Alien

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Jerry Goldsmith had scored already an impressive list of films, it just had to begin for director Ridley Scott. Alien became a horror hit and Goldsmith's score added to the tension and creepy background of the movie. It also pointed out Goldsmith's touch for creating a dark and scary environment. That is what Alien succeeds best in, besides the more optimistic main theme heard in the begin and end. The rest is usually horror music that exists between dark, brooding, and tension building horror tones, that sound sometimes even weird with the orchestra pushing out every note of their instrument and at other occasions very disturbing but intentionally quiet and low. This makes Alien a score that sounds very interesting on a dark way, because the way the score integrates with the movie's feeling and concept is impressive. As said before, the main theme heard in 'Main Title' and 'End Title' and a brief version in 'The Landing' is probably the most optimistic music you will encounter on this disc. It's nothing spectacular but it sounds welcome after such a dark middle section. A nice extra is actually found in 'Face Hugger', it begins disturbing but near the end it features the music heard in the sequel Aliens, when Ripley discovers at the end that Bishop has left with the ship from the burning building rendezvous point.

One other disturbing track is 'The Droid', it has those crying violin tones that pump up the volume to bring this creepy sounding feel. You can point out that Alien hasn't got beautiful music like you can witness in some parts in all of the other Alien scores, but it doesn't sound so dissonant when you compare it with Elliot Goldenthal's music in Alien 3, this is creepy and disturbing but very effective. But the interesting musical highlights are missing to make it an enjoyable listen. No matter how you look at it, it still remains a horror score, so expect the better result during the course of the movie. On the other hand it has that mysterious feeling that makes it intriguing, in the movie and surely on disc. Its like it can explode any minute. So perhaps it still has a quality that people will like. Alien shows what Goldsmith can do with an orchestra on horror level and that would only become obvious when Poltergeist became a household name in the horror genre, which remains the true winner along with The Omen. Alien is nothing much that will attract interest with many people but those who are seeking for an effective listen in horror music should try it out. But you shouldn't scream for it, in fact, I wonder if they could hear you anyway.

\ЕЕЕ/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (3.30)

2. Face Hugger (2.33)

3. Breakaway (3.01)

4. Acid Test (4.34)

5. The Landing (4.29)

6. The Droid (4.42)

7. The Recovery (2.42)

8. The Alien Planet (2.28)

9. The Shaft (3.58)