying midsection of film. The scary thing is, this is probably going to happen, and it won't be a movie.

Dan was right, typical Goldsmith, but GOOD. The theme was great, and in one instance especially, it evoked The 13th Warrior. Waiting for the CD.

And Mark, hate to rain on your parade, bud, but that percussive version of the national anthem probably wasn't Goldsmith.

Shaun

P.S. Early in the film, did anyone catch the Sneakers reference? Great stuff!

Glad you liked it, man. The Lovely Laura and I are going to go catch it again tomorrow, in some small part out of curiousity over any changes from 6 weeks ago.

Again, glad you enjoyed it.

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Originally posted by Shaun Rutherford:
And Mark, hate to rain on your parade, bud, but that percussive version of the national anthem probably wasn't Goldsmith

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From the film's credits:

"The Star-Spangled Banner"
by Francis Scott Key & John Stafford Smith
Performed by Arnold McCuller
Produced by Greg Wells

Goldsmith DID however have a hand in the recording of "Nessun Dorma".

As for the Star Spangled Banner in the film, damn, that was impressive. But, I noticed what Dan posted in the credits as well, wondering if Goldsmith had a hand in it. Perhaps he just wrote the percussion line, and it wasn't credited. Who knows...I'd LOVE to see it somewhere on the CD, but I doubt it'll be on it.

Mike

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Originally posted by Shaun Rutherford:
Dan, did he conduct it? What?

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No - Goldsmith produced the new recording of the song for the film. It was conducted by Lawrence Foster.

Just like in the film, it seems like Goldsmith ran out of inspiration toward the end. The first half is superb, though.

Oh, one more thing......anyone else notice the glitches? There's a REALLY bad one during the REALLY bad song (which doesn't really matter if you want the score, of course, but it's a really bad glitch to have in a professionally produced CD), and one toward the end of track 12.

Shaun

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Originally posted by SCimmerian:
Still why blowup Baltimore? How about D.C instead, it would of raised the intertainment value. Cool mushroom cloud.

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Well, in the book it was Denver - because of the Super Bowl. It was moved to Baltimore for plot - they could toss Ryan's girlfriend over there for drama. What you didn't get from the film was that it was the Super Bowl, which is why the President was going there.

You think putting it in DC would have increased the "intertainment" (sic) value? Doubtful... remember, this is based on a BOOK..... albeit, rather loosely.

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Originally posted by Shaun Rutherford:
Oh, one more thing......anyone else notice the glitches? There's a REALLY bad one during the REALLY bad song (which doesn't really matter if you want the score, of course, but it's a really bad glitch to have in a professionally produced CD), and one toward the end of track 12.

Shaun

[Message edited by Shaun Rutherford on 06-01-2002]

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Good movie, everyone should see it.

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Originally posted by Crono/Kyp:
The film was good and the score worked great with it. But on CD, I don't know. I didn't think the film needed a song at all.

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Goldsmith and Robinson explained the genesis of the song at the SCL Film & TV music conference yesterday.

In a nutshell:

1. The original opening was temped with dramatic action stuff from CRIMSON TIDE.

2. Post 9/11, the music was changed (because Robinson felt the tone of the movie wasn't reflected properly by CRIMSON TIDE) to a piece from "Prayer Cycle" by Jonathan Elias.

3. Goldsmith decided to write an opening prayer, which he wrote the music for, and Paul Williams wrote the lyrics for.

4. That song was then translated into Latin by a lady in Greece

5. The result was the main titles.

How did it become a pop song?

6. Mark McKenzie (Goldsmith's orchestrator) suggested that the song would work well as a pop piece. Goldsmith and Robinson agreed.

7. Trevor Horn produced the new arrangement, and Yolanda Adams recorded the song.

viola!

--Bri

Why is it that Goldsmith albums are the ones that always have really obvious f*ck-ups in them? You never hear about any of the 12 Zimmer releases every year having glitches, but two Goldsmiths in a row......

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Originally posted by Crono/Kyp:
Ladies and gentleman, the goofball with too much time

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Yeah, whatever Brian. Your objection to learning about what happens in film music is duely noted.