Search - Henry Mancini :: Lifeforce: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Mancini's Most Unusual Score

Erik North | San Gabriel, CA USA | 01/14/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One might not think that Henry Mancini, the composer of music scores to comedies like THE PINK PANTHER, or even the early Latin-rock of Orson Welles' 1958 thriller TOUCH OF EVIL, would be capable of bold orchestral music. But his score to the 1985 sci-fi/horror film LIFEFORCE is proof that he is. Aided by the London Symphony Orchestra, Mancini composed a score that has elements not only of John Williams' own STAR WARS music, but also elements of Beethoven, Bruckner, Mahler, and Wagner. The main theme is a vigorous, sinister scherzo along the lines of the scherzo in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The rest is very bold symphonic film scoring at its best.Like the admittedly uneven film it is a part of, however, Mancini's LIFEFORCE score has largely gone unnoticed. Hopefully that changes, because this score has to be one of the greatest undiscovered gems of Hollywood film scoring in recent memory."

Almost Classier Than the Film Itself...

skin2@concentric.net | latteland | 01/24/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Though missing the eerie incedental music by Michael Kamen & James Guthrie(added by the panicked producers to the USA cut of the film at the last minute) This CD asks and answers the musical question: Can Henry Mancini write sci-fi/horror music? Personally, the Main Theme and the very last section of ÕThe Web of DestinyÕ, set at the end of the film, are used to best advantage....much of the rest is just adequate."

Simply rousing!

Bryce David | Cyberspace | 12/19/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"

Henry Mancini's score for Lifeforce is simply rousing. I get chills just listening to it. The whole ending and closing music are breathtaking. I give 5 stars for these tracks alone. It's seminal sci-fi music."