ROBOT-JOX.

 

It has been half a century since a nuclear holocaust took place on earth, leaving the nations of the world decimated. The surviving countries which are the western influenced market and also the Russian controlled pact have entered into an agreement that all war should be outlawed as further open conflict on a nation to nation footing could very well obliterate human life all together. Instead a battle between machines is the way arguments and disagreements are settled, these mammoth robots controlled by pilots or Robot-Jox as they are called do battle in a gladiatorial style, the winner taking the glory and the territory. In a final battle for Alaska the Russian confederation enlist their star pilot played by Paul Koslo and the West have their champion played by Gary Graham, both Robot-Jox are well matched as they both won their last nine matches, the one who wins this their tenth will be the victor and settle the dispute finally. ROBOT-JOX was released in 1990 and although a low budget affair was a movie ahead of its time with an interesting storyline. Produced by Charles Band and directed by Stuart Gordon who had worked together on Bands low budget horrors including DOLLS in 1987. Gordon of course was well known to connoisseurs of horror via his movies THE RE-ANIMATOR and THE BEYOND and continued to create horror pictures after ROBOT-JOX including THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM for Bands Full Moon pictures. ROBOT-JOX never had a theatrical release because at the time of it being ready for release Charles Bands company Empire were having cash flow problems, so the movie went straight to video and has since been released on DVD and Blue ray. The musical score was the work of accomplished French composer Frederic Talgorn who created an epic and stirring score for the movie, which was more in the style of Goldsmith and Williams, its rich and lush string passages being particularly attractive and romantic sounding. The composer also provided a succession of proud sounding anthem like brass flourishes throughout the score and embellished these with booming percussive action led cues. Considering the low budget status of the movie the score itself was a lavish and grand affair which was performed by THE PARIS PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA and a selection of electronic support. Talgorn’s stirring central theme forming the foundation for the remainder of his soundtrack, The, composer forming theme laden cues to elevate and support the action on screen and giving the proceedings atmosphere and a sense of reality via its more tender and romantic moments. It is I have to admit a rather neglected score, but one that I know will entertain greatly, especially if you are a fan of action music and themes akin to Star Wars and Star Trek and also enjoy Williams, Tyler and Goldsmith.