Composed and Conducted by JERRY GOLDSMITH
The 1996 Paramount film THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS offered composer Jerry Goldsmith a rare opportunity to write a leitmotif-based score with a variety of themes, motifs and effects. His main theme is a proud, martial anthem that manages to convey Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson’s love for Africa and his dedication to the task of building a bridge. Goldsmith further characterized Patterson’s Irish origins with a rhythmic figure inspired by the traditional “Irish Washerwoman” jig. He also composed a hopeful theme for Patterson’s relationship with his wife and his yearning to see his newborn son. Goldsmith’s music for the predators blends African tribal percussion and vocals into the lion attack scenes, making them part of the landscape and culture of the continent. This just highlights a few of the themes and architecture of Goldsmith’s complex score.
With this release, Intrada presents a 2-CD set featuring the complete score and alternates. Goldsmith’s complete music from The Ghost and the Darkness, as mixed for the finished picture, plays first on CD 1. It is followed by part 1 of the extras, beginning with alternate and unused mixes. Those continue on CD 2. Because most of the original album mixes are considerably different from their respective film versions and the alternates, and because “Lions Attack” has material composed just for the album, included is the original album program, including the five performances by The Worldbeaters under the supervision of George Acogny.
The film is based on a true story. In 1898, native workers on a British railroad project in the Tsavo region of Kenya came under attack from an almost supernatural force. Two man-eating lions terrorized the crew for the better part of a year. Patterson, the Scottish engineer in charge of building a bridge over the Tsavo River, engaged militia and professional hunters in numerous strategies to kill the beasts. Patterson himself finally brought down both of the predators in December 1898, putting several bullets in the last surviving lion as it confronted him in a tree. The lions’ bodies were later stuffed and mounted; they can be seen today at Chicago’s Field Museum.
Spectacular 2-CD presentation showcases Jerry Goldsmith at his most exciting, evocative best. Intense, flavorful, stirring! The Ghost And The Darkness soundtrack is all that and more. Stephen Hopkins directs Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer with famed screenwriter William Goldman on board to chronicle riveting true story of 1898 British bridge-building site in Tsavo region of Kenya turned terrifying nightmare, courtesy two ferocious man-eating lions that claimed more than one hundred lives – apparently for sport. Terror on an epic scale, presented by Paramount Pictures and Constellation Films. Described to composer as Lawrence Of Arabia meets Jaws, Jerry Goldsmith anchored his melodies in feel of classic David Lean epics, then crossed them with some of his most ferocious low brass action motifs ever. The result is a massive work both richly melodic, frighteningly aggressive. Original 1996 Hollywood label album offered just 12 selections from Goldsmith’s score plus five African vocals by The Worldbeaters under George Acogny’s direction.
Now premiering in this packed 2-CD set are all of Goldsmith’s cues, including 70-minutes of score appearing in the film plus wealth of alternates assembled by Goldsmith and engineer Bruce Botnick to accommodate post production changes. Numerous cues were recorded, then re-recorded, then worked again with complex layers of native voice, electronics, percussion over orchestra to yield still further revisions. Voices in some cues were hushed and subdued under the orchestra, then revisited to yield voices with startling emphasis and clarity. Sometimes layers of electronics were recorded anew to add further density, other times they were peeled away to create leaner takes. Changes are both subtle, profound – and all of them appear in this generous set! Some 100 minutes of incredible music are followed by the original album release in its entirety, which interestingly features yet further altered mixes and performances of nearly every scoring cue, resulting in more than two hours total of epic Goldsmith. Previously unreleased sequences abound. Highlights include splendor and excitement of “Over There”, “One Shot”, “First Kill”, riveting action of “John’s Nightmare”, “First Kill”, harrowing suspense of “The Trap”, “The Cave” and many others. Major spotlight goes to complete nearly 10-minute finale of score that climaxes with premiere release of Goldsmith’s “revised” coda featuring resounding fortissimo major chords that play just prior to end credit crawl. A magnificent, triumphant finish!
Entire 2-CD set presented in dynamic stereo from original digital scoring session mixes made by Bruce Botnick. Notes by Jeff Bond plus vivid graphic design by Joe Sikoryak complete this essential addition to any Goldsmith library. One of the composer’s finest! Jerry Goldsmith conducts National Philharmonic Orchestra.
TRACKLIST
CD 1
01. Opening Title (Tall Grass)* (1:03)
02. Train To Catch (2:01)
03. First Time** (4:01)
04. Over There* (0:56)
05. One Shot* (1:34)
06. The Claws – Revised [Alternate]* (3:54)
07. Mahina’s Death [Alternate]* (0:48)
08. The Funeral* (0:45)
09. The Wall** (1:31)
10. Starling’s Death [Alternate]* (5:56)
11. The Lions Reign (2:39)
12. Near Miss* (1:23)
13. Prepare For Battle** (4:33)
14. You’ve Been Hit** (3:23)
15. Preparations – Revised [Alternate]* (1:38)
16. The Trap [Alternate]* (2:00)
17. Lions Attack* (5:33)
18. The Cave*+ (4:14)
19. After You* (0:44)
20. The Baboon [Alternate]* (0:41)
21. First Kill [Alternate]* (2:44)
22. John’s Nightmare* (1:23)
23. Remington’s Death (2:30)
24. Final Attack – Revised* (2:49)
25. Welcome to Tsavo #2 – Revised** (9:50)
Total Score Time: 69:33
The Extras (Unused Mixes and Alternates Part 1
26. Tall Grass [Original]*+ (1:03)
27. The Claws – Revised*+ (2:56)
28. Mahina’s Death [Original]*+ (0:48)
29. The Box Car [Unused Insert]*+ (0:29)
30. The Box Car [Original]*+ (0:57)
31. Near Miss [Alternate]*+ (0:27)
32. Stand Off [Original]*+ (2:12)
The Extras Part 1 Time: 9:04
CD 1 Total Time: 78:43
CD 2 The Extras – Unused Mixes and Alternates Part 2
01. Starling’s Death [Original]*+ (5:57)
02. The Thicket [Original]*+ (3:29)
03. Preparations [Original]*+ (1:34)
04. The Trap [Original]*+ (2:00)
05. The Baboon [Original]*+ (0:41)
06. First Kill [Original]*+ (2:40)
07. First Kill [With Extension]*+ (2:38)
08. Welcome To Tsavo #2 [Original]+ (2:53)
The Extras Part 2 Time: 22:09
Original 1996 Soundtrack Album
09. Theme From The Ghost And The Darkness (2:11)
10. The Bridge (4:09)
11. Catch A Train (2:02)
12. Lions Attack (5:18)
13. First Time (2:00)
14. Starling’s Death (5:57)
15. Lions Reign (2:40)
16. Preparations (2:46)
17. Remington’s Death (2:31)
18. Prepare For Battle (2:00)
19. Final Attack (2:53)
20. Welcome To Tsavo (4:59)
21. Hamara Haath (“Our Hands Unite”) (3:05)
22. Dueling Chants, Part 1: “Jungal Bahar” (3:20)
23. Safari Ya Bamba (“Journey To Bamba”) (2:32)
24. Terere Obande (2:42)
25. Iye Oyeha (2:13)
Total Album Time: 53:29
CD 2 Total Time: 75:44
*Previously Unreleased
**Contains Music Previously Unreleased
+Not in Film
