Soundtrack Review: Lalo Schifrin – ‘Sudden Impact’

By Jeff Swindoll May 28, 2008, 14:02 GMT

“Go ahead, make my day” is the signature line of the 1983 Dirty Harry film Sudden Impact, the fourth in the series.  It became a catch phrase of the day and is still used in pop culture.
 
I can’t say that Lalo Schifrin’s score of the film will live as long as the signature line.  The score seems like a throwback to a film from the 70s and I thought the “rap” and “techno” feeling of the ‘main title’ seemed like it was being used because it was hip at the time. 

I much preferred the bonus track of an alternative ‘main title’ to the one that was used in the film that doesn’t use the police radio crosstalk.  Even though I may have some troubles with some of the styles used that doesn’t mean that the soundtrack for Sudden Impact is all that bad.

Schifrin does know his way around an orchestra and he has some thrill inducing music when Jennifer (Sondra Locke) is stalking her prey and some good action music when Harry is stalking his. 

‘Unicorn’s Head’ used the familiar sounds of a merry-go-round and makes it sound like a horror film (those afraid of clowns might recognize it from their nightmares). 

‘Ray of Light’ sounds like it comes from a western and not from this 1983 film.  I will have to admit that it is a good soundtrack, from a gritty and violent film, and well worth listening to.
 
I just get the impression that Schifrin was trying to use the “hip” style of the day and it feels a bit forced to my untrained ears.  Go ahead punk, make my day.