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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Surprise !, September 1, 2008
As fan of the scores by Goldsmith and Silvestri for the first and second part of this trilogy, I had great expectations for the work of Randy Edelman. The fact that his carreer has no real success ( except his participation to Trevor Jones' Last of the Mohicans and the well known theme from Dragon's Heart )affraid when his name was announced, but I bought this CD with some hope... and was not disapointed ! OK, he didn't make an epic theme full of percussions, but un lyrical adventure score, pursuing the evolution of the franchise's soundtrack that Silvestri started with tracks like "Sandcastles" or "Medjei Commanders" in Mummy Returns. Here, three great themes are making us travel throught the story : The main theme as theme for the O'Connell family is a well writted track that keep us in the adventure ambient, the second is more dramatic, sad but beautiful, with a asian-typed reprise called "Ancient China" and remain all allong the CD, and the love theme, most rattached to the sad theme. Developping them with talent, Randy Edelman make it to create a new ambient and a great score, sometimes romantic, sometimes full of action and dynamism ( Shangai Chase, Reign of Terror, etc). Maybe not the best soundtrack of the year - nore the best of the franchise - but he hasn't to be ashamed of : We already are immerged with the O'Connells, back in action ! And that's all the fun I was hoping for !
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Mummy Returns, Again...Randy Edelman's Take, August 3, 2008
There have now been three incarnations of The Mummy in what has become a small film franchise (three films, a movie spin-off, and theme park rides) each with a different composer, and surprisingly, following Jerry Goldsmith's fine lead and Alan Silvestri's excellent sequel, each have been different and quite good including the newest, Randy Edelman's score for Rob Cohen's The Mummy, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. The soundtrack album begins with Edelman's "call to adventure" theme which sets the stage for the romp to come, but then goes immediately to what is initially a somber and sorrowful theme for solo cello (Anthony Pleeth) with distinct Chinese undertones (actually all of Edelman's Asian/Chinese themes and motifs work very well). This theme becomes the musical foundation for much of the rest of what is really a solid score, at times nearly tragic, but also quite grand and again adventurous (note composer Edelman on piano) with a couple of comical twists and a tribute or two to other films and composers. Another theme/motif for the Dragon Emperor emerges often juxtaposed with the adventure theme and/or the main Chinese theme. This is a much more dynamic score than expected and works wonderfully well on this recording (note that bits and pieces have appeared during the various broadcasts of the Bejing Olympics...of course Edelman is providing other music for this event). Oddly, it seems almost muted on the screen at times, and that is too bad. The 1940s style vocal (by Helen Feng) included at the end is now expected, but in this case is actually part of the film, and is serviceable. Well produced by Varese with solid packaging.
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Much weaker than the first two Mummy scores!, July 7, 2009
Jerry Goldsmith and Alan Silvestri showed us how a Mummy score should sound like.
Unfortunately Randy Edelman's music for "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" is comparing to the fantastic scores of the mentioned composers quite simple and weak. The quiet parts are quite nice and listenable, also the last song is a good one, but the action tracks are horrible. That's why they have been replaced in the movie by the producers with John Debney's action music.
If you would like to listen to great Mummy scores, get "The Mummy" or "The Mummy Returns".
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