Goldfinger
Artist: John Barry
Genre: Film Soundtrack
Year: 1991
Record Label: EMI-USA

CDP-7-95345-2 (1991). Original soundtrack recording from the 1964 James Bond film GOLDFINGER. Music composed and conducted by John Barry. Stereo. CD running time: 31:24

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The powerful tycoon Auric Goldfinger has initiated "Operation Grand Slam," a cataclysmic scheme to raid Fort Knox and obliterate the world economy. James Bond (Agent 007), armed with his specially equipped Aston Martin (its accessory package includes built-in machine guns, a smoke screen and an ejector seat), must stop the plan by overcoming several outrageous adversaries. First, Bond must contend with Oddjob, the mute servant who kills at the toss of a lethal hat. Next, he has a daring romp with the beautiful Jill Masterson, Goldfinger's trusted card advisor, who gives new meaning to the phrase "golden girl." Finally, Bond becomes entangled with the sexy pilot Pussy Galore, whose romantic feelings for him complicate her involvement in Goldfinger's high-flying scheme. (Synopsis from Hollywood.com)


Damned Rodan's Album Review
Rating (out of 5):

Goldfinger, the movie, brings us 007 at his best, with a correspondingly brilliant score by John Barry. The film has a perfect balance of intrigue, action, tongue-in-cheek humor, and gadgetry, not to mention Sean Connery's best performance as Bond and the series' all-time finest villain. Barry takes a step upward from his already impressive From Russia With Love score, providing powerful brass and guitar arrangements, an exciting orchestration of the James Bond theme, and one of the best single pieces of music ever to grace a Bond soundtrack: the brash, bawdy instrumental version of "Goldfinger" (originally on side two of the LP) that precedes "Dawn Raid on Fort Knox."

On the whole, the main title motif is used more extensively than in Barry's previous score, and given the Goldfinger theme's distinctive, energetic flavor, it is entirely appropriate in the context of the film. At the same time, such usage makes the soundtrack CD all the more listenable on its own; it transcends mere background for the movie. Alas, the album features only ten tracks, with a running time of just over 31 minutes, so it goes by in a hurry. Happily, most of the best music in the film is included; it is either a shame or a blessed relief, depending on one's point of view, that the jaunty bluegrass instrumental that plays when Bond arrives at Goldfinger's stud farm in Kentucky is absent. (As an aside, Vic Flick, guitar soloist on the Bond theme, is the banjoist on this cut, reportedly included on the new, remastered edition of the Goldfinger soundtrack.)

For the first time we hear Shirley Bassey as the vocalist on the title song, and impressive does not begin to describe the raw power of her voice, which beautifully conveys the scope of the movie as well as the essence of Goldfinger's character. The last three tracks on the CD ("Dawn Raid on Fort Knox," "The Arrival of the Bomb and Countdown," and "The Death of Goldfinger/End Titles") make for a back-to-back exercise in building suspense, culminating in a most satisfying listening experience and representing the epitome of what film music ought to be.

Goldfinger was a something of a turning point in the Bond series. Somewhat sadly, it marked the end of restraint in regard to humor, for subsequent entries began to rely more and more heavily on the outlandish, all too often going for the cheap thrill or the slapstick rather than the subtle and the tongue-in-cheek, which is where the Bond films truly shine. But on its own, Goldfinger is a crowning jewel in the 007 series, to be excelled only once over the course of the next 17 entries.

01/26/03


Film Credits
Producers: Albert R. Broccoli & Harry Salzman (Eon Productions, Ltd.)
Director: Guy Hamilton
Screenplay: Richard Maibaum & Guy Dehn (based on the novel by Ian Fleming)
Film Editor: Peter Hunt
Art Direction: Peter Murton
Production Design: Ken Adam
Cinematography: Ted Moore
Title Designer: Maurice Binder
Music: John Barry; Monty Norman (James Bond Theme); Leslie Bricussse & Anthony Newley (Title Song Lyrics)
Title Song Sung by Shirley Bassey
Film Running Time: 111 minutes

Cast
James Bond: Sean Connery
Pussy Galore: Honor Blackman
Auric Goldfinger: Gert Fröbe
Jill Masterson: Shirley Eaton
Tilly Masterson: Tania Mallet
Oddjob: Harold Sakata
M: Bernard Lee
Martin Solo: Martin Benson
Felix Leiter: Cec Linder
Simmons: Austin Willis
Moneypenny: Lois Maxwell
Midnight: Bill Nagy
Kisch: Michael Mellinger
Johnny: Peter Cranwell
Bonita: Nadja Regin
Colonel Smithers: Richard Vernon
Mr. Ling: Burt Kwouk
Major Boothroyd (Q): Desmond Llewelyn
Mei-Lei: Mai Ling
Swiss Gatekeeper: Varley Thomas
Dink: Margaret Nolan
Brigadier: John McLaren
Atomic Specialist: Robert MacLeod
Alfred Blacking: Victor Brooks
Capungo (Assassin): Alf Joint
Hawker: Gerry Duggan

CD Tracks

1.  Main Title: Goldfinger/Into Miami (2:47)
2.  Alpine Drive/Auric's Factory (5:24)

3.  Oddjob's Pressing Engagement (3:05)
4.  Bond Back in Action Again (2:29)
5.  Teasing the Korean (2:12)
6.  Gassing the Gangsters (1:03)
7.  Goldfinger (Instrumental Version) (2:08)
8.  Dawn Raid on Fort Knox (5:43)
9.  Arrival of the Bomb and Count Down (3:25)
10.  Death of Goldfinger/End Titles (2:34)

Lyrics

Goldfinger
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley
Sung by Shirley Bassey

Goldfinger,
He's the man, the man with the Midas touch.
A spider's touch.
Such a cold finger
Beckons you to enter his web of sin,
But don't go in.

Golden words he will pour in your ear,
But his lies can't disguise what you fear,
For a golden girl knows when he's kissed her
It's the kiss of death from Mr. Goldfinger.
Pretty girl beware of this heart of gold.
This heart is cold.

Golden words he will pour in your ear,
But his lies can't disguise what you fear,
For a golden girl knows when he's kissed her
It's the kiss of death from Mr. Goldfinger.
Pretty girl beware of this heart of gold.
This heart is cold.
He loves only gold.
Only gold. He loves gold.
He loves only gold. Only gold.
He loves gold.