The Mummy: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [SOUNDTRACK]

Jerry Goldsmith (Composer)

Product Details

• Composer: Jerry Goldsmith
• Audio CD (May 4, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B00000IWP1
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,394 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Thankfully, Jerry Goldsmith's contribution to The Mummy isn't all bombast. In fact, the composer behind such varied scores as The Omen, Chinatown, and Planet of the Apes throws a little bit of everything into The Mummy's sonic stew and turns in a semi-memorable score that never seems to slow down for too long. Goldsmith weds swatches of Middle Eastern-sounding melodies into the primarily synth-driven score to good effect on such tracks as "Giza Port" and "The Caravan." Frenetic string and percussive passages in "Night Borders" and "Mumia Attack" are plenty tense, but also feature otherworldy sci-fi sound effects, while on "Rebirth" the sounds of synth'd voices make for an ethereal effect over the orchestrations. Mummified this score isn't, but clichéd it, unfortunately, is. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SWISH!, January 29, 2000

By A Customer

The UNIVERSAL label melts into the desert sun, and the camera pulls back across the vastness of the desert. The breathtaking beauty of the Egyption skyline is placed against a majestic, awkward plucking of strings, followed by menacing bellows of low cello. Choral voices begin chanting in a creepy flavor that forbodes of things to come. The camera retracts further to reveal a massive pyramid dotted with the screaching birds of the Middle East. Suddenly, your adrenaline surges ahead as Goldsmith tacks on an enormous explosion of drums in a rythmatic beat that blows the use of repetitive sound to a new level. Tolls, choir, strings, and, of course, the obnoxious beating of drums unfold into a continuous blend of blaring instruments that, when listened to on headphones, made me always break into a pleasent smile. The soundtrack to The Mummy is by far, a sweeping desert epic told, without words, but instead in rythmic chants and horns that captivate the soul of every young-at-heart. One of the beauties of the soundtrack is Goldsmith's unpresidented use of several themes in one piece to create a mosaic tapestry that, time and again, shatters the realm of single themes and crosses in a dream track that races along with the beating of the heart and the quickening of the pulse. If I were at the recording of this soundtrack, I would have had to sit down. The excitement and the utter surge of energy that is emitted in such tracks as IMHOTEP, THE CARAVAN, CAMEL RACE, and MUMIA ATTACK (which utilizes an amazing web of several independant drums beat in unison to create the illusion there was one guy with twelve arms playing it. My only regret, which shouldn't stop you from purchasing this amazing piece of work, is that towards the end of the CD, particularily 11, 12, 13, and 14, the rythmic hummable themes unravel to a mismash of violent cues and the scream of anoynomous Egyption instruments (which can become unpleasent to listen to, but I can't blame Goldsmith for it; action sequence music does tend to put a damper on the actual footage if written to take the listener's attention away). However, track 15 picks up again after a short beggining of the noisy stuff with a beautiful interlude of rythmic strings accompanied by pleasent choral harmonies. I'm suprised that this CD hasn't been referred to as an equal, if not a better, of Lawrence of Arabia. If the two were to be placed together, I guarentee every lover of music would own a copy. Not to say go buy it, but in this case, I'm willing to help out DECCA by saying this disk is well worth your cash. This soundtrack is especially good for insomniacs, since the incredibly fiendish rythums and themes will have you up all night humming!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Mummy," One of Goldsmith's Best, February 16, 2000

By	G M. Stathis (cedar city, utah USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Fans and students of film music were probably surprised this week with certain aspects of the Academy Awards nominations. First, John Williams' magnificent score for "Star Wars, Episode One, The Phantom Menace" was not nominated for best original score. And second, the Academy failed to recognize Jerry Goldsmith. Neither of the scores for "The 13th Warrior" or "The Mummy" was nominated, and that is too bad, especially in the latter case. Goldsmith's music for "The Mummy" came as a pleasant surprise. It equalled or surpassed some of his most notable work with adventure films, "The Wind and the Lion," "King Solomon's Mines," "Star Trek, First Contact." And as a soundtrack for an adventure movie, Goldsmith's score for "The Mummy" worked incredibly well. Moreover, it makes for an enjoyable soudtrack recording. Other reviews have lauded individual tracks adequately, but one complaint might be added. Music for the sandstorm and airplane scene including a noble brass flourish as the World War I flying ace and his plane sink into the sand is missing. There was certainly room on the disc for this cut, and the track was outstanding. The suggestion that a particulr score is one of Jerry Goldsmith's best should not be taken lighly, there are so many to consider, and so many that are simply grand. The score to "The Mummy" is a singular achievement, bravo!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure of Hamunaptra, June 11, 2001

By	Deja "lynxen13" (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

When I first saw 'The Mummy' I instantly knew I had to have the CD. The music is very moving and the sense of awe that it gives still astounds me. Every song, every moment, you are are there, transported into the movie just by the music. If you even remotely like 'The Mummy' then the soundtrack is a definate must.