The Fugitive

[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 Fugitive by James Newton Howard. 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?

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]

4 stars. The urban stuff is terrific (unlike some later urban JNH scores), the action is terrific, and the main theme is appropriately mournful, without being too schmaltzy or too depressing. Perfect theme for the movie. Excellent score for an excellent movie.

[Jeshopk 8]

Some of the action and suspense music is very good while the "urban" music really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's that ER feel that creeps in too oft, that I never liked. I'd say 3.5 stars.

[ChuckM 1]

Meh. It's ok. Kind of bland compared to his other stuff though.

[fommes 126]

It's his best score, next to Signs perhaps. 4,5.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

4

[Ollie 859]

I gave it a 4.5

This is the score that really turned me on to JNH. I remember going to the music store after seeing the film to get the soundtrack because I was impressed with what I heard in the film.

A very good score deserving of an expanded release.

[publicist 4,484]

3 stars. Serviceable but without much substance. Howard improved considerably in the late 90s, although his action music still reeks of toned-down Goldsmith.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

I love the film, its one of Harrison Ford's best efforts from the 90s. I don't own the score but I've seen the movie enough times to know that I like it. 4 stars.

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

Last time I watched it, I was barely out of the phase where I regularly mixed up JNH and Shore, and thought both kept writing effective underscore which is completely uninteresting away from the movie.

But that was a long time ago... I might think very differently today.

[Richard Penna 2,082]

Not a fan of this one myself. The theme is very intelligently written but overall the very early 90s feel of the whole score just doesn't match my tastes in music. It works fantastic in what is an amazing movie, just not my cup of tea on its own.

3.5 stars.