The Mummy Returns

[Pieter Boelen 633]

Every few days I will post a thread on a random score from my collection that we can discuss and rate. I made a playlist on my computer with one track of each score I've got, so by using the random play option, I'll be able to post a truly random score each time. Hopefully this will allow us to discuss some scores that would otherwise never be discussed. Also we can record the rating so that we can create a full list of the ratings given to scores by JWFan.com.

Today's score is The Mummy Returns by Alan Silvestri. Are you familiar with it? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? How do do you think it works in the film? What are your favourite tracks?

Please base your opinion on the complete score if you can. If you can't, I recommend you get it. There's some good unreleased stuff on there.

So far JWFan has rated:

See Soundtrack Ratings by JWFan.com.

This web page contains the ratings from all my previous polls as well as those of Blumenkohl's.

Final ratings are converted to a 1-10 rating for both rating systems so that they can be compared.

[Morlock 9]

Kick-ass score. Shame about the album cutting things off.....but the last Silvestri score I really love. Unfortunately, the kind of scoring he did on this one became the model for most future Silvestri works. But this one is a fantastic score.

[Pieter Boelen 633]

Agreed. I do like Silvestri's scores after The Mummy Returns, but Van Helsing and Beowulf are far cries from the greatness that is The Mummy Returns. Personally I think The Mummy Returns is Silvestri's best score, better even than Back to the Future. It's got everything you might want from a big adventure score: It's got great action music, good themes, beautiful music, good incidental music, good usage of choir and it's completely not subtle. What's not to like?

[Ollie 859]

I give it a 4.5 rating.

While the album is missing the final 3rd of the film most of the hi-lights are on the CD. A fun, loud and bombastic over the top score.

[Pieter Boelen 633]

But there's rather a lot of good stuff in that final third. And there's also some highlights before that are not on the album. I like having the complete score.

[Ollie 859]

The only bad thing is you can tell they switched orchestras. Silvestri had to record the last 3rd of the score in the US with a smaller orchestra because production ran longer than anticipated if I'm not mistaken.

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

I think I've heard a few cues and liked them, but really... not familiar.

[Vaderbait1 1]

It's Silvestri style music, but nothing really memorable, I feel. Van Helsing was a worse score but much more memorable.

[Morlock 9]

Ven Helsing was basically the action style of MR spread out over a whole score. Beowulf is largely the same (even though I find myself enjoying Beowulf more as time goes by). When MR came out it was more of an oddity than it is now.

[MSM 85]

I give it 4. It's a wonderful symphonic score wich works excellent in the movie. Compared to Goldsmith's Mummy a bit bland also, though.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

4

[JoeinAR 1,759]

2

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

5 Stars without a question of a shadow of a doubt. This is how I love my soundtracks. Big, loud and with a lot of garnish on the side.

[Wojo 2,442]

I remember thinking the movie was one of the most by-the-numbers retread of a first installment I'd ever seen. But I don't remember the score at all.

Maybe I'll look for it, since I loved the BTTF soundtracks and even Predator was very good. Which tells you how much recent Silvestri I know.

Stefan, would this compare to Cutthroat Island in the big and loud category?

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

5 stars.

The only other such high-caliber score to come after this one from Silvestri was Van Helsing.

[crocodile 6,294]

I thought Night at the Museum was pretty good. More of a The Mummy Returns or BTTF than Van Helsing and Beowulf. Which I automatically makes it better than those latter ones.

4,5 stars. Great listening expierence and fun score, but no personality at all.

BTW... Is Silvestri scoring G.I. Joe?

Karol

[Pieter Boelen 633]

The Mummy Returns (8,05) now ranks just below The Mummy (8,14). That's fair enough, I suppose. It does prove that both scores are pretty much equally liked, though Jerry Goldsmith is still the winner by a small amount.

Stefan, would this compare to Cutthroat Island in the big and loud category?

I know this question wasn't directed at me, so I hope you don't mind me responding anyway. I would say that The Mummy Returns is DEFINITLY in the Cutthroat Island category of big and loud. Since Cutthroat Island is probably my favourite score, that can hardly be a bad thing.

[Luke Skywalker 1,284]

I dont know... i find this score more boring than the Goldsmith one, though i have to relisten to it.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

Excellent score. A rare breed. I still like Jerry's though.

4.5.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

hey Pieter, when using numbers why do you put a comma instead of a period?

its 8.05, not 8,05, and 8.14, not 8,14

I'm not trying to be a grammar nazi, as I am often among the worst, but this is different.

[Pieter Boelen 633]

hey Pieter, when using numbers why do you put a comma instead of a period?

its 8.05, not 8,05, and 8.14, not 8,14

I'm not trying to be a grammar nazi, as I am often among the worst, but this is different.

It's European. We use commas where you'd use periods and periods where you'd use commas.

European: 11.343,45

American: 11,343.45

Very strange, I admit, but that's how it is.

