Executive Decision: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Soundtrack]

Jerry Goldsmith | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 9, 1996)
• Original Release Date: March 15, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B0000014YO
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #176,391 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Map

2. All Aboard

3. Drill Team

4. Do It

5. Pick It Up

6. Starting Over

7. The Sleeper

8. The Ramora

9. Hold It

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make an "Executive Decision" to purchase this album!, August 2, 2003

By 

Varese Fan (Sunny FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Executive Decision: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

As with all of his scores, Jerry Goldsmith has written a truly authentic piece of work creating a great deal of realism. EXECUTIVE DECISION was released 5 years before 9/11 and Jerry managed to create the same feelings we all feel about terrorism nowadays. Listen to "The Map" and I bet people like bin Laden will automatically pop into your head. He also adds some ethnic tones to the score giving us a sense of who these guys are dealing with. Like with all Goldsmith themes, this one has a message. In this one the message is simply this: America is in trouble and these men are our only hope, but it's going to be quite a challenge for them.

If you are looking for action, you got it! Listen to "All Aboard", which underscores the drill team climbing from the ramora to the bomb-ridden aircraft. You'll enjoy it right to its stunning conclusion. You will also enjoy "The Sleeper" which signals the peak of the team's mission.

Yes, the album is very short, but rest assure that many of the best of material is presented. I am sure Goldsmith tried his very best (as always) to represent the film itself on the album, even though it still fell short because of re-use fees (which, of course, are what affect the CD's length). One of the clever things Jerry does in arranging the album is putting "The Ramora" after "The Sleeper". It signals the climax of the movie even though (in the film) it actually underscores the beginning of the drill team's flight.

There is more to a score than memorability and complexity. The most important part is the effectiveness. And while EXECUTIVE DECISION may not be the most listenably memorable and complex score, it is definitely one of surprising believability. In my opinion, that is enough to make it pass. It just shows that Jerry has a gift that not too many composers possess.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A standard action score with a Goldsmith twist., July 2, 1998

By 

"brettjames" (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Executive Decision: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

Ok, we've all heard average action scores. While the movie Executive Decision is nothing special, Goldsmith compliments it well with his orchestral score. This score is not as memorable as some of his other works, but is still interesting. The CD only contains about 30 minutes of music.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Where's Frank's??, March 4, 2009

By 

Tonya Sims "T.Sims" (Memphis, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Executive Decision: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

Hey, I only searched for this soundtrack for the song performed by Frank Sinatra, "So Nice To Go Travlin'" (at the very end of the movie), & look, it's not even on the track listings; what gives on that? Oh well, I guess I'll have to keep searching; too bad they left off a great song by "old blue eyes"! Tonya S.