The Legacy of James Horner: No. 4 “Krull – Main Title”
[This article is part of a 10 part short retrospective of the career of the late film composer James Horner. Be sure to check below for a link to the introduction, and a link to the next item in the Top 10 list.]
If you have ever seen Krull (I’ve only managed to make it through half of it), you may have noticed how confused, haphazard, and completely confusing it is. Almost nothing about the world of Krull or its characters are adequately explained or established for us, leaving us completely high and dry when trying to figure out what’s going on or why we should care.
Despite that, however, even if the design and visual effects for the film may be generally okay, the one solid thing about the entire production is its soundtrack by James Horner.
Just after completing the score for Star Trek II, it seems Horner was asked to once again lend his talents to a space-related film with a fantasy edge to it, and so he began work on Krull, creating what amounts to a very similar soundtrack in many ways to The Wrath of Khan, but in a slightly more Willow-ish direction. A more Kingly fanfare here than perhaps in naval battle oriented Star Trek.
Never really finding much else to like about Krull, I have been rather fond of this opening theme for nothing else other than the fact that it instills a visual in my head similar to Disney’s Peter Pan: where I see a group of kids, lost boys, and fairies help to erect a flying ship, and cast off into the night-sky over a sleeping London. It’s quite the fantastic set of images, and I really think considering the opening of Krull basically amounts to a giant rock slowly advancing across the screen, that this music would do much better to be featured with more fitting visuals, and more worthy visuals for that matter. Because this soundtrack is way too good for this movie.
The Legacy of James Horner – INTRO
NUMBER 5 – “The Machine Age” from Bicentennial Man<<<
NUMBER 3 – “In Training” from An American Tail: Fievel Goes West>>>
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You know, KRULL just isn’t that confusing. It’s pretty easy to follow, princess gets kidnapped by Beast and King must rescue her. The score might just be Horner’s finest. Just remarkable in every way.
Well I suppose you’re right, it isn’t completely hard to follow. But it brings up so many unestablished concepts and fantasy creatures, that to those unfamiliar with fantasy worlds, much of it will go over the heads. The plot points and turns also don’t make much impact because we have no context for anything we are told or shown. The structure of the film and its story just aren’t that well crafted or planned out as other fantasy films of similiar ilk.
By the way, thank you so much for the comment. I very rarely get real comments, most of which have been straight spam and pointless ads. So it is definitely refreshing to read a legitimate comment.