MOVIE MUSIC UK

GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Original Review by Craig Lysy

Steven Spielberg became aware of Michael Crichton’s novel Jurassic Park as the two collaborated on the television series E.R. A bidding war for the rights ensued, with Spielberg and Universal Pictures prevailing over Warner Brothers and Tim Burton, Columbia Pictures and Richard Donner, James Cameron and Joe Dante. Kathleen Kennedy and Gerald Molen would produce the film with Spielberg directing. Spielberg understood the challenges he faced bring the dinosaurs to life and sought at all costs to not repeat the technical nightmare he experienced in Jaws. He turned to George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic Company to create groundbreaking computer –generated imagery and ended up making history. Crichton was hired to adapt his novel to the screen but Spielberg was unsatisfied with the violence. Malia Scotch Marmo was tasked with the rewrite in late 1991, but she also did not satisfy Spielberg’s vision. Universal executives brought in Casey Silver and David Koepp who ultimately crafted the script used in the film. A fine cast was assembled with Sam Neill securing the role of Alan Grant after William Hurt and Harrison Ford both declined. Joining him would be Laura Dern as Ellie Sattler, Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm, Richard Attenborough as John Hammond, Bob Peck as Robert Muldoon, Samuel Jackson as Ray Arnold, B.D. Wong as Henry Wu, and Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello as Hammond’s niece and nephew Lex and Tim.

The film offers a damning commentary on human hubris when billionaire Hammond develops technology which allows him to clone dinosaurs from preserved DNA samples. His vision is to create a park to house the creatures and to bring thousands of tourists in to view them safely, protected by a massive containing electrical barrier system. Hammond invites a group of dinosaur experts and scientists – Grant, Sattler, and Malcolm, among them – to inspect the park before it opens to the public, but everything goes awry when a worker sabotages the park’s security containment system so as to facilitate his escape with stolen dinosaur DNA, him having been convinced to turn on his employers as part of a corporate espionage plot. The pleasant visit quickly becomes a battle to survive as predatory velociraptors and a Tyrannosaurus Rex stalk the party relentlessly. The film received widespread critical acclaim for the revolutionary visual effects, Spielberg’s directing, and John Williams magnificent score. The film was recognized for its technical accomplishments, securing three Academy Awards for Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects. It was a massive commercial success, achieving the most ever made by a motion picture, earning $1.03 billion dollars or nearly 17 times its production costs of $63 million. Its monumental success would precipitate a franchise of five films, with a sixth set to debut in 2021.

Spielberg always intended that John Williams score the film. Upon viewing the completed film Williams related that he wanted “pieces that would convey a sense of awe and fascination, given it dealt with the overwhelming happiness and excitement that would emerge from seeing live dinosaurs.” To that end he created two primary themes to support the film. The Adventure Theme underpins Hammond’s grand vision of Jurassic Park providing the happiness and exhilaration of adventure for those visiting the park. This highly energetic piece is empowered by inspired fanfare provided by bright horns bravura, sweeping strings, rolling timpani and clashing cymbals. When it resounds, we feel exhilaration, and the joy of adventure. The second primary theme, the Dinosaur Theme speaks to the grand, and awesome majesty of the dinosaurs, or more precisely, the friendly herbivores. The theme is warm, comforting, inviting and opens in the mid to lower register, with woodwinds carried by clarinets and bassoons, and strings carried by bass, celli and violas. French horns maestoso and wordless choir join in what may be one of the finest themes Williams ever conceived. It speaks of our sense of wonderment, of being awestruck by the grand magnificence and enormity of these gentle creatures. Three Motifs were also created including; The Carnivore Motif, which serves as the identity of the film’s three predators: velociraptors, Tyrannosaurus Rex and dilophosaurus. It emotes as a menacing and dire four-note growling construct and attends their attacks. The Hunted Motif is also a dramatic, and pronounced descending four-note construct used to instill the terror of being hunted. Lastly, we have the Jurassic Park March. Which offers a non-classical marcia militare in that it is not empowered by drums, but instead by horn fare and strings. To this day Williams two primary themes are indelibly imprinted with humanity’s collective consciousness, taking their rightful place in the hallowed halls of the Pantheon of great film score themes.

