Customer Reviews

Runaway Train

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

 

 

I have desperately looked for this rare film score over the past years, knowing the original CD release from Milan Records was more than hard to get, i.e. only a limited number of CDs were made of this soundtrack. So, I was even more than happy that a new release has come out, including both the "album" soundtrack (as contained on the original CD from Milan Records) and the real film score.

The CD runs about 77 minutes. While tracks 1 through 11 represent the album soundtrack, tracks 12 through 16 contain the score as performed in the movie. As a bonus there are 2 more tracks: "The Yellow Rose of Texas" which is performed in the beginning of the film at Stonehaven Prison, Alaska and finally an alternative version of "Gloria".

The quality of the material is quite okay, even though the first part - the album soundtrack - seems to lack some remastering (i.e. if you turn up the volume you get to hear some background noise). However, the second part - the film score - sounds very well remastered and distinct in terms of quality.

Apparently, the CD is limited to 3.000 pieces.

I've been looking for this soundtrack with it's unique recording of Vivaldi's Gloria: Et in terra pax hominibus. I've looked for similar recordings of Vivaldi's Gloria and I failed to find this piece played at such slow tempo as that of the one I've heard from the movie.

Another reviewer [...]mentioned the name of this piece and I've been looking for it ever since with no success. I look forward to the opportunity of purchasing this soundtrack for that single piece of music. It's majestic melancholy accentuated the fitting ending of an academy award nominated movie (nominated best actor: John Voight).

Other classical music CD's of the same piece are played too fast in order to fit the entire Gloria work into one music CD. I give this soundtrack four out of five stars as the other music tracks resembles that of disco-era, synthesizer music.

The film version of "Et En Terra Pax Hominibus" is worth getting the album alone. Half of the album features tacky, thriller 80's all-synthesizer music, the kind of stuff you'd hear from Knight Rider or Airwolfe. The other half is so-so orchestral music that doesn't come close to the emotional impact to Mr. Trevor's adaptation of Vivaldi's Gloria: Et En Terra Pax Hominibus.

I spent a long time and purchased wrong albums trying to find this one piece from this movie soundtrack. The album is a good effort by Trevor Jones in the 80's. He eventually composed the original orchestral soundtrack for the movie "Dark City"-- so this album is a good predecessor to his current abilities for those avid fans following the composer.