The River Wild
Jerry Goldsmith
" The River Goldsmith took, and not Maurice Jarre "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The greats all share rejection one point or another. Goldsmith had to replace a great composer on The River Wild, just like other composers did the same later on with him. The River Wild eventually didn't feature a score by Maurice Jarre, but a quick replacement score by Jerry Goldsmith. The result is a typical potent score that has all the trademarks, yet isn't one that will go down in the history books. Especially not in this long format Intrada has given us now. Okay, it was a opportune moment to feature it alongside the rejected score by Maurice Jarre. But this length is seriously not necessary, especially if it was an already decent effort on the original release. Still, all things considering it does have a nice theme and it does have a great action cue ("Vacation's Over"). But the majority of this score is either tension, main theme statements or so so action / suspense tracks. Stuff that's quite similar to scores such as Air Force One, all the while carrying moments you'll remember out of Congo, Small Soldiers or Rudy.
You know, in it's short format The River Wild worked, not in this long format. So, if you truly want to experience Maurice Jarre's score, by all means go for this release. But I would stick with the original release of 1994. It captures the most important tracks anyway. Maurice Jarre's score which got rejected opens actually quite good, with a lovely adventurous feeling. But it's in the suspenseful material where Jarre's music lacks the intensity of Goldsmith's voice ("The Stakes Just Got Higher" and especially the nine minute "The Gauntlet"). It's interesting to see why scores get rejected. Because it''s not because it's a bad score, it's because Goldsmith's music sounded much more appropriate. In contrary to Jarre's which was a lot darker and less intensifying.
It's Goldsmith, that means it's always functional.
The main theme is quite lovely, and that 10 minute action spectacle is surely some powerful finale.
It's functional, but also very mediocre. It's been there, done that material and occasional quite tedious in the suspense.
Jarre's music is lacking the intensity and drowns in the darker suspenseful material.
The River Wild (1994 Release) ***
The River Wild Jerry Goldsmith version (2015 Release): ***
The River Wild Maurice Jarre version (2015 Release): **12
Track Listing
CD 1: 78.23
1. Practice (2.27)
2. The Field (1.27)
3. Let's Go Boys (1.28)
4. Here We Go (1.03)
5. No Favors (1.33)
6. Graffiti (1.38)
7. My Life (0.47)
8. Wade's Over (3.22)
9. Same Old Story (2.15)
10. All is Well (0.48)
11. Get the Drinks (4.01)
12. Stand Off (0.49)
13. Run Maggie (0.41)
14. Pictures (1.55)
15. Maggie's Back (1.02)
16. Secrets (2.03)
17. Where Are You? (2.34)
18. Anything I Want (1.14)
19. The Raft (Original) (3.42)
20. Go, Mom (2.11)
21. What Happened? (2.42)
22. Do It! (2.54)
23. Ballast (Revised #1) (3.01)
24. Vacation's Over (10.06) Excellent track
25. One Left (Revised #1) (0.36)
26. Family Reunion (End Title): Cowboy Junkies * (5.54)
The Extras
27. The Gun (Pizzicato Hits) (1.52)
28. The Raft (Revised) (3.42)
29. Now What? (Original) (1.43)
30. Ballast (Original) (1.18)
31. Ballast (Revised #2) (1.19)
32. One Left (Original) (0.37)
33. One Left (Revised #2) (0.37)
34. Great Timing (Original) (2.01)
35. "The Water Is Wide" (Electric Violin Version) + (3.01)
CD 2: 75.49
The Unused score, composed & conducted by Maurice Jarre
1. The Bridge (2.59)
2. We All Go (3.57)
3. Wade Overboard (4.28)
4. The Stakes Just Got Higher (5.04)
5. Tom Lost (3.47)
6. The Cliff (2.32)
7. Ranger Danger (1.01)
8. Raft in Trouble (2.33)
9. Gail Strikes Back (1.31)
10. Hold On (4.30)
11. The Gauntlet (9.29)
12. Final Fight (2.05)
13. Reunion and End Title: Cowboy Junkies * (6.37)
The Extras
14. Racing Victory (0.45)
15. Racing Victory - Alternate 1 (0.34)
16. Racing Victory - Alternate 2 (0.29)
17. Gail Leads - Alternate (0.13)
18. Maggie, Too (0.36)
19. Maggie, Too - Revised (0.36)
20. First Baggage (0.38)
21. First Baggage - Revised (0.29)
22. Rock Symbols (0.55)
23. Baggage Again (0.38)
24. Gail's Advice (0.51)
25. Wade Shows the Gun (0.37)
26. Terry Hesitates (0.44)
27. Threats (0.18)
28. Wade and Terry Argue (0.34)
29. Tom's Plan – Revised (0.22)
30. Twigs and Leaves (0.47)
31. Raft in Trouble - Revised (2.30)
32. Tom and Maggie (0.30)
33. Untie Us (0.43)
34. Final Fight – Revised (2.06)
35. Reunion - Version 2 (2.00)
36. Reunion - Version 3 (1.59)
37. Reunion - Version for Album (2.02)
38. Reunion – Version 4 (0.10)
39. "The Water Is Wide" (Traditional): Cowboy Junkies * (3.10)
* Contains Edited Version of “The Water Is Wide” (Traditional)
+ Adapted and Arranged by Jerry Goldsmith
You know, in it's short format The River Wild worked, not in this long format. So, if you truly want to experience Maurice Jarre's score, by all means go for this release. But I would stick with the original release of 1994. It captures the most important tracks anyway. Maurice Jarre's score which got rejected opens actually quite good, with a lovely adventurous feeling. But it's in the suspenseful material where Jarre's music lacks the intensity of Goldsmith's voice ("The Stakes Just Got Higher" and especially the nine minute "The Gauntlet"). It's interesting to see why scores get rejected. Because it''s not because it's a bad score, it's because Goldsmith's music sounded much more appropriate. In contrary to Jarre's which was a lot darker and less intensifying.
