Search - Jerry Goldsmith :: The Mummy: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

"The Mummy," One of Goldsmith's Best

G M. Stathis | cedar city, utah USA | 02/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fans and students of film music were probably surprised this week with certain aspects of the Academy Awards nominations. First, John Williams' magnificent score for "Star Wars, Episode One, The Phantom Menace" was not nominated for best original score. And second, the Academy failed to recognize Jerry Goldsmith. Neither of the scores for "The 13th Warrior" or "The Mummy" was nominated, and that is too bad, especially in the latter case. Goldsmith's music for "The Mummy" came as a pleasant surprise. It equalled or surpassed some of his most notable work with adventure films, "The Wind and the Lion," "King Solomon's Mines," "Star Trek, First Contact." And as a soundtrack for an adventure movie, Goldsmith's score for "The Mummy" worked incredibly well. Moreover, it makes for an enjoyable soudtrack recording. Other reviews have lauded individual tracks adequately, but one complaint might be added. Music for the sandstorm and airplane scene including a noble brass flourish as the World War I flying ace and his plane sink into the sand is missing. There was certainly room on the disc for this cut, and the track was outstanding. The suggestion that a particulr score is one of Jerry Goldsmith's best should not be taken lighly, there are so many to consider, and so many that are simply grand. The score to "The Mummy" is a singular achievement, bravo!"

SWISH!

01/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The UNIVERSAL label melts into the desert sun, and the camera pulls back across the vastness of the desert. The breathtaking beauty of the Egyption skyline is placed against a majestic, awkward plucking of strings, followed by menacing bellows of low cello. Choral voices begin chanting in a creepy flavor that forbodes of things to come. The camera retracts further to reveal a massive pyramid dotted with the screaching birds of the Middle East. Suddenly, your adrenaline surges ahead as Goldsmith tacks on an enormous explosion of drums in a rythmatic beat that blows the use of repetitive sound to a new level. Tolls, choir, strings, and, of course, the obnoxious beating of drums unfold into a continuous blend of blaring instruments that, when listened to on headphones, made me always break into a pleasent smile. The soundtrack to The Mummy is by far, a sweeping desert epic told, without words, but instead in rythmic chants and horns that captivate the soul of every young-at-heart. One of the beauties of the soundtrack is Goldsmith's unpresidented use of several themes in one piece to create a mosaic tapestry that, time and again, shatters the realm of single themes and crosses in a dream track that races along with the beating of the heart and the quickening of the pulse. If I were at the recording of this soundtrack, I would have had to sit down. The excitement and the utter surge of energy that is emitted in such tracks as IMHOTEP, THE CARAVAN, CAMEL RACE, and MUMIA ATTACK (which utilizes an amazing web of several independant drums beat in unison to create the illusion there was one guy with twelve arms playing it. My only regret, which shouldn't stop you from purchasing this amazing piece of work, is that towards the end of the CD, particularily 11, 12, 13, and 14, the rythmic hummable themes unravel to a mismash of violent cues and the scream of anoynomous Egyption instruments (which can become unpleasent to listen to, but I can't blame Goldsmith for it; action sequence music does tend to put a damper on the actual footage if written to take the listener's attention away). However, track 15 picks up again after a short beggining of the noisy stuff with a beautiful interlude of rythmic strings accompanied by pleasent choral harmonies. I'm suprised that this CD hasn't been referred to as an equal, if not a better, of Lawrence of Arabia. If the two were to be placed together, I guarentee every lover of music would own a copy. Not to say go buy it, but in this case, I'm willing to help out DECCA by saying this disk is well worth your cash. This soundtrack is especially good for insomniacs, since the incredibly fiendish rythums and themes will have you up all night humming!"

Treasure of Hamunaptra

Deja | Ohio, USA | 06/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I first saw 'The Mummy' I instantly knew I had to have the CD. The music is very moving and the sense of awe that it gives still astounds me. Every song, every moment, you are are there, transported into the movie just by the music. If you even remotely like 'The Mummy' then the soundtrack is a definate must."