Aliens: The Deluxe Edition [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack]

James Horner (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 1, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00005BJJX
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,293 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Despite the phenomenal box-office bounty of Titanic, director James Cameron didn't become King of the World overnight. Indeed, King James helped build his crowd-pleasing reputation on the belated 1986 sequel to Ridley Scott's outer space shockfest, Alien. That sequel, Aliens, was also his first collaboration with film scorer James Horner, whose music contributed in no small way to Titanic's über-success. This expanded edition of Horner's mysterious Aliens score features a sparkling digital transfer and over a half-hour of previously unreleased cues and outtakes. While Horner obviously trades on Jerry Goldsmith's original masterpiece and even Khatchaturian's Gayane Ballet Suite (used so effectively by Kubrick to evoke the loneliness of space in 2001), it's a pastiche that's informed by a masterful use of brooding orchestral colors and percussion flourishes that are by turns ominous and subtle. That element of the composer's evocative formula is further explored in two percussion-only bonus cuts, "Ripley's Rescue" and "Combat Drop." This edition also includes a colorful illustrated booklet with a detailed essay about the film's musical genesis. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: ALIENS
Title: SCORE
Street Release Date: 05/01/2001
Domestic
Genre: SOUNDTRACK

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Horner's score hits the mark ~ dead-on!", May 21, 2001

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aliens: The Deluxe Edition (Audio CD)

Sitting in a darkened theatre ~ watching the opening sequence of this overpowering sequel was a riveting thrill ~ the first film "Alien" (1979) from director Ridley Scott and was scored by Jerry Goldsmith, believe his music for this film could not be topped, he is without a doubt one of the greatest films-composers with past credentials a mile long ~ however, James Horner has for this sequel mind you, surpassed Goldsmith's original outing for our complex creature from another planet.

Varese Sarabande once again, include the releasing of a deluxe edition with bonus tracks ~ alternate takes, previously unreleased material and this time something very interesting called "percussion only", works well for this sci-fi multi-hit from director James Cameron ~ "Aliens" (1986) ~ Horner takes the music to new and undiscovered heights, very much like his scores for "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982) ~ "Patriot Games" (1992) and "Apollo 13" (1996), each score enhances the films story-line, which only proves if you turn the sound down while watching the film, it's simply blase` not the same excitement you would experience with the soundtrack inclusive.

Would make mention our stand outs ~ "RIPLEY'S RESCUE", both instrumental and percussion only versions, simply turns the heat up on the films progress ~ "FUTILE ESCAPE", over 8 minutes in length, Horner writes a scoring masterpiece essentially using strings, brass and overlapping percussion for this staggering musical journey that sends chills up and down your spine, can't say enough about this cue.

A big thank you to ~ Robert Townson (executive producer), as always in their pitching ~ Nick Redman (deluxe edition producer) ~ the London Symphony Orchestra ~ and our composer, conductor and producer, serving up this magnificent feast for all film-score-buffs to drool over ~ JAMES HORNER!

Total Time: 75:44 on 24 Tracks ~ Varese Sarabande 302-0666-241-2 ~ (2001)

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HORNER'S BEST, May 8, 2001

By 

Mr. D. J. Walker (SWANSEA, W.GLAMORGAN United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aliens: The Deluxe Edition (Audio CD)

Apart from being one of the greatest action movies ever made,ALIENS boasted one of the finest scores. What James Horner created here was 100% pure adrenalin.Scary,intense,and with track 17,Bishop's Countdown,truly monumental.This deluxe edition is a must for fans of great film music.There are lots of previously unreleased tracks here,and they are all good,especially Facehuggers and a percussion only version of Ripley's Rescue,which is particularly rousing.ALIENS is definately in my top ten scores of all-time,and is my favourite by James Horner.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Horner's Finest Recycled Product, June 11, 2001

By 

Luis M. Ramos "Soundtrack and Film Freak" (Caracas, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aliens: The Deluxe Edition (Audio CD)

When I first heard "Aliens", I discovered that James Horner is a person who recycles his, and other people's, work to achieve the proper emotion to the film he is working for. That made me uneasy, but in the case of "Aliens", I would make an exception.

First of all, the main title is widely based on Aram Khachaturian's 'Gayane Ballet Suite', which is heard on the soundtrack for "2001: A Space Odyssey". It also has traces of Jerry Goldsmith's supense leitmotif for the original "Alien". His action music relies mostly on previous works of Horner's such as the Klingon motif from "Star Trek III-The Search For Spock" -combined with "Wolfen" -, "Brainstorm", and "Krull". And if you pay a closer attention to 'Bishop's Countdown', you may find a similarity with the track titled 'Kirk's Explosive Reply' from the "Star Trek II-The Wrath Of Khan" soundtrack, but better orchestrated, and fantastically played by The London Symphony Orchestra.

All in all, "Aliens" is a recycled work by James Horner. One in a long line of recycled works in the composer's ouevre. But what makes this work worthwhile is the fantastic orchestrations made by the late Greig McRitchie. Now this deluxe edition from Varèse Sarabande contains all the music written for one of the best sequels ever, skillfully directed by James Cameron. And one interesting trait about this CD is the versions of 'Ripley's Rescue' and 'Combat Drop' with only the percussions -Cool!.