| Alien³ |
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Composed by Elliot Goldenthal |
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Orchestrated by Robert Elhai and Elliot Goldenthal Conducted by Jonathan Sheffer Produced by Matthias Gohl Release Date: 1992 |
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Throughout the series of films based on the original Alien, no composer has ever been hired back. That makes for an interesting comparison as stylistically different composers tackle what is more or less the same concept. For the original film, Jerry Goldsmith brought his atonal sensibilities and experimental percussion elements into a score that has become an instant classic in that genre. For the sequel, James Horner provided a strong militaristic and thematically intense work that found itself well at home with the tone of that film (regardless of the hack editing job that occurred). With the third film, Elliot Goldenthal, with his...unique musical sensibilities, was tapped to provide the score. So far, I've seen every Alien film with the exception of this one. I will see it one day, but since I've heard it's the weakest out of the four (currently at least) I'm not in a big hurry. Given the choice of Goldenthal as composer, I'm expecting quite a departure from the tone and direction of the previous two films. As a composer, Goldenthal is somone I both loath and enjoy at the same time. Given his perchance for quirkiness and a sound that can be both grating and exhilarating (sometimes both at once), feelings about his work run far and wide. While I found Titus to border on being completely horrid, I was really impressed with his score to Final Fantasy. I even found the quirkiness of Batman Forever to be enjoyable (especially if I neglect to remember a certain Danny Elfman who used to compose for the series). That said, Alien³represents both what I consider to be the best, and the worst, of Goldenthal's style. That makes this a score that will leave few sitting on the fence. The style of Alien 3 is planted firmly in what is typically expected in horror music. While the franchise is no stranger to this, Goldenthal makes his first departure in utilizing a boy's chorus within the first track. This is a good change, and is quite welcome in the context of its first appearance. Delving into the horror side for the next two cues, the score takes a rather difficult turn and the composition is so wild and insane that it makes it hard to get into it. In certain sections it seems that Goldenthal makes every instrument screech at the same time. Things pick back up with Lento (another great track), and from there on out it's a battle between the beautiful and the horrifying. It actually makes for an interesting contrast, but unless you're able to stand how much horror Goldenthal can portray with his music, it will definitely be hard to stomach. In a film franchise such as Alien, however, such cues are needed and while they get wild and frantic, it seems wholly appropriate at the same time. After all, none of the Alien scores are something one puts in for a night of easy listening, and in this regard, Goldenthal's score is at the bottom of the pile. At the same time, he correctly captures the right attitude that such a score should possess. Appreciate for what it is, and this can actually be an "enjoyable" score (as enjoyable as these scores can go). And outside the horror cues, there are really some beautiful cues here. Overall, you will either love this score or hate it, so take a deep look into your feelings about his music and check it out. **** |
| Track Listing - Total Running Time: 50:04 | |
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