War Of The Worlds 2005 Soundtrack CD John Williams

John Williams continues his longtime collaboration with Steven Spielberg in this adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel of the same name (previously filmed in 1953). Considering that the movie depicts a gigantic Martian invasion, you would think Williams would have fully gone into his familiar bombastic mode, but he's refrained from doing so. While the composer makes full use of the outsize orchestra at his disposal, he prefers juxtaposing layers and building atmosphere rather than hitting you over the head with dramatic arias. "The Intersection Scene," for instance, begins slowly and minimally, then progressively builds into an ominous pounding; Williams then inserts spooky, otherworldly banshee-like effects that escalate into a frenzied pitch before abruptly disappearing as the track begins its descent back towards calm. The sound is genuinely scary and could lead to a spike in blood pressure among impressionable listeners without the help of visuals. "Probing the Basement" is another example of Williams masterfully building anxiety. War of the Worlds culminates with "Escape from the Basket," in which Williams methodically builds tension over close to ten minutes. And refreshingly, even when the action picks up, he mostly avoids the clichéd thundering timpani that often plague this type of score. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Track Listings

1. PROLOGUE*
2. ESCAPE FROM THE CITY
3. REACHING THE COUNTRY
4. THE INTERSECTION SCENE
5. RAY AND RACHEL
6. THE FERRY SCENE
7. PROBING THE BASEMENT
8. REFUGEE STATUS
9. THE ATTACK ON THE CAR
10. THE SEPARATION OF THE FAMILY
11. THE CONFRONTATION WITH OGILVY
12. THE RETURN TO BOSTON
13. ESCAPE FROM THE BASKET
14. THE REUNION
15. EPILOGUE 0

War Of The Worlds 2005 Soundtrack CD John Williams