THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS

JERRY GOLDSMITH

Rating:

Original Review: Widely regarded as being one of the most underrated scores of 1996, the powerful and sweeping music that Jerry Goldsmith contributed to Stephen Hopkins' tale of terror on the veldt is a hugely enjoyable instalment in his wide and varied filmography. The score is structured somewhat similarly to last year's The Edge, in that there are two dominant themes running through the entire album.

The first, the 'Theme from The Ghost and the Darkness', is performed in full during the opening and concluding tracks and sets the exotic mood perfectly. Combining a conventional orchestra with especially commanding brass and percussion sections and a yelping Swahili choir, it works wonders in conjuring up visual images of vast African grasslands, and highlights Goldsmith's talent for writing effective and accurate ethnic music. Goldsmith makes the second track, 'The Bridge', another highlight by introducing a highly distinctive trumpet melody into the main theme which seems to represent the meeting of the two cultures as defined by the film: the dignified, refined, arrogant European colonials and the happy, peaceful but 'uncultured' Africans.

The main title is also quite adaptable, and appears in various guises throughout the score, most notably as a distinctive love theme when it is performed by soft oboes and romantic strings in the lovely 'Catch a Train'. The second recognisable theme, which is first introduced in 'Lions Attack', is performed in virtually all the action cues and is for the two lions who cause such bloody havoc in the Tsavo camp - the Ghost and the Darkness themselves. As such, Goldsmith has come up with a series of violent-sounding trumpet calls offset with unsettling synthesised 'breathing' effects and screeching strings (a style very similar to the kodiak bear's theme in The Edge) to underscore the carnage, and the resulting cues (such as 'Starling's Death' and 'Final Attack') are highly effective but rather disturbing.

In addition to the orchestral themes, Goldsmith has come up with a number of innovative touches which are utilised to great effect throughout the score. Most notably, his use of traditional wordless vocals and the late, great Nusret Fateh Ali Khan's striking Qawwali tones bring a touch of mysticism and unknowable danger to the Lion's theme. Subtle electronic colourisations also feature quite prominently and make certain cues, especially 'Preparations', highly effective. The final five cues on the album are interesting traditional African tribal songs, written by George Acogny and performed by the acclaimed African group The Worldbeaters. Overall, The Ghost and the Darkness is one the most accomplished and enjoyable scores Jerry Goldsmith has come up with for a good few years.

Track Listing: Running Time: 55 minutes 30 seconds

Hollywood Records HR-62089-2 (1996)

Music composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith. Performed by The National Philharmonic Orchestra of London. Orchestrations by Alexander Courage. Recorded and mixed by Bruce Botnick. Edited by Ken Hall. Album produced by Jerry Goldsmith.


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