Customer Reviews

GoldenEye

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If anything positive can be said about Eric Serra's score for this James Bond film it undeniably is innovative and absolutely different from any of the previous scores. The score is pensive and brooding and seems to fit the intention of the mood that the film's director wanted. The disappointment here is that Eric Serra just does not handle the James Bond Theme in a conventional or traditional fashion. Being objective, I think the rest of the score is actually good.

I love the sounds of this cd but its missing a lot of tracks.It stinks.Especially the beginning part down the gun barrel and the track in the streets, its not the same as in the movie.They need to make a new cd with every single piece of music in the movie.

I really don't understand any less-than-pleased reviews for the Goldeneye Soundtrack. Yes, if you are looking for John Barry's sweeping orchestral themes you WON'T find it here - you can find it on the other dozens of Bond films before Goldeneye. Although there are some very beautiful orchestral arrangements, the orchestral 007 theme is absent. And for good reasons: A) John Barry didn't score this, and B) this is 1995 and the brilliant Eric Sierra scored it. The songs alternate between romantic orchestrals and brooding electronics. The mixture works; it's lush and intoxicating. Sierra has done a terrific job of creating a Bond score with an electronic pallet. He gives you the same mystery, thrills, and eroticism as an old orchestral score would, except with newer, bolder, more interesting sounds. The best examples are "The Goldeneye Overture", which is probably the best track on the album and is both Bond-sounding and unique enough to stand on it's own. A somewhat-remix appears on track 14. "Ladies First" is probably the strongest example of his electro-techno style. It's quirky but fun. "A Little Suprise For You" is another great song. Sierra's willingness to experiment with sounds gives it a unique feel that perfectly exudes the dark unsteady, mysterious landsape of post-cold war Russia. The album ends with an atmosphereic love song with Eric on vocals. It's mushy soft rock, but it's a nice, woozy sedative conclusion to the record.

What isn't as good are the technical details: the remastering should have had tons bonus tracks as the other JB movie scores have had, because there are many, many peices from the film that are missing here (ironically one of them is the orchestral 007 theme from the tank chase).

NOTE: anyone remember the pumped-up 007 theme used for the terrific Goldeneye theatrical trailers? I don't know whether it was Sierra or not, but it's certainly a Goldeneye-era song and is now INCLUDED on the latest Best of Bond compilation as the last track. They should have thrown it on here instead, but alas they didn't.

If you liked the movie, you should like this soundtrack because the music was intertwined with the images: it ebbed and flowed with the rse and fall of tension. If you like some fine electro-techno scoring, you'll also enjoy this. Lastly, Eric Sierra fans will enjoy this perhaps the most. You don't have to see the film to enjoy the soundtrack, either. Though some of the songs are too brief, it's strong enough material that it works fine alone.

What an outstanding score. Erica Serra understood the cinematic James Bond closer than any other composer before or since. James Bond is a loner and a killer carrying out the dirty assignments of his government. He is a tool and an instrument to that end. This dark yet passionate James Bond is finally given a chance to reveal himself for what he is via Brosnan's performance and Serra's dark and brooding score. If Serra had scored Timothy Dalton's last film we truly would have seen the dark side of this character. This is not an action score but a thought provoking exploration into James Bond the man and the world he inhabits. This score is truly is a work of art and seems to have been totally misunderstood. Serra was trying to achieve something that had never been explored. He came ever so close, but measuring success by popularity Serra's score was unfortunately doomed from the beginning.

Well, I decided to take a risk and purchase this CD, (I couldn't stand not hearing it in it's full package after all the controversy surrounding it.) I will say right now, I am a die hard David Arnold fan, and I don't think much can beat the music he wrote for The World Is Not Enough, Tomorrow Never Dies, Die Another Day, or Casino Royale. That being said, this score is great! Although many tracks are percussive banging and synthesizers, these pounding tracks are seperated by some of the best romantic orchestral love themes I've heard... ever! And hey, Serra is GOOD with the synths, no matter whether you like this score or not, you have to admit the guy can write and play good synth music. Besides the synths, I truly believe this is the closest the Bond music franchise has gotten to John Barry's originals, (but please, buy David Arnold's scores, because I believe that he is hands down the best Bond composer, and always will be.)

