Coming Soon! The John Beal Trailer Project

Sonic Images

Music Composed by John Beal, Jerry Goldsmith, Tangerine Dream, and Beal/Leoncavallo

Produced by Brad Pressman and Ford A. Thaxton

Release Date: 1998

     Trailer music has been the frustration for many a moviegoer/soundtrack aficionado. Sitting there in a dark theater watching the latest trailers when suddenly this very cool piece of music appears, and the question flashing through my mind is, "What is that music from?" While there are trailers that use bits of other scores, it turns out that a professional composer, John Beal, creates original music specifically for trailers. So in case you’ve been searching in vein for that spot of music that caught your attention, you may want to check this album out.

     Coming Soon! is a 2-CD set that contains sixty-nine cues used in various trailers and television spots, and with the exception of four tracks, they are all more-or-less original cues by Beal. There are some tracks that are highly reminiscent of works by some popular mainstream composers, while one is a blatant rip-off of the opening to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Being what it is, both CDs run the full gauntlet of emotions in varying order, making them somewhat questionable as a good listening experience. In addition, cues range from hugely orchestral and choral, to synthesized. This is an album that you’ll definitely want to have your remote handy with.

     Still, this is a interesting album, and you’ll get a kick out of some of the tracks that’ll remind you of other scores. If you’re a fan of compilation CDs, or the matter of trailer music lights your fire, this is something you might want to check out. ***

Track Listing

CD 1

1 - Black Beauty Trailer (1:20)

2 - Angel - Almost (2:19)

3 - Beautician & The Beast (2:14)

4 - Alaska Trailer (1:57)

5 - Black Rain Trailer (1:32)

6 - Broke Arrow (2:21)

7 - Casualties of War (2:06)

8 - For Sir Charlie (1:59)

9 - Beal's Con Theory (2:21)

10 - Pseudo Cool World (1:44)

11 - Courage March (1:03)

12 - The Cutthroat (1:17)

13 - Dead Again (2:08)

14 - Blessed Dead (2:16)

15 - Nothing to Lose (1:40)

16 - Erased (1:34)

17 - Eye to Eye (2:00)

18 - Intruder (2:21)

19 - Ghost Trail (2:04)

20 - Ham's Prologue & Epilogue (3:01)

21 - Three Blind Elfmen (1:51)

22 - The Hunt (1:39)

23 - I Know What (0:34)

24 - In the Line (2:25)

25 - Independence 2 (1:06)

26 - Dead Solid Perfect (1:51)

27 - Sarah & Jack (2:15)

28 - Hollywood Latin (2:25)

29 - Jen 8 (1:02)

30 - Judge Dredd Teaser (0:55)

31 - Last Man (1:02)

32 - Last Dogman (1:41)

33 - Tate Jazz (2:24)

34 - Deadly Sin (0:34)

Total Running Time: 61:47

CD 2

1 - Magic of the Theater/Strawberry & Chocolate (2:20)

2 - Medicine Man Trailer (1:49)

3 - Invisible Memoirs (1:54)

4 - Morph Men (1:47)

5 - Miracle Trailer (2:50)

6 - Woody's Manhattan (1:50)

7 - Manhatten Night (2:05)

8 - Noises Offstage (1:35)

9 - Nothing Much (1:27)

10 - I'll Always Fall in Love with Love (1:57)

11 - Pagemaster Trail (2:17)

12 - Passed (1:21)

13 - Academy March (2:20)

14 - Lyle/Ennid/I'm Not Hoffa (2:30)

15 - Stunt Person (0:31)

16 - Schooltie (2:11)

17 - Unmarried White Woman (2:21)

18 - Skatetown USA Trailer/End Title (3:45)

19 - Basic Instinct Theme (2:21)

20 - Solo's Solo (1:57)

21 - Two Billion $ Off Switch (1:01)

22 - Species Too (2:10)

23 - Sweet Magnolia (1:25)

24 - Supercop Promo (1:00)

25 - Karen's Love Theme (1:04)

26 - The Grift (1:58)

27 - Somebody Stop Me (1:51)

28 - If They Come at You (3:00)

29 - Three Wishes Teaser (2:41)

30 - Ocean Song (1:23)

31 - Starnever/True Lies Overlay (1:37)

32 - Under Siege Too (1:41)

33 - It's Warshawski! (1:39)

34 - Beal's Volcanic (0:56)

35 - White Out (1:20)

Total Running Time: 66:42