What a nice end-of-year gift! After the superb Gorky Park in September, Intrada’s leaders Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson, offer us an extended version of A Far Off Place (1993) for the Christmas holidays. 35 minutes of unreleased music are presented to us in this beautiful new edition of 75 minutes, which is almost double the length of the original album!
A Far Off Place was released in 1993, a remarkable year in James Horner’s career as ten films he scored were released that year in the United States. This exceptional amount can be first explained by the composer’s hyperactivity at that time; he was indeed one of the most in-demand composers in the film industry for family movies. However three projects were delayed release until 1993 long after they were recorded. Indeed Jack The Bear was composed in 1991, while House of Cards and Once Upon A forest both date back to 1992.
On March 12, 1993, a week after the release of Swing Kids, A Far Off Place was released in American theaters. An Amblin and Walt Disney Co-production, companies James Horner exstensively worked with in the 80s, the film tells the story of two teenagers in Africa, Nonnie and Harry, who become orphans after an attack by ivory hunters. For their escape, accompanied by a young bushman and a dog, they decide to start long trek through the terrible Kalahari Desert. For this relatively dark example of family entertainment, James Horner delivers a diverse orchestral score that effectively expresses both the tragedy of the two children, the many dangers encountered during their journey, and finally the friendship and respect that link the different characters in the film.
A little-known score in Horner's filmography, it fully deserved an expanded edition to be rediscovered so as everyone can admire all its qualities. One key reason that makes the release of this new edition essential.
The tracklist of this new edition:
1. Main Title • 5:17
2. Nonnie’s Rescue • 0:38
3. Cat Food Pâté • 0:59
4. Night Departure • 2:47
5. Entering The Cave • 2:31
6. The Slaughter • 3:02
7. Nonnie Finds The Parents • 1:01
8. Revenge • 1:36
9. Nonnie Escapes* • 3:18
10. Impossible Plan • 1:18
11. First Night Out* • 0:52
12. The Elephants • 5:04
13. The Baobob Tree • 1:15
14. Attacked From The Air • 3:43
15. Plane Aftermath • 0:56
16. Inner Feelings • 1:38
17. Digging For Water • 2:49
18. Xhabbo The Poet • 2:02
19. Gemsbok Hunt • 1:21
20. Gemsbok Gift • 2:12
21. The Most Beautiful Gemsbok • 1:25
22. Memories • 1:41
23. The Swamp • 3:46
24. Scorpion • 5:17
25. Sandstorm! • 6:49
26. Reunion With Mopani • 1:56
27. Ricketts’ Death In The Mine • 2:47
28. Epilogue/End Credits • 5:32
Total Time: 75:44
*Not Featured in Film
Artwork and Photography: © Disney Enterprises, Inc. and Amblin Entertainment, Inc
