Forrest Gump (Alan Silvestri)
(1994)
Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction were the two main contenders at the 1995 Academy Awards. It would be Forrest Gump that would ultimately prevail, winning six Oscars out of thirteen nominations, including a second consecutive win for Tom Hanks, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in around seventy years.
Most unfortunately, Alan Silvestri’s score was not among the six awards that the film took home. Silvestri, having scored all of director Robert Zemeckis’ films since Romancing the Stone in 1984, and delivered one of the best scores that he has ever written.
Some have even hailed the score as a classic, but, as wonderful as it may be, I personally think that’s taking it a little too far. If somebody said “classic film score” to you what would spring to mind? For me it might be Gone with the Wind or The Magnificent Seven, or maybe Star Wars or E.T. Forrest Gump would not immediately spring to mind. And so, while an excellent score, describing it as a classic is possibly one compliment too many.
The first problem with the music in the film is that Zemeckis makes significant use of songs, and therefore the use of Silvestri’s themes was rather less thorough than I personally would have liked. A listen on album is therefore what is required to listen to the music in a more complete form.
Silvestri created four main themes for the film, and they are conveniently the first four tracks on the CD. The two most recognizable are probably the “feather” theme and the “running” theme. The former is the piece that is played over the opening credits of the film; “I’m Forrest, Forrest Gump”, starting as a simple solo piano piece, later joined by the string section. The second, “You’re No Different” is much the same in terms of orchestration, but again introduces a lovely new theme. The third, “You Can’t Sit Here”, is a sad, lonely piece played by strings which crops up throughout the score whenever a sad incident occurs in Forrest’s life. And finally, “Run Forrest Run”, certainly the best cue on the album, a powerful brass movement that accompanies the scenes with Forrest’s running. It is heard again, more vibrantly, in “The Crimson Gump”.
And so, those are the four main themes, and they crop up at regular intervals throughout the score. Other excellent cues include “Washington Reunion”, the shortest cue, which features a glorious orchestral swell as Forrest and Jenny reunite, and “Where Heaven Ends”, a somewhat eerie and faraway sounding piece. The album comes to an end in just under forty minutes with “Suite from Forrest Gump” which recaps all the main themes wonderfully.
In summary then, is Forrest Gump a wonderful score? Yes. Did it deserve to win the Oscar? Yes. Is it a classic? No. It’s not on the same level as the scores mentioned earlier which would immediately come to mind when one was asked to name a “classic” motion picture score. It is, however, a great score and easily merits a recommendation.
Purchase from Amazon (UK)
Purchase from Amazon: CD | Download (USA)
Track Listing
1 – I’m Forrest, Forrest Gump
2 – You’re No Different
3 – You Can’t Sit Here
4 – Run Forrest Run
5 – Pray With Me
6 – The Crimson Gump
7 – They’re Sending Me To Vietnam
8 – I Ran and Ran
9 – I Had a Destiny
10 – Washington Reunion
11 – Jesus on the Main Line
12 – That’s My Boat
13 – I Never Thanked You
14 – Jenny Returns
15 – The Crusade
16 – Forrest Meets Forrest
17 – The Wedding Guest
18 – Where Heaven Ends
19 – Jenny’s Grave
20 – I’ll Be Right Here
21 – Suite from Forrest Gump
Credits
Music Composed, Conducted & Produced by Alan Silvestri
Orchestrated by William Ross
Recorded at Sony Pictures Studios
Awards
Academy Award for Best Original Score (nominated)
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score (nominated)
Insert Notes
List of credits & tracks, but no additional information.
All artwork and images are Copyright © Paramount Pictures.
