Along Came a Spider

Jerry Goldsmith

 
" Along came Jerry Goldsmith for one of his final film scores "

Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release

Actor Morgan Freeman has played character Alex Cross 2 times (Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider) and actor Tyler Perry portrays the same character in the 2012 film Alex Cross, showing that author James Patterson's character is used extensively in Hollywood nowadays. Of course only the Morgan Freeman movies were successful, showing the probably unfair equation between a masterful actor Freeman and a comedy performer who is most known for playing an elderly woman. Nonetheless, the one we're talking about is Lee Tamahori's thriller which received music by composer Jerry Goldsmith. For the fans, this was one of the final scores of Goldsmith's career, and despite its brilliance over most of today's scores, wasn't as widely accepted as expected.

Musical sound effects open the score in "Night Talk" and never let up, despite the use of moody mysterious strings that are trying to settle in. Showing a dark suspenseful undertone that will haunt the entire soundtrack from start to finish. No theme that opens the score as well, showing a decline in Goldsmith's creative outlet on that specific part. Of course that decline is nothing if we hear today's ?music? in film, reason why even a standard action cue as "Testing" can raise your blood pressure with ease. A cold piano raises suspicion in "Alone", the better suspense build up in "Megan's Abduction" shows a rise in Goldsmith's creative use of instrumentation and a standard action suspense track as "Cop Killer" can pass by without much excitement easily.

However, there is nothing standard or unexciting about "The Ransom", spiking off the radar with a great and enjoyable motif that fuels the entire track in pure exciting Jerry Goldsmith style. Sadly that burst doesn't return again in the 2 remaining tracks. In fact it's actually a lackluster end to a brief but average score. The piano at the end of "Not my Partner" is in fact the only redeeming element. Back in the days when Along Came a Spider was released, it was evident Jerry Goldsmith's glory days were over. But today such a standard score is 50 times better than the crud of the ones that call them composers today. The score has no theme to remember it by, but the occasional creative burst of energy can surprise the fans nonetheless. Only for the Die Hard fans.

Favorite Moment - The Ransom (0.40 - 1.31)
Welcome to the best moments of the score

Track Listing

1. Night Talk (3.06)
2. Testing (2.09)
3. Alone (1.05)
4. Megan's Abduction (3.19)
5. Megan Overboard (4.51)
6. Cop Killer (3.51)
7. The Ransom (7.27) Excellent track
8. Profiling (3.40)
9. Not My Partner (5.02)

Total Length: 34.30
(click to rate this score)  
 
  •  
(total of 13 votes - average 3.54/5)

Released by

Varèse Sarabande 302 066 238 2 (regular release 2001)

Conducted by

Jerry Goldsmith

Orchestrations by

Mark McKenzie