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Music Conducted By
Jerry Goldsmith

Orchestrations By
 Arthur Morton

Recorded By
 Eric Tomlinson

Performed By
 The National Philharmonic Orchestra

Expanded Album Produced By
Ford Thaxton

Original Album Produced By
Jerry Goldsmith

Label
Silva America SSD 1025 

Previous Release(s)
Varese Sarabande
VCD 47218 

Year Of CD/Film Release
1993/1984

Running Time
77:37/39:39

Availability
Normal Release

Reviewed By
Darren Charlton

Cues & Timings
 

Silva Screen CD

  1. Overture (6:07)

  2. Main Title & Argo City (3:15)

  3. Argo City Mall * (0:56)

  4. The Butterfly (1:36)

  5. The Journey Begins * (1:12)

  6. Arrival on Earth * / The Flying Ballet (5:36)

  7. Chicago Lights / Street Attack * (2:23)

  8. The Superman Poster** (0:52)

  9. A New School (2:13)

  10. The Map (1:10)

  11. Ethan Spellbound * (2:13) 

  12. The Monster Tractor (7:34)

  13. Flying Ballet *** (2:13) 

  14. The Map *** (1:13) 

  15. The Bracelet (1:44)

  16. First Kiss * / Monster Storm *** (4:35)

  17. "Where is She?" - The Monster Bumper Cars (2:57)

  18. The Flying Bumper Car (1:28)

  19. "Where's Linda?" (1:21)

  20. Black Magic (4:08) *

  21. The Phantom Zone * (3:42)

  22. The Vortex - The End of Zaltar  * (5:49)

  23. The Final Showdown & Victory */ End Title (12:10)

    * Previously Unreleased
    ** Contains Superman theme by John Williams
    *** Alternate Version
    **** Short Version

Varese Sarabande CD

1. Main Title (03:12)
2. "Where Is She?" (01:05)
3. Black Magic (04:06)
4. First Flight (04:14)
5. The Butterfly (01:34)
6. "Where Is Linda?" (01:14)
7. The Monster Tractor (07:26)
8. The Bracelet (01:24)
9. Monster Storm (02:55)
10. A New School (02:08)
11. The Flying Car (01:25)
12. The Map (01:10)
13. 9M-3 (01:41)
14. End Title (06:05)

Soundtrack Ratings

Disappointing

Functional

 Average

 Good

 Excellent

 Outstanding

Supergirl
 
Supergirl came during a period most aficionados consider to be one of Goldsmiths most prolific. The years between 1978 and 1985 included classics such as Star Trek the Motion Picture (1979), Alien (1979) and Poltergeist (1982). Yet Supergirl is generally disregarded as a lesser work of the time. This is in part due to its derivative nature following William’s trail blazing Superman (1978) and because of the poor quality of the film itself. Even Goldsmith was surprised when its theme finally found popularity as an encore during his concerts.

However, Supergirl is full of the lightness of touch and complex writing that marks his work at the time. The music remains the films saving grace and is represented by Varese Sarabande’s original album and Silva Screen’s expanded reissue. The rare former edition remains the best way to experience the score due to the fact the heavy use of synthesisers have been significantly reduced in the mix. However, completists will enjoy Arrival on Earth and Phantom Zone with their dissonance and choral passages.

But an adventure score falls or rises based on the quality of its theme, and Supergirl is a gem. Whereas Goldsmith’s King Solomon’s Mines was a comic pastiche trounced by William’s vastly superior march for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Supergirl is “serious” and authentic in style. Opening with swirling strings and a heraldic four note fanfare, the march bursts forward complete with tambourine during the bridge. The leitmotif can be inflexible against the transience of the moving image. Goldsmith certainly favoured the use of a series of flexible motifs that can be altered accordingly. However, Goldsmith adapts the main theme here in several ways lending it unusual flexibility. It is both martial (End Credits), pastoral (A New School), feminine (First Flight) and mysterious (The Map).

Action set pieces The Tractor and Monster Storm are rich with complicated and contrapuntal string and brass writing. It’s never too busy or overbearing. Both pieces are driven by Goldsmith’s trademark ostinatos and climax with exciting pay offs of the central themes.

It’s the attention to detail in the minor cues that often indicates Goldsmith’s investment in a project. Here, brief cues such as The Butterfly and The Map are alight with their own colour and invention. It is no wonder that the soundtrack album features so many of them.

However, First Flight/flying ballet provides what is arguably the scores best moment. Tender renditions of both the love and main theme encapsulate just how specific Goldsmith was in creating femininity to the hero theme. Here, the protagonist’s discovery of earth, flight and her new abilities make for the scores most gorgeous arrangement and ends with a bombastic climax as she soars over a waterfall.

The film and album respectively close with the end credits. Silva Screen's inclusion of the overbearing synthesiser version again mars this slightly but it does include the dramatic Final Showdown. This is notable for bringing in one of film music’s most pleasing end scenes into end credits segues. When a score successfully bridges the spatial gap that exists between a film’s closing image and the credit scroll, it leaves a pleasing sense of occasion and resolution. When this does not occur, it can bring anti climax; Lord of the Rings, anybody? Here Goldsmith provides a terrific “movie music” moment.

Supergirl may not be a masterpiece, but as with Gremlins (1984) and Legend (1985), the soundscape for the score is so specific that it does not recall any other work other than itself. On hearing it, it is unmistakably only Supergirl.