Ghost

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Maurice Jarre is a composer of classic epics and masterpieces. With scores for Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Fatal Attraction and Dead Poets Society, Jarre has influenced several big name movies with equally big name scores. Ghost is another one and even if there is more droning of synthesizers and electronics then actual orchestral and emotional score, its penny scene with the love theme combined with the insertion of Unchained Melody on the CD has lead to millions of sold copies. Ghost features both types of score but in a very unusual way, each track is almost a combination of various tracks, you can hear moments from the beginning and music from 30 minutes later in the film, and this keeps changing and happening. This also means that each track has a soft love theme version but also a synthesizer rhythm, or a droning electronic sound, and especially the "?music?" for the Demons isn't very good, featured in 'Carl' and 'Molly', both at the end. The score features the classic song 'Unchained Melody' as the instrumental version, one of the finest pieces of all, and even not composed by Jarre but by Alex North. This makes it even harder to appreciate Jarre's music. Theoretically, it features short moments of the love theme, that is good, but the main part is electronic and sampled sound effects, making its point during the movie. But as a stand alone listen is isn't really appropriate, and even if I don't hate it, it is hard to enjoy.

But Jarre's main love theme gets its performance as it deserved it, and this time not interrupted at the end by other parts of score. 'End Credits' is a nice finishing touch of Ghost. On top of the 8 tracks, you receive two extra bonus tracks, but they shouldn't have to do that. 'Fire Escape' is heard in 'Molly' but here it is completely electronic. Same with 'Oda Mae & Carl', electronic and using sound effects, but strangely it all works, and especially during the film. Even those persons of the Academy saw that. It is a strange conclusion, though most of the score consists of synthesizer score, electronic droning and sound effects, it works. It doesn't listen easy but I had the fortune that I saw the movie multiple times before purchasing this score, I knew how everything sounded, and the welcome liner notes explained everything so carefully that I knew what each moment of score represented. Ghost has got good moments and this with the song, the instrumental version and the love theme of Maurice Jarre itself. The extra two tracks are a burden and not extremely good for the end quotation, but they work in my book. It is strange, though Ghost features warmth and emotion and especially love, it sounds dark, threatening and cold, and this all in one of the movie's biggest blockbusters of the '90. Caution when upon listening to this score, even if it gets an average **1/2 it isn't something that listens as it, without the effect as witnessed in the movie. A second guess.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Unchained Melody: The Righteous Brothers * (3.36)

2. Ghost (7.24)

3. Sam (5.33)

4. Ditto (3.19)

5. Carl (4.06)

6. Molly (6.16)

7. Unchained Melody * (Orchestral) (4.00)

8. End Credits (4.15)

Bonus Tracks

9. Fire Escape (3.12)

10. Oda Mae & Carl (3.55)

* Composed by Alex North & Hy Zaret

Total Length: 45.47

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=== Link to Composer Site: Maurice Jarre ===