Soundtrack Review: Point Break by Mark Isham (2008)
This is a review of the motion picture score for Point Break by Mark Isham.
You might be confused about the 2008 in the title of this review, but this score has never before been released so thanks to those nice chaps at La-La Land who have made this possible. It is of course the score to the legendary surf movie from 1991 starring Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze and Gary Busey. I really love this movie, but to be honest, I couldn’t remember the music for it, but it’s been 17 years since I saw it so I guess I can forgive myself. Here is the track list:
- Logo – Main Titles
- Surfboards
- Endicott The Rescuer
- Meet The Bodhisattva
- Bodhi & Utah Walk And Talk
- Night Surf Feelings
- Tyler Ann & Johnny Are Falling In Love
- Police Raid
- Bungalow Chase
- Letting Bodhi Slip
- Johnny And The Truth
- Bodhi’s Speech
- Tyler Ann Is Gone
- Formation Skydiving
- The Final Heist
- Runway Shootout – Angelo Dies
- On The Plane
- Utah’s Freefall Stunt
- Tyler Ann & Johnny Are Reunited
- Special Agent Johnny Utah Is Back
- Bells Beach Fight
- Bodhi’s Wave
La-La Land says it’s the complete score, and I really believe them. They have not been messing about. 22 is a massive number and the playtime reflects that at 55:11. I love La-La Land for bringing this high quality release out to the public, but remember folks, it is a limited release. Only 2000 copies are being sold so get yours now! Why would you want to get this? Because you get to listen to what is one of Mark Isham’s first score where he establish his “sound”. I can hear a great mix of drama and calmness in this score, it’s not pushed over the top, but it wouldn’t be Isham if it did. It is really a “zen” score, even with action cues like “The Final Heist” mixed in here. Sometimes it sounds like an eerie moment in a drama movie and sometimes Mark Isham uses strings and horns to bring out the drama. It is an action movie after all, and it wouldn’t be great without some action cues.
It is not Mark Isham’s best score, but it is a nice glimpse into the past to see where he is coming from. This score established his sound, and if you are a Mark Isham fan, it is a must-get score. If you are not, you might become one after listening to this score. So what are you waiting for? Go get it! Listen to Point Break below:
http://soundtrackgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/pb.flv
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Thanks Ken!
Speaking of Mrs Soffel, I love the score for that movie. The best Isham score in my opinion is Crash. What is yours?
See that’s the thing, I don’t really have a favorite Isham, I liked what I knew of Mrs Soffel – which was mostly off a Wydham Hill Album I treasured back then. That’s why I was wondering about your favorite, so I can look into it – Crash it is then, a damn good movie.
My favorite soutrack people are Ennio Morricone (particularly Once Upon a Time In America) and John Barry (particularly Body Heat).
Ken Armstrong’s last blog post..Writing in the Dark Room
Aah, Ennio Morricone and John Barry. I am a believer in the Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Such a classic soundtrack. John Barry is great. I haven’t heard Body Heat but Dances With Wolves, High Road to China, Out of Africa and Scarlet Letter are wonderful scores. I will definitely check out Body Heat.
Thank you for creating this blog. I was doing a search for quotes from this movie and happened on your site. I had in the past been looking for this soundtrack and your posting prompted my quick purchase of it.
This is the kind of limited stuff you’d find on the Varese Sarabande Soundtrack Club. I love soundtracks from way back and am a soundtrack geek myself. I love snapping up rare stuff like Commando and Predator soundtracks and usually have a dogged determination to get what is usually unreleased so thank you for your post.
My one dream is the score to Charlie’s Angels by Edward Shearmur and lot of technically inclined DJs. This soundtrack is sick but unreleased. I even emailed one of the main sound engineers who had the cues (He had them!) but could not release them because of Sony. I am also a huge John Powell Fan. Anyone who could pull off “The New Plan” is definitely someone to watch although the last really good thing I’ve heard is Bourne Supremacy. I’ll keep watching and also keep checking out your blog.
Thank you.
Fox’s last blog post..Game, Set, and Match!?!
Wow, you really know your stuff. Welcome to my blog Fox!
Oh, getting the score to Charlie’s Angels would be a dream. That is one lucky sound engineer. Would just love to get my hands on that. There are so many treasures out there yet to be revealed to the world. I have my share of bootlegs and promo scores and some of them are great. I will do a feature on that in the future.
You read my mind! Once I read you were a huge John Powell fan I immediately thought of The Bourne Supremacy. What an amazing score that is.
Thanks again for stopping by! I think I have met my soundtrack geek match 
Clay, you do demand the impossible here hehe. I think that no other score than Crash would be in my all time top 10 scores, but I can give you 15 Isham scores that I love (a lot!)
The Rules of Engagement and Chicago Hope is in my top 3 of Isham scores.
Here’s 13 scores I can’t rank, but I love so much:
Gracie
Sketch Artist
Reservation Road
Bobby
Imposter
The Valley of Elah
Freedom Writer
Little Man Tate
Lions for Lambs
Mrs. Soffel – The Times of Harvey Milk – Never Cry Wolf (3 movies, 1 release)
Highwaymen
Point Break
Of Mice and Men
Under there, there are at least 8 scores I really like, then there are another 8 that is good.
The only scores I didn’t particularly like (that I have heard) is Eight Below, The Net and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle
Here you go Patrice: http://www.lalalandrecords.com/PointBreak.html
Hi all and thank you for your patience on this question.
It seems like (to me) that there are 2 versions of this movie in which one has a song I really found inspirational and its when they are surfing … I think at night.
Anyway there’s not a lot of lyrics that I can understand/hear (I’m 30% & 40% deaf) but the part I can and understand them to be saying is “I will not fall … I will … not fall”.
Is is possible to get a copy of the song some how? (* caveat: I’m old and not very PC smart, so I don’t know how to use a mp3 or pod, but would learn if necessary.
I was hoping to just be able to get it on utube 
Can you help? Thanks much in advance!
Steve
Anybody Know where can I make a free download of the songs below? The’re in the movie.
01. Nobody Rides For Free – Ratt
02. Over The Edge – L.A. Guns
03. I Will Not Fall – Wire Train
04. I Want You – Concrete Blonde
05. 7 And 7 Is – Liquid Jesus
06. Smoke On The Water – Loudhouse
07. My City – Shark Island
08. Criminal – Public Image Limited
09. So Long Cowboy – Westworld
10. Hundreds Of Tears – Sheryl Crow
Game Music
Soundtrack Seek
Hi congrats on the Blog – Luvvit!!
Interested to know what you would rate as Isham’s best soundtrack work. I’ve known his film music since Mrs Soffel in the early 80′s.
Ken Armstrong’s last blog post..Writing in the Dark Room
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