Funny though: you can tell where people come from based on their usage of periods in numbers.

[MSM 85]

hey Pieter, when using numbers why do you put a comma instead of a period?

its 8.05, not 8,05, and 8.14, not 8,14

I'm not trying to be a grammar nazi, as I am often among the worst, but this is different.

It's European. We use commas where you'd use periods and periods where you'd use commas.

European: 11.343,45

American: 11,343.45

Very strange, I admit, but that's how it is.

Funny though: you can tell where people come from based on their usage of periods in numbers.

Pieter you are not entirely correct. The period is standard in Anglo-Saxian countries, so at least also in the UK. The comma instead of a period is as far as I know only used in Dutch speaking countries.

This very subject was an issue at my work today actually

I don't know why it still isn't standardized internationally. Same thing with units.

[Wojo 2,442]

I've seen the comma used as a decimal placeholder in French documents as well.

It can be confusing, unless the author you find a place where the period is used to separate numbers in groups of threes, like 9.876.543,21 for nine million, 876 thousand, and so on. You just "know" then they mean. And 8,03 just plain can't be 803, but if it's eight thousand something, something got cropped or erased.

As far as units go, I would say that we Americans are far too stubborn to convert to metric, and that the cost to convert would be far too expensive. It's too far embedded in our way of life to change, in our psyche. True, the further we go along, the harder it is to go back, but it's already cost prohibitive. There are far more important things for this nation to worry about. As long as units are clearly defined up front and everyone has Convert on their computer, we get by.

It could be worse. I mean, what's a cubit?

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

It's the same in German. As far as I know, it's the other way round only in English. Kinda like it's tied to the English resistance to the metric system. And therefore inferior.

[Ollie 859]

I've seen the comma used as a decimal placeholder in French documents as well.

It can be confusing, unless the author you find a place where the period is used to separate numbers in groups of threes, like 9.876.543,21 for nine million, 876 thousand, and so on. You just "know" then they mean. And 8,03 just plain can't be 803, but if it's eight thousand something, something got cropped or erased.

As far as units go, I would say that we Americans are far too stubborn to convert to metric, and that the cost to convert would be far too expensive. It's too far embedded in our way of life to change, in our psyche. True, the further we go along, the harder it is to go back, but it's already cost prohibitive. There are far more important things for this nation to worry about. As long as units are clearly defined up front and everyone has Convert on their computer, we get by.

It could be worse. I mean, what's a cubit?

We're doing just fine with our measuring system.

[Vaderbait1 1]

I've seen the comma used as a decimal placeholder in French documents as well.

It can be confusing, unless the author you find a place where the period is used to separate numbers in groups of threes, like 9.876.543,21 for nine million, 876 thousand, and so on. You just "know" then they mean. And 8,03 just plain can't be 803, but if it's eight thousand something, something got cropped or erased.

As far as units go, I would say that we Americans are far too stubborn to convert to metric, and that the cost to convert would be far too expensive. It's too far embedded in our way of life to change, in our psyche. True, the further we go along, the harder it is to go back, but it's already cost prohibitive. There are far more important things for this nation to worry about. As long as units are clearly defined up front and everyone has Convert on their computer, we get by.

It could be worse. I mean, what's a cubit?

We're doing just fine with our measuring system.

Once again, isn't if funny how it's the Americans that need to stop being stubborn, or become enlightened, or whatever, and the Europeans are just fine how they are?

How about we just keep our respective lives and call them cultural differences?

Besides, technically, if you want to split hairs, the American system makes more sense. For instance, in a sentence, in Europe as wel as in America, sentences are broken up with commas and ended with a period. So in America, numbers are ended with a period (1.2 for example, ends the whole 1), and commas continue (for instance, 1,000,000 is one million). It's more consistent to use the decimal system than a comma system. That's my ,02.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

Um, the metric system was adopted in 1866 in the USA. On virtually every item in grocery stores these days, labels are given in metric as well. We're just not hard metric. Every scientifc and medical field in the U.S. utilizes metric systems exclusively. Engineers don't really use either system, but instead use the decimal inch, with metric as well here and there.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

thank goodness we don't use the metric system to measure distance on the highway. kilometer suck, Go Miles.

for the record, I prefer JG's Mummy, I love to put the dvd on set it to play the entire score as I go to sleep, it turns itself off, though I often turn it off myself as I tend to listen to the score instead of sleeping

[Koray Savas 2,095]

The metric system is better, but I'm just too used to our system.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

How the hell can anyone fall asleep to Goldsmith's The Mummy?

When that thing blasts...it blasts like none other. If it weren't such awesome blasting, I'd call it irritating.

[Ollie 859]

I believe Joe is saying he likes to listen to it at night but he can't fall alseep because he likes listening to it.

