The Mummy Returns [Soundtrack]

My favorite is 'Sandcastles', followed by 'The Mummy Returns', and maybe the fight scene sequence from 'Evy Kidnapped'. Most of the other pieces chop and change a great deal to accommodate the visuals, and tend not to stick in my memory (and I've just listened to the lot, mind you).

"The Legend of the Scorpion King" opens as the Univeral Pictures sunrise logo comes up, beginning with a martial emphasis on brass and snare drums as the Scorpion King's mortal army goes into battle. The piece changes to a dirge-like theme as the beaten remnants of the Scorpion King's army are driven into the Ahm-Shere desert, then shifts back into a martial theme with deeper, darker tones after the Scorpion King makes his pact and returns with Anubis' army. The piece ends with the dissolve from ancient Egypt to the 1933 O'Connell expedition.

"Scorpion Shoes" opens with the standard stylized cacophony for a gross-out insect scene, which in this case is our *second* sight of the tomb's scorpions - beginning not with the O'Connells' entrance (they're not impressed), but with the thug's shock when he first encounters them. The piece changes its emotional tone as it follows the cuts back and forth between the O'Connells in the bracelet's chamber to the lighter moments as Alex torments the invaders with his slingshot. (The piece ends on Alex's line, 'Mom, Dad - I can explain everything.')

"Imhotep Unearthed" doesn't appear to have been completely included in the film, but it's hard to tell given the volume of the music beneath the dialogue track. Its first flourish corresponds with the reappearance of the scarabs, then tracks the film through Imhotep's rediscovery until just after the cut to the O'Connells back in London. (The last dramatic flourishes of the piece weren't presented in musical sequence, but cut in with the bad guys' arrival at O'Connell manor, after 'Just an Oasis'.)

"Just an Oasis" opens as Evy speaks that line to Rick, working on persuading him to hunt for Ahm-Shere. The piece is built around the flute solo I think of as the romantic Evy/Rick theme.

"Bracelet Awakens" - creepy opening, building into very dramatic sweeping crescendo to accompany Alex's first vision of the bracelet's holographic 'map'.

"Evy Kidnapped" begins as Lok-nah first confronts Evy and Alex, through the subsequent fight scene, ending as Rick and company pull up to the Museum.

"Rick's Tattoo" begins just as Ardath sees it and explains its meaning, flowing through the procession sequences inside the museum as the Book of the Dead is deployed once again. (The piece isn't continuous on the film's own soundtrack, given the cuts to Ardath and Rick.) It flows into the next track, "Imhotep Reborn", through the romantic interlude as Imhotep meets his reincarnated princess again, ending with the bad guys realizing where the bracelet must be.

"My First Bus Ride" begins as Imhotep is presented with his gift - the chance to burn Evy alive in the British Museum; the battle sequences reprise a theme similar to that of the 'Kidnap' battle theme, continuing as our heroes flee the mummies via the double-decker bus. The sequence ends just as Ardath speaks the title line about this having been his first bus ride.

"The Mushy Part" picks up just after 'Bus Ride', opening with the Evy/Rick romantic theme, abruptly changing tone as Imhotep's thugs grab Alex, continuing through Imhotep's romantic theme with his first flashback, ending only with Rick's 'magic carpet' line.

"A Gift and a Curse" - title comes from Imhotep's line explaining the dangers of the bracelet to Alex, but beginning earlier just as the curator hands Anck the Book of the Dead, asking her to keep it with her always. The piece runs through the three stooges' meeting with Imhotep, ending just as Rick and company meet with Izzy at Magic Carpet Airways.

"Medjai Commanders" occurs in the film back-to-front, the second half played as the commanders first meet with Ardath outside Izzy's place, the first half played over the opening dirigible sequences.

"Evy Remembers" does NOT include the most memorable part of the flashback - the duel - but picks up just as the pharaoh congratulates both competitors. Consequently, the action sequence of the combat isn't included, but the lush romantic tryst between Imhotep and Anck, changing to action during their confrontation with the pharaoh and the ancient Medjai.

"Sandcastles" begins with 'we've lost them' at Karnak, flowing through all the rest of the sandcastle sequence until Imhotep casts his waterwall spell. Great piece, with a strong 'pursuit' flavor about it; goes well with the 'balloon' theme.

"We're in Trouble" (Izzy's line) picks up just after 'Sandcastles', covering the waterwall sequence until the dirigible's afterburners fizzle.

"Pygmy Attack" covers the 3-way battle, starting where the apparently shrunken head starts screaming until the curator delivers his 'the two of you must sacrifice yourselves for me' line. (Even *Jonathan* isn't *that* bad.)

"Come Back Evy" begins with a triumphal flourish as the bracelet unlocks itself, shifting shockingly with Anck's attack on Evy, ending after Rick's title line as he must leave Evy to track down her attackers.

"The Mummy Returns" - this medley actually *doesn't* correspond to the end credits sequence (a really nifty reprise of 'Sandcastles' that wasn't included for some silly reason).

"Forever May Not Be Long Enough" is technically part of the original soundtrack, as it appears over the latter part of the closing credits, beginning just as the complete cast list starts rolling. Unlike the rest of the soundtrack (which is purely instrumental), this is rock with vocals - a somewhat romantic take on Imhotep and Anck-su-namun.

The best you can say for it is that it is a badly written homage to the greats of film music - Alfred Newman, Franz Waxman, E. W. Korngold, and by no means least, John Williams. Im afraid if you have any sort of collection of film music at all, this cd is going to prove obsolete, redundant and thoroughly undesirable.