Soundtrack Review: The World Is Not Enough (1999)
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This is a review of the motion picture score for The World Is Not Enough by David Arnold.
Those expecting a continuation of the stylistic brilliance of Tomorrow Never Dies in this score will be disappointed. The electronics are a bit too present at times and the fractured collection of themes for the villain (seriously, four descending notes for Renard? That’s your major idea?) lacks the focus and sheer power of Carver’s theme. Yet if you can get past that initial disappointment the score boasts a lot of exceptional material, some on part with its predecessor’s accomplishments. The new theme for the film is a more flowing and romantic effort, with lush full performances highlighted by superb percussion additions and Natascha Atlas’s mesmerizing vocals. The only regretful aspect of it is that it vanishes in the later parts of the album. Additionally, the new love theme, while more restrained than those for Tomorrow Never Dies, mirrors Arnold’s previous fusion of the romantic sensibilities of his past works and those of John Barry and boasts a sexy, lounge jazz feel in “Casino”. Arnold later drags the theme down to the lower regions of the orchestra as Elektra becomes exposed as the film’s villain, giving us perhaps the most flexible of any modern Bond love theme.
No one action cue equals any of the major thrills from Tomorrow Never Dies (a tall order for a Bond score, let alone any action score to fill), but the results here are still terrific. “Come On 007, Your Time Is Up” and “Ice Bandits” are as exciting as Arnold gets, with strong brass performances propelling fantastic statements of the main theme. “Going Down/The Bunker” and “Submarine” are also exciting and raucous, with the latter’s first 45 seconds approaching the epic sound of Arnold’s big Stargate and ID4 sound, but both lack the organization (and, considering their stylistic debt to the composer’s own work for Godzilla”, freshness) of the aforementioned cues. The extended variations on the original Bond theme in “Caviar Factory” are likeable, but the cue pales in comparison to the more impressive attempt in the same musical vein in “Bike Chase”. The album could have used the additions of the romantic rolling horns in “Snow Business” and the score’s best variation of the original Bond theme (take stylish horns, add percussion, be happy!) in “Kazahkstan”, and certainly the work is below the level of quality of its predecessor, but it’s more than enough to satisfy fans of the composer and the series and is leagues better than its film (Arnold is not to blame for the hilarious casting of Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist).
Original Album (68:21)
1. The World is Not Enough – performed by Garbage (3:55)
2. Show Me the Money (1:28)
3. Come in 007, Your Time is Up (5:19)
4. Access Denied (1:33)
5. M’s Confession (1:32)
6. Welcome to Baku (1:41)
7. Casino (2:55)
8. Ice Bandits (3:52)
9. Elektra’s Theme: The Bedroom (2:06)
10. Body Double (3:00)
11. Going Down/The Bunker (6:27)
12. Pipeline (4:15)
13. Remember Pleasure (2:45)
14. Caviar Factory (6:01)
15. Torture Queen (2:22)
16. I Never Miss (3:32)
17. Submarine (10:19)
18. Christmas in Turkey (1:27)
19. Only Myself to Blame – performed by Scott Walker (3:37)
Partial DVD-Rip (76:05)
1. Gunbarrel (0:32)
2. Escape From The Swiss Bank (2:23)
3. Show Me the Money (1:28)
4. Come in 007, Your Time is Up (5:19)
5. The World is Not Enough – performed by Garbage (3:55)
6. Access Denied (1:33)
7. M’s Confession (1:32)
8. Welcome to Baku (1:41)
9. Snow Business (1:22)
10. Ice Bandits (3:52)
11. Casino (2:55)
12. The Devil’s Breath (1:49)
13. Elektra’s Theme (2:06)
14. Body Double (3:00)
15. Welcome to Kazakhstan (1:28)
16. Going Down/The Bunker (6:27)
17. Bond, James Bond (0:07)
18. Pipeline (4:15)
19. Remember Pleasure (2:45)
20. Caviar Factory (6:01)
21. Time to Die (0:22)
22. Torture Queen (2:22)
23. I Never Miss (3:32)
24. Submarine (10:19)
25. Christmas in Turkey (1:27)
26. James Bond Theme (End Credits) (3:55)
Listen to The World Is Not Enough by David Arnold below:
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(2 votes, average: 8.50 out of 10)
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Comments
Yes you should. Obviously I recommend all the Arnold Bond scores (that’s a spoiler for the forthcoming other ones…oops), but TND is truly special and of the Brosnan Bonds features the best and biggest collection of action, the best integration of the Bond themes, etc. I’m always a big fan of going for the best music you can find anyways. Then graduate on to the next ones.
Soundtrack Seek
This pair of excellent reviews, really has me wanting to dive into Arnold’s Bond efforts on CD. Never bought any of them (despite owning STARGATE, ID4 + GODZILLA), but always enjoyed them immensely in the context of the films. Please tell me you’ll be reviewing DIE ANOTHER DAY + CASINO ROYALE as I’ve really loved reading these last two posts. So obviously you think I should kick things off with TND?
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