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.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture, 20th Anniversary Edition.
1979, Paramount.
Jerry Goldsmith,
Columbia/Legacy, CD, 1999, 489929 2. Rating:
Re-released to mark its 20th anniversary, Jerry Goldsmith’s landmark science fiction score, remains an outstanding achievement, packed full of strong thematic material and atmosphere. Though the first ‘Star Trek’ film was plagued with production problems and criticised for being convoluted and slow, its score suffered no such setbacks with an Academy Award nomination. Hailed as some of Goldsmith’s best work, it is difficult to argue with this sentiment; from the hypnotic ‘Ilia’s Theme’ (see YouTube clip below) that hints at the mystical elements of the score to ‘Klingon Battle’, an energetic action cue and the majestic main theme, used in many of the sequels, Goldsmith manages to touch every base with a huge amount of style. The effective use of synthesizers, particularly as Vigur’s spaceship gets a grip on the Enterprise, still sound interesting twenty years on – no mean feat considering the speedy development of electronic sound effects at the time. This special edition also comes with a second CD featuring an album from 1976 examining Gene Roddenberry’s thinking behind the series and featuring interviews with cast and science fiction master Isaac Asimov; a rather oddball but entertaining addition to this outstanding score. Star Trek: The Motion Picture Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind Soundtrack Collector's Edition CD
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind Collector’s Edition Movie Soundtrack.
1977, Columbia.
John Williams.
Arista, CD, 1998, 07822-19004-2 Rating:
Despite being known for its enduring five note alien greeting, and the tacky disco version included on the original soundtrack album, ‘Close Encounters’ remains a slow-burner when compared to many of John Williams’ blockbuster scores. In some ways this is a good thing; Williams has been accused of being too populist and obvious. Still, fans of Williams’ work for ‘Raiders Of The Lost Ark’ and ‘Jaws’ may find this harder going, largely because the first segment of the film concerns itself with the suggestion, rather than the reality, of alien life, resulting in a score that rings with dissonance and atonality. While this may work in the film, in a stand-alone score it is an obstacle that may put the more casual listener off. The second half presents more definite findings, including some strong action segments, interpolated with suspense cues. The strongest parts of the score however remain ‘Let There Be Light’, in which Williams builds up to a striking opening statement, similar to that of Bernard Herrmann’s ‘Cape Fear’ and the closing suite, including an end title sequence not used in the film. While there may have been a stronger case for leaving out some of the less effective earlier cues in favour of a more concise experience, this Special Edition at least gives the listener value for money; for those who want the choice cuts however, one of John Williams’ own re-recorded suites from the film would provide the essential elements without the, sometimes unnecessary extras. Close Encounters Of The third Kind Special Edition Movie Soundtrack.
Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Opening : Let There Be Light.
2. Navy Planes.
3. Lost Squadron.
4. Roys First Encounter.
5. Encounter At Crecendo Summit.
6. Chasing U.F.O.s.
7. False Alarm.
8. Barrys Kidnapping.
9. The Cover-Up.
10. Stars And Trucks.
11. Forming The Mountain.
12. T.V. Reveals.
13. Roy And Gillian On The Road.
14. The Mountain.
15. Who Are You People?
16. The Escape.
17. The Escape (Alternate Cue).
18. Trucking.
19. Climbing The Mountain.
20. Outstretch Hands.
21. Lightshow.
22. Barnstorming.
23. The Mothership.
24. Wild Signals.
25. The Returnees.
26. The Visitors / Bye / End Titles : The Special Edition.
Planet of The Apes.
1968, 20th Century Fox.
Jerry Goldsmith.
Intrada, CD, 1992, FMT 8006D. Rating:
Based on a novel by Pierre Boulle, about a planet populated by a tyrannical army of talking, testosterone-fuelled apes, Franklin J. Schaffner’s film is both effective and intelligent; Goldsmith’s Academy Award nominated landmark score however is an avant garde masterpiece, overflowing with atmosphere and intensity. Though much has been made of cue ‘The Hunt’ (which debuts on this cd) with its interesting use of a ram’s horn, signifying the first appearance of the apes on horseback, this score is full of high points, most notably ‘Main Title’ that depicts the vast, barren planet landscape and ‘The Clothes Snatchers’, a mischievous, playful cue full of detail. The experimental nature of the score – Goldsmith had French horn players reverse their mouthpieces and used stainless steel mixing bowls to create various effects – is both highly engaging and full of unexpected moments. While Goldsmith would produce many fine film scores, such as (the equally experimental) ‘Alien’, released thirteen years later, ‘Planet Of The Apes’ remains one of his masterworks. Stunning. Planet Of The Apes Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Main Title.
2. The Revelation.
3. The Clothes Snatchers.
4. The Hunt.
5. New Identity.
6. The Forbidden Zone.
7. The Search.
8. The Cave.
9. A Bid For Freedom.
10. A New Mate.
11. No Escape.
