Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Hollow Man

 


Hollow Man
(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Music Composed and Conducted by
Jerry Goldsmith

Renovatio Records proudly presents a new release of Jerry Goldsmith’s electrifying score for Paul Verhoeven’s 2000 sci-fi thriller Hollow Man. Twenty-five years after its theatrical release, this expanded presentation revisits one of the composer’s final large-scale orchestral works: a fascinating blend of psychological horror, cutting-edge electronics, and explosive symphonic action that captures both the scientific ambition and moral decay at the heart of Verhoeven’s vision.

Released in August 2000, Hollow Man marked Verhoeven’s return to science fiction after RoboCop (1987), Total Recall (1990), and Starship Troopers (1997), reuniting him with many of his longtime collaborators for what would become his last major Hollywood studio production. The film stars Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Caine, a brilliant yet dangerously egocentric scientist leading a government research project on molecular invisibility. When he tests the serum on himself, his power (and isolation) soon drive him toward madness, quickly becoming emotionally unstable and going on a killing spree. Elisabeth Shue portrays Linda, his former lover and research partner, while Josh Brolin plays her new companion and fellow scientist, Matt. The supporting cast includes Kim Dickens, Greg Grunberg, Joey Slotnick, and Mary Randle, forming the core research team trapped with Sebastian as the experiment spirals out of control.

Stylistically, Hollow Man bears Verhoeven’s unmistakable touch: the sleek precision of his camera movements, the coldly clinical settings, and  the provocative exploration of cynicism, voyeurism and corrupted desire. The film’s visual effects, then at the forefront of digital innovation, were widely praised for their groundbreaking realism, particularly the stunning transformation sequences depicting Sebastian’s gradual disappearance, achieved through meticulous layering of CGI and physical performance. These sequences remain among the most technically impressive of their era, showcasing Verhoeven’s ability to merge spectacle with psychological unease.

Critically, the film divided audiences. While its visual innovation and kinetic direction earned praise, detractors pointed to its descent into slasher territory during the final act, its uneven dialogue, and a lack of emotional depth. Yet despite its mixed reception, Hollow Man proved a financial success, grossing over $190 million worldwide, and has since gained appreciation as a bold, unsettling study of unchecked ego and moral decay.

For a film that straddles the line between cerebral science fiction and visceral horror, Goldsmith’s music provides the essential connective tissue. His score amplifies both the laboratory setting and the psychological descent of its protagonist, charting Sebastian’s transformation with an uncanny balance of intellect and menace. Drawing upon his long experience with the genre (from Alien to Total Recall) Goldsmith approached Hollow Man with masterful restraint and technical daring, crafting a soundscape that is at once sleek, unsettling, and emotionally resonant. The result is one of his final masterpieces: a fusion of orchestral grandeur and electronic experimentation that captures the allure and terror of invisibility.

At the heart of Goldsmith’s score lies a long-lined, moody main theme, first introduced in the opening track “The Hollow Man.” It’s a masterclass in ambiguity: graceful yet ominous, restrained yet emotionally charged. Carried by strings and shadowed by a whispery synthesizer pulse that becomes a recurring element throughout the score, the theme is both appealing and malleable, capable of reflecting the duality of Sebastian himself: a man of brilliance and control whose intellect conceals deep instability. The theme’s fluid contour and unresolved harmonies lend it a deceptive elegance: an almost sympathetic quality that invites the listener into Sebastian’s perspective. Beneath its surface beauty, however, lingers an undercurrent of tragedy and inevitable doom, foreshadowing the moral decay that defines the character’s arc. Like Verhoeven’s camera, which alternates between detachment and intimacy, Goldsmith’s theme captures fascination and fear in equal measure: the invisible man rendered all too human, and all too dangerous.

