Best Soundtracks of 2001 Part Two

By: Randall D. Larson
Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2002

In the first part of our talk about the best soundtracks of last year, we discussed the new scores which made an impression, such as those for HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, A.I. and SHREK. Today, we will be looking at the sequels and successors of the year 2001.

Sequels and Successors

It may be difficult to disassociate a sequel score from its predecessor, especially when the preceding score has been a groundbreaking or particularly effective one.  But there are a few 2001 sequel scores that certainly equaled, or nearly did, their previous prototypes.

Don Davis (THE MATRIX) became a suitable successor to the Jurassic assignments of John Williams and turned out a first-rate action score for JURASSIC PARK III (Decca 440 014 325 2). Opening with saurian growls from low brass, Davis quotes from Williams' Jurassic Park theme often enough to remind us what we're listening to, but he has otherwise made the franchise his own, musically. Davis creates some compelling suspense atmospheres, his brooding and furtive notation maintains a continual forward motion, emphasizing an uneasiness (first half of "The Raptor Room," "Pteranodon Habitat"); his dissonant dinosaur attack music is furious and aggressive ("Cooper's Last Stand," second half of "Raptor Room," "Raptor Repartee," "Billy Oblivion," "Clash of Extinction"), stabs and strokes and swipes and blasts of orchestra, held together with the same kind of relentless forward course. "Tree People" is a clever and pleasing scherzo for woodwinds and low brass, introducing a pretty and tender woodwind melody echoed by a hushed synth-choir. It's an eloquent interlude amidst the more ferocious attack music. "Brachiosaurus On The Bank" is a pleasing and appropriate re-heralding of the Williams' JP theme, once again associated with the wonders and amazement of the living dinosaurs, a melodic contrast to the more dangerous dinosaur music. In "Nash Calling," Davis' own melodic, benevolent theme appears, lyrical and rhythmic, although soon turning dark and deadly. Both themes are restated in the finale, "The Hat Returns/End Credits," resolving the score nicely on a note of reprieve and endurance.

Alan Silvestri [IMG3R](BACK TO THE FUTURE, PREDATOR, CONTACT) took the musical reins from Jerry Goldsmith for THE MUMMY RETURNS (Decca 440 013 983-2) (Goldsmith reportedly hated THE MUMMY and wouldn't have anything to do with a sequel). Silvestri's score, as with Goldsmith's, balances grandiose themes with period-sounding Egyptian tonalities, although there is no sharing of thematic material, as with Davis' JURASSIC PARK III. Silvestri's opening cue, "Legend of the Scorpion King," introduces most of his thematic ideas, heavy orchestra and sweeping melodies driven by choir, strong percussive thunderations. Silvestri's main theme, first developed in "Evy Kidnapped," exudes a sense of adventure and heroics in its powerful brass intonations, a lavish, fastly surging melody suitable to the film's over-the-top heroism and action. Silvestri's Egyptian-styled music weaves in and out of the score like roaming hieroglyphs, lending an atmospheric tonality to it and grounding it in the legendry of Egyptology; a nice flute variant is heard at the start of "Imhotep Reborn," and in "Sandcastles" it becomes a full, sweeping melody for strings (then brass and choir) over ethnic percussion and strings. Silvestri's most poignant moment is found in the tragic strains of "Come Back Evy," heard as Rick holds the mortally wounded Evy. The cue reprises a tender lyrical melody for oboe and violins introduced in "Just an Oasis."

The score's action material bristles with a graceful intensity.  "Scorpion Shoes" is a terrific example of the score's blistering action material, very dissonant yet very controlled, frantic but rhythmic. Other action cues like "Evy Kidnapped," "Imhotep Reborn" and "Pygmy Attack" are similarly vibrant musical moments; Silvestri's control of the orchestra during these massively dissonant moments makes them so much larger than life. At 73:36, the Decca CD contains less than two thirds of the score's full 115 minutes but covers the majority of its main moments, except for the ending (it ends prior to the final battle inside the golden pyramid, which presumably hadn't been finalized by the time the CD needed to be mastered). There does exist a two-CD bootleg of the complete score, if you can find it.

Say what

you will about the movie, love it or hate it, but Danny Elfman's percussive score for Tim Burton's lavish "reimagining" of PLANET OF THE APES (Sony Classical SK 89666) is definitely among the year's best scores. From its thundering opening, with massed, clacking percussions, low descents of moaning winds, and rousing ascents of brass accented by violins, all held together by a rapid and undulating rhythm, through to its compelling conclusion, Elfman is in fine form. A consistent percussive rhythm and a recurring ponderous but massively realized three-note brass motif holds the score together, which is thickly orchestrated for a variety of instrumentation. Much of the score's instrumental intricacy was lost amid the sound effects in the film, but when isolated on the CD the texture is truly amazing - Elfman creates a miasmic and claustrophobic sound design that really visualizes the ape planet.

Elfman reorganizes some of the film's music for its appearance on the Sony CD, extending cues like "The Hunt" way beyond their length on film, and adding new variations like "Apes Suite 1" (which Tim Burton actually liked so much he cut it into the film anyway), "Apes Suite 2" and "Main Title Deconstruction." In keeping with current commercial trends, the CD closes with Paul Oakenfold's "Rule the Planet Remix," if you care to dance to any of this.

Make sure you check back later this week for the third and final part of our "Best Soundtracks of 2001" feature, as we examine the "Restorations and Reissues" of the year in music.