Sci-Fi Storm

I had the opportunity to check out a preview copy of the Superman Returns Soundtrack, just released today. The CD is an “enhanced” CD, so if you put it into your computer, you get some extra goodies…Read More for more info.

I’m not much of a music reviewer, and I’m not sure how much the preview copy may differ from the original.

First off, on the audio portion of the CD, the score by John Ottman starts off with the John Williams theme from the 1978 Superman: The Movie theme, which has to be one of the most easily recognizable themes, instantly associated from the man in red and blue. It is a very good rendition of the theme, and without directly comparing it to the original, I’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

From there, Ottman rolls into his own works, all the while the original theme sneaks in, poking through various holes, just to tease the underlying foundation, as if to tease that there is something behind Clark Kent’s glasses that we just get a peek of, while it struggles to get out.

All in all it is a very good, easy listening orchestral compilation, paying the same homage to John Williams original much as Bryan Singer pays homage to the Richard Donner films with Superman Returns.

Also along on the Enhanced CD are the two trailers for the film, a short “Behind the Scenes” on the making of the score, and a trailer for the feature-length documentary, Look, Up in the Sky – The Amazing Story of Superman, an interesting look at the various incarnations of Superman in various media, leading up the the latest, with input from comic book writers, historians, people involved with the various productions, and other fans – even Gene Simmons of KISS fame. I like the nostalgia of seeing George Reeves, having watched him on TV with my father (in reruns, that is – I’m not quite that old :).

I’ve been hearing mixed emotions about the soundtrack, depending if you are a fan of the original theme. Some people dislike it because it doesn’t feel original enough, borrowing too much. That I couldn’t say at this point, but I certainly think that in general this is a good soundtrack on its own.