A review by JAMES SOUTHALL

Jerry Goldsmith's relationship with director John Frankenheimer was particularly sporadic; they worked together on two films in the 1960s, Seven Days in May and Seconds, but their paths would not cross again until 1982's The Challenge.  It was actually the final completed collaboration - Goldsmith was attached to two of the director's later movies, Ronin and Reindeer Games, but left both before recording a score.  The Challenge concerns two Japanese brothers in a blood feud after one abandons the traditional ways of the past, much to his brother's disgust.  Frankenheimer was clearly paying homage to Kurasawa and the like, drawing upon all the strong traditions of Japanese cinema.

Goldsmith went to Japan once before, in Tora! Tora! Tora!, and explores fairly similar musical territory here.  The main title cue is a somewhat gentle piece, introducing the main theme on various exotic woodwind.  This is very much the calm before the storm, since following immediately are two ferociously intense pieces of action music.  "The Wrong Sword" is particularly fine, with Goldsmith blending his familiar action style with eastern elements for very satisfying results.  Notable though is how strong the music is when the action is taking a back seat, such as in "Half an Equal", a moving piece full of mourning and sorrow, blending emotional string writing with winds.  While action very much dominates the earlier and later stages, the middle part of the album is more concerned with painting an emotional portrait of honour and tradition - and Goldsmith does it very well.  Arguably a couple of the tracks could have been dropped for a slightly better overall listening experience, but that is pretty much by the by - the album doesn't particularly drag.  A wonderfully powerful piece of action music appears late on with "Double Cross", six minutes of beautifully-painted music that showcases Goldsmith at his best.

Goldsmith's ethnic works are almost always worth hearing, since he does that old film composer trick of fusing ethnic instrumentation and sometimes ideas with his own, distinctly western outlook, an approach that's been virtually removed today by composers using ill-advised attempts to write completely "authentic" music from other cultures, and in the process losing everything about themselves that made their music appealing in the first place.  The Challenge is a highly entertaining score from Goldsmith and well worth getting.  The package from Prometheus includes excellent sound and liner notes.  Recommended.

Tracks

1. Main Title (4:55)
2. The Wrong Sword (3:50)
3. Over the Top / Fish Market (5:20)
4. Half an Equal (2:54)
5. Lonely Road (1:57)
6. Let's Talk (2:16)
7. Interlude (1:02)
8. Can't We Do It? (5:12)
9. The Pit (4:48)
10. Double Cross (5:50)
11. Bamboo Forest (:30)
12. The Traitor (3:22)
13. Stay With Me (4:25)
14. I Will Go (1:20)
15. Surprise Visitor / Forced Entry (6:17)
16. As You Wish (5:49)