Godzilla 2000: Millennium

The theme to the latest Godzilla adventure sounds halfway between a classic monster motif and heroic fanfare, which appropriately reflects the constantly shifting role of Japan's favorite giant lizard. After all, one minute he's threatening to crush Tokyo under his giant frame; the next, he's saving the populace from alien intruders. (Of course, Godzilla inevitably crushes Tokyo while saving it--there's irony for you.) For this film, composer Takayuki Hattori (who also scored 1994's Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla) refreshingly opts not to overdo the action scenes. Despite the occasional, clichéd use of string and brass crescendos for dramatic effect, pieces like "The Self Defense Force Swings into Action" are unusually understated. Considering the bombastic onscreen carnage, this makes for a striking contrast. Most memorable on the Godzilla 2000 soundtrack is the unconventional music--the tribal drumming insinuated into the anxious orchestrations of "Giant UFO Approaching" and "Before the Explosion"; the soothing, hypnotic tones of "Wonder of G Revealed"; and the wonderful, modern rendition of Akira Ifukube's classic, "Godzilla's Theme." Tohophiles will also appreciate the inclusion of Godzilla and Orga sound effects from the film. --Bryan Reesman