UNHEARD JAN HAMMER SCORE


COOPER&BURNETT

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Right now, as I'm writing this, I'm evaluating a previously unheard score to a TV movie that I have never heard before. It's from a 1989 TV movie called, K-9000.It's a pretty bad movie, but that's not why I'm watching it.It's for JAN HAMMER's music.Eingefügtes BildSo far, I've heard variations based on "THE TALK" from Evan, and action cues for a sniper that sounded like a variation of the music that played when Crockett and Tubbs captured Frank Zappa's character, Mario Fuente off his boat at gunpoint.I'm also listening to instruments that I have heard in DEATH AND THE LADY which is the dominate theme for the bad guys. It was VERY similar to the music that was played on the boat when Crockett tells Tubbs the story about how he should have ripped the picture down when a raunchy photo of a girl during a victory game. It has a kind of synth sound similar to bells.Although some of the music to this TV movie could have worked for an episode for MIAMI VICE, it seems to be more of a melding of 80's and 90's JAN HAMMER styles. I can say that this score is not as good as your average MIAMI VICE score, but if it were available to purchase, I'd buy it without hesitation.The characters are so bad, it really hard to watch. The two buddy cops are a cross between CROCKETT AND TUBBS and LETHAL WEAPON & TURNER AND HOOCH. The black guy wears suits, while the white guy has a leather flight jacket, a t-shirt (usually red, or blue) and blue jeans and a really, really bad mullet haircut. They break the rules often. Gawd, the acting is SOOO bad. The bad guys have such bad dialog, they are morons, then again, so are the heros. All have horrible one liners. It looks like a high school home movie gone bad with a few hundred thousand dollars to spend. Eingefügtes BildThere is a german shepard from a lab that was designed to talk with a computer chip installed. Yes, talk (does this sound like a bad movie?). The dogs mouth doesn't move, but the voice sounds calm, clear, and an absolute copy of KNIGHT RIDER's voice. They both talk, and work together just like Michael Knight talked to KITT. The dog has a built in phone, and cyber eyes with sensors to do things like KITT could do. Actually, the dog was a better actor than the rest of the cast. Now the white guy is partnered up with the dog like TURNER AND HOOCH (The dog said he was made able to talk by a....DR. "TURNER").Eingefügtes BildThe reoccuring joke for the Crockett -like guy is when he opens his wallet to show his badge, it's a picture of MORGAN FAIRCHILD. The badge keeps getting covered up by the photo. Everyone mentions the photo, and he reply's, "Yeah, it came with the wallet." They did this four times. It was four times not funny.I'm not sure JAN HAMMER really took this film score seriously. How could he? The Motion Picture "SECRET ADMIRER" which Hammer scored was 1000 times superior! Jan uses sequencers (not as slick as those in MIAMI VICE), but he did use his trademarked key bends to sound like an electric guitar as heard in VICE.

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By the sound of it this movie should not be watched for Jan's score but for the dog's acting!! Sounds hilarious! :D

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The dog is a GOOOOOOOD BOOOOOOY.:)I'm still watching it right now with about 15 min left. I heard the variation of "THE TALK" Evan theme two more times. It would have fit into MIAMI VICE very well. I wish I owned it.I'm waiting to see what theme JAN HAMMER will finish the show with.This movie sucks. :)

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The sequencer-heavy cyber dog theme sounds much more like something that HAROLD FALTERMEYER would have written. Not dark, or written in minor keys like he did for VICE, but more in the mold of say, Faltermeyer's BEVERLY HILLS COP, but it's distinctly Jan Hammer.I've noticed that about 35 people were shot and killed in this movie. Seriously. Perhaps more!The dog was asked to steal a suit for the Crockett type guy so he could get into a fancy party that he needed to get into. Amazingly, the suit the talking dog returned with somehow was tailor made for him, as it fit PERFECTLY!!! Good dog!!