The opening two cues reveal Williams’ mastery in evoking bone chilling terror. Eerie jungle sounds sow unease as the Universal logo displays. The disquieting soundscape flows into the “Opening Titles” where electronica and wordless male chorus join with thunderous drum strikes, a shakuhachi flute wail and rustling leaves to evoke our primal fears. In “Incident at Isla Nublar” rustling leaves raises trepidation in the faces of men witnessing the delivery of the caged raptor. Dire horns, male chorus and the woodwind uttered Carnivore Motif serve to elicit fear. As one of the men opens the cage gate to release the raptor the beast dislodges the cage and attacks one of the men. As Robert and his men try to save his life Williams whips his orchestra into frenzied cacophonous mayhem as we witness a gruesome death. “The Encased Mosquito” offers a truly masterful ambiance cue. We observe Hammond’s company lawyer visiting the park, which is under construction, as a follow-up to safety concerns raised by the death of a worker. As he enters a mine the men pass to the foremen a magnificent discovery – a mosquito encased in an amber crystal. As the camera pans in on its luminous brilliance Williams supports the discovery with low register horns and harp glissandi, which usher in a swelling refulgent chorus of ethereal voices. Sparkling strings join to create a “not of this world” shimmering ambiance. The music is sustained as we change scenes to a dig in “The Badlands” where we see Grant’s team excavating a velociraptor fossil. Slowly the radiant wonderment of the chorus descends and dissipates, giving birth to the Carnivore Motif on clarinet with organ as the team revels in their new discovery.

“Entrance of Mr. Hammond” offers another ambiance cue, which supports industrialist John Hammond’s visits the dig. He introduces himself to Drs. Grant and Sattler and after some banter makes them a financial offer, which they cannot refuse. Williams supports the portentous encounter with bright major modal effervescence as they toast champagne. “Journey to the Island” offers a masterpiece cue where Williams’ two primary themes join in a glorious and breath-taking confluence, which enhances the wonder of Spielberg’s cinematic imagery. We open with exhilarating flight music carried by strings animato, bubbling woodwinds and bright horns spiritoso, which supports the helicopter flight which carries Hammond, his lawyer, and Drs. Grant, Sattler and Malcolm. At 1:21 trumpets brillante boldly launch the Adventure Theme in all its magnificence as the island unfolds before our eyes. As we soar through a verdant valley adorned with cascading waterfalls we crest gloriously as the helicopter lands at 2:59. The travel music returns atop strings spiritoso as bubbling woodwinds animato join with horns allegrezza to provide exhilarating travel music as the jeeps carry the party inland. At 3:48 a diminuendo supports Hammond’s stopping the jeeps and we slowly build to an astounding revelatory moment as the party is speechless as they bear witness to Hammond’s handiwork. At 5:07 grand French horns maestoso declare the Dinosaur Theme as we see a Brachiosaurus walking before their eyes. The party is awestruck by the magnitude of Hammond’s audacious creation. Williams celebrates this magnificent moment with music which is warm and comforting, providing a grand sweep. As we gaze at dinosaur herds in the distance the theme culminates with a sense of wonder atop French horns maestoso and wordless choir. At 7:32 the party departs for the visitor center carried by the rhythmic cadence of the Jurassic Park March. We close on a solemn rendering of the Adventure Theme as they enter the center, which ends with a diminuendo of danger as they enter the movie theater.

“The History Lesson” reveals Hammond seating the party in his movie theater to watch an animated film on how he recreated the dinosaurs. Regretfully Williams’ conception for this scene was excised from the film and replaced with silly, playful cartoonish music found in the “Stalling Around” cue. The album cue presentation offers a tender rendering of the Adventure Theme adorned with a magical exposition by woodwinds delicato, harp and piano. It really is a beautiful piece and I am perplexed at Spielberg’s substitution. “Hatching Baby Raptor” offers another ambiance cue, which supports the party’s entry into Hammond’s laboratory where they witness the hatching of a baby dinosaur. Williams supports the birth with use of a mysterioso by ethereal women’s chorus, which offers both a sense of wonderment and trepidation as Grant realizes that the hatchling is a Velociraptor. In “You Bred Raptors?” Grant is horrified that Hammond would recreate what is believed to be the most vicious and intelligent dinosaur predator ever known. Williams sows danger and unease with ambient low register string figures and dire woodwinds. “Jurassic Park Gate” reveals the party heading out on guided track jeep tour of the park. As they prepare to depart mid-low register woodwinds and horns portend danger. As they depart Williams supports their progress with nativist drums and harp. The Adventure Theme resounds as they approach the park gate and it magically opens. As they pass by the dilophosaurus exhibit at 0:57 a mysterioso of woodwinds and ethereal textures unfolds as the dinosaurs are nowhere to be seen. Disquieting organ and electronic enters as they reach the Tyrannosaurus Exhibit. We conclude with dancing woodwinds interspersed with dark chords as they wait for a sighting.

