Batman Forever: Original Motion Picture Score
|
Our Price: $44.74 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $6.90 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Batman Forever: Original Motion Picture Score
Free Music Review: Like many have stated, Danny Elfmans score's were better (still are)
Hit: 4 Stars
i own ALL the batman films, and also the first 3 scores for the batman films, because despite schumachers sillier take on batman, i still enjoy it. the score may not be as brooding or dark as the elfman scores were, but instead of trying to out do elfman (cuz really, you cant), goldenthal decided to go all out action/adventure extravaganza in the old fashioned sense. lots of booming superheroic comic booky cues and very frenetic. not as good as elfmans, but still very exciting. put on the intro while driving your car and be prepared for a speeding ticket, lol. some parts, like batdammerung, are very good and triumphant sounding, very heroic. now personally, i dont count the schumacher films as "sequels" to the tim burton films (seriously, they are just way too different) so looking at it in that light, the movie and score for Forever are very good comic book fun, although both lack in quality in comparison to the brilliant Burton films. i myself think the first 2 burton films Batman and Batman Returns, are the best batman films of the franchise, and the thing IMO that made them winners were also there amazing beautiful tragic scores. but the scores for the following films, like both schumacher films and even the latest Batman Begins, lack in any kind of emotional or heroic impact. but i still think this is a worthy score for the collection, and its certainly better then the Zimmer score for Begins (lots of electronica and synthesizer, UGH).Free Music Review: Regardless Of What You Think Of The Movie, This Score Is A Must-Have!
Hit: 5 Stars
Whether you loved Batman Forever ot hated it, I think there's one thing that can't be overlooked: Elliot Goldenthal's outstanding score. Danny Elfman (the scorist of the first two Batman films) is a wonderful musician, and is by all counts hard to live up to when it comes to taking over his work in the late 80s/early 90s Batman franchise. His theme was iconic and his atmospheric brilliance undeniable. How could Goldenthal follow up without seeming completely insuperior? This is how! Batman Forever: Original Motion Picture Score is proof that amazing action/adventure music is still alive. In some spots it is dark and brooding, in others it is bright and triumphant. And as a whole it is some of the best superhero -- and villain -- music you could ask for. From the superb theme, to the whacky Riddler cues, to the darkly insane pieces for TwoFace, it's everything done right. Blaring, uncomprimising brass sections, thundering, blood-pumping percussion, heroic, flying strings, and spiraling, jumpy woodwinds all combine to make a strong, exciting score that is a must have for any collector of Bat-music. In short, this CD is worth every penny! Experience Batman and his colorful enemies in audio form with Goldenthal's music today! It's fun and dark in all one.Free Music Review: Almost as Good as the First Batman Score
Hit: 5 Stars
A large change came to the Batman series. Tim Burton and Michael Keaton had wanted to move on, so they ended after two large successes. Also leaving was Danny Elfman, who probably saw no reason to go on without Burton. As a result a new director, Batman, and composer entered the history of the caped crusader: Joel Schumacher, Val Kilmer, and the person who concerns us the most, Elliot Goldenthal. Goldenthal was hired after Joel Schumacher heard tapes of his Demolition Man and Interview with a Vampire scores, being impressed.
Elliot Goldenthal is known for his very interesting movie scores, which have been both reviled and praised at the same time. He actually had a tighter-than -usual schedule for Batman Forever, but he said that it was quite simple to do the score. His reasoning is that the format is the hero is the hero and the villain is the villain, basically meaning that he just needed to develop themes for each character. His music, however, is not so simple. His unique, original, and creative style has gone under fire, but this is mostly due to bat-fans angered over the abandonment of Elfman's theme.
Elliot Goldenthal's Batman theme was inspired by the sounds of kids humming music to match their action figures' deeds. What results is a very great heroic march, although it doesn't have the tragic undertones of Elfman's work. Variations of the theme are heard throughout the entire soundtrack. At first it is played at its best in "Main Titles and Fanfare", but it pops up as a quick, more heroic march in "Fledermausmarschmusik". Other big variations are heard in "Descent", "Chase Noir", and "Mr. E's Dance Card".
The second most prominent theme is that for Two-Face, the secondary villain who has half of his face disfigured by a chemical solution. It is supposedly intentional that his music is more mediocre to create a classical feel for the movie. I actually like it a lot. The best display of his theme is in "Two-Face Three-Step", which is very demented.
The third most used theme is the music for Jim Carrey's show-stealing Riddler. This is the perfect theme for an evil Jim Carrey. As with Two-Face, the Riddler has a track that displays his theme to good effect. This long track, "Nygma Variations" has been criticized as being unlistenable, but I have no problem with it. The music builds and builds, using violins, wacky orchestrations, and classic sci-fi alien themes.
Less interesting is the Love Theme, showing the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Dr. Chase Meridian. Actually, the Love Theme is a variation of the Batman theme. "Chase Noir", "Chase Blanc", and "Mouth to Mouth Nocturne" get the most tiring after repeated listenings.
Another major theme is actually not for any character (Robin sort of shares the Batman theme) introduced in the movie, but is a piece for action scenes. The Gotham City Boogie theme is heard two times, once in a track of the same name, and in "Perpetuum Mobile". In the latter, weird use of a synthesizer produces an odd effect to accompany the scene where one of Two-Face's goons is electrocuted.
Other noteworthy pieces include "Under the Top", the second longest part of music, a thirty second piece that begins almost halfway on "Holy Rusted Metal", and my favorite: "Victory". What I love about "Victory" is that the music practically tells the short fight in the movie involving two-Face throwing fire at Batman. For the first twenty or so seconds, Two-Face's theme accompanies the fiend and his thugs running. Batman's theme comes up as the dark knight gives chase, only to flop when he is lured down a large tube. Perilous music then comes on as Two-Face fires a burst of flame towards our hero. The music gets frantic by the second until Batman and his fanfare burst through the flames of death. I won't go on about the last minute of this awesome track.
All in all, Goldenthal doesn't surpass Elfman in bat-scores, but he produces very original music. Also, the album has a cool insert with dozens of photos from the movie. This is a rare CD and I had a hard time getting one, but it was well worth the effort.
Free Music Review: Hmm . . .
Hit: 3 Stars
This is not Elfman but Elliot does add something to Batman's dark world: noir. Ths film score adds to the noir feeling and includes the gothic sounds absent in the film. [Gothic is what the film lacked because Schumacher's Gotham is too bright].
Now, Elliot does present a somewhat good theme for the Dark Knight, but the theme, along with the action music, becomes used ever so much. By "Batterdamerung" [or whatever], you become tired and annoyed.
I still bought this CD because I'm a score collector and since this score is becoming rare, get it while you can. Otherwise, skip this one and purchase Elfman's works for Batman and even get Zimmer's and Howard's take on the dark knight: Batman Begins.
Free Music Review: Bombastic, overdone score that is unenjoyable.
Hit: 2 Stars
A follow up to Batman Returns, Batman Forever is the first score written by Elliot Goldenthal who begins with a decent main theme that gets lost in bombastic rattles and clangs. Sometimes this score sounds more like a dryer full of quarters set on tumble. Overall I don't believe that this is a very good score and since I own over 350 of them, I speak with some authority.