What makes Jurassic Park such a particular joy for me is that almost every cue functions as a perfectly self contained musical entity. Distinct enough to exist on its own while still maintaining the continuity of the whole. It's that particular style of writing that Williams seemed to employ less frequently afterward, with scores becoming considerably more through composed and different parts being less obviously distinctive entities. Nothing wrong with that, simply a different way of working and almost certainly appropriate for the film in question. Like me, I'm sure the music everyone remembers is Journey to the Island, the terrific introduction that bounces along, but leads into the even more impressive island fanfare as Spielberg's camera follows the chopper through the mountains of Isla Nublar and Williams' music perfectly timed to every part of the sequence, yet never leaping from idea to idea without musical reason. I still can't believe that Spielberg didn't re-cut the scene to fit the music, so good is the synchronisation.
There are of course plenty of other highlights. The helicopter flight is followed by the main theme as the characters and the viewer sees its first, full size dinosaur in the shape of a Brachiosaurus. The choir might seem overkill, but Williams knows how to push every dramatic button and milks the moment for all its worth and quite rightly, so convincing are the effects that we might as well be presented with a real dinosaur. Of course, the spectacle becomes chaos and Williams' action music is some of his most exciting and frenetic, with plenty of motifs and ideas playing off each. The highlight undoubtedly being T-Rex Rescue & Finale which hits every dramatic point so perfectly that the music is almost as exciting as watching it. The more reflective moments are no less impressive, from the twinkling Tree For My Bed lullaby to the sadness of Remembering Petticoat Lane. It's these little moments that make propel Williams above almost all composers these days. The introspective parts are as good and written with as much care as the more prominent ones.
I know it would probably be ambitious to compare Jurassic Park with Williams' top scores, but for sheer thrill, it's hard to beat. The generous album contains all the most important music, even if a few sections are edited together. The lovely My Friend the Brachiosaurus actually relating to an encounter with a sick Triceratops during the pastoral first half with the more impressionistic latter half relating to a later brachiosaurus encounter. About the only gripe with the arrangement is Welcome to Jurassic Park being halfway through the album, actually the End Credits in the film. It would have been better as the End Credit on the album instead of the shortened reprise of the island fanfare. Minor quibbles about an excellent score. Whether it's his huge, instantly memorable fanfares, the more pastoral, but awe inspiring main theme, the marvellous incidental sections or the searing action music, John Williams truly is one of the best. An essential Williams album.
Rating ~ I must first confess that any view of Jurassic Park will undoubtedly be tinged with bias simply because it was the first soundtrack CD that ever bought. Something of a late starter, but all I needed was John Williams' Journey to the Island and my bank balance has been crippled ever since. Having said that, in retrospect, Jurassic Park is still hugely enjoyable John Williams that combines everything that is great about his music and what draws his thousands of fans towards The World's Greatest Film ComposerTM. I think Jurassic Park marked something of a watershed in Williams' composing style which went somewhat darker afterward and considerably more subtle. Maybe that was a result of the films, but also the kinds of projects where this type of music is suitable simply didn't come his way so often. Spielberg got serious post Schindler's List, even The Lost World was a very different type of film from Jurassic Park.
Total Time ~ 70:20