The Final Conflict (Deluxe Edition)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Exactly five years after the first Omen film (the one that gave him the only Oscar for original score) and three years after the second movie Damien II, Jerry Goldsmith's The Final Conflict has finally seen daylight, along with Deluxe Editions of the first two mentioned scores. Why exactly The Omen received an Oscar and not many of his other classics is still a question to be solved but the classic masterpieces they are still deserve the treatment a classic worthy. Finally, Damien 3 or The Final Conflict is found with it. Jerry Goldsmith himself stated that he wanted to finish off the demonic circle, at least that was how it supposed to be, Damien 4 was made in 1991. Anyway, Jerry Goldsmith is back with the same demonic display of orchestral and choral tone, yet something is distinctly different from the first. And this is what colors up The Final Conflict literally. People who loved the first will have no problem with this one, since it covers the same style on occasions. However, I thought that it simply lasted too long for its good, that the extra two unreleased cues only made it feel longer and that there were simply not enough highlights in it. Not to make me sound disappointed, because it probably contains the best track the Omen saga has to offer.

The score is what has been said before, a deluxe Edition. Meaning you have the best possible presentation of disc and book. The CD itself offers us 62 minutes of music, probably 12 too long and the two unreleased tracks are the burden of this. While it is nice to have unreleased material, it basically offers nothing the score already possesses and culminate up to 7 minutes which feel quite boring to be frank. However, the score itself doesn't stay boring because the first 10 tracks are more then worth it, even if there are just several that stand out. A new movie means a new theme and the same thing happens with The Final Conflict, it opens the score and it performs it with choral and orchestral might. 'Main Title' first states a fanfare before it receives its bold choral performance. So far so good. 'The Ambassador' already returns back to characteristics of The Omen with the demonic horror music and horns a la Poltergeist. It isn't a surprise that the score sometimes listens distinctly like Poltergeist, since that score would flourish on the market one year later. 'Trial Run' without question states the lighter nature of Poltergeist before in track 5 we receive dark, disturbing music. A choir chants its way through an electronic beat and a high pitched orchestral rhythm. While it isn't the most pronounced listening experience, it surely makes its point. What distinguishes The Final Conflict though from the other scores is the side of pure magical color. Tracks 1, 3 and 4 had brief statements of it but in 'The Second Coming' it explodes onto the screen with literally magical brilliance, a fantastic choral statement leaves you in awe and is without question one of the best tracks Goldsmith's career has at offer.

From there one, the dark music sounds much more depressing since you didn't see this side coming. It isn't bad and some choral performances of the theme are most welcome but it is never the same again. One of the exceptions is 'The Hunt' which was described in the liner notes as a fantastic track. It is indeed a good track, a thrilling statement of the theme is heard (at times Small Soldiers like) but it doesn't have the finishing touch for me to be considered excellent. To badly, from here one I think the score becomes a bit of a drag, there is too much score and since its dark and moody, it loses my attention a bit too easily. There isn't a majestic outburst a la track 7 anymore, nor a choral statement a la 9, it basically is dark music. Luckily 'The Final Conflict' explodes after 4.53 with a majestic choral version of the magical theme of track 7 and repeats the main title music in a flash, before finishing off with brief moments of silence and a whispering choir leaving you a bit on edge. There is nothing wrong basically with The Final Conflict, not even its dark edge. I didn't exactly expect happy joy joy music you know. But then suddenly you encounter something like track 7 and you want more of that, leaving you without interest for the following moments of dark underscore. This is kinda what is wrong with the copy of The Final Conflict. Not the release, not its splendid presentation, not its musical form nor Jerry Goldsmith's music. It just didn't go further when your received for once heaven instead of burning hell.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (3.25) Excellent Track

2. The Ambassador (4.48)

3. Trial Run (2.12)

4. The Monastery (3.14)

5. A.T.V. First (2.48)

6. The Statue * (4.10)

7. The Second Coming (3.22) Excellent Track

8. Electric Storm (5.19)

9. The Hunt (4.00)

10. The Blooding (3.36)

11. Lost Children (3.42)

12. 666 * (3.00)

13. Parted Hair (6.32)

14. The Iron (2.28)

15. The Final Conflict * (9.21) Excellent Track

* World Premiere Release

Total Length: 62.08

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Jerry Goldsmith ===