Customer Reviews

The Edge: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jerry Goldsmith's music for "The Edge" is a masterpiece of grand dimensions in sound and power. The music flows with the images and action. I loved this music for the feeling, for the edge. Goldsmith's music appears to sweep along with the plane through great forest vistas in the beginning of the film. We hear some great drum beats as Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin run away from a vicious bear. The feeling of the music is grand, exciting, and is action-packed by itself! This is great music to appreciate and cherish.

1997 was an excellent year for composer Jerry Goldsmith -- his soundtrack from THE EDGE stands out especially in his ouvere. Goldsmith establishes soaring wildnerness melodies, than lets the music dissolve into primative percussion attacks. The thundering build of "Deadfall" will just about wring you out! (Watch this scene in the movie and notices how much Goldsmith's powerhouse attack contributes to the sequence's success). The final track adds a new layer to an already intricate album: a rhytmn jazz reading of the main title. Goldsmith has taken us from the mountain peaks to the valleys and finishes off with this smooth return to civilization. Brilliant!

Score Review of The Edge: Jerry Goldsmith was one of the greatest film composers of all time. I say 'was' because he past away in 2004; may he rest in peace. Goldsmith wrote ingenious scores for many films including First Knight, The Ghost and the Darkness, The Blue Max, Patton, The Burbs, The Shadow, Star Trek, and countless others. The Edge is no exception. The main theme is truly brilliant. Visions of the majestic Alaskan landscape go hand in hand with this theme. This theme can be namely heard in tracks 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10. Variations of the theme also appear in other moments of the score. A few of the center tracks of the score are not as interesting, but were not composed to be heard on a CD. These tracks match perfectly with the scenes in which they were made to fit; most of the time they accompany scenes in which a bear is stalking or attacking the main characters of the film. Not Goldsmith's best film score, but certainly not his worst. For any serious Goldsmith or film score collector this CD is a must. The Edge certainly does not disappoint.

The music that Jerry Goldsmith has given us for The Edge is the kind that takes the listener on a journey. From the opening track of "Lost in the Wild" where one gets the feeling of being out in the wilderness, amoung the calm serenity of nature. We quickly get knocked with the realization of the dangers of nature with "The Ravine".

A sense of motion is set with "Bitter Coffee" as the men in the film travel through the remote landscape. "Stalking" and "Deadfall" are the two tracks that belong to the bear. Namely "Deadfall" puts in us the fear of being chased by a giant Kodiak bear.

"The River" moves away from the bear theme and focuses on the conflict between the two main characters of the movie. "Rescued" finalizes with a sense of wonder and amazament as the rescue of the survivor(s) is carried out. Finally, we are taken back to civilization and the warmth and comfort of our common surroundings with "The Edge" the final track, a jazzy, soothing number. In all, both in the movie and on the soundtrack, an amazing journey from beginning to end.

Being a big fan of the outdoors I always look for movies that take place in nature. So I saw The Edge and I absolutely loved it. Jerry Goldsmith's score had a lot to do with that. This music is very exciting and dynamic ranging from thrilling "Lost In The Wild" to the brooding and ominous bear's theme (heard in "The Ravine") played on some massive brass.

I can't help but have the feeling of being in the great outdoors envoked when I hear the main theme. This movie was filmed in the beautiful area of Alberta, Canada and the music does a perfect job of capturing that beauty. It is sweeping and majestic filled with passion. A special treat is the jazz rendition of The Edge theme played on piano, something that you might hear in a classy restaurant.

All in all, though hard to find (but worth the hunt), this score is a must have for film music collectors, Goldsmith fans, or music lovers in general.

I bought this CD after becoming hooked on the beautiful theme ("Lost in the Wild") -- the sound clip of this track gives a good sample of it. Unfortunately, the rest of the music is not quite so nice to listen to... It's a whole bunch of chasing music that isn't a great listen, in my opinion. The album closes with a jazzy ("The Russia House" style) arrangement of the main theme.

This is one of those CDs that I listen to for only one or two tracks (tracks 1 and 10).

The Edge is a good soundtrack.Jerry Goldsmith put some different music into this with big drums and several different horns that really sounds fantastic.Goldsmith did a good job here and there is no complaints from ME!

The Edge is a great Jerry Goldsmith score with an awesome main theme and standard action cues. The theme which gets a full playing in the first track "Lost in the Wild" is a rousing theme for horns that sounds outstanding when played in the film with the mountains of Alaska in the picture. This theme must of inspired Klaus Badelt when he composed the music for The Time Machine because that theme is conceptually close to this one. Another motif in the score is for the Kodiak bear in the film, a falling low brass line present in "The Ravine" and "Stalking". "The Ravine" is a good action cue with plenty of low brass, accompanied by snare drums. "Rescued" is a knockout cue as well, with a final restatement of the majestic main theme. The rest of the music is mainly action oriented with hints of the main theme and the bear theme in there. Most of the music is ominous and suspenseful and with a giant bear in the wilderness with you, I can see why. Somewhat of a disappointment, however, is the last track "The Edge" where you would expect the main theme once again as an end credits suite, but instead, Goldsmith throws in a jazzy version of the theme with piano and a soft snare drum. It sounds like something you would hear in a lounge more than in a film like this. I don't know where that came from, but nevertheless, it's there. All in all, a great action score that really sounds great, especially when the main theme is heard.

I love this music....soaring main theme....ominous danger music...smooth blend of all. I write fiction to this music and find it dramatically inspirational. The only "discordant note" is the last jazzy version of the title theme, which jars you from the heights of the mountain wilderness to a smoky cocktail party atmosphere. But overall, this CD is a prize in my soundtrack collection. (In fact, I bought two, to have one in my car!)

I fly people in small airplanes around the Great State of Alaska for a living and without fail, when I play THIS soundtrack through the sound system in the airplane while flying through mountains, People notice! I have had countless compliments on the music at the end of flights around Mount McKinley, the Alaska Range, the Wrangell Mountains, and the Chugach Mountains while playing this music! It's like it was composed for playing while flying in the vast beauty of Alaska, I love it!