Alive
James Newton Howard
" A nice emotional score, with an excellent theme as cornerstone "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
If people talk about true events that ever made it to a motion picture, then Alive is surely one of the more compelling ones. Based on a Uruguayan rugby team who were involved in an aircraft crash over the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972, Alive is surely a sign to what people are made off once they are put to the ultimate test, namely survival. Directed by Frank Marshall, the musical score comes of James Newton Howard, a composer who would make a name for himself the same year with The Fugitive.
Through all the wonderful soundtracks James Newton Howard composed in his career, Alive is the one that is always easily forgotten. Considering most movie fans discovered his music in the late 90's and during the Shyamalan craziness, it is understandable many don't look back at what was written long before that time. And while Alive isn't one of his best, it does provide some really vintage Newton Howard material.
Namely that the score offers a great main theme, a theme full of hope which characterizes the survivor's hope in general. And even if one would assume Newton Howard's music would turn dark, gloomy and downhearted during the rest of the time, it is important to realize that this never happens. Even though the survivors must battle against the elements, the hope to be rescued is always present. And so this is reflected throughout the music. So worrying for a moody listening experience is not an issue here.
Sadly the score is very short on its own, 30 minutes to be exact. Yet somehow, it feels enough as well. The main theme itself is the most important moment during those 30 minutes. The hopeful message of the main theme reflects the survivors, heard softly in "Alberto" and most prominently during "End Credits", a simply astonishing track covering the best moments of the score. Some heroic splashes of hope (also heard during the end credits sequence) are reprised in "Finding the Tail", and these are vintage Newton Howard moments.
The remainder of the material is rather subdued, offering solitude and reflective thoughts. There's a dramatic theme in "The First Night" that returns occasionally throughout the score ("Eating"), "Home" covers a wonderful soft moment that reminds me quite easily of The Last of the Mohicans and there's a brief ethnic moment in the begin of "Eating" that takes you by surprise. The main theme version at the end of the movie (when they are rescued) isn't found on the score. Apparently they agreed it would suffice alone in the end credits track, which is the absolute standout track.
This main theme of course ends the score with a positive feeling. And while the overall score remains a soft dramatic one, we can't deny how much the main theme changes the experience in the end. This also means that 30 minutes is more than enough. So, if you can get it cheap, Alive holds a fine short listening experience with a positive feeling, that's memorable because it finishes with a wonderful conclusive track.
Tracklisting
1. The First Night (4.12)
2. Home (1.00)
3. Nando Awakes (2.21)
4. Finding the Tail (3.29)
5. Alberto (1.50)
6. Eating (5.02)
7. Are You Ready? (1.16)
8. Frozen Climbers (1.53)
9. It's God (2.43)
10. The Final Climb (3.30)
11. End Title (3.06) Excellent track
Total Length: 30.50
Through all the wonderful soundtracks James Newton Howard composed in his career, Alive is the one that is always easily forgotten. Considering most movie fans discovered his music in the late 90's and during the Shyamalan craziness, it is understandable many don't look back at what was written long before that time. And while Alive isn't one of his best, it does provide some really vintage Newton Howard material.
Namely that the score offers a great main theme, a theme full of hope which characterizes the survivor's hope in general. And even if one would assume Newton Howard's music would turn dark, gloomy and downhearted during the rest of the time, it is important to realize that this never happens. Even though the survivors must battle against the elements, the hope to be rescued is always present. And so this is reflected throughout the music. So worrying for a moody listening experience is not an issue here.
Sadly the score is very short on its own, 30 minutes to be exact. Yet somehow, it feels enough as well. The main theme itself is the most important moment during those 30 minutes. The hopeful message of the main theme reflects the survivors, heard softly in "Alberto" and most prominently during "End Credits", a simply astonishing track covering the best moments of the score. Some heroic splashes of hope (also heard during the end credits sequence) are reprised in "Finding the Tail", and these are vintage Newton Howard moments.
The remainder of the material is rather subdued, offering solitude and reflective thoughts. There's a dramatic theme in "The First Night" that returns occasionally throughout the score ("Eating"), "Home" covers a wonderful soft moment that reminds me quite easily of The Last of the Mohicans and there's a brief ethnic moment in the begin of "Eating" that takes you by surprise. The main theme version at the end of the movie (when they are rescued) isn't found on the score. Apparently they agreed it would suffice alone in the end credits track, which is the absolute standout track.
This main theme of course ends the score with a positive feeling. And while the overall score remains a soft dramatic one, we can't deny how much the main theme changes the experience in the end. This also means that 30 minutes is more than enough. So, if you can get it cheap, Alive holds a fine short listening experience with a positive feeling, that's memorable because it finishes with a wonderful conclusive track.
Tracklisting
1. The First Night (4.12)
2. Home (1.00)
3. Nando Awakes (2.21)
4. Finding the Tail (3.29)
5. Alberto (1.50)
6. Eating (5.02)
7. Are You Ready? (1.16)
8. Frozen Climbers (1.53)
9. It's God (2.43)
10. The Final Climb (3.30)
11. End Title (3.06) Excellent track
Total Length: 30.50