Superman: The Movie

The Superman March is one of the most instantly recognised musical symbols for any movie character ever created. It rivals even the Raider's March from the Indiana Jones movies. However, it is just the icing on the proverbial cake. There is much more to this score besides. One of the most important of these other parts is Can you Read my Mind? which is a spine tinglingly beautiful love theme and in some ways my favourite part of the score and my favourite Williams love theme. The Krypton scenes are a little darker than the rest of the score and musically depict the impressive Kryptonian vistas. It turns sour though as the planet is destroyed. There are subtle moments such as the Fortress of Solitude as the young Man of Steel discovers a little about his heritage. Another highlight of this score is The Flying sequence which uses the Love theme for the part where Superman takes Lois Lane on a short flight. It is as wonderful as the concert arrangement of the Love Theme and just fits beautifully for the section of film. It is spoiled slightly by the reading of the words to the love theme in the second half of the cue. It is one of the greatest tragedies that this was left in for the album. I don't know whether it would have been better sung, but if better if the words had been left out and included on some spin off hit or other, rather than the original score. There are some great action moments in Super Feats and Super Rescues and make splendid use of the main theme with a sense of urgency. This is no more apparent in Chasing Rockets as Superman tries to save America from splitting apart. March of the Villains is done in a vein very much like that of Parade of the Ewoks from Return of the Jedi and makes the rather bumbling antics of the villains seem even more comedic. With a slightly differently arrange version of the Main Theme, the score is rounded out wonderfully. This is certainly on the Williams 'must buy' list.