Published on Mar 28, 2001
It was after the conclusion of the Academy Awards that I came
back to the main computer in the Pierce Memorial Archives and made
a startling discovery. Had it really been 10 months since we
reviewed the soundtrack to
Gladiator?
Although this movie has already made its exit from the theatres
(as well as a successful transition to DVD), the hype surrounding
this movie has not yet died down. This is apparent with the recent
release of
More Music From The Motion Picture Gladiator, another
collection of music for and featured in the film.
Although the liner notes seem to skirt the issue, it appears
that much of what is featured on this disc is comprised of either
early attempts at certain selections of music or pieces which just
didn’t make the cut. If you listened to the soundtrack album and
wonder what was cut and how good it could have been, all you need
to do is listen to this disc – and the question answers itself. If
these are considered “throwaways,” I know artists who would kill
for such musical trash. (In all fairness, co-composer Hans Zimmer
admits in the liner notes that some selections just didn’t fit the
cut of the film, so it’s not like these are half-hearted stabs at
the soundtrack.)
Like the first
Gladiator disc, much of the music segues, and features lines
of dialogue from the film. These snippets really do help to set the
mood for the piece, often assisting Zimmer and co-composer Lisa
Gerrard in bringing the listener to a certain emotional level. The
triad of “Homecoming,” “The General Who Became A Slave” and “The
Slave Who Became A Gladiator” is, quite simply, par excellence.
Complaints? I have all of one. Like the soundtrack proper,
More Music From The Motion Picture Gladiator has its moments
where the volume seems to drop to almost nothing. Often, I found
myself cranking the volume knob up, only to be blown back into my
chair a few moments later. Well, if anything, at least this is
consistent throughout the two soundtrack discs.
What’s interesting is that both of these discs could have easily
been combined into one set, creating a soundtrack whose natural
flow I don’t think even Zimmer has dared to imagine. If you’ve seen
the film, you know how good the music is. If you bought the first
soundtrack, you will definitely not want to pass up the second
chapter.