“Goat Bait” was excised from the film. It offers a textural cue that is dark, disconcerting and filled with a rising dread. Strings and woodwinds joined with dire horns to sow a mysterioso, buttressed by deep orchestral rumblings. As a goat is deposited on a platform, we sense a growing unease for the coming slaughter as we end on a diminuendo of uncertainty. In “The Coming Storm” a massive storm is barreling towards the island. Hammond is advised to end the tour and grudgingly agrees as the party is ordered to return to the visitor center. We open with tension born by woodwinds animato and strings interspersed with horn declarations of a portentous Carnivore Motif as we see graphics of the approaching storm. In “Ailing Triceratops” Drs. Grant and Sattler, and the children leave the jeeps to investigate an ailing triceratops. A prelude of unease ushers in a passage filled with warmth, wonder and tenderness as they tend to the ailing beast. Strings tenero, join woodwinds delicato and warm French horns to express the genuine affection the party has for the ailing beast. “The Saboteur” offers a textural tension cue as Dennis initiates his diabolical plan to steal dinosaur embryos from the lab by disabling the park’s security systems. Williams sows danger and unease with ambient low register string figures and dire woodwinds, which dissipate on an eerie sustain. “Dennis Steals the Embryo” offers an amazing textural cue full of tension. A rhythmic percussive cadence supports Dennis’ stealth entry into the lab and subsequent theft. The cadence is joined by nativist flute wails gaining both urgency and potency as he opens the cryo-chamber and begins his theft. As he flees the cadence mutates into a horrific melding of grotesque woodwind figures, piano strikes, which continues to intensify a growing menace.

In “Race to the Dock” Dennis is desperate to reach the docks and escape before the freighter departs. As he crashes his jeep a menacing confluence is born from a joining of the Hunted and Carnivore Motifs, which portend his horrific end by ravenous dilophosauruses. His death scene is unscored. We change scenes at 0:57 to the command center as Hammond asks Robert to rescue his grandkids. Bold horn declarations carry his and Sattler’s departure, ending with a diminuendo of uncertainty as Hammond ponders an uncertain future. “The Falling Car and The T-Rex Chase” offers a ferocious multi-scenic tension-action cue, where Williams demonstrates mastery of his craft. The T-Rex has pushed the jeep containing Timmy over the edge and into a massive tree canopy. After Grant rescues him and they begin to climb down, the branches begin giving way and the jeep commences to come crashing down upon them. Fierce staccato horns, frenetic strings animato and churning woodwinds propel their frantic effort reach the ground before the jeep crushes them. An eerie string sustain ends the scene as they escape certain death. At 1:09 we shift scenes to Robert and Ellie reaching the other jeep and rescuing the injured Malcolm. Dire strings and woodwinds cycle with the Hunted Motif as they discover and rescue Ian. Slowly, we bear witness to the swelling menace of the Hunted Motif as T-Rex roar sounds in the distance. Low guttural woodwinds and horns inform us that the T-Rex is near as Ellie and Robert search for Grant and Timmy. A dark bass sustain at 2:49 supports Ellie finding the wrecked car and Alan and Timmy’s foot tracks. At 3:05 Ian experiences a growing panic as dire low guttural woodwinds emote the Carnivore Motif, which joins with the Hunted Motif on horns of doom as massive footfalls inform us that the T-Rex is returning. At 3:27 screeching woodwinds catalyze a frightening crescendo as the T-Rex burst through the trees as Robert and Ellie return to the jeep. As they flee for their lives Williams whips his orchestra into frenzy as they barely escape with their lives.