Complementing the main theme is a “science motif”: a mechanical, rhythm-driven idea that dominates the film’s transformation sequences. First introduced in “Isabelle Comes Back,” as a test gorilla is brought back from invisibility, the motif unfolds through a precise interplay of piano and harp patterns, supported by plucked strings and a steady, procedural pulse. As the experiment intensifies, the writing expands into swelling strings and brass, underscored by an array of thumping electronic effects that gradually build in pace and volume. The result is a dazzling display of musical engineering, mirroring both the meticulousness and the mounting danger of the on-screen process. Goldsmith returns to this motif throughout the score’s key transformation scenes: “This Is Science,” accompanying Sebastian’s initial invisibility test, and “Not Right,” when the reversal attempt nearly kills him. In each instance, the composer reshapes the material to fit the evolving emotional temperature. What begins as curious and almost wondrous becomes increasingly dissonant and agitated, the orchestral textures tightening as the sense of peril escalates. Despite its recurrence, the motif never feels redundant; rather, it provides a structural and emotional thread that evolves with the story, offering a different shade of tension each time. By the film’s climax, as Linda must rely on ingenuity to survive, Goldsmith brings the motif back one more time (“Linda Takes Action”), now transformed into something more assertive and triumphant. Its reappearance, stripped of the earlier scientific detachment, serves as a musical catharsis: the sound of intellect reclaimed from madness, and of human resolve outlasting the chaos it once unleashed.

Among the more human dimensions of Hollow Man lies a small, bittersweet keyboard theme representing the fractured relationship between Sebastian and Linda. Though gentle and lyrical, the melody carries a quiet melancholy; its romantic phrasing undermined by an unmistakable sense of emotional distance. Goldsmith uses it sparingly, allowing the music to comment on the tension between affection and resentment that defines their interactions. Its delicate simplicity offers a rare glimpse of warmth within the otherwise clinical, dangerous world of the film.

Goldsmith also explores Sebastian’s growing moral corruption through a series of motifs rooted in sensuality and perversion. Unlike the sultry eroticism of his music for Basic Instinct (1992), these passages twist desire into something unsettling. In cues like “First Night” and “I Can’t See Him,” insinuating flutes and sliding string glissandos create an atmosphere of predatory intimacy, while the ever-present whispering synthesizer pulse reminds us of Sebastian’s unseen proximity. These textures evoke the invasive, voyeuristic nature of his invisibility, not as seduction, but as violation. Goldsmith’s restraint makes the music even more disturbing: the scenes are underscored not with shock, but with quiet, creeping menace.

As Sebastian’s descent into madness reaches its final stage, Goldsmith unveils a low, rhythmic piano motif representing his homicidal persona, which works as a darker echo of the science motif. Menacing and mechanical, it first emerges during “I Can’t See Him” and "Broken Window", then grows increasingly dominant in “False Image” and “Hi Boss,” where it gains strength through aggressive brass and percussion. By the climactic action cues (“Find Him,” “Bloody Floor,” “The Elevator,” and “The Big Climb”) the motif explodes into full orchestral fury, driving the relentless action forward. Here, Goldsmith propels the orchestra through some of his most ferocious late-period action writing, a testament to his precision and dramatic instinct even in his seventies.

With its intricate blend of orchestral and electronic textures, Hollow Man quickly became a highlight among Jerry Goldsmith’s late-career works: a showcase of his technical and emotional mastery. Yet for many years, the score was only partially available. The original 2000 Varèse Sarabande album offered a 50-minute selection that focused mainly on the film’s central set pieces. Though effective as a listening experience, it inevitably left collectors yearning for the complete picture, especially given how much of Goldsmith’s finest writing remained unreleased. Two decades later, Intrada Records finally delivered the definitive edition. Their comprehensive 2-CD set unveiled the full extent of Goldsmith’s achievement: nearly two and a half hours of music, including alternate takes, previously unheard cues, and restored passages that revealed the score’s meticulous structure.

