Jaws: The Revenge

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into your CD store, it actually is. The CD release of Michael Small's score to Jaws: The Revenge is a promotional release, and you can't find it at your local Tower Records. The film was the last in the Jaws series of films, and unfortunately it was probably the most absurd of the four. But little details aside, Small's score wasn't too bad, and it's integration of the classic theme by John Williams was somewhat admirable.

As one would expect, the "Main Title" cue consists of a new arrangement by Small of Williams' immortal theme. Some moments are different though - the Orca theme from the first film has been neatly removed, leaving the bare-boned shark theme. Small's score is generally tense, and he comes up with a few new themes of his own - most notably heard in cues such as "Underwater" and "The Shark". One interesting addition to the shark theme is a dramatically low warbling rumble - I suppose it added tension in the film, but in listening to the CD it's a little dated.

In the two climactic cues ("Alive or Dead" and "The Shark") there is a great amount of tense orchestral scoring intermixed with themes from Williams' score. The latter cue has some great orchestra hits that added to the excitement of the cue. The final climax is satisfying and the final cue ("Revenge & Finale") is filled with Small's sentimental dramatic theme heard interspersed throughout the album.

Running only 27:40, this album seems to have been the original mix that Small prepared for the soundtrack release back in 1987. Of course, that never happened. But the audio has a little more hiss than would be present today if it had been remixed. Although much of the material comes from the wonderful arrangements of Williams' cues, Small's score certainly has its merits. All in all, with two Jaws soundtracks released around the same time (the 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition soundtrack to the first film just came out), I would have to suggest the original Jaws if you needed to pick only one.