In “A Tree for My Bed” Grant and the kids climb a tree for a place to rest in safety. As the kids cuddle up against him for a sleep Williams supports the intimacy with a tender glockenspiel carried rendering of the Dinosaur Theme. When woodwinds delicato attend the melody, we realize how perfectly Williams’ music carries the scene. “Remembering Petticoat Lane” reveals Hammond reminiscing with Ellie about the first attraction he ever built, a Flea Circus call “Petticoat Lane”. We hear sadness and regret in his voice as he contemplates all that has gone wrong with his beloved Jurassic Park. Williams supports his pathos with a wistful music box rendering of a valzer triste. When he declares that next time things will go better because he will have control, impassioned strings rise at 1:55 to support Ellie’s declaration that there is no control, only the illusion of control, and that they must try to save their loved ones. “My Friend, the Brachiosaurus” reveals a score highlight with some of the its most beautiful and tender writing. Warm French horns wake them as a Brachiosaurus feeds on leaves from their tree. We see in the children’s eyes a sense of wonderment as Timmy affectionately pets her. Williams weaves a pastorale born by soothing layers of strings tenero, harp glissandi, and woodwinds gentile. At 1:14 woodwinds animato take flight as a hesitant Lex reaches out to also pet her. A playful stinger at 1:32 supports the Brachiosaur sneezing dinosaur snot all over her. We conclude with a warm chord as they all laugh at her circumstance.

In “Life Finds a Way” Grant comes across a nest of hatched eggs, which informs him that the dinosaurs are breeding. Although they are all female, the infusion of amphibian frog DNA allows some females to transform into males. We open with ominous strings and ethereal women’s chorus as Grant discovers the nest. As he postulates how this could have occurred, Williams supports with a mysterioso, which concludes with warm strings and a harp glissando as Grant marvels at the power of nature. “System Ready” reveals Hammond’s desperate plan to restore the park’s security and containment systems by shutting off the power and rebooting the entire network. As they proceed with the plan ambient low register string figures and dire woodwinds sow unease and uncertainty. “To the Maintenance Shed” offers a tense suspense cue. The reboot has succeeded; however, it cannot be completed as the breakers tripped with the power down. Robert and Ellie head to the maintenance shed to reset the breakers. Williams sows unease with ominous low register strings and woodwinds as they are vulnerable. Robert realizes the danger and opens the gun cabinet to arm for the dangerous journey. A militarized rendering of the Adventure Theme joins with a snare drum propelled Jurassic Park March to carry their exit. At 1:50 danger rises atop the Carnivore Motif as they move toward the shed. At 2:04 the Hunted Motif resounds on horns of doom with grotesque writhing strings as they see the electrical fence is shredded and find Raptor tracks in the sand. As the Carnivore Motif continues to intrude the Hunted Motif joins amplifying a growing menace. Robert deduces that they are being hunted and at 3:09 shrieking woodwind and horn barbaro resound as he orders Ellie to run to the shed with him providing cover. The frenzy carries her safely to the shed and as she descends the stairs into the bunker, we are beset by repeating phrases of the Carnivore Motif and grim strings.

“High Wire Stunts” is a kinetic powerhouse, which supports two scenes where we shift to and fro from the electrical fence and Ellie in the electrical bunker. Grant and the kids hear a T-Rex roar and their only means of escape is to climb over the powered down electrical fence. Williams masterfully creates a desperate tension with an accelerando by clarinet using the Hunted Motif. A diminuendo at 0:27 shifts to the darkened bunker where the motif crescendos as she finds and opens the circuit breaker panel. At 0:40 we shift back to the fence climb powered by the accelerando. We return to the bunker at 1:04 where Ellie follows Hammond’s instructions to prime the power on lever, turn it on, and then press the start button. Electronica and eerie strings sustain the tension. Following this she presses one by one the on switch for each electrical fence grid. As she descends towards the T-Rex switch Williams raises suspense by restarting the accelerando of the Hunted Motif. Strings furioso continue to ratchet up the tension as the fence alarm sounds of imminent power up. Timmy freezes in fear and is threatened with electrocution. We crescendo at 3:44 as the power returns and blasts Timmy off the fence as he was jumping. The scene dissipates in a diminuendo as Grant tries to revive Timmy.