This new Renovatio Records edition builds upon that foundation, offering a slightly expanded yet thoughtfully assembled presentation, allowing listeners to appreciate the evolution of the film’s musical identity (from scientific curiosity to psychological horror) exactly as Goldsmith intended.  While maintaining the chronological flow, the album refines transitions between cues to create a smoother, more immersive experience for home listening. The newly remastered audio highlights the extraordinary clarity of Goldsmith’s orchestration: the shimmer of harps, the sharpness of brass, and the pulsing synth textures that give the music its unsettling edge.

By bringing together every layer of Goldsmith’s design, this release not only celebrates Hollow Man as one of his last great achievements but also reaffirms his unparalleled ability to merge humanity, horror, and high-tech sophistication into a single, cohesive musical vision.


Track listing:

1. The Hollow Man (2:58)
2. Isabelle Comes Back (6:02)
3. Linda & Sebastian (2:57)
4. This Is Science (6:17)
5. First Night (3:32)
6. Not Right (2:40)
7. What Went Wrong? (1:42)
8. I Can't See Him (3:43)
9. Broken Window (2:58)
10. False Image (1:57)
11. Hi Boss (2:48)
12. Find Him (4:26)
13. Bloody Floor (5:12)
14. Linda Takes Action (4:49)
15. The Elevator (2:58)
16. The Big Climb (3:10)

Total Running Time: 58:09






Size: 300.6 MB
Files type: FLAC Audio File [.flac]
Channels: 2 (stereo)
Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz
Sample Size: 16 bit
Bit Rate: 1,411 kbps


Cover Artwork:








Credits:

Music Composed and Conducted by Jerry Goldsmith

Produced by Jerry Goldsmith
Executive Producer: Paul Verhoeven
Executive Producer for Renovatio Records: John M. Angier

Orchestrations by Alexander Courage
Music Recorded and Mixed by Bruce Botnick
Music Recorded and Mixed at Abbey Road Studios, London, England
Music Editor: Ken Hall
Orchestra Contractor: Isobel Griffiths
Music Preparation: Vic Fraser
Computer Programming: Nick Vidar
Assistant to Mr. Goldsmith: Lois Carruth

Album Sequencing: John M. Angier
Art Direction: Mira B. Ellis

Published by Colpix Music, Inc. admin. by Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (BMI)




Cue Assembly:

Track Title

Slate Number and Cue Title

1. The Hollow Man

R1P1 The Hollow Man

2. Isabelle Comes Back

R1P7 Isabelle Comes Back

3. Linda & Sebastian

R2P1 Linda And Sebastian

4. This Is Science

R2P3 This Is Science

5. First Night

R3P1 The Buttons (Edited)

R3P2 Coffee Break

6. Not Right

R3P4 Not Right

7. What Went Wrong?

R3P5 What Went Wrong?

8. I Can’t See Him

R4P1R I Can't See Him (Alternate)

R4P1A I Can't See Him Part II

R4P1B I Can't See Him Part III (Edited)

R4P4R Broken Window (Revised #1) (Edited)

9. Broken Window

R4P4 Broken Window

10. False Image

R4P7 False Image

11. Hi Boss

R5P1 Hi Boss

12. Find Him

R5P3 Find Him (Edited)

13. Bloody Floor

R5P4 Bloody Floor

14. Linda Takes Action

R6P1 Linda Takes Action

15. The Elevator

R6P3 The Elevator

16. The Big Climb

R6P4 The Big Climb



Motion picture artwork and photography © 2000 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. This compilation and cover artwork © 2025 Renovatio Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. For promotional use only.


Renovatio Records [0-01702-19089]

Friday, October 17, 2025

Tremors


Tremors
(Original Motion Picture Score)

Music Composed and Conducted by
Ernest Troost

Additional Music by
Robert Folk

For this year’s Spook-tober festivities, Renovatio Records digs deep (literally) to bring back the subterranean thrills of Tremors, the beloved 1990 creature feature that turned desert sand into deadly ground. Directed by Ron Underwood and starring Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, and Reba McEntire, Tremors blended horror, humor, and good old-fashioned monster-movie thrills into a perfectly balanced cocktail of entertainment. Its mix of scares, laughs, and small-town charm spawned an entire franchise, but it’s the original film that remains a fan favorite. Its practical effects, masterfully crafted by Amalgamated Dynamics, continue to impress more than three decades later and remind us why audiences still thrill at the sight of a Graboid bursting through the earth.

