Joe LoDuca - Darkness and Fantasy

Joe LoDuca (sometimes credited as Joseph LoDuca) started off on the big screen with the tongue in cheek horror of the Evil Dead series. He then moved into Television with the themes to the Fantasy series "Hercules" and "Xena". He continues to score films such as the "Boogeyman" and "Messengers" series, but his home seems to be very much on the small screen these days. In recent years LoDuca has been very busy creating music for the TV series "Legend of the Seeker", "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" and "Leverage". His music for the Evil Dead films and the ealy Fantasy series was dark and heroic with modern edge to it, fully in keeping with the knowing humour. With "Leverage" however the composer is using a modern jazz idiom.

Films by Joe LoDuca:

• Evil Dead - the Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell original
• Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn - notice the small elements of jazz in the score
• Evil Dead 3: Army of Darkness - including a contribution by Danny Elfman
• Brotherhood of the Wolf - Canadian film with the French title "Le Pacte des Loups"
• Hercules and Xena - various straight to video spin-offs
• Spider-Man 2 - Danny Elfman was the headline composer, but several others received an "additional music" credit including Joe LoDuca, Christopher Young and John Debney
• Boogeyman - including sequels with 3 being straight to video
• My Name is Bruce
• Messengers
• Messengers 2: The Scarecrow
• The Burrowers

TV music by Joe LoDuca:

• Hercules, the Legendary Journeys
• Xena: Warrior Princess
• Young Hercules
• Jack of All Trades
• Cleopatra 2525
• American Gothic
• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - animated series
• Triangle - TV mini-series about the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle
• The Librarian - a pair of adventure films for US television, similar in concept to the Indiana Jones movies, the first programme was called "The Librarian: Quest for the Spear" and the sequel "The Librarian: Return to King Soloman's Mines"
• Legend of the Seeker
• Spartacus: Blood and Sand
• Leverage - animated series

Recommendations:

Some of Joe LoDuca's albums are rare, but a large number of titles are readily available. Here is a selection:

• Evil Dead - Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
• Xena: Warrior Princess - Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
• Leverage - Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com