Walking with Beasts


TV Series/TV film | Released: 2001 | Format: CD
 

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# Track   Duration
From ''Walking with Beasts''
1.Walking With Beasts4:21
2.Hogs Blood3:54
3.Lucky Escape3:27
4.Blade Brothers3:13
5.Infanticide3:12
6.Sabre Hunters3:45
7.Gentle Giant7:12
8.New Dawn2:58
9.Earthquake3:30
 
From ''Ballad of Big Al''
10.The Fossil2:59
11.Young Allosaurus2:24
12.Battle Of The Salt Plains4:55
 
From ''Walking with Dinosaurs''
13.Antarctic Forest4:24
14.Flight Of The Giant6:16
15.Jurassic Titans7:33
16.Islands Of Green3:42
17.Cruel Sea6:08
18.Walking With Dinosaurs0:55
 74:48
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Walking with Beasts - 08/10 - Review of Tom Daish, submitted at (English)
After the terrific Walking with Dinosaurs, the BBC have delved more recently into pre-history with what is perhaps a more enlightening documentary about the development of the mammals after the dinosaurs died out. While dinosaurs hold universal appeal, not a great deal is documented about the intervening 60 million years and Walking with Beasts is a superb, but superficial glance at some of the early mammals and their eventual evolution into primates and modern man. Accompanying the digital beasts is Ben Bartlett's thrilling score.
The first 35 minutes feature selections from Walking with Beasts opening with an extended version of the title music; a pounding orchestra and primal chant that wouldn't seem out of place in Xena. There was an occasional, but distinct Bernard Herrmann influence in evidence in Dinosaurs, and once again, Bartlett conjures up the Herrmann sound on occasion to great effect. Hogs Blood features a descending motif that recalls Herrmann's rejected Torn Curtain and a couple of snippets that echo Vertigo. It's surprising that it's the Hitchcock scores they resemble rather than the more obvious Harryhausen scores which themselves were filled with genuinely mythical creatures. Bartlett still has plenty more to offer from the somewhat obvious, but very effective clashing metal of Blade Brothers set against running piano, percussion, high woodwinds and strings. Sabre Hunters reprises some of these ideas against a plinking electronic bass line which doesn't sound promising, but works a treat.

The first spin off from Walking with Dinosaurs was The Ballad of Big Al, a one off documentary that speculated the life of an allosaurus fossil - Al of the title. The first track of the 11 minute suite opens with the original Walking with Dinosaurs titles (sans narration), but turns somewhat quiet. It's during The Battle of the Salt Plains that Bartlett's talent shines. A terrific set piece cue, it builds up momentum to an almost unstoppable finale of brass, percussion an almost improbable trumpet fanfare which then comes to a sudden halt before a mellow finale. An absolutely crackling track as good as any action music in recent Hollywood films and in many ways, much more inspiring.

I suspect some people will be annoyed that the BBC chose to include a selection from Walking with Dinosaurs given they already released a 50 minute album. However, it assembles suites from each show to highlight the best from the original series. From the noble Flight of the Giant to the spine tingling grandeur of Jurassic Titans. Islands of Green and Cruel Sea are more subdued and some of the sampled meanderings don't quite match the orchestral offerings, but still offer a dramatic soundscape before Walking with Dinosaurs closes out the album with a triumphant blast.

Whether you got the original Walking with Dinosaurs album or not, the follow up is worth getting too. Walking with Beasts is every bit as good and despite a selection from the original album, it still features over 47 minutes of new music - just a shade shorter than the original album itself. If you didn't get the original album, then this is definitely one to pick up. I hate to say it, but Bartlett really has even out shone George Fenton whose Blue Planet seems somewhat uninspired in comparison. More Ben Bartlett BBC, more.


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