Set in the dusty, isolated town of Perfection, Nevada, Tremors follows two handymen, Valentine McKee (Bacon) and Earl Bassett (Ward), whose dreams of escaping their dead-end life are interrupted when mysterious underground creatures (soon dubbed “Graboids”) begin devouring anything that moves. With a clever script that constantly walks the line between comedy and tension, and a host of colorful characters, from seismologist Rhonda LeBeck (Carter) to survivalist Burt Gummer (Gross), the film became a cult phenomenon upon home video release, spawning multiple sequels and a TV series.

For the film’s music, director Ron Underwood first turned to Ernest Troost, whose background in folk and Americana was ideal for capturing the quirky spirit of Perfection and its eccentric inhabitants. Troost’s score begins with a lively, rustic flavor; harmonica, guitar, and light percussion evoke both humor and warmth, painting the town’s dusty landscape with a friendly, down-home touch. In the folksy country cue “Val & Earl,” Troost introduces his main theme for the protagonist duo: a relaxed descending piano figure that perfectly mirrors their easygoing camaraderie. This motif soon evolves into a distinctive seven-note melody that recurs throughout the score in various guises, from subtle hints to more dynamic statements underscoring their determination. Its most striking transformation comes in “The Plan,” where Troost crafts an Americana-tinged, heroic rendition meant to accompany the dozer rescue sequence, a cue ultimately replaced by Robert Folk’s more forceful orchestral counterpart in the final film.

Troost’s early cues establish the film’s identity with warmth and personality, effortlessly blending small-town charm with the promise of adventure. But as the film’s horror elements emerge, Troost’s writing evolves. The score gradually introduces eerie textures, percussive pulses, and atmospheric motifs that signal growing danger, with cues such as the first half of “On the Road to Bixby,” “Something’s Wrong,” “UZI4U,” and “Goin’ Fishin’” emphasizing mystery and mounting fear. Amid this tension, Troost also weaves in a delicate love theme for Val and Rhonda: a gentle, unassuming melody that adds warmth and humanity to the unfolding chaos. The theme first appears in “On the Rock (Love Theme)” and later returns in the film’s epilogue during “Finale,” where it reaches its emotional resolution.

However, when it came to the film’s full-scale action moments, Troost’s material, while rhythmically inventive and thematically cohesive in cues like “Barbed Wire” and “Rec Room,” was ultimately deemed too restrained for the intensity the filmmakers desired. The producers sought a more forceful, dynamic approach to drive the larger set pieces and amplify the film’s energy.

Enter Robert Folk, known for his robust symphonic style, who was brought in to write new music for the action and climax sequences, giving Tremors the adrenaline and heroic power the producers sought. His contribution (roughly twenty minutes of music) is a masterclass in rhythmic propulsion and orchestral energy. Tracks such as “Run!”, “Graboids in Town,” and “Val’s Run” deliver relentless momentum, propelled by muscular brass, racing strings, and dynamic percussion that elevate the tension to blockbuster levels.

Yet Folk’s approach wasn’t purely orchestral. To maintain cohesion with Troost’s soundscape, he subtly incorporated country-flavored elements, like harmonica and twangy guitar lines, particularly evident in “Vibrations in the Ground” and moments of “Run!”, where these textures are cleverly repurposed to evoke suspense rather than humor. Folk also introduced a distinctive Graboid motif, built around a repetitive clanging, metallic synth-cymbal effect that punctuates their attacks and reinforces the sense of subterranean menace.

