This site was conceived as a side project by a "tekkie" friend of mine who suggested I use my journalistic experience to write about something I love. We bandied about some ideas before settling on this one - largely because I had collected movie soundtracks for much of my life and thought I could write about them. We wanted the site to be user friendly, well-written and reliable.
Over time, I hope to attract other writers keen to contribute to the site, who don't mind foregoing the financial benefits they may be used to in the short-term for something that may, or may not, be profitable further down the line.
The gradual demise of the cd format, re-emergence of vinyl, along with the expansion of blu-ray dvd and downloads translate to an ever-changing market place; despite this, most of us still buy cd's and dvd's and I hope that you will use the Amazon links on this site to buy online.
We have also included mini YouTube video links that accompany the reviews, so that you can listen to your favourite theme music while watching a related trailer or clip from the movie; because film is a visual medium, there seems no better way of presenting it.
Finally, a note on the type of soundtracks featured. Though purists generally view albums such as "Top Gun", "Flashdance" and others like them, as unworthy of coverage on a film soundtrack site, preferring instead to focus on orchestral scores, we have taken the view that these albums have earned their place based on their continued saleability and affection with a large section of cinema-goers. We wanted to reach as broad an audience as possible and have developed the site with this in mind, without forgetting those fans for whom composers such as Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith, among many others, are considered on a par with the master composers. We hope you can find your best movie soundtracks on this site.
The Swarm
1978, Warner Bros.
Jerry Goldsmith
Promethius, CD, 2002, PCR 517 Rating:
A box office bomb on release, ‘The Swarm’, about killer bees invading Texas, signalled the end to the big-budget, all-star disaster movie that made ‘Airport’ and ‘The Poseidon Adventure’ such hits. A leaden script, convoluted plot and pedestrian acting all combined to create one enormous, expensive mess. Jerry Goldsmith’s score is considered by fans to be one of the few high points, with its powerful, militaristic theme, bee mimicking use of brass and strings (’The Black Mass‘), and an expansive orchestra reflecting the pure scale of the production. Largely a combination of robust action (’Burn Them Out‘), terror (‘The Bees Picnic’) and emotional response cues, such as ‘Oh Maureen’ and ’Old Friends’, the score is underpinned by Goldsmith’s effective, aggressive bee theme, which appears in a variety of forms throughout. Originally released on LP, including the main themes but running to only 40 minutes, the full 72 minute score had never been released in its entirety until now. This limited collectors edition of 3000 copies also includes expansive liner notes placing each cue in film order. The Swarm Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Main Title/Red Two Reporting.
2. The Black Mass.
3. What Happened?
4. The Bees Picnic.
5. On Their Way.
6. Get Him Out.
7. Old Friends.
8. High Toxin.
9. The Boys And The Bees.
10. Oh Maureen/The Boys And The Bees Part Two.
11. Bees On Fire/Towards Marysville.
12. The Lollipop.
13. A Gift Of Flowers.
14. The Bees Arrive.
15. Out Of The Closet.
16. The Park.
17. Rita And The Doctor.
18. Brad And Helena.
19. Train Wreck/No Effect.
20. Tommy’s Dead!
21. Exact Instructions.
22. Oh Walter!!
23. The Glasses/Houston Headquarters.
24. Burn ‘Em Out.
25. Get Reinforcements!
26. The Bees Inside.
27. End Title.
Other Versions Available:
The Swarm Soundtrack LP
Warner Bros., LP, 1978, BSK 3028Rating: Track Listing:
Side One:
1. Main Title.
2. A Gift Of Flowers.
3. The Bees’ Picnic.
4. Tommy’s Death.
5. The Bees Arrive.
Side Two:
1. Bees Inside.
2. Don’t Take Him.
3. Exact Instructions.
4. A Boy’s Story.
5. End Title.
Jaws 2
1978, Universal
John Williams
Verese Sarabande, CD, 1991, VSD 5328 Rating:
Attempting to replicate the stand-out success of ‘Jaws’ is not a challenge even a seasoned pro like John Williams could have relished; but, Jaws 2 is in many ways a superior score, not least because it manages to harness many of the themes introduced in the original film and take them into new territory. Set two years after ‘Jaws’, ‘Jaws 2’ is an all-out action popcorn movie, as Brody’s (Roy Scheider) kids become the targets of yet another killer shark loose off the Amity coast. Director Jeannot Szwarc made a film with lots of bright colours and nubile young actors to puts bums on seats and it worked, becoming the highest grossing sequel in history on its release. With Szwarc’s youthful concept in mind, Williams has written a vibrant score packed full of fun moments that highlight the teens in peril storyline. By avoiding the obvious reprise of his infamous two note theme in the opening sequence, replacing it with the effective ‘Finding The Orca’, and expanding upon his panoramic adventure cues (‘Open Sea’, ‘Catamaran Race’), Williams has provided plenty of impressive new material. The result is a highly enjoyable and surprising action score with lots of bite. Jaws 2 Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Finding The Orca (Main Title).
2. Menu.
3. Ballet For Divers.
4. Water Kite Sequence.
5. Brody Misunderstood.
6. Catamaran Race.
7. Toward Cable Junction.
8. Attack On The Helicopter.
9. Open Sea.
10. Fire Aboard/Eddie’s Death.
11. Sean’s Rescue.
12. Attack On The water Skier.
13. Big Jolt!
14. End Title.
Other Versions Available:
MCA, LP, 1978, MCA 3045.Rating: Track Listing:
Side One:
1. Finding The “Orca” (Main Title).
2. The Menu.
3. Ballet For Divers.
4. The Water Kite Sequence.
5. Brody Misunderstood.
6. The Catamaran Race.
7. Toward Cable Junction.
8. Attack On The Helicopter.
Side Two:
1. The Open Sea.
2. Fire Aboard And Eddie’s Death.
3. Sean’s Rescue.
4. Attack On The Water Skier.
5. The Big Jolt!
6. End Title, End Credit.
Thunderball.
1965, United Artists.
John Barry.
Capitol, CD, 2003, 72435-80589-2-5. Rating:
While the original release of Thunderball was missing a huge chunk of the score, this remastered re-release is pretty much complete. The powerful main title performed by Tom Jones is here of course, but there is much more besides. One of the central missing elements of the original release were Barry’s striking action cues which are at their best when listened to loud, though many of the them have been segued together. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang also plays a large part in this score, resurfacing in ‘Café Martinique’, ‘Death Of Fiona’ and two versions of the song itself. Though not everyone’s favourite film, Thunderball remains a highly listenable and surprisingly varied score. It is also a good length, running to nearly 80 minutes. Thunderball Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Thunderball (Main Title)
2. Chateau Flight.
3. Spa.
4. Switching The Body.
5. Bomb.
6. Café Martinique.
7. Thunderball.
8. Death Of Fiona.
9. Bond Below Disco Volante.
10. Search For Vulan.
11. 007 Theme.
12. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
13. Gunbarrel/Traction Table/Gassing The Plane/Car Chase.
14. Medley (Bond Meets Domino/Shark Tanks/Lights Out For Paula/For King And Country).
15. Street Chase.
16. Medley (Finding The Plane/UnderwaterBallet/Bond with Spectre Frogmen/Leiter To The Rescue/Bond Joins Underwater Battle).
17. Underwater Mayhem/Death Of Largo/End Titles.
18. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
