[quote="Startracks"][quote="GOLDSMITHDAKING"]Il pass on this one.The album is too short and the music itself is almost identical to Commando and Red Heat.James Horner is a great composer but he sure does rip himself off a great deal![/quote]
You are forgetting Gorky Park along with Commando and Red Heat.[/quote]
Regardless of the sound-a-like nature of James Horner's scores to GORKY PARK, COMMANDO and RED HEAT, 48 HRS should really stand out as the birthing point for his '80's, jazz fusioned styled, urban-action music. As such, and maybe I'm in a small handful of folks here who feel this way, but it is much more interesting and less muddled than all of the other scores that came after it and truly shines as an exquisite example of Horner's earliest abilities as a burgeoning film composer. On this score he tried something NEW and it worked out incredibly well. Well enough, that is, that he only used it's themes, structurally speaking, on a few other films (Chris Young borrowed them once on his score to 1985's AVENGING ANGEL) and on nothing beyond ANOTHER 48 HRS, and that was way back in 1990. Of all of his "musical templates," this is one that I sure wish that he'd of revisited more often, that's for sure. Then again, maybe that's why this sounds as enduring as it does, as it was never really overused, like most of his themes have been. Again, I might be on a short list of those who appreciate Horner's style here.
BTW - no one is talking about Ira Newborn's rambunctious contribution to this soundtrack, but of all the cue titles on this release, "TORCHY'S BOOGIE" has given my speakers most of the workout. I'd almost forgotten that it was included on the CD, so when it came on it's style was a complete surprise and, not to mention, a delightful departure from the rest of the tracks. Truly awesome, so thanks for including it, INTRADA.

Matt