Alien³
(Alien 3)

The Alien films have shown the value of a different creative team driving each episode for a different look and feel to each installment. After Ridley Scott pushed the boundaries of sci-fi horror, James Cameron turned up the benchmark on action films, albeit with plenty of scares thrown in for good measure. David Fincher came from almost nowhere to direct the third installment, which was not nearly so well received. Having seen all three films several times, Alien 3 does come across as the weakest as it's neither as terrifying as the original nor as thrilling as the first sequel. Despite that, there are some effectively creepy moments and the set design and cinematography are particularly stylish. Add to that some terrific performances from not only Weaver, but Brits Charles S Dutton and Charles Dance and you get a very much above average sci-fi, horror thriller. The benchmarks were high and the fact that Fincher's effort wasn't received so well isn't too much of a surprise. Third films in trilogies (as it was then, at least) seem jinxed, take Return of the Jedi or The Godfather 3 as notable examples.
Anyone who read my original review of Elliot Goldenthal's score will know that I wasn't exactly a fan originally. Fortunately, tastes evolve and the quality of his writing is something I certainly appreciate a lot more. This is not to say that the score is one that you enjoy as such, although there are some quite melodic and engaging moments mixed within the disturbing orchestral effects. The opening couple of tracks are certainly typical, mixing indecisive orchestral patterns with subliminal synth effects, one of which obviously mimics the alien running skittering across a hard floor, almost functioning as a sound effect. Lento is the first of two cues that I can't possibly imagine that several years ago, even with my infantile film music tastes, couldn't possibly have inspired me. Lento starts with the now much overused boy soprano over subdued strings, although I suspect this might have been the place where the trend started. This acts as the introduction to a prototypical piece of Goldenthal with arpeggio strings over striking horn chords. One of the most musically effective moments of the film as the giant vents of the factory open with Goldenthal's music playing over the top.

The final track, Adagio, as Ripley makes a final sacrifice has a distinctly euphoric feel. I suspect Fincher wanted to take the religious symbolism of the moment to the same extreme with the music and it does almost take on the sound of a Biblical epic. Much of the music is almost impossible to describe and must have taken a lot of imagination on Goldenthal's part. As an extremely amateur composer, I find it hard to imagine how one much conceive this type of music. It has a very free structure at times and much of it is so subdued, the effect in the film is more subliminal than obviously sign posting the next shock. There are a few violent outbursts, Wreckage and Rape is particularly vicious with brass instruments played in a most unconventional manner and totally unlike anything else I can recall. The First Attack mixes what I can only think resembles some kind of thrash metal type writing with guitars played mercilessly over the orchestra. The mixture of styles Goldenthal employs is fairly eclectic at times, although the tone of the score still remains consistent. One notable technique are looped brass or string notes that formed the backbone of Don Davis' recent score to The Matrix, a connection between the two scores I'd never really made before.

Both Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner had their music virtually decimated in the films and Goldenthal has said that the film was forever changing during the time he was composing. The album order is almost certainly nothing like that of the film and I recall the music in the film often being somewhat more 'normal' than much of the album, at least in the sense that it was more melodic and less skittish. Not an easy listening experience by any means and probably more challenging than either those by Goldsmith, Horner or for the fourth installment, John Frizzell. This won't be to everyone's taste and I'm still not convinced it's the masterpiece it is often painted to be. However, whoever says that modern film music can't be challenging or inventive should have a listen to Goldenthal's work as it contains some of the most inspired ideas in years.