King Kong

Max Steiner's score for Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace's King Kong is rightfully considered a classic. Until the 1933 thriller, movie soundtracks were mere background accompaniment. But Steiner's grand, Wagnerian score--filled with crashing notes, dissonant chords, and plenty of thunder--gave King Kong a unique tension, influencing every action and adventure soundtrack to follow. A few years later, Steiner--RKO's musical director--would go on to score another pivotal soundtrack, Gone with the Wind. But this is where his soundtrack magic really began. Rhino's reissue treatment here is luxurious and gorgeous, with great sound remastering. Copious liner notes explain some of this soundtrack's magic: Audio engineer Murray Spivack mixed a tiger growl at forward and backward speeds to create Kong's trademark vocals; Steiner knew precisely when to silence his 46-player orchestra and let the sound effects take over; and the small ensemble were often forced to serve double duty on multiple instruments. Filled with sound effects and movie dialogue, this CD sounds more like a vintage radio show than a standard soundtrack. But its impact--even today--can be easily heard. Great stuff. --Jason Verlinde