War of the Worlds

John Williams - War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds
List Price: $18.98
Our Price: $7.99
You Save: $10.99 (58%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.99 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Artist: John Williams
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language); German (Unknown)
Format: Soundtrack
CD Release Date: 2005-06-28
Music Label: Decca
Soundtracks:
  1. Prologue (Narration: Morgan Freeman)
  2. The Ferry Scene
  3. Reaching The Country
  4. The Intersection Scene
  5. Ray And Rachel
  6. Escape From The City
  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 (Narration: Morgan Freeman)
  15. Epilogue

Music reviews of War of the Worlds

Music Review: Williams needs to revisit earlier successes!
Rating: 3 Stars

John Williams, like his contemporary, the late Jerry Goldsmith, is responsible for some of filmdom's more memorable scores ("Jaws," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Star Wars," "Superman-The Movie," the first three "Harry Potter" films, and so many others). Just the mention of the composer's name brings smiles to the movie fans worldwide and his album sales and critical acclaim attest to his popularity.

Williams's three-decade association with Steven Spielberg has produced some of the aforementioned as well as other scores that have been the best collaborations between director and composer since the days of Hitchcock and legendary Bernard Herrmann.

While John Williams has made beautiful and awe-inspiring music for Spielberg productions in the past, he's had a couple of subpar (for Williams) compositions; and, sadly, "War of the Worlds" falls into this category.

The measure of a movie score lies in its ability to stand alone apart from the film for which it was composed. This particular work needs the movie's images and action to support its lack of listenability. Like the earlier "Minority Report," the music to Spielberg's adaptation of the Wells' classic does not feature any distinct melodies, little drama, or even thrills that are necessary to tell a story about malevolent aliens attempting to wipe out mankind.

It's as if the composer took the term "incidental music" to heart and just provided little more than something in the background.

Maybe he was attempting to be subtle, but the story deserved something a bit more dynamic and frightening.

We, his fans, all know that he is more than capable to come up to the plate.

Perhaps, on his next pairing with Steven...

Description of War of the Worlds

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'd 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 clich?d thundering timpani that often plague this type of score. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

More War of the Worlds


Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds Box Set SACD

The Very Best of Orson Welles (Including War of the Worlds)

H.G. Wells and The War of the Worlds - A Documentary on DVD

H G Wells' the War of the Worlds on DVD

The Complete War of The Worlds

War of the Worlds : Fresh Perspectives on the H. G. Wells Classic

General CDs

Music Genres
Bestsellers in General CDs
Glee: The Music, Volume 1 ImageGlee Cast - Glee: The Music, Volume 1
Release date: 2009-11-03; Music CD
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops: $11.98
If On A Winter's Night... ImageSting - If On A Winter's Night...
Dig; Release date: 2009-10-26; Music CD
Best price: $8.29
Price in other shops: $16.98
Night Castle (2 CD) ImageTrans-Siberian Orchestra - Night Castle (2 CD)
Release date: 2009-10-26; Music CD
Best price: $8.83
Price in other shops: $20.98
This Is It ImageMichael Jackson - This Is It
Release date: 2009-10-26; Music CD
Best price: $8.85
Price in other shops: $17.98
Play On ImageCarrie Underwood - Play On
Release date: 2009-11-03; Music CD
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops: $13.98
Battle Studies ImageJohn Mayer - Battle Studies
Release date: 2009-11-17; Music CD
Best price: $9.89
Price in other shops: $13.96
For Your Entertainment ImageAdam Lambert - For Your Entertainment
Adam; Release date: 2009-11-23; Music CD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops: $13.98
Crazy Love ImageMichael Buble - Crazy Love
Release date: 2009-10-09; Music CD
Best price: $8.61
Price in other shops: $18.98
The Fall ImageNorah Jones - The Fall
Release date: 2009-11-17; Music CD
Best price: $6.44
Price in other shops: $18.98
I Dreamed A Dream ImageSusan Boyle - I Dreamed A Dream
Release date: 2009-11-23; Music CD
Best price: $9.88
Price in other shops: $11.98
Similar CDs
Angels & Demons ImageAngels & Demons
Release date: 2009-05-12; Music CD
Best price: $8.53
Price in other shops: $11.98
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary Edition ImageE.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary Edition
MCA; Release date: 2002-03-19; Music CD
Best price: $4.82
Price in other shops: $18.98
King Kong: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ImageKing Kong: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Score; Release date: 2005-12-13; Music CD
Best price: $10.32
Price in other shops: $18.98
The Hulk (Score) ImageThe Hulk (Score)
Release date: 2003-06-17; Music CD
Best price: $6.22
Price in other shops: $18.98
Planet of the Apes ImageDanny Elfman - Planet of the Apes
Release date: 2001-07-24; Music CD
Best price: $3.79
Price in other shops: $8.99
Saving Private Ryan: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ImageSaving Private Ryan: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
DreamWorks; Release date: 1998-07-21; Music CD
Best price: $4.75
Price in other shops: $9.98
Hook ImageJohn Williams - Hook
Release date: 2008-04-01; Music CD
Best price: $3.64
Price in other shops: $6.99
Munich ImageJohn Williams - Munich
Score; Release date: 2005-12-27; Music CD
Best price: $8.49
Price in other shops: $18.98
A.I. - Artificial Intelligence: Original Motion Picture Score ImageA.I. - Artificial Intelligence: Original Motion Picture Score
A.I.; Release date: 2001-07-03; Music CD
Best price: $7.17
Price in other shops: $13.96
Minority Report ImageMinority Report
Release date: 2002-06-18; Music CD
Best price: $7.90
Price in other shops: $18.98
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles