Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Marco Beltrami
" Marco Beltrami relieves Brad Fiedel of The Terminator "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
I'll Be Back!
Yes, he is back! In 2003 Arnold Schwarzenegger re prised his most known role of all, that one of the Terminator. Jonathan Mostow took over from James Cameron and delivered an enjoyable cinematic experience that recaptured enough of James Cameron's legacy to make it a memorable addition to the Terminator franchise (something the 4th couldn't accomplish). It had some nice hints towards the second movie, it had old fashioned destructible action scenes and it had above all Arnie as the Terminator that continued his zero body count killing. All in all Mostow did a reasonable good job on it, and the worldwide audience thought the same once they saw it.
He won't be Back!
Sadly other directors, other laws. Brad Fiedel, the man behind the legendary tune of The Terminator was a man who worked extensively with James Cameron in his career, and with him gone, it didn't assure Fiedel of the spot. Not even his legendary theme could assure him of that. No Mostow wanted another approach, a more emotional score of a composer who wasn't afraid of writing extremely bold and visceral music. And so he zeroed in on Marco Beltrami.
An emotional score is however the last thing I think off when picturing a sound for a Terminator movie. If not the least, Brad Fiedel showed us how simple it was to make Terminator 2: Judgment Day emotional and exciting at the same time. And for better or worse, I know Fiedel would have succeeded in doing so. But Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines nonetheless begins with a sound of Marco Beltrami and of Brad Fiedel. "A Day in the Life" starts the score with an apocalyptic feeling, before turning to a brief Brad Fiedel influence, namely when signing off the cue with a pulse pounding rhythm.
And it's this brief Fiedel atmosphere that recreates that Terminator 2 magic from time to time. For instance the growling motif Fiedel created for the T-1000 in Terminator 2 gets a new life in this one, of course supporting this time the new TX that wants to kill John Connor and Kate Brewster. Its effect is surely noticeable in "Hearse Rent a Car", "Kicked in the Can" and "Magnetic Personality". A combination of Marco Beltrami's rhythms and Fiedel's atmosphere clashes in "Terminator Tangle", a track that by far gets the closest to the Fiedel sound of the second one.
Of course Marco Beltrami's influence is all over the place, most definitely during "Blonde Behind the Wheel" when we receive the typical rhythmic action music and ditto creativity. At times unfitting for a Terminator movie, but definitely fitting for a Beltrami soundtrack experience. And so it is not uncommon you'll get more of that in "TX's Hot Tail", "Magnetic Personality" (watch out for the flutes moment around the second minute, a signature moment by now) and the taiko drum moment in "Terminator Tangle".
A nice theme for John Connor is heard early on in "JC Theme", growing with a Blade 2 fanfare in "Magnetic Personality" and delivering an emotional feeling in "Flying Lessons" and "Radio". But by far the best moments of the score are the last 2 ones. In "T3" we receive a beautiful string theme that is by far the most beautiful music of the entire disc, but it it not per se the reason why we wanted Marco Beltrami. No the reason why we gave Marco Beltrami a chance was to hear his take on the main theme of Brad Fiedel. Sadly only appearing in the end credits, "The Terminator" is an absolute treat to hear fully orchestral for once, and faster at a specific moment as well.
Which makes Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines a somewhat missed opportunity. While the movie did its job ample by throwing little hints towards Terminator 2, I feel the music should have done that too. And by that making sure the theme was at least heard inside the context of the film. That aside, Beltrami does a fair enough attempt at recreating the Fiedel atmosphere and villain sound of T2, succeeding at least on that part with a thumbs up effort. And between all that you receive the familiar Beltrami stabs and rhythms, making it not a particular engrossing experience, but by far an effective one.
Tracklisting
1. A Day in the Life (3.41)
2. Hooked on Multiphonics (1.48)
3. Blonde Behind the Wheel (2.08)
4. JC Theme (3.34)
5. Starting T1 (1.50)
6. Hearse Rent a Car (1.49)
7. TX's Hot Tail (3.39)
8. Graveyard Shootout (1.31)
9. More Deep Thoughts (0.58)
10. Dual Terminator (0.51)
11. Kicked in the Can (2.03)
12. Magnetic Personality (4.36)
13. Termina-Tricks (2.12)
14. Flying Lessons (0.56)
15. What Do You Want on Your Tombstone? (1.20)
16. Terminator Tangle (3.22)
17. Radio (2.21)
18. T3 (3.14) Excellent track
19. The Terminator * (2.17) Excellent track
Bonus Tracks
20. Open to Me: Dillon Dixon ** (3.45)
21. I Told You: Mia Julia (3.12)
* From the Motion Picture The Terminator, composed by Brad Fiedel
** Music by Marco Beltrami
Total Length: 51.32
Yes, he is back! In 2003 Arnold Schwarzenegger re prised his most known role of all, that one of the Terminator. Jonathan Mostow took over from James Cameron and delivered an enjoyable cinematic experience that recaptured enough of James Cameron's legacy to make it a memorable addition to the Terminator franchise (something the 4th couldn't accomplish). It had some nice hints towards the second movie, it had old fashioned destructible action scenes and it had above all Arnie as the Terminator that continued his zero body count killing. All in all Mostow did a reasonable good job on it, and the worldwide audience thought the same once they saw it.