David Arnold's score for Tomorrow Never Dies has some of the most fantastically heroic and dark elements I have ever heard in a Bond score as well as just being a better Bond film from the heroic standpoint. Besides, Bond is not just some ruthless assassin for hire ONLY. He's a suave and cool minded professional with a BIG heart for people and is just trying to keep the world safe from terrorism and have as many beautiful women as possible doing it. Serra's score is , I agree, absolutely OUTSTANDING. Play the N64 game then watch the movie again and you'll really appreciate this synth/ orchestral MASTERPIECE.

Well thats what I thought untill I bought the CD. If you're like me, you cracked a smile when you heard the Bond theme played in the background when Bond leaves the airport to meet wade, or when Bond busts out of the wall in the tank, these are all moments we remember from the film and want on the soundtrack. But theres a problem, Mr. Serra produced something else, the tank drive is different, insted of the classic sound like in the movie we get some screwed up techno track. To make things worse, not even the helicopter piece is on this CD, or any of the pieces mentioned above. But not to say the CD is all bad, it's not it's rather good, besides the point of not playing much of Barry's great Bond theme or blowing your ears off action music like David Arnold, but it's good in it's on way. This is CD should have been great but even after 9 years we still don't get any bonus tracks, but the remaster is great. I would have loved the hear the gunbarrel, it was great one of the best. Over all this CD is good but like I said, it should have been great, but stll a must for Bond fans.

After a 6 year hiatus, James Bond returns in Goldeneye, yet this time with the help of French composer, Eric Serra to bring him strongly into the 90s. This combination has lead to what is easily the most unique and powerful Bond soundtrack out there. It's dark, it's beautiful, and it's different (in a good way). Many have claimed that his work here is "bland" and features too much "computer music". These haters are simply Barry-fanboys that wish the same, tired, 20-year old formula to be repeated endlessly throughout decades on end. Don't listen to them. And as for the "computer music", yes, the score is definitely very electronic in its nature. Yet, the 90s where a big time for electronica and the beginning of the rave scene so this was inevitable, seeing as Eric and the producers wanted a new sound. The film has a certain dark undertone to it, which he perfectly captures with this new sound. "Fatal Weakness", with its dark industrial grinds and building percussion, greatly succeeds in this as does "The Goldeneye Overture", which works as a nice precursor to what the rest of the movie would sound like. Yet, the score also triumphs in its more orchestral offerings. "We Share The Same Passions" and "That's What Keeps You Alone" are both sweeping and cinematic, easily recalling Barry's classic 70s period Bond works. I can go as far as saying that these rival his compositions. "Run, Shoot, And Jump", another orchestral highlight, is easily one of the best Bond action melodies written. It's a shame it's so short. Then there is the controversial "A Pleasant Drive In St. Petersburg", which ended up not being in the film. Instead it was replaced by a more typical, Hollywood soundtrack that sounds so out of place in the movie. A mistake in my opinion. The first half of "Dish Out of Water" is another favorite of mine and makes the fight between Bond and Xenia in the movie even better. The dark electronic drones at the beginning of the track mimic the spinning helicopter blades that Xenia jumps out of, before diving into a repeating metallic tribal rhythm assault. The only weaker moment here is "Ladies First", which sounds a tad bit dated. I'm not nuts over Tina Turner's Goldeneye theme, but Eric's singing effort makes "Experience of Love" a good song, incorporating a few elements from the actual score. Nicely done but also a little on the cheese side.

If you've read the whole review, you're wasting your time. If you enjoyed the movie, or just want something a little different, check this out.

