Jerry Goldsmith | Best Movie Soundtracks

Welcome to bestmoviesoundtracks.co.uk

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.

Enjoy it.

The Swarm Movie Soundtrack

1970s

The Swarm Soundtrack CD

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.

Damien Omen II Movie Soundtrack

1970s

Damien: Omen II Deluxe Soundtrack CD

Damien: Omen II
1978, 20th Century Fox.
Jerry Goldsmith.
Verese Sarabande, 2001, VSD-6309
Rating:

Having found the lost master tapes for Goldsmith’s 1978 horror sequel, Verese Sarabande have re-mixed, re-mastered and re-sequenced the real movie soundtrack to spectacular effect, throwing in the original re-recorded soundtrack album for good measure. While the second instalment in the ‘Omen’ trilogy uses many of the same themes and motifs as the first film, Goldsmith has managed to inject some vigorous energy into the score which ensures it punches way above its weight in comparison with the slightly disappointing film for which it was written. While the original release of the soundtrack (see other entry) combined many of the cues to produce more extensive pieces, the Deluxe Edition presents each cue as heard in the film including two never before released: ’Snowmobiles’, an exuberant, upbeat breath of fresh air, featured as the Thorn family celebrate Son Mark’s birthday and ‘Aunt Marion’s Visitor’, in which Marion is killed in her bedroom. Extensive liner notes provide a full synopsis including where the cues are to be found in the movie and information about the recordings plus stills from the film. Unbeatable value.
Damien: Omen II Deluxe Edition Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.

Track Listing: The Album.
1. Main Title.
2. Runaway Train.
3. Claws.
4. Thoughtful Night.
5. Broken Ice.
6. Fallen temple.
7. I Love You, Mark.
8. Shafted.
9. The Knife.
10. End Title (All The Power).

Track Listing: The Film Soundtrack.
11. Main Title.
12. Face Of The Antichrist.
13. Fallen Temple.
14. Aunt Marion’s Visitor.
15. Another Thorn.
16. A Ravenous Killing.
17. Snowmobiles.
18. Broken Ice.
19. Number Of The Beast.
20. Shafted.
21. The Daggers.
22. Thoughtful Night.
23. I Love You, Mark.
24. Runaway Train.
25. The Boy Has To Die.
26. All The Power & End Title.

Other Versions Available:

Damien: Omen II Soundtrack CD

Silva Screen, CD, 1988, FILMCD 002
Track Listing:
1. Main Title.
2. Runaway Train.
3. Claws.
4. Thoughtful Night.
5. Broken Ice.
6. Fallen Temple.
7. I Love You, Mark.
8. Shafted.
9. The Knife.
10. End Title (All The Power)

Silva Screen, LP, 1978, Film 002.
Side One:
1. Main Title.
2. Runaway Train.
3. Claws.
4. Thoughtful Night.
5. Broken Ice.

Side Two:
1. Fallen Temple.
2. I Love You, Mark.
3. Shafted.
4. The Knife.
5. End Title (Al The Power).