He won't be Back!
Sadly other directors, other laws. Brad Fiedel, the man behind the legendary tune of The Terminator was a man who worked extensively with James Cameron in his career, and with him gone, it didn't assure Fiedel of the spot. Not even his legendary theme could assure him of that. No Mostow wanted another approach, a more emotional score of a composer who wasn't afraid of writing extremely bold and visceral music. And so he zeroed in on Marco Beltrami.
An emotional score is however the last thing I think off when picturing a sound for a Terminator movie. If not the least, Brad Fiedel showed us how simple it was to make Terminator 2: Judgment Day emotional and exciting at the same time. And for better or worse, I know Fiedel would have succeeded in doing so. But Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines nonetheless begins with a sound of Marco Beltrami and of Brad Fiedel. "A Day in the Life" starts the score with an apocalyptic feeling, before turning to a brief Brad Fiedel influence, namely when signing off the cue with a pulse pounding rhythm.
And it's this brief Fiedel atmosphere that recreates that Terminator 2 magic from time to time. For instance the growling motif Fiedel created for the T-1000 in Terminator 2 gets a new life in this one, of course supporting this time the new TX that wants to kill John Connor and Kate Brewster. Its effect is surely noticeable in "Hearse Rent a Car", "Kicked in the Can" and "Magnetic Personality". A combination of Marco Beltrami's rhythms and Fiedel's atmosphere clashes in "Terminator Tangle", a track that by far gets the closest to the Fiedel sound of the second one.
Of course Marco Beltrami's influence is all over the place, most definitely during "Blonde Behind the Wheel" when we receive the typical rhythmic action music and ditto creativity. At times unfitting for a Terminator movie, but definitely fitting for a Beltrami soundtrack experience. And so it is not uncommon you'll get more of that in "TX's Hot Tail", "Magnetic Personality" (watch out for the flutes moment around the second minute, a signature moment by now) and the taiko drum moment in "Terminator Tangle".
A nice theme for John Connor is heard early on in "JC Theme", growing with a Blade 2 fanfare in "Magnetic Personality" and delivering an emotional feeling in "Flying Lessons" and "Radio". But by far the best moments of the score are the last 2 ones. In "T3" we receive a beautiful string theme that is by far the most beautiful music of the entire disc, but it it not per se the reason why we wanted Marco Beltrami. No the reason why we gave Marco Beltrami a chance was to hear his take on the main theme of Brad Fiedel. Sadly only appearing in the end credits, "The Terminator" is an absolute treat to hear fully orchestral for once, and faster at a specific moment as well.
Which makes Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines a somewhat missed opportunity. While the movie did its job ample by throwing little hints towards Terminator 2, I feel the music should have done that too. And by that making sure the theme was at least heard inside the context of the film. That aside, Beltrami does a fair enough attempt at recreating the Fiedel atmosphere and villain sound of T2, succeeding at least on that part with a thumbs up effort. And between all that you receive the familiar Beltrami stabs and rhythms, making it not a particular engrossing experience, but by far an effective one.
Tracklisting
1. A Day in the Life (3.41)
2. Hooked on Multiphonics (1.48)
3. Blonde Behind the Wheel (2.08)
4. JC Theme (3.34)
5. Starting T1 (1.50)
6. Hearse Rent a Car (1.49)
7. TX's Hot Tail (3.39)
8. Graveyard Shootout (1.31)
9. More Deep Thoughts (0.58)
10. Dual Terminator (0.51)
11. Kicked in the Can (2.03)
12. Magnetic Personality (4.36)
13. Termina-Tricks (2.12)
14. Flying Lessons (0.56)
15. What Do You Want on Your Tombstone? (1.20)
16. Terminator Tangle (3.22)
17. Radio (2.21)
18. T3 (3.14) Excellent track
19. The Terminator * (2.17) Excellent track
Bonus Tracks
20. Open to Me: Dillon Dixon ** (3.45)
21. I Told You: Mia Julia (3.12)
* From the Motion Picture The Terminator, composed by Brad Fiedel
** Music by Marco Beltrami
Total Length: 51.32