Young Guns II

TunePlay - YOUNG GUNS II (1990) Alan Silvestri

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• published: 12 Jun 2012
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In some respects 1990's YOUNG GUNS II was similar to both THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and THE ROAD WARRIOR. As with those films, both of them second part sequels, it was the success of their originals which allowed them to be bigger and better realizations of what their creators intended the first time around. Penned by Americana film maker John Fusco (who'd also script Walter Hill's blues saga CROSSROADS, as well as THUNDERHEART, HIDALGO, and the animated SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON), 1988's YOUNG GUNS was a modest (and modestly successful) re-telling of the early days of notorious outlaw legend Billy the Kid and his band of "regulators". Directed by Christopher Cain (THE STONE BOY, WHERE THE RIVER RUNS BLACK), it's dual intent was to be a fairly accurate depiction of "the Kid's" early outlaw days, while at the same time capturing the attention (and box office dollars) of the younger "MTV generation". To this end an all-star cast of up and coming "brat pack"-ers including Emilio Estevez (as Billy), his brother Charlie Cheen, Keifer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dermot Mulrony and Casey Siemaszko, would take lead, while established screen vets Terence Stamp, Jack Palance, Brian Keith and Patrick Wayne provided aged western character gravitas. Also intended to provide western gravitas was a score to be composed by James Horner, who had worked with director Cain on STONE BOY and RIVER. His name even appeared on early YOUNG GUNS promotional material. In the eleventh hour, however, it was decided to go a more contemporary route with an "electro-rock" influenced score by Brian Banks and Anthony Marinelli, ultimately to the chagrin of many film goers who otherwise enjoyed everything else about YOUNG GUNS. When the time came for the sequel - detailing the later day story of Billy being hunted by one time friend turned "lawman" Pat Garrett, writer / co-producer Fusco, New Zealand-er director Geoff Murphy (UTU, THE QUIET EARTH), and cinematographer Dean Semler (DANCES WITH WOLVES; and who had shot the first YOUNG GUNS) opted for a more expansive John Ford-influenced look and feel. This time the combo of "MTV generation meets established older actors" would feature surviving "regulators" Estevez, Sutherland, and Diamond Phillips (with new gang members Christian Slater, Alan Ruck, and Balthazar Getty), sharing the screen with the legendary James Coburn (who had portrayed Garrett in Sam Peckinpah's PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID - 1973), as well as Scott Wilson, R.D. Call, and experienced but relatively (then) unknown character actors William Peterson (pre CSI) and Viggo Mortensen (pre LORD OF THE RINGS). Another well calculated "mash up" of contemporary and classic would be the production's choice of Alan Silvestri this time around to score the new action/adventure. Riding high in the saddle (couldn't resist) as one of the most in-demand film composers of the 1980s - thanks to successes such as ROMANCING THE STONE, BACK TO THE FUTURE, PREDATOR and more, Silvestri had been scoring film since age 21, cutting his teeth on TV series such as CHiPS, STARSKY & HUTCH, TJ HOOKER and MANIMAL. By this time well versed in various musical genres, he'd choose with GUNS 2 to go lush & sweeping orchestra, abetted with choir, virtuoso Spanish, slide and yes, even occasional electric-rock influenced heavy metal guitars, in creating one of the most colorful scores of his lengthy and illustrious career. High praise given many of his later works would include such notables as BLOWN AWAY, FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST, ERASER, PRACTICAL MAGIC, STUART LITTLE, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, BEOWULF, CAPTAIN AMERICA, and THE AVENGERS. Notice in particular the grand, heart-achingly beautiful Morricone-choir influenced "Chavez's Wound". Great stuff! CEJ 1) Scars (0:00 of 14:11) 2) Small Hands (5:11 of 14:11) 3) Battle (8:18 of 14:11) 4) Chavez's Wound (11:05 of 14:11) For more "TunePlay" mini movie music suites go to http://www.gullcottageonline.com/TunePlay-ClarkeApril_12.html "Bear Mann" is the YouTube channel of The GullCottage/Sandlot, a film blog and growing reference library "Celebrating The Art of Cinema, ... And Cinema As Art" Visit us at: http://www.gullcottageonline.com All rights held by copyright owner. Presented here for educational and criticism purposes only.