Track Listing

1. M.I.B. Main Theme
2. D's Memories/Chase
3. Edgar's Truck/A New Man
4. Imports/Quiet Moment
5. J Contemplates
6. Headquarters
7. Suit
8. Morgue Time
9. Petit Mort
10. K Reminisces
11. Orion's Belt/Cat Stinger
12. Noisy Cricket/Impending Trouble
13. Sexy Morgue Babe/Icon
14. Take Off/Crash
15. Finale
16. M.I.B. Closing Theme [From Men in Black]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #109869 in Music
• Released on: 1997-12-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Original language: English, Spanish

Customer Reviews

PUM-PUM-pum-pum..Oh, I was just humming the theme...
Sorry, I was a little bit distracted by the main theme of M.I.B. Its rather catchy if you think about it. It starts out with those four deep cello notes then leads into something that is continuously amazing for one of the most innovative opening sequences I've seen in a long time (not counting "Catch Me if You Can", of course). "D's Memories/Chase" starts out mellow, with K's old partner reminiscing about being an agent of M.I.B., then the track speeds up and goes into full on action music, complete with synths, driving strings, and plenty of percussion.

"J Contemplates" is kind of a somber cue, it seems like very deep "I'm thinking about something very important" music, it ends with a rather strange look at Edgar. "The Suit" brings us to the registration process in the film, where K is deleting everything that everyone knows about James Edwards and now he becomes J. Big (not yet huge...) choral bursts accentuate the track and bring it to an abrupt stop. "Petit Mort" is the most somber track on the album. Taking up only a mere 1:42, this track evokes a sense of "Aww, poor baby". "K Reminisces" is a great track, perhaps my third favorite from the album (the first being the main theme and the second being the finale). Light guitar signifying K's melancholy while being separated from his wife give the already action packed score to a more emotional place.

But, that was only a little bit of action. "Orion's Belt/Cat Stinger" is an amazing track. The opening 30 seconds are the second of Elfman's best full orchestra/full chorus writing in his career. The action just picks up from there. Employing full orchestra with extra emphasis on percussion, the next few tracks pound mercilessly through the speakers. "Noisy Cricket/Impending Trouble", "Sexy Morgue Babe/Icon" and "Take Off/Crash" are the included tracks. All the tracks, no matter what order you shuffle them in, will ultimately lead to one of, if not the best of Elfman's finales. The emotional portions of K's yearning are finally over as he is reunited with his wife in the end, now with J taking his place as the head honcho agent. It all comes together in a HUGE (this is it!) choral burst, along with crashing cymbals, full throttle orchestra, and a slight bit of synth, this has to be one of the best endings to a score that I've ever heard.

Action, sorrow, yearning, comedy, and a few bits of slight scare here and there, this ranks high among Elfman's best. Now, just look into this red eye and you won't remember a thing, except to go buy this score.

MiB - Men In Black
Men In Black: (Danny Elfman) I sat down on my couch, a DVD of MiB in my player. As soon as it starts, those four cello notes hauntingly fade in... and out. I knew I was in for a good film, but I hadn't realized Mr. Elfman was doing the score. Wow! is all I can say. The score is powerful and driving, yet comedic and funny with the film. Perfect for a comedy about aliens living in New York. However, readers be warned, if you want to get the full drive of the score, get the film. With the CD you can hear something happened - say, a cue, but you don't know what. It's like telling a joke and being denied the punchline. However, this is a fantastic score, and it's great if you buy the CD. I give it a four, because it has more impact with the film. In Film: ***** On CD: **** All in all: *****

A must for Elfman fans
I had no clue that Elfman had written the music for Barry Sonnenfeld's wry sci-fi comedy until I saw his name pop up on screen in the theater. And I was VERY pleasantly surprised. Incorporating more of his rock music history than many of his other scores, Elfman's energetic, highly rhythmic opening sets a rather hip tone and paves the way for smart-alek Will Smith's adventures in the world of Illegal Alien tracking. A handful of the selections are sheer listening enjoyment, most are okay... Without the images to go along with it, a couple of pieces amount to just a lot of electronic noise. While I definitely consider this a positive addition to my collection, I must confess I fail to see why it got an Oscar(r) nominee; it is so unlike anything the Academy likes to nominate. (I'm happy for Elfman, but surprised.)