CD REVIEW - THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE


The Poseidon Adventure
Music by John Williams
La-La Land Records LLLCD 1133 (US)
28 Tracks 60:39 mins

What? I hear you ask. Like another recent La-La Land release, Batman, hasn't The Poseidon Adventure already been released by Film Score Monthly? Well, yes, it has, but this is the first time the complete score has been presented in stereo. Not only that but, there's 25 extra minutes of material included here in the form of alternate takes and source tracks, the most important inclusion being the Oscar-winning song "The Morning After," sung by Maureen McGovern, which went on to become a gold record. But the original film version was sung by Renee Armand and is rightfully included here also. Of course McGovern went on to collaborate again with the same songwriters (Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn) on another Oscar winner "We May Never Love Like This Again" from "The Towering Inferno," also scored by John Williams, and also on the the composer's love theme "Can You Read My Mind?" from Superman.
As for Williams' score for The Poseidon Adventure, well, it's fair to say that it has never been a favourite of mine, with its grim, questing main theme being the best known component. But the sparse and difficult nature of the score perfectly suits the ordeal the survivors have to undertake to reach safety and the surface, and it is an important score, being the first in a number of disaster movies the composer scored; my favourite of his works in the genre being for The Towering Inferno; and, whilst the score looks back on past work for the likes of Lost in Space, it also foreshadows more important works to come throughout the next decade or so.
Accompanying the disc is La-La Land's usual high quality booklet, with Jeff Bond's detailed notes on the film and its music, included the always invaluable cue-by-cue guide, all liberally illustrated with colour stills from the movie.
Unfortunately this 3000 units limited edition is sold out at the label's website, so you may have to shop around for any remaining copies. In the meantime, you can hear samples of the album at www.lalalandrecords.com/PoseidonAdventure.html.