Most notably, Folk created a heroic fanfare motif in an Americana style, featuring bold brass and lush strings, which makes a striking appearance in “Dozer Rescue” (a cue used twice in the film). This fanfare underscores the heroism of the characters while evoking the sweeping Nevada desert landscapes. The heroic motif later shines during the thrilling “Stampede” sequence at the end, driving the action forward to its climatic resolution as the last of the Graboids bursts through the cliff wall and meets its demise, punctuated by a triumphant statement of the theme signaling the creatures’ defeat. This combination of heroic brass, expansive strings, and rhythmic drive gives Folk’s music its unforgettable cinematic punch, perfectly complementing Troost’s earlier cues.

Together, Troost and Folk create a fascinating hybrid: Americana-infused small-town charm colliding with muscular symphonic terror. The result is a score that mirrors Tremors itself — part creature feature, part character comedy, all heart and excitement.

The music of Tremors has had a long journey to an official release. Ernest Troost’s score was first issued in a limited promotional edition in 1999, offering a strong but incomplete selection of his work. Robert Folk’s contributions remained largely unavailable, aside from a privately commissioned suite the composer released himself in his 1993 promotional "Selected Suites" album. It wasn’t until La-La Land Records’ 2020 two-disc edition that fans finally received a comprehensive presentation of the film’s music: CD1 featuring Troost’s full score and CD2 devoted to Folk’s material. While this was a landmark for collectors, the separation of the two composers’ work (though complete) did not fully reflect the experience of the music as heard in the film.

This new Renovatio Records edition approaches the score differently, respecting the chronological order of the film as much as possible to preserve its narrative and emotional flow. Troost’s thematic warmth and character-driven cues naturally give way to Folk’s dynamic action sequences, allowing the score to unfold exactly as it does on screen. To enhance the listening experience, several tracks combine multiple cues, creating fluid, extended movements; a welcome adjustment, given that much of the original score, by both composers, consists of short pieces, many under a minute. This careful assembly ensures that the music is both coherent for home listening and faithful to the film’s dramatic arc.

All in all, thirty-five years after its premiere, Tremors remains a rare cinematic gem: witty, thrilling, and endlessly rewatchable. The same can be said for its score: a unique collaboration between two composers whose differing sensibilities ultimately complemented one another. With this new presentation, Renovatio Records invites fans to rediscover Tremors not just as a cult classic, but as a showcase of musical ingenuity, tonal balance, and raw creature-feature fun.

Hold on tight… the ground’s about to shake again.


Track listing:

1. Main Title (0:29)*
2. Val & Earl (2:46)*
3. On the Road to Bixby (2:16)*
4. Vibrations in the Ground (1:04)+
5. Something's Wrong (2:48)*
6. Best Horsemen (1:10)*
7. Run! (2:54)+
8. On the Rock (Love Theme) (2:37)*
9. Pole Vaulting (1:10)*
10. Barbed Wire (2:34)*
11. Graboids in Town (1:59)+
12. UZI4U (2:46)*
13. Rec Room (2:47)*
14. The Plan (3:41)*
15. Val's Run (3:35)+
16. Dozer Rescue (1:36)+
17. Goin' Fishin' (3:50)*
18. Stampede (2:54)+
19. Finale (2:11)*

*Composed by Ernest Troost
+Composed by Robert Folk

Total Running Time: 45:09






Size: 291.4 MB
Files type: FLAC Audio File [.flac]
Channels: 2 (stereo)
Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz
Sample Size: 16 bit
Bit Rate: 1,411 kbps


Cover Artwork:









Credits:

Music Composed and Conducted by Ernest Troost
Additional Music by Robert Folk

Music Produced by Ernest Troost and Louise Hatem
Executive Producer for Renovatio Records: John M. Angier

Orchestrations by Barb Luby and Ernest Troost
Music Recorded at Carriage House Studios and Castle Oak Studios
Music Recorded by Phil Magnotti, Johnny Montagnese and Michael Aarvold
Music Editing by Triad Music
Supervising Music Editor: Kathy Durning
Music Editor: Patricia Carlin
Special Thanks: Ron Underwood, Brent Maddock, Steve Wilson, Ginny Nugent, Gale Anne Hurd, Ellen Collett, Sandy Fox, and Jeff Kaufman.

