Independence Day

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Sean Connery became world famous portraying the charming James Bond, Harrison Ford for performing the adventurous Indiana Jones, David Arnold for composing the breathtaking Independence Day, its simply one of those surprising little things that happen in our life. Its hard to believe but it feels like yesterday that critics were praising Arnold for his thunderous score, and that cinemas were packed for another go on the roller coaster ride that the movie felt like. No matter how we will look to film music in the future, Independence Day will still be listed as one of the best soundtracks of all time. Kudos to David Arnold for that, for composing such a remarkable score that it will be remembered long after its release, that is art, that shows skill, that shows that David Arnold is simply no ordinary composer. No, this is only given to the biggest of the world.

This score is simply one of the best listens you can find, the action tracks are packed with power, patriotism, heroism, adventure, tragedy, hope and to accentuate that all the orchestra is performing it all in the loved big American way, and the choir is making sure the emotions are stronger then ever. I can call each track a highlight, for its outstanding effect during the movie, for its pleasure on CD but simply some are too good to miss. 'The Darkest Day' listens very threatening like something is going to happen, 'Evacuation' confirms this and builds to the climax, the short mayhem is found in 'Fire Storm'. We find the first touches of heroism in 'Aftermath' and 'Base Attack'. The patriotic touch is added in 'International Code' and 'The President's Speech', that gives us a small part of what we will hear in the last track. The last tracks are simply ground breaking action tracks and one hell of an amazing piece of finale, even Steven Spielberg and John Williams would be proud of that little extravaganza. Still, there was a lot of material that was missing, with the Roswell ship, the death of the First Lady and other breathtaking moments. And this to the annoyance of movie lovers around the world. There was a black market bootleg available several years later and around the millennium there was another version that got on the market. For reactions check the Double CD release of Independence Day.

You simply have to admit it, I think not one person can accomplish what David Arnold simply created, it is a phenomenon, that big bombastic music that rocks each part of your house, that heroism and patriotism you feel flowing through your vanes, that guilty pleasure you have for cranking up the volume with each second of score. And it doesn't even bother that everyone will hear it. Independence Day is just fantastic, an ode to film music lovers and one of the strongest scores of all time. Sad, there is one negative point to be said of the album's release. This doesn't contain David Arnold's contribution but just the album producers. I find its great that the track listings are found on the actual CD itself and not on the case. This means that you have to stop and open your CD player when you want to read each track and time. Well, at least my CD player gets some time to exercise! Idiots!! No matter how this flaw sounds and feels, Independence Day remains the greatest ass kicking score of all time.

Independence Day "2 CD Bootleg"

Once in a lifetime, a composer comes up with some of the most brilliant music ever written. And once in a lifetime it isn't the big 4 (Goldsmith, Williams, Horner and Zimmer). David Arnold made absolute impact with Stargate but Independence Day was something else, something far more brilliant. And simply the reason that Stargate is brilliant on itself proves the point that Independence Day is probably one of the most exhilarating scores of the last 50 years. What this score has is pure popcorn entertainment and offers in 130 minutes of score not one second of boring music. This is what this score (a 2 CD bootleg with stunning sound quality) offers to us score lovers. First of all the most important fact, the missing highlights such as the Roswell ship, the death of the First Lady and many you will treasure forever, secondly simply an added sign that this score is a pure complex and ferocious listen that Arnold hasn't matched since. Thirdly the true correct presentation of track titles on the cover and not on the CD itself, and fourth and especially the best thing, this score gives even the biggest fan of the music and the movie surprising highlights you weren't expecting. All this is simply a sign that David Arnold wrote a major score that unfortunately was neglected from the Oscar board since scores like these (even if they are patriotic and bombastic up the wazoo) aren't made once a year. For all the people having the original score, it is a great presentation of the music and a stunning listen on itself but the bootleg offers so much more and proves that the loud or calm music doesn't outdo Arnold's part one bit.

So let us examine a bit the tracks that were missing on the original score. The most are discovered or in the begin of the movie or at the end of the movie but trust me, there are some gems awaiting. 'Phoning the President / Satellite Destroyed' is the dark fanfare for the ships, 'Dusting the Wrong Field' is the fanfare for Roger, 'AWAC Gets Fried' contains some major fanfares that shine in the movie, 'Alien Pilot / Survivors' contains the first sign of the First Lady theme, a lovely string composition, 'The Roswell Ship' is of course one of the many requested tracks and even for a minute, it is brilliant. It is however not the track as heard in the film because the use of choir is somewhat different, but trust me the effect is stunning nonetheless. 'Close Encounters of the Nasty Kind' is a five minute mood setter where some of the scary blasts of the strings (body suit popping open) even take you by surprise, the pure fun nonetheless is great for a track that doesn't cover the stunning themes nor the choir, just dark music, great. 'The First Lady Dies' is the other requested track where the string theme absolutely gets emotional strength, and even elevates the scene in the movie to great heights. 'Planning the Counter Attack' is the music covering the scene for when they try if the ship still flies and the choir used for this is stunning, this is now one of those tracks that even for the trained ear takes you by surprise and as said, sounds amazing. Ending the first disc are two pieces of the end titles music, one not complete and the other nearly the identical version but both don't cover the choir, which of course makes all the difference.

