Bill Conti Albums (14)
What The Critics Say
Like the movie it accompanies, the soundtrack to Rocky III is a pure '80s throwback, and that's not necessarily a compliment. At only ten tracks, the album still manages to seem padded. Let's face it, once you've heard the pop chestnut "Eye of the Tiger," which has aged surprisingly well (that opening guitar sting remains potent after all these years), there's really no reason to keep listening. If you do, however, you'll be treated to the unique sound of not just one, but three songs from Sly Stallone's lesser-known brother Frank. An actor as well as a crooner, Frankie contributes two versions of a little ditty called "Take You Back" and the truly hilarious (unintentionally so, of course) disco/pop number "Pushin." Chock-full of howlers like "Keep on pushin/don't give up the fight," the song sounds like a long-lost collaboration between the Bee Gees and the Village People. Considerably less amusing are the album's instrumental tunes, composed by Bill Conti; with the exception of the requisite rendition of Rocky's theme song "Gonna Fly Now, each of these tracks is painfully generic. Conti could have just recorded white noise in place of songs like "Decision" and the pointlessly long "Conquest," and no one would have known the difference. It's difficult to imagine anyone actually wanting to purchase Rocky III, but the CD does make a good gag gift if you have a friend who finds this kind of thing amusing. Just make sure you have a real present waiting in the wings. ~ Ethan Alter, All Music Guide
'Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story'
Release Date 1/1/1990
Tracks 2
Label Atlantic
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What The Critics Say
Composer Bill Conti's iconic score for Sylvester Stallone's tale of over-the-hill Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa ranks as one of the most memorable and instantly recognizable pieces of film music ever applied to celluloid. The first Rocky is still the best, with classic cues like "Going the Distance," "Fanfare for Rocky," the "Final Bell" and "Gonna Fly Now" -- the latter was actually a hit single -- eschewing the myriad of questionable AOR songs that would end up cluttering future installments. [In 2006, Capitol released the 30th Anniversary Edition of Rocky which featured the original play list remastered in 24-bit digital, with photos and liner notes from Stallone himself.] ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The rare sequel that improves upon its predecessor, Rocky II expands on the uplifting approach exemplified by Bill Conti's immortal "Gonna Fly Now" to create a score that's both more cohesive and more emotional. Writer/director/star Sylvester Stallone affords Conti a wider emotional berth this time around, allowing for poignant, melancholy themes like "Vigil" alongside fist-pumping anthems like the climactic "Overture" -- as before, Conti employs little more than solo piano, a small string ensemble, and a potent brass section, and it's to the composer's enormous credit that he can forge such larger-than-life music from relatively few instrumental elements. "Gonna Fly Now" even reappears, this time with a children's choir in tow, and sounds better than ever. Not even Frank Stallone's "Two Kinds of Love" can torpedo this one. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
'An Unmarried Woman'
Release Date 1/1/1978
Tracks 11
Label 20th Century
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