King Kong Lives
John Scott
" Kong's music outweighs its roar "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
King Kong 2 or King Kong Lives is a sequel that was doomed from the beginning. If solely for the fact it starts the movie with this short premise.
"King Kong, after being shot down from the World Trade Center, is kept alive in a coma for about 10 years at the Atlantic Institute, under the care of surgeon Dr. Amy Franklin (Linda Hamilton). In order to save Kong's life, Dr. Franklin must perform a heart transplant and give Kong a computer-monitored artificial heart."
:facepalm:
Yes, King Kong 2 never stood a chance, knowing that this already sounds ridiculous on paper to begin with. Of course projects like this still need something gigantic. A sound, a score, a piece that can rival a gorilla with an artificial heart. So John Scott was called on board. John Scott, a man who made a name for himself in the 80's with such scores like The Final Countdown and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes responded with a score that was worthy of the name gigantic. Even though it begins with Kong roaring away (even the roar sounds artificial), it is John Scott's continuation that keeps you gasping for air.
Well, at least the brass players will have been gasping for air, considering they receive the true workout. Simply put, King Kong 2 is a one theme minded score, a soundtrack that puts the main theme in every single track. No, I lie, in virtually every track apart 1 (the 30 second "Footbridge Incident"). But apart from that, expect variations, romantic interludes and powerful fabrications in every single track. The golden age opening cue "Prelude" briefly hints it, the old school string playing guides it in "King Kong Lives Main Title", the fanfare version in "Discovery of Lady Kong" excels it.
You name it, this score is chock full of main theme statements. Luckily, Scott's theme is good and appropriate. But above all very accessible to variations and various rhythm changes. I adore the mysterious variations of it after the soft main theme statement in "Back to Life", I applaud the romantic interlude of it in "Kong Meets Lady Kong" after it bestowed us first with various fanfare versions of it, and I appreciate it once it fuels the dramatic action music in "Lady Kong Gets Gassed", "Leap into the Rapids" and in the fantastic "Revenge on the Hunters" (the fanfares are golden age style here, marvelous). The short but excellent heroic statements in "Kong's Final Battle" show a depth you can't even imagine to hear in a score today and the wonderful versions in "Birth of Baby Kong and Death of Kong" and "Return to Borneo and End Credits" end this score the way you want it.
Okay, so King Kong 2 is a one theme driven score. You even begin to question yourself why on earth you like such a score if you hear the same theme over and over again, because isn't that frankly a bit thin theme wise? Hell no, because expect your music to be epic, stirring and rich. Meaning, anything but thin. Full of old school adventure music, full of fanfares and romantic passages, full of music that's written to wow the audience both on the screen as on disc. I think most of us know that John Scott is anything but a rookie, and King Kong 2 surely testifies it once again. That sometimes ridiculous movies can still inspire the composer to write something magical, inspirational, exceptional. Enter John Scott, a composer who never knew how to do it any other way.
Tracklisting
1. Prelude (1.44)
2. King Kong Lives Main Title (2.31)
3. Discovery of Lady Kong (1.21)
4. Back to Life (2.10) Excellent track
5. Kong Meets Lady Kong (4.00)
6. Honeymoon Ridge (2.18)
7. Footbridge Incident (0.30)
8. Night Camp (2.46)
9. Lady Kong Gets Gassed (4.13) Excellent track
10. Leap into the Rapids (2.31)
11. Alligators Swamp (2.18)
12. Chaos in a Small Town (2.29)
13. Revenge on the Hunters (3.28) Excellent track
14. Kong Rescues His Lady (2.33)
15. Kong's Final Battle (1.11) Excellent track
16. Birth of Baby Kong and Death of Kong (5.47)
17. Return to Borneo and End Credits (4.25) Excellent track
Total Length: 46.15
"King Kong, after being shot down from the World Trade Center, is kept alive in a coma for about 10 years at the Atlantic Institute, under the care of surgeon Dr. Amy Franklin (Linda Hamilton). In order to save Kong's life, Dr. Franklin must perform a heart transplant and give Kong a computer-monitored artificial heart."
:facepalm:
Yes, King Kong 2 never stood a chance, knowing that this already sounds ridiculous on paper to begin with. Of course projects like this still need something gigantic. A sound, a score, a piece that can rival a gorilla with an artificial heart. So John Scott was called on board. John Scott, a man who made a name for himself in the 80's with such scores like The Final Countdown and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes responded with a score that was worthy of the name gigantic. Even though it begins with Kong roaring away (even the roar sounds artificial), it is John Scott's continuation that keeps you gasping for air.
Well, at least the brass players will have been gasping for air, considering they receive the true workout. Simply put, King Kong 2 is a one theme minded score, a soundtrack that puts the main theme in every single track. No, I lie, in virtually every track apart 1 (the 30 second "Footbridge Incident"). But apart from that, expect variations, romantic interludes and powerful fabrications in every single track. The golden age opening cue "Prelude" briefly hints it, the old school string playing guides it in "King Kong Lives Main Title", the fanfare version in "Discovery of Lady Kong" excels it.
You name it, this score is chock full of main theme statements. Luckily, Scott's theme is good and appropriate. But above all very accessible to variations and various rhythm changes. I adore the mysterious variations of it after the soft main theme statement in "Back to Life", I applaud the romantic interlude of it in "Kong Meets Lady Kong" after it bestowed us first with various fanfare versions of it, and I appreciate it once it fuels the dramatic action music in "Lady Kong Gets Gassed", "Leap into the Rapids" and in the fantastic "Revenge on the Hunters" (the fanfares are golden age style here, marvelous). The short but excellent heroic statements in "Kong's Final Battle" show a depth you can't even imagine to hear in a score today and the wonderful versions in "Birth of Baby Kong and Death of Kong" and "Return to Borneo and End Credits" end this score the way you want it.
Okay, so King Kong 2 is a one theme driven score. You even begin to question yourself why on earth you like such a score if you hear the same theme over and over again, because isn't that frankly a bit thin theme wise? Hell no, because expect your music to be epic, stirring and rich. Meaning, anything but thin. Full of old school adventure music, full of fanfares and romantic passages, full of music that's written to wow the audience both on the screen as on disc. I think most of us know that John Scott is anything but a rookie, and King Kong 2 surely testifies it once again. That sometimes ridiculous movies can still inspire the composer to write something magical, inspirational, exceptional. Enter John Scott, a composer who never knew how to do it any other way.
Tracklisting
1. Prelude (1.44)
2. King Kong Lives Main Title (2.31)
3. Discovery of Lady Kong (1.21)
4. Back to Life (2.10) Excellent track
5. Kong Meets Lady Kong (4.00)
6. Honeymoon Ridge (2.18)
7. Footbridge Incident (0.30)
8. Night Camp (2.46)
9. Lady Kong Gets Gassed (4.13) Excellent track
10. Leap into the Rapids (2.31)
11. Alligators Swamp (2.18)
12. Chaos in a Small Town (2.29)
13. Revenge on the Hunters (3.28) Excellent track
14. Kong Rescues His Lady (2.33)
15. Kong's Final Battle (1.11) Excellent track
16. Birth of Baby Kong and Death of Kong (5.47)
17. Return to Borneo and End Credits (4.25) Excellent track
Total Length: 46.15