Search - Eric Serra :: Goldeneye: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack From The United Artsits Film

A refreshing break from the scores of yesteryear

Samuel E. Spear | Charlotte, NC United States | 01/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Upon first listen, Serra's Bond soundtrack seems to sound unfocused and bland. However, with further listening one will soon realize that this is most definitely NOT the case. This score was meant to coincide with the various scenes of the movie, NOT to be stand-alone tracks from pop-music-oriented LP, so please realize this before making any hasty judgments upon Serra. Lets take the movie's opening track as an example. "The Goldeneye Overture" perfectly captures the essence of the first scene of the film in the Arkangelsk Chemical Weapons Facility. It goes almost seamlessly from cool and sleek, to intense and heart-racing, while throwing in interesting percussion arrangements to the mix. While a few of Serra's tracks DO seem to lack in appeal, overall this soundtrack is a breath of fresh air from the cliche orchestral film scores of past Bond films. The electronica/techno theme of the songs perfectly matches the atmosphere of the film as a whole. Many do not like it because it broke from tradition, but nonetheless it is an effective and innovative soundtrack worthy of a good listen. Kudos to Eric Serra for a job well done."

Golden Soundtrack

A. ALCOTT | Batavia, Illinois USA | 04/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the Best Bond Soundtracks out there. Barry is great but people can go different from the "norm" of Bond music and Serra did that, making Goldeneye the movie that it was, the edgy, suspenseful and dark 90s Bond film.



The synth just makes it so dark and intense that I love listening to it. All of the tracks are good, some are a bit tedious at points but all have highlights.



1. GE Overture - As Golrush said, he likes this and I do too, and I never noticed the Goldfinger homage until I thought about it, and it was used to great effect. The timpani gives it quite a modern sound showing that Bond is in the 90s but also an intense and "sneaky-sneaky" feeling.



2. Ladies First - This track could also be called the "Everyone except JFF hates this" track. It's a fun, bouncy piece that shows that the race is intense yet somewhat relaxed at the same time, it also outlines the glamour and sexiness of Xenia and also Bond showing how similar they are.



3. We Share The Same Passions - Beautiful love theme created by Serra with a lush orchestral backing and it oozes romance and picturesque locales, like the beach in Cuba and Monte Carlo.

Golrush, where you read about the piece being "too beautiful" is on Bondsmellsarat, I go there too. I think it's great personally and Serra struck gold here.



@Golrush: Could you please tell me where I could find info on Altman and his affiliation with the "romance" tracks?



4. A Little Surprise For You - Sleek. That's the word to describe the front half of this cue. It just screams out, technology is around us and at the same time that it's being put to bad use. It also shows the suspense of them hijacking it and Bond being captured. The second half is the march into the Archives, and though it's harder to hear in the film, it's very well done, especially the chanting and the drums which adds to the overall eerieness and seriousness of the scene.



5. The Severnaya Suite - A very Barry-esque track with some deep sounding brass backing up the beautiful strings, reminiscent of We Share The Same Passions, only in a more suspenseful way. Beauty once again outlining Natalya's triumph over the baddies.



6. Our Lady of Smolensk - Created to outline the Russian Orthodox church that Natalya's out with chimes and chanting backing the synth, it's a very creepy and unsettling track, and quite effective in the scene, only sad thing is it's too short to really capture full enjoyment.



7. Whispering Statues - A suspenseful first half with Russian chanters outlining the "something's not right about all this" aspect in the scene at the statue park. The synth piano kicks in at 1:37 with some creepy yet beautiful melodies that work so well you just love 'em.



8. Run, Shoot, And Jump! - Action track that is so wonderfully used in the sequences during the film as it has blaring noises all the way round and is even a pleasant thing to listen to, to boot with the pseudo brass and the looming strings.



9. A Pleasant Drive in St. Petersburg - The most controversial track in the Bond franchise, allegedly so hated by the producers that they got Altman to do the real thing. Well, here's what I think. Serra composed something great right here but it's use in the tank chase is a YES! However, when he crashes through the wall, it should open with a brassy Bond theme and then fade into the intended track, as when I watched a YouTube rescoring of it, it surprisingly worked very well, and does way better than that weird brass track (it has this weird Russo-Asian thing going on that I just don't want to talk about...).



10. Fatal Weakness - The suspense of the impending doom of the train and the hostage situation with Natalya is done well here with the held out synth instruments and the increased tempo toward the end.



11. That's What Keeps You Alone - Another rendition of We Share The Same Passions played in a much more bold way. Very effective in the analyzing of Bond and the love scene thereafter.



12. Dish Out of Water - A very catchy tune is placed here for the fight with Xenia and I love it. Then the dish rises and you have synth and what sounds like brass working together to create a "DUN DUN DUN, IT'S THE SATTELITE" feeling.



13. The Scale to Hell - Another pretty much unused track in the movie, as the "Boris Pen" part was replaced by Fatal Weakness and the Cradle Fight was replaced by Run, Shoot, And Jump! but it's a good listen. The Boris Pen would work pretty well I think, but for the Cradle Fight, while it's good to listen too, is once again a bit too relaxed for two former friends going at it for a final time when the world's safety is on the line.



16. The Experience of Love - Another knocked track, Serra's song is mellow but I still think it's very nice.



Why do people bash this score? Because it's not Barry? Because it's techno/synth and might become dated? It's so stupid, because all the music here is brilliant. Barry is wonderful, don't get me wrong, MR, OP, AVTAK and especially TLD are among the best in the series, but doesn't it all get tedious after awhile? Here's a Barry album. Yay, orchestra, more orchestra, trumpets, hey the Bond theme, hey the theme song, hey THE BOND THEME, that never gets old at all. Arnold is worse, specifically in DAD, or shall I call it "If I run out of things to do, I'll just put MORE BOND THEME!" It's not like Christopher Walken was there pressuring him to add "More, More Bond Theme!" and while the Bond theme is essential, Arnold butchered it in TWINE and DAD.



Serra's is among the best, and you naysayers just need to listen carefully because it fits in with the dark, sleek and cool feel of the movie."

A *Brilliant* Score

D. Groesbeck | Utica, MI USA | 10/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a huge Bond fan and I found this score to be way above average for the series. I simply cannot relate to those out there who found it utterly horrendous!! Why??? The only conceivably 'bad' part about this score is the end credits ballad, but it's not enough to turn me away. The lack of the standard Bond theme being pumped restlessly throughout the movie was actually refreshing (and for those who *actually listen*, it can be heard in various stylized renditions throughout the entire score.) Eric Serra did a commendable job.

HIGHLY RECOMENDED

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