Additional Music:
Composed and Conducted by Robert Folk
Produced by Robert Folk
Music Scoring Mixer: Michael Aarvold
Music Preparation: Tom Brown
Orchestrations by: Brad Dechter, Randy Miller and William Ross

Album Sequencing: John M. Angier
Art Direction: Mira B. Ellis

Featured Instrumental Soloists:
Bass: Norman Ludwin
Trumpets: Malcolm McNab, Roy Poper
Clarinet: John Moses
French Horn: James Thatcher
Flute: Louise Di Tullio



Cue Assembly:

Track Title

Cue Title

1. Main Title

Titles (Troost)

2. Val & Earl

Val & Earl (Troost)

Drive to Rhonda (Troost)

3. On the Road to Bixby

Rhonda with Graboid (Troost)

On the Road (Troost)

Into Perfection (Troost)

4. Vibrations in the Ground

Fred Dies (Folk)

5. Something’s Wrong

Finding Fred (Troost)

Finding Fred (Folk)

Road Attack (Troost)

Roadblock (Troost)

6. Best Horsemen

Best Horseman (Troost)

Rhonda (Troost)

Riding (Troost)

7. Run!

Horses Stop (Folk)

Graboid Revealed (Folk)

Chang Dies (Folk) (Edited)

8. On the Rock (Love Theme)

Rock (Troost)

Love Theme (Troost) (Edited)

Night (Troost)

Val and Rhonda (Alternate) (Troost)

Love Theme (Troost) (Edited)

9. Pole Vaulting

Pole Vaulting (Troost)

10. Barbed Wire

Someone Will Come (Troost)

Mindy (Troost) (Edited)

Barde Wire (Troost) (Edited)

11. Graboids in Town

Barbed Wire Part I (Folk)

Barbed Wire Part II (Folk)

12. UZI4U

UZI4U (Troost)

Going After Burt (Troost)

13. Rec Room

Horses Stop (Troost) (Edited)

Rec Room (Troost) (Edited)

14. The Plan

All Cheer (Troost) (Edited)

Truck Alarm (Troost)

Tractor (Troost) (Edited)

Don’t Move (Troost) (Edited)

The Dozer Rescue (Troost)

15. Val’s Run

Tractor (Folk) (Edited)

Val Drives Dozer (Folk) (Edited)

Graboids After Val (Folk)

16. Dozer Rescue

Dozer Crashes (Folk)

17. Goin’ Fishin’

Run for the Rocks (Troost) (Edited)

Goin' Fishin' (Troost) (Edited)

Graboid Guts (Troost) (Edited)

18. Stampede

Away from the Rocks (Folk) (Edited)

Val Drives Dozer (Folk) (Edited)

Final Confrontation (Folk)

19. Finale

Feel Like Making Noise (Troost) (Edited)

Val and Rhonda (Alternate) (Troost) (Edited)

Val and Rhonda (Troost) (Edited)




Motion picture artwork, logos and photography © 1990 Universal City Studios LLC. This compilation and cover artwork © 2025 Renovatio Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. For promotional use only.

Renovatio Records [0-01702-19111]

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Jumanji

 


Jumanji
(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Music Composed and Conducted by
James Horner

Following our recent presentation of James Horner’s Casper, Renovatio Records is proud to unveil another beloved entry from the composer’s extraordinary 1995 output: Jumanji. In a year that saw Horner scale the historical grandeur of Braveheart and the emotional heights of Apollo 13, Jumanji offered him the chance to explore a world of fantasy, danger, and childlike wonder. The result is a score that bridges large-scale adventure writing with moments of intimacy, embodying both the peril unleashed by a mysterious board game and the rediscovery of family at the story’s core. Three decades later, Horner’s music remains a thrilling and heartfelt companion to the film, and arguably one of the most imaginative works of his mid-1990s career.

