Search - Jerry Goldsmith :: Tora! Tora! Tora! [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

A sleeping giant awakens

G. Hill | Dublin, Ireland | 10/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Long thought lost from the Fox archives never to be found for some 30 years suddenly Nick Redman waves his magic wand and conjures up this piece of film music magic.

Tora! Tora! Tora! was one of the many war movies Goldsmith scored for Fox in this period each one of them radically different from the other but Goldsmith excelled in exuding the oriental sound when required and this score is a true touch of genius from his most interesting scoring period.

Opening harshly with the sound of japanese zeroes the main title slowly builds to a crescendo with a noble yet slightly menacing theme for the Japanese and not the Americans as one would have thought. Indeed the score is heavily biased towards the attacking side as in some ways the movie showed the mistakes made that allowed the attackers an advantage.

Goldsmith employs his unique action style in "The Chancellery" , "Mt Niitaka" and "Pre-flight countdown" embellishing the brass and percussion with oriental flavour. The "Entr'acte" is a glorious version of the main theme which leads into the aforementioned "Pre-flight countdown" with it's incredible layers of brass & woodwind sounding at times not unlike some of Goldsmith's previous work on "Planet of the apes" but with a more tonal line.

This score in its entirety is an awesome piece of work. Both Brash and subtle it just grows better with each listen. Like Goldsmith's other "lost" score "The Satan bug" it is a joy to see it finally appear on CD so kudos go to all involved and no discerning soundtrack enthusiast or collector should be without it. A sleeping giant indeed."

A masterpiece from one of the truly great movie composers

Reginald D. Garrard | Camilla, GA USA | 01/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Goldsmith may be gone but the musical memories that he left will last a lifetime. The soundtrack to "Tora! Tora! Tora!" is one his best accomplishments, befitting a movie that was a co-production of Japanese and American filmmakers. Always the innovator, Goldsmith makes brilliant use of the koto, a traditional Japanese instrument, throughout the "main theme" and "The 14th Part," two of the most powerful cues on the album. The score features parts that are dignified, tense-filled, and thrilling to compliment the historical events depicted onscreen. Very good liner notes detail every cut and also provide background to the production of the movie, replete with the principal actors and the co-directors.



Tracks



1. Main Title 3:04

2. The Chancellery 1:02

3. Little Hope 1:51

4. Predictions 2:41

5. Disagreement 2:08

6. Imperial Palace 2:26

7. Mt. Niitaka 1:13

8. The Waiting Game 5:45

9. Sunday Morning 2:53

10. The 14th Part 2:38

11. Entr'acte 1:43

12. Pre-Flight Countdown 2:05

13. On the Way 1:38

14. The Final Message 4:50



Bonus Material



15. Japanese Military 4:36

16. American Military 1:36

17. Big Band Source 2:21

18. Hawaiian Radio 1:43

19. The Waiting Game

(with overlay) 5:45

20. Tora Theme (piano) 1:17

21. Tora Theme

(orchestra) 1:38



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