Toy soldiers

Remastered (and modestly expanded) CD release of action-packed Robert Folk soundtrack! 1991 military action picture with prep school setting stars Louis Gossett Jr., Sean Astin, Will Wheaton, Keith Coogan, Andrew Divoff, T.E. Russell, Denholm Elliott. Michael Kahn edits, David Koepp scripts with Daniel Petrie Jr., Petrie also directs, TriStar Pictures distributes. Composer Robert Folk scores for large orchestra, gives prominence to riveting action cues that underscore terrorist take-over of Regis High School with students and military responding to same. Columbian drug Lord backdrop serves as catalyst for action-filled sequences of military helicopter assaults, sniper fire, soldiers and students caught up in battle. Folk spotlights the fierce activity with aggressive rhythms that punctuate and accelerate the energetic material ever-forward. For the bad guys (led by terrorist Luis Cali), Folk accents everything with music not-so-much utilizing dissonance as much as using unrelenting rhythms with minor-mode melodic lines above. For the heroic students refusing to give in to the terrorist demands, Folk anchors with a rousing major-key Americana theme, given coherency by also relying heavily on rhythmic pulse, albeit in this instance more via the melodic line itself. There are numerous exciting highlights but spotlights certainly go to riveting “The Capture Of Regis”, “Billy Changes The Chip”, “The End Of Cali”. Additional spotlights go to equally riveting but more heroic (sometimes ‘lydian mode’ based) action cues: “Billy’s Escape”, “Billy’s Mad Dash/Billy Meets The Army”, “Running Back To School”, “Narrow Escape/Closing In/Jack Gets It”. In every case, each cue bursts with dynamic full-blooded action! Yet no matter how unrelenting Folk makes the music, that rich main Regis theme offers a presense that guides everything inexhorably towards a heroic finish. Previously made available on Intrada at the time of the film’s theatrical release, this new presentation features an all-new mastering and sequencing that for the first time reflects Folk’s original picture intent. Using the original digital two-track session mixes, Intrada is now able to premiere the brief but important opening “Prelude” to the score that precedes Cali’s escape sequence. Also premiering are two additional cues, “Billy’s Caper”, “Billy’s Mad Dash”. Robert Folk did most of his orchestrations and ranks the score as one of his favorites. Notes by Frank K. DeWald, flipper-style package design by Kay Marshall. Robert Folk conducts the Dublin Symphony Orchestra. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!

01. Prelude*/Escape From Barranquilla (4:01)

02. Regis School (1:52)

03. Sneaking To The Cellar (1:34)

04. Border Killing (1:25)

05. The Mouth Wash Incident (1:51)

06. Billy’s Caper*† (2:03)

07. The Capture Of Regis (3:52)

08. Interrogation (1:45)

09. Surrounding The School (1:32)

10. Cali’s Demand (3:14)

11. Uneasy Quiet (2:13)

12. Beginning Of The Plan (2:11)

13. Billy’s Escape (1:47)

14. Billy’s Mad Dash*/Billy Meets The Army (3:44)

15. Running Back To School (2:31)

16. In The Nick Of Time (1:16)

17. The Boys Reflect (Joey’s Death) (3:44)

18. Father’s Pain (2:20)

19. The Wrath Of Joey’s Father (1:15)

20. Billy Snaps Out Of It (4:06)

21. Billy Changes The Chip (4:06)

22. Narrow Escape/Closing In/Jack Gets It (5:49)

23. The End Of Cali (4:09)

24. Toy Soldiers End Credits (4:59)

Total Score Time: 67:58

The Extra

25. All’s Well (Toy Soldiers End Credits – Alternate)† † (4:21)

*Previously Unreleased

†Not in Film ††Includes Music Not in Film