The second CD also captures its fair share of stunning unreleased music. 'Farewell' which has the two heroes getting into the space ship (you know the scene where they say "OOPS") offers again some use of the choir and once more sounds brilliant. The actual launch music is saved for the track that follows. 'Into the Mother Ship' uses the strings of Ra from Stargate and creates once more the sound of alien life and is another lovely unreleased track. 'The Virus' is again pure fun, with once more heroic sections that really weren't noticed in the movie and the suspension building with these heroic touches are superb. And then you get several demos or different versions. Like 'The Day we Fight Back' which differs from the original version and adds some small changes to it, it nonetheless remains ass kicking. The only tiny flaw is actually a 30 second demo which abruptly stops and moves to the same opening, only this time 'Escape' finishes the job, reprising the same material in the following track 'Jolly Roger'. A moment to describe this piece alone, when you thought you heard all the action music, Arnold turns up another relentless action piece full of pace and fury, it is absolutely stunning. 'Independence Day' adds the fanfares of heroic patriotism to the spotlight for the final "did I not promise you fireworks" before 'End Title (Film Version)' brings the ultimate climax with the fanfares and most of all choir to create probably the most mind blowing finish in a long time. This all and so much more is what Independence Day "2 CD bootleg" offers us. A mind blowing exhilarating score which proves that Arnold wrote a bombastic, heroic, patriotic, ferocious, emotional, stunning, kick ass score that belongs in the annals for best action listen of the century. And if that wasn't enough you have the movie which offers the same thrills and excitement a blockbuster movie should have. Trust me, Independence Day "2 CD bootleg" is a sheer must, even the score producers of the original soundtrack will admit that.

Independence Day: *****
Independence Day "2 CD Bootleg": *****

\ЕЕЕЕЕ/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. 1969 / We Came In Peace (2.04)

2. S.E.T.I. / Radio Signal (1.52)

3. The Darkest Day (4.12) Excellent Track

4. Canceled Leave (1.44)

5. Evacuation (5.47) Excellent Track

6. Fire Storm (1.23) Excellent Track

7. Aftermath (3.36) Excellent Track

8. Base Attack (6.11) Excellent Track

9. El Toro Destroyed (1.31)

10. International Code (1.32) Excellent Track

11. The President's Speech (3.11) Excellent Track

12. The Day We Fight Back (4.58) Excellent Track

13. Jolly Roger (3.15) Excellent Track

14. End Titles (9.08) Excellent Track

Total Length: 50.41

Independence Day "2 CD Bootleg"

Disk One: 69.59

1. 1969 - Main Title * (1.58)

2. S.E.T.I. / Radio Signal (1.51)

3. Phoning The President / Satellite Destroyed * (0.41)

4. That's Impossible * (0.14)

5. Attackers Detach * (0.31)

6. Dusting The Wrong Field * (0.54)

7. AWAC Gets Fried * (0.57)

8. The Darkest Day (4.12) Excellent Track

9. Checkmate * (2.09)

10. Canceled Leave (1.46)

11. Welcome Wagon * (0.34)

12. Evacuation / Firestorm (7.10) Excellent Track

13. Aftermath (3.34) Excellent Track

14. Base Attack (3.50) Excellent Track

15. Canyon Chase (2.29) Excellent Track

16. Alien Pilot / Survivors * (1.28)

17. Area 51 * (1.32)

18. The Roswell Ship * (0.56) Excellent Track

19. The Freak Show * (1.51)

20. The Caravan Arrives At Area 51 * (0.21)

21. El Toro Destroyed (1.20)

22. Close Encounters Of The Nasty Kind * (5.21)

23. Reunions * (1.03)

24. The First Lady Dies * (2.39) Excellent Track

25. David Gets An Idea * (0.53)

26. Planning The Counter Attack * (1.45) Excellent Track

27. International Code (1.32) Excellent Track

28. The Wedding * (1.50)

29. End Title (demo) * (5.11)

30. End Title * (9.05) Excellent Track

Disk Two: 40.47

1. 1969 - Main Title (Film Version) (2.02)

2. The President's Speech (3.10) Excellent Track

3. Farewell * (2.01) Excellent Track

4. Launch * (0.53)

5. Into The Mother Ship * (4.27)

6. The Virus * (2.32) Excellent Track

7. The Day We Fight Back (5.47) Excellent Track

8. Escape (demo) * (0.33)

9. Escape * (3.19) Excellent Track

10. Jolly Roger (3.15) Excellent Track

11. Independence Day * (3.35) Excellent Track

12. End Title (Film Version) (9.05) Excellent Track

* Unreleased track or alternate version

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: David Arnold ===