For a long time it had been David Arnold�s dream to compose for a bond film. He saw a chance to bring bond into the 21st century with his music and give him leeway to use both full orchestra and his background in electronics.
Having been turned down for Goldeneye in favour of Eric Serra, Arnold produced his James Bond Project album with his takes on all the songs and the whole world of Bond. The producers, so impressed by Arnold�s work hired him immediately to score for 1997�s Tomorrow Never Dies. The involvement of Arnold in the Bond franchise could not have come at a better time. Fans had been deeply disappointed by Eric Serra�s effort for Goldeneye and Arnold had already proved to be the sound of the 1990s.
Arnold obviously relished his new task and approached it with great enthusiasm. The job was not without its problems however. Filming came in dribs and drabs and Arnold was rarely given (especially in what would be the pre-credit sequence) a completed scene to score for, forcing him to compose for the film bit by bit.
From the opening bar of �White Knight� in the awesome pre-credit sequence to the closing crescendo of �All in a Day�s Work� TND was an assurance that Bond was back and keeping up with the times.
The film itself proved to be one of the best Bond�s ever with amazing stunts, a great story and some of the most ambitious and heavily choreographed action sequences of the series (the Bike Shop martial arts fight etc). The film has a highly polished quality that like the score seems to make it better than even the sum of its parts would add up to.
There is something about Arnold�s score for TND that gives gloss and polish to the listening experience that makes it instantly excellent. Arnold uses the orchestra as he always has done only with the tiniest bit extra of inspiration and his own takes on the Bond theme. The orchestration is as usual rich and complex but the addition of electronics subtly into the background creates a sort of auditory background that the rest of the score falls back on giving that final touch of quality.
The action sequences of TND boast the best action music of any other bond score. Arnold�s snappy rhythms and motifs propel the score far beyond John Barry�s moody tones and George Martin�s hip rhythms. The action genuinely excites even without the visuals of the film and it charges along at an unstoppable pace.
The electronics make a constant appearance throughout the score and in �Back Seat Driver� significantly drive the music. Electronic haters should bear in mind however that the electronics never dominate the score. The energy of the orchestra is irrepressible and even with the electronics its impossible not to get caught up in the heroicism and excitement of the music.
Having already mentioned �White Knight�, �All in a Day�s Work� and �Back Seat Driver�. I would have to say that these along with the pounding �Bike Shop Fight� are the very best action cues of the score. However, if they are the best then the others are only marginally behind as Arnold blends old style Bond action with his styles and tastes.
The quieter moments of the score are equally impressive with Arnold employing John Barry�s heavy handed use of strings combined with TND�s themes and the brass to create a sweeping love theme for the scenes between Bond and Wai Linn that sounds completely original and modern yet still references Barry�s style.
The secondary love theme between Bond and the ill fated Paris is by far the more subdued but none the less wonderful. Arnold uses a classic guitar to accentuate the two old lovers and this theme makes several touching appearances in the first half of the score up until its last lamenting performance in Dr. Kaufman.
Overall TND is the best bond Listening ever. The second song by K.D Lang should have been the main title song but its inclusion on the album and the isolated DVD score redeems for Sheryl Crow�s somewhat throaty performance. The songs aren�t a bad bunch they just don�t measure up to any of the classics.
It is the music that makes this a brilliant Bond score. David Arnold�s score is both exciting and sweeping with bombastic, driving action and wonderful love themes mixed in with some soothing underscore and of course the Bond theme.
The Tomorrow Never Dies Complete Score is an excellent buy. However the isolated score on DVD is an even surer purchase. All the music, all the extras and of course all of the film. I know what I went for, well actually in the end I got both but what the hell.
Score on CD: *****
Isolated Score on DVD: ***** - a slightly higher 5 because of the few remaining
unreleased tracks.
Release Label: Chapter III Records
Date Released: Jan 11th 2000
Tomorrow Never Dies - The Complete Score
1. White Knight (8:29)
2. The Sinking of the Devonshire (7:06)
3. Company Car (3:07)
4. Paris and Bond (1:55)
5. The Last Goodbye (1:33)
6. Hamburg Beak In (2:53)
7. Hamburg Break Out (1:24)
8. Doctor Kaufmann (2:27)
9. *-3-* Send (1:15)
10. Back Seat Driver (4:34)
11. Underwater Discovery (3:36)
12. Helicopter Ride (1:34)
13. Bike Chase (6:44)
14. Bike Shop Fight (2:42)
15. Kowloon Bay (2:27)
16. Boarding the Stealth (4:38)
17. A Tricky Spot for 007 (2:48)
18. All in a Day's Work (5:09)
19. Exclusive David Arnold Interview (11:02)