“Hungry Raptor” is a kinetic powerhouse of terror, which Spielberg decided not to use fully. Only the second part of the cue beginning at 0:53 was used. Ellie savors the moment only to have a raptor thrust its head out through conduit pipes. She is terrified, screams and flees for her life. Williams supports the encounter with a fierce kinetic onslaught to support her panic, joined with menacing renderings of both the Carnivore and Hunted Motifs. We close on a diminuendo as she escapes and pauses at the gate fence. At 0:53 the we shift scenes to Robert hunting a raptor. Repeated menacing statements of the Hunted Motif informs us that it is Robert who is instead being hunted. Grim bassoon and shimmering violins support his preparations to shoot a raptor. All hell breaks loose at 1:44 as the Hunted Motif resounds as a second raptor ambushes him from the flank. As he is devoured orchestral mayhem supports his death. We close with an eerie diminuendo as a snake slithers past the other raptor. “The Raptor Attack” offers a cue of bone chilling terror. The kids are alone in the dining room eating sweets when Lex sees a silhouette of a raptor behind the tinted glass. Dire repeating statements of the Carnivore and Hunted Motifs raise tension as they flee for their lives to the kitchen. The Hunted Motif with guttural male chorus sow terror as raptors manage to open the closed-door latch. The Carnivore Motif roars as the raptors begin hunting the kids. Williams uses ambient sounds and dissonance to join with the Carnivore Motif in a truly frightening synergy as the kids manage to outwit the raptors and escape.

“T-Rex Rescue and Finale” reveals Ellie, Grant and the kids reunited. They flee to the safety of the control room only to discover its security doors are powered off. When the raptor appears at the door Ellie and Grant fight to keep the door closed as Lex tries to restart the security door on the computer. Williams sows terror with the Carnivore and Hunted Motifs that meld into a monstrous new identity, which is joined by horns of doom and a thundering percussive cadence as they struggle to keep the raptor from entering. An accelerando of terror commences at 1:52 as the raptor almost pushes the door open only to be rebuffed. Tension continues to mount as Lex searches for the right file on the computer. Slashing dissonance supports the struggle at the door and rises to a fever pitch as Lex locates the file. The Adventure Theme resounds ay 3:29 as she succeeds and the door locks. Grant telephones Hammond and directs him to call in a helicopter rescue. At 4:09 the raptors break through the glass window; Alan’s gun jams and they are forced to climb a ladder and flee through the ceiling crawlspace. Williams whips his orchestra into frenzy, a textural dissonant maelstrom empowered by the Hunted Motif. A string ostinato joins at 5:55 as they descend from the ceiling. At 6:28 horns of doom repeatedly declare the Hunted Motif as the raptors close in. We close at 6:44 as trumpets resound with repeated declarations of the Hunted Motif as they are cornered and face certain death. Strings furioso ratchet up the tension and as a raptor leaps at 7:19 the Hunted Theme roars as a T-Rex bites it mid air killing it. They flee as the other raptor futilely attacks the T-Rex as the music closes in dramatic fashion. I advise of an album-film variance. In the film Spielberg substituted an Adventure Theme declaration as the T-Rex attacks to evoke heroism, and its statement concludes the scene as the T-Rex roars.

“Welcome to Jurassic Park” is a score highlight which serves as the film’s epilogue and End Credits. As they depart Ellie smiles as the two kids cuddle with Alan. Williams supports the scene with a hopeful rendering of the Adventure Theme on piano tenero, which joins with the child-like music heard in the “My Friend, the Brachiosaurus” cue. At 0:55 as Grant looks out the window at a flock of pelicans we are graced by a gentle rendering of the Dinosaur Theme born by flute delicato. Soon the orchestra joins the melody an at 1:35 we begin the roll of the End Credits. We open with a solemn extended exposition of the Dinosaur Theme in all its magnificence. At 4:31 we flow into a bold extended rendering of the Adventure Theme in all its glory. We transition once more to the gentle piano version of the theme. We conclude ominously at 0:41 as portentous horns di terrore sound the Carnivore Motif informing us that further adventures await, as the music slowly dissipates in an eerie violin sustain. “Theme from Jurassic Park” does not appear in the film, it instead offers a concert arrangement of the Dinosaur Theme in all its magnificence, embellished with an opening horn born prelude.

I commend Mike Matessino, MV Gerhard, Matt Verboys and La La Land Records for this expanded release of John Williams’ masterpiece Jurassic Park. The 192k/24bit transfer and mastering offer superb sound quality and an excellent listening experience. “Jurassic Park” was an astounding commercial success thanks to the extraordinary contribution by John Williams, which assisted Steven Spielberg in achieving his vision. In a masterstroke of conception Williams captured the story’s heart and sense of adventure with his two iconic primary themes. We all felt the exhilaration and excitement of the Adventure Theme, and the awestruck sense of wonder and majesty of his magnificent Dinosaur Theme. Both these themes are indelibly embedded in humanity’s collective consciousness and take their place as two of the finest in cinematic history. Yet they alone are not solely responsible for the brilliance of this score. What also stands out is the truly remarkable and sophisticated non-melodic, textural and ambient writing, which attended many crucial scenes in the film. How Williams created a sense of wonder, sowed tension, and bone-chilling terror offers a testament to his mastery in understanding the demands of each scene. For me the cue “Raptor Attack” demonstrates genius, and cannot be fully appreciated with a single listen. The terror evoked was created more by William’s music than Spielberg’s camera. This score is a masterpiece of conception and execution. I consider it one of the finest in John Williams canon, and a gem of the Bronze Age. I highly recommend you purchase the exceptional quality provided by this four CD album for your collection

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Track Listing:

• ORIGINAL RELEASE
• Opening Titles (0:33)
• Theme from Jurassic Park (3:27)
• Incident at Isla Nublar (5:20)
• Journey to the Island (8:51)
• The Raptor Attack (2:49)
• Hatching Baby Raptor (3:21)
• Welcome to Jurassic Park (7:55)
• My Friend, the Brachiosaurus (4:16)
• Dennis Steals the Embryo (4:56)
• A Tree for My Bed (2:12)
• High-wire Stunts (4:08)
• Remembering Petticoat Lane (2:48)
• Jurassic Park Gate (2:04)
• Eye to Eye (6:32)
• T-Rex Rescue & Finale (7:40)
• End Credits (3:25)

• EXPANDED RELEASE
• Opening Titles (0:38)
• Incident at Isla Nublar (2:25)
• The Encased Mosquito (1:16)
• Entrance of Mr. Hammond (1:10)
• Journey to the Island (8:56)
• Hatching Baby Raptor (2:05)
• You Bred Raptors? (0:40)
• The History Lesson (1:34)
• Jurassic Park Gate (2:05)
• Goat Bait (2:26)
• The Saboteur (0:48)
• Ailing Triceratops (2:36)
• The Coming Storm (1:26)
• Dennis Steals the Embryo (5:05)
• Race to the Dock (1:18)
• The Falling Car and The T-Rex Chase (4:59)
• A Tree for My Bed (2:14)
• Remembering Petticoat Lane (2:49)
• My Friend, the Brachiosaurus (1:51)
• Life Finds a Way (1:26)
• System Ready (0:49)
• To the Maintenance Shed (4:12)
• High Wire Stunts (4:10)
• Hungry Raptor (2:09)
• The Raptor Attack (2:51)
• T-Rex Rescue and Finale (7:43)
• Welcome to Jurassic Park (7:58)
• Theme from Jurassic Park (3:34) – BONUS
• Stalling Around (2:36) – BONUS
• Welcome to Jurassic Park (Film Version) (8:01) – BONUS

Running Time: 70 minutes 17 seconds (Original)
Running Time: 77 minutes 41 seconds (Expanded)

MCA Records MCAD-10859 (1993)
La-La Land Records LLLCD-1409 (1993/2016)

Music composed and conducted by John Williams. Orchestrations by Alexander Courage and John Neufeld. Recorded and mixed by Shawn Murphy. Edited by Ken Wannberg. Score produced by John Williams. 2016 LLL album produced by Mike Matessino, MV Gerhard and Matt Verboys.