Search - Jerry Goldsmith :: Bad Girls

Bad Girls, Fabulous Score

Stuart M. Paine | Arlington, VA USA | 11/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who likes THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN should love BAD GIRLS. It's a shame the disc is OOP. Film Score Monthly called it Goldsmith's most underrated score of the '90s. I'd call it one of the most rhythmically inventive, compelling and confounding he ever did.



For the musicians out there, a track by track description is worthwhile:



1. "The John" - Goldsmith's main theme on electronic keyboard - solo but for very faint arpeggiated guitar accompaniment. It's sweet, feminine (like the composer's title tune for ANGIE) and charming. It's major and set in a simple 4/4 time. (2:20)



2. "The Hanging" - BIG orchestral sound! The theme introduced in "The John" undergoes shifting meter. Several times in the cue, Jerry settles in for a while repeating some irregular and highly unusual pattern. Early on, it's 12 12 123 123 and later toward the end, 123 12, but several other patterns, 12 12 123 and 123 12 12, are also employed. None of these patterns are found in typical popular or even classical music. The result of both their use and the constant changing is that no listener could possibly anticipate the beat and comfortably follow along. Aaron Copland used this kind of trick (e.g. Appalachian Spring) and through him the device found its way into film music. Elmer Bernstein, also, did irregular meters in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, but Goldsmith is off the chart. (3:20)



3. "Bank Job" - many rhythms, but mostly three times 123 12 followed by 12 12 12, the entire thing repeated over and over. (4:57)



4. "Jail Break" - lighthearted and reminiscent of "Saturday Night Waltz" from Copland's RODEO at the outset. Then, more of the theme in complex meter. (3:28)



5. "No Money" - Strings, guitar and oboe do a new version of the theme which is more normal and relaxed. It begins in 3/4 and changes after several false starts to 4/4. Then a second, and utterly beautiful, iteration by the full string section. This track is easy listening compared to the previous three. (2:10)



6. "Ambush" - The rhythmic shifts are dizzying in this suspense cue - 123 12 for awhile, then 123 12 123 123 12 at the crescendo, then 123 12 and 12 12 12 a few times, then 12 12 123 123 123, then more 123 12 - and finally an exhuberant reprise of the original theme. (5:47)



7. "I Shot him" - in a minor key and subdued, but still irregular meter. (2:38)



8. "Josh's Death" - more minor main theme begins with a mournful brass choir. Then a long intro, over the rhythm 123 12 and made up of the first few notes of the theme, gives way to the "Bank Job" pattern before reprising the complexities of "Ambush". The cue ends with a triumphal repeat of the main theme (major) played by strings and brass and a welcomely simple coda set to a new rhythm: 123 123 12, the first typical rhythm constructed from groups of two and three beats in this score. (3:44)



9. "No Bullets" - a quieter track, again minor, mostly strings with guitar. The main theme's meter is mostly a slow 123 12. (3:54)



10. "My Land" - Returning to major, sweet strings with clarinet and then flute lead into a repeat of the opening track's music. This time, the keyboards are joined by the strings before a segue into a less frantic version of the "Ambush" music. Then, a return to the first theme on the keyboards and guitar. The strings soon join in and all gently wind down to a peaceful conclusion. (6:50)



Mr. Goldsmith did a lot of memorable music for westerns over the course of his career, but he never did any better than this. Different, yes. Better, no. Highest recommendation."

Jerry is the best

Eiriol Owens | Canada | 07/27/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a lovely western soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith. He certainly did his fair share of westerns and this is pretty good. Instead of starting with a strong, energetic theme with typically western instruments, Jerry starts off with what I assume is the love theme. It is quiet and reflective (sort of similar to the lullaby in The Secret of N.I.M.H). Later he brings in a lively theme for the action or possibly the protagonists (I've never seen the movie so I'm forced to infer a lot). It makes excellent use of the tamborine (as only Goldsmith could accomplish). The same theme appears in different forms including a slower version in a minor key. The extra action and suspense motifs are much like Star Trek Nemesis and Insurrection. The themes recur throughout the entire CD, unlike some earlier westerns where Jerry started strong and sort of trailed off. The CD might not sound exactly like a typical western but the action theme gets the point across. This is a good risk for any fan of Goldsmith."