Directed by Joe Johnston and based on Chris Van Allsburg’s beloved children’s book, Jumanji follows Alan Parrish (Robin Williams), a man who, after being trapped for decades inside a magical board game, is released into the modern world alongside new players Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter (Bradley Pierce). Joined by his childhood friend Sarah (Bonnie Hunt), all must finish the game as each roll of the dice unleashes new threats — wild animals, natural disasters, and the relentless hunter Van Pelt (Jonathan Hyde). Remembered for its groundbreaking visual effects, and mixing comedy, adventure, and moments of real peril, the film struck a chord with audiences, becoming a box-office hit and later a staple of ’90s family cinema.

By 1995, having already collaborated successfully on films like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and The Rocketeer, Horner had become Johnston’s trusted musical partner, capable of matching the director’s blend of spectacle, adventure, and heart. With his trademark sincerity, Horner combined large-scale symphonic writing with ethnic color and delicate thematic storytelling. In many ways, Jumanji bridges the two poles of his mid-1990s output: the heartfelt intimacy of his family/fantasy scores (Casper, Balto) and the muscular adventure writing that would define later works (The Mask of Zorro, Mighty Joe Young).

From the very beginning, in the “Prologue,” Horner sets the stage with a deep and foreboding theme for the game itself. Initially presented in low range brass with ominous weight, it proves remarkably versatile: sometimes mysterious (“Prologue,” “It’s Sarah’s Move,” “Faster Than Bamboo”), sometimes playful (“Rampage Through Town”), and in moments like “Stampede!” and “The Monsoon” even rising to rumbling orchestral grandeur. Throughout the score, it adapts seamlessly to the shifting moods of the film, embodying both the danger and the allure of the game.

Balancing this is the family theme, also introduced in “Prologue,” carried by piano and quena. Gentle and lyrical, it underscores many of the scenes involving Alan’s bond with Sarah and the surrogate family formed with Judy and Peter. It receives poignant development throughout the score, with one of its most stirring adaptations in “A New World,” as the adult Alan copes with the altered reality that has come to be while he was trapped, and a luminous reprise in the “End Titles.” A related, lighter idea for Alan himself appears in cues like “Alan is Back” and the latter half of “Finale,” emphasizing his journey from boy to adult. With warm strings, this poignant yet delicate motif reflects the innocence of a child forced to spend decades yearning for parents he would never see again.

Adding to this tapestry is a supernatural motif for the game itself, a delicate figure voiced by celesta and harp, first heard in “Alan and Sarah Start Playing,” and reappearing during “Mosquitoes, Monkeys and A Lion,” developing into a grand statement at the beginning of “Finale”, when the game is finished. Complementing it is a dice motif, a descending piano figure that recurs whenever the dice are rolled, providing subtle narrative punctuation.

For menace, Horner crafts a threatening theme for Van Pelt, the relentless hunter conjured by the game, introduced in “Van Pelt” with ominous shakuhachi lines and prowling brass. Horner also sprinkles in grotesque humor, such as the carnivalesque motif for the monkeys, scored with circus-like trumpet figures, comic bass lines, and even synthesized klaxon horns, underscoring the chaos they cause.

Horner’s orchestration is as colorful as the game itself. He makes striking use of exotic woodwinds — the shakuhachi for danger and mystery, the quena for tenderness and warmth — while percussion drives the action with energy. The score’s action set pieces rank among Horner’s most thrilling of the period. “Rampage Through Town,” “The Monsoon,” and “Jumanji” bristle with pounding rhythms, soaring brass, and furious string writing, evoking both the chaos unleashed by the game and the high stakes of the players’ quest. These passages demonstrate Horner’s ability to blend intensity with harmony, making the music as exhilarating on album as it is in the film. 

The original 1995 Epic Soundtrax album offered 51 minutes of music arranged in Horner’s customary album style. In 2022, Intrada Records issued a complete two-disc edition, expanding the score in full for collectors, though its sheer comprehensiveness could prove daunting for casual listeners. Renovatio Records’ new 55-minute edition provides the perfect balance: a remastered, tightly assembled single-disc program presented in chronological order. It restores essential material missing from the original album while maintaining a concise flow, offering both newcomers and longtime fans the most accessible way to experience Horner’s score.

