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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.
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