The Mummy Cambridge MA

The Mummy

Soundtrack

Decca Records, 1999

REVIEW BY: Alfredo Narvaez

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/09/1999

I'll be honest. I'm a sucker for big, epic-style movies. Stuff like Star Wars, Krull, Indiana Jones, Excalibur, Stargate --even Army Of Darkness. I love it. I enjoy that sweeping feel that they have and the bad dialogue that can permeate these movies. And I love the grand music that these films usually come with. There is nothing quite like it. Sometimes, the music can surpass the film and become even more memorable. (Easy example: The score to Dragonheart vs. the actual movie. Which one will you remember?)

In any case, to accompany this year's remake of the classic horror film, The Mummy, the people in charge turned to composer Jerry Goldsmith for the task. You may not remember his name, but his work is well known. He created the theme for Star Trek: The Movie -- which they later used for the TV series and other movies--and did scores for Air Force One and Star Trek: Insurrection. His work is well known. But I will be the first to say that this score is NOT the musically-complete nor the most challenging nor the most artistic. I will even admit that this score is not groundbreaking nor a great score. However, this score is one thing: FUN!

How would you create music for a movie that is set in Egypt? Simple. Add Egyptian touches to the music. The main theme for this movie is introduced within the first track, "Imhotep." In fact, this theme appears and reappears throughout the score at various different tempos to highlight the action that is going on. The main theme itself is nothing more than a few notes played slowly at first on a flute and a harp, before the violins take over it. It is simple, it works and it is great.

More of those Egyptian touches reappear throughout the score. On tracks like "Giza Port," "The Caravan" and "My Favorite Plague." While it is true that they are barely more than touches, they add to the flavor of the soundtrack. For example, in "The Caravan," you are treated to a sweeping piece of music--like wind across the Sahara. Then, midway through, it dies and gives you the main theme again.