It's Goldsmith, that means it's always functional.
The main theme is quite lovely, and that 10 minute action spectacle is surely some powerful finale.
It's functional, but also very mediocre. It's been there, done that material and occasional quite tedious in the suspense.
Jarre's music is lacking the intensity and drowns in the darker suspenseful material.
The River Wild (1994 Release) ***
The River Wild Jerry Goldsmith version (2015 Release): ***
The River Wild Maurice Jarre version (2015 Release): **12
Track Listing
CD 1: 78.23
1. Practice (2.27)
2. The Field (1.27)
3. Let's Go Boys (1.28)
4. Here We Go (1.03)
5. No Favors (1.33)
6. Graffiti (1.38)
7. My Life (0.47)
8. Wade's Over (3.22)
9. Same Old Story (2.15)
10. All is Well (0.48)
11. Get the Drinks (4.01)
12. Stand Off (0.49)
13. Run Maggie (0.41)
14. Pictures (1.55)
15. Maggie's Back (1.02)
16. Secrets (2.03)
17. Where Are You? (2.34)
18. Anything I Want (1.14)
19. The Raft (Original) (3.42)
20. Go, Mom (2.11)
21. What Happened? (2.42)
22. Do It! (2.54)
23. Ballast (Revised #1) (3.01)
24. Vacation's Over (10.06) Excellent track
25. One Left (Revised #1) (0.36)
26. Family Reunion (End Title): Cowboy Junkies * (5.54)
The Extras
27. The Gun (Pizzicato Hits) (1.52)
28. The Raft (Revised) (3.42)
29. Now What? (Original) (1.43)
30. Ballast (Original) (1.18)
31. Ballast (Revised #2) (1.19)
32. One Left (Original) (0.37)
33. One Left (Revised #2) (0.37)
34. Great Timing (Original) (2.01)
35. "The Water Is Wide" (Electric Violin Version) + (3.01)
CD 2: 75.49
The Unused score, composed & conducted by Maurice Jarre
1. The Bridge (2.59)
2. We All Go (3.57)
3. Wade Overboard (4.28)
4. The Stakes Just Got Higher (5.04)
5. Tom Lost (3.47)
6. The Cliff (2.32)
7. Ranger Danger (1.01)
8. Raft in Trouble (2.33)
9. Gail Strikes Back (1.31)
10. Hold On (4.30)
11. The Gauntlet (9.29)
12. Final Fight (2.05)
13. Reunion and End Title: Cowboy Junkies * (6.37)
The Extras
14. Racing Victory (0.45)
15. Racing Victory - Alternate 1 (0.34)
16. Racing Victory - Alternate 2 (0.29)
17. Gail Leads - Alternate (0.13)
18. Maggie, Too (0.36)
19. Maggie, Too - Revised (0.36)
20. First Baggage (0.38)
21. First Baggage - Revised (0.29)
22. Rock Symbols (0.55)
23. Baggage Again (0.38)
24. Gail's Advice (0.51)
25. Wade Shows the Gun (0.37)
26. Terry Hesitates (0.44)
27. Threats (0.18)
28. Wade and Terry Argue (0.34)
29. Tom's Plan – Revised (0.22)
30. Twigs and Leaves (0.47)
31. Raft in Trouble - Revised (2.30)
32. Tom and Maggie (0.30)
33. Untie Us (0.43)
34. Final Fight – Revised (2.06)
35. Reunion - Version 2 (2.00)
36. Reunion - Version 3 (1.59)
37. Reunion - Version for Album (2.02)
38. Reunion – Version 4 (0.10)
39. "The Water Is Wide" (Traditional): Cowboy Junkies * (3.10)
* Contains Edited Version of “The Water Is Wide” (Traditional)
+ Adapted and Arranged by Jerry Goldsmith