Actually any music will put me to sleep at night. I just have to be careful and not play something quiet that has a loud section because it will startle me once I drift off.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

I believe the 1 Hans Zimmer track that you love, which is actually Patrick Cassidy, does that.

Man, that cue is very relaxing, but at the end, I fell out of bed.

[Ollie 859]

Yes I know it's Patrick Cassidy.

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

Actually any music will put me to sleep at night. I just have to be careful and not play something quiet that has a loud section because it will startle me once I drift off.

Aliens Deluxe Edition?

[Koray Savas 2,095]

Yes I know it's Patrick Cassidy.

Did you ever experience that same situation though? Not fun.

[Pieter Boelen 633]

As far as periods and commas are concerned, I don't particularly care WHAT system is used; it'd just be nice to have it standardized. I don't think there are too many confusions about it, but there's still no point in the difference. Although I'm rather used to the European system, I do agree with Vaderbait1 that the American system does make more sense in a way.

As for metric vs non-metric systems: I really DO want all countries to 100% adopt metric. First of all, the system is good and makes sense. Secondly, it's REALLY confusing to have different measurements in different countries. For example in the navigation of ships, sometimes the depths are in metres, sometimes in fathoms and sometimes in feet. I just want to have it all in meters, because now it's REALLY confusing.

I also once heard a story about a scientific rocket launch thing where the rocket ended up on the wrong place and that was caused solely because of confusions between non-metric and metric systems by the technicians and the programmers. That must've cost MILLIONS and it could easily be prevented if we were all to adopt the metric system.

The only non-metric thing I like to use are nautical miles instead of metres when it concerns distances at sea. The reason being that the nautical mile is related to the circumference of the earth and is really easy to use in navigation, much more so than metres. However, metres are great for non-navigational distances.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

miles make much more sense Pieter, who wants to drive 241 kilometer when you can drive 150 miles.

[Pieter Boelen 633]

I don't quite understand that reasoning. I don't like land miles (1609,344 m); just nautical miles (1852 m).

[Luke Skywalker 1,284]

miles make much more sense Pieter, who wants to drive 241 kilometer when you can drive 150 miles.

And who wants to drive 93.21 miles when you can drive 150 Kilometers?

BTW, the names of the american and UK measures sound too 'populist' compared to the more serious sounding scientific metrical sistem (which is more proper in our technological era.

I mean, inches, feet, gallons, yards...etc all are medieval words, when people only knew how to measure with their bodies, or the ammount of land an ox could work, and things like that. My country also used it it the past.

We spanish also write 11.000,5 instead of 11,000.5.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

of course you don't Pieter, but you would if you actually drive.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

As far as periods and commas are concerned, I don't particularly care WHAT system is used; it'd just be nice to have it standardized. I don't think there are too many confusions about it,

Communist twaddle!

Give me Metric or give me death!

[Pieter Boelen 633]

of course you don't Pieter, but you would if you actually drive.

The distance is supposed to be the same no matter what system of measurement you use, right? So why should it matter then???

It is true I don't drice. I prefer sailing 285 m long ships.

Communist twaddle!

Give me Metric or give me death!

I wasn't referring to the replacement of the metric system with the US system. I really DON'T want that. Metric all the way as far as that's concerned. I was merely referring to the usage of periods and commas. And what's that Spanish flag doing as your avatar? The 80-year war is OVER!

[JoeinAR 1,759]

when you're in a car with other people regardless of the actual distance, 150 is shorter than 241, it might not seem logical, but it makes real sense. Just as people are more likely to buy something for 9.99 than 10.00, they are happier to drive 150 vs 241. I know thats stupid but its how people are.

[Pieter Boelen 633]

Then why don't we measure distances in mega-metres (Mm)? Wouldn't you just love driving 0,241 Mm then? Sounds like it's hardly any distance at all. Especially because it almost sounds like millimetres (mm).

[JoeinAR 1,759]

unknown to most people outside the country the US has been using the metric system for along time. Especially with precise measurement, but its doubtful we'll ever go metric on the highways, there is no need its not more precise and its a waste of resources to make a useless change. and with volume most are double or triple labeled.

My pepsi bottle is a 20 ounce bottle, that 1.25 pints, and 591ml. as you can see metric is too precise and needlessly so in the volume dept.

so to get back on track, how many meters, or yards of material do you think it takes to make a mummy.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Just convert to a half litre bottle then Joe, like we used in the civilised world.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

you "civilised" people don't consume enough.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Most soda drinks come in 1.5 litre bottles.

[Luke Skywalker 1,284]

here in spain the regular size is 2 liters.

Nice avatar steef.

when you're in a car with other people regardless of the actual distance, 150 is shorter than 241, it might not seem logical, but it makes real sense. Just as people are more likely to buy something for 9.99 than 10.00, they are happier to drive 150 vs 241. I know thats stupid but its how people are.

But I suppose people prefer pnis size in metrical sistem...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

For my signature line I wanted to use the text of La Marcha Real.