Intrada Soundtrack Forum

INTRADA Announces:



MEET THE APPLEGATES
Composed and Conducted by DAVID NEWMAN

INTRADA Special Collection Volume 123

Meet the Applegates was so funny and crazy...everything’s on hyper-speed with a lot of notes, and a lot of surface textures. And I was like a kid in a candy store with all of that kooky Latin stuff to play around with.
-- David Newman


In this volume of the Intrada Special Collection, Intrada presents the premiere release of composer David Newman's hyper-kinetic score to the 1989 film Meet the Applegates. Having already scored such satiric monster films as Critters and The Runestone, Newman responded to Michael Lehmann’s B-movie allusions with aplomb. Many of the themes and instrumental approaches heard in Newman’s Applegates score would spring from its “Main Title” sequence, which uses a two-part melody to get across both the “crazy insect” and Latin approaches, topped with a rampaging, yet playful orchestra. But in this cue the monster is man: machinery is ripping apart the Amazon, as the Samba rhythms of the Cuica and Ratchet mix with subtle electronics, conveying animal-like hoots.

The subversive, one-of-a-kind premise for Meet the Applegates was written by Michael Lehmann and Redbeard Simmons and concerns the nefarious plans of the Applegates—actually giant preying mantises from the deepest Amazon— who decide to strike a blow against the humans destroying the rain forest. Taking a page from the children’s social primer “Dick and Jane,” the Applegates infiltrate the Ohio suburbs. It isn’t long before the Applegates fall prey to such warm-blooded vices as adultery, pot smoking and credit card addiction. Embodying the Applegates in human form are Ed Begley Jr., Stockard Channing, Bobby Jacoby, Cami Cooper, and a cross-dressing Dabney Coleman. The cast’s comic abilities were augmented by David Newman’s score, bridging the story’s outrageous and subtle humor. Of all of The Applegates’ odd ball characters, Newman took a particular shine to their gruff, cross-dressing master. "The crazier my music for Meet the Applegates was, the better it worked,” Newman concludes. “Of all the scores I’ve done, this remains one of the most enjoyable listening experiences for me. Every time I think of Dabney Coleman in woman’s clothing, I crack up.”

INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 123
Retail Price: $19.99
AVAILABLE 2/16/2010
For track listing and sound samples, please visit
http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.6486/.f

Thank You Intrada!
It's great that you are continuing to release the older scores of David Newman, even despite the fact he is not a fast sell-out, and you limit your numbers accordingly.
I cannot, for the life of me, understand why his scores do not disappear within hours, like many other composers. But that's life.
But hey, you keep putting them out there, and I will keep buying them for sure!

I really wish they made more films like this today, but, of course, it's likely the nostalgia of a time in cinema now gone forever that really influences my entire request -- who knows; I'll speak on its behalf never-the-less:

Most wacky, modern comedies (think Aliens in the Attic, or the likes) rely so heavily on CGI, it sort of loses... well, an intimacy for the project, one which used to be noticeably adored for the work and imagination that threaded the material together (Gremlins is a fine example of this). It's slowly dying in Hollywood -- if it's not already dead, as I suggested a moment ago. While certain films of today sort of work for what they are, very few seem to possess that magical charm -- the interweaving of story, character, production design, and of course music, but please note, that's not I justifying any claim that only older films accomplished this, it's just how they did it, I suppose. In short sincerity, I miss being in awe over the film-makers of cheap innovation and their passion to be original (in all directions). As for the musical side, it's nice having realized David Newman's impact on this once-thriving genre, though on that same note, it's also a great shame thinking that most of his music during this period has been forgotten by long-term fans of film composition, or even disliked for not having catapulted Jason Bourne into a dozen-or-so sequences of pulse-pounding percussion (No offense intended).

Please, support this score... and this artist (both are incredible... really).

I think the quality of the stills in the booklet were limited because promo materials for this film might be scarce. To the best of my knowledge, the film was never released on DVD, so they did the best with what they had.

On the other hand, the music sounds marvelous. I saw this film on cable and was very amused by the music for the cocooning sequences in particular, but the whole score is prime Newman.