The first time I saw 12 Monkeys I didn't get it. The second time I watched it I got it and I realized what a different movie it was. Since I paid more attention to the story the second time around, I appreciated the movie more and that is the reason that I bought the movie on tape. What drew my brother to buy the score was the accordian-esque theme used over and over again. It is introduced in the first track as "Introduccion" but from here on I'll refer to it as the 12 Monkeys theme. Although composer Paul Buckmaster did not come up with this composition on his own, its use is perfect considering what an unusual movie this is. Its kookiness is what sells it. One of the other themes that Buckmaster does use repeatedly as well is the music from the dream sequences. They are performed almost identically in every instance that it is played. The simple string composition is so soleful and sweet that it seems almost the antithesis to the main 12 Monkeys Theme. A longer rendition of this string composition is in the last track entitled Dreamer's Awake which occurs at the very end of the film.
As for the rest of the score, it is a dark score that occasionally reminded me of James Horner's style of dark and spooky music. The inclusion of several classic rock songs on the album is due to the fact that music is so important to Bruce Willis's character in the movie. These four songs are featured in the film itself in the same form presented here. While their inclusion in the middle of the score is kind of a distraction or interruption from the music, they don't detract to much from the experience. It would have been better to save it for the end. I recommend getting this score only if you've seen the movie. I sometimes get scores to movies I've never seen or have yet to see and sometimes that's not always the best way. See the movie first and then decide.
Total time: 62:13
1: "Introduccion" from Suite Punta Del Este (12 Monkeys Theme) (0:52) *
2: Cole's First Dream/Volunteer Duty/Topside (3:11)
3: Silent Night (1:07)
4: Spider Research/"Introduccion" (We did it)/The Proposition (1:58) *
5: Time Confusion/To the Mental Ward/Planet Ogo (1:52)
6: Wrong Number/Cole's Second Dream/Dormitory Spider/"Introduccion" (Twin Moons Tango) (3:31)
7: Vivisection (1:20) - Charles Olins
8: Sleepwalk (2:23) - B.J. Cole
9: "Introduccion" (Escape to Nowhere)/Scanner Room/Capture and Sedation (3:32)
10: Cole's Third Dream (0:20)
11: Interrogation/Time Capsule/Cole Kidnaps Railly (4:55)
12: Blueberry Hill (2:19) - Fats Domino
13: What a Wonderful World (2:18) - Louis Armstrong
14: Cole's Fourth Dream (0:25)
15: Comanche (2:03) - Link Wray and the Wraymen
16: Earth Died Screaming (3:35) - Tom Waits
17: "Introduccion" (Quest for 12 Monkeys) (4:32) *
18: Fateful Bullet/A Boot from the Trunk/Cole's Longing (3:04)
19: Photo Search/Mission Brief (1:27)
20: Back in '96 (2:05)
21: Fugitives/Fateful Love/Home Dentistry (3:22)
22: "Introduccion" (12 Monkeys Theme Reprise)/Giraffes & Flamingos (1:03) *
23: This is my Dream/Cole's Call/Louis & Jose (3:13)
24: Peters Does his Worst (3:51)
25: Dreamers Awake (3:33)