With Jumanji, James Horner created a score that is at once adventurous, playful, and deeply moving — a work that has stood the test of time and continues to enchant listeners three decades later. This new Renovatio Records edition invites audiences to rediscover Horner’s thrilling jungle adventure and the warmth at its heart, in a presentation that honors one of the composer’s most distinctive children’s fantasy scores of the mid-1990s.


Track listing:

1. Prologue (3:41)
2. Alan and Sarah Start Playing (2:20)
3. Mosquitoes, Monkeys and A Lion (4:04)
4. Alan Is Back (2:38)
5. A New World (3:37)
6. It's Sarah's Move (2:33)
7. Faster Than Bamboo (2:33)
8. Van Pelt (1:54)
9. Stampede! (2:11)
10. Peter Retrieves the Game (1:39)
11. Rampage Through Town (6:26)
12. The Monsoon (5:35)
13. Jumanji (6:15)
14. Finale (4:48)
15. End Titles (5:18)

Total Running Time: 55:32






Size: 309.4 MB
Files type: FLAC Audio File [.flac]
Channels: 2 (stereo)
Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz
Sample Size: 16 bit
Bit Rate: 1,411 kbps


Cover Artwork:






Credits:

Music Composed and Conducted by James Horner

Produced by James Horner
Executive Producer for Renovatio Records: John M. Angier

Orchestrations by Steve Bramson
Orchestra Contractor: Nathan Kaproff
Music Preparation: Bob Bornstein
Music Editor: Jim Henrikson
Assistant Music Editors: Christine Cholvin, Joe E. Rand
Recorded and Mixed by Shawn Murphy at Todd-AO Scoring Stage, Studio City, CA
Todd-AO Scoring Staff: Andy Bass, Marc Gebauer, David Marquette, Jay Selvester, Kirsten Smith
Mastered by Patricia Sullivan at A&M Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Album Sequencing: John M. Angier
Art Direction: Mira B. Ellis

Featured Instrumental Soloists: Michael Fisher, Ralph Grierson, Tony Hinnegan, James Horner, Randy Kerber, Qu-Chao Liu, Kazu Matsui, Mike Taylor, Ian Underwood

Published by TSP Music, Inc. (admin. by Sony Tunes Inc.)


Cue Assembly:

Track Title

Slate Number and Cue Title

1. Prologue

1m1 Prologue / Main Title

2. Alan and Sarah Start Playing

2m4 First Move

3. Mosquitoes, Monkeys and a Lion

3m10/4m1 Monkey Mayhem (Edited)

4. Alan Is Back

4M2/3 A New World

5. A New World

4m4/5m1 Alan Parrish (Edited)

6. It's Sarah's Move

6m1 It's Sarah's Move

7. Faster Than Bamboo

1m3 Alan Finds The Game (Edited)

6m2 Plant Almost Eats Peter

8. Van Pelt

7m1 The Hunter

9. Stampede!

7m2 Stampede!

10. Peter Retrieves the Game

7m3 A Pelican Steals The Game

11. Rampage Through Town

4m4/5m1 Alan Parrish (Edited)

8m4 Rampage Through Town (Edited)

8m5/6 Store Mayhem (Edited)

8m7/9m1 Car Crash (Edited)

12. The Monsoon

9m2 Peter's Tail / Van Pelt's Hand (Edited)

10m1 The Monsoon (Edited)

13. Jumanji

11m1 Jumanji (Edited)

14. Finale

11m1 Jumanji (Edited)

15. End Titles

12m3 End Titles (Edited)




Motion picture artwork and photography © 1995 TriStar Pictures Inc. This compilation and cover artwork © 2025 Renovatio Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. For promotional use only.

Renovatio Records [0-01702-19080]