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The movie finishes with the dog and crockett guy lying on the beach. The dog has sunglasses on while lounging on a beach chair. The beach theme music is a direct copy variation of his theme from COOL RUNNIN (which opens the show on Crockett's boat after the main theme), and CALDERONE's DEMISE (When they first land on St. Andrews Island..."sharks and weirdness".) The original can be heard on the JAN HAMMER cd THE COMPLETE COLLECTION called, "BOAT PARTY".If you ever find this movie, ...lose it. Eingefügtes BildIf you find it in a video store, it should not be taken lightly.....it should be thrown with great force.Eingefügtes BildLuckily, it's in stereo, and the end title music for the credits is untouched JAN HAMMER score.I did you all a big favor wasting 2 hours of my life that I will never get back just hear JAN HAMMER's score in the TV MOVIE to report to you what it generally sounds like.Fair score, beyond crappy movie.

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i need to see this. i'd love to hear the music. thanks for the tip' date=' coop.[/quote']Your welcome buddy! :cheers::thumbsup:
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This sucker has been on TV every other week, I didn't know it had Jan Hammer's music or I would have given it a try, good find Coop! (By the way, the guy in the Flannel Shirt and on the cover with the dog also played an ex-con who was married to the diner owner in Twin Peaks)

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  • 1 year later...

I just stumbled upon this thread, and re-read the first few posts I wrote about this movie, and the score.I must admit, I laughed upon reading it. :DIt amused me, even though I wrote it. I forgot I did. (I love my humor) :D

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  • 3 years later...

I'll never understand why Hammer quit Miami Vice to do B action movies (Taking of Beverly Hills). He knew what quality entertainment was. So he must have realized how poor the films he was scoring were, unless he never saw footage. And he was clearly still firing out good stuff as evidenced by the 1989 Snapshots album. So why couldn't the Snapshots material just have been used in seasons four and five? Heck, some of the Snapshots stuff was from Vice originally!

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I'll never understand why Hammer quit Miami Vice to do B action movies (Taking of Beverly Hills). He knew what quality entertainment was. So he must have realized how poor the films he was scoring were, unless he never saw footage. And he was clearly still firing out good stuff as evidenced by the 1989 Snapshots album. So why couldn't the Snapshots material just have been used in seasons four and five? Heck, some of the Snapshots stuff was from Vice originally!

I don't believe Jan quit Vice, I think it had more to do with M.Mann wanting to change the show's feel and style, same thing he did with the clothing of both Crockett and Tubbs wore.

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I don't believe Jan quit Vice, I think it had more to do with M.Mann wanting to change the show's feel and style, same thing he did with the clothing of both Crockett and Tubbs wore.

It was in fact Jan Hammer who wanted out as evidenced by his "Escape from Television" album title in 1987. Then they persuaded him to do another season as evidenced by the fact that he handed over with the wedding episode to John Petersen before scoring again the last two eps of season four before he left finally.Jan earned 45.000USD per episode but he said clearly in interviews that the show had become a treadmill after three years as he only had one week to score one episode on average. He wanted more freedom to do other stuff as well. In this respect he had the same reason as John Diehl leaving the show.
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It was in fact Jan Hammer who wanted out as evidenced by his "Escape from Television" album title in 1987. Then they persuaded him to do another season as evidenced by the fact that he handed over with the wedding episode to John Petersen before scoring again the last two eps of season four before he left finally.Jan earned 45.000USD per episode but he said clearly in interviews that the show had become a treadmill after three years as he only had one week to score one episode on average. He wanted more freedom to do other stuff as well. In this respect he had the same reason as John Diehl leaving the show.

 

 

Hammer did want a change but his scores in later Season 3 became more repetitive and heard less . He made some really poor choices of the movies he scored after MV - and Tim Truman. Don Johnson's friend, seemed perfect for the edgier - burnt out - Season 5. Hammer wouldnt have worked in Season 5. I think "Snapshots" bombed ( his 1989 album) and that didnt help Hammer. He should release more MV unreleased compostitions. :D  :fireworks:

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