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Music Conducted By
Jerry Goldsmith
Orchestrations By
Arthur Morton
Alexander Courage
Recorded By
Bruce Botnick
Performed By
-
Album Produced By
Jerry Goldsmith
Label
Intrada Special
Collection Volume 220
Previous Release(s)
Epic
480938
Year Of CD/Film Release
2013/1995
Running Time
62:49
Availability
Normal Release
Cues
&
Timings
The Album
1. Spirit Of Africa/The Expedition* 2:42
2. Zinj 1:17
3. The Eye 0:24
4. Meet Amy 2:43
5. Something I Lost (Alternate) 0:29
6. Meet Monroe Kelly 1:39
7. Road Block 0:39
8. Crossing The Border 1:29
9. Bail Out* 2:58
10. No Customs* 1:49
11. Deep Jungle - Picture 1:59
12. The Ghost Tribe - Revised 2:04
13. The Rapids 0:39
14. The Symbol 0:47
15. Hippo Attack* 2:26
16. The Other Side - Revised 1:17
17. Crash Site* 1:59
18. Sad Amy 0:37
19. Gates Of Zinj* 4:03
20. Help Me 2:18
21. We Are Watching 1:49
22. The Mine 0:53
23. Amy's Nightmare* 2:11
24. Kahega* 2:18
25. Amy's Farewell/Spirit Of Africa/End Credits* 10:29
Total Album Time: 52:45
The Extras
26. Something I Lost 0:20
27. Deep Jungle - Album* 2:33
28. The Ghost Tribe 1:21
29. The Other Side 1:20
30. The Collapsed City 2:21
31. The Villagers Chant (James Newton Howard/Lebo M) 1:50
Total Extras Time: 9:58
* Original Album Track
Soundtrack
Ratings
Disappointing
Functional
Average
Good
Excellent
Outstanding
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Congo (album)
Jerry Goldsmith has always
scored well with ethnic settings and a chance to play to the
grand vista's of the African wilderness was an opportunity not
to be missed. Congo, the movie, was an attempt to cash
in on Crichton mania after the massive success of Jurassic
Park. But Congo, the book was not a major success
and a movie version had been talked about before back in the
early eighties under the direction of Crichton himself and with
Goldsmith scoring. This was aborted and some would say Congo
still hadn't improved enough to warrant a major summer movie
event in 1995. Congo wasn't that well received by critics
but it didn't stop it from going on to make some good international
box office though.
Goldsmith begins with a celebratory opening for the plains of
Africa introducing an enthusiastic African vocal from group Lebo
M. Goldsmith has always done well with instrumental support to
vocal arrangements and this is no exception. Goldsmith builds
the theme with a plethora of traditional and ethnic percussion,
and with a superb recording, it absolutely pounds your speakers
as the orchestra surge forward with the composer's main theme.
The cue concludes with a moment in Space as a Satellite orbits
and Goldsmith obliges his fans with a homage to the Space
Station from Star Trek TMP. Wonderful!
Next comes classic Goldsmith action with an exciting Bail Out sequence.
Again those drums kick in a fast tempo and as strings and brass
build tension, cymbals crash as rockets explode outside the plane.
As the occupants escape Goldsmith introduces a wild and crazy
motif for those who have never jumped before. Once on the ground,
the music settles a little as the team trek across the hostile,
but beautiful landscape, with Goldsmith setting up his main theme
for the kind Gorilla Amy. It's playful and pretty and with some
synth embellishments makes for a warm counterpoint to the looming
suspense.
An unusual Hippo Attack launches the third act and causes
Goldsmith to kick in ominous brass before we make it to the film's
finale locale and a face off and battle with the vicious prehistoric
Gorilla's that guard the Diamonds the team seek. Here the action
is far too brief (a fault of the film) and Goldsmith's finale
pieces don't hang around long enough. It's a shame because this
is brutal scoring and a repeating pounding motif for the vicious
attacks hits all the right marks.
A flourish of music signals Amy's Farewell and stilted
playing for a volcanic eruption finish the score and leave way
for a lengthy and stirring end credit, reprising Lebo M's vocal,
but now with full orchestral support. Good stuff.
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