Totally enthralling and patriotically grand. This was one of, if not the finest motion picture score of 1995. James Horner revisits some of the musical characteristics that made him such a promising young composer. Many of the quieter moments of the score take me back to his score for THE LAND BEFORE TIME. Slow, enchantingly melodic and utterly beautiful. These moments encompass the parts of the film when the three astronauts are reaching the point of hopelessness as they pass by the moon. You feel an overwhelming sense of sorrow for the situation that they were experiencing. On the other hand, the action sequences of the score remind me of portions of CLEAR and PRESENT DANGER (also his). However, he takes these elements and improves upon them tremendously.

Along with the score are some classic rock songs like "Purple Haze", "I Can See for Miles", and "Somebody to Love". Added to these songs are many portions of dialogue from the film. There are several different versions of the APOLLO 13 soundtrack. First there is the original regular U.S. release. This one has his amazing score, the songs, and the dialogue, but there is one thing really wrong with this one. The tracks are completely mislabeled, meaning that the dialogue parts, which are tracks of their own, are not even given a number listing. This, in turn, throws all of the track numbering off which is very annoying. However, the version of the soundtrack I'm reviewing is the far superior "Special Edition 24k gold Ultimate Masterdisc." This one is housed in a clear jewel case and the jacket cover is encompassed by a gold border.

Seeing as how I own both versions, the Special Edition is by far the choice one to review. Not only does the Dolby Surround Sound give it vastly better sound, it also has a lot more dialogue and the tracks are correctly labeled. Initially, it may seem as if there is hardly any Horner score on the CD, but every portion of dialogue has the score backing it up. Personally, the dialogue and impressive sound effects add a sense of depth to the listening experience. Although, if you don't like the presence of talking and sound effects along with your score, go for the original release. If you want quality sound and an unforgettable experience, get the Special Edition. Although it costs about $10 more than the original release, it is worth it.

In conclusion, this is one movie and score that actually equal each other in tension and quality. APOLLO 13 is and always will be one of my favorite movies of all time. James Horner did get nominated for the Academy Award on this in 1996, but it, along with his BRAVEHEART, failed to receive the Oscar. This angered many who were eagerly awaiting him to walk up on stage and accept his first Academy Award, but it was not to be. Oh well, this score still sends me into the sky and towards the moon every time I listen. From the patriotic drumroll in its opening moments to the decrescendoed trumpets in the end credits, APOLLO 13 is one score that reaches new heights of enjoyment.

--BUY THIS SCORE HERE--

Running Time: approx. 74 min.

1. Main Title
2. One Small Step
3. "Night Train"
4. "Groovin"
5. "Somebody to Love"
6. "I Can See for Miles"
7. "Purple Haze"
8. Launch Control
9. All Systems Go - The Launch
10. Welcome to Apollo 13
11. "Spirit in the Sky"
12. House Cleaning - Houston, We Have a Problem
13. Master Alarm
14. What's Going On?
15. Into the L.E.M.
16. Out of Time - Shut Her Down
17. The Darkside of the Moon
18. Failure is Not An Option
19. "Honky Tonkin'"
20. "Blue Moon"
21. Waiting for Disaster - A Privelege
22. Re-entry & Splashdown
23. End Titles