GoldenEye is one of the best Bond films of all, introducing Pierce Brosnan and re-establishing the series into the 90's. The big problem was how to get the exciting music with John Barry gone. Eric Serra was their choice. The result is the most controversial James Bond film music score ever. Many complain that is it is just not Bond music, while others say that it is brand, new and exciting for the film. While the score is tough too say whether it's good or not, the title song is much more easy to classify. GoldenEye performed by Tina Turner with lyrics by Bono and The Edge is a thrilling title song. It harkens back to days of the powerful Shirley Bassey with the arresting voice of Tina Turner and is truly an inspired song. The GoldenEye Overture is filled with a generally continuos build-up of music, while Ladies First is techno-laced and still effective. There are many romantic tracks including, We Share The Same Passions, The Severnaya Suite, Fatal Weakness and That's What Keeps You Alone. Our Lady Of Smolensk has an oddly quiet chorus and is very mysterious as is Whispering Statues. Exciting fast-paced tracks are Run, Shoot And Jump and the all-powerful A Pleasent Drive In St. Petersburg, which has the chorus and blasts of music. Dish Out Of Water is very different, with the odd opening, where in the film Xenia prepares to attack Bond in the jungle. The Scale To Hell is a hauntingly powerful track as the dish rises out of the water. The soundtrack ends on a very bad note. The end title song is The Experience Of Love. When Eric Serra couldn't find anyone to perform the song, he decided to do it himself and the result is a sickening, terrible, slow-paced and totally NOT Bond music feel to it. I just can't find anything good to say about that song. You have to listen to this soundtrack to see if you like it or not. I personally like some of the tracks, but not all. With 54 minutes of music and 16 tracks, GoldenEye is still a refreshing part of the James Bond music series.

I really don't understand any less-than-pleased reviews for the Goldeneye Soundtrack. Yes, if you are looking for John Barry's sweeping orchestral themes you WON'T find it here - you can find it on the other dozens of Bond films before Goldeneye. Although there are some very beautiful orchestral arrangements, the orchestral 007 theme is absent. And for good reasons: A) John Barry didn't score this, and B) this is 1995 and the brilliant Eric Sierra scored it. The songs alternate between romantic orchestrals and brooding electronics. The mixture works; it's lush and intoxicating. Sierra has done a terrific job of creating a Bond score with an electronic pallet. He gives you the same mystery, thrills, and eroticism as an old orchestral score would, except with newer, bolder, more interesting sounds. The best examples are "The Goldeneye Overture", which is probably the best track on the album and is both Bond-sounding and unique enough to stand on it's own. A somewhat-remix appears on track 14. "Ladies First" is probably the strongest example of his electro-techno style. It's quirky but fun. "A Little Suprise For You" is another great song. Sierra's willingness to experiment with sounds gives it a unique feel that perfectly exudes the dark unsteady, mysterious landsape of post-cold war Russia. The album ends with an atmosphereic love song with Eric on vocals. It's mushy soft rock, but it's a nice, woozy sedative conclusion to the record.

What isn't as good are the technical details: the remastering should have had tons bonus tracks as the other JB movie scores have had, because there are many, many peices from the film that are missing here (ironically one of them is the orchestral 007 theme from the tank chase).

NOTE: anyone remember the pumped-up 007 theme used for the terrific Goldeneye theatrical trailers? I don't know whether it was Sierra or not, but it's certainly a Goldeneye-era song and is now INCLUDED on the latest Best of Bond compilation as the last track. They should have thrown it on here instead, but alas they didn't.

If you liked the movie, you should like this soundtrack because the music was intertwined with the images: it ebbed and flowed with the rse and fall of tension. If you like some fine electro-techno scoring, you'll also enjoy this. Lastly, Eric Sierra fans will enjoy this perhaps the most. You don't have to see the film to enjoy the soundtrack, either. Though some of the songs are too brief, it's strong enough material that it works fine alone.