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Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you can't get enough of that huge IMAX sound to go along with the visuals, with fully symphonic and choral passages accentuated by brilliantly mixed ethnic percussion and woodwind solos. Avoid it... if, as is the case with Alan Williams' subsequent IMAX score for Island of the Sharks, you simply can't get beyond the temp track adaptations that will be obvious to any film music collector. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
A secondary theme for "Mamani" is introduced in "Mamani" and "Mamani Arrives" before sending the audience off to a noble conclusion in "Journey's End." This theme shares some of the same progressions as a typical 1980's John Barry theme, but not in as distractingly an obvious way as would be evident in Island of the Sharks. The role of the percussion in Amazon would echo the technique by Jerry Goldsmith in Medicine Man and The Ghost and the Darkness, but recorded here in a vibrant mix that accentuates it far better. Solo woodwind performances, usually on native instruments of an exotic sound, are well balanced with the ensemble and contribute significantly to the middle section of the score. A chorus is used with greater frequency in the second half, sometimes utilized in traditional Hollywood fashion as counterpoint to a theme (its use in the title mirrors Howard's Waterworld as well until it heads off into a chant). One such moment of movie magic in "The River" is a highlight of the score. A somewhat progressive light chant in "The Zoe" almost takes on a new age ambience in the pleasant progression of "Journey's End." Even though the score is strictly orchestral, some of the slower passages are minimal on volume and rely on the woodwind solos to maintain your interest. With the free-floating percussion and woodwind passages comes the feeling that Amazon is what James Horner's Vibes would have sounded like had it been performed by a regular ensemble. These softer sequences of purely ethnic material can sometimes become a bit long, but on the whole, Williams inserts enough interesting texture to avert boredom. Overall, the majestic parts of this score are difficult to dismiss, though as a consistent listening experience, Amazon stands one step behind the more fluid movement of Island of the Sharks. The best highlights of either album, however, are indeed contained in Amazon, despite the clear evidence of temp track adaptation. Williams repackages these ideas with great skill, and on a technical level, Amazon is a superior effort. Released only through a specialty label, the album was already difficult to obtain only a few months after its release. For IMAX enthusiasts, it's well worth the search. ****
The insert includes a short description of the film and the following note from Williams:
The combination of the traditional orchestra along with ethnic woodwinds, percussion and choir, created a musical tapestry as rich as the rainforest itself. I thank Kieth for the stunning visual images which stimulated my emotions and led to the music of the Amazon." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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